Page 328 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

It was the same voice that had just spoken to me and welcomed me into the Consciousness—some type of connection among angels.

It had found a way to speak to me even before I’d earned my wings.

It had guided me.

To this exact moment.

I’d assumed, since I was depressed and fearful, that “one” referred to me and “other” was a metaphor for Sadie embracing her powers.

Now it was obvious.

I was the other.

It was all predetermined: I’d been broken, I knew three heinous kings, a piece of me had died in the competitions, and I had wings.

Free will was a lie.

I snapped back into the moment.

My brain had processed everything in 0.2 seconds, but I was still free-falling.

I screamed as my body twitched from the force of the change that had ripped through me.

There was no time left and no miracles to be had.

I was back at square one, with the problem I’d always had at the academy. Knowing wasn’t the same as doing.

No one was coming to save us.

No god would stop this fall.

Understanding everything didn’t change the reality that Jinx was plummeting toward death and no god was going to step in and save Jinx from her fate.

There was only me.

Doom was a few seconds away.

Gritting my teeth, I tensed and flexed every muscle in my body. Sweat poured down my face as I tilted my shoulders to the side and spread cartilage wide.

Bones clicked and jarred together. Wings fanned behind me and caught against the wind.

We banked rapidly to the left.

Spiraled sideways toward a post.

I barely had time to shift Jinx in front of me before my back slammed against wood and crystal feathers clattered.

The wind exploded from my lungs, and Jinx tumbled backward out of my hands. She fell limply through the open air.

Paralyzed with outstretched arms, I could do nothing but watch.

As she fell.

For a long, horrible moment, my momentum kept me pinned to the post as Jinx disappeared out of view. Then I tipped forward and plummeted face-first after her.

It was a short fall.

I face-planted, and my nose exploded beneath me.

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