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Daniel glanced suspiciously around the parking lot He popped the trunk, Luce'sin hand It was an i sound caan to shrink A moment later, Daniel snapped the trunk shut

Luce blinked "Do that again!"

Daniel didn't laugh He seemed nervous He slid into the driver's seat and started the car without a word It was a strange, new thing for Luce: seeing his face look so serene on the surface, but knowing hi deeper underneath

"What's wrong?"

"Mr Cole told you about keeping a low pro le, didn't he?"

She nodded

Daniel backed out of the spot, then wheeled around to the parking lot's exit, slipping a credit card into the machine on their way out "That was Daniel backed out of the spot, then wheeled around to the parking lot's exit, slipping a credit card into the machine on their way out "That was stupid I should have thought--"

"What's the big deal?" Luce tucked her dark hair behind her ears as the car began to pick up speed "You think you're going to attract Ca into a trunk?"

Daniel got a faraway look in his eyes and shook his head "Not Caet I said anything I just --We both just have to be cautious"

Luce heard him but was too overwhel Daniel expertly work the gearshift as they took the ra the hipping through the car as they sped toward the towering San Francisco skyline; loved-- with Daniel

In San Francisco proper, the road turned much hillier Every ti down another, Luce caught a di erent glimpse of the city It looked old and new at the saainst restaurants and bars that looked a century old Tiny cars lined the streets, parked at gravity-defying angles Dogs and strollers everywhere The sparkle of blue water all around the city's edge And the rst candy-apple-red glie in the distance

Her eyes darted around to keep up with all the sights And even though she had spent , she suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion

Daniel stretched his aruided her head toward his shoulder "Little-known fact about angels: Weher head to kiss his cheek "I couldn't possibly sleep," she said, nuzzling his neck

On the Golden Gate Bridge, throngs of pedestrians, spandexed bicyclers, and joggers anked the cars Far beloas the brilliant bay, dotted hite sailboats and the beginning notes of a violet sunset "It's been days since we've seen each other I want to catch up," she said "Tell "

For an instant, she thought she saw Daniel's hands tighten around the steering wheel "If your goal is not to go to sleep," he said, cracking a smile, "then I really shouldn't delve into theI was stuck in all day yesterday See, the board met to discuss an amendment to proposition 362B, which details the sanctioned format for cherubic participation in the third circuit of-- "

"Okay, I get it" She swatted hie new kind of joke He was actually being open about being an angel, which she loved--or at least she would love it, once she'd had a little more time to process it Luce still felt like her heart and brain were both struggling to catch up to the changes in her life

But they were back together for good now, so everything was in nitely easier There was nothing to hold back from one another anyoing"

Daniel inched, and Luce felt a knot of cold unfold inside her chest She moved to put her hand on his, but he pulled away to downshift

"A school in Fort Bragg called Shoreline Classes start to at another school?" she asked "Why?" It sounded so permanent This was supposed to be a provisional trip Her parents didn't even know she'd left the state of Georgia

"You'll like Shoreline It's very progressive, and a lot better than Sword and Cross I think you'll be able todevelop there And no harm will come to you The school has a special, protective quality A caet it Why do I need a protective shield? I thought coh"

"It's not just Miss Sophia," Daniel said quietly "There are others"

"Who? You can protect hed, but the cold feeling in her chest was spreading to her gut

"It's not Cam or Molly, either Luce, I can't talk about it"

"Will we know anyone else there? Any other angels?"

"There are soet along There's one ht ahead "I won't be enrolling" His eyes didn't once veer o the road "Just you It's only for a little while"

"How little?"