Archangel's Heart(47)

Given her position and motionlessness, and the layout of the room, it seemed the two men on the other side didn’t realize she was there. Because Elena definitely wasn’t meant to hear this conversation.

“The resemblance is extraordinary, is it not?” A male voice, not particularly distinctive.

“‘Eerie’ is the word I’d use.” Another male, this one with a deeper tone to his voice. “It feels like a ghost is haunting Lumia.”

Elena heard that part of their conversation with a peripheral corner of her mind, didn’t really pay attention to it.

Then the first speaker said, “The shape of her face and that near-white hair against skin of dark gold . . . her skin was darker, but other than that, they could be mirror images of each other.”

Elena’s entire attention snapped to the conversation. Because there was only one person in the room who had hair of near-white.

“Not quite,” the second speaker replied. “The eyes are not the same. Hers weren’t silver. I always thought they gave her a feline appearance.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

A pause, while Elena’s heart thundered.

“Gian has not said anything.”

“Neither will he and you are not to mention it.” The words were hard, an order. “Or have you forgotten what he was like after her betrayal?”

“A madman . . . or so close to it as not to matter.” A whisper of wings, as if the Luminata was settling his feathers. “I will spread the word that it is a matter not to be discussed.”

There was more rustling, wings and robes shifting. Elena made a quick decision and turned to go in the opposite direction to the movements on the other side. By the time the two Luminata emerged from behind the partition, she was standing next to Raphael, far enough away that there was no way they could suspect her of having overheard their conversation.

The damn robes that hid their wings made them all so anonymous, but at least their hoods were down tonight. She took note of the two speakers: one was the tall male with mahogany skin who’d first shown her and Raphael to their suite, the other shorter, more square-appearing with silky blond hair. His skin looked to be not-enough-sunlight white with a flush of red underneath.

Guild Hunter, while Astaad appears to believe you are merely being a supportive consort by standing next to me without saying a word, I know different. Raphael’s wing spread slightly over hers. What is it?

I’ll tell you later, she said, trying her damndest to look interested in the conversation Raphael was having with Astaad on the audible level. I just overheard something so interesting my pulse is doing somersaults. I need a minute to get it together.

Raphael’s thumb brushed over her spine as he replied to Astaad with zero indication he’d missed any of the conversation. She didn’t know how he did that—have a physical and mental conversation at the same time. She didn’t realize she’d asked him on the mental level until the crisp bite of the wind swept through her mind.

I have had a thousand five hundred years of practice, hbeebti. He turned to smile down at her.

And her overworked heart, it kicked. Because his gaze held affection and love and so many other things she could’ve never imagined the first time she looked into those eyes of searing blue.

“Ah, you make me miss my Mele.”

Astaad’s words had Elena turning to the other archangel, even as she leaned a little closer to Raphael, needing to feel his warmth, the strong beat of his life. The more time she spent in Lumia, the more it felt as if this place was cold down to the bone, not in temperature but in its soul.

For a while, speaking with Gian, she’d almost begun to question her initial views on the place, but now that she knew he was a liar, it was easy to see the entire web of charm he’d constructed in front of her. It had been done so skillfully that she’d been partially caught in it even as she believed herself standing separate, critical-eyed.

Elena would not be making that mistake a second time.

“I miss her, too,” she said to Astaad. “I wish we didn’t live so far apart.”

Astaad inclined his head. “And these times of war make travel difficult. Mele did enjoy her time in New York earlier this year. Thank you for hosting her.”

“It was my pleasure.” The other woman was a scholar rather than a hunter, but she and Elena had clicked from the first. “Mahiya also loved spending time with her. I hope she’ll visit again.”

“She would be delighted to do so,” Astaad said, “but I find it difficult to have her far from me.” His features altered, tension humming beneath his skin as shadows darkened his eyes. “I have faith in your honor, Raphael, but I do not have such faith in all our brethren—I can see them harming Mele to get to me. Many know that of all my concubines, she is the most favored.”