Page 5 of Wicked Angel
A second later, he let go and stepped back and outside the circle.
Lacey smiled at us.
“What?” Levi sat down on one of the chaise lounges and opened his container.
“Nothing,” she said, her smile widening.
I wouldn’t buy into this sibling conversation, so I too sat down and started eating, quiet in my corner.
“I know that look.” Levi took a bite of his burrito.
“If you know it, then why are you asking about it.”
“Lacey …”
“What?” She stared at him with wide eyes. “Leave me be, you idiot.”
That made Levi’s eyes darken, and even though I knew he was trying to intimidate her, Lacey and I laughed.
The two of them continued bickering while we ate. After, Lacey went back to the Hall and Levi went with her, saying he would just check on their progress and be right back.
The silence they left behind settled heavily over me, and I found myself pacing the length of the warehouse, trying to ignore the constant hum of magic that pulsed beneath the cuffs on my wrists.
It was nearly thirty minutes later when Aspen arrived, stepping through a portal that rippled like purple water in the air.
He wasn’t alone. Beside him stood a young angel, his hands bound with cuffs similar to mine. My breath caught in my throat as I recognized him.
“Ezekiel?”
He looked up at me with wide eyes, and for a moment, he seemed just as shocked to see me as I was to see him. He was taller than I remembered, but his face was still the same—sharp features, high cheekbones, and a hint of boyishness that made him look younger than he probably was. I did some math in my mind, and guessed he couldn’t have been more than nineteen.
Aspen gave me a nod, his expression carefully neutral. “Found him poking around, asking for you. Figured you’d want to hear what he has to say.”
I took a step closer, my eyes darting over the cuffs that bound Ezekiel’s wrists. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, showing up here, Zeke. What are you doing on Earth? And why the hell are you asking for me?”
Ezekiel held my gaze, unflinching. “I came to warn you, Ariella. And to help—if you’ll let me.”
“Help?” I bit out the word, my mind racing. He had been close to my sister Adriel back in Elysium. Just thinking about my family made my chest ache with worry. “What about my family, Zeke? Adriel, my mother?”
“They’re fine,” he said. “They’re safe. Hurt, but safe. And?—”
My heart stuttered. “Hurt?”
“No, not physically. But you know, hurt as in sad, disappointed, defeated,” he explained. I let out a long breath. “Ylena and Rhodes… they told everyone what you did, what happened that day. They’ve made you out to be some kind of monster. It’s made things hard for them, but they’re hanging in there.”
My fists clenched at my sides, anger boiling up inside me. “I know what they said about me.”
“But you don’t. Now, Rhodes is saying you killed Ylena in some vicious battle, and he had to retreat to prevent more casualties.” Ezekiel grimaced. “Ariella, most of Elysium believes them. Your record is getting darker by the second.”
I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth. “And what do you believe, Ezekiel?”
“I don’t believe them,” he said softly. “Never did. Even before, during the first attack, even if you ran away, I knew something wasn’t right. I tried telling that to Adriel and your mother, and I think deep down they agree with me, but it’s hard when the rest of the kingdom says otherwise.”
I crossed my arms, trying to push back on the emotions surging within me. “And what does that have to do with anything? Why have you come here?”
“Because I found proof.”
I glanced at Aspen whose eyes widened. Yes, I was curious too. “Proof of what?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. But my pulse was racing, a wild hope unfurling despite my doubts.
