Page 41 of Wings of Death

I am met with silence, which stretches on for far too long.

Finlay?

They called me back to the Kingdom and forced me to ingest something that prevented me from mind linking with you. I had no choice. I’m sorry.

How long ago was this?I ask, fearing the answer.

I’m not sure, a few hours maybe. My minds a bit hazy.

A few hours? Gods above, anything could have happened to Kyle in that time. But I haven’t sensed him in danger, which is a relief. I soar down to Earth, to Kyle, as my mind runs like crazy, imagining why Finlay was called back to Silanthia, and why this keeps happening. Someone’s trying to get Kyle alone and unguarded on purpose.

I’m nearly there. He’s not in danger. I would know it. One of us needs to be with him at all times, and I can’t believe they don’t understand that. Father has allowed me to return to guardian over Kyle, so I won’t leave him unguarded again.

I’m met with silence before he finally responds.Zarla,I’m sorry. I really am.

I don’t bother responding. I believe him, but it still bothers me he would leave him unguarded again. Did he even question the order? Or ask if someone could let me know so I could go back to Earth and guard him? Something tells me that no, he didn’t.

A sick feeling twists my stomach as I wonder if it was all a plan to get Kyle alone.

Kyle’s house comes into view below, and I put my veil in place, not wanting a repeat of the last time, and land softy in the yard. I suck in a sharp breath and stare wide-eyed at Kyle, who is standing at the edge of the yard, blasting power out into the field, which illuminates the darkness in magical bursts of light. He lifts a tree from the ground as if it weighs nothing, raises it high into the air, and rips it in two before sending both halves shooting across the field. They land with a loud crack.

“I know you’re here. I can feel it,” he says into the night air, and then he creates a ball of dark, smoke-like power in his hands and blasts it across the field.

How is this possible? I walk forward and stop twenty feet away from him as I lower my veil. His focus shifts to me, and we stare at one another for some time.

“Hi, Kyle,” I whisper, unsure of what else to say. His name rolls off my tongue, as if I have spoken it thousands of times before.

He yields his power, which I am still confused about, moves closer, and stops before me.

“I wasn’t sure if you would come back,” he states, his eyes searching mine.

My heart aches at his words, feeling the sadness laced amongst them. I should never have left him the way I did. Finlay showing up gave me little choice, though. If he found out I didn’t use my veil around Kyle, he would tell his father. And The Throne would get involved, and that would be it.

“I will never abandon you. I promised I would return,” I firmly say.

His gaze shifts out to the field where he was using his powers. Powers I am still unsure how he has. The silence stretches on, but I wait. He needs time.

“Am I like you?” he finally asks, turning to face me. “An angel?”

My brows knit together. Is that what he is? It makes no sense.

“I’m not sure. I don’t understand how it’s possible. The gods bonded me to you. To guardian over you. Why would the gods do such a thing if you weren’t even human?”

He shakes his head and shuffles from one foot to the other. “I don’t understand what that means.”

“Sorry,” I say. “It’s just… It makes no sense. But you’re clearly not human. You have powers much like my own. How long have you had them?”

He flicks his gaze up to the stars before settling it back on me. “Ever since I was young, I always felt different. When I was thirteen, I woke up in a field in the middle of nowhere with no idea who I was or where I came from. I have no memories before that. And then tonight, I had this feeling,” he says, touching his chest, “like a deep instinct inside me. I walked out here, and I could feel something building, and then this dark power just blasted out of my hands.”

My lips part as I listen to his story. I have never heard of anything like it. If he is an angel, how did he end up down here on Earth?

There’s a sudden shift in the air, and I turn just as two female angels land in the yard behind us. One is older than the other, and they’re both beautiful. They have the same deep-red hair that hangs down their backs in long waves. The next thing I notice are their black wings. They’re from Zarquon.

Before I have time to react, the younger one blasts me with a ball of dark power that smashes into my chest, sending me flying into the field. I land amongst some tall plants, coughing as pain radiates down my back. I stumble to my feet to see Kyle standing at the edge of the field with his back to me and his hands raised.

“Stay the hell back!” he shouts at the two females.

The older one takes a few steps toward him, and he aims at her, stopping her in her tracks.

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