Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Angelic children developed apace with their expected endless lifespans.
“At least Anise’s father still puts her on her ass, too.” Hands on his hips, he caught his breath. “Though it’s not fair that Eh-ma Hannah doesn’t fight—Anise only gets beaten up by one parent.”
Elena laughed. “Is this what you tell your grandmother? That we beat you up?” Caliane had morphed fully into adoring grandmother mode in the years since she’d first met Phoenix—one with a grandson who could do no wrong.
“It’s only the truth,” said her unrepentant scamp of a child. “Also, then Mimi gives me lessons in how to beat you both. She’s teaching me tricks you don’t know. So is Dmitri.” He tapped the side of his nose with a smirk. “Watch out, Mama.”
Elena ruffled his hair. “Bring it on.” She loved how her son was so entwined with the many people who loved him.
Talking of which—“Your great-grandpa called. Said something about a strategy session?”
Nix’s eyes lit up. “Can I go see him this afternoon, please? Greats said he was going to let me sit in on a planning meeting with his ground unit.”
It would always astonish Elena that refined, respectable Jean-Baptiste allowed his great-grandson to call him the singular Greats. It had begun during childhood, when Nix simply hadn’t been able to say Great-grandpa, and never quite ended.
“As long as you complete your schoolwork,” she said. “Per your teacher, you essays have been late twice in a row.”
She raised an eyebrow in a silent “Explain yourself to your mother” statement. It would’ve been “Explain yourself to your parents” if Raphael wasn’t out with their most senior wing. He was acting as the aggressor, so they could practice maneuvers.
In front of her, Nix winced. “I have no excuses. I got caught up in flying drills when Uncle Blue visited.”
Elena fought to contain her smile. Truth was, she’d figured as much—how, she and Raphael had said to each other, could anyone expect a boy as active and energetic as their son to sit inside studying when his favorite uncle was in the city and in the mood to play around with some of his fellow warriors from back before his ascension.
“In that case,” Elena said, “you will finish your schoolwork and write Jessamy an extra essay on all you learned with Illium.”
Nix groaned. “But Greats?”
“You can go,” Elena said, but held up a finger. “However, tomorrow is a full school day.” It was also forecast to sleet, which would make staying inside far easier for her son. “Deal?”
“Deal.” A grin, then a huge hug, Nix all lanky limbs and newly growing muscle. “Love you, Mama.”
“Love you, too, Nixie,” she said, expecting a renewed groan—because apparently the pet name was too “babyish” these days.
But he was in an affectionate mood, just grinned.
“Now,” she said on a wave of love, “I need to beat you up one more time so you can practice that drill before you head upstairs for your lesson with the tech team.”
Nix had plenty of Tower teachers alongside the lessons he took with Jessamy, a number of which he attended “in person” in an obsitru room alongside his six compatriots.
Aanisa was one, of course, then the five others who’d been born in the four years that followed her and Nix’s births. They were a close cohort and, per Jessamy, had been known to cover for each other by doing homework when one of the others couldn’t get to it—or had left it until too late.
“They think I can’t spot it when they do work for one another, but I did not get these wrinkles by accident,” Jessamy had said, pointing at her flawless skin. “But these things they do are what all children do for their good friends, with no ill intent behind it.”
“They’re not taking advantage of Hanaeis?” The youth had the gentlest personality in the group, and while Nix was protective by nature, he was also still a child; he might not realize the import of his actions.
“Hani is ridiculously clever and more than capable of looking after himself, trust me—he told me the other day that he wishes to grow up to be like Ozias.”
Hanaeis came from Titus’s court, with Ozias the archangel’s spymaster.
A quiet laugh from Jessamy. “I do think that young one will achieve his goal—and if you’re worried that he’s doing the work of the others, never fear, they all seem to trade off. Your Nix wrote Hani’s most recent essay after Hani lost track of time while visiting the archives at Lumia.”
The other woman had added, “Talking of essays—Nix’s last essay, that one about mortality and innovation? Brilliant and quite unlike any topic ever before chosen by an angelic child I’ve taught. It’s clear that while Nix is immortal, he has a deep understanding of and empathy for the mortal world, thanks to you and the descendants of your family.”