Angels Defying (Angels Rising Book 3)

by Harriet Carlton

  Vortigern clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Is that all?”

  Imorean recoiled and stumbled backward. Of course. Only the metal of his sword would have any effect on Vortigern. His knife, made of simple steel, was completely useless. Imorean felt a vague sense of safety wash over him as he leaped into the air, making to escape. He could still run. Then his injured wing buckled under his weight and Imorean crashed back to the ground. The full effect of the terror of falling engulfed him as he smashed through a thin covering of ice and plummeted down into a shallow ice crevasse. He lay stunned at the bottom, exhausted, one wing bleeding and utterly defenseless. His vision blurred in and out of focus and he panted heavily. He could barely move. Vortigern’s voice split the quiet. Imorean flinched.

  “Go and get him.”

  Chapter 22

  Roxy tried to shove past Ryan as Imorean took off into the violent sky.

  “Roxy, stop,” said the bigger boy, holding her tight and keeping her in the niche. Roxy shoved against him. She knew he felt a duty to keep her safe, but that didn’t matter.

  “No!” snapped Roxy. “That’s my best friend. He shouldn’t be doing this on his own. I can’t let him get hurt!”

  “Roxy,” said Toddy from the back of the crevice. “He’s gone. You won’t catch Imorean now. I’m sure he’s got a plan.”

  “He’ll be fine, Rox,” said Dustin, putting a hand on her shoulder.

  “If you don’t stop moving we’ll be seen,” said Baxter, watching the demons swooping and circling overhead.

  “They don’t look like I thought they would,” said Colton. “They look so… human.”

  “I know,” said Baxter.

  “It’s awful,” said Ryan. “We should push further back. We mustn’t get seen.”

  “Where are they all going?” asked Dustin.

  “I think they’re all following Imorean,” said Baxter.

  “It’s because he’s half Archangel,” said Roxy. Why didn’t anyone understand how desperate the situation was? “They’re going to kill him.”

  “Roxy, please,” hissed Toddy.

  “What now?” asked Dustin.

  “I think we just hunker down here until Imorean gets back,” said Mandy.

  “We have a mission,” snapped Ryan.

  “Ryan’s right,” said Colton. “We need to try and keep going to Daneborg. Gabriel and Michael are there. If we find them we’ll have a chance to help Imorean.”

  “… You’re right,” nodded Baxter. He and Colton stuck their heads out of the crevice. Even though the demons had vanished, the stormy conditions remained.

  “We can’t go anywhere in this,” said Baxter.

  “Yes, we can,” said Toddy. “We might have to hold hands, but at least we can move.”

  Roxy looked at them in desperation. “But what if Imorean comes back and we aren’t here?”

  “This is our best chance to help Imorean,” said Toddy, offering his hand to her.

  “Stay where you are!” called a voice from within the storm.

  All the students looked up.

  “Was that…” began Roxy.

  “I think it was,” nodded Toddy.

  “Gabriel!” cried Baxter, able to make out a figure walking across the glacier toward them.

  “Stay there!” called Gabriel. The Archangel was defined now and much closer. Roxy felt like she could breathe a sigh of relief.

  “We’re getting you home!” called Gabriel.

  Roxy swallowed hard, but couldn’t manage to speak a single word before she was thrown head over heels into darkness.

  Roxy groaned as she landed on her side. The wind was gone. The snow had stopped. The sun was shining. Blue sky extended above them. She raised her head and looked around. They had returned to Felsenmeer.

  “Gabriel!” she cried, pushing herself shakily to her feet. The Archangel was standing wearily, but managed to look over at her and smile.

  “Roxy,” he said. “What is it?”

  “Where’s Imorean? He split off from the rest of us.”

  “Michael is dealing with Imorean,” said Gabriel, patting Roxy on the shoulder reassuringly.

  “Okay,” said Roxy, biting her lower lip and watching as Gabriel began to walk into the main building. Relief swamped her with Gabriel’s words, but that didn’t change the fact that her best friend was still gone. She wished she could go back out to Greenland. She would do anything to help find Imorean.

  “Everyone all right?” asked Ryan, still clutching Imorean’s sword.

  “Yeah, I think so,” said Roxy, looking around.

  “Is Michael bringing Imorean?” asked Toddy, standing up.

  “I think so,” said Roxy. She could hear her own voice shaking. “I mean, Gabriel said Michael was dealing with Imorean. That’s a good thing, right?”

  “It should be,” said Dustin with a shrug. “Michael’s pretty effective. I don’t think he’d let any harm come to Imorean.”

  “Don’t worry, Roxy,” said Ryan, putting an arm over her shoulders. “Michael will bring Imorean home.”

  “Yeah,” said Toddy, falling into step next to Roxy as they walked back up the steps to the main building. “Imorean’s going to be fine. He’ll be back here before tomorrow, just you watch.”

  “I’m sure,” said Roxy, looking back over her shoulder one last time before she entered the main building. She took little notice of Ryan pulling her closer.

  Roxy couldn’t manage to focus herself on her book at all that evening. She was too worried about Imorean and Michael. Were they all right? Would they be back before morning, like Toddy had said?

  “You’re distracted too, huh?” said Colton, approaching the table in the lobby where Roxy was sitting.

  “I’m worried,” said Roxy, closing her book and pushing it away. “Worried beyond worried.”

  “Me too,” said Colton.

  “We are as well,” said Baxter, landing quietly as he sailed down from the second floor. Mandy was with him.

  “Us too,” said Toddy, getting up from one of the couches and pausing the game he and Dustin had been playing.

  “I just—I just think there’s something not right about this,” said Roxy, running a hand through her hair.

  “But why?” asked Ryan, looking up from his laptop. There was a lack of concern in his eyes that annoyed her.

  Roxy stood up, feeling as though she was too still. She wanted to be doing something. “Shouldn’t Michael have been able to track Imorean down by now and bring him home?”

  “I would think so,” said Mandy. “Michael did say though that he can’t track a lot of hybrids like he can a normal angel.”

  “He and Imorean are connected though,” said Roxy. “They’re different.”

  “Maybe there are other factors in the way,” suggested Baxter. “You know, maybe Imorean can’t get to Michael for some reason or vice versa.”

  “Maybe,” said Roxy, shaking her head. Anxiety gnawed at the pit of her stomach. “Look. I’m really suspicious of what’s going on here, so I’m going to find out. Ryan?”

  She nodded at Ryan as he made eye contact.

  “What are you going to do?” asked Colton.

  “I’m going into Michael’s office. He’s got answers in there, I just know it. Tonight is the perfect night too. Michael isn’t here and Gabriel is recovering. Everything is in our favor and we won’t get another opportunity like this.”

  “She’s right,” said Colton. “I’m in, Roxy. I’ll help you.”

  “Me too,” said Toddy. “Imorean’s my best friend. I’m not going to sit by while he’s out there. There’s got to be something in the office that can help us help Michael find him.”

  “I’ll help,” said Baxter. “Imorean’s a good guy.”

  “I’m in,” said Mandy quietly. “Dustin, what about you?”

  “Sounds really risky…” said Dustin with a sigh. “But if it can help Imorean, I’m in.”

  “Me and Ryan have been planning
this for some time,” said Roxy.

  Ryan shrugged. “We were going to try to create a distraction for Imorean, because we knew he wouldn’t like it, but…”

  “Meet me outside Michael’s office at two in the morning. Not even the cleaning staff should be out then,” said Roxy, taking a deep breath. She couldn’t help but smile as all her friends nodded. She was glad to finally feel as though she was doing something, anything, to help Imorean.

  Roxy crept quietly through the third-floor hallways, keeping her footsteps light. She didn’t want to wake anyone. While they didn’t have a curfew, it was odd for students to be out of bed during the middle of the night and she knew if they were caught they would have some serious explaining to do. The third-floor was normally devoid of students. Roxy quickened her steps as she turned down the hallway to Michael’s office. It was deathly quiet on the floor and she vaguely wondered if there was anyone else on the hall with her. There was a small click from behind her and she turned quickly. Dustin, Colton and Toddy were approaching quickly from the direction of the stairs. Baxter, Ryan and Mandy arrived seconds later. Roxy flashed them a quick smile, then placed her hand on the handle of Michael’s office door. Of course, it was locked. Why wouldn’t it be?

  “Are you sure you can get this open?” asked Roxy, looking at Ryan.

  “Pretty sure,” nodded Ryan.

  Everyone held their breath as Ryan knelt down and started to work on the lock. He placed two bobby pins in the lock and started wiggling them. To Roxy, the boy seemed to take an eternity, but she knew she had to be patient. Ryan needed peace, quiet and focus to do what he was doing.

  “Got it,” said Ryan, grinning at last and pushing the door open.

  “How did you learn to do that?” asked Dustin, as they walked inside.

  “My older brother used to think it was funny to lock me out of the house,” replied Ryan with a smile. “So, I learned how to open locks without keys.”

  “You are amazing, Ryan. I mean that,” said Roxy, shutting the door behind them and turning on Michael’s desk lamp. “Okay, just nose around, see if you can find anything that’s worth looking at.”

  “Roger that, boss,” said Toddy, smiling at her.

  Roxy smiled at the members of the squad. Most of them were poring over some files on one of Michael’s tables. Colton was looking at documents on the top of the desk and was rummaging through the drawers. Roxy took the bookcase. Maybe there was some text there that would shed some light on how to help Imorean.

  “Tell you something that bothers me,” said Baxter, flipping through a chart.

  “What?” asked Roxy.

  “Michael said we’d be in no danger. He also said he’d had patrols sweeping up and down the coast all winter. How could they miss something the size of that demon battalion?”

  “I—I don’t know,” said Roxy, frowning and resting her fingers on top of a book. Suddenly, the book shifted on the shelf and Roxy gasped, thinking it would come thudding to the floor. Instead the entire shelf swung inward, exposing a second, larger room. All the students looked up in surprise and began slowly filing toward the hidden office. Toddy made straight for the bookcase.

  “Imorean was right,” murmured Roxy, as she walked into it.

  “What do you mean?” asked Colton, following her in.

  “Imorean thought there was something wrong with Michael’s bookcase. Turns out he was right. A whole secret room.”

  “Roxy,” said Toddy. “These are files on us.”

  Roxy and the rest of the squad approached the wall Toddy was standing in front of. Eight photos were pinned to the wall and eight sheets of paper hung below them, describing each of them.

  “A little creepy,” mused Dustin. “Hey, Imorean’s birthday is next week. March thirteenth.”

  Roxy swallowed, feeling like she’d been punched in the gut. “We should do something for him when he gets back. He’s turning eighteen.”

  “It’s not really suspicious though, is it?” asked Colton. “Michael having files on us, I mean.”

  “I wouldn’t say so,” said Mandy.

  Roxy turned away. Something about seeing Imorean’s grinning face pinned up on Michael’s wall with black and white information beneath it pained her. It was one of the photos from his graduation, and there was a brightness to his smile that just wasn’t there anymore. Roxy turned away, her lower lip trembling.

  Just like in Outbuilding Two, there was a map on a table in the center of the room. On top of the map though was a file, with the word ‘Confidential’ stamped in big, red letters across the front.

  Immediately, Roxy opened it. Inside was a cover sheet titled ‘Operation Scapegoat.’

  “Guys,” said Roxy, her voice smaller than she had thought it would be. “I think I might have found something.”

  “What’s this?” asked Colton, crossing the room to stand at her side. “What on earth is Operation Scapegoat?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “What’s a scapegoat?” asked Dustin.

  “It’s something that takes the blame for something else,” answered Colton.

  “We have to find out what this is about,” said Mandy, walking over, followed by the rest of the squad. “This could help us find Imorean.”

  “Reading the confidential files for Operation Scapegoat will not help you find Imorean.”

  Everyone froze. They didn’t have to look over their shoulders to know who was talking.

  “Did you find him?” asked Roxy, dropping the file and turning to face the figure that was leaning in the doorway. She didn’t need extra light to tell that it was Michael.

  “No,” replied Michael, standing upright and walking into the room.

  “What?” asked Toddy.

  “No, I have not found Imorean.”

  “Keep looking,” cried Roxy. “Go back out. I’ll come with you. He might be hurt.”

  “That is amusing, Miss Daire,” said Michael.

  “What?” asked Roxy in a small voice. It was so quiet that had a pin dropped it would have been audible.

  “I mean, it is amusing to imply that I have been out anywhere.”

  “You haven’t even looked?” asked Dustin, stepping forward.

  “No,” replied Michael, crossing the room and closing the file.

  “What the hell, Michael?” hissed Baxter. “Imorean is out on his own in the snow and there are demons around! They’ll kill him if they find him.”

  “They will not kill him,” said Michael flatly.

  “You knew they were there, didn’t you?” said Colton. His small voice was filled with anger.

  “Yes.” Michael sighed softly. “Yes, I knew.”

  “Hold on,” said Mandy. “You sent us out there when you knew that there were demons in the area?”

  “Yes,” nodded Michael.

  “You could have killed us!” shouted Ryan.

  “You might have killed Imorean!” snarled Baxter.

  “But I did not, did I?” said Michael. “And Imorean is not dead. I know he is alive.”

  “What about all the patrols you sent out to sweep the area?” asked Roxy. “You said there were only traces of demon activity scattered few and far between.”

  “I lied,” said Michael sharply. “I lied. There were never any patrols.”

  “So, you sent us straight into a hotspot?” asked Toddy.

  “Yes.”

  “You sent us right into the line of fire!” cried Roxy.

  “No. The seven of you were never in any danger. It is Imorean that they wanted.”

  “Wanted?” asked Roxy, her heart plummeting. “Are you implying that Vortigern has him?”

  “I know Vortigern has Imorean,” said Michael calmly.

  “You planned all of this, didn’t you?” asked Colton.

  Michael nodded.

  “What do you mean, Colton?” asked Toddy.

  Colton didn’t look away from Michael. “Imorean is half Archangel, but Vortigern wants to know if he can con
trol Imorean before he makes the decision to kill him. When we were reading the map, we found a general area where Vortigern could be. Michael, you’re looking for his exact coordinates, aren’t you?”

  “You are partially correct, Colton,” said Michael, nodding.

  “So you sent Imorean in to get them?” asked Colton, his voice rising in hope. Roxy looked back at Michael, desperately wanting to believe that Michael hadn’t deceived Imorean. Perhaps Imorean had had different orders from the start. Perhaps he was on a special mission.

  “Wrong,” said Michael, shaking his head. “It was a good try. No, Imorean was strategically placed for this. He outran a platoon of demons. I was hoping that he would be able to outrun them and follow them back to their base, but Imorean was captured by Vortigern and Bethany this afternoon. I am now waiting to get his coordinates.”

  “Imorean’s been captured?” asked Roxy. Her legs felt weak beneath her.

  “Yes, I am afraid so,” said Michael. “That was not part of the plan. I did not know that Vortigern would actually base himself in Greenland. Most of the time he does not stay with his platoons for long. Unfortunately, Imorean is the only one alive who Vortigern wants badly enough to come and get personally.”

  “Imorean’s going to be killed,” said Roxy, shaking her head. “You’ve spelled the end for my best friend. You’ve killed him. You might as well start planning his funeral now.”

  “I have not,” said Michael. “As soon as I receive his coordinates, I am going to go and retrieve him, but I cannot find him until I get those coordinates.”

  “What are you waiting for then?” asked Toddy.

  “I am waiting for his coordinates to come through. They will be exact, but they may take several hours for me to get them.”

  “Did Imorean know about this?” asked Roxy. Surely Michael wouldn’t have sent them in utterly blind. To do that would just be cruel.