Not even Koda’s bliss can lighten the dread slowly descending on me now as I wonder:How? How can we remove our father from this cage without risking death?
“You came all this way for this beast,” Adriel says, standing tall at the side of the clearing, his voice deep and certain. “But the beast will not comply.”
“Then I will make him,” I snarl, unable to constrain my frustration and fear that we could fail.
To fail means death.
A wash of nightmare magic appears within my palms as I curl my fingers into fists. “The fate of three worlds depends on it.”
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
My power bursts around me in dark swirls.
Jareth merely laughs within his cage, pressing his forehead to the glass. His breath frosts against it, appearing silver through the malinium. “My daughter reveals her anger at last. Perhaps you are not so unworthy after all.”
His black eyes flicker from Taniya to me and then focuses on a spot behind me where the angels stand.
His grin grows.
“I look forward to testing your strength.” Jareth gives a scathing laugh before he backs away one step at a time. “But not today. Today, you must survive the angels…”
The blinding light reflecting off the cage’s surface masks his silhouette as he’s swallowed by the light once more.
I want to demand that he comes back so that I can challenge him, but Adriel’s hard voice cuts through the turmoil of my thoughts. “You would do well to constrain your power, Nova, Daughter of Jareth. Angels do not take lightly to nightmares.”
Aware of the tension behind me, I close my eyes and force my power to subside. Taniya follows my lead, putting away her talons before we both turn to find the angels holding their weapons ready.
Ironically, it seems that Koda can fill the air with as much bliss as he wishes, but the angels appear to draw the line at nightmares.
Malia steps between us, her fingertips glittering with power, but before she can speak, Adriel lowers his blazing swords. “You may have come for your father—and we would gladly see the back of him—but he will not leave with you willingly. To remove him from that cage will endanger our entire world. We cannot allow that.”
“We’ll find a way,” Malia says as calmly as ever, although her chin is raised in defiance. “You will help us.”
Adriel laughs. “The angels won’t help you.”
“Not the angels.You,” she says. She’s tall, but not nearly as tall as he is. Somehow, she makes herself look larger as she casts him this new challenge. “We have four days until we need to leave. You clearly have status here. Unless you help us find a way to safely transport Jareth, King of Hell, we’ll be taking that beast from his cage by force, no matter how hard he fights us.”
Roman estimated that we have a week, but Malia is right to give us less time than that. We’ve already used up a day. Counting back, we’ll need at least another day to get back into Mortem, as well as time to figure out how to destroy Esta’s power. Because, even if my father reclaims the throne, Esta won’t give up her chance so easily. She’ll try again to kill him.
Malia continues to ignore the other angels as she focuses on Adriel. “An archangel such as yourself would surely want what is in the best interest of your people.”
Adriel’s dark-brown eyes gleam. “Very well. You will have my assistance in finding a way to safely move him. But if you fail, be warned that I will not allow you to break open his cage.”
Malia looks to me then, seeking my decision as her alpha.
It’s the best deal we can make right now, so I give her a nod.
“First we need a place to rest,” Malia says. “We’re exhausted. We just escaped Hell. Literally.”
Adriel rubs his chin. “Your pack cannot enter Lux, as you will only cause fear to those who live there.” When he takes another look at Malia, he yields a little. “You may be the exception to this. Your power as a witch and a wolf—the calm and protective nature of your essence—will not alarm our people. For that reason, you should be able to accompany me to the libraries where we house our ancient texts. You may find an answer there.”
Malia’s lips press together, but it’s a sign of dismay. Nothing he said answers the question of where we can rest. She won’t want to be separated from us. “Where can we staytogether?”
Haldi suddenly speaks up. “Here,” she says, brighter than before. “In the forest. There are empty cabins a little farther east. They are old outposts that we no longer use. You should find them comfortable.”
Adriel’s brow furrows deeply at Haldi’s suggestion, near to a hint of anger, but it’s impossible to know why. Probably because he doesn’t want us here at all, let alone getting comfortable.
“Come with me,” Haldi says, leading the way. Pausing when we hesitate, she coaxes us forward. “Come on.”
