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I expand my wings, feeling the cool breeze touch my iridescent feathers. The air is sweeter up here, lifting Raven’s hair and wafting her scent over me. I inhale a deep breath, wanting to capture it forever, allowing it to imprint in my mind.
I touch her cheek, and she leans into my hand, pressing my fingers harder with her skin. “You’re doing great, darlin’. You’ve always been so amazing. I want you to know that. I love you no matter what happens now. The other devils all love you. And we love these two beautiful beings we’ve created with you.”
Raven’s eyes water, and a tear slips on her cheek. “Elias...why are you saying that as if this is goodbye?”
I swallow, my own eyes burning with tears. Because it could be. I don’t know what’s going to happen next. All I know is that I need to jump. I need to join the other devils. It is my time.
I slowly drop my hand and take a step back. “I will never say goodbye to you, Raven. I just want you to know how much I love you. How I do everything for you, and it’s time for me to do this for them.”
Her lip trembles, and she flicks her gaze from me and to my feet. “Elias, what are you talking about? Get away from the edge.”
I don’t respond to her.
I caress her cheek once more and bend down and kiss Arabella and Mateo on their foreheads. “I love you all so much. You are my existence.”
Turning my back on Raven, I fold my wings.
I close my eyes and whisper a prayer to the Almighty under my breath.
“Elias,” Raven snaps, her voice turning desperate.
I turn and look over my shoulder at her, tears dripping down my face. “Be brave, darlin’. I love you. Always and forever. But it’s time.”
Raven rushes closer, snatching my wing. “Elias, no!”
Chapter 27
RAVEN
The Fall
“ELIAS, PLEASE. PLEASE, you promised you’d never leave me. You can’t just jump. Not now. Not after everything.” My heart aches with my words. But I know he’s right. This must be done. The universe crumbles around us, and I know that if he doesn’t help the devils, all is lost.
But where does that leave me? I have the twins to think about. They are my top priority, even if that makes me selfish. I choose them over the world. They are my everything. But so are the devils. So is Elias.
Elias steps away from the ledge and engulfs me in a hug, pressing the twins between us because I can’t lift my arms. He brushes his lips to mine, kissing me softly, his light warming my skin. And then I realize what he’s doing.
“I’m never going to leave you, Raven. I’m giving everything to you. I’m giving you my heart and soul. My essence and light. I’m giving my life to you to hold always.” Elias doesn’t let me pull back, and his very essence as an angel pours into me and fills me up.
“Elias...” My voice fades. I don’t know what to say or what I can do to convince him otherwise. It’s not in me. He’s following his path even if it means turning his back away from me. Even if it means he must give me all that he is to do so.
“I love you. I love you so much, and I know things will work out as they should. Be brave. You are the most powerful, strongest woman in existence, and this is why you have been chosen by the universe. That’s why the twins chose you to be their mother. That’s why the devils chose you to be their queen. You will get through this. I promise.” Elias kisses my trembling lips once more. Turning around, he strides to the edge of the cliff and expands his wings, flapping them once to send a breeze through my hair.
It’s now that I see he’s changed. His beautiful rainbow wings dim into a dark gray color. He morphs before my eyes, his body shifting and cracking as he takes on a devil form. He has given me his light and his grace. He gives me everything so he can abandon Heaven to finally jump and take his throne. But where will he land? I have no idea. There’s no more Hell. This is the only part of Heaven as well. And as for the Mortal Realm? It’s barely hanging on. The devils are the only ones keeping it together. What if when Elias jumps everything just collapses? What if it turns out to be just me and the twins for the rest of time?
I shove the thought away. I can’t think like that.
Elias transforms into a canine-like beast, his body bowing forward until he’s on all fours in a form I want so badly to touch. Fire sprouts from his skin, shifting and moving as if it’s fur but made of flame. Horns grow along his back, protruding across the spine until the base of a burning tail. His triangular ears twitch and move and he releases a growl, the noise reverberating through my bones.
He is magnificent and so incredibly fierce. He is exactly how I imagined him to be as a devil. Cunning and strong. My perfect man. My perfect devil. It’s not his greed to make him jump. It’s his selflessness. It’s what he needed to do to finally descend.
I bounce on my feet and turn the twins toward him. “Look at Daddy. Look how powerful he is. He’s going to protect us and humanity now. He’s going to help the universe.”
Elias stretches his body, his sleek devil form preparing to launch from the cliff.
“We love him so much. He’s going to help your other daddies. He’s going to make everything okay. I promise.” The twins remain quiet and calm, settling down for the first time since I’ve landed with Elias on this cliff.
I hold my breath, my whole body stilling and tensing. I can’t move. I can’t speak. All I can do is watch as Elias launches into the air and jumps from the edge.
