Juli

“I shove the wooden debris out of the way until I see the smudged face of the teddy bear. “There she is.” I carefully pull out the bear and sword. I proudly flip the bridal veil skirt to show him the scabbard.

Raffe stares at the disguised sword for a second before commenting. “Do you know how many kills this sword has?”

“It’s a perfect disguise, Raffe.”

“This sword is not just an angel sword. She’s an archangel sword. Better than an angel sword, in case that’s not clear. She intimidates the other angel swords.”

“What, the other swords quake in their scabbards when they see her?” I walk over to the pile of scattered junk by Captain Jake’s boat.

“Yes, if you must know,” he says following me. “She was made for ultimate respect. How is she supposed to get that disguised as a teddy bear in a bridal gown?”

“It’s not a bridal gown, it’s a skirt for her scabbard. And it’s cute.”

“She hates cute. She wants to maim and scar cute.”

“Nobody hates cute.”

“Angel swords do.” He arches his brow and stares down at me.

I guess I won’t tell him how many cutesy angel figurines and pictures we used to have in the World Before.”
― Susan Ee, World After

“Of course you’re fine.” She keeps walking. “You’re the devil’s bride and these are his creatures.”

I slip the blade into the scabbard and put the bear back on top. “I’m not the devil’s bride.”

“He carried you out of the fire and is letting you visit us from the dead. Who else would have those privileges except his bride?”

She sees me once in a guy’s arms and she has us married already. I wonder what Raffe would think of my mom being his mother-in-law.”
― Susan Ee, World After

“I love you Layla. Do you hear me? I've loved you since the first moment I heard your voice and I will continue to love you. No matter what. I love you.”
― Jennifer L. Armentrout, Stone Cold Touch

“Coffee leads to cigarettes leads to cocaine and crystal methamphetamine.”
― Celia Thomson, The Fallen