"Maybe," I say. "Maybe it's not that strict."
"Have you spoken to Odin about this?"
"No," I admit. "But I can't be the one to take on all of the world's burdens. I want to be good to people; I want to help wherever and whenever I can. But I want to have a family with you. I want to have fun dinner parties with the whole neighborhood. I crave a simple life, Ash."
And just when I think he's going to answer me with dismal silence, he does the opposite. He leans and kisses the soft of my temple, breathing in gently. "Wherever you go, I will follow," he says.
Up here, his eyes sparkle a multitude of colors. I arch my neck to kiss him. "The stakes are going to be high," I warn. "Are you sure you're ready for all of that?"
He looks at me as if I'm crazy and snorts with laughter. I can tell he's a little worried, but he's ready. "The gods are going to hate us. We'll be exiled."
"Like Lucifer," I say.
"Hopefully not like him," he says.
It's a joke, but my laughter subsides. "Wherever we go, we will be looked at as others. Lucifer knew he could cast us in a negative light. He took that idea and held onto it as he died. I'm serious when I say this, Ash. Life will never be the same for us again, so when you make a choice, please understand the real stakes."
"The war never ends," he whispers. "You win. You lose. But the wheel just keeps turning."
“In the meantime, you spend those worrisome nights with good people," I say. "I think that makes all the difference in the world."
He takes off his crown and holds it in front of himself. "I am not afraid anymore," he says.
"Neither am I, my love," I say.
The blade of his sword reflects the sunlight as he lets it fall from his hands. It hits the water with a soft splash. "Let's head back," he says. "We should say goodbye to Heimdall and Loki."
There is an air of melancholy that comes along with starting something new, but it brings with it a great amount of new courage. As I fly back, I think about how far we've come.
When we land on the beach, Loki is sitting on the shore, skipping rocks along the shallow water. He gets one to shoot so far that it crashes into a wave.
"Took you long enough," he said.
Heimdall rises and nods. "Odin is on his way. The council of the gods would like us to convene for a meeting. We need to discuss how to proce
ed."
Staring at the light that reflects off of the ocean, I bite the inside of my cheek and lower my wings. "You're not going to like what I'm about to tell you," I say.
Heimdall raises a brow.
Ash meets him, hugs him, and holds his shoulder. "We're not going to be a part of the council," he says.
Loki stands and shakes his head. "Are you actually that stupid?" he asks.
"Not stupid," I say. "We just want a different life, and this is our only chance to have that."
"I can't understand this," Loki says.
"We're not asking you to understand," I say.
Loki scoffs and turns away. I think he's more sad than angry. "You'll be exiled," he says. "Just like Lucifer was."
Heimdall starts to pace. "Even worse. You'll lose your wings for this. Any power you have enjoyed will be stripped from you," Heimdall warns.
I dig my heels into the sand. "Need I remind you that without mine and Ash's help, you'd all be dead?"
Both of the men stop speaking. The quiet of the ocean is rudely interrupted by a loud coughing noise.