I woke to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar windows, my body tangled in silk sheets. The pleasant haze from last night had completely faded, leaving me feeling strangely vulnerable and exposed. Beside me, Isola stirred, her dark hair spread across the pillow like spilled ink.
The angel was perched on the windowsill, fully clothed now and sipping what looked like morning coffee. They gave me a knowing smirk. "Good morning, sunshine. Quite the night, wasn't it?"
I pulled the sheet higher, suddenly very aware of my nakedness. Isola's eyes fluttered open, and she stretched languidly, completely comfortable in her own skin. The morning light painted her in golden hues, and for a moment I forgot to breathe.
"Mmm, good morning," she murmured, rolling closer to me. "How are you feeling?"
"Different," I admitted, which was true in more ways than one. "Last night was... intense."
Isola's expression grew thoughtful, almost puzzled. She propped herself up on one elbow, studying my face. "Elinalise, can I ask you something strange?"
My stomach clenched. "Sure."
"Last night, during... well, you know." Her cheeks colored slightly. "Did you see... did it seem like there was someone else there? Someone with wings?"
The angel nearly choked on their coffee. I fought to keep my expression neutral.
"Wings?" I laughed, perhaps a bit too loudly. "That's... that's crazy. Must have been the wine, right? Or maybe shadows from the candles?"
Isola frowned, sitting up completely now, the sheet pooling around her waist. "No, I'm serious. There was this beautiful figure, glowing, with the most incredible wings. She was... participating. Very actively." Her eyes widened as the memory seemed to solidify. "And there was this golden dust in the air that made everything feel..."
"Magical?" the angel supplied helpfully from the windowsill.
"Exactly!" Isola exclaimed, then paused. "Wait, how did you know I was going to say that?"
I scrambled for an explanation. "Lucky guess? You had this dreamy look on your face."
But Isola wasn't listening anymore. She was staring at something over my shoulder with wide, wonder-struck eyes. I turned to see the angel had become visible, wings spread wide, giving Isola a little wave.
"Oh. My. Gods." Isola breathed. "You're real. You're actually real."
The angel grinned sheepishly. "Surprise?"
Isola scrambled out of bed, completely forgetting her nudity in her excitement. "A real angel! In my bedroom! Who had sex with me!" She started pacing, hands gesturing wildly. "This is... this is incredible! This changes everything!"
"Isola, calm down," I said, reaching for her.
But she was already moving toward her wardrobe, pulling out clothes with frantic energy. "No, you don't understand. This is a sign! Divine intervention! I've been blessed by an actual celestial being!"
The angel looked concerned. "Uh, I think she's having some kind of religious awakening."
"I need to leave," Isola announced, spinning to face us both. "I need to sell everything—the shop, the house, all of it. I'm going to travel with you!"
"What?" I sat up, alarmed. "Isola, no. You can't just abandon your entire life because—"
"Because an angel appeared to me and showed me pleasures beyond mortal comprehension?" She laughed, the sound bright and slightly manic. "That's exactly why I should abandon my boring little life!"
She was already pulling on her dress, her movements quick and decisive. "I've been waiting for something like this my entire life. A sign, an adventure, meaning. And here it is, right in my bedroom!"
"Isola, please," I pleaded, climbing out of bed and grabbing the nearest piece of clothing. "You're not thinking clearly. This is your home, your business—"
"Will still be here when I get back. If I get back." Her eyes were shining with an almost feverous excitement. "Don't you see? This is fate! The angel brought you to me, and now I'm meant to go with you!"
The angel cleared their throat awkwardly. "Technically, I brought her to you, not the other way around. And I was just trying to get laid, not start a religious movement."
Isola whirled on them. "You're an angel! Everything you do has divine purpose, even if you don't realize it!"
"Oh no," the angel muttered. "She's one of those mortals."
I tried a different approach. "Isola, what about your customers? Your livelihood? You can't just—"
"Mrs. Pemberton next door has been wanting to buy me out for years. I'll sell to her." Isola was moving through her room like a whirlwind, gathering belongings. "As for money, well, traveling with the legendary Elinalise Dragonroad should be profitable, right?"
The angel shot me a look that clearly said 'this is your problem now.'
"This is insane," I said desperately. "You barely know me!"
Isola paused in her packing, coming over to take my hands. Her touch was warm, her eyes bright with absolute certainty. "I know enough. I know you're kind beneath all that legendary reputation. I know you made me feel things I've never felt before. And I know that an angel appeared to bless our union." She squeezed my hands. "That's enough for me."
Looking into her determined face, I realized there was no talking her out of this. The combination of post-divine-encounter euphoria and genuine attraction had created a perfect storm of impulsive decision-making.
The angel floated over, looking resigned. "Well, vacation just got more interesting. Hope you don't mind an audience for the rest of our adventures."
I buried my face in my hands. "What have we done?"
"Something amazing," Isola said confidently, already back to her frantic packing. "Now get dressed. We have preparations to make and a world to explore!"
As I watched her bustling around with infectious enthusiasm, I couldn't decide if this was the best or worst thing that could have happened. But one thing was certain—my quiet morning after had just turned into the beginning of something much more complicated.