Page 9 of Live Like Legends

I nodded, letting my body fold into Nick’s as he turned me around.

“Keep me informed, would you Mr. Cassial? Your father must be so proud of all you’ve accomplished.”

Nick stopped, throwing a stone cold look over his shoulder. “You do know that you willneverbe Jonah.”

Ariel’s laugh came out hollow. “Ah, well, Jonah is dead. I am all they have.”

I watched as Nick frustratingly yanked out his portal key once we got further away from The Skies and closer to the woods. The sentry angels kept a close eye on us as we walked out; none of them making eye contact with Nick or Reese. I liked to think if they thought they had a choice in the matter, they wouldn’t be siding with that red-headed idiot.

Nick looked back at the castle-like structure with as much disdain as his face could muster and I caught myself nearly giggling. My blood was boiling over what happened in there, but I didn’t want to let it fester so much that it took away the happiness I felt since we were finally getting out of here. Ariel’s manipulative offer felt like selling my soul all over again, but at least this time, maybe some good would come out of the arrangement.

I would find a way around Ariel, but I had to get a hold on this odd thing I felt inside of myself. If the angelic executive could see the light that I was beginning to wield then it was probably time I learned—or attempted to learn—how to manage it. I noticed Nick’s hand shaking as he tried to make a circle with the key. It took him a few tries but eventually the telltale light from the portal shined. I let Reese go first, so I could grab Nick’s hand and stepped in behind him.

We ended up in the middle of all the shops. The woman who could make the smell of chocolate from her little bakery was to the left and the apothecary was to my right. Before I could look away from that direction, I caught sight of Natalia headed towards us. I started to open my mouth to speak but she had her arms around me in minutes. Hugs didn’t bother me, but this kind of hug wasn’t one I was used to. It wasn’t quick and sweet, like a general greeting, but it was more like the kind where you wanted to let the other person know you cared with your entire soul. It was odd that the first instinct I had was to hug her back with the same level of affection.

After some time, she let me go, holding me out in front of her so she could inspect me from head to toe. “Are you alright?” That voice of hers, the light musicality of it, washed over me with a sense of friendly security, like I knew I was amongst friends.

I nodded, but also shrugged at the same time. “More or less.”

She looked over to both Reese and Nick, who flanked my sides. Her honey-colored eyes were lined with silver and her cheeks were dusted with the same color, making her dark skin glow beautifully. Her dark hair was made up in a collection of braids that flowed past her chest, with various pieces of jewelry decorated within each one.

Reese rubbed the back of his neck. “Ariel is a piece of work, let’s just put it like that.”

“That’s a fucking understatement,” Nick muttered, rubbing at his temple.

Natalia pressed her lips together. “Well, then I guess we have much to discuss. It is good to see you though. Your presence has been missed.”

Reese started walking backwards past her. “You can thank Ariel for that. Although, I guess you can also thank him for having her back.”

One of the High Priestess’s neatly arched eyebrows raised. “Much to discuss indeed.” She reached over to stop Nick from walking around her. She looked at him, directly in his eyes, as if she was searching for something.

His facial expression quickly morphed into one of understanding. “I’m okay. Good days and bad days, but I’m okay.” He looked back at me, giving me a small smile that made my stomach flip. “She takes care of me.”

Natalia delicately placed a few of her ring-covered fingers at his cheek. “Good. Very good.”

Nick gripped her hand and placed it back at her side. He cleared his throat and asked, “he’s not here, is he?”

I sucked in a deep breath, knowing exactly who he was referring to. Natalia, who had likely been trained to control her expressions, was failing in this moment, which told me she knew whohewas as well.

She brushed her braids over her shoulder, showing off her multiple earrings. “No, not today.”

Nick didn’t say anything else; he simply continued walking as if that was answer enough.

Natalia stuck her tongue into her cheek, her eyebrows pulling together. She shook her head and arranged her expression into one of content. She reached her hand out to me, and I took it happily, sliding my palm up so that I could grip the inside of her elbow instead.

The apothecary looked the same as always when we passed it, but there was always something different about seeing something again after thinking that you might not ever get to lay your eyes on it again. You appreciate the things you once thought so simple—not that they are a big deal now—but your eyes tend to pay more attention. All the smells of Oculus were so much more intense, and I noticed more laughter than I had before.

We came up to a large house, well it was more like a mansion, once we cleared the dirt walkway past some gorgeous weeping willows. The smell of fresh flowers hit me instantly and I looked around noticing them everywhere. The dirt at my feet turned into a stone pathway which expanded toward an eggshell-colored three-story building. The exterior seemed to twinkle in the sunlight as if without words, telling you this place was magic.

The left side had one large veranda on the ground level with multiple rounded archways. Various colors of foxglove cascaded from plant hangers that were attached to the top of each archway. Another balcony was right above it with the same decoration and behind it sat two large glass doors, a large purple curtain covering it from the inside. The top floor had no balcony, just a section of hexagonal windows with drawings carved into the exterior surrounding them. I tilted my head back so that Icould see the very top which looked like it had an expansive roof surrounded by a railing.

Stairs greeted us, along with a stone-faced Zane, who stood under a monstrous bell-shaped archway that was covered in green vines.

“Long time no see, buddy,” Reese punched Zane in the shoulder, and I pressed my lips together so I wouldn’t laugh too loudly. Zane’s eyes turned into slits at the blonde angel, who simply put his hands up in surrender. “Okay, fine. We still aren’t there yet. I’m a patient man.”

I could have sworn I caught the large Enchanter rolling his eyes with a huff, but I couldn’t be too sure. Nick hadn’t moved from his place at the top of the stairs. His eyes roamed around what he could see. “You live here?”

Natalia chuckled. “Yes.”

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