“I’m listening now.”
“I’m her guardian,” the angel said. He puffed himself up, the scrawny body of a juvenile who hadn’t thought to carry more wood to a dying fire. “If she was dead-dead, I’d have to have a new human, but I don’t. Kris wanted me to choosea new one, but I – “
“Where is she?”
“Probably stuck in the Immortal underworld,” Toby said with a shrug. “She’s not in the mortal world. I’m sure Gabriel will take care of her. He knows his way around the underworld. I’m old enough to start to access the angel memories. But I don’t know if this has ever happened before.”
“He’d have to defy Death to keep a human alive in her domain,” Rhyn said, considering. The histories of humanity – and Immortals – were passed down from angel-to-angel in the form of memories. He’d heard them mentioned before but didn’t know much about angels. “No wonder the bitch agreed to my terms.”
“Who?”
“Death. She told me I couldn’t destroy the world for four days and offered me Katie’s life in exchange.”
Toby snorted a laugh. “Uncle Kris is right. You are more brawn than brains, Pops.”
“Shut up and go to sleep.”
“But I’m not done –“
Rhyn snatched the open can of food and flung it into the forest. Toby stared at him then took his pink coat and crawled deeper into the little cave. Rhyn stretched out on his back next to the fire, his mind puzzling over the angel’s words. However much he tried to focus on what it was Death had agreed to, he couldn’t escape his mixed emotions or one errant thought.
Daughter.
He was doomed any way he looked at things.