"Would it kill you to smile, boy?"

Kion glances sideways at his father. Lord Deputy Mayor Orion Fellrose lifts a dusky blue eyebrow, waiting for an answer. "I'm not exactly thrilled," he grumbles, folding pale blue arms across his broad chest.

"Arms down," Father snaps, swatting at Kion's elbow.

Kion sighs and drops his arms to his sides, tail tip flicking against his calves. Although he's known about his father's decision to saddle him with the angelic ambassador's daughter for weeks, that doesn't make the situation any better. He'd rather study in his dorm room or boxing in the gymnasium. Hell, he'd take cleaning the dorm lavatories over standing here.

"They're coming," someone calls out.

Kion glances down the row of university dignitaries as they shuffle into place, the curve of their line matching the bow of the driveway. Old Chancellor Dredgeworth is in full academic dress; he tugs at the folds of his silver-trimmed black robe and adjusts the cant of his big, floppy black hat. The rest of the senior faculty are dressed similarly but with grey-green borders on their robes.

"Stand straight," Father mutters, flicking imaginary fluff from his grey jacket cuffs.

I'm standing as straight as a rod, Kion growls internally, but adjusts his stance to placate his parent.

The heavy thrum of half a dozen gasoline engines vibrates the delicate webbing of Kion's pointed ears. He grimaces as the steel monstrosities pull into the courtyard, belching grey smoke from their tailpipes. The first car pulls to a stop in front of Chancellor Dredgeworth, red flags emblazoned with a flaming white sword flapping in the breeze.

The ambassador's car.

It's filthy, Kion realizes, the black paint covered in a thin layer of dirt and grime from its trip past the factories. The massive white wheels are pitted from traveling that awful road.

There's movement within the car. Kion shuffles from one foot to the other as murmurs sweep through the line of gathered faculty.

Angels.

They're here.

Can you see them?

Kion holds back a snort. The driver's side door opens and an angel emerges. He's of middling height with the same pale skin seen in some humans and shoulder-length blond hair pulled back into a neat queue. A silver robe-like garment drapes his frame, tied in the middle by a wide blue sash. He walks to the middle and back doors, opening them with a bow. A woman with a similar complexion and white-blonde hair gathered at the nape of her neck emerges first, lifting her chin and surveying the assembled dignitaries. A small, polite smile graces her full red lips and she nods to them before ushering two black-haired angel boys around the front of the car. Dark green fabric drapes from her body in graceful folds, leaving her back bare.

Are those wings?

Kion blinks. Two stubby vestigial wings—barely a collection of white, grey-barred feathers no wider than the span of his hand—hang between the angelic woman's shoulder blades. A small, swirling tattoo, half-hidden by her hair, sits at the top of her spine. The boys' black and grey-barred wings stick out of tailored slits in their matching blue robes—a color that, Kion notes dryly, nearly matches the hue of his father's skin.

The driver walks around to the other side of the car and peers into the dirty window.

"What're they waiting for?" Father grumbles, tugging at his cuffs.

Now who's not standing straight? Kion muses. His lips twitch, but he quickly wipes the expression off his face as Father's eye slides over him.

The driver leans down and opens the middle door. A tall angelic man with short black hair emerges, wearing a white robe with a high collar and thick gold sash. The ends of the sash extend down the front of his robe, nearly touching the ground. He turns around, revealing pure black wings, and extends a hand to the angel exiting the back of the car.

"Well," Father huffs.

Is that admiration in his tone? Kion shoots his father a look, then back to the girl standing beside her father. Heavy white-blonde hair cascades down her back, falling between pristine white wings. She wears the same draping garment her mother does, except this one is white and gold to match her father. She turns toward them and smiles, the expression lighting up her face like a sunbeam.

It's so warm and genuine it takes Kion aback. Next to him, Father grunts and raises an eyebrow. "She'll have half the university's population trailing after her," he notes, clasping his hands behind his back. "But not you, eh?"

Kion clenches a fist. It's been a while since Father reminded him of what he was lacking—so long Kion thought his father would never bring it up again.

How he is wrong.

"Ambassador Umbrath!" Chancellor Dredgeworth exclaims, breaking rank to go and meet the angelic diplomat.

"Chancellor Dredgeworth, I assume?" The angel's voice is deep and soothing, perfectly pitched to reach everyone on the pavement. "Thank you for the warm welcome."

The chancellor's red hand envelopes the angel's in a hearty handshake. "And this must be your family ..."

Kion sighs and tilts his chin toward the sky as the chancellor greets the ambassador's family. They walk together to the end of the line, introducing the girl to the faculty. You'd think they were donors, Kion grumbles, watching the professors bow and fawn over the angels.

Time drags on. The collar of his school uniform bites into his neck and Kion tugs at it. He hates this shirt, preferring the open-necked variety that allows his skin to breathe.

Crack! Kion jumps, the back of his calf stinging where his father's tail smacked it. Father's eyes narrow and he jerks his chin in the direction of the approaching angels.

Chancellor Dredgeworth stops in front of Father. "It is my pleasure to introduce the esteemed Lord Deputy Mayor of Cinderforge, Orion Fellrose, and his son, Kion. Master Fellrose is in his final year at St. Sybil's, pursuing a degree in business management. He has generously offered to join us on our campus tour and assist Miss Umbrath during her initial weeks here."

The slight tic in Ambassador Umbrath's cheek does not go unnoticed by Kion. Too bad the Lord Mayor came down a serious case of the runs this morning, otherwise he would be here.

Does Kion suspect his father? Of course, but he would never say that to his face.

"A pleasure to meet you and your family, Ambassador," Father says, putting on the charm. His expression is open and agreeable, a far cry from his actual personality. "What do you think of our fair city?"

"From what little we've been able to see from the car, it seems like a vibrant community. So many lovely homes."

"Yes," Father agrees, bobbing his head. "The area around the university is famed for its shopping district and cafes. My son Kion would happily take your daughter there once she is settled."

No, Kion would most certainly not be happy, he grumbles, struggling to keep a neutral expression as the ambassador turns his attention to the younger demon.

"Kion, eh?" The ambassador is a tall man, one of a few able to look Kion in the eye. He extends his hand, which Kion takes after a moment's hesitation. There are old tales of angels able to burn and blister the skin of demons with a simple touch, but that doesn't happen. The angel's grip is firm, matching Kion's. There are muscles beneath that absurd robe, he realizes. "You're a strapping young fellow." He pauses and tilts his head, blue eyes trained on Kion's yellow ones. "Business management?"

"Yes, sir."

"Not politics, like your father?"

"No, sir." Definitely not.

Ambassador Umbrath chuckles, a genuinely warm sound unlike Father's fake attempts. "We have that much in common, Lord Deputy Mayor."

Father's tail twitches. "How so, Your Excellency?"

"Our children have chosen different paths than their old men. It's wonderful if they want to follow in your footsteps, but I love to watch them spread their wings—if you will." He grins at his own pun, wings fluttering for emphasis.

"Papa," the willowy blonde angel at his side chides, lips curling up in amusement. She takes a step forward, extending her hand toward Kion. "Hi! I'm Siah. Nice to meet you."

Kion stares, unable to move. Her scent is like sunshine and clean water; it's positively absurd for a person to smell like that, but it fits her perfectly. Crack! Kion jerks as his father's tail raps him behind the knee. "Uh, yes, hello," he replies, taking her hand. It's dry, warm, and slim, nearly disappearing into his palm.

Siah grins and gently extracts her hand, linking both behind her back. She stands there, gazing up into his eyes as he's the only person standing on the sidewalk. It's rather unnerving.

Kion blinks, breaking eye contact. What the hell is going on? Is this how full males feel around a pretty woman? The sensation is fleeting, so he lets those thoughts slide to the back of his mind, forgotten.

"I can't wait to see campus," Siah continues, craning her neck to see past the beak of the administration building.

"Well," Chancellor Dredgeworth huffs with importance, "let's get started on that tour, shall we?"

Kion glances at his father, then begrudgingly takes a step toward the chancellor and the ambassador's family as they walk away. A firm hand clamps around his upper arm, holding him in place. Kion's eyes dart toward the other faculty, but they're busy dispersing.

"Watch her," Father hisses. "Even if you can't fuck her, get as close to her as you can. I want to know everything."

Kion sighs. Get to know her? Father might as well sentence him to death. "Yes, sir." He shakes free of his father's grasp and hurries to catch up with the group.