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“Grandpa! Fire!”

Damiel’s smirk cracked a little, but he said smoothly, “Of course I use fire to make the pancakes.”

“Daddy!” Eira chimed in. “Teach us firebomb spell!”

“Promise!” Sierra said. “Grandpa! Promise! Teach! Blow stuff up!”

Cadence snorted. “Busted, Damiel.”

“Bust stuff up!” Eira agreed.

“Never mind that,” Damiel said quickly, his smile returning. “Sierra’s birthday present is on the table.” He indicated the heavy-duty table, covered in a tower of gifts. “And I’m sure she’ll love it.”

“Why?” I gave him a wary look. “Does it blow up?”

“Of course not.” He scratched his chin. “At least it shouldn’t…”

That was definitely not the response I’d been hoping for.

“Well, our present to Eira definitely doesn’t blow up,” I said.

And Damiel actually looked disappointed.

“Oh, my father sent a gift as well,” Cadence told me. “He wanted to be here, but he’s dealing with an emergency in his territory.”

“Anything serious?” Nero moved closer to his mother.

“Nothing he can’t handle, I’m sure,” replied Cadence.

They launched into a discussion of General Silverstar’s many heroic exploits over the centuries. I didn’t stay because Alice was waving at me.

“Hey.” I joined her under the big balloon arch.

Her son Troy was struggling to extricate himself from her hold so he could punch the balloons.

“Wow, he looks just like his big brother,” I commented.

Well, except for the chubby cheeks. I doubted Jace Angelblood had even a drop of fat on his whole body. Whereas Troy looked like a cute, plump baby cherub.

“Xerxes was called away on a mission at the last minute,” Alice told me. “But he sends his regards.”

“Really?”

“No,” Jace said, sweeping in to give me a hug.

I hugged him back. “Ah, I was wondering because that doesn’t sound at all like Colonel Fireswift. He doesn’t have much regard for me.”

“He doesn’t have much regard for anyone,” Jace sighed.

“What’s your dad giving you a hard time about this time?” I asked him.

“Everything. He’s been in a foul state ever since the gods decided to put all archangel trials on hold. He really wanted that promotion.”

“Even though it meant losing Alice?” I frowned.

Colonel Fireswift was ambitious, but he wasn’t a total robot. He had feelings. He loved Alice. And if he went through with the archangel trials, she would die. He knew that. I’d made sure of it. Because no one, not even Colonel Fireswift, deserved to experience the pain of sacrificing the person he loved most in this world.

“I think that’s why he’s angry,” Jace said, glancing at Alice. “Because he wants to be an archangel. But he also wants to keep my mother safe. Those two goals are in direct opposition, and it’s tearing him up inside.”