Page 62 of Forging Darkness

Sterling shoots me a wink, and there’s a low growl behind me.

“Steel’s getting a little territorial,” Greyson says by way of an explanation.

“Ohhhhh. You should have phased earlier today like we said and released some of that tension, dude.”

“Shut it. This is serious, and we’re wasting time. Emberly.” Steel gently pulls me to his side and away from his brothers. “We need to know as much as you can tell us about where you are. You mentioned Canada. Do you know which province you’re in? What is the terrain like? Even the temperature will help us.”

“Right.” Bringing my hands to my face, I rub circles on my temples with my fingertips. How can a headache possibly be brewing? Whether I’ve brought my friends here or not, this is still technically a dream. I shouldn’t be suffering through a migraine in my subconscious.

I do my best to recount as many details as possible. Quebec, the mountains, the spectrum world—anything I can think of that might be of interest. When I pause to take a full breath, the only thing I haven’t told them about is Thorne. I open my mouth to speak, but then close it again, steeped in indecision I don’t entirely understand.

“There’s something else,” Ash says as her eyes study my face.

I force the words out. “There’s somebody here. Another angel-born like me.”

I remember Aurora’s words from several months ago about there being someone out there “like me.” Could she have meant Thorne? And if so, how would she have known about him? That little girl is chock-full of secrets.

“What do you mean?” Ash tips her head ever so slightly, the way she always does when she’s trying to work something out. “Like you how?”

I rub at a spot on my neck at the base of my skull. The tension headache has worsened. “Thorne. He claims to also be a seraph angel-born. But he . . .” Are they even going to believe what I’m going to say next? I’m still having trouble believing it myself, and I saw it happen with my own eyes. “He seems to be in control of the Fallen and Forsaken—at least the ones at the fortress. Like he’s their leader or ruler.”

Greyson and Sterling share a look, their faces mirrors of skepticism. Ash lets out a little yip of surprise. Nova’s expression doesn’t change, but I think she’s stopped breathing. I don’t look at Steel, but I can feel tension rolling off him in waves.

“Is that even . . . possible?” Ash directs her question at the group.

“It’s not anything we’ve ever heard of before, but neither was Emberly’s existence, yet here she is. It’s improbable considering all we know about the Nephilim’s history with Fallen and Forsaken, but I suppose it’s not impossible.” Steel’s response is more balanced than I expect. “But if this leader is like Emberly, he’s going to be more difficult to kill than maybe even a Fallen or Forsaken.”

A boulder presses against my chest at Steel’s words, making it hard to breathe.

“No.” The breathy word is past my lips before I even decide to speak.

Darkness starts to churn in Steel’s eyes. His pupils expand, shrinking the ring of teal around them.

“If he leads the Fallen and Forsaken, he’s already marked for death,” he growls, some of his inner beast floating to the surface. “Besides ordering your kidnapping, how many people do you think have died on his orders? Countless, most likely.”

“We don’t know that. I just . . .” I peter off.

Steel’s not wrong, but I have an uncomfortable instinct to protect Thorne. “What if he’s the only other one of my kind?”

“We’re your kind.”

Are they? Are they really?

I glance over the five of them—all their dark hair and light eyes. They were raised in loving families and supportive Neph communities, secure in the knowledge of who—or at leastwhat—they were from birth.

None of them gets it. None of them understands.

“He said he could teach me about my powers. That’s something no one has truly been able to do since I arrived at Seraph Academy. Not really. But it’s more than that. What if he knows something about where I’m from? I’d be a fool to pass up this opportunity.”

Steel’s body is tense. His shoulders hunch to practically his ears as he leans forward. “So what are you really asking of us? You want us to leave you there? Or maybe we should rescue you, kill all the Fallen and Forsaken but leave him alive so he can tutor you in the secret art of seraph powers?”

Steel’s words drip with sarcasm and my hackles rise.

“I’m just saying that I’m not comfortable putting him on the To Be Assassinated list quite yet,” I say with cold determination.

It’s quiet for several heartbeats as Steel and I face off. Ash’s quiet voice finally breaks the silence. “But at what cost, Em? Is that knowledge really worth your life? Is it worth the life of another angel-born or human down the line? Because sometimes that’s the trade-off when you hesitate to take down an enemy.”

I stuff my conflicted feelings about Thorne into a hidden spot inside. I haven’t worked through anything myself, so arguing about this is pointless.

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