Page 105 of Angel Lost

We fight together, the three of us, slowly edging toward Zephyr, toward the rip. To my right, there’s a flash of purple and a spark of aether. Kai.

With two aethers, we clear the path more steadily. Pushing forward more than we’re being pushed back. But it’s so slow. I daren’t fly. There are too many teeth in the air. My wings are feather, unlike Farrell’s dragon scales. My gut roils.

We’re closer—twenty yards, ten yards. Suddenly Zephyr’s eyes roll back in his head, and he goes down, just crumples to the ground like something sucked the bones out of him. A cloud of tiny moths covers his body, his normal glow suffocated under their dark mass.

I have to stop them. The moths are streaming through the rip, straight for Zephyr.

I pull frantically at the edges of the rip with my aether, trying desperately to do as Davina commanded. She thought I could…

“We’ll protect you. Drop deeper, chica. Do it.” Chano presses a kiss to my forehead and turns, back to me. Farrell and Kai do the same. I drop down, spreading my fingers on the ground, searching out the energy. It sparks and weaves, trailing off around the rip. I can’t see clearly. Not like normal. The fighting, the hellion snarls—it’s too much. Too distracting. Ipull and push and the lines bend slightly, only to spring back as soon as I let go.

“It’s no use.” I snap out of my meditative state to find Davina’s face inches from mine.

“Nonsense,” she says gruffly.

“Get the other aethers here, then we might have a chance. By myself—”

“You’re not by yourself,” she snaps. “Use him.” She jerks her chin at Kai. “Use them.” Again she motions, this time to my allegiance. “Pool your energy, aether. The professors and I will hold them back as long as we can.”

From behind her the tiny Professor Hannya floats, her eyes glowing as if lit from within. She cackles, pressing her hand over my heart. “Make your father proud, Bal.” Then she spins away, her academy robes flying, katana in hand.

My father.

Over her shoulder, the professors spread out, protecting us. I glance uncertainly at Kai. His jaw clenches, tattoos writhing over his skin. Then he grabs my hand. Together we drop deep, deep into the ley lines, the energy pulsing around us, through us. Reaching out, I feel it, the instability around the rip. The way the ends of the ley lines are just flapping around, like fabric unraveling.

This time, when I try to bend the energy, it comes easier. Kai’s aether flows into me, through me, it melds with mine, slotting into place like it belongs. Together we weave the lines. We weave and we weave, but as quickly as I knit the rip together, it unravels somewhere else.

Chano’s voice in my ear yanks me brutally back to the surface. “You have to pull power from us, chica.” I frown. He’s tired, exhausted, Farrell more so, a giant gash open on his forehead. But one quick look around and it hits me. The professors are failing. If I can’t close this now, we’ve lost.

I throw a last desperate glance at the heap of flapping, velvety black wings covering Zephyr’s body, and I let go. I fall deeper and deeper into the flowing river of energy under our feet, I let myself merge with it, let myaether become part of the ley lines, and I pull the boys with me. Slowly, the rip closes. Each braid, each twist more difficult than the last. Only gossamer thin in places, but, gradually, it shuts. The very last strands pull into place like it’s fighting a strong magnet, but finally it’s done.

I reach for the surface. The energy pulls and pushes, reminding me I’m a part of it now. And the ley lines don’t want to let me go. The boys’ energy is still with me, still trapped below. Gritting my teeth, I surge upward, dragging them with me.

With a snap, the ley lines give, and I topple to the ground, eyes pinging open.

We did it.

Groaning, I roll onto my back and stare up at the sky.

Zephyr. I’m up and staggering toward him before anyone can stop me.

The hellions are thinning out, moving away from where the rip was, the professors chasing them down. Reaching the dark bundle on the ground, I drop down beside him, my hands diving under the moths, swatting them away. They rise up, an angry, buzzing swarm. The moths circle before eventually taking to the sky. Zephyr lies face down in the dirt. Carefully, I heave him over. He face is serene, unblemished. Slowly, he opens his eyes.

Kai leans over my shoulder. “See, angel, she does care. She was coming up short until she thought you were being eaten alive.”

Kai flashes a wicked smile and dances off, stabbing hellions with way too much glee.

“Nasty fae. Fuck him,” Zephyr spits, a small dribble of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. “Fuck Farrell too. Fuck all of you.”

His eyes flutter shut.

Zephyr’s carted off to the infirmary. Although his breathing isn’t labored, he doesn’t open his eyes again. I desperately want to go with him, but I’m needed here. The rip is shut but there are still hundreds of hellions spread out across campus.

And still no damn Council.

Chapter Thirty-seven: Lorelei

My bones ache, my muscles scream whenever I ask them to move, and I can’t seem to catch my breath. But we’ve cleared most of the campus. Sheathing my blade, I uncurl my hand finger by finger from the hilt. Sticky black blood coats everything. Skin, hair, nails. I run my tongue over my teeth and spit. Disgusting. Doesn’t matter whether they’re huge and terrifying or tiny with big eyes. Each and every single hellion I’ve fought today was hell-bent on causing destruction.

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