Page 53 of Wings of Death

Another tear spills down my cheek. It isn’t fair. None of this is. “I wish I could remember you.”

He slides me out of his lap and gently guides my hands into the cool water. “Here, try it.”

It’s a good idea. Maybe it will work for me, too, if it worked for him. I wait as the water ripples around my hands, but no images appear. I swirl my hands around, but there’s no change as I stare impatiently into the water.

“It’s not fair. Why won’t it work for me?” I question, as if Kyle has all the answers.

His eyes hold the disappointment I feel. “I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out,” he says. “She did this to me. Hethenos took my memories and my wings, then threw me down to Earth. I was only thirteen years old. All because I overheard her cruelty.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you. You didn’t deserve that.” A weak smile curls at my lips.

I’m happy for Kyle, and I’m thankful that this actually worked for him. But I can’t help the sadness and disappointment I feel, knowing my father is married to a monster who took everything from me. From us both.

Kyle runs the back of his fingers along my cheek. “I remember you so clearly, how beautiful I thought you were, this little blonde girl with the greenest eyes I had ever seen. I longed to see you every day, and I would come here through a gateway in the Dark Forest, and we would play together, building huts.”

I throw myself into his arms as tears continue to fall, and we hold each other for a long while.

“I’m so glad I found you again,” he whispers into my hair and then presses a kiss to the top of my head. “It was fate.”

As the words leave his lips, I know he’s right. I can feel it deep inside in every cell in my body. It was fate.

Voices sound in the near distance, and I pull back.

“Someone’s coming,” I tell him, wiping my tear-stained cheeks. “I have an idea.”

I extend my veil over us both, thankful that it works. “Come on. Let’s go. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

He presses a kiss to my cheek, and we wrap our arms around one another as I take off up into the air and fly us back to my quarters. We land on my balcony, the easiest and quickest way in, and hurry inside. The veil releases at my will, and we stand, staring at one another, totally and utterly mesmerised, before Kyle takes my hands in his.

“I know this is hard for you, but I want you to understand that I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get through this together, I promise.”

His words seep in, and I can sense how serious he is. My heart warms knowing I have him here with me, someone I have grown to trust more than anyone. It’s a strange thought, how two angels from enemy Kingdoms can grow so close in such a short space of time, despite all attempts to tear us apart. I can’t wait to get my memories back, to remember him.

Suddenly my mother’s journal jumps to the forefront of my mind as I remember I haven’t yet read it. I race to my bed and reach under the mattress, but it’s not there. Panic floods through me as I frantically search for it, trying farther up the bed, and around the other side, but it’s not there.

“What is it?” Kyle asks once I sit on the edge of the bed.

This is bad.

“It’s gone. My mother’s journal… Someone’s taken it.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“No, no, no.” I thump my fist onto the bed and sink down to the floor as tears sting my eyes.

Kyle is at my side in an instant and rubs my back while I discreetly brush the tears away. That journal could have had invaluable information about the weapons of the gods, or insights into who could be behind everything going on right now with the watchers.

“I don’t know what to do. I need that journal.” I meet Kyle’s eyes, and he caresses my cheek.

“It’ll be okay. We’ll figure it out.”

As I stare into his eyes, I feel a deeper connection with him than my memories seem to allow. I wish I remembered him the way he does me. The connection we have is clear. I can feel it deep inside me as strongly as I can read it in his perfect features.

“You’re the strongest female I have ever met. There’s this determination about you I’ve never seen before, and I remember it now from when we were young. You can do anything you put your mind to, Zarla. I know it.” His eyes search mine as I move closer to him, and then the door opens.

In the split second I have, I put my veil up, shielding us both as Amaros steps into my quarters. Kyle stares at him, hisforehead creasing, and I hold my finger to my lips. We can’t risk being heard right now, no matter how secure the veil is.

Amaros glances around the room, and his gaze settle on us. It’s as if he’s staring right at me. He takes a step forward, and I all but hold my breath, but after a moment, he leaves. I wait a while to be sure he’s gone before I lower the veil.

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