Page 16 of Angel Lost

“No, Lore!” Zephyr grinds out. “They won’t attack me. I think.”

Think isn’t good enough. I tear through the final layers of the shield. It’s just aether registration. I always had to go. I just thought I had more time.

The angels’ power pulses forward, eager, cold. Harshly white. And I flinch.

A blast hits Zephyr out of nowhere, taking him to the floor. He groans, rolling onto his back. I glare into the whiteness. That was unnecessary, I was giving myself up. Tendrils reach out, brushing my skin, sharp, cold.

Suddenly, a hand wraps around my wrist, jerking me to a stop. Purple hair falls across my face and Kai’s absolutely furious gaze locks on mine.

“I will deal with this,” he snarls.

With a yank on my shoulder, he spins me around, pushing me into Chano’s arms. Then, he storms forward, his arms spread out.

“Step down,” he commands. The professors’ light dims slightly as the six of them look at one another in confusion. “Youwillstep down. I shall take the aether to my uncle.”

The brilliant whiteness flickers, then dies away completely. Rubbing my sleeve across my face, I blink away the lingering halo of light.

Shit.

My eyes sting as I smear sofa ash right into them. I sneeze, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes, and by the time I look up, the wings have gone. Six ordinary-looking professors stare back. A quiet muttering breaks out among them.

“The prince.”

“The mad prince.”

The lone female professor steps forward, a sneer on her otherwise beautiful face. “How do we know that’s true?”

Kai slips toward her quickly, with the silent deadliness of the fae. “You dare to question me? Angel—?” He pauses mere inches away.

She cringes. “Angel Nuri, Your Highness.”

Your Highness? My eyes bore into the back of Kai’s head and, as if he feels it, his shoulders hunch.

“I have taken aethers to be registered before, have I not?” His voice hardens into an unrecognizable snarl.

The female nods, glancing desperately at her compatriots. Not one of them meets her gaze.

Kai smiles viciously. “This particular aether is my source. I have scheduled to take her to be registered in a week. No one is to interfere. Certainly not any of you.”

I still in Chano’s arms.Don’t let him have picked up on that. Please don’t let him have picked up on it.

“Yes, P-p-prince Kai,” the professor stutters. “I mean, no.”

Kai peers down his nose at her. “Dismissed.”

He clicks his heels together and salutes. Each and every professor mimics his gesture before scuttling backward toward the door. He watches them, emotionless, as they trip over their own feet in their desperation to get away without turning their backs to him.

Only after the door swings shut does he spin around, smirking. Kai cocks an eyebrow and winks.

A week. Fuck.

Chapter Six: Lorelei

My flames sputter out as I stare blankly at my hands. A week.

“You sly fae bastard,” Chano bellows. Quicker than I can react, he punches Kai square in the face. The force sends Kai spinning back, staggering against the luminous pink sofa. Kai runs his thumb over his lip, wiping away a trickle of blood. He levels his gaze at Chano and laughs.

Two quick strides and Chano is on him again, fist bunched. But Kai doesn’t even raise his hands. Chano hesitates.

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