This is Emmorta

17 Karma Police

Orion

I waited in case there were sounds of struggle but at the first signs of easiness between them, the shaking stopped.

He's not me, I remind myself. He wouldn't do the things I did. Evander is a lot of things but he'd never force irreparable damage—not physically and mentally like I did.

He has better self-control when it comes to that, and maybe he just needed to be around her.

Dad found me watching the morning light swallow the darkness of the night and handed me a tea. The silence held a stale reminder that we still have the problem of my brother's attitude in the midst of a universe in crisis from one corner to another, the only weapons that could diminish the enemy are in their possession, and I'm a standing god charged with the protection of a realm I've been locked out of while Finn sits in my place, probably running that realm into the ground.

Heavy is the crown and all that.

"There must be a way in and out if Finn still comes and goes," Dad muses. He drinks from his cup while we stare ahead at the transition from night to dawn. "I may have left my place there, but that will always be home. It's where I grew up. I think that should be your first focus. You could use the angels' help."

"Did you hate it there?"

"Never. I just... once I found where I belonged, she became home and, you know."

The rest is history, I guess.

It's being pushed back since I know the angels are contained. Finn wouldn't be stupid enough to kill all the angels but I think he hates me enough to defy logic.

"You'll find a way in. But, what about everything else?"

I've no idea what to do next. "It's like I've been chasing after everything and following everyone the entire time without anything to help me get ahead. And it's not like I can ask for help."

He purses his lips at that. "Even Eden used people for her advantage. She had her little prophecies and things keeping the others occupied. I don't know, maybe use who you need to distract them. Even if no one else can take a swing at the bastard, he'll have something that you can distract him with."

Mom stumbles in the room and takes the drink from Dad before she settles in a spot beside him—quiet and anything but a morning person. She glares, silently joining our conversation as we discuss ways to get into Heaven and how to use the angels since their banishment from this realm is no longer valid now that we know Rune is Lily and she's the opposite of dead.

We turn at the opening of her door and while Dad sits up straighter, my guts twist not knowing what sort of wrath I'll face when she sees me.

I could have said no but I didn't. I rationalized myself into doing it for his sake. But I also did it knowing it might possibly settle some sort of anger in him.

She reaches us and I wince at the thought of my brother finding out certain demands I never met. That may be why he removed himself from the house early this morning without a word.

That shiny black hair is in a tangled mess bobs into the room, quicker than her usual pace and—

Rune, as though possessed by some other being filled with sunshine, beams.

At my father.

And then at me.

Eyes I once swore could only summon death without a blink shine like the wide smile I wouldn't think possible.

Perhaps it isn't her.

Dad stills and my mouth dries.

Amara did this constantly. She smiled even though she was pissed about something and the sweeter the smile the worse it was for me.