Chapter 29
Sweat runningdown his face and back, Dagan swiped it away with a towel and grabbed a bottle of water and an energy drink from the small fridge in the training arena where he’d spent three intense hours training with swords withNik.
“How’s Shae?” Nik asked, snatching the can Dagan tossed at him inmidair.
Jaw tight, Dagan unscrewed the bottle and gulped half the contents. “She stillsleeps.”
“Guess with all the changes she’s been through, it makes sense.” Nik guzzled some of his drink. “I’m off. See you at thebriefing.”
Dagan nodded. Since their return from Stone Ridge three days ago, he’d left Shae under her mother’s watchful eye when he went on patrol, hunting for that bastard Aza. In the furor of the fight, he’d obviously snuck away. None of the warriors had seen him either. So he probably had no idea Samael had beencaptured.
Wiping his face again, Dagan headed for his quarters. As he entered the bedroom, Jenna rose from the bedside. With a small nod, and as silent as usual, she walked out, the door closing softly behindher.
Dagan rubbed his palm over his whiskered jaw, exhaustion riding him hard. He should shower andget—
A soft sigh distracted him. He pivoted toward the bed and felt as if his knees wouldcave.
Shae’s gaze flickered around then settled on him, and the smile he adored took life. It had been hell waiting for her to awaken. Three days seemed likeyears.
The sconces’ lights above the bed cast a soft golden glow over her, bathing her in warmth and reflecting off her enormous wings fanned out on the massive bed like burnished copper. More, he worried at the heightened power he sensed churning inside her. “How do youfeel?”
“Tired. Like I’ve been through a long sprint and still have too much energy inside me.” Her smile died. “Dagan,” her voice broke, tears flooding her eyes. “Samael killed Harvey. He killed him because he was trying to protectme.”
“Harvey cared about you. He was a true friend. I’d do the same.” Dagan sat on the mattress and wiped away her tears. “Samael had traps set for us all over the city. Demons attacked Hedori in a damn long fight when he arrived at thehall.”
“It was so he could get me alone,” shewhispered.
“I realized that too late.” Dagan wished he could get his hands on the bastard just so he could kill him this time. He lifted her fingers and brushed his mouth across her knuckles. “At least Týr got your friend Ash toleave.”
“Thank you.” She shifted on the mattress, distress tightening her face. “All these years we were staying with a monster, pretending to be my father’s friend. Oh, God, Mom?” She gripped hisshirt.
“Your mother’s fine. She’s spent a lot of time here with you while youslept.”
That seemed to break her out of her terror. “She did? She’sokay?”
He recalled her silence. No, she wasn’t. He merely said, “Samael’s hold on her is broken. And since she’s a powerful psi, Hedori took on the role of her protector. So she’ll be safenow.”
“Thank you.” A shaky smile touched her lips. She shifted again and frowned. “The bed’s lumpy. Did you changeit?”
His mouth quirked. She still had no idea. “Notexactly.”
She pushed up and groaned. “My back feels so heavy…” She reached behind her. Her eyes widened. “Dagan, what is this? What’s wrong with me? There are tuftsof—”
She stared at him as if she didn’t believe what she felt. She glanced over her shoulder. “No-no way!” She scrambled off the mattress and nearly fell on her back again at theweight.
“Easy.” He grasped her upper arms and helped her up. Before she unbalanced again with the added mass of wings, he guided her into the dressing room and over to the huge paneled mirror on the woodenwall.
Her mouth dropped open. “Oh, Jesus! I have wings. How?” She spun around to him and nearly tripped, her enormous extremities hitting the closet with a thud. “Ouch!”
“Slowly, baby.” Dagan cupped her elbows. “It happened after you incineratedSamael.”
“Tell me he’sdead?”
“No, but he’ll wish he was. He’s been condemned to Purgatory for the deaths of so many. However, you did destroy hiswings.”
“Good.” At her bloodthirsty satisfaction, he shook his head and continued, “You were encompassed in a white glow, it swallowed you whole…” His gut twisted, still haunted at how helpless he’d felt having to watch her fight a powerful angel then be consumed by her own power…and, finally, die. He rubbed his burningeyes.
“Dagan? What isit?”
