Page 65 of Wicked Angel
Adona threw back her head and roared, the sound so deafening it shook dust from what remained of the ceiling. Her struggles intensified, nearly breaking free of the restraints our allies had placed on her.
“I can't hold this much longer!” Farrah cried, her ice barriers already cracking under the strain.
“Almost there,” I gritted out, my entire arm now burning with the effort of maintaining contact with the dagger. “Just a little more!”
The red energy continued to flow from Adona into the dagger, each pulse removing more of Rhodes's corruption from her system. But the process was agonizingly slow, and I could feel our allies weakening around me as they fought to keep her contained.
“Come on,” I whispered to the dagger, to Adona, to myself. “Come back to us.”
As if in response to my plea, the dagger suddenly flared with blinding light, the red gem turning pure white for a brief, brilliant moment. The energy that had been trickling from Adona now rushed out in a torrent, flowing into the dagger so quickly that my hand went numb from the sensation.
Adona's body began to change, shrinking and shifting back toward her original form. Her extra wings receded, her claws retracted, her feral features softening into the familiar, noble countenance I remembered. The golden glow in her eyes dimmed, replaced by the clear blue that had always radiated wisdom and compassion.
With a final surge of power that nearly knocked me off my feet, the transformation completed. The dagger went dark in my hand, the gem now a dull, lifeless gray, as if it had expended all its power in the reversal.
Adona swayed on her feet, her wings drooping with exhaustion, her eyes unfocused but recognizably herself again. She would have collapsed entirely if not for Tarek, who moved swiftly to support her.
“Easy, my lady,” he said, his voice gentle with respect. “You're safe now.”
Adona blinked slowly, her gaze traveling around the ruined observatory, taking in the destruction, the injured warriors, the faces both familiar and strange. “What … what has happened?” she asked, her voice hoarse but steady. “The last thing I remember is Rhodes with the dagger, and then… darkness.”
“Rhodes corrupted you with the dagger,” I explained, stepping forward cautiously. “He tried to bend you to his will, but something went wrong. You transformed into something else.”
Understanding dawned in her eyes, along with horror as she processed the implications. “Where’s Rhodes?”
“Dead,” I said, no hesitation.
Adona pressed her lips into a thin line. “I see.” She held her breath. “Did I harm anyone?”
I hesitated, unwilling to burden her with the full truth while she was still so weak. “There will be time for explanations later. Right now, you need to rest and recover your strength.”
She shook her head, a hint of her natural authority returning despite her weakened state. “No. The fighting must stop. Now.” She straightened, drawing on reserves of strength I hadn't realized she still possessed. “Help me. I must address what remains of my people.”
Tarek and I exchanged glances, then nodded. Together, we supported Adona as she moved to the edge of the ruined observatory, where a balcony overlooked the central courtyard of the Celestial Tower. Below, angels still fought in scattered skirmishes, Rhodes's supporters battling those who had rallied to our cause.
“Angels of Elysium,” Adona called, her voice amplified by magic to reach every corner of the tower. “Lay down your weapons. The fighting ends now.”
Her voice, familiar and beloved to all of Elysium, caused the combatants to pause, looking up in shock and disbelief. A murmur spread through the crowd as they recognized their leader, restored to her true form.
“Rhodes is dead,” she continued, her voice steady despite the weight of the words. “His deception and betrayal have been revealed. Those who followed him were misled, but there can be forgiveness for those who seek it. Elysium must heal, must remember its true purpose.”
I watched as the fighting gradually ceased, weapons lowering, wings folding as the angels below absorbed Adona's words. Some of Rhodes's more fanatical supporters broke away, fleeing toward the edges of the city, but most remained, their expressions confused but hopeful.
“It's over,” I whispered, the realization finally sinking in. “We won.”
Levi moved to my side, his arm sliding around my waist as he supported some of my weight. I hadn't realized how exhausted I was until that moment, my body suddenly heavy with fatigue.
I looked around at our allies—Farrah leaning heavily on Wyatt, her energy depleted from overusing her ice magic; Erin bandaging a nasty cut on Rey's arm; Lacey and Abbie supporting each other as they surveyed the destruction; the Lost Legion angels, some injured, all exhausted, but alive.
We had survived, but the cost had been high. Lives lost, trust shattered, a realm brought to the brink of civil war. And the scars—both physical and otherwise—would take time to heal.
25
All around us,the injured were being tended to, their blood staining the white marble floors as they were carried to the tower's infirmary. I watched as Erin expertly bandaged a gash on Rey's arm while Farrah, leaning heavily on Wyatt for support, created small ice compresses for those with minor injuries.
“The elixir won't last much longer,” Aspen warned, checking a small timepiece he'd pulled from his pocket. “Maybe another hour at most. We should start arranging transport back to Earth for everyone who needs it.”
I nodded, the practicalities of our situation slowly filtering through the fog of exhaustion. Our non-angelic allies couldn't remain in Elysium without the golden lily elixir—and once it wore off, they would be violently ejected from the realm.
