Page 60 of Wings of Betrayal

He meets my gaze and smiles. “The way the academy operated in the past has always been in the best interests ofthe Kingdom. But yes, it does. We need all angels to fight and protect not only their human, but their Kingdom. That was never something we prepared them for. It was always in respect to their human on Earth.”

We both look back out at the students.

“Do you think we’re prepared for a large attack?” I ask.

“We have to be.”

I don’t miss the doubt in his words, and it concerns me. He has always been optimistic and confident about everything, especially things as important as this. His doubt feeds the worry growing inside me like the wild vines on the castle’s exterior walls.

He moves in closer and whispers in my ear, “There’s a female in the city worth visiting. She holds information about the lost ones. She was around when they last entered the Kingdom and were seen on Earth.”

He subtly hands me a small note, and I slip it into my pocket.

“Weren’t you around, too?” I ask.

He chuckles. “I was. But I do not have the…special abilities that she has.”

I leave the arena and fish out the piece of paper from my pocket. It’s an address, and I know where it is. I shove it back into my pocket and spot my two shadows staring at me.

Shoot. I’m going to have to lose them if I’m going to do this.

Zarla, what are you up to now? I can sense you’re up to no good,Finlay says.

Watching the two guards, I slip into the female changing rooms, knowing they won’t be able to enter, and then look for an escape route.

The Master told me about a woman in the city who has information about the lost ones. I’m going to see her.

Then I’m coming with you.

No, you’re not. It could be dangerous, and I don’t want you getting into trouble.

Windows line the back wall, and I should be able to squeeze out of one. Perfect.

That’s literally the exact reason I should come with you,he replies.

I push one window open, climb out of it, and land with a soft thud on the grass behind the building. Not wanting to risk them spotting me in the sky, I make a run for the forest.

Finlay, trust me on this. I can handle myself. The Master wouldn’t put me in danger.

His frustrated grunt sounds in my mind, and I can’t help but smile. I do enjoy winding him up.

Fine, then. But you had better keep me updated.

I will, I promise.

Once I’m in the forest, I look back to see if they’ve followed me. Luckily, they haven’t. They probably haven’t even noticed I’m gone. Oh, sweet victory.

I run for about five minutes and then take to the sky once I know I’m in the clear. The city isn’t far from here. I can see it in the distance, and it’s much larger than the one in Zarquon. The charcoal rooftops and grey stone buildings fit with their surroundings. The jaw-dropping mountains frame the skyline, and a crystal-clear blue river cuts through the landscape and snakes around the city in a mesmerizing way.

I land on the outskirts on the west side and pull my hood over my head. The last thing I need is for someone to recognise me and then report back to Harlum, or worse, Amaros. I’m sure by now my two creepy followers have reported back to him, and he’s probably already scouring the Kingdom looking for me.

It’s late in the afternoon now, and the sun is making its descent behind the mountains, casting shadows over the city.

I glance down at my mother’s ring and run my finger over the red diamond. It comforts me, knowing it will alert me if danger is near. An ominous feeling presses around this part of the city, and the derelict state of these buildings does nothing to ease my anxiety. Teachers at the academy taught us to avoid this area, and so growing up, the only time we ventured here was on a dare.

It’s where the unsociable and unfavorable angels live, undertaking their dodgy dealings with one another. It’s a bad idea to be caught in these parts and give other angels something to gossip about.

A bang sounds nearby. I shuffle against a nearby building and flatten my back against it before scanning the streets to ensure there’s no danger. I don’t spot anything suspicious, and my ring isn’t glowing red, so it mustn’t be anything sinister. To me, at least.

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