Free Natural Born Angel by Scott Speer

pages long. Simple black lettering was pressed into the front cover of the book: ANGEL AERODYNAMICS .
    She reached forward and timidly flipped the book open. The pages were crammed with text, with only the occasional graphical aid. There were also endless formulas and algorithms: calculus and algebraic figures spread across the pages. Maddy had to stifle a groan.
    “This should keep you busy for some time,” Philip said calmly. “I’ll be back in three hours to see how you’ve done on the exercises in the first three chapters.” The Angel rose from his chair to leave the room.
    “But— ” Maddy started.
    Philip turned at the door, his ear cocked, with a wicked look on his face.
    “Yes. . . ?”
    “Nothing,” Maddy said after a moment, remembering what Kreuz had said to her and resolving not to show them any weakness. “I just remembered I do have a calculator on my phone. I don’t like to use the ones on these computers. Thanks!”
    Smiling tightly, Philip left the room.
    With a sigh, Maddy opened the book. She looked at the copyright page: 1957. The book was older than Uncle Kevin! This was a far cry from the sexy and flashy Guardian training she’d thought she was going to encounter on her first day.
    Maddy started work, and although the text was dense, she was surprised to see that some of the formulas weren’t as difficult as she had first thought. She had always been near the head of the pack in her maths classes, and she’d aced the AP calculus exam.
    She had barely done the first exercise in the chapter when her iPhone buzzed in her bag. Pulling it out, she saw it was a text from Jacks. It read: “ Angel Aerodynamics? ”
    Fingers flying, Maddy wrote back: “ How’d you know? ”
    Jackson: “ Haha, everybody gets that first. Don’t worry, it gets better! J Can I take you to dinner after in celebration of your first day? ”
    Maddy thought for a moment, wondering if she wouldn’t have too much homework to do after her first day. She remembered Jackson’s advice to her the night he had come to her room to take her flying when they had first met: “Just do it to do something.”
    Maddy: “ OK. As long as you aren’t embarrassed by a date who’s doing square root calculations during dessert. ”
    Jackson: “ Pick you up at seven. ”
    Maddy flipped the phone to silent and went back to work.
    Three hours later, when Philip came back, Maddy still had the Angel Aerodynamics book open and was writing in her notebook. The jacketed Angel raised an eyebrow and smiled mercilessly as he eyed Maddy. “Still working, I see? Don’t worry, this is difficult for even our most . . . practised Angels.”
    Maddy put her pencil down and closed the massive textbook. She looked up at Philip.
    “Oh, I just finished early so I thought I’d do chapters four and five, too – I like to work ahead. I was just starting chapter six when you walked in, but I can do that next time.”
    She smiled sweetly at Philip.
    At that moment Sadie arrived and whisked Maddy away to her next class. She had a stack of other books for Maddy, including Practical Flying for Guardians, Second Edition ; Time Manipulation in Guardianship ; as well as The Book of Angels , a biblical-era book. Maddy thought it was a strange choice, but apparently it played into an Angel history class – which she would be taking for a second time, having been forced to study Angel history at ACHS.
    As they stepped out into the blinding sunshine, Maddy saw a group of beautiful young Immortals walking together towards a canteen on the grounds. She could’ve sworn they looked over at her, followed by a snatch of laughter. Sadie glanced at the Angels from the corner of her eye.
    “If you’re wondering about lunch, you just tell me what you want and I’ll have it delivered to the class. Mr Kreuz feels it would be best if you have working lunches, at least at first, since you have so much ground to cover.”
    Maddy didn’t respond. She thought about the