Page 6 of Saints & Sinners

“Why?” Silas pushed. “Scared she’ll hurt your manhood again? Not like we can have children anyway in this lifetime.”

I clenched my teeth. “Silas, I’m this close to losing it with you.” For emphasis, I pressed my thumb and forefinger together—not because I was close, but because I had already lost it with him years ago. I just lacked the physical strength right now to actually do something about it.

When he raised his palms in surrender, my lips curved into a smile, followed shortly by a grimace as pain shot through my balls.

“Moving on from that Grace girl,” Brandon drawled, and I rolled my eyes at him. “Do you think you’ll be okay for later tonight?”

“Why? Do you need me to look after you again?”

He chuckled and shook his light blonde hair away from his eyes. Brandon Tucker, Celestia’s resident nerd. He’d joined a year ago after his mom convinced him to accept the Celestialsoffer. On the other hand, I’d known Silas since we were thirteen. And he’s had the pleasure of annoying me ever since.

“Nah,” Brandon said with a smirk, “I think Silas is the one who needs looking after.”

“How’s that?” Silas mumbled; his words muffled by a mouthful of Cheerios.

“Because you’re twenty years old with the mind of a five-year-old,” I said.

Silas raised an eyebrow at me, a playful challenge in his eyes. “But could a five-year-old beat me in a fight? I don’t think so.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. One day, I hoped a child would knock Silas down a peg or two. When that day comes, I’m going all out.

“Shit, the corner shops outside of Celestia close soon,” Brandon muttered, glancing at his phone. “I promised Sam I’d grab supplies.” He hurriedly slid on his jacket and patted his pockets.

I was already holding his ID out for him. “Don’t forget it this time.”

Brandon grinned, then leaned over the sofa to pat my shoulder—and instead smacked me directly in the nuts.

I doubled over, wheezing.

“Thanks, Cain.”

I barely managed a thumbs-up as Silas erupted into his usual obnoxious laughter.

Grace Martin.

Her name echoed in my mind, drowning out Silas’s noise. She’d get out of here while she still could if she had any sense. Because I don’t forget... and I definitely don’t forgive.

Chapter Four

“How did this even happen in the first place?” Joe shook his head at Nadael.

I cringed, wanting to sink into the chair and disappear. I didn’t like the current attention I had on me inside Nadael’s office. It reminded me too much of the times Joe had to pick me up from the head teacher’s office in primary school because I was either bullied or Miss. Pollin was worried over my fascination with demons and angels.

“I assure you, I did not mean to—” Eden said but silenced herself when Joe looked her way, and she reddened.

Something thickened the air between them as Joe never dropped his gaze, leaving Nadael to clear her throat and gain his attention back to her.

“The dorms at Celestia typically accommodate two or four individuals per room within their designated ranking sector,” she stated, resembling every headteacher I had encountered in my life, except for her midnight blue robe cinched at her waist and a gold belt. Her silver-white hair was slicked back into a low bun, and her office matched the color scheme of her clothes. Blue, white and minimalistic. “Room 104 was listed as not having a fourth roommate, which—” She glanced in Eden’sdirection. “Eden should have known it was occupied by three otherboys.”

Eden bowed her head in shame, and I instantly felt sorry for her. I had made such a bother of it as soon as I left the dorm that she didn’t have the chance to sort it out herself. Instead, I rushed to call Joe. Like I always did for everything. I sought him out to fix any inconvenience I ever had. It was wrong because I was so heavily dependent on him. And it only took Joe minutes, if that, to come back. Just as he said he would. He didn’t even need to use that old car of his anymore. The angels and Angelic Council had their own ways of transport. Wings, yes, but secret passageways through paintings were their preference. More...discreet.And now that Joe was working with the Council, he didn’t need to act normal for my sake.

“Is there any other room she can stay in?” That was Joe.

Nadael pursed her pale pink lips in thought. “There should be a few spare rooms in the south wing of Celestia where Guardians stay. We can sort it out straight away for her, so she doesn’t have to wait around.”

Joe’s sigh sounded relieved. When I turned to look at him, his smile was full of encouragement, and for some reason, it didn’t settle right with me. It was the same smile he had given me for years, where, deep down, he didn’t know what to do with me half the time.

Mr. Martin, I don’t know what to tell you. She is scaring half the other children with her conversations about... demonic beings?

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