Nightingale Girl Read Online Free PDF Page A

tips her head, her mannerisms similar to the inquisitive focus of a seagull. A moment passes. “Only if you take me with you when you leave,” Nightingale says to me.
    “I’m not going anywhere.”
    She smiles. “You’re going somewhere. Take me with you. I don’t like it here.”
    “I’m not going anywhere,” I repeat. I’d like to leave, though. I’ve only been in Remiel’s Kingdom for five minutes, and I don’t like it here, either.
    “You will,” Nightingale replies in a singsong voice as she skates around us in circles. “You will go with him. It’s written in the stars.” Her arms arc in the air, and she whistles the same light, melodic trill that she greeted Sparrow with; then she’s whipping around the room, displaying twists and turns so fast on her skates that it makes me dizzy.
    “What is she talking about?” I ask Sparrow.
    “Nothing.” Sparrow looks agitated. “I’m hungry.”
    Sparrow is always hungry. So am I.
    “Let’s go get dinner,” he suggests.
    Nightingale suddenly stops her cryptic dance. “Oh, I love dinner!” she says, following us out of her room.
    Sparrow leads me around the castle. There are paved walkways throughout. Nightingale weaves back and forth on her roller skates, whistling short melodies.
    We enter the castle through a patio door and walk through a library and a long hallway, before we reach the massive dining room. There’s a large stone table spread with food: meats, cheeses, steaming breads, plates of vegetables, goblets of wine, and sparkling water.
    Remiel is already seated at the head of the table, waiting for us. Sparrow sits; I sit next to him. Nightingale skates to the opposite side of the table from us, before stumbling into a chair.
    “Hi, Daddy.” Nightingale whistles a different trill to greet him.
    Remiel closes his eyes and shakes his head, without responding to his daughter.
    What a jerk.
    Sparrow grips my thigh under the table. I think he means to soothe me, but any time he touches me, dirty thoughts fill my mind. And in that moment, Remiel’s high brow rears its ugly head. He scowls at me, then looks at his son. I wonder if he can see everything in his Kingdom like Gabriel can?
    He must, because he says, “Her type will leave you in a heartbeat, son. I’m sure you’ve already been warned of this. She’ll forget you faster than you’ll forget her, when your time comes.”
    When his time comes? I have no clue what he’s talking about, but I’m so sick of this shit. I stand up, pointing a finger at the man who is supposed to be an Archangel but is actually nothing more than a giant ass.
    “How dare you! He is my hallelujah, heroin, and reason to breathe.” I’ve never said hallelujah in all my life, but forcing the words out of my lips feels strangely satisfying.
    I glance at Sparrow, whose face is white as snow. Nightingale is smiling like a kid in a candy shop. Seems she’s waited a long time for someone to put her father in his place.
    Remiel stands. “Out!” he shouts and points to the door. “Get your sinful mouth out of here.”
    I only said one sentence to the guy—clearly it was the wrong thing to say. The Council is going to lose their shit over this. I guess my highway to heaven is paved in tar and disappointment.
    I stomp out of the room, my stomach grumbling the entire way. I wish I had taken my plate of food.
    Sparrow doesn’t follow. It seems he is either afraid of his father or completely confused. I vote for both but hold neither against him. Sparrow’s having a rough time; if he can’t stand up for me in this instance, I’ll let it slide. This time. Only this time.
    I run out of the castle toward the gardens I saw when we first arrived. Following the dimly lit sidewalk, I find myself standing among roses and daffodils and strange flowers I’ve never seen before. I slow myself and walk toward the small fountain that’s lit up, now that it’s dark.
    I’m fuming. Seems it doesn’t matter if King Gabriel