Page 51 of Wings of Darkness (Daughter of the Seven Circles #2)

And I nodded, hoping it was the correct response.

Could the King of Hell get sick?

We passed through the door, our Hell Squadron uniforms heating instantly, and walked toward Ronen and Alexei, who stood waiting with their massive wings on display.

Should someone check on Lucifer just in case?

“Can you go make out with Alexei for me and tell me how it is? I feel like that’s a necessary duty as a best friend.”

“Mhmm,” I replied on autopilot. “Wait, what?” I twisted toward him, but he had already dropped behind me. Then he shoved me .

Startled, my feet tangled together, and I fell into Alexei’s body. He caught me and scooped me up into his arms, smiling down in triumph.

“What the hell, Oliver?”

He smirked, standing near Ronen. “That’s what you get for ignoring me. Now kiss him and tell me how it is.”

Alexei brought his face closer to mine. “I’d be more than happy to help out with that.”

I leaned away from Alexei’s advance. He adjusted his hand, almost brushing the underside of my breast, and curled me inward.

Oliver shook his head, pressing his lips together. “Pucker up, Luce!”

Ronen looked on with an unreadable expression, drilling his gaze into Alexei’s hand placement.

“I’m sorry I ignored you. I just had something on my mind,” I admitted.

Heavenly Hell, I hope Ronen didn’t think it was him.

Alexei’s warm breath hit my cheeks, and I shoved my hand into the gap before his lips could connect.

Oliver laughed, enjoying my torment. “I could tell.”

Alexei kissed my palm, his blue eyes shining with mirth. “Don’t worry, Princess, you’ll be begging me for my lips soon enough.”

“Watch your words,” Ronen warned, a cold edge in his tone.

Alexei’s amusement evaporated, and he lowered his head in a nod.

Ronen waited a tense second before picking up the still-smirking Oliver and flying off the roof .

“Is he always that intense when he scolds you?” I teased, tucking my face into Alexei’s neck as he jumped off, preparing for the blasting wind. But there was none. I frowned before remembering Alexei’s powers—he’d created a wind shield.

Alexei’s forehead wrinkled like he was trying to puzzle something out. He stayed that way for most of the flight.

“You’re going to get frown lines if you continue to do that.” I poked his creases.

He tilted his head toward me, his expression smoothing out. “Beautiful, I’m two hundred thirty-one years old, and this face is as angelic and handsome as the day it popped into existence. There will be no ugliness in my future.”

“No.” I laughed. “Just a bigger ego.”

Alexei twirled us in the air and winked, then landed in the Shard Field in a spray of snow. “Ladies love my ego. When you want to take a spin with the heartthrob hustler, just let me know.”

I brought a hand to my mouth, attempting to keep my mocking laugh in, but it spilled out.

He rolled his eyes and set me down. “Yeah, okay. I blame your friend for that one. But I had to test it out.”

“When you’re done flirting, we can begin,” Ronen barked, right as Rune came barreling out of the Veil Forest and into Alexei, knocking him on his ass.

“You know, Ro, I see a boxing match in our future—along with an interesting conversation.” Alexei lay on the snowy ground, spread-eagled.

Ronen strode over, stepping above his head. “It will be a pleasure to rough you up a bit, Lex,” he challenged, holding out a hand .

Alexei took it, and Ronen brought him up, both of them pulling each other in for an aggressive embrace and back slap.

“Don’t forget about the conversation.”

Ronen smacked him harder. “No words need to be said.” Then he released him and turned to me. “Did you think any more about your Glory?”

I opened my mouth, and my thoughts fluttered away to the library—his fingers tracing my thighs, his hand over my chest, brushing my nipples.

“Lucille?” he prompted.

Heat spread up my neck. Heavenly Hell, this was so much easier when we ran. At least then I had Oliver and Alexei between us.

“Kind of,” I mumbled. “But I don’t understand how Michael is a part of it. I wasn’t thinking about him when I erupted yesterday. I was just… scared.”

“They aren’t just related—they’re intertwined.

You fear your Glory because of him. You were taught not to accept them.

But our powers are created to protect us, so every time you’re scared, they signal to you, and your fear doubles, making them erupt without your control.

You’ve been conditioned into a dangerous cycle. ”

I crossed my arms. “I accept them. I just can’t control them.”

Ronen took a step toward me, raising a dark brow. “Then why’d you scream?”

What did that have to do with anything?

“I was scared.”

“That was not a scream of fear. That was a scream of pain,” Alexei said, lightly touching my arm .

Rune pressed close to my side, licking my hand as if trying to comfort me.

I shrugged them off, stepping back and bouncing my gaze between the three males. “So? You’re saying your powers never hurt?”

Alexei shook his head. Ronen’s lips pressed into a soft, sympathetic frown.

“Oliver, you puke after you use your power,” I said, bringing him into this.

He ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, but that’s a hazard of living through someone’s worst fear, not me rejecting my powers. I don’t scream like I’m being ripped apart.”

“It always hurts that much, doesn’t it?” Ronen’s words were less of a question and more of a statement.

I nodded, tightening my arms around my body.

A hint of sadness clouded Alexei’s crystal-blue eyes, his brow momentarily furrowing. I couldn’t tell if it was pity, sympathy, or both. Oliver stared at me with a similar gaze, shifting like he wanted to hug me.

“Stop looking at me like that. I’ve been through things. I bet we all have.”

Alexei flicked his attention to Ronen, then back to me.

“Yes, but you’re the second person I’ve ever met who had such extreme consequences to rejecting your powers.

” He took my hands in his and squeezed them, a gentle awe overcoming his words.

“We are taught upon creation to cherish them, honor them. They are our sacred right to use to protect people.”

He beseeched me with his searching, kind eyes.

There were no winks, no playfulness twinkling in his face.

This was a male who was proud of what he was, who he was.

This was a male who had accepted himself and wanted to help others do the same.

Alexei wasn’t just a flirty playboy. The passion and confidence pushing back his shoulders and moving through his face showed me another reason why Ronen made him his second.

“Your Glory is a beautiful gift. Don’t let that sick bastard influence you to punish yourself with it.”

My gaze fell to our boots. “Did that speech work on the first person you met with this problem?”

“No, it didn’t,” Ronen stated.

I jerked my head up, meeting his gaze.

“Haunted or empowered?”

He gave me a small, knowing smile. “It’s a battle every day. But I’ve been winning more.”

Alexei released me and patted Ronen on the back. “He’s come a long way under my tutelage. Was a stubborn little bastard at some points, but we got through it once he finally started to listen to me. Now we’re the best of buds,” he joked, but I could tell Alexei was proud of Ronen.

“Okay, Master Alexei,” I teased. “So if you helped the big, bad general, how are you going to help me?”

Alexei beamed, and Ronen shook his head, that slight smile still there, tugging at my chest.

“Well, beautiful”—he knocked my chin up—“what’s the best way to overcome fear?”

I refrained from rolling my eyes, but couldn’t keep the deadpan out of my expression. “To face it.”

He turned my face toward Oliver. “Exactly.”