Page 59 of Wings of Darkness (Daughter of the Seven Circles #2)

A shriek clawed up my throat. This was how I died.

My stomach jumped into my mouth, and I flailed.

It didn’t matter if this was our plan. Images of my body impaled on icicles invaded my mind.

Surely Ronen had retreated to some far-off corner.

He wouldn’t rescue me in time. Hadn’t I already been falling forever?

Strong arms closed around me, and I was gasping for all the air I could get.

“What are you playing at, Hellion?” Ronen snarled, suspicious.

We flew for a moment, and I pretended I was gathering my breath to speak. Although it wasn’t completely faked.

I didn’t have time to make up an excuse; I didn’t even have one on hand. Instead, I used all my focus and my father’s training to imagine the hallucination Alexei suggested and burrowed deep into my power.

We landed.

“I’m proving I’m as scary as you.” Then I shouted, “Now, Oliver!”

We touched Ronen at the same time, and I dove into his mind.

Ronen’s barriers were a fortress of solidified darkness. They had no cracks, holes, or weaknesses at all. I knew force wouldn’t get me through—not unless I was mentally and physically stronger than him. Which meant I had to try the way my father taught me.

I visualized warmth and safety, making my mental presence appear as nonthreatening as it could. If I wasn’t a threat, there was a chance I could slip through. I softly touched his walls with my mental hand. At first, nothing happened. Then a shadow broke off from the wall and sank into me.

That never happened with my father. Did I screw up?

Nervous, I pressed harder and fell through to the heart of his mind.

It shouldn’t have been that easy. But I didn’t have time to question it. I needed to perform the next step of our plan.

RONEN

“I’m proving I’m as scary as you,” she said, touching my face.

I couldn’t see her, but I could feel every inch of her. My shadows wrapped around her body. Her warmth penetrated my uniform, just as her winterberry scent struck my nose. Overloaded by her addictive smell and intoxicating heat, it was difficult to concentrate on anything else.

“Now, Oliver!” she shouted.

I knew this was coming—I’d heard Oliver give away part of their plan—and yet he still managed to touch my back.

I collapsed, dropping the Hellion, and fell into my fear.

“Hey! You were all over me, no need to hit me,” Alexei complained—the flirting bastard .

Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to tell them to restrict their power if all they were going to do was flirt and waste time.

But if Lucifer wouldn’t, then I would wherever I could.

She’d never forgive herself if she killed her father or mother.

Their lives were more important than Lucille practicing her powers every day.

She could learn this way, slowly and with limitations.

If she knew the truth, she’d agree, if not outright quit.

At least this way, she’d receive some training.

“Wasn’t me.” She sighed. Her heat signature pressed closer to his.

“Beautiful, has anyone ever told you that you smell divine?”

Seven Hells, I wished Alexei would shut up—or at least lower his voice so I didn’t have to hear him from here. I’d put enough space between us to give them an advantage. But they sure weren’t taking it.

My shadows rippled, signaling a slight movement. But I couldn’t pinpoint which one of them moved or the direction of their movements; their heat signatures were too close together.

“Lucille.”

I frowned at Alexei’s tone.

“What would you do if I kissed you right now?” He wasn’t flirting. He wasn’t joking. He was serious.

I waited for her to laugh or deny him.

She whispered something back that I couldn’t make out. She had to have said no to him.

My shadows rippled again. I gritted my teeth, so close to dropping my power. But what if this was part of their plan?

Alexei knew me too well. He had to be taunting me to try to prove his suspicions right.

Seconds passed with more small ripples and whispered words. Hopefully, they were finally planning. I focused on Oliver. He sat on the ground. Small pulses surrounded his hands. Was he fidgeting? Playing with snow? I refrained from scoffing. This was supposed to be a team effort.

A bigger ripple pulled me away from Oliver and back to Alexei and Lucille.

I frowned at the oddly shaped heat signature on the ground, trying to process what I saw.

In hindsight, I already knew, I just didn’t want to believe it.

Once the red glow dimmed from the items, I forced myself to look at their combined signatures. Then she moaned.

My ears rang as I dropped my shadows, and it felt like someone shoved a hot fire poker in my gut.

Alexei, half-dressed, leaned over Lucille, nipping at her breast. He held her up as he thrusted his fingers into her core. Her hair pooled down her naked back as she gasped to the sky.

For a second, I just stood there. Alexei flirted with everyone.

He also stuck his cock into any gorgeous body that’d let him.

But I didn’t think Alexei would ever touch her, not after all his prying questions and suspicions.

Even if I shut them down, I never thought he’d go this far. I never thought she’d let him.

Unholy heat seared through my stomach and boiled my blood. My shadows consumed my eyes and whipped out in a chaotic storm. Lifting my chin, I luscelered to Alexei and ripped him back by his neck.

His hands gripped the arm I had secured around his throat. “I’m sorry, Ro,” he croaked. He didn’t even fight me as I squeezed tighter.

I didn’t want his apology. It was worthless now. He did the deed. After berating me with questions and assuming what she was to me, he still fucking did this .

The hellion hit me from behind, begging me to let go, but I couldn’t. The pain stabbing through my chest wouldn’t let me.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not with the male I’d shared all my hardships with. Not with someone I called my brother.

Seven fucking Hells, her scent was all over him. Another shot of rage seared through me.

I squeezed tighter.

“Ronen! Stop! Don’t hurt him!” the hellion screamed behind me.

Bile gathered at the back of my throat.

Then the scene dissolved and shifted.

We were at the Shard Field, but Alexei stood fully clothed next to Oliver, and Lucille was next to me, pulling her hand from my face.

I should’ve been relieved. Oliver never touched me. It wasn’t a fear—it was a manipulation.

Dread dug its claws into my chest. A voice— his voice—slithered through my thoughts, echoing in my ears. My lungs seized. My hands trembled. One moment they were clean—the next, coated in blood.

Seven Hells. Not again.

This wasn’t real.

A distant voice pierced through his oily, controlling words—familiar and warm. I snapped my head up.

Alexei’s face flickered—golden and concerned, then pure white and apathetic.

No. He wasn’t here. He didn’t know I was in Hell.

Unless I wasn’t here.

Snow crunched beneath my shifting boots. In a blink, it was gone—replaced by blinding white marble .

“Ronen, are you okay?” It was her voice, distorted and echoing, but it was his face. “I didn’t mean?—”

I jerked away from her— his touch.

Lucille

Shadows wrapped around his heaving chest, brushing his face as if trying to soothe him.

“Ronen, are you okay?” I touched his shoulder gently. “I didn’t mean?—”

He jerked away like my hand burned him. His expression broke something inside me. He’d never looked at me like that before—like I was something vile.

Alexei had known his plan would work. But I would never willingly let Alexei kiss or touch me, so I had to weave a convincing illusion. The only way I figured Ronen wouldn’t suspect me was if Oliver acted like he was forcing Ronen into his fears.

I should’ve been proud. I’d successfully infiltrated the mind of the second-most powerful angel in Hell. Instead, I felt sick.

He couldn’t think it had been real… right? I’d never do that to him.

But if it wasn’t that, then why was he trembling? Why did he clench his fists until his knuckles cracked?

His fear gutted me. His distance made my feet twitch, wanting to comfort him.

“Ronen, look at me.” Alexei reached out to grab his shoulders .

He luscelered back, shadows bristling, and unsheathed a Soul Sword.

“Hey,” Alexei said, palms up. “It’s just me. Alexei.”

Ronen’s gaze darted between the three of us, eyes gleaming with panic and rage. His hands shook, white-knuckling the hilt. His shadows lashed out, forcing us back.

“Come any closer and I will kill you.”

I stiffened.

Kill us?

What had I done? Did something go wrong when I was in his mind?

“Ronen, you’re okay,” Alexei said, voice soft, coaxing. “You’re safe. You’re with people who care about you.”

“I am not your slave anymore!”

His wings burst free in a violent flare of power, and I stumbled back, shaken by the ferocity in his voice.

“Don’t—” Alexei lurched forward.

But Ronen was already gone, shooting into the gray sky.

I stood there, breathless, heart hammering, watching the dark blur of him disappear.

Devastated.