"Yes, this world is wrong," Uriel said. "I'm an archangel. I am not supposed to be carrying a bastard child for a retired horseman who doesn't even love me. I'm not supposed to call Viking gods brothers. And I'm definitely not supposed to be happy because I suspect my child is not an angel. But I am. This world is all wrong -- but maybe it will be right for my child."

Maybe she was getting the hang of this whole "hope" thing. She had never been too good with it, but reassuring somebody depressed who wasn't herself was good practice.