Could I blame Drea for laying into her like that? No. But the truth was I didn’t care if she was here to steal the diadem, I just wanted Gage back. And that was dangerous because it meant I would allow the compound to be vulnerable to attack just to save my boyfriend. It meant my judgment couldn’t be trusted right now, and I hated that.
“Harley!” I caught up with her and reached out, yanking her back so she was forced to face me.
I wasn’t prepared for the unshed tears in her eyes. She put on such a good tough girl front that it was hard to remember she had feelings that could get hurt.
“I… I’m so sorry Drea said all that. She’s just looking out for the school,” I explained now that I was confronted with Harley’s tears.
“Yeah, whatever, you guys are all close and trust each other, and I’m the outsider. I get it.” She wiped her eyes quickly and then turned to go again.
I grabbed her hand, forcing her to stop.
“We don’t run off when there’s conflict here, Harley.” I tugged her back the way we’d come, and she stumbled a few steps. “We talk it out. Come talk to Drea with me. Help her trust you like I do.”
She rolled her eyes, which I was learning was her signature move.
“Yeah, right. Sure you trust me,” she said with sarcasm.
“I do!” I told her. “You’re wearing a Lumen relic that allows you inside the Lumen Compound of New York City. Dude, that is trust.”
Well, I’ll be dammed, she actually smiled.
“Fine,” she growled, letting me pull her along easily now. “Let’s go talk our feelings out with princess.”
Relief rushed through my system as we walked back over to the Angel Gang.
Drea stepped forward, clearing her throat. “That was pretty harsh of me, Harley. I’m sorry that I said all that,” she said, launching into an apology right away. “I’m just feeling protective right now over my family and friends.”
Leave it to Drea to pave the path to peace.
Harley looked shocked that Drea had admitted fault and apologized.
“Yeah, it’s cool. I mean, I wouldn’t trust me either.”
Okay… that was a start.
“Do you really think you can reach Gage in the Netherworld and bring him home?” Dash asked, sizing her up.
She nodded. “I’ve done it before. Not called them back from the Netherworld, but I’ve controlled hellhounds dozens of times. If I could link with his mind, I’m confident I could bring him back.”
Hope must have been broadcasted on my face because Drea took one look at me and caved. “All right. Let’s talk to my mom.”
She pulled out her phone and typed out a text. Her phone dinged a moment later, and after quickly checking it she looked back up at the group. “She’ll be here in a few minutes.”
I chewed on a thumbnail as I waited for Aurelia to arrive. It was probably under five minutes before Aurelia exited the academy building and walked toward us, her long strides eating up the distance quickly. Drea took the lead, explaining everything to her mother, and when she was done Aurelia asked everyone to leave but me. The group went back to playing cards, while I leaned up against the academy building and met her tired and worried gaze.
“I don’t know Harley, and what I do know isn’t good, so I’m going to leave this decision to you,” Aurelia said. A stone sank in my stomach.
This was exactly what I didn’t want. My moral compass was impaired when it came to Gage. I would do anything to get him back.
“How bad would it be if she ran off with the diadem?” I asked her honestly.
I loved Gage, but I was starting to get some major guilt about possibly bringing this entire school down on his account. Harley wouldn’t do that, would she?
Aurelia blew air through her teeth. “Bad. She’d be able to potentially contact and maybe even influence the angels of Avalon.”
Uh, yeah, that would be super bad.
I thought about how I’d run after Harley and she’d been near tears because Drea’s accusations had hurt her. If I was going to take Harley with me into the Netherworld to defeat Apollyon, I was going to have to trust her.
