Page 19 of Gods' Battleground

“Goodbye,” I said to Jace, waving. “And good luck.”

Then I grabbed Vertigo’s hand and prepared to teleport us to Purgatory. It was time to rally my family and go save Bella.

CHAPTER 7

REUNIONS

This time, my teleportation spell went way better. I landed us in my office on the first try, and we didn’t nearly materialize into another person either. Though I did knock over my wastebasket, but it’s not like anyone could hear the crash over the blaring alarm. Vertigo had triggered my security system. She wasn’t on the guest list.

I was heading over to the control panel on the wall to silence the alarm, but my office door flew open before I even got there. Alec Morrows, my head of security, stormed in, flanked by two burly Legion soldiers. All three men had their swords drawn, one in each hand. They looked ready for business.

I silenced the alarm, then turned to face my soldiers. “Nice response time,” I told Alec.

“Leda? Was this a test?” Alec frowned.

“No, I just brought along a guest.” I crouched down to peek under my desk, where Vertigo was tucked into a tight ball, shivering in fear. “It’s ok. You can come out,” I told her in a soothing voice. “No one’s going to hurt you.”

Cautiously, Vertigo emerged. Her eyes darted to the trio of soldiers—then she darted behind me.

“New friend?” Alec asked me.

“You could say that,” I replied, righting my overturned wastebasket.

Luckily, it was empty, so I didn’t have to scoop bits of trash off the floor. I hadn’t been back to Purgatory in weeks. Faris and Grace had kept me busy.

“Has Calli been around?” I asked Alec. “Or Zane, Tessa, and Gin?”

“I don’t know where your brother is. The other three are in the infirmary.”

“What? Why didn’t you say so earlier? I need to check on them!” I left the room and hurried toward the infirmary.

Alec took up position beside me. Vertigo trailed us from behind, hiding in my shadow.

“What happened?” I asked Alec. “Is anyone hurt?”

“They are all fine now, but apparently they’ve had quite the adventures.” He paused for dramatic effect—and, I suspect, to torture me. “Tessa teleported in a few days ago, covered in blood. Not hers,” he added quickly when I gasped. “I found her in the halls when the building’s security system went on high alert.”

“But Tessa’s on the security system’s guest list,” I pointed out.

“Yes, but the person she was with was not.”

“Who was with her?” I asked.

“Sunfire.”

I blinked. “Sunfire?” I must have misheard. “TheSunfire?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I said when she told me,” Alec laughed.

“I thought Sunfire has been dead for millennia.” Curiosity compelled me forward, even faster than before. “Where did Tessa find him?”

“Sorry, I can’t tell you that.”

“I’m your boss,” I reminded him.

“I know. Boss,” he tacked on with a wink. “But Tessa made me promise that I’d let her tell you the story. In fact, she threatened to teleport me to Antarctica if I spoiled it.”

Tessa had always been dramatic. That hadn’t changed. I suspected it never would. Her theatrics were adorably annoying.

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