Page 31 of A Silenced Midlife

"If that's what you want," Drew added. "We'll start making arrangements. Just do us a favor and stay home until we can get you some help."

While Liam nodded, Mrs. Stewart stood and wandered into the kitchen. A soft gasp escaped her lips. "Even that's all done?" She turned back to us, her gaze landing on Olivia with awe and confusion.

"Sometimes magic is really cool," Olivia said with a casual shrug, as if tidying an entire house with a snap was just another day for her. It kind of was.

We exchanged goodbyes shortly after, stepping out into the brightness of the afternoon. Once outside, I looked at Drew and said, "We should talk to Lucifer first."

"Luci? Not the mayor?" Drew raised an eyebrow but didn't protest.

"The mayor is nephilim, yeah, but he seemed pretty sure angels don't walk among us," I explained. "Luci's been around longer. He'll have the answers."

"All right, Luci it is then," Drew agreed, and we headed off to find the one being who knew the ins and outs of heaven's castaways better than anyone else in Shipton.

14

OLIVIA

We popped back into my kitchen with a faint whoosh, landing in the cozy chaos of breakfast dishes still scattered on the counter. Luci sat at the table, his attention buried in the morning's newspaper, seemingly oblivious to our supernatural travel methods.

"What did I do now?" he asked without looking up, one eyebrow arched high over the top of the paper.

"Nothing," Ava said quickly, "but we've got a situation."

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and pulled up the picture of Liam I'd managed to take on the sly. Luci peered at it, and his lips twitched into a smirk.

"That kid looks like Gabriel," he said, a chuckle escaping him. "Ol' Gabe finally had him a kid."

Drew's brow furrowed as he leaned against the kitchen island, arms crossed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Gabriel," Luci said with a snort, still eyeing the photo, "was always one step behind Michael in the holy ranks. The most devout, devoted, goody-goody in all of angeldom. I never heard of him fathering a nephilim. Neither did Michael, as far as I know. At least, till now." His laughter filled the room as he rubbed his hands together gleefully. "The next family dinner is going to be one for the books."

Um, what? "Hold on, you're still in contact with other angels?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Lucifer's nonchalance was almost infuriating.

My thoughts raced. This was actually pretty cool. "Well, don't I get to meet them?"

"Only if you want your eyeballs to bleed," he retorted. "You can only see them if they come to Earth, and they never do."

"Never?" I pressed, needing more answers.

He glanced at the picture again, eyes narrowing. "Not in the last 16 or 17 years, apparently."

"Liam's powers have just started. He's the one causing all the strange events in town," Ava said matter-of-factly.

"Ah, yeah, makes sense. Nephilim don't get their powers until they reach maturity. Usually around seventeen or eighteen."

Luci tapped a finger against his chin. "That makes perfect sense about a nephilim kid being the source of the wild magic. I can't believe I didn't think of it. Or sense him for that matter." He made a humming sound, then said, "Probably because nobody has made a nephilim in about two centuries."

"Except for me?" I raised an eyebrow, reminding him of my own heritage.

He grinned widely at me. "I suppose you are a nephilim, aren't you? But being half fae, that makes you something more. You're my special girl."

Rolling my eyes at his endearment, I pushed for an answer. "Will you help Liam?"

His whole demeanor changed, suddenly animated and eager. "I would love to." And just like that, he vanished, no doubt already on his way to find Liam.

"Typical," I muttered. We hadn't even told him where the kid lived.

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