A Gift of Wings

A GIFT OF WINGS

THE LIGHT-BRINGER SERIES: BOOK ONE

by STEPHANIE STAMM

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. All other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Published by Zeke & Me Books, October 2012

Copyright © 2012 by Stephanie Stamm

http://www.stephanieastamm.com

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Cover by Ravven,
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

For Carol

PROLOGUE

Two Years Earlier

Aidan willed himself to stand still, eyes directed straight ahead and features impassive, as the silence that followed his statement of Renunciation lengthened. He refused to make eye contact with any of the Council members. He knew that most of them did not approve of his decision. But as far as he was concerned, he had no other option. After everything that had happened—everything he’d done—he couldn’t imagine using his Gift ever again. And Renunciation was the best way he knew to make sure he’d never have a reason to.

It was Zeke who finally broke the silence, his resonant voice echoing in the expanse of the Council chamber. “I move that the Renunciation be considered temporary, with reinstatement in no more than two years.”

Aidan’s jaw clenched, and his hands curled into fists, but he said nothing as the motion was seconded and carried without hesitation, even his father giving a nod of assent.

You are sure this is what you want, Naphil?
The Archangel Uriel’s words seared through Aidan’s senses.

“Quite sure,” he responded. The only thing he wasn’t sure about was the designation of temporary, but he’d deal with that when the time came.

Then so be it.

As soon as Uriel spoke, Aidan felt a brief, slicing pain on either side of his back, and the familiar weight was gone. He shrugged his shoulders, accustoming himself to the lack and clearing away the final energetic remnants of his wings.

Then, without saying another word, he walked out the door. He didn’t look back.

CHAPTER 1

Lucky bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. She was not going to cry,
not
going to cry. But when Josh put his arm around her shoulders, she could hold back the tears no longer. His other arm went around her, and she stopped trying altogether. She just buried her face in the curve of his neck and shoulder and sobbed.

“I know, kiddo,” he said, his own voice breaking, “I know.”

They were standing by the car in the parking lot of the assisted living facility in Lincoln Park into which they had just moved their grandmother. Josh’s parents, Lucky’s uncle and aunt, were still inside talking with one of the staff members. After saying goodbye to G-Ma, Lucky had nearly run to the car, with Josh close on her heels. She hadn’t wanted to break down at all, and she had been determined not to do it inside. It was hard enough leaving G-Ma behind in there; she couldn’t make it worse by sobbing like a baby in front of everyone.

G-Ma was the only mother Lucky had ever known, her mother having died giving birth to her—and G-Ma had early-onset Alzheimer’s. She had been diagnosed after almost a year of visits to various medical specialists, and in the months since the diagnosis, it had become increasingly difficult for her to function independently. Lucky, Uncle Matthew, Aunt Beth, and Josh had done their best to make sure she was taken care of and was left alone as little as possible. Just last month, though, she had wandered several blocks away from her Hyde Park apartment and hadn’t been able to find her way back or tell anyone where she lived. By the time they’d located her, the rest of the family was frantic with worry, and G-Ma was close to panic. The incident had prompted Uncle Matthew to make the difficult decision to place his mother in an assisted living facility. He had visited several before settling on the one they had moved her into today.

Lucky raised her head from Josh’s shoulder and took a deep breath. “I just miss her so much,” she whispered.

“I know. I do, too.”

Lucky stepped away from her cousin and leaned back against the silver Pontiac sedan, crossing her arms over her chest. The mid-September sun touched the light hairs on her arms with gold. How ironic that the day could be so beautiful, when she was feeling so bereft. After a moment she sniffed and rubbed the back of her hand across her nose. “I probably got snot all over your shirt.”

Josh glanced down at the soggy cloth on his shoulder and raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, well…. What are best fams for?”

Lucky gave him a watery smile.

She and Josh had always been close, despite their five-year age difference. Even as a small boy, Josh had seldom objected to her trailing around after him wanting to play, and as they got older, their closeness had somehow remained. Maybe it was because neither of them had any siblings. For Lucky, Josh was the brother she’d never had, and she knew he regarded her as his little sister.

Lucky looked up to see Uncle Matthew and Aunt Beth crossing the parking lot toward them. Uncle Matthew’s lips were pressed together, and his hands were shoved into the pockets of his khaki pants. The sunlight reflected off his glasses and highlighted the gray in his brown hair. The brightness of Aunt Beth’s blonde bob and sky blue sweater contrasted with the sadness reflected in her features. As they drew nearer, she tucked her hand in the curve of her husband’s left arm.

No one said a word as Uncle Matthew unlocked the doors and they climbed into the sedan. They had driven a few blocks before Aunt Beth turned around in her seat and broke the silence. “I’m so glad you packed a bag so you can spend the night with us, Lucky. You don’t need to stay there alone tonight.”

“Yeah,” was all Lucky could manage over the lump in her throat. She swallowed the new swell of tears and turned to look out the window.

“Tomorrow,” Aunt Beth continued with forced cheerfulness, “we’ll move the rest of G-Ma’s things out of her room and get Josh’s things moved in. Then you’ll have someone to keep you company.”

In a few weeks, Josh would be starting a graduate program at the University of Chicago, and the Hyde Park apartment would be a convenient location for him. It was an ideal solution really. Lucky wouldn’t have to move, and Josh had a ready-made place to stay. Josh would have a part-time job in addition to his financial aid, and Lucky was about to start looking for a job. She had just graduated from high school a few months before. She had intended to start college the fall after she graduated, but she had been so preoccupied with G-Ma that she had let the application deadlines slip by. She had since decided it was probably best to work for a year or so before starting college anyway—to give her time to save some money and to get her bearings back. It had been a long time since she’d felt like herself, and she wasn’t ready to focus on school just yet.

“It will be good to have Josh there,” she said, directing a brief smile at both her cousin and her aunt.

She couldn’t imagine not missing G-Ma, but the thought of sharing the apartment with Josh made her feel like an adult—independent. His brown eyes held a mixture of affection and sadness as he reached over to give her hand a quick squeeze. Aunt Beth smiled at them both and then turned back around.

Lucky sighed with relief and looked out the window, wanting to avoid further conversation. Her hand closed around the locket she always wore—a gift from her grandmother—seeking comfort in the feel of its familiar shape under her fingers. When they reached Lake Shore Drive, she stared out at the ruffled surface of Lake Michigan. The sun was bright, and the lake glistened in various shades of blue, darker with a hint of green as it deepened farther from the shore. Some part of her registered the natural beauty, but she was unable to appreciate it. At least, she wasn’t the only one who seemed uninterested in talking; the rest of the trip back to Josh’s parents’ house in Evanston was completed in silence.

***

After a subdued dinner and an hour or so spent half-watching forgettable television shows, Lucky said goodnight and retreated to the bathroom to brush her teeth before she made her way to bed. As she pulled her favorite monkey print pajama pants out of her backpack, she remembered wearing them while curled up on the couch beside G-Ma doing homework, talking, or reading.

She was glad she was here—she didn’t know if she could have borne spending the night in her and G-Ma’s apartment alone—but she hadn’t been able to stay in the family room with everyone else either. She still didn’t feel like talking to anyone. What was there to say after all? The situation sucked, and there wasn’t anything anyone could do about that. Lucky knew they had done the right thing. The assisted living facility was neat and clean, bright and airy, and the staff members all seemed to be both competent and compassionate. It was just…, well, none of it should have happened. She couldn’t understand how someone as smart and funny and active and good as G-Ma could have lost herself the way she had. It wasn’t fair.

Lucky took a deep breath and sighed. Then she pulled on the monkey pants and a soft, faded cami and climbed into bed. Unclasping the chain of her locket, she removed it from around her neck. The chain had a weak spot, and she was afraid she would break it in her sleep. She opened the locket and studied the small picture of her mother that was tucked inside. Her mother had been a little younger than Lucky was now when the picture had been taken. Short dark curls framed her laughing face. For the millionth time, Lucky wished she could have known her. After closing the locket, she placed it on the bedside table.

She thought she’d lay awake for most of the night, but after a few minutes of tossing and turning, she fell into a dream-filled sleep.

She was standing in the choir loft of an old church—with dark wood panels and arched beams in the high ceiling. The choir behind her was singing a wordless hymn. She stood looking down at the chancel below, knowing she needed to jump, but terrified of the fall. Lifting her gaze, she found one of the choir members standing next to her. The woman looked at Lucky with wise brown eyes and said softly, “Go on, honey. You’ll be alright.”

Looking into her eyes, Lucky felt a little of the fear slip away. The woman smiled, and Lucky stepped up to the railing. Her heart pounding, she swung her legs over and let go. To her amazement she didn’t fall but floated to the floor. She took a few steps forward and then turned and looked back up at the choir loft. The woman who had spoken to her was still standing in front of the rest of the choir. She raised her arms, and the wide sleeves of her royal blue choir robe transformed into a pair of shimmering wings.