Page 57 of Light Magic

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In the end, Erin asked to meet to talk. “It’s important,” she insisted.

I had to ask the sisters where their portals could take me, so I could agree on a location with Erin, but Abbie said they could open a portal and bring Erin here instead.

“Are you sure?” I mouthed.

She nodded.

I explained to Erin about the portal. Abbie said she just needed a picture of the place. Erin snapped a picture of Rey’s office at the Blackthorn Hunters Academy, and then Abbie effortlessly opened a portal.

Erin and Rey stepped into the library and the first five minutes was of them gawking at the place, in awe. In the next five minutes, I explained to them what I was doing there and what was going to happen next.

“It sounds promising,” Rey said. He was a half demon, son of one of the Princes of the Underworld, and current headmaster of the Blackthorn Hunters Academy. He was tall with dark brown hair and gray eyes.

“It sure does,” Erin said. “I’m glad it’s working out.”

Erin was one of the best demon hunters out there, and the daughter of the previous king of the underworld. She could have ruled the underworld, but she had passed the baton to her half brother, Tanner, and half sister, Jasmin. She formed a beautiful pair with Rey, with her long black hair and golden eyes. I had heard both of them shared what was called a Soul Bond, a type of bond certain demon hunters shared with one another, and it was like a fated mate bond.

I gestured to the chairs around one of the less crowded tables. “Please, sit.”

Rey and Erin sat down side by side, and I took the chair across from them. Abbie, Maggie, and Lacey remained at the other table, reading their books.

“All right, I’m getting straight to the point,” Erin said. “The angels came to see us.”

I almost fell off my chair. “What? Who? Why?”

“It was three archangels,” Rey said. “Rhodes, Sariel, and Arien. They wanted to talk about our roles in fighting evil in the world.”

I frowned. “Against evil supernaturals?”

“I think they meant all evil, even humans,” Erin said.

I inhaled deeply. “And?”

“That was the extent of the conversation,” Erin said. “They formally invited us to a summit. All of their best guardians will attend and they wanted us to bring our best hunters.”

“According to Archangel Rhodes, angels have stepped back to allow demon hunters to do most of their work and they believe we've done a poor job of it,” Rey said, annoyed about that. “Now that there are more demons roaming the Earth, they want to be more active.”

“Basically, they want to discuss our roles and decide how to proceed in the future,” Erin said.

I shook my head. “This doesn’t feel right.”

Erin nodded. “I know, that’s why I wanted to talk to you.”

“Do you know these archangels?” Rey asked.

“Yes,” I said. “Rhodes is the one who betrayed us. He’s the one who was leading the mission when he joined forces with a higher demon and killed all of my friends.” I gulped. “I was the only survivor, and since then, he has been after me to silence me.”

“That’s what the reward is about,” Erin said, her voice low, shocked.

I nodded. “I have no idea what’s going on in Elysium right now. I don’t think any outsider knows, but it can’t be good. Inviting you to a summit to discuss your roles feels like a trap.”

Rey’s hands clenched into fists. “You think he’ll attack us.”

“I think that he'd set a trap to lure you in,” I said.

Erin flinched. “That sounds extreme for an angel.”

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