Fearless (21 page)

I slink down under the sheets, clothes and all, shut my eyes and try with all my might to fall asleep.

22

Jordan

A car is driving out of Amber's place as I drive in, a bronze late-model Subaru four-wheel-drive. It takes half a click to realise who it is. ‘
Bullshit!
'

I pull up out front and run up the porch steps. Amber opens the door on my first knock and jerks backwards when she sees me, her eyes scooting to the road and back. ‘What are
you
doing here?'

‘What am
I
doing here? How about, what was
Adam
Skinner
doing here?'

She folds her arms over her chest. ‘You don't get to tell me who I can or can't hang out with.'

‘So you are seeing him?'

‘I didn't say that. What's it to you anyway?'

‘He's bad news, Amber, and you know it.'

‘What I know is that you judge Adam too harshly.'

‘No way, you can't be falling for him.'

‘I can, if I want to.'

I don't have time for games, so I try to simmer down fast. ‘Amber, listen to me. We haven't been getting along so much lately, and I get that I'm the last person you wanna take advice from, but I know Skinner. I knew him when we
were kids and best friends. I was there when his little brother drowned because of our stupidity, and because Adam couldn't handle his guilt at not being able to protect Seth, he turned on me. I understood his grief. I'd lost my mother to a drug overdose only two years earlier, so I let him go for it. I never fought back. But since the angels came, something's happened to him. He's involved in some real dark, dangerous stuff.'

‘Go on.' At least she's listening.

‘An angel got to him. I don't know how, or when, or who, though I suspect in the hierarchy of dark angels this one's somewhere near the top. This angel played on Adam's weakness, gave him powers in exchange for working for him, and now Adam is in over his head.'

She flutters her lashes as if she's flicking tears, and I panic at the thought that her emotions are for Skinner and I'm losing her. ‘You gotta listen to me, Amber. You can't let Skinner in. If he's showing interest in you, you can bet your life he has an ulterior motive. It won't be because he thinks you're beautiful and smart and sexy with that hair and those eyes and …' I take a breath before I chop my rambling tongue off with my pocket knife. ‘It's because he wants something from you, or …'
he wants something from me
, I finish saying silently.

She starts sputtering unintelligible words, but manages to say clearly, ‘Go home, Jordan.'

‘Hey, are you listening?'

‘Am I listening? Let's see … Adam finds me as repulsive as you do, but since he wants something from me, he's pretending to be interested.'

‘
Jeez
, Amber, that's not what I said.'

‘Yeah, it is.'

‘Well, maybe, but I didn't mean it that way. You don't know Skinner like I do. He's bad news for everyone.'

‘Really? So he's never done anything good for you?'

Oh-ho, what's he been telling her to make himself look like a hero? He made me swear to tell no one what happened inside that cave.

Amber puts her hands on her hips and waits.

‘OK, yep, once he, um, saved my life.'

She gives me her I-knew-it-all-along look, then closes the door in my face, but I stick my foot out at the last second. ‘I don't know what Skinner's told you, or how much; I just know he will use you and hurt you. He knew Ebony was walking into a trap, but didn't warn any of us. He got reinstated into our school even though he tried to kill me. You remember
that
, don't you?'

She nods.

I run my hands through my hair. What game is Skinner playing with Amber? I really have to get through to her.

She looks over my shoulder into the dark shadows of her front yard. ‘Why did you come here tonight, Jordan?'

‘I didn't like the way we left things.'

‘Neither did I, but there's always text … oh, my
God
.' Her eyes meet mine. She's figuring it out. ‘You came to say goodbye.' Her bottom lip trembles and she snags it into her mouth. ‘Oh hell,' she murmurs. ‘You really don't give a damn about me. I'm such an idiot.'

‘Don't say that, Amber. I do care about you.'

‘Really? Then why are you intending to leave me alone
with this?'

‘But I'm not. I'm gonna make things better for you. For everyone. Give the angels a few days and they'll bring your best friend back.'

She scoffs. ‘Do you seriously think this time they'll leave Ebony on Earth where she's obviously not safe?'

She has a point, but … relying on Skinner for comfort will ultimately bring her more pain. ‘Amber, promise me you won't hang around with Skinner any more.'

‘Give me a reason why I shouldn't. You're not the only one hurting, Jordan. Tell me you won't go, that
you
will hang around with me when Ebony leaves for good, and I'll never speak to Adam again.'

My heart starts pounding, building speed like a freight train. Why is saying goodbye so hard? And why is Amber making me choose between her and Ebony?

She groans, making a really pissed-off sound while rolling her eyes. Then, with a grunt of frustration, she reaches out, grabs my face between her hands and kisses my mouth. Her lips are soft and supple and raising my temperature fast. In complete control, she slows the pace, tilting her head at different angles as if she's tasting something salty, and then sweet on my lips. Prising my lips apart with her tongue, she takes the kiss to an entirely new level. Exploring with her tongue inside my mouth makes the fire she lit with her first touch turn into a raging bonfire. We remain lip-locked until we're both gasping and lunging for air.

She steps back. There's hurt in her eyes, pain in the voice she doesn't use but clearly wants to. Instead she turns away, shutting the door in my face.

23

Nathaneal

We meet in the still, early dawn at the entrance to the Crossing, where the forest grows thickest and usually abounds with Aracals looking to report to their creator. But this morning there are only the lyrical whistles of crimson rosellas and king parrots.

We leave in groups – first the three teams, spread no more than two minutes apart from first soldier to last, vital to ensure the three main teams travel through the same landscape and arrive together. Gabriel and Uri have each brought eight of their best soldiers, making nine per team, called A and B. They will support Team One – my team of Michael, Isaac, Shae, Tash, Jez, Solomon and my brother Jerome and his wife Sami, the pair whose ability to become invisible will be invaluable on this mission.

Close behind the teams are the rest of Gabriel's soldiers. They will follow in staggered units of five hundred at a time, until eventually ten thousand will set up camp at the blue light, the only Crossing landscape that doesn't shift. There, they will split into two units. One will build the wall that will reinforce the gates once we bring Ebony through and I have fulfilled my promise to the High King, the other
will patrol the gates before, during and after construction, no matter how long it takes, ensuring nothing leaves Skade for the next hundred years.

We enter the Crossing and find ourselves flying over hills of pine forests. The deep green foliage has a silvery tint, usually seen at dusk, but the light is still the kind normally seen in the mornings. As I try to assess what this means, a sudden human thought shoots into my head.

But that's … impossible.

It happens again, followed by a colourful string of profanity.

There is no human in the three teams, and my mind doesn't want to accept what I'm hearing.

Angry at the only possibility that makes sense, I turn to Tash, flying on my right, with the question in my eyes.

I heard him too
, she forges in a private link, adding as an afterthought,
Nathaneal, I did not bring him
.

I move a little closer.
Do you know who did?

Shae appears in her thoughts, but Tash quickly discards the image.
There's only one amongst us who would put his own desires before your needs, my prince.

Uncomfortable with this thought, I forge an open link.
All teams regroup on the forest floor immediately.

Dedicated soldiers all, no one disobeys, objects or questions my order.

The forest floor is an army of giant trunks with a canopy so high and thick above us the created darkness forces us to increase our glow.

As soldiers drop to the ground around me, I listen carefully. Two members of Team A land with a slightly heavier
force than I would expect. I wade between dozens of tree trunks before I see their glow, dimmer than that of the rest of us. I adjust mine similarly while I watch them assist their human cargo on to his feet. Lowering the
lamorak
to his waist, the pair checks Jordan over carefully for injuries.

My anger burns, not just at the bruises blooming like flowers over the boy's torso and arms, but also at the soldiers' attempt to hide the human, dressed all in black, behind them when they become aware of my presence.

‘Step aside, soldiers.'

They do as I say. I tug the beanie off Jordan's head. As his hair falls over his forehead, he runs his fingers through it, appearing as vulnerable as a misunderstood child.

‘Do you
want
to die?'

‘Don't answer that.' It's Gabe's voice. I search for him among a growing circle of soldiers around us. He steps up. ‘Looking for me, brother?'

‘Are you responsible for this?'

‘The boy came to me,' Gabe explains, ‘wanting to be among the first to see your fiancé.'

‘Jordan's presence here doesn't happen to benefit
you
by any chance, does it?'

‘That's not fair.'

‘Oh, Gabriel, I think it is.'

‘I made my offer to build the wall in good faith. You accepted. Jordan's plea came afterwards. There is nothing more to it.'

Scrutinising my brother, I point out, ‘You could have said no. Why did you agree with his request?'

As Gabriel continues to explain his actions, Michael
moves up close to my left side. No one else dares move, in case it appears they're taking sides.

‘You know I supported Jordan having a choice from the start,' Gabriel says, ‘and while I happen to still support that, no one stopped to think that maybe Jordan deserves to be among the first to see her.'

I catch him flicking a look to Shae. She stares straight at me but doesn't say anything. I rub the back of my neck. Usually this helps me think more clearly. If only I knew for sure that seeing Ebony was Jordan's only reason for coming. ‘Is that why you're here, Jordan?'

Gabe answers for him. ‘He thinks we're going to take her straight home to Avena.'

‘Is that what you think, Jordan?'

He nods and I ask, ‘Why didn't you come to me?'

‘He came to
me
,' Shae says. ‘I told him Ebony wouldn't do that. Apparently he didn't believe me.'

‘I've got a right to see her,' he proclaims. ‘This could be my last time. The Dark Prince has control of my life. He even gets to say when I die. It could be tomorrow.'

‘Jordan, listen to me. I'm not going to let Prince Luca hurt you. I would fight him myself before I let him take your life.'

‘You would do that for me? F-for a mortal? A nobody?' Seeming to need convincing, he shifts his eyes first to Michael, who blinks slowly, then to Jez, Isaac and Shae, who all nod or smile grimly. ‘Oh my
God
, you
would
do that for me.'

I ruffle his hair and he makes a gasping, half-choking sound in his throat. ‘But why? What did I do to warrant t
his …
this … blind faith you have in me?'

I slide my hand round the back of his neck and pull him into my embrace. ‘Sometimes there is no reason for the things we do, Jordan. We just do them because in our heart we know they're right.'

24

Ebony

Dull purple light seeping through the drapes wakes me from a beautiful dream where I'm sleeping with Nathaneal spooning my body in a perfect fit. Sated and warm, I roll over and lift my hand to his chest … but it drops to an empty cold sheet. Disappointment floods every cell of my body. I snatch the sheet and crumple it between my fingers to hold back my tears.

Still a bit disoriented, I pull myself into a sitting position and look straight into a pair of glowing yellow eyes.
Shit!

Fully awake now, I remember that's where I left Luca sitting last night when he ordered me to sleep. I'm in Luca's bedroom with the beast staring at me from a chair across the room.

Screaming, on hands and knees, I scramble to the furthest corner of the room and hug my knees.

He wakes and swears one word, viciously, in English as he morphs back into his angel form and comes after me, murmuring softly spoken comforting phrases that bring no comfort at all.

How could they?

He hunkers down in front of me. ‘It's all right now. You
can stop screaming. Look, Princess.'

I turn my face partially towards him, keeping my eyes half closed, as if that will somehow help shield me should he still be the beast. I'm afraid that if I glimpse the beast this close up I will start screaming again, and go entirely insane before I stop.

‘Ebony, look at me.'

No. I can't.

He swears again. ‘Ebony, I was tired. I forgot to switch back. That's all. Look at me.'