Page 105 of Wings of Death

Shortly after, Em leaves the table as well. An unsettling feeling grows in the pit of my stomach, and I sense something is seriously off. After about five minutes, I leave the table to find Kyle and make sure everything’s all right. I exit the feast room and head down the corridor toward the bathrooms.

I hear giggling and spot Em and Kyle. Em has her hand on his chest and is laughing at something. Time practically slows as I watch her wrap her hands around his neck and kiss him.

My heart drops, and I immediately run back down the corridor and out of the castle while tears sting my eyes. Kyle calls my name from somewhere behind, but before he catches up, a messenger angel from my Kingdom lands before me flanked by two Zarquon guards, and I scuttle to a halt.

From the look on his face, something is seriously wrong.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Istare into the eyes of the messenger angel who looks incredibly anxious as his gaze darts between the guards, Kyle, and me. He appears young, maybe a few years older than I. His deep-brown hair is shaved at the sides and styled neatly in waves on the top of his head.

There’s something about him I trust, and I think it’s the kindness I find in his eyes.

“You may relay your message,” one of the guards instructs.

“Zarla Quinn?” he says with an unsteady voice. “I have a message from Silanthia. Your father is gravely ill, and you have been summoned to return to the Kingdom.”

I blink away the last of my tears and wipe my cheeks. “What?”

He gives me a tight-lipped smile. “I know it’s difficult news to receive. But the King is unwell. You must return to Silanthia at once.”

Kyle is at my side in an instant. “I don’t trust this, Zarla. It’s a trap. Please don’t go.”

I turn back to the messenger angel while I comprehend the situation.

“I’ll wait at the border to escort you back. A reminder that this is not a request. It is a direct order from your King.” He spreads his white wings out wide and takes off up into the air with the two guards close behind, and they disappear into the darkness.

I face Kyle as my concern and confusion morphs into anger. “How dare you! How dare you kiss her and then tell me what to do.”

His brows knit together as he stares into my eyes and grabs my upper arms. “I didn’t kiss her back, Zarla, I swear. You didn’t see me push her away.”

My lip quivers while I try to hold it together, unsuccessfully. Tears fall down my cheeks as I back up from him, and his hands drop away.

“Zarla, please,” he begs, his eyes glistening in the dim light. “I would never do anything to hurt you.”

I know deep inside that he’s telling me the truth, but I can’t shake the fury boiling inside me. There’s movement behind Kyle, and I spot Em hovering near the entrance to the castle, leaning up against the stone pillar with her arms crossed, her expression smug as if she’s won something.

And then I lose it. My wings spring free, and I swoop up and then land right in front of her. Her smug expression quickly evaporates as she backs up.

I glare at her with my fists clenched at my sides.

“Zarla,” Kyle calls out from behind me.

I ignore him, unable to peel my eyes off her.

She holds her head high. “Kyle is mine,” she says with a hushed, level voice I know he won’t hear. “He just doesn’t know it yet, but he will. I’m going to show him you’re not good enough for a descendant of the gods.”

I frown at her words. What is she talking about?

Em laughs. “See? He doesn’t even tell you the most important parts about himself. But he tellsmeeverything.”

I risk a glance behind me to see Kyle spread his wings out and swoop toward us.

“You and your Kingdom nearly got him killed. You’re a danger to him, and he doesn’t deserve it,” she says as Kyle lands next to me.

“He’s lost years of his life being stuck down on Earth because of you. Howdareyou come intomyKingdom and expect everything to be okay. That you can just be with Kyle now, after all the pain you’ve caused him.”

“Shut it, Em,” he warns her.

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