Chapter 5
Shaw stalks ahead of me, unwilling to look me in the eye after that stunt.
I know Lowell was calm in the moment, but we will both sleep with one eye open for the next month, waiting for a potential punishment.
The towering buildings of the city loom above me, and they seem to stretch into the sky for miles—like metal and glass clouds filling the horizon.
The sounds of the city pierce my ears: the honking of horns, the constant chattering, and the wind ripping through the tightly packed buildings.
I used to love the noise, but now it just seems loud.
Most humans pay us no attention—they’re either too wrapped up in their own lives to care, or they’re oblivious to our presence since we blend in so perfectly, they think of us as one of their own.
Over the years, there have been a few incidents in which a human has seen us in our true forms, but nothing we couldn’t correct.
“I’m sorry,” I say to Shaw, pushing forward.
He pauses but doesn’t turn to face me. I rush to catch up to him and force him to look at me.
“I said I’m sorry, Shaw,” I say again.
He sighs and tenses his jaw before speaking.
“Mara, I know you are struggling. I can’t imagine what you went through.
” He throws his hands in the air. “Fuck! I don’t even know what landed you in that position to begin with, but if you aren’t going to tell me, and instead start acting insane, I can’t help you. ”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
He stares at me, and his face turns to stone. “Don’t touch my fucking gun again. Do you want Lowell to beat my ass?”
I scrunch my face because no, I don’t want that. I may deserve a punishment after that, and probably have one coming, but Shaw certainly doesn’t.
“No, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Then think about someone other than yourself, Mara.”
He moves forward again, indifferent to whether I follow him this time.
I’m half tempted to turn around and return to the Order, but that would mean facing the angels who probably wish I had stayed locked up.
It’s been quiet here over the past year, according to Shaw, and my presence has already caused chaos.
I quickly catch up to him again, falling into step beside him. He continues to face forward, and occasionally I feel his eyes glancing toward me.
“So,” I say, breaking the silence.
He glances at me, fighting the urge to fold. One remarkable thing about Shaw is his patience, meaning he can never stay mad at me for long.
“What happened while I was gone?” I ask.
“Not much really, but there was some drama,” he finally says, and I know it’s because he’s also desperate to cut the tension between us. “How did you hear of Theo’s wife passing in there?”
Theodore Ren—Elder of the Ren Order—and his wife, Emalyn, are unlike any angels within the Lyre Order. They are ethereal and graceful in every way. They would never kill and won’t get involved in the goings on within the Lyre Order.
Elders operate differently compared to regular hybrids.
They're seen in a different light when interacting with the High Elders above and below, meaning they're neither shunned nor considered lesser angels.
Instead, they're here to oversee the hybrids.
Many people believe they're not hybrids, but a step above us—but still below the High Elders.
Due to their status, they're supposed to be brought before the High Elders when they die. But that didn’t happen here, and I'm certain that’s why I was let out of prison. Something more sinister happened when she passed.
“It’s prison,” I respond, shuffling my feet forward. “Secrets don’t stay secrets there.”
“I knew that’s why Lowell pulled strings to get you released.”
My favorite hole-in-the-wall diner comes into view, and my mouth begins to water at the thought of food.
Being half angel, food isn’t necessary, but a burger really hits the spot every now and then.
The smell of grease hits my nose, and I nearly tilt my head back in ecstasy as the scent guides me forward.
Shaw moves ahead to hold the door for me as I step inside the small burger joint.
The white and red walls feel like home, and an uncontrollable smile spreads across my face.
A few booths fill the space, and we take our usual one at the back of the restaurant.
I'm thankful that it’s after lunch and there isn’t a crowd.
A few waitresses nod their heads as we walk in, and a girl I’ve never seen before places a few menus on the table before heading back behind the counter.
I love coming here. It feels perfectly human, and after everything, I’m desperate for normal.
Shaw picks up the menu and glances over it before setting it back down.
“Every time we come here, I look at the menu—like I’d order anything other than a bacon smash burger.” He admits. “Do you want the same?”
I return the smile, inhaling deeply and taking in the delicious smells around me. However, I am pissed that I just washed my hair, since the scent of burgers will stay with me for hours after this.
“Duh.”
I push the menu away and throw my arm over the edge of the booth. I lay my head back and close my eyes. I relax for a second before a scream rattles my senses, causing me to sit straight up. Shaw chuckles as I process what just happened.
Sasha Walden rushes toward us from the kitchen.
Her long dark hair is pulled back from her face, and an apron is tightly tied around her petite waist. She rushes toward us, and I attempt to calm my racing heart.
I can’t believe I forgot she might be working today.
Shaw is right—I need to focus and get my head out of my own ass.
“You’re back.” Sasha grins widely as she approaches the table.
She leans across and hugs me tightly. I look at Shaw with wide eyes as she squeezes the life out of me.
He mouths, “She doesn’t know.”
I nod as she pulls away. Her face is youthful, showing no signs of aging as she is still in her early twenties.
Her eyes are as dark as her hair, and freckles dot her skin from the summer sun.
Sasha is our only human friend, but can you truly call someone a friend if you keep most of your life hidden?
We met at the diner two years ago, and she made sure we became friends, whether we had an application open or not.
Lucky for her, we love the burgers so much that we wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else.
“I’m back,” I say warily, unsure of where she thinks I was.
“How was your trip? Traveling the world sounds so cool. I didn’t know when you’d be returning,” she says, placing her pen and pad on the table for a moment. “Shaw told me you left all those months ago. I should be mad at you for not telling me goodbye.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Time got away from me, so my leaving was a bit more abrupt than I expected.”
I glance at Shaw, and he is nodding his head in approval at what I’m saying.
“Well, how was it?” Sasha asks.
I begin to speak, and the past year flashes in my mind—darkness, the cold chill of the cell, and loneliness—as a shudder moves through me. Sasha thinks I was off jet-setting while I was truly breaking. But she can’t know that, either.
“It was just amazing.” The lie tastes bitter on my tongue. “I really had a great time.”
She smiles. “I’m so glad, but I’m even happier that you are back. A year is too long to be away from this city, don’t you think?”
I shift in my seat. “I’m so… happy to be back.”
She grabs her pen and paper from the table and smooths her apron. “No need to ask you two what you’d like. Two bacon smash burgers coming right up. We should catch up soon, Mara. I want to hear more about your travels.”
Sasha moves back toward the kitchen, almost skipping along the way, and I settle back into the booth. I exhale heavily and look at Shaw.
“You weren’t weird at all. I’m proud,” he says.
I raise my brows. “You told her I was off seeing the world?”
He scrunches his nose. “Better to tell her that than you going to prison for murder, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, that’s better,” I respond.
The sound of a bell rings, and I glance over my shoulder, noticing someone else entering the diner.
A man, likely in his mid-thirties, sits in a window booth with his back to me, and I can’t help but stare, feeling something dark ooze from him.
His dark, shaggy hair falls around his head, and his broad shoulders cast a shadow on the table behind him.
I didn’t see his face, and from the feeling I’m getting from him, I don’t want to.
Demon.
A young blonde waitress approaches his table and sets down a menu.
Her wide smile and flirty demeanor reveal everything I need to know about the man.
He lifts his hand to return the menu, clearly not interested in dining, but her expression stays bright.
The menu slips through her fingers and drifts closer to the counter.
She laughs more than necessary and brushes off the clumsy moment.
The waitress tries to start a conversation with him for a few moments, obviously unsuccessfully, then walks away, swaying her hips smoothly, hoping he notices her. He doesn’t.
I turn back to Shaw, who’s also watching the man, as if he sensed an odd shift.
“I’ve never seen him before,” Shaw whispers. “He’s hot.”
I glance back over my shoulder, and the man remains completely still. “Did you even see his face?”
“No, but with a back like that, I know he’s hot.” Shaw leans around me, trying to get a better look.
“For the love of God, Shaw, just stop.” I lean into his line of vision and receive a huff from him. “Or I’ll tell Talon.”
Shaw laughs. “Oh, please. I can look. I’m not dead… yet.”
I tense. “Don’t joke about that.”
He returns his gaze to mine, realizing what he said and how that makes me feel. Shaw discovered a few years ago that he wasn’t graced with an immortal life. He will age and leave me one day, and it’s something that I can’t deal with yet.