Page 5 (1/2)

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?"

"A fewweeks"

Had Luce been the one behind the wheel, this hen she would have slammed on the brakes

"A feeeks?"

"If I could be with you, I would" Daniel's voice was so at, so steady, that it made Luce evenand the trunk That was likeup a are into the sky to let everyone knohere we are To alert anyone who is looking for me--and by me, I mean you I am too easy to nd, too easy for others to track down And that bit with your bag? That is nothing cos I do every day that would draw the attention of " He shook his head sharply "I won't put you in danger, Luce, I won't"

"Then don't"

Daniel's face looked pained "It's couess: You can't explain"

"I wish I could"

Luce drew her knees to her chest, leaned away fro so blue California sky

For half an hour, the two of the, up and down the rocky, arid terrain They passed signs for Sonoreen vineyards, Daniel spoke "It's threeto stay nored hiive voice to hundreds of questions, frustrations, accusations, and--ultiht of and refused to give voice to hundreds of questions, frustrations, accusations, and--ulti like such a spoiled brat At the turno for the Anderson Valley, Daniel forked west and tried again to hold her hand "Maybe you'll forgive ether?"

She wanted to She really wanted to not be ghting with Daniel right now But the fresh ether," of his leaving her alone for reasons she couldn't understand and that he always refused to explain--it ain In the roiling sea of new state, new school, new dangers everywhere, Daniel was the only rock she had to hold on to And he was about to leave her? Hadn't she been through enough? Hadn't they both been through enough?

It was only after they'd passed through the redwoods and co that Daniel said son that read WELCOME TO MENDOCINO, and Luce was looking west A full hthouse, several copper water towers, and rows of well-preserved old wooden houses Somewhere out beyond all that was the ocean she could hear but couldn't see