Page 9 of Wings of Death

I had hoped they would choose me as your second. This is going to be fun.

My eyes grow wide as his voice fills my mind. An unwanted perk of our guardian and second bond. My stomach knots at his words, which I know hold only ill intent.

My father sends us back to our tables as the ceremony continues. Astelle is next, before the first twenty angels fill the stage to find their human within the sacred golden fountain. I sit in silence, in total shock at what has just happened. Of all the angels to be chosen for my second, they gave me the one I despise the most.

Demetros squeezes my hand, and I’m thankful to have him here. He knows how I feel about Finlay, and he understands how I’m feeling at this very moment. I reluctantly turn in my seat, and Finlay is watching me, the same smirk on his lips. His two sidekicks next to him are laughing as they look over at me.I swivel back around and wipe my unshed tears away before anyone notices.

It will be okay. I can get through this, I tell myself.

I breathe in the fresh air, trying to calm my nerves.It’s going to be okay,I tell myself repeatedly. I won’t have to see him that much. He will just take over for me on Earth when needed. But the thought of him watching over Kyle makes me wild. I curl my fists at my sides, squeezing my eyes shut. We won’t have to spend much time together. Even so, the thought of working with Finlay bothers me. I don’t trust him, and at the academy, they taught us that trust is essential in the guardian and second bond.

I release my wings and lift into the sky. I need to get away, just for a bit. To stay close to the ceremony, I fly up onto the castle roof. This is one of my favourite places to escape. It has been my special place since I was young. Lacinda, Demetros, and I would always hide away up here, watching the city lights of the Kingdom. It gave me peace when I needed it the most.

I hear a soft thud behind me and jump, spinning to meet a pair of familiar amethyst eyes. I’m surprised I didn’t sense him through our bond.

“I saw you slip out and thought I would come and check on you. That’s the job of a second, right?”

Finlay’s words are harsh, and I can feel his annoyance through our bond. A fun perk of the bond is to be connected to one another, to sense if the other is in danger, to communicate through our minds. But with Finlay, this connection feels much more like a burden than a perk.

“Now that’s a bit far, don’t you think? I’m hardly a burden.” His silver wings disappear into his back, and he takes several steps toward me.

Instinctively, I move back. I’m close to the edge of the roof now.

His eyes light up. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of me.”

I lift my chin, holding my ground. I won’t allow him the satisfaction of knowing how he makes me feel. At least not willingly, anyway. “Absolutely not.”

He smirks, stepping closer still. “Good, because we’re supposed to trust one another, remember?”

I remain silent.

“You know,” he says, brushing his fingers against my arm, “there’s this angel law, one I have always liked. Can you guess which one it is?”

My body tenses at his words, my skin prickling beneath his touch. I know what he’s doing, and I know exactly what law he is referring to. I yank my arm away from him, unable to stand it any longer.

He bites his bottom lip as it twists up at the side. “No? Let me enlighten you. If a male angel presents himself to a female, she is to accept him.”

I squeeze my eyes closed, disgust forming in the pit of my stomach. It is a law, one I can hardly believe still exists. One my father hasn’t bothered to remove. One day, when I become the ruler of this Kingdom, it will be the first thing I will change.

“Well then, I had better make the most of it while I can.” He moves quickly, his lips crashing into mine. His hand knots in my hair, and he harshly presses himself into me.

I can barely move. He has me pinned against the stone. He slips his hand into my robes and traces the edge of my breast. I instinctively push him away, and he stumbles back, his eyes wild with rage.

“Are you going to break the law now, Zarla?”

“Do not touch me again,” I warn him. “You are my second. That is all. You do not get to touch me.”

It probably isn’t smart on my part to anger him further, but I won’t stand here and let him use this ancient law that no other decent angel in this Kingdom would dare to use. Before I have a chance to duck, he smacks me across the face, and I stumble, losing my footing and twist my ankle on the way down.

“You disgust me,” I say as I get to my feet and release my wings, then I lift into the air.

Finlay grips my sore ankle, and I cry out as he pulls me back down and pins my chest up against the cool, rough stone.

“Let me go!”

He ignores me and presses up against my back until the stone cuts into my cheek.

“You think you’re better than me?” he says, his breath hot against my ear. “What, because your daddy rules the Kingdom? I may not be a guardian, but that doesn’t mean I’m not stronger than you.Betterthan you. Don’t forget who my father is. I am sure he wouldloveto hear how the King’s daughter is breaking angel law.”

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