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Sister Ruth was gone, and with her hatever knowledge she’d held Kaidan didn’t glance at me when I climbed back in with the box on ravel HisI ran h a list of less topics that could fill the space between us Sister Ruth’s death only deepened the void

When we got back to the hotel, alked to the rooether I climbed on my bed and sat with the box on , half leaning on the table across froht

"May I use one of your knives?" I asked

"Here, letaround the edges I opened the cardboard flap Inside was a wooden box so old and smooth that the wood looked petrified I pulled it out and set the cardboard box on the floor A sold clasp held the lid shut I undid the clasp and lifted the lid At first I couldn’t process what I was seeing It was old no What was it? It glie of metallic colors from bronze to platinum, as if it were alive

"Is that a sword hilt?" I asked Just looking at it frightenedtoward it and staring with rapt disbelief

"May I?" he asked, gesturing toward it

"Go ahead"

He gingerly picked it up and cradled it in his hand, turning it fro I’d ever seen

"I don’t believe it," Kaidan whispered

"What? What is it?"

His face seeister the object, and he dropped it back into the wooden box, rubbing his hands together and staring doith awe-inspired terror

I reached down to feel it er touched the warer and up ht and stared at ?" I asked

"It clearly wasn’t forged on earth," he stahteousness?"

"What’s that?"

"They were used by the angels in the war of the heavens"