Page 138 of Wings of Betrayal

“He has her in a room back there,” she explains, pointing down a corridor. “There are watchers everywhere. I doubt we’ll get any closer. I don’t know how else we’re going to get in there other than to fight our way inside.”

Nilo steps forward. “How about a distraction?”

It hits me, then. Maybe I can open a portal somewhere and send all the watchers through it somehow. I relay my idea to the others, and they all seem to think it’s great, so we carry on until we’re almost there.

We peek around the corner down the corridor, and Lacinda explains where the room is. There are a good ten watchers outside the doors and dotted along the corridor.

“If you open a portal near them, we can fight them and throw them through it,” Kyle explains. “We will do our best to get them all through it. When I tell you to, you close it. Okay?”

“Okay,” I say. “I think I can do it.”

Kyle presses a kiss to my lips. “Start working on it now. Nilo, Zed, you both guard Zarla. The rest of us will fight. Zarla, get it open fast.”

I nod.You can do this, Zarla. No big deal. Open a portal to the Realm of Lost Souls. See how they like it trapped in there.

The others jog around the corner, and the watchers yell out to them, followed by all kinds of commotion.

I dig deep for my ability and bring it to the surface once more, although this time, it feels much easier. I open a portal down the corridor outside the room with ease, then open my eyes to catch the others tossing watchers through it. It’s working. I manage to maintain my hold on the portal as I head down the corridor toward the others.

Nilo grabs my arm. “Zarla, wait here. We can’t risk the portal closing.”

I shake him off. “Nilo, I’ve got it. Trust me. We have to help them. Come on.”

He sucks in a breath as if to argue further but then jogs with me to help the others. Several watchers rush at us, and I slide down onto my knees, yanking my daggers out and slicing them across one watcher’s legs. The watcher grunts and falls, giving me a chance to leap on top of him and stab him in the neck. Blood oozes from the wound, and I jump to my feet and carry on to the next one.

I land a hard kick to his chest. He stumbles back, right through the portal.

Out of nowhere, a whole bunch of watchers file down the corridor toward us. We’re majorly outnumbered.

My heart leaps into my throat. Oh no. This is bad.

I turn to look for Kyle, but someone grabs me from behind. I struggle against the watcher’s hold then elbow him in the nose. He releases me just as another watcher comes at me. I slam my palm into his neck then land a kick to his chest, sending him flying into the wall.

I glance around for Kyle again, but the corridor has erupted into absolute chaos. I can’t see him anywhere. I blast my powers at several watchers heading my way and flip them on their asses.

“Restrain her!” one of them shouts.

Nope, not happening. I take down several more watchers before I finally spot Kyle. He takes out a few more watchers and then hurries to my side. They have the rest of our team restrained. I’m about to attack when a bunch of watchers form a line in front of my friends, blocking our path.

Kyle growls in frustration.

“That’s enough,” a watcher shouts. “Zalore has your sister, as you well know. If you don’t hand yourself over, he’s going to kill her and then kill all of your friends.”

“Zarla, run,” Kyle whispers.

I shake my head.

The watcher takes a step toward me. “If you come willingly, he has agreed to let them all go. He only wants you.”

I frown, my mind reeling as I try to decide what the heck to do. I’m not going to abandon my friends or my sister. I know that much.

I slide my daggers into my holsters and raise my hands in the air. “Okay, I’ll go.”

“Zarla, no! It’s a trap!” Kyle says, grabbing my hand to haul me back.

I gently cup his cheek. “I’ll be okay, I promise. I have to do this. I don’t have a choice. I won’t allow anyone else to get hurt.”

His gaze bores into mine. “Zarla, no. Let’s fight them. I’m not letting him have you!”

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