Page 79 of Living Legend

I looked up, tilting my head slightly at Nicholas’s overtly awkward but unreadable expression. I had a feeling I had the same look all over my face. I dropped my eyes down his body, noticing he was wearing the same clothes from yesterday, aside from a black bomber jacket. His hair looked like he had run his hands through it repeatedly until his scalp hurt. I saw the small speckles of a bruise on his jaw from where I’d punched him. I saw the start of every sentence he wanted to say when he opened his mouth a little, but nothing came out. I didn’t miss the way his eyes ran over me, as if scanning and remembering everything that happened.

“You are the biggest shit for making me do this,” Reese growled, coming up behind me and breaking our eye contact. Nicholas blinked from me rapidly and focused on his best friend.

“I had other things to take care of. Besides, your part is over so you can stop whining.”

“I don’t whine,” Reese argued, motioning for me to follow as they walked down the hall. “I’m not going anywhere, especially when you’re letting her use that…thing.”

I narrowed my eyes as they walked a few paces in front of me.

“How else do you expect this to work, huh? Did you want me to explain a demonic weapon got in and I knew about it this whole time? Also, you knew about it and didn’t say anything when I told you.” Nicholas shot question after question at his friend.

Reese let out a loud huff of irritated defeat. “I get it, okay, fuck. I’m just saying, I’m not leaving you alone with whatever is in that cell, our demon companion, and thatthing.”

“I never knew you cared so much,” Nicholas joked, squeezing Reese’s shoulder.

“I don’t. I’m doing it for your dad, so he won’t say I didn’t try to save you from an untimely death.” Reese pushed his palm against Nicholas’s face, making him step to the side.

I almost—almost—smiled seeing them play around with each other.I tried to check out the situations behind each door we passed, but none of them had windows on them. Sentries passed us here and there, but no one else came into sight. There were nameplates on the doors, all labeled as holding rooms. As we passed one, a loud bang came from the other side, causing the wood to vibrate. My head shot towards the sound, but I made no move to retreat from it.

“The wood is fibered with strong magic from the inside out. Whatever it is, it isn't getting out,” Nicholas noted as he kept walking. He had his head tilted so that he could talk to me without looking at me.

They stopped at yet another steel door with a brass handle, this one with a nameplate that readEthereal Bastille Cells: Authorized Personnel Only. The plate was gold, but rusted. Nicholas began to cast his own magic to open the door, the handle glowing like it was burning.

“What happened to your face?” Reese asked, making room for the door to open.

Nicholas absently reached up to his jaw, letting his fingertips graze the bruise. “Nothing.”

“Nothing? Train too hard or something?” Reese inquired, reaching behind him and grabbing me so I followed them through. “You don’t usually walk away from training with any evidence. I can count on one hand how many times it’s actually happened.”

Nicholas cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck but didn’t say anything.

I tried to hold in my chuckle. The best I could do was keep my mouth closed and let my shoulders move up and down at my internal laughter. That laughterceased the moment I entered the room. The smoke from before didn’t creep around my thighs, staying low to the floor. The room was a big open space with the same gray dull stones, but without an echo as we walked. It was utter silence, as if the prisoners deemed even a fraction of a breath worthy. I started to feel something I hadn’t felt in a long while since being at Heaven’s Gate.

That feeling was pain, so thick I could almost suffocate on it. Suffering followed close behind, and it soothed the heat the pain left along my skin. I knew my dagger was here, and my fingers ached to get to it.

“Is it much farther?” The cuffs started to bite at my wrists as I jostled them in my newfound need to do this job with all the power Reese feared I had.

Reese stopped in the middle of the room. “Nope. Your demonic little friend’s room is right down that hall.” He pointed to the path on my left. I looked past him, further into the area, noticing it went on like this for quite some time, a sentry at every open entrance.

They began to walk down the path, and I kept close behind. The closer we got to the prisoners’ room, the more time seemed to slow down, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself together. I knew a demon was close and I knew it was stubborn. It was in the air; no wonder they’d had a hard time with this one. This demon wasn’t scared or confused or even forthcoming. It was posed and strong. It was a challenge, for lack of a better word. The door came into view, and it wasn’t the same steel as the others. It was all gold, silver bolts around the trimmings, no handle. I cracked my neck, suddenly wanting this more than anything.

I hadn’t heard what the two angels were speaking about before we got to the golden door, but my mind halted and my eyes flicked up to him when I heard Reese speak. “All I’m saying is I think you’d be a lot happier if you got laid.”

I sucked in a sharp breath right as Nicholas let out a choked laugh. It was strained, but if Reese suspected anything, he didn’t show it. Those few words had me tumbling back to that now-tainted training room. I remembered the look on his face with every thrust, the way he groaned in the deepest part of his throat right before he came.

“Yeah, let me just contain our demon problem and I’ll get right on that.”

Reese chuckled. “You should -- I know plenty of girls who would love to train you.”

The light was dim all the way down this hall, but I could see Nicholas roll his eyes before turning to face me. He took a short step so he was right in front of me, his breathing even.

“We’re going to be right outside. No one else will bother you,” he explained, reaching inside his jacket.

My dark eyes followed his movement, and I fixated on the weapon he pulled from his inner jacket pocket. It felt like decades since I’d last laid eyes on it. The curve of the metal, the sharp indentations along one side; I’d missed it. Only I could hear it sing a soft, compelling melody to me. It was a song we both knew and we were continuously writing together.

“Dani?” Nicholas regained my attention with my name on his lips. Reese removed the handcuffs, giving me a stern and pointed look that said anyfunny business and I’ll run an arrow through your chest. I gave him my best tight-lipped smile before he moved back towards the corner, a few feet away from us, letting himself be shrouded in darkness.

I twirled my wrists before reaching my hand out to take what belonged to me. Nicholas held it just out of reach, hesitation in his eyes. I tilted my head to the side. “I know what I’m doing, Nicholas, I promise.”

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