Page 21 of Trick Of Light

“A meltdown over what?”

“Maybe we should talk about it later,” I said, chuckling, easing back and turning from him to face the angel who was so obviously his friend.

She offered me her hand then, having been waiting to do so, it seemed, from how fast she moved forward. “I feel his love emanating from him toward you. Are you his mate?”

“I am,” I said, taking her hand. “I’m Jackson, and it’s such a pleasure to meet you.”

“And you,” she said with a sigh. “My name is Evangeline, and ordinarily I’m not here in this province, but I had dealings with Anahel, so that turned out to be fortuitous.”

“In what way fortuitous?”

“To see my friend again and find that finally, he has a keeper.”

“Wait now,” Raphael grumbled at her.

Her laugh was magical, absolutely enchanting, and made everyone around us smile, even the habitually grumpy Leith. Of course, when he did, she noticed him. It was like that with him. You missed him when he wore his usual scowl, but as soon as that smile came through, people were dazzled.

“And you are?”

He offered her his hand. “I’m Leith Haas, and this is my mate, Simon.”

The second her hand touched his, she gasped. “Warder?”

“Yes,” he said, glancing at me and then back at her.

That didn’t make any sense. She could tell Leith was a warder but had missed it with me?

“Warder,” she repeated, in awe, and clasped his hand tighter. “Amazing. I’ve never seen a warder angel. What a treat.”

“Oh no, we’re not angels, just—”

“Warders are descended from the watcher angels,” she told him, just as Deidre had. “The Nephilim were evil, but the rest were blessed.” She took Ryan’s hand next, clearly pleased with meeting both of them, then took the time to meet Simon and Julian.

“Humans,” she whispered, and the angels who’d come with her rushed over to meet them as well.

“What’s with that?” I asked Raphael, watching the angels fawn over them.

“Humans are first in God’s love. That’s in your book, isn’t it?”

I groaned. “Really? My book? I sit around and read the Bible a lot, do I?”

“Fine. But all cultures have the belief that humans are special and angels are supposed to guide and protect them.”

“Sure, but I had no idea they’d be so excited to see us.”

Raphael grunted.

“And another thing… Why can’t she tell I’m a warder?”

He grimaced.

“Tell me.”

“It’s possible that with me being a kyrie and you my mate, that in the provinces of heaven my aura is sort of shrouding you from sight.”

I grinned. “Sort of shrouding me, huh?”

He shrugged, and I punched him in the shoulder.