Page 2 of Wicked Angel
“It won’t hold for long,” Abbie said, her brow furrowed with concentration. “This is only a temporary solution. We need something stronger, or it’s going to tear her apart.”
Frustration flared hot in my chest, mixing with the fear that lurked at the edges of my mind. I’d fought so hard, survived so much, and now I was being undone by the very thing I had wanted back for so long. My hands shook as I dragged them through my tangled hair, my breaths coming faster and more ragged.
“We don’t have time for this,” I said. “Rhodes has the dagger. He’s in Elysium.” I inhaled deeply. “Two days? I was out for two days? He could have done anything by now.”
“We haven’t heard any news from Elysium,” Levi assured me. “So far, Rhodes has been quiet.”
“Which means, we have time to help you,” Lacey said.
I opened my mouth to argue, but quickly shut it again. I was ready to shout that I would march to Elysium like this right now and to hell with my erratic magic.
But they were right, of course. I couldn’t go like this. If I did, I would only be another problem they would have to deal with.
“You don’t have to carry this alone, sweetheart,” Levi said softly.
For a moment, I leaned into his touch, letting the warmth seep through the layers of fear and pain. But a dark thought lingered at the back of my mind, whispering fears I didn’t want to acknowledge.
What if this was beyond fixing? What if the magic inside me was too much, too wild, and no one—not Levi, not Lacey, not even me—could stop it from tearing me apart? From tearing everyone around me apart?
I swallowed hard, shoving the thought back into the shadows where it belonged. I couldn’t afford to think like that. Not now when we had so much on the line. This wasn’t about me. This was about doing what was best for Elysium.
And right now that was to find a way to either control or take all of this crazy magic out of me so I could fight!
“All right, we’ll fix this,” I said, forcing steel into my voice. “Somehow. But then we’re marching into Elysium, no matter what.”
Levi’s lips quirked into a small, crooked smile, but his eyes held shadows. “That’s the stubborn angel I know.”
2
The next fewhours blurred together, faces and voices swirling in a haze as everyone filtered in to check on me.
Keeran was the first, stepping into the dim room with his usual scowl, followed closely by Aspen, who glanced around like he couldn’t decide whether he wanted to be amused or concerned. Rage helped a weak Topaz cross the room toward me. Erin, Rey, and the demon hunters stood by the window, always on guard. And Farrah sat on the corner of my bed, with Wyatt standing behind him.
“How are you holding up?” Keeran asked, his tone light, but there was a tension in his eyes that betrayed his worry.
“Still in one piece,” I muttered, though it felt like a lie. Inside, everything was fraying, threads of magic snapping against each other, trying to break free. I shifted on the bed, the cuffs they’d snapped onto my wrists earlier digging into my skin. They were supposed to inhibit magic—similar to the ones the Nightshade pack had used when they had been prisoners in their own home—but I could feel my power thrumming just beneath the surface, restless and wild. It wouldn’t be long before the cuffs became useless.
Keeran didn’t waste time on pleasantries. He glanced around at the assembled group before turning his gaze back to me. “This place isn’t safe for you—or for us. Your magic is too unstable, Ariella. If it slips again, it could level the house and hurt everyone in it.”
“So what, you want to kick me out?” I shot back, the words sharper than I intended. A bitter edge clawed at my chest, but I swallowed it down. This was the last place I wanted to be, but that didn’t make the rejection sting any less.
Keeran’s frown deepened, but Levi cut in before he could respond. “They aren’t kicking you out, sweetheart. But he’s right. We need somewhere isolated, where you don’t have to worry about hurting anyone.” He turned to the others. “I’ve got an empty warehouse in Houston—far enough from everything that even if her magic goes haywire, no one gets caught in the crossfire.”
Aspen tilted his head, considering. “That could work. I’ll open a portal to get us there, and Keeran, Lacey, and I can set up a containment circle.”
“I can help.” Topaz stepped forward, disentangling from Rage.
Lacey shook her head. “No. You’re still weak and should rest too. We can do this on our own.”
Something like hurt flashed in her eyes, but Topaz just nodded and offered a flat smile. “If that’s what you want, then I’ll head back home. I need to check if the Native American clans are still mad about the chaos we caused in their lands.” She glanced at me. “Just try not to blow up the warehouse, all right?”
I tried to smile back, but it felt hollow. “No promises.”
Erin and Rey exchanged a glance. “Since we can’t help with that kind of magic, we should get back to the Blackthorn Hunters’ outpost,” Erin said. “Report in, gather reinforcements. We’ll be back when we have more information.”
“And Rage?” Aspen asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rage folded his arms, his expression unreadable. “I have business in the Underworld. But call if you need me, angel.”
