Page 133 of Legendary

“Nicholas, what the fuck is going on?” Elise stood back, watching with confusion written, plain and simple across her face. I looked at Garrett and Beetee who mirrored our expressions, but Garrett flicked his golden eyes from Dani’s body to me, his eyes widening. The light stretched out around her, and then in a flash it pulled together in one bright burst before dissipating. Our breathing filled the silent air as we all stared at her, waiting.

“What the hell was that?” Reese asked, running a hand through his hair, my portal key dangling from his fingers.

I opened my mouth to explain that I didn’t have an explanation when I heard a tiny intake of breath, then another. It almost sounded like a hiccup, but my shoulders jumped at the noise. I looked down at her and, ever so slightly, I could see her chest rise. I was about to say her name when she opened her eyes, wide and startled. She sucked in breath after breath, trying to move her arms around and awkwardly bending her knees as if she had no idea where she was or what had happened.

“Holy fuck,” I heard someone say, but I didn’t turn around. I only looked at her, and in a matter of seconds, she looked back at me. I peered into those same brown eyes I knew so well, but right now, they looked at me for answers. I didn’t have them, but I knew one thing for certain.

She was alive.

DANI

Ididn’t completely hate the dark—I just hated it when darkness was the only thing available. If I knew there was a light somewhere or that the darkness wouldn’t last forever, I was alright. I could keep moving from day to day, doing my tasks like a good little demon.

That light Nicholas had pressed me to consider understanding had fought so hard to assist me, but it was no use. I was so used to the taste of dark magic, so susceptible to its pull, no amount of angelic alone time with my angel would help. I hadn’t known that was what she wanted to do; Lilith had only ever used me, and she’d done it again.

Death was something I knew came for everyone. I wasn’t afraid of it, especially since I’d seen it ten times over. I’d inflicted it among others, and I had shrugged it off in the process. I hadn’t considered that when I died, that I would truly miss anyone. I didn’t think anyone would miss me. I hadn’t actually realized that dying was a darkness far worse than the one I’d been inhabited by. It felt like I was torturing myself with how slow it was. I was sad to say that as much as I enjoyed Nick’s face, I could really standto see it more. Without a second thought, I knew he would turn back time and delete this moment from history if he could have.

The darkness of death was lonely, and I accepted my fate. Like Lilith had wanted, I would remain with her now, but at least I wouldn’t be a burden to anyone or wreck the havoc she wanted from me.

I felt myself falling into a never-ending abyss that made time move slowly but made you look your loneliness in the face. Then the loneliness turned into something else, something too bright, too much like a heartbeat. It sounded like mine. It was faint and weak, but then it pumped harder, blood moving at a rapid pace. My body felt like it was being pulled in a different direction. My very being was being threaded back together by something…

I didn’t have much time to think when I opened my eyes. Everything was far too bright even though I knew Purgatory was never bright enough for anyone. The smell of brimstone and blood filled my nostrils. My senses were overwhelmed; it almost felt like I was being born for the first time. Every normal function was difficult for me. I swallowed dryly, desperately wanting some water.

What the fuck?

I felt a warm body as I maneuvered my own and looked up. My heart thrummed when our eyes met. He was in shock, rightfully so, but his fingers flexed around my body, almost like his way of pinching me to make sure I wasn’t some sort of manifestation of his imagination. His eyes were red from crying, but he was still the most handsome creature I’d ever seen. I swallowed again, feeling a scratchiness in my throat.

“Hi.”

His mouth twitched, as if he was trying to form words but couldn’t, like no sentence could match what he was feeling. He said the only thing he could, “Hi.”

He pulled back, keeping me close to him as he brought me up with him. He winced when I took hold of his wrist, and I slightly remembered harming him in some way, but it was all fuzzy. My legs wobbled, but he held me still, still looking at me as if I would just burst into a cloud of smoke like nothing happened.

“An explanation?” Elise pressed, scanning her eyes down my body in disbelief.

He started his sentence three times before he just gave up and shook his head. Beetee was resting against Reese’s side, her smile the brightest thing in the room, but then I saw her bruises and cuts.What had happened?

I patted Nick’s arms, silently telling him I was okay. He delicately let me find my own balance and I took a deep breath, trying to stand up straight.

Garrett grunted behind me, reaching his hand out for Elise to take as she helped him all the way up. “We need to talk to Natalia. Now.”

“I was thinking…” Nick started, but then he stopped talking. He took a few steps backwards and then to the side. It looked almost like he was drunk with the way he teetered on his feet. He shook his head as if remembering himself and started again. “I was…” He stopped, swaying a little before blinking once, twice, and then placing his good hand on his head.

He tilted to one side more and more until he tumbled over, and then he was out cold.

NICK

Ifelt exactly like I did when I woke up caught by Markus and Isabel. My head throbbed, and my arms and legs had an odd, tingling sensation, as if something was still vibrating through me. I felt the plushness of a pillow under my head, and my fingers splayed out revealing cool sheets against my skin. I slowly blinked my eyes open, instantly realizing that this wasn’t Lilith’s castle. No, this wasn’t the recovery room at the hostel, but the infirmary at The Skies. The white walls were such a stark difference to the muted tones of Beetee’s hostel.

I heard voices speaking in hushed tones and I turned my head in their direction. The movement caused me to let out a groan, making me just a little nauseous. The figures all turned around to look at me, and I made out Natalia, the Enchanter I’d met in the apothecary—Xander—and my father.

My father clamped his hand over his mouth as his eyes started to well up with tears, but he closed his eyes and took in a breath before he rushed over to me, propping himself on the edge of the bed. He rana hand gently through my hair and then over the side of my face. His eyes roamed over me, inspecting. “How are you feeling? Do you want something to drink? More pillows?”

I shook my head, regretting it immediately. He was fussing over me, but I let him. “Dad, I’m fine.”

He looked as if he didn’t believe me, and he looked over his shoulder at Natalia and Xander. “Look him over again.” The Enchanters did as he asked and came over to me, giving every inch of me a once over. Xander’s teal-colored eyes were friendly, and I focused on his gold earrings as he ran a hand over my wrist. I winced as he applied pressure to it. I looked down to see it was bandaged, and it was like I could nearly feel the bone being put back together.

“He’s alright, Maurice. No internal bleeding and no broken bones besides the obvious. I’ll give him something for the cuts and bleeding.” His accent sounded musical as he gave my father a confident nod. His hair had grown out a little since the last time I saw him; he still had a buzz cut, but his hair wasn’t so closely shaved. He wore a vest with no sleeves and no shirt, which showed off the various tattoos that decorated his chest. He almost rivaled Zane with his level of tattoos. Xander circled around the bed, patting Natalia’s arm.

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