But how? I’ve never come this far before.
Prince Luca suddenly stops trying to drag me over the edge. His arms fall away and he roars a deep abdominal growl. ‘Run!’ he orders his Gatekeepers while he leaps over them and into the air, flying away from me like a madman escaping the flames of his own fire.
And without his arms wrapped so tightly around me any more, I find I can breathe. I exhale all the air in my lungs.
And then I explode.
47
Jordan
I’ve been hearing whistling now for at least an hour. Sometimes it becomes faint and I can hardly hear it, but sometimes it sounds so close I’m sure it’s coming from my cave. Just as I get my hopes up, it fades again.
And every time it sounds close I call out, yelling for help, inadvertently pulling on the chains and opening up my wounds from previous attempts to escape or make noise. Now my wrists are oozing blood again.
If nobody finds me, I will die down here. That’s a fact. The angels will look for me once they realise I’m missing, but I could be already dead by then. I wonder if the girls will keep looking for me. Or will it be my dead body someone finds first? The image of my skeleton hanging from this rock wall in fifty, or maybe a hundred years from now sucks the air out of my already struggling lungs. It’s starting to feel like someone has whacked me with a sledgehammer.
The whistling becomes louder suddenly, closer than ever. At least it’s someone comfortable enough this far underground to be whistling a jolly tune.
I think about that for a sec and a familiar face springs to mind, someone who has direct contact with the Dark Prince and calls himself the Messenger. I start recognising his voice, and can’t decide whether to be relieved or terrified.
Light from his lantern spills into the big room where they chained me. My eyes take their time to adjust. He’s almost directly in front of me by the time they do.
He’s dressed in boots, jeans, a knee-length leather coat and a new, expensive-looking haircut. He had a haircut? While I’m chained to a wall in a pitch-black cave, alone?
He lifts the lantern to shoulder height and studies my face. ‘You’re still alive.’ He sounds surprised.
‘Come to gloat?’ I ask.
‘I could always leave.’
‘Nah, don’t do that.’
He smirks with his trademark swaggering smile that the girls at school used to die for. With his free hand, Adam Skinner wraps his fingers round the cuff on my right wrist. He stops and stares at the blood, both fresh and congealed, then at me. But he doesn’t say anything and while he stares, my skin grows hotter until it starts burning.
‘Mate?’ I tilt my head towards my wrist. ‘Do something, or let go.’
He closes his eyes. I try not to scream when the skin under the cuff starts bubbling up in blisters.
He releases my wrist, but grips my arm, holding it in the same elevated position. ‘Keep still, this is going to hurt.’
‘How did you know where to find me?’
‘Connections.’
‘Who told you? Zavier?’
‘Maybe.’
So Mr Zee came good in the end, or he thought I would be dead by now and wanted my body found.
Skinner gradually lowers my arm, and I stare at the mangled cuff. ‘How did you do that? You got magical powers now?’
‘A gift from the king for my loyalty.’
‘Are you serious, dude?’
‘Do I look like I’m joking?’
‘Everything he gives you will have to be paid back in blood. But you know that, right?’
‘Don’t be so melodramatic,’ he mocks, but I can tell by his grim expression that I’m not telling him anything he doesn’t already know.
He then sears the other cuff off and lowers my arm with the same tender technique. With numb fingers I massage my hands and carefully rotate my shoulders to get circulation moving again.
I want to ask about Ebony, and make sure Amber got away like Zavier told me, but before I get a word out he produces a water flask and helps me hold it to my mouth. As soon as I get a few sips down my throat, I drill him with questions. ‘Where’s Ebony? Does the prince still have her? Did she recover from that sedative Zavier gave her? Medaza-something? What about Amber? Is she all right? Have you heard anything? Have you seen her? Why don’t you answer me, dude?’
He holds up his hands. ‘Amber is safe at home. But the king has Ebony. He’s not going to let her go this time, so you may as well get used to not having her around any more.’
‘No! No, that can’t be true!’ I want to grab his shoulders and shake the shit outta him, make him tell me that somehow Ebony got away. ‘What happened? Did Amber tell Gabriel? Are the angels in touch with Thane?’
‘There was a battle at the entrance gates to Skade. And there was a duel between your angel Nathaneal and a general named Ithran.’
‘Thane’s back?’ Relief makes my tingling legs feel light as air. ‘Now I know she’s all right! Thane won’t let anything happen to Ebony.’
‘Hmm.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘It’s over, Jordan. Face it. Ebony is gone. She’s on the verge of becoming Queen of Skade and there’s nothing you can do about it. Nothing your angel friends can do either. You’re just going to have to get over her.’
‘You’re freaking cold, man.’
‘If I’m so cold, what am I doing down here?’
I hang my head. ‘Thanks heaps. I owe you one.’
‘Yeah, you do.’ Skinner collects the mangled cuffs off the ground and slips them into his coat pockets. ‘And the way you’re going to pay me back is by keeping your mouth shut about who set you free.’
‘Sure. I won’t tell anyone. Mate, your secret is safe with me.’
He grabs the back of my neck and brings my face right up to his. ‘Are you mocking me?’
‘Shit, man, of course not! I’m just worried about Ebony. She can’t be gone like you said. If there’s a battle, Thane will win it and he’ll bring her back. You’ll see.’
He releases my neck and starts walking out. I follow him because by now my sense of direction is shot. He walks fast, and my legs have pins and needles running through them. It’s intense, but I catch up before I lose the light. ‘Adam, why did you release me?’
‘Because you’re a loser and someone has to look out for you.’
‘Now who’s mocking who?’
‘I couldn’t leave you down here knowing how hungry the Aracals get around midnight.’
‘Seriously? You rescued me so shape-shifting demons wouldn’t get a feed tonight?’
He shrugs. ‘What do you think?’
‘I don’t know because I’ve been down here more than one night and no Aracals came for a feed. In fact, nothing came in here. It seemed like even the rats knew it was sacred ground or too dangerous, or something. And during the time you and I spent together in the last couple of months there were moments I glimpsed the old you. I even caught you smiling once – for real. It reminded me of when we were kids. When we were best friends. And here you are now setting me free.’
He stops walking and lifts the lantern so I can see his face clearly. ‘I’m not your friend, Jordan. Don’t ever forget that.’
‘OK. I won’t forget. But . . . thanks.’
‘Zavier turned up at my door this morning,’ he says. ‘He was raving on about being deceived and tricked, or something. He told me where you were and that I had to find you right away.’
‘So where is Zavier now?’
‘Gone. Far away. I don’t know. Listen, Jordan, there’s more to keeping this secret than you think.’
‘Like what?’
We start walking again. ‘When you’re in his presence, or within hearing range of any dark angels, or any one you suspect of being a dark angel, you have to keep my name out of your thoughts.’ He turns and flicks my forehead with his long index finger. ‘In here. OK?’
I rub my forehead. ‘Sure
, man. I get it.’
‘You can’t tell anyone it was me who released you, or bring an image of the seared cuffs into your mind.’
Shit, how am I supposed to do that? ‘What if Prince Luca asks me directly, or probes his laser-beam eyes into my mind looking for the truth?’
‘Can you do this, or should I take you back and chain you up again?’
‘I can do it!’
‘If I find out that you broke this promise –’
‘What? You’ll kill me? Dude, any time, ’cause without Ebony I don’t care.’
He says, ‘I was going to say that if you break this promise I’ll come for Amber, and I’ll kill her.’
48
Ebony
The floor falls away around me, curving up and down like an ocean wave, spreading outwards in an ever-widening circle. The air distorts in the same way, stretching and shrinking in a manner that shouldn’t be possible.
Soldiers everywhere shout or scream as the wave tosses them about like fish caught in a whirlpool. It catches up to Prince Luca in the air, carrying him southward for tens of metres before slamming him into a sunken portion of bridge.
It takes a moment to comprehend how powerful this force is. A force I generated, that rumbled out of me like an earthquake. I have no idea how many soldiers – of light or dark – my power has damaged. I spot Michael smiling to himself as he gets back on to his feet. He retrieves his bow, reloads an arrow and winks at me with his golden eyes.
With no time to waste, I look for Nathaneal before General Ithran tries to slice his hands off again. But I locate the general first. He’s on the ground, not far away, quickly regaining his balance. Remarkably, his sword is still in his hand. He sees me while still on one knee and scowls with eyes filled with loathing. He gets up, screams and starts to run at me. I meet him halfway. Our bodies smash into each other. As he drops, I kick his sword out of his hand. He watches it soar high into the air and his face turns red with rage.
But I’m ready for him.
Fuelled by the power still throbbing in my veins, I slam my fist into his face. My punch sends him soaring over the edge, where gravity propels his unconscious body in a downward arc into Skade.
It’s then I hear the horns play again. Somewhere near the entrance, soldiers have struck up another tune, but this is different – a scale of eerie notes. I shiver. I wonder what it means.
The notes continue to play and then I see why. A unit of at least fifty soldiers fly into the tunnel. They wear the same sleek black uniform as their comrades but with armour from head to foot. They have in their hands shimmering weapons of a type I’ve never seen before, and as they fly over the top of me it’s like watching a fast-moving storm cloud. My heart races when I see them head to the blue light, where their mission becomes frighteningly clear.
And I still haven’t located Nathaneal.
When I spin round, I finally spot him, and the soldiers blocking our only exit home shift to the back of my mind. He’s getting to his feet from under a pair of dark angels’ bodies. He sees me at the same time and smiles.
It’s the single most sensational smile I have ever seen.
With no thought except to get to him, I run, but my legs feel as if I’m moving in slow motion. I trip over a body and scramble across the top of it. Then he’s in front of me, helping me to my feet. I jump into his arms, wrap my legs round his waist and bury my head in his solid shoulder.
He holds me very tight. ‘I’ve longed for the moment you would be real in my arms again, and not just in my dreams,’ he says. Lifting his head, he keeps me curled up against his chest, and whispers into the top of my hair. ‘There is so much I want to tell you, but your safety must come first. Ebony, I have to get you out of here fast.’
‘One second,’ I whisper, knowing escape is not going to be an easy task with those giant soldiers controlling the exit. ‘Please, Thane, I need to know you’re real too.’
I need to feel you, my heart screams.
His eyes lock with mine and the world holds still for us while I reach up and kiss the wound on his neck, tracing it with my fingers, delighting in the fact that he’s healing already. ‘I’m remembering things from my past. Zavier blocked my memories – all of them, even the ones from my time in my mother’s womb, and before when we were together.’
He shakes his head. ‘I suspected as much. Where is this criminal? He will pay for his crime. Is he here? Point him out to me, sweetheart. I have to arrest him immediately.’
‘Luca banished him. He’s long gone.’ I slide my fingers up from his injured throat to his face, running them over his chin, his mouth, his striking eyes. He looks real, he feels real. ‘I’m starting to remember some incredible things.’
He smiles and says, ‘I belong to you, my beautiful one, and I’m never going to let you forget that.’
He kisses me then, and the chaos around us fades into a distant otherworld. All I’m aware of is Nathaneal’s mouth pressed against mine, his lips tasting both salty from his sweat, and sweet from his warmth. Time doesn’t exist as his mouth opens in response to urgent pressure from mine. We share breath and taste each other, and it dawns on me that we need each other in the same way as the Earth needs air and fire and water.
His hands at my back press me into him. ‘My love, you were always in my thoughts.’ He groans deep and low and slides those firm but tender fingers along my thighs and hoists me up higher, pulling me in so close that nothing, absolutely nothing can come between us. And I get what he’s telling me. He confirms it with an intimate mind-link. No one will come between us again. I promise you this, sweetheart, with all my heart. Unfortunately, we can’t talk now because we must leave, but when we are a safe distance from these gates, I want to hear everything that’s happened in my absence, like how much you missed me. And then I’ll show you how much I love you.
I feel the smile form on his lips as they brush against mine, which makes me smile too.
But now I have to get you out of here. Are you ready?
Um . . . of course, but . . .
What is it?
Just as I go to point out the blocked exit, Prince Luca scrambles over some wounded bodies and sees me in Nathaneal’s arms. He roars, making the sound of a multitude of furious beasts. His face contorts into that hideous look of fury I witnessed when he killed his own soldier. I know what strength he can muster in this mindset. It scares me and I grip Nathaneal harder as a tremor of fear passes through me. ‘I think you might be right about needing to leave in a hurry, but there’s just one problem.’
‘Ebony, I’m not going anywhere without you again.’
‘I want that too, Nathaneal, and I agree that we should –’
He kisses my eyelids. ‘So you got my message?’ he murmurs.
‘Message?’
‘He was hesitant at first and took some convincing. He thought I shouldn’t reveal so much about how we knew each other in the spirit world, who we are in the living world and our future together as destiny predicts. But I knew you needed to see it. All of it – the way in which you were raised – without me to help you bring your memory back, the truth would be the only way to eliminate your doubts and free your powers.’
Speechless, and while maintaining a watchful eye on Prince Luca’s progress towards us, I pull back slightly to look into Nathaneal’s eyes. He’s telling me the absolute truth. I can see him passing the message through a mind-link to his brother, revealing everything about his life from when he was a little boy to who he is today, and who he is destined to become.
Around us, angels of light and dark rise up and continue to battle each other. Uriel engages Prince Luca in a duel. This will give us more time to find a way through those soldiers guarding the blue light. I catch Gabriel’s eye and he goes still for a moment and frowns. He seems to want to say something, but a black-armoured soldier draws him into combat.
He had the message all this time and didn’t pass it on to me, though he came to the house every night!
But why? Did he really think so little of me?
Nathaneal picks up that something is wrong. ‘Sweetheart, you did receive my message, didn’t you?’
I drag my eyes back to him. ‘From Gabriel, right?’
He nods and smiles his beautiful smile again, relief evident in the softening of his jaw and the slowing beat of his heart. ‘I couldn’t trust anyone else with that information.’
Ambiguously, as I’ve always done to avoid straight-out lying, I say gently, ‘You were right to be careful.’
‘I made you a promise.’
Arrows split the air above our heads, reminding us that this battle isn’t over yet. I point out the blocked exit and he sighs under his breath. ‘It’s nothing we can’t deal with now Gabriel has brought reinforcements, with more on the way,’ he says while sliding me down to the ground.
But my legs buckle beneath me. ‘Nathaneal, what’s happening? I feel unsteady.’
He pulls me up against his chest, taking most of my weight. ‘Using all that power in one thrust has exhausted your energies. It happens. Don’t worry. You just need nourishment and rest.’
‘My legs are numb. I’ve felt weak and tired before when I used my power, but nothing like this.’
‘You’ll be all right. I’ll teach you how to measure out the energy you use so you don’t drain yourself, but now I have to get you out of here.’
No sooner does he say this than a troop of masked soldiers wearing all-black armour that even covers their eyes flies into the entrance. Incredibly, they’re bigger, taller, clearly superior to all the other dark angels here, including the unit controlling our exit to the Crossing. There are so many of them in such a tight formation that they block out almost all the light behind them. Their leader looks around, sees what he’s after and orders his soldiers to move. They do so with terrifying speed. My heart races as the twenty or so massive angels head straight for us.
‘Dark Thrones!’ Nathaneal shouts, throwing me behind him. In one lightning move he discharges his four wings, covering me with them, and generates his protective shield. ‘Michael! Isaac!’
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