I was frantic when she didn’t respond immediately. Melek already circled higher, his loops growing wider. Soon, the Neph would begin to take off from the Coliseum, and we’d be forced to fly on.‘Istral—’
‘It’s so scary, Lani, but he’s here. He doesn’t remember. He said his head aches.’
I blew out a breath and passed that on to Melek, whose chest jumped against my back, but he flew on.
‘I don’t know how long we can stay close enough to reach you. I wanted you to know we’re here—you and Gall, both. We can get you out. If you’re willing, we can—’
‘He won’t leave, and I’m not leaving him.’
I wanted to weep.‘Izzy, you saw—’
‘I can heal him. That’s what happened, Lani. I made him better.’
I frowned into the dark, deeply wishing I could be in front of my sister, see her face to better read the breathless, awed tone in her voice. Was she happy because Gall was healed? Or was she falling for thislife and deathbullshit from Lucifer?
‘Izzy, it was amazing… what happened… we’re so glad Gall is alive and-and well. But the power—’
‘There’s something inside me. It’s like bees in my blood. Buzzing,’she whispered through the link, as if we might be overheard.
My chest went cold.‘Istral… any power that comes from the Fallen is corrupted. It’sdarkat its heart. Please, don’t use it.’
My heart broke when she hesitated before answering.‘I won’t let them kill him, Lani. I’ll always save him. He needs me, and I need him.’
‘I know—and that’s right. I’d always save my mate too, and I know Gall will save you, as well. But, Izzy—’
A jolt of alarm reached me from her, a wordless warning. I gasped and Melek’s grip tightened on me.‘Istral, what’s happening?’
In answer, she didn’t use words, but sent me an image—her and Gall standing in the bowels of the Coliseum, surrounded by the Advisors, including Jann, thank God. But all looked worried, and there was a great deal of noise above their heads—feet and weight from the Nephilim above.
I had to fight not to shriek at her, because Izzy was easily confused and distracted. She sent images, because she struggledto think in words, to send them through the mindlink, while also listening to what was happening in front of her. She’d never quite mastered the separation of mind and senses that it took.
God, please have mercy… my sister was the only female among all those men. Gall was still fumbling and confused.
Also, where was Lucifer?
I hadn’t even asked the question again, but Istral sent to me, as if I had.
‘Gall needs me. And I need him. The rest… the rest I just have to pray, and God will fix it,’she insisted, and I wanted to scream. It was a desperate, shrill insistence—which meant it was something she wanted to convince herself was true.
‘Fix what, Izzy? What are they doing? Is that power inside you doing something? Or do you mean Gall?’
‘I don’t know. I just feel… strange. I don’t know.’
‘Istral—’
I felt her waver and almost break the link—or was that because we were drawing further away? I shoved a hurried request back to Melek to circle closer again and he banked, but now my nerves clanged.
‘Izzy, we could fly down there… hurt them… get you away—both of you!’
‘Don’t!’she begged me, frantically.‘Don’t! They’re happy right now—don’t make them angry!’
I wanted to weep at the desperate nature of her plea—what had they done to her before, when they’d been angry, that she would be so quick to panic?
‘Izzy, I know it’s scary, but sometimes weneedto fight the hard fights, so that we don’t have to fight them anymore. We can reach you—’
‘I can’t fight this, and neither can you. It’s the Fallen, Lani. They have him. They’ve got Gall. Don’t take me away from him. Ever. I… I’d never forgive you.’
I slumped in Melek’s arms and felt his alarm. I buried my face in my hands.
