Page 58 of Wings of Darkness (Daughter of the Seven Circles #2)

Chapter

Thirty-Eight

LUCILLE

“ T his session will be a lesson on problem-solving, control, and teamwork. My shadows are covering all of the Shard Field and this clearing. You three are tasked with escaping them. But you have to use the least amount of power you can, you have to escape together, and you can’t bleed.

If you break any of my rules, I’ll render a part of your body immobile.

You have an hour. Begin,” Ronen said, his voice echoing through the darkness.

“Also, there’s a solid wall of shadows you’ll hit before entering Veil Forest. Good luck. ”

My shoulders sagged. After watching my back during training—and Oliver’s—after going through the motions with Ichi and straining to keep my thoughts on lockdown, holding onto the numbness, I just wanted the day to be over.

I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to think or move.

Or maybe I did. Whatever would help the pain .

Why were we even back near the Shard Field? Wasn’t Ronen concerned about demons?

Obviously not. Nor did he care that no one seemed to want to be here. Ronen turned into a snappy ass right after I asked how Lucifer was doing. Alexei couldn’t stop shooting glares at Ronen or scrutinizing glances at me. And Oliver continued to yawn like he had overexerted himself and needed a nap.

But instead, we were here, holding hands, unable to see, and hoping we could get through this drill fast.

“Does anyone have any bright ideas?” Oliver mumbled, sounding as happy as I felt.

“Fifty-seven minutes,” Ronen announced behind me.

I twisted my head, but only wispy air caressed my face. Through the endless dark, I swore I met a pair of golden eyes. But they didn’t reel me in like they usually did. I felt nothing and was grateful for it.

“I could throw lightning at them until they crumble,” Alexei suggested.

I turned toward his voice. “That’s using the least amount of power?”

He shrugged, moving my hand. “If I say it is—” He hissed. “Fuck you, Ronen!”

“What’d he do?” Oliver asked through a yawn.

“Little bastard cut and paralyzed my hand.”

Tiny bolts of static lightning zapped through my fingers as Alexei held them, before a larger bolt streaked through Ronen’s power, briefly illuminating our surroundings. Alexei searched left and right. “Stay in your little hidden corner and out of our plans, you secretive ass! ”

His other hand went limp in mine, and he cursed again.

“Guess lightning is against the rules,” Oliver concluded.

“Most of our powers that could get us through the Shard Field seem to be against the rules. Which doesn’t make sense.” Wasn’t the point of this training to learn how to use my powers?

“So if we can’t use our powers, then how do we get across a giant field of pointy, killing ice or a solid wall of shadows? While in said shadows?” Oliver asked.

“We don’t,” Alexei answered.

“We don’t?” Oliver said in disbelief.

I understood his frustration, but something in Alexei’s tone made me pause before reacting.

I replayed Ronen’s directions in my head, analyzing each word.

He had said to escape his shadows. He never said anything about escaping this area.

That was just the first thought that came to all our minds—the easiest one.

But we didn’t have to attempt to break free to escape.

We had to somehow stop him from using them.

“We have to fight him.”

Alexei barked out a short laugh. “Beautiful, I can barely beat him in a fistfight, and currently, those fists are out of commission.” He lifted his arm and my hand that held his useless fingers. “So, how do you suggest we accomplish that, especially knowing he can hear every word we say?”

I thought for a moment, going over my own experiences and the books I had read. “Alexei, wield another bolt of lightning.”

He did, revealing a quirked brow before sending us back into darkness.

“Was that pretty easy? ”

I felt rather than saw him nod. “For the most part. It’s harder when I direct it.”

“Oli, stay right there.” I released his hand.

“Staying.”

I stepped into Alexei’s space, placing my hands on his chest. “Do it again.”

“Anything for you, beautiful.”

Static zinged across his uniform, gathering to be shot into the sky, and tingling my fingers. As he focused, I pressed against him and slid my arms around his neck. I buzzed with the energy vibrating through his body, my hair standing on end.

His throat bobbed against my palms. “What are you doing?”

I tiptoed up to his ear. “Where’s your lightning, Alexei?” My breath fanned across his neck, and I smiled when I felt his chest pounding.

“I’m having trouble concentrating.”

“Oh? Really?” I enjoyed teasing him more than I should’ve, but not only did it prove my point, it gave me a good distraction.

Something grabbed my shoulders and ripped me away from him. I stumbled back and whipped around, reaching toward the culprit, finding no one.

“Oliver?”

“Still here, standing about, waiting for our great plan.”

If it wasn’t Oliver… “Ronen?”

“Your time is running out.” He enunciated each word with a cold, harsh snap. His voice sent a shiver up my spine.

“I think I’m finally picking up what you’re putting down, beautiful.” Alexei reached out, hitting me with his limp hand, and walked into me. He dragged his arm up my body. “I think I have a plan. Where’s your ear?” His search conveniently stopped on my chest

“Clearly not there,” I deadpanned.

“I mean, I can’t feel anything, so you never know,” he muttered with a flirtatious hint, then yelped. “Hey! You were all over me, no need to hit me.”

“Wasn’t me.” I sighed, grabbing his hand and holding it against my ear.

“Wasn’t me either. Still just standing here, waiting for the dream team to stop fucking around and come up with something before I die of boredom or take a nap,” Oliver chimed in.

Alexei whispered his plan, and I almost hit him myself. “Not going to happen. Nor would it work.”

“Can’t you tap into that circle? Shouldn’t take too much power, right?”

“No. I only attempted it once, and it was an accident.” My stomach rolled at the memory. “No. Think of something else.”

Alexei hummed while awkwardly holding my head. “Then do it to me.”

I smacked him.

“Hey!” he exclaimed.

“Of course you’d suggest that.”

“Anyone mind cluing me in to what we’re discussing?” Oliver asked, his voice sounding like he was sitting on the ground.

“Get your ass up and get over here if you want to know. We’re not going to shout it across the bastard’s shadows and alert him to our awesome plan. ”

“Or lack thereof,” I mumbled. “I said I didn’t know how to use those powers.”

“You don’t need to. Do it for real,” Alexei said. I could hear the smile in his voice. “Trust me on this, I have a hunch it’ll work.”

“What will?” Oliver said, a lot closer now, his hand smacking me in the face. “Sorry. Can’t see anything.”

Alexei scoffed, and I reached out for Oliver, pulling him right next to our faces.

“Say your hunch is right, Alexei. Wouldn’t he see it coming since he’s already infiltrated your mind?”

“Depends if he’s still in there—and that depends on how much blood he took and how much time has passed. But I’ve reinforced my mental shields and don’t feel him. Trust me, I think the plan will work.”

“And he can’t hear our conversation through his shadows?”

“Not unless he’s standing close, or he’d have to be in our mind to know more. He can only sense our heat signatures and movement.”

“I want to know the plan,” Oliver whispered right next to my cheek.

Alexei proceeded to tell him.

“Of course.”

I had a feeling Oliver was rolling his eyes as much as I was.

But he knew Ronen best, so if Alexei had a hunch, then it could work.

Add in the fact that Ronen ripped us apart—for reasons I couldn’t think about—and it was our best bet.

The only problem was I didn’t think it’d be a big enough scene to disrupt his shadows, nor was I going to willingly make out with Alexei while he teased my breasts— his words, not mine .

“I have a better idea, but it’ll be much harder.” I shifted both their heads so my mouth was at their ears and explained.

“No, I like my plan more.”

“Me too. Haven’t I puked enough in these stupid lessons?” Oliver groaned loudly.

I smiled, knowing wherever Ronen hid, he had to have heard that.

My ears popped as something changed in my environment, and wings rustled to my left. Curious, I slid my hand over Alexei’s shoulder and ran my fingers through his heavenly soft feathers.

Alexei moaned. “Are you sure you don’t want to go with my plan? Because you pretty much ran a finger along my cock. And I’m trying really hard not to get turned on right now. But a guy can only do so much.”

I jerked my hand back and wrapped it around his neck. “Sorry.”

He laughed and scooped me up after figuring out his arm placement. “There’s a reason our wings don’t stay out. So please, keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times, or we’re going with my plan.”

A fierce, cold breeze snapped at my face as Alexei shot us into the air. He only went so far, staying within the shadows, but I knew the drop would kill me either way.

“You think this is really going to work?” The palms of my hands were slick with sweat, and my pulse quickened.

“Yes. And so do you, or you wouldn’t have suggested it. He’d never let anything happen to you,” Alexei admitted softly .

He made it sound like I meant something to him. Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t. If I did, I should’ve been ecstatic. That meant he might actually help me. Too bad it no longer mattered.

“Ready?”

“For this day to be over? Yes. For free-falling over the ground—or worse, the Shard Field—no.”

Alexei huffed. “Enjoy the fall.”

I swallowed. My nails dug into my hands, refusing to let go.

“Catch her if you can!” Alexei shouted as he released me. Even if I wanted to hold on to him longer, my sweaty hands slid, and I fell.