Page 44 of Wings of Valor
“See what?”
“I could have sworn I saw someone with blue hair inside the house.”
“I didn’t, but it might be best not to say that too loud.” With her hand in mine, I tug her away from the house. “Who knows what they’ll do if they know you saw something?”
Hayliel grimaces. “Good point. Let’s get back to the sanctuary.”
18
Icome to in a rush of pain.
The ground beneath me shifts, and I almost crumble to the hard floor, but something catches me. Not something.Demons.It’s the same two assholes who watched as Auriel pulled feather after feather from my wings. The ones who smiled through my pain.
If I were stronger, I’d kick their asses. But right now, all I am is a bundle of agony. My wings are raw from endless torture, and my muscles feel like I’ve just fought a thousand demons and lost.
I did, though. Lose.
My only solace is knowing that Hayliel is safe. Her parents aren’t so lucky, but while a psychotic piece of shit may have them held hostage and confined, at least they aren’t getting tortured and beaten for information.
Only me. And I accept that. Prefer it, even.
I do my best to stay conscious as the two demons drag my limp form somewhere. They’re talking to one another, joking about how they can’t wait for the next phase of the plan. Fuck, but what is it? I need to know.
We round a corner, and my wings catch on the wall, scraping over the oozing, featherless patches. Pain explodes in my back, and as I’m falling into darkness once more, I hear the demon chuckle and say, “Whoops. Didn’t see the wall there.”
I don’t know how long I stay out for, but it can’t have been for long because those fuckers are still holding me up when I wake. My strength is gone, so all I do is breathe. Through the pain. Through my fears and worried thoughts.
How much longer will this go on?
“I can’t wait to see that thing go off! Shards of those angel blades will do most of the work for us. All we’ll need to do is take care of the Fallen it missed,” the demon on my right says with excitement.
The one on my left chuckles but says nothing.
Shards of angel blades? What does that even mean?
Blinding pain spears through me again as the demons shift their hold on me, and I swear I feel a pointed claw purposefully scratch against a tender spot on my wings.
I groan, and all they do is laugh. Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to breathe through the pain, but with each passing second I become more and more sure that I’m going to be sick.
“Not so tough now, are you?” the demon on my right says with venom lacing his tone.
“That’s enough,” the other one says. Just as I’m about to mentally thank him for the backup, he adds, “At least let him gain back his strength. I like it when they have some fight left.”
So much for backup.
I’m abruptly dumped on the floor, and as the demons retreat and a metal door clangs, I realize I’m back in my cell. With no strength left, all I do is lie on the dirty floor, breathing hard.
“Oh, Zeke,” I hear Maribella say. “They’re still asking about Hayliel?”
A grunt is all I can offer in reply. Auriel has been trying to get me to break for days now. At least Ithinkit’s been days. It feels more like years. But it doesn’t matter how long he tries or how hard he pushes. I won’t break. Not on this.
She’s all that matters.
Knowing I need to be strong, I force myself into a sitting position.
There’s a shuffling sound that I immediately recognize as the pair moving closer to where our cages share a cell wall.
“Why are they doing all of this? And what does our little girl have to do with it?” Camael asks.
