Page 3

I blinked, trying to shake off the fog of sleep, my body aching from the constant strain of magic simmering just beneath my skin, and sleeping in the chaise lounge.

It was comfortable for a chair, to be lounging on for a couple hours…

now, to sleep a whole night? My back would protest the rest of the day.

I glanced around and saw Lacey was the only one here. Last night, Farrah and Wyatt had gone to the Hall to sleep. However, Levi had stayed with me, and now he was nowhere to be found.

Lacey made her way to the crates over the lines of the witch’s circle, where the crates created our very fancy makeshift dining area. Her expression was grim as she set a small bag of pastries on the table between us.

“I’m sorry you had to sleep there,” Lacey said. “Maybe we can ask Levi to bring an actual bed.”

I sat up. “If we continue bringing more stuff, we’ll need to make the circle bigger.”

“I mean, we can do that.”

I shook my head. “It’s fine like this.” Because hopefully it wouldn’t be for too long. “Any luck?”

She sighed. “Abbie and I spent all night digging through the Hall’s archives. We found a few theories about suppressing chaotic magic, but nothing that will work long-term. We’re still looking.”

I forced a small smile, trying to hide my disappointment. “I appreciate it, Lacey. I know you’re doing everything you can.”

She reached out and squeezed my hand, her touch warm against my cold skin. “We’ll figure this out, Ariella. I promise.”

Patience wasn’t my strongest suit, but when I actually was able to stop and look back, I could see the pattern: we had had dozens of problems before, enemies who threatened our magic, our family, our existence … and somehow, we had always made it.

We would make it again.

Right?

“Morning, sweetheart.”

I turned to his voice and found Levi strolling from the office in the back of the warehouse toward me. His dark eyes locked on mine, and my breath caught. By the light, he was handsome.

As usual, he had black slacks, black shirt, and his hair was damp, revealing he just got out of the shower—without me.

And that suddenly made me very self-conscious … I should take a shower soon.

“I’ve brought homemade breakfast burritos,” Lacey announced as she opened a large brown bag and distributed the plastic containers to us.

“Thank you,” I said, getting mine.

Levi got his container and took one step into the circle. I instantly pulled away, afraid I would hurt him. But the damn man was impossible. He hooked one arm around my waist, pulled me to him, and pressed a quick kiss to my lips.

A second later, he let go and stepped back and outside the circle.

Lacey smiled at us.

“What?” Levi sat down on one of the chaise lounges and opened his container.

“Nothing,” she said, her smile widening.

I wouldn’t buy into this sibling conversation, so I too sat down and started eating, quiet in my corner.

“I know that look.” Levi took a bite of his burrito.

“If you know it, then why are you asking about it.”

“Lacey …”

“What?” She stared at him with wide eyes. “Leave me be, you idiot.”

That made Levi’s eyes darken, and even though I knew he was trying to intimidate her, Lacey and I laughed.

The two of them continued bickering while we ate. After, Lacey went back to the Hall and Levi went with her, saying he would just check on their progress and be right back.

The silence they left behind settled heavily over me, and I found myself pacing the length of the warehouse, trying to ignore the constant hum of magic that pulsed beneath the cuffs on my wrists.

It was nearly thirty minutes later when Aspen arrived, stepping through a portal that rippled like purple water in the air.

He wasn’t alone. Beside him stood a young angel, his hands bound with cuffs similar to mine. My breath caught in my throat as I recognized him.

“Ezekiel?”

He looked up at me with wide eyes, and for a moment, he seemed just as shocked to see me as I was to see him.

He was taller than I remembered, but his face was still the same—sharp features, high cheekbones, and a hint of boyishness that made him look younger than he probably was.

I did some math in my mind, and guessed he couldn’t have been more than nineteen.

Aspen gave me a nod, his expression carefully neutral. “Found him poking around, asking for you. Figured you’d want to hear what he has to say.”

I took a step closer, my eyes darting over the cuffs that bound Ezekiel’s wrists. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, showing up here, Zeke. What are you doing on Earth? And why the hell are you asking for me?”

Ezekiel held my gaze, unflinching. “I came to warn you, Ariella. And to help—if you’ll let me.”

“Help?” I bit out the word, my mind racing. He had been close to my sister Adriel back in Elysium. Just thinking about my family made my chest ache with worry. “What about my family, Zeke? Adriel, my mother?”

“They’re fine,” he said. “They’re safe. Hurt, but safe. And?—”

My heart stuttered. “Hurt?”

“No, not physically. But you know, hurt as in sad, disappointed, defeated,” he explained.

I let out a long breath. “Ylena and Rhodes… they told everyone what you did, what happened that day. They’ve made you out to be some kind of monster.

It’s made things hard for them, but they’re hanging in there. ”

My fists clenched at my sides, anger boiling up inside me. “I know what they said about me.”

“But you don’t. Now, Rhodes is saying you killed Ylena in some vicious battle, and he had to retreat to prevent more casualties.” Ezekiel grimaced. “Ariella, most of Elysium believes them. Your record is getting darker by the second.”

I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth. “And what do you believe, Ezekiel?”

“I don’t believe them,” he said softly. “Never did. Even before, during the first attack, even if you ran away, I knew something wasn’t right. I tried telling that to Adriel and your mother, and I think deep down they agree with me, but it’s hard when the rest of the kingdom says otherwise.”

I crossed my arms, trying to push back on the emotions surging within me. “And what does that have to do with anything? Why have you come here?”

“Because I found proof.”

I glanced at Aspen whose eyes widened. Yes, I was curious too. “Proof of what?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. But my pulse was racing, a wild hope unfurling despite my doubts.

Ezekiel’s expression hardened, his gaze flicking toward the shadows of the warehouse, as if checking for eavesdroppers.

“I’m in Guardian Academy, top of my class.

My mentor is Haines, one of Rhodes’s most trusted archangels.

Through him, I learned that most angels are divided, more than ever before.

Some of them agree with Rhodes—that humans and other supernaturals are beneath us, that angels shouldn’t be their guardians. ”

His words sank in slowly, cold dread pooling in my stomach. “And the others?”

“Some still believe in Adona’s teachings, but they’re afraid. Rhodes and his allies have power, influence. It’s dangerous to speak against them.”

“So far that proves nothing.”

“I overheard a conversation between Rhodes and Haines,” he continued. “They were talking about a special dagger, that it was finally with them. They said they could move the final pieces of their plan—that soon, Adona would be gone, and Elysium would be shaped to their liking.”

A sharp gasp escaped me, and my hands flew to my mouth. “No,” I muttered. They wanted to weaken Adona with the Scarlet Hex Dagger and then kill her. I knew it. I knew they were planning something like this.

“They also said something about silencing you before it was too late.” Ezekiel shook his head once.

“I don’t know what the dagger does, what their plan is exactly, but something told me I had to find you.

Afterward, I tried asking Haines about you, pretending to hate you as much as they do.

I wanted to see if he would tell me something useful. ”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure he said some nice things.” I sounded more bitter than I intended.

Ezekiel winced. “Yeah, he said the same thing they always do. That you are dangerous, that you’d betrayed all of us.

But again, I knew it couldn’t be true, especially after hearing they needed to silence you.

I remembered you, Ariella. How you treated your sister Adriel, how you always tried to help people, how dedicated you were at the academy.

I couldn’t believe you’d turn into a monster overnight.

” One corner of his lips curled up. “You know, when I still tried to talk about this with Adriel, she would tell me that if she had to think about someone in your family becoming a monster, it would be her, not you. Never you.”

Something in my chest twisted painfully at his words. It had been so long since I’d seen Adriel, so long since I’d even let myself think about her. “What about her?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “How’s Adriel holding up?”

Ezekiel’s face softened. “She’s strong, like you.

But she’s upset, hurt, bitter. It’s hard to stand up straight when everyone points at her and your mother as if they had nurtured a traitor.

” His shoulders sagged. “And it’s hard to go against the lies when it’s all you hear.

At some point, the lies become all you know. ”

Shit. I looked away, blinking back the burn in my eyes. I couldn’t afford to think about that now. Not with so much at stake. I had to focus on the bigger picture—the dagger, Adona, stopping Rhodes before he could destroy everything I’d ever believed in.

Levi’s voice cut through my thoughts, sharp and edged with skepticism. “And you just expect us to believe you, kid? You show up out of nowhere, spinning this story, and we’re supposed to trust you?”

The three of us glanced to the side. Levi emerged from one of the Hall’s portals. It closed behind him the moment he stepped out.

Ezekiel flinched under Levi’s scrutiny, but he squared his shoulders, meeting the demon’s gaze. “And who are you?”

“He’s …” I swallowed my words. My partner? My lover? My companion?

“I’m Ariella’s mate,” Levi said as he came to stand beside me, tall and regal as usual.

Ezekiel’s eyes widened for a moment, but he recovered fast and continued, “I don’t expect you to trust me.

I just want you to give me a chance to prove myself.

I’m willing to go back, to be your eyes and ears in Elysium, Ariella.

You need someone who can get close to Rhodes, someone who can pass information back to you. ”

Levi narrowed his eyes. “That’s a dangerous offer, kid. You sure you’re ready for the fallout if you get caught?”

Ezekiel’s face tightened with determination. “I don’t care about the risk. I care about making things right. I care about Adriel and I care about stopping Rhodes before it’s too late.”

I studied Ezekiel’s face, searching for any hint of deception. But all I saw was a young angel, scared but determined, desperate to do the right thing in a world that had turned upside down. And I knew, in that moment, that he wasn’t lying.

I took a deep breath, forcing down the fear that curled in my gut. “Okay,” I said, glancing between Levi and Aspen. “We let him help us. But we don’t trust him blindly, and we don’t take unnecessary risks.”

Levi’s jaw tightened, but he gave a sharp nod. “Fair enough.”

Ezekiel’s shoulders sagged with relief, and for a moment, he looked like the boy I used to see hanging around Adriel, tagging along with my sister like a shadow. “Thank you, Ariella. I won’t let you down.”

I managed a small, strained smile, but the weight of his words settled heavily in my chest. There was no turning back now, no time to second-guess our decisions. We had a chance—one slim, dangerous chance—to stop Rhodes before he could turn Elysium into a nightmare.