Page 88 of Sleeping Redemption
I pulled my hand out of my pocket and showed her the gold square box.
“Is it a new Divinity Sword?” Her voice lifted with hopefulness.
Shaking my head, I gave a quiet chuckle at the absurdity of her question.
“No, Kin.” I opened the box to reveal the sleek silver ring with the jewels set in their prongs on glorious display. “I know I’m not always easy to deal with, and I don’t show it like I should, but I won’t ever fail you. I’m devoted to being at your side, even if circumstances aren’t ideal.”
She gasped, her hands coming to her cheeks in the process.
“You made this? For me?” Her eyes never left the ring nestled in the box I held.
Hearing how pleased she was by the way she spoke, I finally felt at ease and gave a singular nod. “I don’t want you to ever lose your way, and with these bad boys,” I pointed at the shimmeringstones, “you always have something to navigate through the dark.”
“I love it so much!” She threw her arms around my neck as she showered me with several kisses all over my face and murmured her expressions of gratitude between each peck.
I laughed when she nearly knocked me over in the process; I had to adjust my footing to steady us both. “Alright, alright. I’m glad you like it. Let’s see how it looks on you.”
Kin giggled to herself, giddy with the idea of trying on the pretty new accessory. She pulled the ring from the box and slid it onto her ring finger on her right hand with ease.
Holding her hand out in front of her, she admired the gift. I could see the sparkle of the gems reflecting in her eyes. As much as I worked at keeping my heart behind a wall of stone, the look on her face may as well have been the sledgehammer that broke through it all.
Dropping her hand down to her side, she had nothing but a pure sense of love and adoration in the way she looked at me. That right there was the moment when I realized I would do anything she ever asked of me, no matter the cost.
Chapter Thirty-Five
(TW: NON-CON NOT BY MMCS)
Maybe any other angel would have been indifferent or perhaps unimpressed that Sylas had made them a ring. However, I knew exactly what went into anything he made that he created with his various metals.
In each creation, there was a little piece of his grace in all of it, and that was nothing to scoff at. There was a reason why he was considered a master at his craft back home and why other angels sought him out for their weaponry.
I marveled at the ring on my finger hours later while sitting on Sy’s lap on the couch. I couldn’t wait to show it to Atlas and Rook when they returned from Cioppino’s afternoon walk.
Distracted again, so easily? All over a stupid little trinket. Where are my answers, little one? We are due to speak in person once more. Meet me at Brixton Historic Cemetery, Plot 228. Do not keep me waiting. I have news of your sword.
Why did the Devil have such shit timing? Popping in my head at all the wrong times. I knew he was always watching, but this shit was getting annoying.
I slid off of Sy’s lap, but not before I gave him one final kiss.
Seeing his curiously perked brow, I smiled reassuringly at him. “Duties of Hell are calling.”
He grunted, bristling at the inconvenience. “Lucifer always was a needy bastard,” he griped.
“Stop,” I chided him. “Just because you don’t see eye-to-eye with him doesn’t mean you can’t just agree to disagree. There’s still important work to get done, especially regarding this whole balancing of powers fiasco.”
I patted his thigh gently. “I won’t be gone long.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” he asked.
Giving him a stern look, I shook my head. “The last time you two were in the same vicinity, it resulted in the premature end of the Romanov Dynasty.”
He raised his hands defensively. “Point taken.”
With that, I left to get an update on my sword. This may be just the lead we all hoped for.
The sunbarely dipped below the horizon as I pushed open the wrought iron gate leading into the historic cemetery. Fresh corpses weren’t buried here anymore, so it was only maintained enough to not look like an eyesore from the road.
Wandering along the dirt trail further back into the graveyard, you could see where the maintenance men neglected the grounds. Ivy sprawled out of control, headstones needed cleaning, some of the statues were crumbling at the edges, and the one or two lamp posts present had bulbs flickering under threat of going dark.
