Free Angel Thief by Jenny Schwartz

hold the angel here.” Vince used his last wish.
    Filip’s control cracked. For centuries he’d been bound to human whims. He’d endured, turned inward, developed survival strategies of manipulation and ironic detachment. But the same fate for Sara was unimaginable. Even though Vince’s wishes would fail at the end of his life, she faced years of imprisonment.
    Sara turned to Filip and smiled. “We’ll be together.”
    “I’ll be damned first,” he swore and lunged for Vince.
    ***
    As Filip’s hands closed around Vince’s throat, Jay scrambled to her feet. His deadly lunge had knocked her over.
    The horrid sounds of a man losing air and life rasped in the room.
    “Filip, no!” Sara cried.
    Jay dove for her father’s feet and picked up Filip’s djinni bottle. “Don’t kill him,” she gasped.
    Filip’s strong fingers tensed, shook and locked open. He directed a murderous look at Jay. She shrank back from him.
    Vince dropped choking to his knees.
    “I couldn’t let you kill Dad.”
    “He ordered me to imprison Sara.” By his voice, Filip made it an unspeakable crime.
    “I know.” Jay hugged the djinni bottle. “And I’m sorry. I—It’s my second wish. Let her go free.”
    Sara didn’t feel any different. After all, it wasn’t as if Filip could have held her against a legion of guardian angels—a fact he seemed to have forgotten in his rage.
    On the other hand, he would always hold her. She loved him and her love bound her to him more securely than any magic or curse of Solomon’s devising.
    The fire died out of Filip’s eyes. His face lost its terrifying wildness. He reached behind him and clasped Sara’s hand. “Thank you, Jay.”
    Her tearful expression wavered into a smile.
    On the floor, Vince grabbed the arm of a chair and hauled himself upright. His eyes fixed on Filip. “Jay, give me the bottle.”
    She shuffled out of reach. “You’ve used up your wishes. I have one left.”
    “Then wish the djinni to his comrades in hell.”
    “No!” Sara started forward.
    Filip swung her back, tight against him. She looked up at him, then followed his gaze to Jay.
    The girl looked from Vince to where Sara and Filip stood together.
    “Filip, I wish you free.” She threw the djinni bottle on the floor and it shattered against the hardwood. Sapphire blue glass glittered bright and sharp.
    “You stupid girl! What did you do that for? How could you let them go free?” Vince shouted.
    “Because she has the courage of a lion and the compassion of an angel. Because she is your daughter in strength, and her own person in honour,” Filip said.
    Sara hugged Jay. “Thank you.”
    Jay returned her hug before drawing back to face her father. “I’m going back to Melbourne. I’ll become a doctor, with or without your support. I can’t change who you are or how you live your life. I disapprove. I hate it. But I’ll always be your daughter. I just hope…I’d like to go to Afghanistan with you one day. I want to see what Khan was escaping and why people are desperate enough to trust you. I’d like to help them.”
    Vince sat down heavily on a sofa. “God, you sound like Mum.”
    “Grandma?”
    “A very bossy woman. We’re all lucky she’s dead.” Vince wiped his face with a handkerchief. “All right. You become a doctor and I’ll take you to Afghanistan.”
    It was a concession to far more. It was an acceptance of Jay’s independence.
    She burst into tears. “Thanks, Dad.”
    Sara squeezed her shoulder, but her attention was on Filip. Jay had just given them a miracle. “You’re free.”

Chapter Nine
    “Is it a problem that I’m free?” Filip raised a quizzical eyebrow.
    “Idiot. No!” Sara leaped on him.
    His laughter rang out, rich and deep, full of joy. They dematerialised in the midst of the sound and rematerialised in the hunger of kisses.
    It was minutes before Sara blinked her eyes open and saw their new surroundings.
    An enormous bank of windows let in the glory of the