She starts sputtering unintelligible words, but manages to say clearly, ‘Go home, Jordan.’
‘Hey, are you listening?’
‘Am I listening? Let’s see … Adam finds me as repulsive as you do, but since he wants something from me, he’s pretending to be interested.’
‘Jeez, Amber, that’s not what I said.’
‘Yeah, it is.’
‘Well, maybe, but I didn’t mean it that way. You don’t know Skinner like I do. He’s bad news for everyone.’
‘Really? So he’s never done anything good for you?’
Oh-ho, what’s he been telling her to make himself look like a hero? He made me swear to tell no one what happened inside that cave.
Amber puts her hands on her hips and waits.
‘OK, yep, once he, um, saved my life.’
She gives me her I-knew-it-all-along look, then closes the door in my face, but I stick my foot out at the last second. ‘I don’t know what Skinner’s told you, or how much; I just know he will use you and hurt you. He knew Ebony was walking into a trap, but didn’t warn any of us. He got reinstated into our school even though he tried to kill me. You remember that, don’t you?’
She nods.
I run my hands through my hair. What game is Skinner playing with Amber? I really have to get through to her.
She looks over my shoulder into the dark shadows of her front yard. ‘Why did you come here tonight, Jordan?’
‘I didn’t like the way we left things.’
‘Neither did I, but there’s always text … oh, my God.’ Her eyes meet mine. She’s figuring it out. ‘You came to say goodbye.’ Her bottom lip trembles and she snags it into her mouth. ‘Oh hell,’ she murmurs. ‘You really don’t give a damn about me. I’m such an idiot.’
‘Don’t say that, Amber. I do care about you.’
‘Really? Then why are you intending to leave me alone with this?’
‘But I’m not. I’m gonna make things better for you. For everyone. Give the angels a few days and they’ll bring your best friend back.’
She scoffs. ‘Do you seriously think this time they’ll leave Ebony on Earth where she’s obviously not safe?’
She has a point, but … relying on Skinner for comfort will ultimately bring her more pain. ‘Amber, promise me you won’t hang around with Skinner any more.’
‘Give me a reason why I shouldn’t. You’re not the only one hurting, Jordan. Tell me you won’t go, that you will hang around with me when Ebony leaves for good, and I’ll never speak to Adam again.’
My heart starts pounding, building speed like a freight train. Why is saying goodbye so hard? And why is Amber making me choose between her and Ebony?
She groans, making a really pissed-off sound while rolling her eyes. Then, with a grunt of frustration, she reaches out, grabs my face between her hands and kisses my mouth. Her lips are soft and supple and raising my temperature fast. In complete control, she slows the pace, tilting her head at different angles as if she’s tasting something salty, and then sweet on my lips. Prising my lips apart with her tongue, she takes the kiss to an entirely new level. Exploring with her tongue inside my mouth makes the fire she lit with her first touch turn into a raging bonfire. We remain lip-locked until we’re both gasping and lunging for air.
She steps back. There’s hurt in her eyes, pain in the voice she doesn’t use but clearly wants to. Instead she turns away, shutting the door in my face.
23
Nathaneal
We meet in the still, early dawn at the entrance to the Crossing, where the forest grows thickest and usually abounds with Aracals looking to report to their creator. But this morning there are only the lyrical whistles of crimson rosellas and king parrots.
We leave in groups – first the three teams, spread no more than two minutes apart from first soldier to last, vital to ensure the three main teams travel through the same landscape and arrive together. Gabriel and Uri have each brought eight of their best soldiers, making nine per team, called A and B. They will support Team One – my team of Michael, Isaac, Shae, Tash, Jez, Solomon and my brother Jerome and his wife Sami, the pair whose ability to become invisible will be invaluable on this mission.
Close behind the teams are the rest of Gabriel’s soldiers. They will follow in staggered units of five hundred at a time, until eventually ten thousand will set up camp at the blue light, the only Crossing landscape that doesn’t shift. There, they will split into two units. One will build the wall that will reinforce the gates once we bring Ebony through and I have fulfilled my promise to the High King, the other will patrol the gates before, during and after construction, no matter how long it takes, ensuring nothing leaves Skade for the next hundred years.
We enter the Crossing and find ourselves flying over hills of pine forests. The deep green foliage has a silvery tint, usually seen at dusk, but the light is still the kind normally seen in the mornings. As I try to assess what this means, a sudden human thought shoots into my head.
But that’s … impossible.
It happens again, followed by a colourful string of profanity.
There is no human in the three teams, and my mind doesn’t want to accept what I’m hearing.
Angry at the only possibility that makes sense, I turn to Tash, flying on my right, with the question in my eyes.
I heard him too, she forges in a private link, adding as an afterthought, Nathaneal, I did not bring him.
I move a little closer. Do you know who did?
Shae appears in her thoughts, but Tash quickly discards the image. There’s only one amongst us who would put his own desires before your needs, my prince.
Uncomfortable with this thought, I forge an open link. All teams regroup on the forest floor immediately.
Dedicated soldiers all, no one disobeys, objects or questions my order.
The forest floor is an army of giant trunks with a canopy so high and thick above us the created darkness forces us to increase our glow.
As soldiers drop to the ground around me, I listen carefully. Two members of Team A land with a slightly heavier force than I would expect. I wade between dozens of tree trunks before I see their glow, dimmer than that of the rest of us. I adjust mine similarly while I watch them assist their human cargo on to his feet. Lowering the lamorak to his waist, the pair checks Jordan over carefully for injuries.
My anger burns, not just at the bruises blooming like flowers over the boy’s torso and arms, but also at the soldiers’ attempt to hide the human, dressed all in black, behind them when they become aware of my presence.
‘Step aside, soldiers.’
They do as I say. I tug the beanie off Jordan’s head. As his hair falls over his forehead, he runs his fingers through it, appearing as vulnerable as a misunderstood child.
‘Do you want to die?’
‘Don’t answer that.’ It’s Gabe’s voice. I search for him among a growing circle of soldiers around us. He steps up. ‘Looking for me, brother?’
‘Are you responsible for this?’
‘The boy came to me,’ Gabe explains, ‘wanting to be among the first to see your fiancé.’
‘Jordan’s presence here doesn’t happen to benefit you by any chance, does it?’
‘That’s not fair.’
‘Oh, Gabriel, I think it is.’
‘I made my offer to build the wall in good faith. You accepted. Jordan’s plea came afterwards. There is nothing more to it.’
Scrutinising my brother, I point out, ‘You could have said no. Why did you agree with his request?’
As Gabriel continues to explain his actions, Michael moves up close to my left side. No one else dares move, in case it appears they’re taking sides.
‘You know I supported Jordan having a choice from the start,’ Gabriel says, ‘and while I happen to still support that, no one stopped to think that maybe Jordan deserves to be among the first to see her.’
I catch him flicking a look to Shae. She stares strai
ght at me but doesn’t say anything. I rub the back of my neck. Usually this helps me think more clearly. If only I knew for sure that seeing Ebony was Jordan’s only reason for coming. ‘Is that why you’re here, Jordan?’
Gabe answers for him. ‘He thinks we’re going to take her straight home to Avena.’
‘Is that what you think, Jordan?’
He nods and I ask, ‘Why didn’t you come to me?’
‘He came to me,’ Shae says. ‘I told him Ebony wouldn’t do that. Apparently he didn’t believe me.’
‘I’ve got a right to see her,’ he proclaims. ‘This could be my last time. The Dark Prince has control of my life. He even gets to say when I die. It could be tomorrow.’
‘Jordan, listen to me. I’m not going to let Prince Luca hurt you. I would fight him myself before I let him take your life.’
‘You would do that for me? F-for a mortal? A nobody?’ Seeming to need convincing, he shifts his eyes first to Michael, who blinks slowly, then to Jez, Isaac and Shae, who all nod or smile grimly. ‘Oh my God, you would do that for me.’
I ruffle his hair and he makes a gasping, half-choking sound in his throat. ‘But why? What did I do to warrant this … this … blind faith you have in me?’
I slide my hand round the back of his neck and pull him into my embrace. ‘Sometimes there is no reason for the things we do, Jordan. We just do them because in our heart we know they’re right.’
24
Ebony
Dull purple light seeping through the drapes wakes me from a beautiful dream where I’m sleeping with Nathaneal spooning my body in a perfect fit. Sated and warm, I roll over and lift my hand to his chest … but it drops to an empty cold sheet. Disappointment floods every cell of my body. I snatch the sheet and crumple it between my fingers to hold back my tears.
Still a bit disoriented, I pull myself into a sitting position and look straight into a pair of glowing yellow eyes. Shit!
Fully awake now, I remember that’s where I left Luca sitting last night when he ordered me to sleep. I’m in Luca’s bedroom with the beast staring at me from a chair across the room.
Screaming, on hands and knees, I scramble to the furthest corner of the room and hug my knees.
He wakes and swears one word, viciously, in English as he morphs back into his angel form and comes after me, murmuring softly spoken comforting phrases that bring no comfort at all.
How could they?
He hunkers down in front of me. ‘It’s all right now. You can stop screaming. Look, Princess.’
I turn my face partially towards him, keeping my eyes half closed, as if that will somehow help shield me should he still be the beast. I’m afraid that if I glimpse the beast this close up I will start screaming again, and go entirely insane before I stop.
‘Ebony, look at me.’
No. I can’t.
He swears again. ‘Ebony, I was tired. I forgot to switch back. That’s all. Look at me.’
My eyes bug out as I take a peek. ‘He’s not here?’
‘Not any more.’
‘I thought you were an angel from Avena who led a rebellion against the High King. And when no compromise satisfied either side, you took your followers and anointed yourself king of a new world. You’re not supposed to look like that thing with the …’ I outline the curved horns with my hands in the air. ‘How did it happen?’
‘Not overnight.’
‘Do you like it more?’
‘I’m comfortable in either form, but the beast has more power.’
‘Is that what it’s all about for you? Power?’
He breathes in my scent as if he were the beast again, testing the air for prey. I shudder from head to toe. He wraps a blanket around me. ‘There is nothing else as satisfying.’
‘You only think that because you haven’t felt the strength of love.’
He takes an age to answer, his eyes remaining on me, studying my face. ‘I will control all the kingdoms with the power of the beast.’
‘Including Earth?’
He nods.
‘Without love, a part of your life will always be missing. I wouldn’t swap anything for the love my mum and dad gave me, or my best friend. Or for that matter, even my horse.’
‘Ah, but that’s where you come into it, Princess. You will provide me with the love of a family.’
Before I realise what he’s doing, his arms are around me and he’s lifting me to the bed, where he sits beside me, our legs hanging over the same side. He readjusts the blanket around my shoulders, straightening a curl hanging down the side of my face. It springs back. He does it again, watching with a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
He goes to do it again, but this time he uses his knuckle to trace the outline of my face and my skin blisters from the heat of his touch.
I jerk my head to the side.
He grips my chin, bringing my face back, and we eye each other. Maintaining his firm grip, he traces my bottom lip with his thumbnail.
I yank his arm down, hissing at him, ‘Don’t touch me, Luca.’
With abruptness that is more in line with the Luca I know, he gets up. ‘Well, we’ll see about that.’ He points to the wall behind him. ‘In there you will find everything you need. There are two doors, one to your bathroom and one to your wardrobe.’
‘But I’m not moving in. You said three days.’
‘I know what I said.’
‘What’s going on, Luca? Is Mela all right? I want to see her.’
‘It’s not punishment if she gets time out with friends,’ he says. ‘You will see her when she completes her sixty hours.’
‘I want assurance that I’m not a prisoner in your apartment.’
‘In three days I will give you a choice to stay or return to your room. If you stay, I will inform the guards you are free to go and come as you please, as long as you remain inside the palace.’
I don’t like the sound of this. What is he offering exactly?
I get up, tossing the blanket on to the bed. ‘Let me get this straight. You’re giving me a choice to either stay here with you and have access to the palace, or return to my apartment and continue being a prisoner in isolation?’
‘Correct.’
Some choice!
But he’s such a consummate liar I don’t know what to believe. Even when I look into his eyes to read his soul, there’s no light, no flame, just blackness like dark matter, like a black hole.
He leaves and I take a bath to mull over my choices, escape always my first priority. Without the secret passageways, it’s going to be harder. But when Mela completes her punishment and we’re back in my rooms, I will ask for her help, though not in a way that will bring her to Luca’s attention again. Mela knows the palace, the city, the outer provinces, the demons’ habitat, maybe even secret caves and underground safe houses, information I will need to know.
After my bath, I wind a towel around me and step into the wardrobe Luca said was mine. Oh, wow, there are so many clothes!
And not just any clothes. I pull out a hanger here and there and haute couture dresses fall into my arms. On the other side hang designer jeans, cheeky burlesque skirts and outfits in blends of casual, gothic and steampunk styles. Along the rear wall are jackets and coats. A corset bustle coat in emerald green catches my eye. It’s adorable. I can’t resist dropping the towel, slipping into it and twirling in front of the mirror.
‘Breakfast is ready.’
Oh-ho. I turn slowly at the sound of Luca’s voice. He’s standing in the doorway, his light brown hair wet and slicked back against his scalp, his vivid eyes as green as ever. ‘I take it you like the clothes, or is it just coats you have a penchant for?’
I refrain from touching my cheeks to see if they’re burning. I know they are! I could fry an egg on my forehead! ‘How long have you been – uh … ?’
‘Watching you is fast becoming one of my favourite pastimes.’
I mumble incoherent syllables under my bre
ath.
He laughs.
I push him outwards, closing the door in his face, and quickly rummage through drawers looking for underwear. Next I tug on a pair of jeans in a red-wine colour with a fitted black leather jacket that I zip up all the way to my neck and try not to think what animal died for it. Finally I step into a pair of lace-up ankle boots in cream I admired earlier on one of the shelves. Everything fits perfectly.
We eat breakfast in the dining room. And soon after that I go and stand at the living-room window and try to figure out how long it would take me to run to the city’s border from here.
‘Plotting your escape?’
I jump at the sound of his silken voice at my ear. ‘Do you have to do that?’
At his confused expression I explain, ‘Creep up on me.’
‘You’ve been living in the human world for too long.’
‘You would know. You put me there.’
He walks to the front entrance doors and stops. ‘I’ll return before nightfall.’
‘You’re going out?’
‘Would you like me to stay?’
‘No!’ I practically scream the word. ‘What am I supposed to do all day?’
‘Take a look around. I’m sure you’ll find something to amuse yourself until I return.’
After he’s gone, I change my leather jacket for a black coat, count to sixty, and yank open both front doors.
Two Throne guards turn on silent feet and block my exit. Behind them, another two swing silently into position so that the entire width of the double-door frame is covered. I lean on the jamb and groan. ‘I just want to go the kitchens and bring back some milk to make a cup of hot chocolate,’ I explain, leaving out the part where I don’t trust their king and what I’m really going to do is find Mela and make sure she’s all right.