Ethereal

Chapter 37

Heaven had never felt lonelier.

Sat here, under the archway in my room, my legs dangling over the edge – I was no longer afraid of falling. I yearned to stretch my wings out and take flight, but there was something stopping me.

All of the angels were staying in their rooms. Barely any of them could complete their tasks without some kind of contact with Earth – they were left with nothing to do. There were no angels in the sky.

I didn't enjoy this – feeling so lonely. I yearned to find Noah and make things right, but the truth was that I had no idea where he would be. I had of course stopped by his room, but he wasn't there. He wasn't at the court either, and I didn't know my way around well enough to know where else I should search for him.

Perhaps Jasmine and Travis would know where he was, but I couldn't bear to go back to them until I had sorted this thing with Noah out.

Soon enough, as though he had heard me silently calling out for him – a soft breeze fluttered across my face, and Noah landed in my room besides me, quickly tucking his wings in and taking a seat besides me.

I didn't look forward to this conversation, but it was necessary. The air had to be cleared.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked, watching me carefully. I nodded in response, turning to face him.

"I'm not sure where to start." I admitted. It was a relief to see Noah now, the last time I saw him he seemed so sad and stressed. There was something wrong about an angel appearing that way.

"Why don't you tell me about your mother... she's here?" He asked, his eyes staring at me with a strange softness.

I nodded again. "She was. The angels... they healed her." I smiled. "She's home now, she's... better. She's improved more than I ever could have hoped for."

"I'm glad to hear that." He spoke sincerely. "Perhaps it wasn't so bad, us coming into your life."

I smiled. "No, there's not much bad about that."

He seemed to relax more, his shoulders no longer so tense. "Emilia, I just wanted to say again... I'm sorry that I didn't know, that I didn't question Jasmine and Travis more about your mother, especially after we discovered she was missing."

"I forgive you, Noah." I told him, "I believe you when you say you truly didn't know. I'm the one who should be sorry, for doubting you."

He smiled down at me and stood up, reaching a hand down towards me. I took it, allowing him to pull me to my feet. His hand was warm, and it didn't drop mine once we were standing – instead, he took my other hand too, so that we were stood facing each other.

"It hasn't been that long since everything happened with your mother... but I have loathed every second away from you." Noah told me, squeezing my hand. His voice was thick with emotion.

"I didn't like it either." I admitted. "It felt... wrong."

"I still can't believe my luck." His smile was lopsided, his eyes warm and inviting.

"Your luck?" I asked, confused.

"I couldn't stand the thought of having to leave you once we found the Nephilim... I feel lucky that it was you, all along. I feel lucky that they have chosen to let you stay here, with us." He explained.

I nodded. "That's true. I didn't want you to leave either. I wasn't sure how I could go back to my life without you."

Noah reached one of his hands up to my face, tucking a strand of loose hair back behind my ear. His fingertips gently brushed against my neck as he did so, leaving a flurry of tingles racing across my skin.