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This was how Arriane and Tess spent their rare afternoons together: One girl braided, the other spun stories Then they switched roles

"Once there was an extraordinary angel," Arriane began, turning her head to the side so Tess could sweep the hair up fro than Arriane She would sit beside Arriane with a basket of forest wildflowers in her lap She’d lean over Arriane’s narrow back and weave tight plaits into the angel’s thick hair She’d pin the braids so they zigzagged across Arriane’s scalp, until she looked like Medusa, which was Arriane’s favorite style

Arriane, on the other hand, was lucky to get Tess’s wild redand wrestle the coh Tess’s locks until Tess yelped in pain But Arriane was better at storytelling And ould braiding be without a good story?

No fun at all

Arriane closed her eyes andfelt so good as a lover’s touch

"Arriane?"

"Yes" Her eyes opened, her gaze drifting over the pasture where dairy cows loafed on the farm’s two hundred acres These were her favorite moments: quiet and uncomplicated, just the two of them It was late in the afternoon; most of the milkmaids orked on the farm where Arriane had taken her ees

She’d chosen this job because it wasn’t far frolish fiefdom a few minutes’ fly north Generally, Daniel felt stifled by the presence of Arriane and the other angels tasked atching over hiive him space and still fly to him and Lucinda quickly if needed Besides, Arriane enjoyed dipping into a iven work on the dairy, to satisfy a boss Tess never understood that urge, but then, Tess’sthan the Throne

It was rare to have a stolen moment with Tess Her visits to the dairy--to this part of the world, in general--never caine the darkness that awaited Tess as soon as they said goodbye, or thefrom his realm

Don’t think about him, Arriane chided herself Not when Tess is by your side and there is no need to question your love!

Yes Tess was by her side And the grass beneath was so soft, the air of the farm so perfumed ildflowers, that Arriane could have wafted into the nurturing boso dream

But the story Tess loved her stories "Where was I?" Arriane asked

"Oh--I don’t reernail scraped Arriane’s neck as she scooped up a section of hair

"Ouch" Arriane rubbed her neck Tess didn’t rehts, not Tess "Is so, love?"

"No," Tess said quickly "You were starting some story… An extraordinary … um--"

"Yes!" Arriane said happily "An extraordinary angel Her naed her hair "Another one about you?" She was laughing, but her laughter sounded distant, as if she had already flown far away

"You’re in it, too! Just wait" Arriane rolled onto her side to face Tess The ar with slid down across Arriane’s hip

Tess wore a white cotton goith a narrow bodice and short, ruffled white sleeves She had bursts of freckles on her shoulders, which Arriane thought looked like galaxies of stars Her eyes were barely darker than Arriane’s startling pale blue irises

She was the most beautiful creature Arriane had ever el?" Tess asked after a in? There were so s about her!" Arriane flicked her head,on an inspired direction in which to take her tale She could feel the unbound braid scissoring loose on the side of her head

"Oh, Arriane!" Tess said "You’ve ruined it!"

"I can’t help it if my hair has other plans! And maybe yours does, too!" Arriane reached for the ribbon tied around Tess’s long red braid

But the girl was too quick She scra as Arriane rose to her feet and chased after her

"This el," she called after Tess, who dashed through the high grass and the bracing February wind, "had the les in her hair She was falelocks, soh-stepped, her hands raised, her fingers wiggling to evoke her hair "Cities vanished in her hty mane Whole armies were swept up in her snarls! Grown men wept and were lost in the black abyss of her serpentine tresses"

Then Arriane tripped over the long heown and went down hard onto the ground On all fours, she looked up at Tess, who’d stopped between Arriane and the sun, a halo of light circling her red hair

Tess leaned down to help Arriane up, her hands soft around Arriane’s wrists

"Until one day"--Arriane went to rub her muddy palms on the front of her dress; Tess slapped theed pocket, a cotton handkerchief "One day, this angel ed her life…"

Tess lifted her chin a bit She was listening