“After such an emotional day with her own parents, the thought nearly brought Luce to her knees with sadness. Daniel was alone in the world.”

“The voice sank through luce's skin and straight into her heart. Daniel's voice. He was calling to her. He wanted her. Needed her. Luce moved towards the sound”

“Wordlessly they settled on a third-story ledge near Patriarch's Pond, of the roof across from Luce's window, where they used to watch her sleep. The memory would be fresher in Daniil's mind, but the faint recollection of Luce lying dreaming under the covers still sent a warm rush across Daniel's wings.Both were somber.In the bombed-out city, it was sad and ironic that her building had been spared when she hadn't. They stood in silence in the cold night,both carefully tucking back their wings so that they wouldn't accidentially touch.”

“Ah-there's our boy!" Bill pointed at the head of the crowd as they neared the stadium.A lean,muscular boy was running, faster than the others,his back to Luce. His hair was dark brown and shiny, his shoulders deeply tanned and painted with intersecting red-and-black bands. When he turned his head slightly to the left,Luce caught a quick glimpse of his profile.He was nothing like the Daniel she had left in her parents' backyard. And yet-"Daniel!" Luce said. "He looks-""Different and also precisely the same?" Bill asked."Yes.""That's his soul you recognize. Regardless of how you two may look on the outside,you'll always know each other's souls."It hadn't occured to Luce until now how remarkable it was that the recognized Daniel in every life. Her soul found his. "That's...beautiful."Bill scratched at a scab on his arm with a gnarly claw. "If you say so.”

“One day,our love will conquer this dark cycle.That's worth everything to me."Luce looked up and saw the love glowing in his eyes. He believed what he was saying. He didn't care if he suffered again and again; he'd forge on, losing her over and over,buoyed by the hope that one day this wouldn't be their end. He knew it was doomed,but he tried over and over again anyway,and he always would.His commitment to her,to them, touched a part of her that she'd thought she'd given up on.She still wanted to argue: This Daniel didn't know the challenges coming their way,the tears they would shed over the ages.He didn't know that she'd seen him in his moments of deepest desperation. What the pain of her deaths would do to him.But then-Luce knew.And that made all the difference in the world.Daniel's lowest moments had terrified her, but things had changed. All along, she'd felt bound to their love, but now she knew how to protect it.Now she had seen their love from so many different angles. She understood it in a way she'd never thought she would.If Daniel ever faltered,she could raise him up.She had learned how to do it from the best: from Daniel.Here she was,about to kill her soul, about to take away their love permanently, and five minutes alone with him brought her back to life.Some people spent their entire lives looking for love like this.Luce had had it all along.The future held no starshot for her. Only Daniel.Her Daniel, the one she'd left in her parent's backyard in Thunderbolt.She had to go."Kiss me," she whispered.He was seated on the steps with his knees parted just enough to let her body slide between them. She sank to her knees and faced him. Their foreheads were touching.The tips of their noses.Daniel took her hands. He seemed to want to tell her something,but he could not find the words."Please," she begged,her lips edging toward his. "Kiss me and set me free.”

“Will Daniel win or lose?" Luce asked, knowing the answer before the words had even left her lips."I can see how the idea of Daniel decapitating you does not maybe scream out romance," Bill said, "but really, what's the difference between his killing you by fire and by the sword?""Daniel wouldn't do that."Bill hovered in the air in front of Luce. "Wouldn't he?”

“Im a vegetarian," Luce said. She was glancing around the tables , looking for two people in particular. Daniel and Cam. She'd just feel more at ease is she knew where they were so she could go about having her luch pretending that she didn't see either one of them. But so far no sightings. "Vegetarian, huh?" Arriane pursed her lips. "Hippie parents or your own meager attempt at rebellion?""Uh, neither. I just dont-""Like meat?" Arriane steered Luce's shoulders nintey degrees so that she was looking directly at Daniel, sitting at a table across the room. Luce let out a long exhale. There he was."Now, does that go for all meat?" Arriane sang loudly. "Like you wouldn't sink your teeth into him?" - Fallen”