Page 32

The days following Rhodes's defeat passed in a blur of meetings, healing, and reconstruction.

I spent most of my time with my mother and Adriel, making up for five years of absence, sharing stories of my time on Earth and listening to their accounts of life in Elysium under Rhodes's growing influence.

Levi divided his time between staying close to me and helping coordinate our non-angelic allies' return to Earth. Some, like Farrah and Wyatt, had already gone back, with promises to return for what Adona was calling the “Renewal Ceremony.”

Others, including Lacey and Abbie, had remained in Elysium a bit longer, granted temporary permission through a limited supply of the golden lily elixir that Adona had secured from her private gardens.

Throughout it all, the question of my future hung over me like a cloud.

Adona had made it clear that I was welcome to return to Elysium permanently, to resume my role as a guardian—perhaps even with greater responsibilities than before.

But the thought of leaving Earth, of leaving the life I'd built there and the connections I'd made, filled me with a strange melancholy I couldn't quite shake.

And then there was Levi.

We hadn't discussed what would happen next, both of us carefully avoiding the topic as if by mutual agreement. But I caught him watching me sometimes, when he thought I wasn't looking, his expression thoughtful and a little sad.

On the morning of the ceremony, I stood on the balcony of the quarters I'd been given in the Celestial Tower, looking out over Elysium as the first light of day bathed the crystal spires in gold.

The city was still scarred from the battle—broken towers, damaged buildings, areas where the fighting had been most intense—but already, the healing had begun. Angels worked together to clear rubble and rebuild, their wings flashing in the sunlight as they carried materials from place to place.

A soft knock at my door pulled me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I called, turning from the balcony.

Lacey entered, looking beautiful in a flowing gown of deep blue that complemented her fair skin and dark hair. “Good morning,” she said, her smile warm. “I thought you might want some help getting ready.”

I gestured ruefully to the ceremonial gown laid out on my bed—a creation of pale gold and white that looked far more elaborate than anything I'd worn in years. “Is it that obvious that I'm out of my depth?”

She laughed, coming to stand beside me. “Maybe a little. But mostly, I just wanted to see you before everything gets crazy.”

I hugged her impulsively, grateful for her friendship, for her steadfast support throughout everything we'd faced together. “Thank you, Lacey. For all of it.”

“Oh, stop,” she said, though she hugged me back just as tightly. “You'd have done the same for me.” She pulled back, her expression turning more serious. “Have you decided? About staying?”

I sighed, turning back to the balcony. “No. Every time I think I have, I remember something else that pulls me in the opposite direction.”

Lacey nodded, understanding in her eyes. “Well, for what it's worth, we'll support you either way. But…” She hesitated, then continued more softly, “Levi won't say it, but I think he's afraid you'll choose Elysium and ask him to leave.”

My heart clenched at the thought. “I would never?—”

“I know that,” she said quickly. “But he's not always as confident as he pretends to be. Especially when it comes to you.”

Before I could respond, another knock came at the door, and my mother and sister entered, both already dressed in the formal attire of high-ranking angels. My mother's eyes widened as she took in my still-casual appearance.

“Ariella! The ceremony begins in less than an hour, and you're not even dressed!”

I couldn't help but laugh at her tone—so familiar, so motherly, despite the years apart. “I was just about to start, Mom. Lacey's going to help me.”

Between the three of them, I was transformed in record time.

The ceremonial gown fit perfectly, its flowing layers of fabric moving like water as I walked.

My hair was arranged in an intricate style that incorporated small golden threads and crystals, and subtle cosmetics enhanced my features without overwhelming them.

When I looked in the mirror, the angel who stared back at me was both familiar and strange—a version of myself I might have become if I'd never fallen from Elysium, never lost my wings, never met Levi and the others who had changed my life so profoundly.

“You look beautiful,” my mother said, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

“Like a true archangel,” Adriel added, her earlier reserve finally melting into something more like the sister I remembered.

I smiled at them both, touched by their pride, even as uncertainty continued to twist inside me. “We should go. We don't want to be late.”

Together, we made our way to the grand hall of the Celestial Tower, where the ceremony would take place.

The hall had been repaired and redecorated for the occasion, all signs of the battle erased.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting rainbows of light across the marble floors.

Long tables laden with food and drink lined the walls, and a string quartet played softly in one corner, their music ethereal and haunting.

The hall was already filled with angels of all ranks, as well as a select group of non-angelic visitors who had been granted special permission to attend.

I spotted Farrah and Wyatt near one of the tables, Farrah stunning in a gown of pale blue that matched her eyes, Wyatt looking uncomfortable but handsome in formal attire.

Erin and Rey stood nearby, along with Aspen, Jasmin, and Rage, all dressed in clothes that reflected their respective supernatural cultures while adhering to the formality of the occasion.

And there, standing slightly apart from the others, was Levi.

He wore a perfectly tailored suit of deepest black, the only color a small splash of burgundy at his throat.

His dark hair was styled away from his face, emphasizing the sharp angles of his features.

He looked devastating, and completely out of place among the bright colors and wings of the angelic gathering.

Yet when his eyes found mine across the room, the connection between us was so immediate, so intense, that everything else seemed to fade away. He smiled, just a small curve of his lips, but it warmed me from the inside out.

A hush fell over the crowd as Adona entered the hall, flanked by Kadriel and several other high-ranking angels. She had fully recovered from her ordeal, her power and grace evident in every movement as she ascended the dais at the front of the hall.

“Angels of Elysium,” she began, her voice carrying effortlessly to every corner of the vast space.

“Honored guests from Earth and beyond. We gather today to mark a new beginning for our realm, to heal the wounds of betrayal and division, and to forge a path forward that honors the best of what we have been while embracing what we may become.”

She gestured, and a group of angels stepped forward, each carrying a small silver box. “First, I wish to announce the appointment of new archangels to serve on my council, to help guide Elysium through the challenges that lie ahead.”

One by one, she called them forward—angels known for their wisdom, their integrity, their commitment to the ideals that had once defined our realm. Each received a medallion of office, a symbol of their new authority and responsibility.

“Kadriel,” Adona continued, and a murmur ran through the crowd as the former exile stepped forward.

“Your loyalty to the true spirit of Elysium, even in exile, has proven your worth beyond question. I name you Archangel of Justice, tasked with ensuring that what happened with Rhodes can never happen again.”

Kadriel accepted the medallion with dignity, her injured arm now fully healed, her wings gleaming silver-white in the crystal light.

“Tarek,” Adona called next, surprising many who had expected only Kadriel to be elevated from the Lost Legion.

“Your courage and leadership during these difficult times have not gone unnoticed. I name you Archangel of Defense, charged with protecting our realm from threats both external and internal.”

The ceremony continued, with more appointments and announcements.

Adona spoke of creating a new council that would include representatives from other supernatural communities, ensuring that lines of communication remained open and that Elysium would never again isolate itself from the broader world.

“To this end,” she said, “I extend formal invitations to the following individuals to serve as founding members of this Inter-Realm Council: Abbie, keeper of the Great Eternity Hall, and her friend and great witch, Lacey; Erin and Rey of the Blackthorn Hunters; Farrah of the Frost Court and her mate, Wyatt; Jasmin and Rage of the Underworld; and Aspen, representative of the warlock community.” She paused, her gaze sweeping the room.

“And once the current crisis at DuMoir Castle is resolved, an invitation will be extended to Lord Drake as well.”

The named individuals stepped forward, accepting formal scrolls that detailed their roles and responsibilities. I caught Farrah's eye and smiled, pleased to see my friend recognized for her wisdom and strength.

“And now,” Adona said, her voice softening slightly, “I come to the most important recognition of all.” She turned toward me, extending her hand. “Ariella, please join me.”

My heart pounding, I made my way to the dais, aware of every eye in the hall following my progress. Levi's gaze was the most intense of all, his expression carefully neutral but his eyes burning with an emotion I couldn't quite name.