Page 135 of Wings of Betrayal

He gestures for me to stand, so I do. “How? What makes you so special?”

I shuffle nervously from one foot to the other. “As I mentioned, I possess the power to open and close portals.”

He eyes me for a while, causing unease to grow inside me, enough that I don’t meet his gaze.

“Are you sure you can stop this?” he asks.

“Yes, I can. But I need that orb,” I say, gesturing to the blue orb. “Those weapons belong to Alaron, The God of Death, as you know.”

He tilts the weapon down toward me, and I fear he’s going to use it to end me.

“Take it,” he says.

I gasp. Is this some kind of trick? Why is he so willing to give it to me?

“Take it,” he insists, holding it out farther.

I swallow the lump in my throat, reach up, and grab hold of the blue orb, pulling it from his staff. Just like the last time, itspower surges through my body, deep into every cell within me, becoming my own.

He nods in approval, and I slip the orb into my other cloak pocket, nervous at how absorbing all this extra power will affect me.

“I will call off my lost ones and allow you to leave, if you agree to help us.”

It can’t bethatsimple. Why is he putting so much trust in me?

“Why do you trust me so easily?”

He grumbles. “Because, I can sense you do not wish for war just as much as I do not.”

“I will stop this,” I say. “Mark my words. I will end this war before it has even begun.”

The leader closes his eyes, and all of the lost ones close their eyes too, as if in some kind of trance…or as if they’re listening. He’s communicating with them. All of them.

He reopens his eyes and focuses on me. “You are safe to leave. End this madness, or I will take my lost ones with me into the Kingdoms and end it myself.”

Swallowing hard, the weight of his words settles on my shoulders. It’s on me now.

I must stop this war, or all the angel Kingdoms will fall.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The leader was right. I walk right out the main doors, passing many lost ones on my way back into the streets, and not a single one of them tries to stop me or attack me.

It makes me question everything I know about them.

I search for an open portal to get out of here, but there aren’t any, so I try to open one myself. I close my eyes, taking deep breaths as I reach for my ability. It idles deep within me, that same cooling sensation, and I will it to the surface.

The scar on my back tingles, but I ignore the feeling and attempt to open a portal back into Galespo. Concentrating more than I ever have before, I know it’s working. I can feel it, and it’s even easier than it was the last time. It feels as if absorbing the power from the two orbs has supercharged my ability somehow.

I slowly open my eyes and see it. I’m not entirely sure which part of Galespo this portal will take me to, but it doesn’t matter. Anywhere but here will do. I step through the portal, closing it quickly behind me.

I glance around and realise I am in Zalore’s castle. Thank the gods for that. I seem to be back in the tunnels. I sense Kyle, and he soon appears up ahead. He rushes toward me and pulls meinto his arms, and I breathe in his cinnamon scent, immediately relaxing my nerves. I peek over his shoulder to see the others.

And then I see Em.

She stares at me with wide eyes. I let go of Kyle, storm toward her, and punch her hard in the face. She stumbles back, grabbing her nose.

“She tried to kill me!” I shout.

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