Silas took two steps toward the window. Then he turned on his heels and yanked hard on the bed frame. It was just small enough to move so he pushed it against the door frame with one loud screech of the metal legs on the wood floor. Then he dashed toward the breeze from outside and jumped from the windowsill into it.

It was scary at first, to dive without open wings. Silas kept his wings close to his body so as to not break something suddenly, but it was terrifying how quickly one could fall toward the city grounds with tucked wings. When he was comfortable enough in the wind he spread his wings fully. They hadn't been spotted, and they were incredibly lucky to be so close to the sky border.

"Arael! Don't stop once we're out of the city!" he shouted into the wind. He would try to hide his wings when they fell, so that it would be harder for eyes to spot them. If they had better luck, the sun would sink behind a cloud and shade their descent.

His heart sank when he realized what mess he had committed to. They would at least erase his memory of Highrose for treason, and might do worse to his wings. All this over a turn of events in less than a few days. "I have to do this," he thought aloud as he remembered Jason's face. Then he remembered Anders. "Highrose still needs you. I'll make this right," he swore. "For both of you."


Mars sobbed loudly as she hugged her fellow Shinigami. She nodded through snot and tears as Jason insisted that Lea could have died and how it would have been game over. She released her grip on the two of them enough to wipe her face and sniffle. She stopped suddenly when Lea and Nerva mentioned the Guardians.

Does he have a second, hidden set of wings? she wondered. If she hadn't accidentally thought aloud, it was at least written all over her face. She shook her head to clear her mind of stray ideas.

"Thank you, my lady. For everything." she said with a bow of the head. Then she looked toward her Shinigami siblings. "We should head back. To tell the others," she started to continue, but a pit of dread in her throat silenced her words. To tell our family what we've done, and to prepare for what they will do in return.