He’d hoped to use their connection to find her, to release her from her prison, but Osiris dropped her in the ocean somewhere, and Gabriel had no chance of determining her location alone. It would require a far more powerful being, that of the young girl holding his hand.
After a week of gaining her trust and reaffirming their bond through the fealty he’d pledged to her as an infant, she’d finally stopped crying. Watching her parents’ bodies go up in flames had not been part of the plan, but her curious mind and strong heart had pulled her from the hiding place and toward her parents’ agony. Had Gabriel not shown up when he did, the results could have been catastrophic.
Alas, he had her safe and sound in Havre, Montana.
The home was one of his choosing, a family who knew everything about him and the special girl he was about to leave in their care.
No one else knew, not even Caro and Sethios. He couldn’t risk Osiris breaking them and obtaining the location of their daughter. As far as everyone else knew—including Ezekiel for now—Gabriel would be the one to raise her, but his part would come into play later.
“Ready?” he asked softly.
She shook her head, her little body shaking.
“They’ll protect you, just like your parents did.”
She bit her lip and eyed the home. “But Momma keeps talking to me. She needs help.”
He grimaced in understanding. His mother, despite likely trying not to telegraph, kept sending agonizing images of her repeated deaths through the bond. It would dwindle as time went on, hopefully only pestering Astasiya in her dreams. If not, he would alter the rune on her back enough to help give her a semblance of peace.
“I’ll search for your mom,” he vowed. “While you live here, okay? And then one day, we’ll go find her together.”
“Promise?” she asked, those green eyes holding his with an intensity unusual for a seven-year-old.
“I vow it,” he replied, squeezing her hand. “We’ll find her.”
“Together,” she demanded.
“Together,” he agreed. When you’re ready.
“Gabriel,” a soft voice whispered. The hint of navy wings touched his vision as the Seraphim he recruited for this necessary task appeared beside him.
Time to say goodbye, he thought.
His heart gave an odd little pang for the tiny blonde child holding his hand. He refused to analyze it and dropped to one knee before her. Such intelligence and power lurked in her gaze, but she deserved to have a childhood. And he was determined to give her one.
“Astasiya,” he murmured. “You won’t remember me when we meet again, but I will make sure you know the truth when the time is right.”
Her tiny brow puckered with a frown. “But I know you.”
“Yes, but to keep you safe, I need you to forget me. For now.” He met Vera’s patient stare. “Everything from this week, including Osiris if she saw him.”
“What about the death?” she asked.
“She needs that to grow,” he replied. “And Ezekiel needs to be the villain.”
Vera nodded. “I can do that. Anything else?”
“Yes. Give her doubts about Caro’s true nature.”
“That’s going to be difficult.”
“Indeed, that’s why I called the best memory manipulator in existence for assistance.” He shifted his focus to the very confused child beside him. “Consider me your personal Seraphim, Astasiya. I’ll always be looking over you.” He kissed her on the forehead—much to the shock of the Seraphim observing the exchange—and stood. “Now, Vera.”
“Already started,” she whispered.
He nodded. “Goodbye, little sister.” Gabriel faded as he watched, his finger grazing the doorbell before disappearing completely.
The Davenports would raise her now, with several guardian angels standing silently beside them.
We will meet again. Soon.
