Page 107 of Angel Lost

“The cavalry is no longer needed,” Chano says with a growl. “Lorelei did most of their work for them. And the rest of us mopped up the hellions.”

The professors melt back toward the approaching Council as they stride across the destroyed campus from the portal. They huddle together, muttering and gesturing toward the rest of us. At the sight of the angels’ royal blue robes, my stomach drops. These are the king’s personal Council. The High Council. Of course the High Council would come for the king’s sister.

Faltering, I step back. Chano and Farrell move to block the Council’s direct view, and even Kai shimmies down the lamppost quickly to move in front of me.

“Pull, now,” I command.

Kai eyes me. “Are you sure? You’re pretty drained.”

I nod. Together they tug the dregs of my aether away down the slave bond; the loss is acute and I’m so close to the end of my strength that my wings fold themselves up, and I double over.

“Why is she hiding her power?” Grumpy asks, his question ending in a yelp as Isla steps on his toe.

Isla folds her arms. “She just saved our asses from those…zoo animals. I’m sure she has a good reason, so stop drawing attention.” Her face crumples. “Oh, god. I’m delusional. I’m arguing with hallucinations. I must find some water.”

Ignoring the hyperventilating human, I eye the Council warily over Chano’s shoulder. My gut churns.

The Council arrives in a flurry of royal blue robes, professors trailing behind them like nervous ducklings. They hesitate at the edge of the battlefield, wary eyes darting to the demons.

From the bloodstained checkered picnic blanket, Flirty stretches like a cat and rises to his feet. “So, gentlemen,” he drawls, dusting off his sleeves. “What exactly happens to us?”

The Council halts. Sleeves flap. No one answers.

The last demon, the silent mysterious one, cricks his neck. Mysterious stands, moving like shadow and silk. “Father won’t accept us being gone,” he murmurs. “We shouldn’t be here. Not now.”

Flirty snorts. “Oh, don’t be such a brown-nose. He won’t like you more just because you suck up to him.”

The Council flinches—one step back, then two. They shove the academic staff forward like shields.Cowards. I peer again at the demons.Who the hell are they?

“We can’t fight them,” one of the councilmen mutters, fists bunching in his pockets.

I blink. The king’s High Council are visibly shaken.

Broody sighs, shutting his book with a decisive snap. Without bothering to stand, he snags a strawberry from the basket and tosses it into his mouth, swallowing it whole.

“No one needs to fight.” He licks juice off his thumb. “The ass-licker’s right. We need to go back.”

The Council whispers, mutters, stalls. Professors shuffle between them, messengers sent scurrying back and forth to the portal. The demons watch it all like it’s entertainment.

Then—a shift. A ripple through the portal. Reinforcements. Angels pour through, row after row, three battalions deep. Each one heavily armed—tasers, magic-nullifying cuffs, guns.

The Council leader straightens, finally emboldened. He shoves back his hood, chin high. “You’ll wear these cuffs until tomorrow. By then, we’ll have the supplies to create a portal to the hellish dimension and send you back.” His gaze snaps to Isla. “Clap some on their human, too.”

Isla, who’s been strangely quiet, scoffs loudly. “Oh, absolutely not. I am not with them.”

“Wait,” Grumpy interrupts. “We’re staying? All night?”

“Party!” Flirty whoops, high-fiving Mysterious.

I arch a brow at Broody, who massages his temples, staring between his whooping friends like he deeply regrets his life choices.

“There are so few females back home.” Flirty sighs, blowing Isla a kiss, then waving at me.

Grumpy shoulders him hard enough to stagger him. “Stay away from the human.”

Isla drags her gaze up and down Grumpy, slow and unimpressed. “Thanks, big guy. Too kind.”

“I’m not kind,” he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck like the words itch.

---