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Awareness crept in slowly. With it came all the consequences Zach knew he’d face the second he opened his eyes. He was almost afraid to wake up.
“Zachariah.” He just managed to keep from jerking in reaction. Mom only used his full name when she was mad at him. “I know you’re awake now. Open your eyes.”
“Claire.” Marcus’ voice floated over him. Fantastic. He could get knocked down from both sides. “Let the boy rest. He has been through enough.”
“He didn’t tell me a thing, Marcus!” She muttered under her breath, in Latin. Also not a good sign. “Do you have any idea how I felt when I saw Simon carry him out of that sewer?” Uh oh. Her connection to his amethyst—she must have known the second it touched Elias. “Never mind the fact that he told Annie first.”
A quiet laugh told him how Marcus stood. “She most likely found out by accident. You know Annie would not let Zach give up the pleasure of telling you himself. Though, knowing Annie, I am certain she threatened him if he did not tell you.”
“Stop overriding my arguments. I’m entitled to my outrage, and I’d like to have it, please. At least for a little while. Zach, stop eavesdropping and open your eyes.”
He did, squinting against the bright light coming in the window. Once he could see, he recognized his old bedroom. So much for independence. “Mom.” His voice sounded worse than he expected. “Sorry.”
“Oh, Zach.” She leaned over him, her fingers shaking as she pushed hair off his forehead. “I’m just glad you’re all right. It was a close thing.” She sat on the edge of the bed, and he braced himself. “Why didn’t you tell me about Simon?”
“We didn’t expect it to be a permanent thing,” he whispered. “Marcus was right. Annie found out the day I saw you at the beach. I was going to tell you, but things...”
“Spiraled out of control? What were you thinking, taking on an angel?”
“I knew him.” Zach swallowed. His throat ached from talking, even in a whisper. He wanted to sleep again, for about a week. “I couldn’t let them—punish him.”
“Simon told me. Between his connection to you, and what you mumbled on the way out of those sewers, he and your friend Alex pieced together what and why. That doesn’t make it any easier for me to handle. You could have died.” She took his hand, and gently smoothed her fingers up and down his arm, like she’d done when he started living with her, and had—dreams. “What made you think of using the amethyst?”
“Research.” He closed his eyes. It was easier to focus on one thing at a time. He picked talking. “I read that amethyst can be used to communicate with angels. I thought it might help Simon talk to Elias.”
Mom’s hand stilled on his arm. “Elias?”
It was the catch in her voice that had him opening his eyes. “Do you—did you know him?”
She let out her breath, and finally nodded. “Yes. He was one of the few who took me aside and warned me against standing with Lucifer. He was a friend, when you were a guardian?”
Zach swallowed. “My only friend.”
“This will make things—interesting.”
Marcus laughed. He’d been so quiet, Zach forgot he was still in the room. “You do have a talent for understatement, sweet.” He moved to the bed, both hands resting on Mom’s shoulders. “How much control will Simon have over him?”
Mom answered the question for him. “There’s no way of knowing. This is a first, for all of us.” She glanced up at Marcus. “I have had more than my share since the day you walked into my shop.”
“I simply preceded the events. I was not the catalyst.” He smiled as he said it, and leaned down to kiss her. Zach was glad that Mom had someone who loved every part of her, but he’d be happier if they didn’t—share that love with him. Over his bed. “I believe Zach is ready for some uninterrupted sleep.” He winked, gold still dominating the green in his eyes. He must have used a lot of his Jinn mojo to work on Zach. “We can continue this in our room.”
That was a visual Zach didn’t need. Ever. “Thanks,” he mumbled.
Mom kissed his cheek, then checked his forehead. “No fever. Get some sleep, sweetheart. You’ve avoided the discussion, for now. But we will be talking about this, so don’t think you got away with it.”
“Yes, Mom.”
She laughed. “We’ll see about replacing your amethyst. You will have to choose it, since it will be part of you. I have several in the shop right now, so as soon as you’re up to it, you can pick one out.”
“Thanks. Sorry about—giving yours away.”
“Never be sorry for saving someone, Zach. This time you saved two lives, and changed—”
“Everyone else’s.”
“Another thing we’ll have to talk about. And speaking of that,” she stood, and Zach saw the reason. Simon stood in the doorway, looking solid, and alive. Mom confirmed that by hugging him. “I know you want to talk to him. Just keep it short.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He flashed a smile, and waited for Mom and Marcus to leave before he moved to the bed. “Feel up for a short chat?”
“Yeah.” Like he had a choice. He knew that look; Simon wanted something from him, and he didn’t want Mom to know about it.
“First off—thank you, for what you did. It was reckless, and more than a little stupid.”
“Duh.”
Simon laughed. It sounded full and rich. Like the laugh Zach remembered from when Simon was alive... the first time.
This was going to take some adjusting.
“What you did, Zach—it pulled me out of a nonexistence I wasn’t sure I could have endured much longer. Now I’m sharing that new existence with an angel who wants a more active role. I’m not sure how to handle this, or him.”
“I don’t—Simon, you weren’t supposed to step between us.”
“You expected me to stand by and watch you sacrifice yourself?” Simon took his hand. No icy pain, no flaring tattoo. It felt good—and Zach would do whatever it took to make sure Simon stayed this time. “I spent too many years as a cop, Zach. What I did was instinct. Besides, your mom would have killed me if I showed up without you.”
“True.” Zach met his eyes, studied his face. “Is Elias fighting you?”
“Just the opposite. He’s soaking in everything, and prodding at me to do more.” Simon shook his head. “I could probably get used to the voice in my head. But the requests to skydive? Or hang glide off the cliffs? How long am I going to have to say no to him?”
“He wants to fly,” Zach whispered. “It’ll fade. I had dreams for months about flying. Then I’d wake up with my scars aching. I thought it had to do with my accident.” The accident that had never happened. “Tell him—you’re afraid of heights.” A thought had him staring at Simon. “He can’t hear us, can he?”
“He’s—asleep, I would call it. All the excitement.”
“So you—feel everything?”
“More like sensing. Similar to my former talent, so it’s not as bad as it could be.”
“I’m sorry.” Zach knew the unbinding set off whatever power burned out his talent.
“Stop apologizing. We came through the other side in one piece, so to speak. Oh, I have a message for you, from Alex. She wants you to call as soon as you’re feeling better.”
Nothing from Misty. He wanted to be accepting, but it hurt too much.
“Thanks.” Exhaustion weighted him. “I think I should—”
“Yes, you should.” Simon kissed his forehead and stood. He paused in the doorway. “And Zach—if you need me, I can still hear you.” He tapped his head. “So don’t hesitate to give a shout out if you need to talk.”
Before Zach could gather enough strength to say anything, Simon left.
He closed his eyes and thought of Misty. The image of her face, her smile, followed him into sleep.