Daniel's hand took hers again, and he motioned for her to join him on the rock. He pulled himself up first, then reached down and lifted her. The moss made a fine, soft carpet for the two of them to spread out on. Water droplets clung to his chest. They lay on their sides facing each other, propping themselves up on their elbows.
Daniel put his hand on the hollow of her hip. "Mr. Cole will be waiting when we reach the plane," he said. "This is our last chance to be alone. I thought we might say our real goodbye here.
"I'm going to give you something," he added, reaching inside his pocket and pulling out the silver medallion she'd seen him wear around school. He pressed the chain into Luce's open palm and she realized it was a locket, a rose engraved on its face. "It used to belong to you," he said. "A very long time ago."
Luce clicked open the locket to find a tiny photograph inside, behind a glass plate. It was a picture of the two of them, looking not at the camera, but deep into each other's eyes, and laughing. Luce's hair was short, as it was now, and Daniel was wearing a bow tie.
"When was this taken?" she asked, holding up the locket. "Where are we?"
"I'll tell you the next time I see you," he said. He lifted the chain over her head and placed it around her neck. When the locket touched her collarbone, she could feel a deep heat pulsing through it, warming her cold, wet skin.
"I love it," she whispered, touching the chain.
"I know Cam gave you that gold necklace, too," Daniel said.
Luce hadn't thought about that since Cam had forced it onto her at the bar. She couldn't believe that was only yesterday. The thought of wearing it made her feel sick. She didn't even know where the necklace was—and she didn't want to.
"He put it on me," she said, feeling guilty. "I didn't—"
"I know," Daniel said. "Whatever happened between you and Cam, it wasn't your fault. Somehow he held on to a lot of his angelic charm when he fell. It's very deceptive."
"I hope I never see him again." She shuddered.
"I'm afraid you might. And there are more like Cam out there. You'll just have to trust your gut," Daniel said. "I don't know how long it will take to catch you up on everything that's happened in our past. But in the meantime, if you feel an instinct, even about something you think you don't know, you should trust it. You'll probably be right."
"So trust myself even when I can't trust those around me?" she asked, feeling like this was part of what Daniel meant.
"I'll try to be there to help you, and I'll send word as much as I can when I'm away," Daniel said. "Luce, you possess your past lives' memories… even if you can't unlock them yet. If something feels wrong to you, stay away."
"Where are you going?"
Daniel looked up at the sky. "To find Cam," he said. "We have a few more things to take care of."
The moroseness in his voice made Luce nervous. She thought back to the thick felt of dust Cam had left in the cemetery.
"But you'll come back to me," she said, "after that? Do you promise?"
"I–I can't live without you, Luce. I love you. It matters not just to me, but…" He hesitated, then shook his head. "Don't worry about any of that now. Only know that I will come for you."
Slowly, reluctantly, the two of them stood up. The sun had just peeked over the trees, and it shimmered in tiny star-shaped shards on the choppy water. There was only a short distance to swim from here to the muddy bank that would lead them to the plane. Luce wished it were miles away. She could have swum with Daniel until nightfall. And every sunrise and sunset after that.
They hopped back into the water and started swimming. Luce made sure to tuck the locket inside her tank top. If trusting her instincts was important, her instincts told her never to part with this necklace.
She watched, awestruck all over again, as Daniel began his slow, elegant stroke. This time, in the moonlight, she knew the iridescent wings she saw outlined in drops of water were not figments of her imagination. They were real.
She brought up the rear, cutting through the water with stroke after stroke. Too soon, her fingers touched the shore. She hated that she could hear the hum of the plane's engine further up in the clearing. They'd reached the place where they would have to part, and Daniel practically had to drag her out of the water. She'd gone from feeling damp and happy to being dripping wet and freezing. They walked toward the plane, his hand on her back.
To Luce's surprise, Mr. Cole was holding out a large white towel when he hopped down from the cockpit. "A little angel told me you might need this," he said, unfolding it for Luce, who took it gratefully.
"Who you calling little?" Arriane popped up from behind a tree, followed by Gabbe, who brought forward the Watchers book.
"We came to say bon voyage," Gabbe said, handing the book to Luce. "Take this," she said lightly, but her smile looked more like a frown.
"Give her the good stuff," Arriane said, nudging Gabbe.
Gabbe pulled a thermos out of her backpack, handing it to Luce. She lifted off the top. It was hot chocolate, and it smelled incredible. Luce nestled the book and the thermos in her towel-dried arms, feeling suddenly rich with possessions. But she knew as soon as she got on that plane that she'd feel empty and alone. She pressed against Daniel's shoulder, taking advantage of his nearness while she still could.
Gabbe's eyes were clear and strong. "We'll see you soon, okay?"
But Arriane's eyes darted away, as if she didn't want to look at Luce. "Don't do anything stupid, like turning into a pile of ash." She shuffled her feet. "We need you."
"You need me?" Luce asked. She'd needed Arriane to show her the ropes at Sword & Cross. She'd needed Gabbe that day in the infirmary. But why would they need her?
Both girls only answered with somber smiles before retreating into the forest. Luce turned to Daniel, trying to forget that Mr. Cole was still standing a few feet away.
"I'll give you two a moment alone," Mr. Cole said, taking the hint. "Luce, from the time I start the engine up, it's three minutes to takeoff. I'll meet you in the cockpit."
Daniel swept her up and pressed his forehead to hers. As their lips connected. Luce tried to hold on to every part of this moment. She would need the memory the way she needed air.
Because what if, when Daniel left her, the whole thing started to feel like just another dream? A partially nightmarish dream, but a dream nonetheless. How could it be that she felt what she thought she felt for someone who wasn't even human?
"This is it," Daniel said. "Be careful. Let Mr. Cole guide you until I come." A shrill whistle from the plane—Mr. Cole telling them to wrap it up. "Try to remember what I said."
"Which part?" Luce asked, slightly panicked.
"As much as you can—but mostly, that I love you."
Luce sniffed. Her voice would break if she tried to say a thing. It was time to go.
She jogged toward the open door of the cockpit, feeling the hot blasts from the propellers almost knock her down. There was a three-step ladder, and Mr. Cole reached his hand to help her up. He pressed a button and the ladder withdrew into the plane. The door closed.
She looked at the complicated dashboard. She'd never been in such a small plane. Never been in a cockpit at all. There were flashing lights and buttons everywhere. looked at Mr. Cole.
"You know how to fly this thing?" she asked, wiping her eyes on the towel.
"U.S. Air Force, Fifty-ninth Division, at your service," he said, saluting her.
Luce awkwardly saluted back.
"My wife always tells people not to get me started on my flying days in Nam," he said, easing back on a wide silver gearshift. The plane shuddered into motion. "But we've got a long flight, and I've got a captivated audience."