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5

New Orders

Unfortunately, Faris and Grace noticed that Zane and I were riding one of those tornado elevator things off the flying asphalt island, and my annoying parents followed us out of River-the-rogue-Guardian’s secret Vault.

We passed through the glowing curtain but did not return to the Lost City. The spell dropped us off inside my office in Purgatory’s main Legion building.

I looked around. “Strange that it brought us here. The passages between portals are usually set, locked on both ends.”

“Usually but not always,” replied Zane. “According to River, the tornado elevator can take someone anywhere on Earth. It reads your thoughts to decide where to go. You must have been thinking of this place.”

I glanced at the rather substantial pile of paperwork on my desk. “I was thinking of all the work I still have to do.”

Zane looked at the stack. “When’s the last time you filled out a mission report?”

“Uh…never.”

I was kidding. Mostly.

“I’m not good at writing things down,” I said. “My assistant Lucy usually does it for me. But she’s on vacation right now. The last apocalypse was a tad too much excitement for her, so I told her to take a few weeks off.”

Angel pounced on one of the piles of paperwork, sending loose sheets flying everywhere. I caught the wayward pieces of paper with my telekinetic magic and reformed the stack. On the plus side, thanks to my chronic case of disorganization, it wasn’t any more chaotic than it had already been.

“You might not be good at filling out your paperwork, but your spells are topnotch, Leda,” Zane said, grinning.

I returned the grin. “Thanks. I’ve been practicing. I can even fold the pages into little magic origami birds and make them fly. Wanna see? We could send a flock of them down the main corridor and watch everyone duck for cover.”

“You might be an angel now, but you’re still the same old Leda,” Zane laughed.

“Of course. I’m incorrigible. Calli always told me that.”

“You’re not just incorrigible; you’re incurable. What am I going to do with you?” Faris said, making himself comfortable behind my desk.

“Err, perhaps not try to turn me into a weapon,” I suggested, flashing him my teeth. “I might misfire. And hit you instead.”

Faris leaned back in my chair. It was sturdy, but I was still worried it might snap under the weight of his ego.

“Insolence is not an endearing trait in a daughter,” he told me.

“I’m sorry you think so. I was hoping we could share a big hug later.” I spread my arms wide.

Faris looked at me like he thought my kind of madness was contagious. “You’re not as funny as you think you are.”

“Sure she is,” Grace laughed, opening up her arms to me.

I just stared at her. She’d called my bluff. Damn it. Grace chuckled.

“If you two are quite finished being ridiculous, I will be taking my leave of you now.” Faris rose smoothly to his feet and grabbed Zane’s arm.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I demanded.

“Taking the Ghost, of course.”

I knocked his hand away from my brother. “I don’t think so.”

“Indeed,” Grace said stiffly. “I will be taking him.”

Faris glowered at her. “If you think I will allow you to take him—”