Page 59 of Wings of Valor
He presses a quick kiss to my forehead, and then we enter the room behind Kirach. The only light comes from a hole in the ceiling. It illuminates the doors of two cells, but doesn’t reach any farther.
“Hayliel!” Mom calls out, and I rush to the farthest cell.
Thank the gods she’s alright. “We’re here to get you out,” I say in a rush, trying to open the door, but of course it’s locked. It’s a damn cell, for fuck’s sake.
“That demon you dusted didn’t happen to drop a set of keys, did he?”
Kirach shakes his head.
“You should have enough heat to melt through the bars,” Theo says, eying the keyhole.
Right. The powers my parents don’t know I have. Well, this should be interesting.
“Are you both alright?” I ask, gripping the bars near the keyhole.
“We’re fine, but … Zeke … Honey, he’s not doing too good.” They look in the direction of the other cell. I follow their gaze, but all I can make out is a lumpy figure beneath a threadbare sheet.
“We’ll get him to a healer right away,” I reassure them, not willing to let any negative thoughts enter. I can’t. If I did, I’d crumble, and we don’t fucking have time for that.
“We’ve got less than ten minutes before those explosives go off, and while I don’t want to rush you, we’ve gotta get moving,” Kirach says, spreading a sticky substance over the section of the cells where the door meets the bars. When he’s done, he turns his anguished expression toward the prone figure.
Toward his son.
Without another thought, I move toward Zeke’s cell and grip the bars. “Right. Mom, Dad, what you’re about to see might be shocking, but I promise I’ll explain it all once we’re out of here.” I find the pool of power inside me and direct it toward the bars. The metal heats beneath my skin, but I don’t let up, not until I smell smoke.
“Stand back!” Kirach shouts, and I jump away just in time for a small explosion.
“You used a combustible agent to help speed up the process,” Theo says in amazement as the door cracks open.
“You two check on Zeke while I get this door open,” I say, but Kirach is already striding into Zeke’s cell before I even get the words out. I shift my attention back to the door of my parents’ cell, ignoring the heat of their stares. “Keep away until after, please,” I tell them, then bring forth more sunfire. As soon as it’s safe, I stride in and hug them both. “I’m so fucking glad you’re alright.”
Kirach makes a sound that has my head whipping toward him.
“My boy,” he rasps out as agony spills from him.
“What is it?” I ask, rushing into the other cell.
“Firefly,” Theo says, stopping me from getting too close.
“Stop it, Theo. Let me—”
The words get stuck in my throat as I finally see him.Zeke.He’s pale, and his usually soft, dark hair is matted and patchy,like they’ve cut his scalp and took bits of hair in the process. His wings are out, but they look nothing like they used to. The one closest to me has had so many feathers removed it’s bald in some places, and as my eyes trace the line of his wings, I notice what must have Kirach in such a state. Zeke’s other wing is just … gone. Cut clean off the bone.
Nothing remains but a stump.
“Zeke,” I whisper, my eyes pricking with pain and anger so fucking hot, I swear I could burn the entire city to the ground. “But how? Why?” I ask, turning to my parents for answers.
“We have a lot to talk about, but not here. We need to get him to safety before they come back and do worse.”
A single tear tracks down my cheek, scalding me.
“I’m going to tear them to the ground for this,” Kirach promises, and I nod in agreement.
Auriel. The demons. They won’t get away with this.
I place my hand on Zeke’s remaining wing while Theo gives my parents water and food from his pack.
Zeke. I’m so fucking sorry,I say through our connection, but even though he’s right here and I’m touching him, something blocks our pathway.
