Page 104 of Angel Lost

I push past, but she reaches out, grabbing my arm with surprising strength. My wings flap, balancing me, and her eyes fly to them, widening. She drops my sleeve, wafting her hands in front of her face.

“Do you have any water? I think I’m dehydrated. I keep seeing…things.”

“No, sorry. But, um, you’re probably right, about being dehydrated.”

She nods vigorously, head jerking up and down. “Have you seen Tiny? My dog. I can’t leave him. He’ll get lost.”

That giant dog had looked anything but lost. It was having the time of its life. Last time I saw it, it had a hellion in its jaws and was shaking the life out of it.

I bite my tongue. “Look, it’s a bit dangerous out here right now. There are some escaped…zoo animals. Maybe you better get inside?”

She scowls. “And leave Tiny?”

I sigh. “Okay, okay. Big black monster dog, right? He went that way.”

She flashes me a smile and darts off after the mutt. I stare at her back. Shit. I should have said the dog went to the kitchens. It’s probably more able to look after itself than she is. Too late.

Finally, I make it to the grassy open square and see the chaos between me and the observatory.

Students are running everywhere, screaming, bleeding. And the hellions here are bigger.

Farrell and Chano are fighting their way into the square from the opposite side, still a few hundred yards away from the observatory. Closer than me. The screaming reaches fever pitch as the hellions advance. Rogue spells lace the air, and the building behind me catches alight. I drop as far as I dare into the ley lines, keeping one eye out for danger, and latch on to the energy. When a large beast gets too close to a student I tangle the lines, hiding the student, allowing them time to escape. I can’t do it for everyonethough. And Chano is no farther forward, caught in a pack of wolf-sized hellions, Farrell fighting back-to-back with him.

I need to get closer. Closer to where I last saw Zephyr.

“Stop wasting time. Pull the ley lines together and seal the rip.”

I spin, hands outstretched, ready to attack.

Davina stares daggers at me. “You’re an aether! Stophidingstudents and shut the rip. Some of them are going to die. But if it doesn’t get shut, we’re all going to die.”

I look between her and the giant gaping hole a hundred meters beyond the observatory. I can’t do that! She’s insane.

A flash of white has me pushing past her, ignoring her snarls. Zephyr. He’s too close to the rip. He shakes his head, like he’s coming to, and his wings snap out.Yes. Now fly.The ground around him is swarming. My breath catches in my throat as he starts to flap, rising into the air.

Slowly. Too slowly.

A giant bat-like creature launches itself at him, teeth snapping shut inches from his wings. It’s trajectory though, takes it barreling straight into him. They spin. Spiraling out of control, he falls from the sky. He lands, one wing beneath him, with an almighty crack. My heart stands still. A single white feather floats down to land beside him.

Get up.

He staggers to his feet, one wing limp, useless. Shit. The space between us is heaving with hellions. The air, swarming with bats, tiny bitey moths, and bigger creatures like lizards with wings.

If Farrell shifts he could get to Zephyr. I scan the crowd. Where…Dammit, he’s headed toward me, not Zephyr. I don’t need saving.

“Shift, Farrell,” I pant, fighting on as he approaches, Chano on his ass. “Zephyr needs you.”

“Lorelei,” Farrell says, backhanding a hellion, “a wyvern has less chance than you and Chano as demons in that maelstrom.”

“Into your dragon,idiota,” Chano growls.

“Do it.” My voice is sharp, edged with desperation. “Get him out. Burn the bastards to ashes.”

I jab a finger toward Zephyr. He’s so damn close—barely half a football pitch away. Zephyr turns, locking eyes with me, bloodied and barely standing.

Farrell shakes his head. “I can’t. Not here. Not now.” His voice is tight. “If I shift, it’s over. The rebellion is over.”

Chano grabs his shoulders, shaking him until his head jerks back and forward. But it’s Zephyr I can’t look away from. His good wing droops. Somehow, despite the distance, he’s understood. Understood Farrell’s head shaking. Understood Farrell’s refusal.

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