“I knew you would,” she answered breathless, and I looked up to find that he’d wrapped his arms around her, letting them rest at the small of her back. The hem of her floral skirt fluttered in the breeze as she rested her hands on his broad chest, and I found myself transfixed by the two of them.

Kiss her, you idiot.

A grin swept across Raph’s face then and he leaned forward, dipping her back like in the movies, and claimed her mouth in a kiss that would make a Hollywood movie star jealous.

“Gross,” Mikey whispered.

“Shut up.” I swatted him.

One by one, the students noticed what was going on and the catcalls began, which broke up their loved-up display. I’d never seen Raph with redder cheeks in all my life.

“Right. Safe travels,” my mom mumbled, then walked away. I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face.

“Brielle.” Lincoln’s deep voice caught me off guard, and I spun to find him standing there holding a large brown box.

Pulling me off to the side, in front of our trailer, he handed me the box. “A little something.”

We’d both barely slept last night, just holding each other while we tried not to think of losing the other.

“Lincoln, you’re too good to me.” I caressed the old box. Knowing Lincoln, there would be something priceless inside. He was never one for pretty wrapping.

“Impossible.”

I popped off the lid and grinned when I saw the shiny silver chest plate armor. “It’s amazing.” It had braided gold around the edges and leather straps on the sides to hold it in place. Leaning closer, I read a small cursive engraving on the bottom corner.

Mrs. Atwater-Grey.

“Lincoln… I love it.” My throat tightened with unbridled emotion.

Taking out the chest plate, he motioned for me to raise my arms. “Rose had your measurements, and Michael was able to have this forged with a special metal from upstairs.” He pointed to Heaven.

Whoa.

‘Yes, it feels familiar,’ Sera confirmed from her place in a scabbard on my hip.

Lincoln pulled the chest plate over my head, and fixed it on top of my thin chain mail top. As he tightened the straps on the side, I could see the nervousness in his gestures, his face.

Grabbing his hand, I stilled him and forced him to look at me.

“Hey. I got this, trust me. I’m going to succeed. There’s a whole prophecy about it and everything.” I winked.

Lincoln sighed. “Yeah, that’s what worries me. The prophecy doesn’t say anything about you making it out alive.”

‘Damn, that was morbid,’ Sera commented.

It was. Lincoln was a worst-case scenario kind of person, and that was okay.

“I guess we’ll just have to have faith.” I couldn’t believe I was the one calling for faith, but it was all I had in that moment.

“I guess so.” Leaning down, he claimed my mouth in a kiss that made my chest ache. It was a kiss that said goodbye, but also left hope for another one in the same moment. It was so scary, and I didn’t even want to think about it.

He groaned softly, low in his throat with an urgent need, and I matched his desperation, deepening our embrace. This was the best and saddest kiss of my life.

Finally, we both pulled away breathless. “I’ve got your back in there,” he promised me.

Honestly, I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I just nodded. He had his wristband on with the disc that would allow him to enter Hell with me. We were doing this together, for better or worse.

“I need to find Shea and ask her something. I’ll meet you at the portal entrance in a few,” I told him.

We both stood there staring at each other for another lingering moment, and I memorized his face, the lines of his body, his freckles. Finally, he just caressed my cheek and walked away, leaving me to wonder what the future held for us.

Knowing I couldn’t think that far, I shook my head. I needed to go minute by minute. Angel City and the small pocket that was left of humanity were counting on me. I wouldn’t mess it up.

I walked across the parking lot, and over to the gates of Fallen Academy, where my best friend was standing with Noah, waiting to make a portal to Hell and lead an entire army through it.

“Shea, can I talk to you?”

The Mage looked up from her goodbye with Noah, unshed tears in her eyes, and nodded. While Noah walked away a few feet, to speak to Blake and Darren and give us privacy, I took both of her hands in mine. “I need you to do me the biggest best friend favor in the world,” I begged her.

Her brows knitted together. “What is it?”

I swallowed. “I’m going to be busy fighting Lucifer, and Lincoln’s going to be too busy protecting me. Noah will be protecting you. I need someone to save Raksha.”

Understanding dawned in her eyes. I’d told her how the woman had helped get me out of Hell. Shea didn’t seem to understand how I could care so much for someone who’d drugged and held me captive; it was hard to explain to anyone who didn’t live through it with me.

“Shea, she’s important to me. Like family. You’re the only one I trust. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to her.” Tears started to flow down my cheeks.

Shea squeezed my hands. “I won’t leave Hell without her. You have my word, sister.”

A sob lodged in my throat at her use of the word sister, at her loyalty to what made me happy, even if she didn’t understand it.

Dropping her hands, I pulled her in for a bone-crushing hug. “I’m so lucky to have had you by my side all these years.”

She squeezed me harder. “Stop it. We’re not saying goodbye.” Her voice pinched with restrained tears, and we both pulled back to face each other. “I’m getting married next year, and you’re going to be there.”

I nodded, swallowing down my emotions.

‘She’s my favorite person. Out of everyone,’ Sera confessed, sounding emotional too.

I internally grinned. ‘Even more than Michael?’

‘Okay, she’s my second favorite.’

Footsteps pulled my attention behind us, to the amassing army, a few thousand in all. Some were in buses, some in cars, but most were on foot. This was it. This was our last shot to save Angel City, and it all rested with me.

I swallowed hard.

“Shea, I think we’re ready now.” Michael approached with Lincoln and the other archangels.

Darren and Blake nodded and stood off to the side. They had strict orders in the event we lost, to help evacuate as much of the city as possible. They hadn’t received discs from Metatron, so they wouldn’t be able to sustain life down there. Raphael said it was for the best, that some Celestials needed to be left behind to look after things.

Shea nodded, squaring her shoulders before looking over at me. “You got this.” She winked.

My best friend was going to have to open the portal, and stay until every member was through before closing it, so this would be the last I saw of her until it was over.

I nodded once and that was that.

The final war for humanity had begun.

‘I’m still trying to decide if I want to cut Lucy’s balls off first, or pluck out his eyes,’ Sera stated.

I grinned. I think we all underestimated just how savage my blade could be.