Wingspan(Paranormal, Young Adult) MAJOR EDITING**

106

in order to get to the catacombs we needed to find discreet travel. i had faith toby would get us there. i just hoped we wouldn't be flying this time.

"and you think this will work?" i ask tentative of the idea. i was having a severe case of a lack in confidence.

"don't you trust me?" toby asks me

"don't push your luck i'm still mad at you. plus, i wouldn't be here if i didn't." it was important for me to point that out. I crossed my arms and lifted my chin a degree higher.

toby nods. "okay, i understand." He says

toby greets kira with a nod.

I turn my head. "kira? why are you still here?" I was surprised to see her. Kira wasn't the type to stick around- she was cool and she knew it. 

kira grins. First She salutes Toby then greets me. "you need passageway to the catacombs." she points at herself. "i'm your girl." She says winking. 

Kira looks pointedly at Toby and claps her hands together. "now, i'm not much for reunions but i would highly suggest we take this to higher grounds." she tells toby. Kira grins sheepishly. "What?" She shrugs her shoulders when he frowns.  "i caught a scent on my way here. i lost it but remaining cautious is our only chance at getting their without causing trouble." 

toby walks beside me as we follow kira past dozens of trees.

even though i didn't know her reason for walking so fast i was glad for the alone time. I had a chance to talk to toby without anyone getting in our way. 

i glance at toby biting my lip. Maybe I shouldn't say anything.

"go ahead." tobys says to me.

"what?" i feel my face turn red. 

"you want to ask me something." he insisted in that annoyingly persistent way of his

i lick my lips and glance at him out of the corner of my eye. "how did you overcome such hardship?" from what i knew michael was a real black sheep. An eye for an eye sounded about right. 

"after the fallout each of us sought to make amends however we could. if there was ever an exception to discipline and misfortune pravuil was seen as fathers most loyal since he made it clear that he was not interested in our petty war." toby sneers. "unfortunately father sought fit to reprimand all of his celestial attendants, nine in total, to repeat a never ending cycle of birth and death with one exception. someone had to make sure everything was working according to gods plan."

"whatever happened to him?" i ask. "pravuil i mean."

"Well he got a lenient sentence as the record keeper of heaven." toby says in disgust. He looks at me and shrugs. "he maintains the universal balance. he's the gatekeeper to our cycle of rebirth. Pravuil watches over the Star Seed."

"What's this star seed you're talking about?"

"It's complicated." Toby looks down at me and sighs when I almost fall down. "Everything that's alive is made up from stars. So it would make sense wouldn't it that the sphere of vitality is a collection of stars and other various stardust atoms."

he stops me from walking any further by putting his arm in front of me. he rubs the back of his neck and blushes. "Uh listen aislin, where you are going is a sacred place. as such, i cannot enter. We'll talk more later I promise." He says touching my shoulder lightly and letting go.

was it wishful thinking of me to believe he would stay? "so, what? you're staying here?" i ask caught off guard that i felt disappointed.

toby grabs me in a tight hug. "don't you worry. i trust that kira will watch over you." he says looking over at the punk rock chick in leather. 

i look up meeting his stare. "be here when i get back." i tell him firmly.

toby grins. "of course i will." he kisses me on the forehead and steps back. "you need to go now." i grin. i could still feel the spot where his lips were as i walked over to kira. 

we hiked up the mountain as reluctantly i left toby behind.

i roll my eyes when i see kira grinning.

"what? that was cute." was her defense.