"If I meant 'sparkling' I'd have said 'sparkling', wouldn't I?" Gabriel said with benign graciousness. (The twinkle in his own eyes, if anything, grew stronger.) "Besides, 'sparkling' implies something more like a lovestruck teen. Kinda like Val when she first saw you smile. 'Twinkle' is more knowledgeable. Trust me, I'd know. My Daddy does it all the time."

The Archangel came to a halt by the door and took a deep, slow breath. He was sort-of in worse condition now than he had been the last time they were here, if only because he'd been stretching himself unwisely. Still, Gabe doubted anything China could do would be more than a minor irritant--but in this state, that was more than annoying enough to be careful. He nodded. "Yep. Ready. Let's go."