Page 23 of Angel Lost

Farrell growls. “Do not—”

“No—” Chano says.

“This isn’t a vote,” I cut in. “It’s my decision. Not yours—even as my Aeternum, Chano.”

Kai eyes Chano up and down. “Some Aeternum,” he mutters.

Chano rumbles a warning, but I press on. “Stop picking fights! Kai, I’m a true aether—my first element is aether.”

Chapter Eight: Lorelei

Kai’s eyes widen, and he jumps up. He paces, yanking at his hair, this time pulling strands out entirely.

“The wild-eyed look is doing fuck all to calm my nerves, Kai,” I snap.

Chano clamps a hand on my shoulder. “He’s already plotting how to use this against us.”

The others murmur agreement. Farrell’s fingers inch toward the knife at his belt, and I smack them away.

“Shut up, all of you. When you ignored me this summer, he was there. I told him because he despises the Angel King as much as we do. More.”Please let me be right. Please.

Standing, I stalk in front of Kai, bringing him up short. “I told you because I need help. You know the most about the tests your uncle will run. How do I hide my aether?”

Kai reaches out. His fingers trail down my arm before he snatches his hand back. He swallows, forcing the words out. “He’d want you. He’d make you a queen, Lorelei. Are you sure you don’t want that?”

I snort. Of all the ridiculous things.

“I want nothing he has to offer. I want to live my life with my full magical potential, ascended. But not at the expense of that asshole wielding more power,my power, over his people. Not at the expense of my Aeternum.”

With a choked grunt Chano scoops me up and sits heavily at the table, cradling me in his lap. I squirm, but his grip is firm, unyielding. I give up fighting and allow myself to relax into him. As if it were entirely normalto be clutched on someone’s knee. Slowly, his breathing calms. The others take cautious seats around the table.

Everyone except Kai, who resumes his pacing, muttering half-under his breath. “She’d still need to go. But it might work. It would work. But it would be messy. You’d be tied to her.” He pauses at the far wall, staring straight at it, straight at the plaster. “Don’t want another one. Can’t do it for nothing. They don’t trust you. They’ll fuck you over.”

I share a look with Zephyr.Is Kai high?

Kai gives one last tug on his hair, staring at the strands he yanks loose. “I have an idea, but it will cost.”

“Of course it will,” Zephyr says quietly. “You’re fae.”

Kai fixes him with a hard look. “You all made it clear you don’t trust me. Fine. Then I need an oath.”

Wriggling on Chano’s lap, I splay my hands on the table. “What oath?”

“You have to swear to help me with something.”

“Could you get any more vague?” Farrell asks.

Kai shrugs, the quiet weight of hope woven into his silence.

“No, Kai,” I say firmly. “Not unless you tell me what it entails. I won’t swear a blind oath. Hell, you could make me kill innocents for all I know.”

Kai blanches, stepping back. “You know me better than that.”

“Do I?” I should have seen this coming. No one gives without expecting something in return—especially the fae. “Tell me what I’m agreeing to before I swear a magical oath.”

“Blood oath,” Kai corrects. “Too easy to get out of a magical one.”

I scoff. “Seriously?”

---