"I will not let him die," I said. "And once we rescue him, he will join us."
"Very well. I shall help you," Zorin said, though I still saw doubt in his eyes. "Now, you need to get these rebels you spoke of to lend aid."
"I will," I assured him. I was still waiting to hear back. I'd sent another message before leaving to meet Zorin.
"And if you can't, you may have other assets," he said. "Besides flying, have you noticed any other abilities emerge since your transformation?"
"Yes," I admitted. "When I touch people, sometimes I can become them, as if I'm in their mind. Sometimes it lasts a while. Sometimes it's more brief, like I'm telling them to do something, only it feels more like I'm telling a part of myself to do something."
He whistled under his breath and gave me a more appraising look. "That is a rare ability."
"It doesn't always work. I can't always… flip into someone."
"Flip?"
"It's just what I call it. Once, I couldn't do it because I was weak and hungry. That's when I first fed. My ability worked after. But then later, I tried to flip into the same person, and I couldn't, even though I had the strength."
"Have you considered that you may only be able to… flip… into the same person once?"
I thought about it and considered everyone I'd used my power on. Ragathon was the only one I ever tried to control more than once. "That actually makes sense. I'll have to test that theory when I have time."
He nodded. "Every gift has limits. But, this is very powerful indeed. If you can turn—or flip—enough people to our side, we may not need the rebels."
I shook my head. "No. I've never controlled more than one person at once, and never for long."
He nodded in understanding. "With some training you might be able to expand your powers, but that will take more time than we have at the moment. Have you noticed any other abilities?"
"No."
"You may manifest them. You may not."
"Summoning memories is your ability?" I asked.
"Yes."
"But if we're all Nephilim, why can we do different things?"
"Do you want my theory, or that of the priests?"
"Yours." I decided to make another marshmallow while we talked, since we obviously weren't training again anytime soon.
"If Nephilim are all descended from Angels and humans, or if turned, have both Angel and human blood, then we are only part Angel. Like all half-breeds or mutts, we possess a propensity for variation. Some of us inherit more Angel traits than others."
I considered what he said. "So an Angel would have both of our abilities."
"More," he said, throwing another stick into the fire while I ate my marshmallow.
"Is that how you knew that what attacked me was an Angel? Because of its abilities?"
"There are two kinds of Nephilim," Zorin said. "Those who are born, and those who are turned. Those who are born have wings of gold and white and red, and though they gain power from blood, they do not require it to live. Those who are turned have wings of blue, purple, silver and black, and without life force, they wither away."
I looked at his blue-black wings and my silver. We were both turned.
He continued. "The two kinds are named after the colors of their wings. Those who are born are said to be Of Sunrise, and those turned to be Of Nightfall."
I moved my wings, letting a few tendrils curl around my hand as I watched them. They could almost look white, in the right light, but I could see the silver hue surrounding them. "So we are both Of Nightfall."
Zorin nodded. "The Angel was of neither. He had wings of gold and purple mixed with white."
I'd been colorblind when I first saw the Angel. I'd relied on Evie, who had focused on the gold, but I hadn't focused on the color of the Angel's wings.
Zorin stirred the fire again, its flames flaring up and sending sparks into the cool night air. "If your plan is to work, you will need a weapon."
I smiled, though it was a bittersweet smile. "I know just where to get one…" With a flap of my wings I was airborne and heading back to Montana.
Zorin caught up quickly, laughter in his voice as he flew by my side. "You are an impulsive one, aren't you?"
"I prefer decisive," I said, picking up speed until we blurred through the sky faster than an airplane.
I thought I'd freeze, but my new body was made for the skies, for flight, for all temperatures, and all I felt was freedom.
I landed just outside my house, a few feet from the entrance to the bunker. I pulled the bunker door open, wondering who had closed it, and Zorin followed me in.
Ignoring the swell of emotion as I remembered my last time here, I went to my mother's case. My genetics were close enough, my dad has said.
I placed my hand in the key and it came to life, revealing gleaming silver armor and a sword.
Chapter 17
Trust Amongst Rebels