I untied the flower and took the stairs two at a time to my room.

Happiness, compounded by the race and the pizza and the afternoon with friends made me lightheaded. Where was Asher? I wanted to share my excitement. Maybe I wasn't scared to be with him anymore. I could control my powers. I could keep it together around him now. Maybe I was ready.

No, I thought. I am ready. I know I am.

In a fit of joy, I opened the window wide and summoned the air with all my strength. With my hands, I controlled the flow of a gust of wind as it picked up the flower, floating it high in the air. Without losing concentration, I summoned a stronger gust of wind from out in the field. It blew through my open window, and with it, carried hundreds of tiny purple flowers like the one borne above my head. They caught the light in their translucent petals and cast a purple glow across my room.

Behind me, I heard a gentle knock, and before I could stop the flowers from fluttering above me like a hundred purple butterflies, the door swung open.

"Oh my god, Skye," Cassie's voice echoed loudly throughout every square inch of the house. "What are you doing?"

Chapter 26.

I let the gust of wind die, and all the flowers fell to the floor simultaneously. Cassie stared at me open-mouthed.

"God, Cassie, don't you knock?" I said sharply.

"Uh, yeah, Skye, actually I did. Maybe if you hadn't been too busy playing the Sorcerer's Apprentice with flying purple flowers, you might have heard me." She held up my shoulder bag. "You left this at the pizza place."

"Uh, first of all, you didn't knock that loud, and second of alla""

"First of all," she said, throwing her purse down and charging toward me, "did you forget that we were supposed to go out tonight? Or were you planning to ditch me for your boyfriend again?" She snorted and paused for breath. "And second of all"a"she pointed down at the heap of flowersa""what was that?"

"I can explain," I said again. But then I didn't. I just stood there, my arms at my sides, completely at a loss for any lie that could explain away what had just happened. And I was so tired of trying to think of one. I had been lying to Cassie from the very moment I turned seventeen. It had been months. I couldn't do it anymore. She was my best friend, and she didn't deserve it. I'd find a way to protect her. I was stronger now. But if I kept it up, the mental and physical exertion of lying to my best friend would drain me of all my powers, light and dark.

"Good explanation," Cassie said. "Very thorough. I totally get it now."

"Okay." I exhaled slowly. "Here goes. Cassie, Ia""

"Stop, I can't take it," she blurted. "Whatever the reason you're mad at me, I'm sorry! Is ita""

"Cass," I interrupted. "I'm not mad at you."

"Just tell me why," she said. "Why aren't we best friends anymore? You've totally changed, Skye. You never used to keep things from me. What did I do to make you go away?"

"Oh, Cassie," I said, the guilt finally overcoming me. "You didn't make me go away." I grabbed her hand and pulled her over to sit with me on my bed. "I just felt so guilty. Because it was my fault. Your whole accident was my fault."

"How could it have been your fault?" she asked, perplexed. "Did you cut the brakes?"

"No," I said, my heart beginning to pound. "But I know who did. And it was because I almost told you what I'm about to tell you now. The truth. About everything."

"Skye, you're not making sense." Cassie shook her head. "The truth about what?"

"Hold on." I moved to the window and peered down at the yard. A shadow moved in the bushes. I'd recognize Asher's tall, lanky frame anywhere, and I smiled to myself, safe in the knowledge that he was out there, keeping watch. I trusted that he'd never let a Guardian hurt me againa"not after what Ardith had said about his lingering guilt. And Cassie was an extension of me, so he'd never let anything happen to Cassie again. I'd just have to keep an extra close watch on her. And in the event that she did get hurta"I could heal her this time.

"This is going to sound a little crazy," I said. "But it will explain everything."

"You're kind of freaking me out." She adjusted her messy bun. "But okay. Go ahead."

And so I took a deep breath and told her. "I'm an angel," I said. "My mother was a Guardian, and my father was a Rebel. Just like in the campfire story Asher and Devin told us a few months ago on the ski trip."

"What?" Cassie said flatly, staring at me in disbelief. "Am I supposed to believea"?"

"Devin is a Guardian, and Asher, he's a Rebel. They were sent here to guide and protect me while I figured out what kind of powers I had, because of who my parents were and everything. They were each trying to get me to join them on their side of this . . . this big cosmic battle. They . . . well, I know it sounds weird, but they wanted me."

"I'll bet they did," Cassie said with a smirk.

"No, I mean they wanted my powers. Because whichever side could control them would almost certainly destroy the other."

Cassie's eyes were growing round. "Wow!" She didn't say it so much as breathed the word. "Are you sure you aren't making this up? Because it's a pretty elaborate lie, anda""

"I'm not," I jumped in quickly, eager to get to the part about her. "It turned out that Devin wasn't actually sent here to protect me or guide me. The Ordera"they're the faction of angels that control destinya"commanded him to kill me."

"No!"

"Yeah. He spent all winter trying to get me alone in order to do it. He made Aunt Jo have to lead all those trips out to the mountains, and when he saw that I was getting ready to tell you what was going ona""

"He cut my brakes?"

"No, Raven did. She's also a Guardian."

"So . . ." Cassie's voice grew strangely subdued. "Am I in danger now? I mean you just told me, right?"

"I think we're safe," I said. "We're prepared for it this time. Asher is standing outside my window right now. He won't let anything happen to you, I promise. We know what we're up against now."

We went to the window. Sure enough, Asher was skulking around the foot of the deck. "Hey Asher!" Cassie called. He glanced up, vigilant and intense.

"Cassie, stop!" I cried, pulling her back. "This is really, really serious."

"Oh, come on, lighten up," she said. "I know it's serious, but god, you almost have to laugh about it to keep sane, don't you?"

"And that is why I desperately needed to tell you. Cassie, no one in the world can beat your advice."

"So," she mulled, "all this time, the whole reason you didn't tell me was to protect me?"

"Yup." I smiled.

"Skye, I feel so honored to be your friend." She paused thoughtfully. "But what about Devin?" she whispered. "What happened to him after hea"you knowa"tried to kill you?"

"He and Raven were bonded by destiny, and now he avoids mea"but I know he's waiting for something. I just don't know what."

"I'm sorry," Cassie said. "I know that this is your life and all, but it's even better than that campfire story that they told on the ski trip. This is the most epic thing to happen to any of us!" She paused, then said, "Oh, poor Ian. He never stood a chance with you. Look what he was up against."

"It's true," I said.

"Wow, Skye, this is huge! I have to say, though, I don't envy you right now. How can you fight with the Ordera"they tried to kill you! But how can you fight with the Rebellion? They only want to use you."

"I know," I said, loving Cassie more and more by the minute. "You can't tell Dan, though. Promise?"

"Oh, no." Cassie shook her head violently. "No. No. Dan and I don't keep secrets from each other."

"Cassie, please? We can't tell him just yet."

"Skye, I'm such a bad liar. He knows. He knows every time." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "He knows."

"Cass," I said, crossing my arms. "No means no."

"Fine," she grumbled. Then paused. "What about Asher? Don't you want to be where he is?"

Don't pick your star just because it's the star he's chosen, Aunt Jo had said. It seemed logical enough, but I really had no idea what the answer to Cassie's question was. I sauntered over to the window and peered out. Asher was patrolling outside, a Rebel angel and a soldier. What had Ardith said? He'd spend another thousand years by your side if he could. Yes, of course I wanted to be wherever he was.

But what if my powers told a different story? My story was about love, but what if the blood in my veins wanted it to be about war?

"I don't know," I said quietly. Behind me, I heard the bed squeak as Cassie got up. She put her arm around me gently.

"You'll figure it out, Skye," she said. "You always do."

Chapter 27.

Later that night, after many hours of talking, Cassie finally left me alone in the quiet of my room. I should have felt catharsis, relief, but talking it all over with Cassie only solidified the tension I was feeling. Of course I wanted to be with Ashera"and not just now, here, or at the Rebellion, but forever. When I tried to picture a life without him in it, my mind grew as white and empty as the beach in my visions.

But I had to stay true to myself in this, too. And the powers that ran through me were greater than both the Order and the Rebellion combined. Both sides knew it.

I was just getting into bed when I heard a tap at the window. Seconds later it swung open, and Asher hopped inside.

"Close the window," I said. "Please. It's cold." He closed it and came over to me.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently and sat next to me. He looked like he wanted to reach his arm around my shoulders, but he held back. "You're too quiet," he said. "You're worrying me, Skye."

I sighed and let myself fall back on the bed. "I hate this."

"Well, I can leave. . . ."

"No, I mean this!" I flung my arms wide. "What if my heart is telling me one thing and my blood is making me do the opposite?"

"What?" he asked so vehemently that it came out as two syllables. "Where is that coming from?"

"What if we can't stay together forever? What if the Rebellion isn't the place for me, after all?"

Asher tensed. "Why would you say that?"

"I'm a balance of both the dark and the light. It's who I am. You know that. You've seen it."

"That's okay," he said, finally reaching over to take my hand. "We want you. It's that blend of powers that makes you so strong."

"You want me as a weapon, you mean," I said darkly. "I won't be responsible for that kind of destructiona"no matter what the Order's done to me."

Asher ran a hand through his hair, agitated. "What do you want, Skye? Tell me. Do you want me to leave the Rebellion for you? Cut off my wings and become mortal? I'd do it. But I don't think that would make you happy, and I don't know what would." His eyes were wild, pleading. "Tell me what you want!"

I thought about his offer. It reminded me, hopelessly, of my parents being cast to Earth. Their great, romantic love story.

"I want you!" I cried, my voice breaking. "And when I try to picture my life without you, Ia"" Tears spilled fast and hot on my cheeks, and I couldn't finish.

"Skye," he murmured, leaning down to kiss me.

But I pulled away.

My parents had died. Despite the epic love story. Despite all they risked for each other. Even running away couldn't stop what was coming for me and Asher. Whether or not I let the Rebellion use my powers, I couldn't stop the universe from conspiring to destroy itself.

I looked up at him. His pitch-black eyes looked so vulnerable. I wanted so badly to take his face in my hands and promise him I would never leave him. But we'd both know I'd be lying.

"What if what I want isn't what has to happen?" I asked, my voice coming out so small.

Asher looked stricken. "I will always love you," he said to me. He ran his fingers through my hair softly, and let his hand rest under my chin. "Always. Do you even know how long that is?"

"A long time," I said, laughing through my tears. "Forever."

"Forever," he repeated. "No matter what happens, I'll always love you. Okay? No matter what threatens to tear us apart."

But what tore us aparta"whether the universe was plunged into chaos or meticulously controlled for the rest of eternity, or if something new took over and overthrew the system, forever changing the course of fatea"that was up to me.

Chapter 28.

The next couple of days ran together like rain.