Page 85 of Redeeming the Angel

Xochitl and her friends used that time to finish writing and recording their new album, strengthen their relationships with the Earth mages and the Nightwatch Society, and slip in the lessons in magic and combat that they also needed.

Sylvis’s transformation to nearly full luminite increased her power so she graduated to red robes, which made her two ranks below Xochitl’s and my purple.However, since she was now unable to kill, Nik taught her how to maim.

Although I sometimes missed having a daytime schedule and missed the tranquil pace of life in Luminista even more, I found myself feeling more satisfaction and purpose in life than before.If only the path we were on wasn’t going to lead to inevitable pain and bloodshed, and if only I could spend more time with Kerainne everything would be perfect.But I’d learned that life wasn’t meant to be perfect, no matter what I’d been taught.

At least I got to spend more time with Xochitl.She was everything Kerainne described and more.She excelled in the sword lessons Nik and I taught, even surpassing Akasha, who’d been training longer with one, albeit in a style with broadswords like the knights of Wurrakia.Xochitl lacked the upper body strength that Silas’s mutant human Bride had, so the Shellandrian steel katanas were more suitable for her.We started making a routine of having lunch together before she had to return to the recording studio.I learned about her likes and dislikes, her hopes and ambitions.She had her mother’s vitality and optimism, but there was a craftiness and a volatility to her that made me thank the fates that she had no intention of using her gifts for evil.

When she learned that, like Gabe and now Sylvis, I could shapeshift, she begged me to teach her.

“I want to be a cat!”she declared with irrepressible enthusiasm.“I’ve always wanted to be a cat.”

“What kind?”

“All of them!”

I admired that kind of energy.I promised to teach her when we had time and somehow ended up also agreeing to get a tattoo with her.

I still had no idea how that happened.

If my waking hours weren’t already filled, Zareth summoned me to his new laboratory.The protection spells around the perimeter and upon most of the books and objects pressed on me heavily until I learned to block them out.

Zareth sat at his desk and fiddled with a raven’s feather.“Tanis is having another bad time.I’d like you to try to help him snap out of it.Not only to make him feel better, but also because we need to learn more about Qua’ al-fán.The time will come soon when we march into the portal Sylvis created.”

I’d been expecting this request.In the past few weeks, we’d discovered that poor Tanis frequently went into catatonic states.Artavian, the Wurrak healer, was treating him alongside Jayden, Razvan’s seeress bride.

I nodded, grateful that there was something I could do to remain useful to the king who could become my son in law.“Of course I’ll do whatever I can.”

Unfortunately, every time I’d tried to visit the freed luminite captive, he was asleep.After every failed attempt, I returned to my room, placing my hand on the wall separating me from Kerainne’s suite in silent entreaty for the fates to send her to me.

I had no idea how extreme their answer would be.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Kerainne

After a few hectic weeks of educating the new luminite and vampire soldiers, Xochitl and Zareth decided to hold court with the residents of Niji to hear their grievances and inform them that some of the vampires would become permanent residents.As that would require an extra day to make sure word got out to everyone, we were blessed with some much-needed downtime.As much as I was tempted to see Lucian, I wanted to spend some time with my daughter.Talking with Lucian about raising Xochitl made me realize that between her band and queenly duties, we hadn’t had much mother-daughter time.

I found her leaving the room her band had commandeered for practice, absently rubbing her fingers.

“Mom!”Her face split in a wide grin as she hurled herself into my arms.“I know we haven’t gotten much time…”

“I came to say the same thing.”I stroked her hair.“I was thinking now would be a good time.We can do whatever you want.”

“Hmmm.”She walked beside me to my suite.“Shopping is fun, but it’s too cold and people-y out there.No drinking, because we did enough of that when the delegation was here.Movie nights are fun, but we can do those any time…” She paused as her amber eyes lit up in that wonderful way when she got an idea.“We haven’t created anything together in a long time.”

“That’s right!”I thought of all the paintings, quilts, sculptures, and other things we’d made together.“What should we make?”

“If Zareth and I are going to be spending more time here, we need a garden of black roses too.Tiana would be best for transplanting the flowers from the tower, whenever that sort of thing is to be done.And we’re going to need a lilac bower too.”My daughter’s excitement matched my own.“I know we don’t have time for you to carve new luminite statues or for me to make a new outdoor altar—” for some reason she blushed at the mention of the altar, making me wonder what use she and Zareth had made of it— “But we can draw up plans!Plus, I’m better at drawing than sculpting.I illustrated our first album cover.”

“I remember you telling me.”And I remembered being blown away at how accurately she’d depicted a garden she hadn’t yet set foot in at the time.How longhadZareth been dream-summoning her?“Oils or acrylics?”

“Acrylics.”Xochitl hung her head in mock shame.She’d never had the patience to work well with oils because one had to wait a few days for a layer to dry before adding details without smudging.

“You’re so much like your aunt Nik.”I hugged her tightly, still feeling that dizzying mix of elation and disbelief that I was able to hold her again.“There’s paper and drawing material in the king’s study.That would also be where we’d find the schematic for the castle and grounds.”

A few minutes late, we were comfortably ensconced in the study, much better lit than the one in Zareth’s tower, eagerly sketching our plans for the new garden and bower.As we drew, we chatted about all the things we wanted to do after the war.So far, our list contained at least twenty movies, ten concerts, countless shops and restaurants, and some psychedelics.

Suddenly, a jolt of taunting, familiar electricity zinged through me, followed by a deep ache between my legs.

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