Page 64 of Wicked Angel
I nodded shakily, trying to pull myself together. My hands trembled as I looked down at them, stained with Rhodes's blood. Though I had hated him for what he'd done, though I had known this confrontation might end in death, I had hoped for justice—a trial, a chance for all of Elysium to learn the truth of his betrayal.
Instead, that choice had been taken from me. I had defended myself, as any warrior would. But the knowledge brought little comfort as I stood over the body of an angel who had once been revered as one of Elysium's greatest guardians.
The library doors burst open once more, and I turned, my sword materializing once more in my hands, before recognizing Kadriel and several members of the Lost Legion. They took in the scene with experienced eyes—Rhodes's body, Haines bound and subdued, the destruction around us.
“We're too late,” Kadriel said, her gaze lingering on Rhodes before shifting to me. “Are you alright?”
I nodded, not trusting my voice. The dagger still pulsed in my hand, a constant reminder of all that had led to this moment.
“Adona,” Kadriel continued, her expression grim. “She's tearing the tower apart. We've managed to contain her to the upper levels, but she's killed several warriors already and injured many more. If we don't do something quickly, she'll bring the entire structure down around us.”
The urgency in her voice snapped me out of my stupor. There would be time later to process what had happened with Rhodes. Right now, there were lives at stake—innocent angels caught in the chaos of a battle not of their making.
“Take him,” I said, gesturing to Haines. “Make sure he's secure. We can't risk him escaping.”
Two of the Lost Legion moved to flank Haines, hauling him to his feet. He went without resistance, his eyes fixed on Rhodes's body with an unreadable expression.
“We'll handle this,” Kadriel assured me, her voice softening slightly. “Go. Stop Adona before more lives are lost.”
Levi moved to my side, his hand finding mine. “Are you up for this?”
I looked down at the dagger, its red gem still pulsing with malevolent light. “Do I have a choice?”
His fingers tightened around mine. “We always have a choice, sweetheart. That's what makes us who we are.”
I managed a small, tight smile, drawing strength from his presence. “Then I choose to fix this. To save Adona, if I can.”
We left the library, taking flight through the shattered dome ceiling. From above, the Celestial Tower looked like a wounded creature, its crystalline spires cracked and broken, smoke rising from various levels. Angels flew in panicked formations, some fighting, others fleeing, their wings flashing like silver fish in a disturbed pond.
We angled our wings, soaring upward toward the chaos. As we drew closer, I could make out the transformed Adona, her massive form rampaging through what had once been the observatory at the tower's peak. The circular chamber, with its glass dome and intricate star maps, was now in ruins, its beauty reduced to rubble beneath Adona's clawed feet.
Our allies fought desperately to contain her, though it was clear they were avoiding lethal force. Farrah had created barriers of ice that momentarily slowed Adona's advance before shattering under her raw power. Wyatt, partially shifted into his wolf form, darted between her legs, distracting her while Erin and Rey attempted to bind her wings with enchanted chains from their demon-hunting arsenal.
Tarek and the other Lost Legion angels flew in coordinated patterns around her head, drawing her attention upward and away from those fighting on the ground. Aspen and Boise maintained a shimmering barrier around the chamber's perimeter, preventing her from escaping to other parts of Elysium.
But despite their efforts, Adona was winning. Her transformed state gave her strength and speed beyond even an archangel's normal capabilities, and the dagger's magic had stripped away her reason, leaving only primal rage.
“We need to get closer,” I shouted to Levi over the din of battle. “I need to use the dagger on her, try to reverse what Rhodes did!”
He nodded, darkfire already crackling around his free hand as he prepared to create an opening. “Follow me!”
We dove into the fray, Levi unleashing a barrage of darkfire that momentarily drew Adona's attention. Her golden eyes fixed on us, a feral growl rumbling from her throat as she swatted at us like insects.
“Everyone!” I called, my voice carrying over the chaos. “I need you to hold her still! Just for a few moments!”
Understanding dawned on their faces. Farrah immediately redoubled her efforts, creating thicker, more elaborate ice formations that wrapped around Adona's limbs. Wyatt, Rey, and Erin moved in perfect synchronization, using their chains to bind her lower body while the Lost Legion angels focused on restraining her wings.
“Hurry!” Farrah shouted, her face strained with the effort of maintaining so much ice magic. “We can't hold her for long!”
I approached cautiously, the dagger held before me. Up close, Adona was even more terrifying—her transformed face barely recognizable, her golden eyes burning with mindless fury as she struggled against her bonds. One of her massive hands broke free, swiping at me with claws that could tear through stone.
Levi intercepted, catching her wrist with both hands, his partial demon form giving him the strength to momentarily check her movement. “Now, Ariella!” he grunted, muscles straining as Adona fought to break his hold.
I darted forward, pressing the dagger against her chest, right over her heart where Rhodes had first used it. The red gem flared with angry light, and I felt a surge of power flow through the blade into my hand, burning like liquid fire in my veins.
“Restore her,” I commanded, focusing all my will through the dagger. “Return Adona to her true form, to her true self!”
The dagger pulsed once, twice, then began to vibrate in my hand, the sensation growing increasingly violent until I feared it might shatter. The red light from the gem spread along the blade, then into Adona where it touched her skin—but instead of seeping in as it had before, it seemed to be drawing something out, pulling threads of crimson energy from her body back into itself.
