Page 45 of Wicked Angel
“Runs in the family,” Levi muttered, but his eyes were serious. “Should we call Abbie, have them send a portal to the Hall first?”
I shook my head. “No time. We need Aspen to open a portal directly to the gate.” I was already dialing his number, my heart pounding with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. After everything I'd been through, the thought of seeing my mother and sister again—of bringing them to safety—was almost overwhelming.
Aspen answered on the third ring, his voice tense. “Ariella? Is everything okay?”
“I need a portal,” I said without preamble. “Again. Sorry.”
“No worries. Where?”
To the eastern gate of Elysium. Ezekiel has my mother and sister there, and we need to get them before Rhodes's people notice they're missing.”
There was a brief pause, then, “I'll be at Levi's apartment in ten minutes.”
“Thank you,” I said, relief washing through me. “We'll be ready.”
I ended the call and turned to find Levi already dressed. “Aspen's on his way,” I told him, moving to get dressed myself.
“Good.” Levi's voice was carefully neutral. “And you're sure about this? Meeting right at the edge of Elysium?”
I paused, one arm through the sleeve of my jacket. “What do you mean?”
“It's risky,” he said, checking the edge of a blade before sliding it into his boot. “Very close to enemy territory.”
“I know, but Ezekiel said they wouldn’t go any further.” Which was understandable. My mother and sister had probably never left Elysium before. They would be suspicious of everything.
Hopefully they would listen to me, forgive me, and let me hide them for the time being.
Levi nodded, though something in his expression remained troubled. “Just stay alert, sweetheart. I don't like how exposed we'll be.”
“I always stay alert,” I reminded him with a small smile.
By the time Aspen arrived, we were both dressed and ready.
I told him the location, and he frowned as his hands began to weave the complex pattern of the portal spell.
The air shimmered and split, revealing a swirling purple doorway of magic.
We walked through the portal, to the forest where one of the gates to Elysium was located. Because the portal was protected, we emerged half a mile away from it.
Even though I hadn’t been here in while, I remembered the way, so I led our party. With every step we took, I tensed a little more. We were walking toward Elysium, toward my mother and my sister … and I worried how our reunion would be.
Finally, the trees became more spaced—not an actual clearing, but enough space for the two tall white pillars that stood against time among the trees.
The portal.
I looked around, expecting to see Ezekiel waiting with my mother and sister. But the space was empty, silent except for the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.
“Something's wrong,” Levi said, his voice low, his body already tensing for a fight.
Too late, I realized he was right. The clearing was too quiet, too still. No birds sang in the trees, no small creatures moved in the underbrush. It was as if the entire area was holding its breath, waiting.
“Ezekiel?” I called, though instinct was already screaming at me to run.
A figure stepped from the shadows of the trees—Ezekiel, his face pale, his eyes wide with something that might have been fear or regret. “Ariella,” he said, his voice strangely flat. “You came.”
“Where are my mother and sister?” I demanded, my hand moving to the hilt of my sword.
Ezekiel's form flickered, like a reflection on disturbed water. “I'm sorry,” he said, and then his image dissolved completely, revealing nothing but empty air where he had stood.
