We did end up retreating to Michael's bedroom.

Erm. Later, that is.

The next morning I woke up in his arms and didn't know if I wanted to move. His room smelt of sea salt and ancient ruins. His strong arms held me against him, and I closed my eyes. I was at peace.

Eventually, Michael began to wake. I turned to look over at him, and he kissed me gently. "Morning." He said sleepily.

"Morning." I don't think I was able to resist smiling.

"You look beautiful." He said, and though it was a stupidly cheesy line, my heart melted.

"You're uh.... beautiful too."

He laughed, his note echoing through my soul. He leaned over and kissed me softly, but I couldn't resist trying for more. I pushed him on his back and kissed him hard, inhaling every inch of him and his soft honey skin. I pressed against his harder, and his hands found my hips, urging me onwards, right where he needed me most.

Michael then stopped. Looking rather delighted, he grinned. "I think you're going to be late for training."

"You bastard!" I laughed, half panicked and half reluctant to leave his bed. I scrambled out of bed, eyes darting around wildly as I tried to remember if I had any clothes to wear. Watching me from the bed, Michael was sitting up, infuriatingly tempting. I couldn't keep my eyes off him, even as the anxiety of being late was setting in.

"Just wear one of my tunics. It'll look cute on you." Michael said. I found his wardrobe and pulled the first piece of clothing out that I could. It was a tunic not much different from the one I had been given when I had first arrived. Except for one thing: it was colored like soft silken sunlight. His color.

"Won't people know?"

Michael smirked. "Yes."

Michael's clothes were a little too large for me, making me look as misplaced as I felt as I scurried towards the training barracks. My whole body was exceptionally sore too, so my running was really more of a hobble.

I burst into the hall, slamming the heavy wooden doors open with more force than I probably should have used. Inside, angels were paired up and practicing their fighting techniques under the gaze of Uriel and an angel I had never seen before. All eyes looked towards to me. I blushed. "Sorry I'm late!"

Uriel sighed. "Eden. I suppose we can excuse this today- it is only your first day of formal training- but please try to be on time tomorrow."

"Of course, right." I shifted awkwardly. The angels had started ignoring me, but I was still conscious of my clothes, so obviously belonging to Michael. "Where's Auriel?"

Uriel pointed to the edge of the hall, where Auriel was sitting by himself. He was shirtless, bandages wrapped around where the wound must have been. I walked over to him.

"You okay?" I asked.

He smiled at the sound of his voice, but I noticed his face fall when he actually caught sight of me. "Yeah. No. We have good Healers."

"So... Training!" I said, trying to keep cheery despite my partner's sudden scowl. "I'm a Summoner, apparently, so I guess-"

"You still need to learn how to use an actual weapon. In case you run out of magic." Auriel's voice was harsh, a tone I was entirely unused to hearing from him.

"I can run out? I barely know how to Summon."

"Another reason for you to learn physical combat. You'll want to carry a knife, or else get good with your fists."

"Okay." I said, shrugging and doing my best to be peppy. It wasn't like I was at all in a bad mood, but Auriel's sudden gruffness was bringing me down. "Let's head to the armory."

"No. We'll stand with hand-to-hand. I'm alternate my swings, starting with my left. Practice ducking."

Though he had thankfully given me warning, I wasn't ready for the speed which Auriel threw his punches. I dodged the first, but he was relentless. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I got into the rhythm of his movements. Soon I was good enough with dodging that I realized a weak spot in his pattern. Though I know he was being easy on purpose, I thought it might be fun to surprise him and take advantage of it.

After he pulled a left hook at me, I ducked under and tripped him, spinning my leg so it hit the back of his knees. He toppled over, and I laughed, hoping it was clear I was just trying to have fun.

"Ugh." He groaned. "Fine? You want to take this to the next level?" He grabbed me by my legs, and I let out a yelp of surprise as I fell onto the ground. He climbed on top of me. "You should know how to break pin holds too."

"I mean... How rough can I be with you?"

"Try me." He growled.

Though Auriel had me pinned, his hands pressing down on my arms and his knees on my legs, I could see in his sapphire eyes that he was distracted by something. I squirmed under his weight, and then in one twist threw him off my body. I rolled over and climbed on top of him, smiling.

"That wasn't too hard!" I said.

In response, Auriel frowned and easily twisted me over, nearly standing up from my pin and again pressing down on me. "That's what you think." He grinned wickedly.

Our practice changed after that. I still had the impression Auriel was going easy on me, but something about it had changed. He was letting me pin him too easily, staring at me with such intense eyes. We were like a ball of perpetual motion, each person staying on top for only a few seconds before the other won again.

It was fun, but soon I began to feel it was something more. Auriel was so rough with me, his body so strong. I stared at his muscles every time I had him pinned. There was something so demanding about the way he handled me, the way he touched and grabbed at me. This was no longer practice- at least, not for combat.

"We're-" I said breathlessly, not sure how I was going to end the thought. I was growing tired, and I lay exhausted on the floor, Auriel settling on top of me.

"I win." He watched me carefully. Then, too quick for me react at first, he was kissing me. His calloused hands grabbed at my hair, and I found myself hungry for more. His body already asks so much of me, and I found myself willing to give, wanting, desiring...

No. Wait.

I pull away.

"I-I have someone else."

"Michael?" He says harshly. My skin grows cold. He knew. He already knew.

"Yeah. We're-" What were we? I realized Michael had never answered my question yesterday.

"I don't like the idea of you... with him." Auriel shook his head. He was still very close, still on top of me. But the distance between our faces had grown. "He doesn't deserve you."

"Auriel, I..." I looked away. "I have a secret that I've been keeping from you."

"So? You can tell me. We're partners. Now and forever."

I again averted my gaze. "I... can't."

"And I bet Michael knows, huh?" Auriel regarded me snidely. He got up off me. "I can't believe this."

"I'm-" I nearly apologized before I caught myself. Who was Auriel to treat me like this anyway? I hadn't done anything wrong. "It's none of your business!" I shouted, getting up and running out of the barracks. I needed to talk with Michael.

"Eden!" Auriel called after me. "I-"

I didn't hear the end of his sentence over the sound of the slamming door.