Page 54 of Leda's Log

“No, you’re not. But you will do just fine.” A flash of amusement peeked out from behind her serious eyes. “I am promoting you.”

“Promoting me?” Confusion was a rare look on Nero, but he wore it now.

So did the rest of us.

“Ronan and I have matters to attend to off world. Long term,” Nyx added, watching him closely. “That means the Legion will need a new First Angel. That angel is you.” She handed him a platinum pin in the shape of an elaborate crown.

“I’m going to need to come up with some new nicknames for you,” I told Nero as he took the pin from Nyx. “Chief Angel. Top Angel.” I smirked at him. “What do you think, my liege?”

He pinned the crown emblem to his uniform. “I think you’re going to have to do better than that.”

“Angel Commander?”

He nodded. “Better.”

“You can brainstorm nicknames later,” Nyx said. “You have more pressing matters. Such as selecting your Executive Officer.”

“Harker will do just fine,” Nero said.

“I was thinking Fireswift,” she countered.

I snorted.

Nyx looked at me, her eyes narrowing.

“That was a joke, right?” I said. “Nero and Xerxes Fireswift do not get along. He and Harker do.”

“Fireswift is a general,” Nyx said, all sensible and boring. “Sunstorm is not.”

“Then promote him.” I looked at Harker. “You have my vote, Second Angel. Of course that means your old job is open. I think you should make Li an angel and give the job to him,” I told Nero. “He has my vote too.”

“Don’t micromanage, Leda,” Nyx scolded me. “It is the archangels who decide which soldiers shall be made into angels at the Legion, not the gods’ council.”

“Well, then, Li gets Nero’s vote,” I said. “And Harker’s too.”

“Nice of her to give us votes,” Harker muttered to Nero.

Nero snorted.

I turned toward them. “Oh, don’t worry, I will totally make it worth your while.”

“Is she talking to both of us?” Harker asked Nero.

Nero locked eyes with me. “She’d better not be.”

“I second that,” Bella added.

“Get your minds out of the gutter, guys,” I laughed. “When I said I’ll make it worth your while, I of course mean I’ll treat you to my excellent cooking.”

“Excellent cooking?” A crinkle formed between Bella’s eyes. “You make pasta out of a can, Leda.”

“I don’t think she knows what ‘excellent’ means,” Harker commented.

“Oh, you guys. Such naysayers. I’ll have you know that while you were away, I got kind of bored. There are only so many hours I can sit in council meetings. I decided I needed a hobby. So I learned to cook.”

They turned to Nero for confirmation.

“She’s right,” he said. “Most nights after dinner, I don’t even end up in the infirmary.”

---