Page 21 of Living Legend

I should have given this to someone, but I didn’t.Shit.

She brought it with her for protection, no doubt. I would have done the same, if I was being honest. She hadn’t asked about it and I’d forgotten about it until now. It didn’t feel evil or dark. It felt like a normal weapon, but I knew it was forged in darkness.

It wasmadefor her.

The closer I looked at it, the more I kept it in my palm. It released puffs of dark smoke, disappearing around my hand. I could have sworn I heard it whisper something, and I tilted my head down, trying to hear.

Three quick knocks on my door had me dropping the dagger with a clang. I rapidly picked it up and threw it back into my drawer, slamming it shut.

“Yeah?” I answered, realizing I was out of breath.Shit. Shit. Shit.

“You are wanted on the tenth floor.” Whoever it was spoke quickly, and I heard their footsteps retreat almost immediately. The tenth floor was Jonah’s floor.

The elevator ticked up as I leaned against the wall. Our rooms were on the second floor, so I’d crowded into the elevator with other angels and waited. A few of them noticed the tenth was illuminated, but they didn’t say anything. It wasn’t something you saw every day. Eventually, I was alone with my thoughts, one floor to go and my nerves setting in.

I didn’t know what he wanted. Did he want answers? Would he approve of my information? I was startled out of my self-doubt by the elevator chime.

The doors slid open, revealing a dimly lit hallway. I stepped out to see marble walls, and the smell of forest trees filled my nostrils. A narrow gold carpet with emerald leaves extended down the hall. Everyone knew his office doors were tall, oak behemoths in the very middle of the hall, so I began walking. I passed open doors, each with name plates. Ariel and Markus’ offices were here as well, nowhere near as large as Jonah’s. I made it a point to observe a few of the paintings on the walls. Executives that came before him stood proudly in a few portraits, while others were classic moments in our history.

I knew it was coming up on my right. I could fucking feel it. Jonah suppressed the power he had when in meetings, but I could feel it now. This was his domain. As much as he shared this floor with the others, all you could feel was him.

I swallowed hard, a knot going down my throat.

I stopped my hand from shaking so I could wrap my fingers around the winged door knocker. I slammed it against the door, a loud knocking sound echoing through the hall as I stepped back.

The creaking came before the sound of a lock. I let my eyes dart around the door, trying to pinpoint where the sounds were coming from. The door slowly opened inward, a small crack in the middle, growing wider and wider with every moment. I felt my feet move as I walked towards the opening doors, revealing a large room with a man with a smile on his face.

Jonah.

“Please, Nicholas, do come in.” He motioned with his hand for me to step into the room, one silver ring on each finger.

I nodded tightly and made my way past the doors, instantly feeling the temperature change. The hallway had a cool breeze to it, but here it felt warm, like the perfect summer day. Jonah flicked his wrist towards him, closing the doors behind me. He didn’t wear the traditional executive attire today, no variation of teal or blue. Instead, he wore a simple, long sleeve button down, crisp and white, with long black pants, the amethyst gem that I used to portal us to Oculus around his neck. He turned away from me to one of the bookshelves that encompassed the room.

The shelves weren’t high, but they were wide, one wall nothing but red oak. I spun around slowly to take in the white stone walls and chandeliers forming a triangle on the ceiling. A square rug with feathered tassels covered the middle of the room, a large fireplace and a bar cart decorating it. Jonah’s desk was near the back, covered in papers and manuscripts.

“Have a seat, please. You don’t have to stand,” Jonah insisted, patting one of the armchairs across from his desk. I ran the tips of my fingers along the velvet before I took a seat.

Jonah placed his hands under his chin as he sat down. “You have news to report?”

I shifted in my seat, suddenly uncomfortable. “I’m afraid we may not have gotten the answers you were hoping to find.”

One side of his lip pulled up in a half smile. “So, you met Natalia?”

“Yes. She told us you knew of each other.”

Jonah leaned back in his chair, letting his power simmer. “I knew her mother. When she died, I made a visit to the new leader.”

“If you know them so well, why didn’t you go yourself?” I was putting myself on thin ice with my tone.

“I couldn’t. I have duties here. I may have good ties with Oculus, but they are still on our lands in our realm, as much as they would like to remain in the shadows. Therefore, they are still in my jurisdiction. I have to show I have the means to get my questions answered.”

“So, you already knew Natalia had nothing to do with it? The escaping demon, I mean.”

Jonah lifted his eyes and tilted his head, mulling over my question. “Yes and no. I have good reason to assume she did not betray me, but you must always be prepared for surprises.” He gave me an inquisitive look. “You seemed to have made it back in one piece. I presume our guests were helpful?”

I nodded tersely. “Dani…well, she’s a lot to take in.”

Jonah’s eyes seemed to widen. “Purgatory is no joke, Nicholas. It becomes a mindset to those who remain there too long.”

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