Angel nodded. “Correct. And Mera is so powerful that it was her world I was pulled into, instead of my own. But it allowed me the choice of rebirth. A choice that any who are born of the Nexus are given.”

I shook my head. “I can’t believe this.” My voice broke. “I was just given my greatest wish, and yet I did nothing to deserve it.”

Angel hugged me tightly again. “You deserve it, my friend. You were willing to sacrifice yourself as well. All of us were.”

As she pulled away, she wove clothing across her body, tucking her wings behind her to reveal the most human outfit I’d ever seen on her. Jeans, a shirt, and sneakers.

“I think my wings can even—” she started before closing her eyes, and there was a pop as they vanished in the same way mine could. For the first time, she almost seemed petite without the statuesque angel wings.

“Wow, you were reborn,” I said with a chuckle.

“At least our bond remains,” Angel said with a true smile. “You will always have me as family, and I’ve been given a second chance at life, reborn from the sins and tragedy in my past. I will never forget my family, but I don’t wear their deaths around my neck any longer.”

It might have been my imagination, but I thought that her eyes flicked toward Reece’s for a split second before both of them cut the contact. Angel looked around at all the others then, finally realizing we were all at the Nexus. “Wait! Did you all know I would be reborn?” she asked.

“No,” Lucien said with a shake of his head. “We were waiting for Dannie. Seeing if she chose to be reborn.”

Understanding crossed Angel’s face. “Ah, right. Well, you have nothing to worry about. Dannie has chosen to remain as part of the Nexus; her energy was dispersing as I exited, and with this one act, she’ll keep the balance better than she ever could have in a vessel.”

I wasn’t the only one to sag in relief, but I did make sure I wrapped my arm around Shadow to offer whatever comfort I could. “I’m sorry, beast man,” I whispered to him. “I loved her too.”

He returned my hug, holding me long enough that I knew it hurt him to lose his mother, no matter what she’d done to deserve it. Thankfully, she had made the decision, and now we could try to remember the best parts of Dannie.

58

Our group was quiet as we made our way back to the library, following Shadow through his Solaris System pathways. There was a lot that had to be done in the Shadow Realm still, but all of us were exhausted, needing some rest before we stepped back to ensure that world finally had a chance to reach its full potential.