There was something disconcerting about watching two Archangels turning to face a man so obviously praying. Probably because excepting moments like these, or when they let their wings out, it was difficult to remember that Gabe and Rafe actually were Archangels. Not just powerfully divine beings, but the same powerfully divine beings everyone prayed to. Looked to for guidance. Millions of years old, the summation of an entire evolution of a sapient species on their shoulders.
It didn't help that Skulduggery spent so long at the Institute believing Gabe was mortal. Powerful, and possibly an Ancient, but ultimately mortal. The sorts of trials they were forced to endure back then as shadows of their former selves made it... nearly impossible to imagine Gabe with wings. Or answering the prayers of half the world.
Or as a woman.
"Your voice is back," Ghastly murmured behind Dexter, as if the Adept might have trouble realising that on his own. Although, to be fair to Ghastly, with the current state Dexter was in, he'd probably need help remembering his own name.
Raphael had barely stood back up again to let Dexter breathe before Skulduggery turned towards Gabe, and when he spoke, if you listened very carefully, there was almost a hint of desperation in his tone. "Don't ever do that."
There were multiple reasons he didn't think he'd be able to handle it, and Skulduggery wasn't about to try and voice any of them out loud. His wife, for one. Until now, it had been relatively easy separating her and Gabe, because they were so different and their relationships so laughably incomparable. He didn't want those relationships to blur, even if he was interested. Gabe meant one thing to him. His wife meant something very different, something Skulduggery had been positive he'd never find again. Something he'd never wanted to find again. Blurring the two was a disrespect to both.
Fortunately, Gabe should know all of those reasons, even if it was only by soul-reading and nothing else.
"I don't know," said Tanith thoughtfully, observing Rafe's new form with a raised eyebrow. "I think I prefer the dog."
Valkyrie's eyes widened. "The dog? He was a dog?"
"Yep. Yesterday. Both him and Gabe." Tanith grinned at them. "It was adorable."
"You know what?" said Valkyrie. "I think Skulduggery's right. I think I need to sleep less. All the cool things happen while I'm sleeping. Dublin painted red, angel dogs... Is there magic to make me not need to sleep?"
"If there was," Skulduggery cut in, since it looked like Tanith was about to answer with the truth and that couldn't lead them anywhere good, "it would be incredibly dangerous and hardly worth the risk."
"Can't you say that about everything we do?" Valkyrie insisted.
"That it's incredibly dangerous? Yes. Luckily, most of it is very much worth the risk."
"You're no fun," Valkyrie grumbled. "Is there something an angel could do? That would be safe, right?"
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It didn't help that Skulduggery spent so long at the Institute believing Gabe was mortal. Powerful, and possibly an Ancient, but ultimately mortal. The sorts of trials they were forced to endure back then as shadows of their former selves made it... nearly impossible to imagine Gabe with wings. Or answering the prayers of half the world.
Or as a woman.
"Your voice is back," Ghastly murmured behind Dexter, as if the Adept might have trouble realising that on his own. Although, to be fair to Ghastly, with the current state Dexter was in, he'd probably need help remembering his own name.
Raphael had barely stood back up again to let Dexter breathe before Skulduggery turned towards Gabe, and when he spoke, if you listened very carefully, there was almost a hint of desperation in his tone. "Don't ever do that."
There were multiple reasons he didn't think he'd be able to handle it, and Skulduggery wasn't about to try and voice any of them out loud. His wife, for one. Until now, it had been relatively easy separating her and Gabe, because they were so different and their relationships so laughably incomparable. He didn't want those relationships to blur, even if he was interested. Gabe meant one thing to him. His wife meant something very different, something Skulduggery had been positive he'd never find again. Something he'd never wanted to find again. Blurring the two was a disrespect to both.
Fortunately, Gabe should know all of those reasons, even if it was only by soul-reading and nothing else.
"I don't know," said Tanith thoughtfully, observing Rafe's new form with a raised eyebrow. "I think I prefer the dog."
Valkyrie's eyes widened. "The dog? He was a dog?"
"Yep. Yesterday. Both him and Gabe." Tanith grinned at them. "It was adorable."
"You know what?" said Valkyrie. "I think Skulduggery's right. I think I need to sleep less. All the cool things happen while I'm sleeping. Dublin painted red, angel dogs... Is there magic to make me not need to sleep?"
"If there was," Skulduggery cut in, since it looked like Tanith was about to answer with the truth and that couldn't lead them anywhere good, "it would be incredibly dangerous and hardly worth the risk."
"Can't you say that about everything we do?" Valkyrie insisted.
"That it's incredibly dangerous? Yes. Luckily, most of it is very much worth the risk."
"You're no fun," Valkyrie grumbled. "Is there something an angel could do? That would be safe, right?"