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Summer

“ B oys! Dinner is ready!” Farrah calls as I put the bread on the table. They all stumble in, laughing and joking. Even Rafe looks mildly amused after practicing with his brothers. Connor makes a beeline for me and kisses me deeply. He pulls out a chair at the table and waits for me to sit down before settling into the seat beside me and slinging his arm over the back of my chair.

“So, Summer, have you picked a major yet?” Uriel asks, settling into the head seat at the table. His sons push and shove as they grab their places around the table.

I shake my head. “No, not yet.”

“If you’re proficient with runes, it’s too bad old Jimmy isn’t here to teach you,” Uriel continues. Farrah rolls her eyes and goes back to the kitchen to get the plates.

Connor leans in. “Dad and the headmaster don’t get along.”

I lift my eyebrows. “Oh?”

Uriel smirks. “Well, before Jimmy took over and opened Avalon to all species, there was a very limited exchange program with the University of Eden.”

All the boys groan, obviously having heard the story multiple times.

“And I happened,” Uriel continues, “to be attending Avalon as an exchange student at the same time as Jimmy.”

Farrah comes back, holding a heaped plate. The smell of roast chicken fills the room, and my stomach rumbles in anticipation. “Oh, Uriel. It was one date.”

“I hadn’t got there yet, my love.”

Connor chuckles. “Two hundred years ago, Mom went on a date with the headmaster before Dad could muster up the courage to ask her out.”

“Mom was the first non-archangel in the program. It was a big deal at the time,” Rafe adds. Everyone looks at him, a little surprised he decided to contribute to the discussion.

“He’s also mad because the headmaster so easily beat him at everything,” Connor says, pulling the attention from Rafe.

Uriel points at Connor. “Not true.” He looks at Farrah, holding his hand out for her. “And anyway, I got the most coveted prize.”

“Can we eat?” Zach groans.

Farrah puts a bowl filled with creamy mashed potatoes down, and Zach and Zane practically lunge for them.

“Mom is a fantastic cook, as you can tell by the feral twins,” Connor says, stroking my shoulder with his thumb.

Farrah swats at Zach’s hand. “My darling, manners.” She lays out more plates full of food and pours wine into everyone’s glasses as we help ourselves. Connor spoons various dishes onto my plate, explaining what the delicacies from Eden are.

I take a bite of chicken. The flavor explodes in my mouth, and I moan. It is perfectly cooked and seasoned, with a slight heat to it.

“This is delicious, Mrs. Morningstar.”

“Please, call me Farrah. Or Mom!” She smiles at me and then watches her boys lovingly.

Connor flushes a little. “Mom…”

“What? I didn’t mention the binder!”

He groans. “We’re not official yet.”

Uriel smiles, pulling Farrah’s chair closer to his. “Your mom just wants you both to be happy.”

I slide my hand under the table and squeeze Connor’s thigh. I can tell he’s working hard to make sure I’m comfortable, to make sure I’m not about to freak out and bolt, but I’m just so fucking endeared by him and his family.

Connor covers my hand with his. “I want to take it slow because she matters.”

Everyone goes silent, all attention on Connor. Zach breaks the quiet with a retching sound. “Do you practice these lines?”

Connor smiles at Zach, looking perfectly at ease. “So, Mom. Has Zach told you about his sneaky link?”

Zach narrows his eyes. “Dick.”

Farrah throws a stern look at Zach. “Zachariah.”

He blushes in response. “Mom, not the full name.”

Farrah narrows her eyes. “Apologize. Now.”

Zach mumbles a barely coherent apology.

“Zach.”

“Sorry,” Zach grumbles.

Farrah smiles, reaching over and pinching his cheek. “There’s my darling boy.”

Uriel lifts his glass. “To family, both old and new.” We all lift our glasses and clink them together before sipping our wine. I smile up at Connor, and he smiles back.

“So, Uriel.” I look at the archangel and catch him watching Rafe with more than a little concern in his eyes. He quickly turns his attention to me. “Tell me about being the most badass archangel.”

Zach snorts. “You’d have to ask Uncle Michael that question.”

Uriel gives him a look. “It’s good working with my brothers. Though, being the youngest, I had to work even harder to be recognized.”

I nod. “The whole military construct of the archangels fascinates me. I read The Archangel’s Arc a few weeks back and loved it.”

Uriel’s brows shoot up, and I can feel Connor’s surprised stare against the side of my face.

“Yes, well, the Almighty prepares us for the war between brothers.” His lips twitch sadly. “Archangels are a part of the Heavenly Host, but we’re different from other angels and set apart by our wings.”

“It’s so devastatingly stunning and heartbreaking at the same time. I’ve been reading about the war between Heaven and Hell since I was a child. It’s ingrained into Gaian lore.”

The reading material on all things immortal had been scarce throughout my upbringing, but the legends surrounding God and his angels are held in high regard, so the stories are very well known. Since coming here and having more accurate texts available to me, I have discovered that some of the stories are very much based on fact.

Uriel tilts his head, watching me. “It’s not dissimilar to the war of the fae, I don’t suppose.”

Connor tenses beside me. “She doesn’t talk about her people.”

I squeeze his hand comfortingly. “I’ve made it a mission of mine not to involve myself with the fae or their various troubles.” Uriel nods, softening a little. I smile but change the subject. “Can I ask, why did you take the name Morningstar?”

Farrah squeezes Uriel’s arm in a silent show of support. “Because I love all of my brothers. So I may fight for Heaven, but,” Uriel pauses for a moment, “a part of me belongs to Hell.”

“Yeah, and Morningstar is way better than going by Taxiarch,” Zane says.

Silence follows Zane’s comment, weighted with all that needs to be said.

“All our boys are on track to become archangels, except our baby. Lukey is our healer,” Farrah says. Her tone, more than her words, lays a soothing balm over the table, and everyone relaxes.

“Connor has even begun the transition.” Uriel beams at his oldest son proudly.

“We don’t know that for sure.” Connor blanches.

“The gold feathers? That’s what it means?” I ask Connor.

Connor nods, his expression bleak. Uriel shifts in his chair, and his wings appear behind him. He spreads them wide, every single one of his feathers beautifully gilded.

I gasp at the sight, the beauty of his wings, and I don’t miss the way Farrah’s eyes darken at the display.

“Once the transition starts, an angel’s feathers will turn. It is a process, and it can take a while for them all to change,” Uriel explains.

“When did yours begin to turn?” I ask, unable to look away.

“It was different for me because I am a direct descendant of the Almighty. I didn’t tap into my full potential until I met Farrah, the other half of my soul.”

Zach snorts. “Was that before or after the headmaster took her on a date?”

“Before.” Uriel glares at his son, snapping his wings back in.

I glance at Connor and frown slightly, unable to miss the worry in his eyes.

The second we finish eating, everyone gets up and charges outside for more practice. Farrah declares that she will pick teams, and I smile at the thought of her going up against her huge boys. I’m about to join them when Connor tugs on my arm, pulling me back. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck.

“Not too bad?” he asks, his arms snaking around my back.

“I like them a lot.” I smile up at him.

“They like you, too.”

“Why are you apprehensive about becoming an archangel?” I ask, watching him.

Connor exhales, pulling me in closer. “I’ve always known it would likely be my destiny. It’s not something I have any say in, and I am not sure it is something I would choose for myself.”

I tilt my head, watching him.

“I have a lot to live up to. My dad’s Legion is the largest. I’m not always sure I have it in me.”

“Well, I know you do.”

Connor’s gaze locks on mine, a little of my apprehension melting away. He brushes his lips over mine. I smile up at Connor, and something within me snaps into place. It’s a decision I wasn’t sure I would ever make.

“Con?”

“Hm?”

I push up on my tiptoes and lean against him so I can brush my lips over his. “You can drop the pre,” I say. I pull back and wink at him before turning and heading outside. Connor recovers quickly and catches up to me, sliding his hand into mine.

“Mom!” he calls, and I laugh, nearly running to keep up with him.

Farrah looks up, clutching the ball. “Yes, my perfect, sweet baby boy?”

Connor smiles brightly. “You can talk about the binders now.”

Farrah squeals, not even noticing as Zane takes the ball from her. “Uriel!”

Uriel hurries over to her from the other side of the garden. “Yes, my love?”

“They’re official! Where is the binder?”

Uriel blinks. “It’s in Eden, my love. I don’t travel with it.”

“Poor planning, my love!” Farrah chastises, and Connor and I can’t help but burst out laughing.

“They’ll have to come visit, I suppose!” Uriel says, grabbing her around the waist and picking her up.

“Uri!” she protests, but her eyes darken even as she wiggles to get down. “Not in front of the children.”

He kisses her deeply and slowly slides her down his body. The moment her feet touch the ground, she rushes over to me, her hair coming loose from her braid. “Oh, Summer, I need all of your measurements and flower preferences.”

Rafe claps from the middle of the field. “Can we get back to the game? They’ve been official since the moment they locked eyes.”

I laugh, and Connor reluctantly releases me, heading to join the game.

“Hey, Morningstar?” I call after him.

Connor glances back at me.

“You’d better win this, or I’ll break up with you.”

Connor scoffs. “Please, your ass is mine, Tuatha De Daanan.”

“Okay, team A is Uriel, Connor, and Zach. Team B is Rafe, Zane, and Lukey!” Farrah claps. “Let’s hustle up boys!”

The game is dirtier than I imagined it would be, but in the end, Connor’s team wins by one hard-fought point. The boys are all covered in mud and sweat, but they’re all beaming. Even Rafe looks more at ease than I’ve ever seen him.

“Okay, I’ve got to walk my girlfriend home. I’ll be back in a while,” Connor says, sliding his hand into mine.

Farrah pulls me into a hug. “You’ll come to Eden soon? Please?”

I nod. “I’d love to.”

Uriel pulls me from Farrah’s arms, engulfing me in another bear hug. His eyes glow with the joy of being with his family. There is still a sense of awkwardness within me, but I know it’s my own trauma. I’ve never felt accepted or loved by a family, and I wonder if this is what it’s supposed to feel like.

“I’ll see you guys later.”

I wave as we leave, reaching for Connor’s hand as he walks me across campus.