Ethereal

Chapter 32

I knew he was referring to Charlie. "You think I should leave?"

I couldn't quite imagine it, living somewhere that wasn't here. I'd never known any different, it was true that I didn't have many friends here... but I had fond memories of the place.

"It's just something to consider." He shrugged. "People start to notice that you aren't aging after a while."

I widened my eyes in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Angels don't age?" He offered, seeming surprised by my question. "I don't know for sure of course but I assume you won't either."

"But... if I can't age I'd still be a baby." I explained, desperately. I had to be able to age. Surely... I was still half human.

"Right, but you didn't even have an angel-side until recently." He shrugged again. "The angels find Nephilim now by searching for babies that don't age into toddlers. At least, that's one of the signs – if they manage to live that long."

"So, you mean... I'll outlive everyone I've ever known?" I frowned, surely that couldn't be right... there was no way that I just wasn't aging anymore.

"Probably... but listen, it's not too bad. After a while you get used to it. Besides, all the angels are in the same boat. You'll still have them. You have friends up there, right?"

"Had." I whispered. "And they betrayed me."

"That's the funny things about angels, no matter how close you think you are to them, there's always someone they'll put first." He said, sighing. I looked at him in question. "God." He clarified. "They are eternally loyal."

"You said before..." I changed the topic, not wanting to think about Noah and the reasoning behind his betrayal. "That's how the angels find Nephilim now, did it used to be different?"

He smiled gently, tugging at a blade of grass with his fingers distractedly. "One of the Fallen had a talent for finding them. When they lost that angel, they had to come up with new ways."

"There's a fallen out there that can find me? Wherever I go?" I was alarmed.

"I'm sure you'll come across him at some point." He smiled again.

"Do the Fallen have rules?" I questioned. "Like the angels do?"

"Sort of." He replied. "We aren't supposed to let humans find out what we are. That's all, though."

"The angels that found me... they never used their wings here. But you did." I commented. "I was just wondering what the difference is. Wouldn't a human find out what you were if they saw you fly?"

"Yes, they would." He nodded. "But I fly carefully, too high for them to see. And I would hear if one got too close when I was about to take off. The angels won't risk it, they can't risk breaking any of their rules or they'll become one of the Fallen."

"You can swap sides?"

"They can choose to become a Fallen. But you can't go back. Not that any of us would want to." He explained.

"So... as long as there are no humans around... you're free to have your wings out, to fly?"

Andrew nodded, and slowly, a pair of majestic wings seemed to sprout from his back. Up close they were even more beautiful, gigantic though soft looking, gentle.

And at the bottom, the tips of his wings were golden. Without thinking I reached out, my fingers just barely skimming the soft feathers. They were silky to touch and held a strange warmth within them.

Andrew's eyes were closed, his body completely still. His wings were absolutely stunning... I couldn't help but yearn for a pair of my own.

I trailed my fingers lower, wanting to see if the gold parts felt different. And right as I was about to reach them...