Fate's Exchange (Twisted Fate, Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Two

The Brothers

The Mortal Realm

What. An. Idiot.

Only an imbecile would spit—no, kiss—in the face of the rules that had guided my kind since before Creation. With the suspicion of the First already cast, there's no way it had gone unnoticed. At the very least, it must have been reported or was in the process of being conveyed in detail. My kind was forbidden to mingle with humans in such a way.

There was no future.

"What did I do?" I whispered to myself as I walked down the halls of Royal Academy.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I knew it was wrong. So then why did I want to turn back and kiss her for as long as she would allow? The question shouldn't be what I did—I knew that already. I could still taste her lips upon my own. But why did I do it? Why risk everything?

I didn't know.

Thousands of years and I had finally experienced it for myself—my first kiss. I'd watched lesser beings succumb to a woman's touch, had seen them lose everything I thought should matter more, but I'd never understood the temptation. Until now. Was my belief stronger than my desire? Again, I didn't know. I wasn't sure if I wanted my belief to be stronger at this point.

This was their fault. My brothers had pushed me to agree to watch over her. The Sisters had requested it. He had allowed it. Had they all known the temptation? Was that why they hadn't wanted to do it, and why it had to be me? It was humbling to feel the emotions of a man falling for a girl despite the responsibilities of a god—or angel.

Another hour passed, and I found myself searching for her at the start of gym class, anxious for the music to begin so I had an excuse to hold her in my arms. It was wrong. It was against all the rules. But, despite the consequences, it felt too good to ignore.

The moment she walked into my line of vision, all my doubt dissipated. A soft golden light radiated from her, not yet free but unable to hide. The air was sucked from the room until she was all that remained, and I knew that I would be kissing her again.

I would stay with her as much as possible for as long as possible. My beliefs were still important, but this one girl had wiggled in, warming my heart in the way that made me grateful to have one. Like so many of those before me, falling for this girl was doomed to redefine what people meant when they said 'falling' in love.

When the time for a choice to be made came, I knew the answer. Good or bad, it was what it was, the first real thing in my life. For now, I would just be here for her.