Jacob was already there when we stepped inside the building, talking to the armory master. “I need to check out five fake IDs for Drea Alcott’s team,” Jacob told her.
Whoa. I’m getting a fake ID?
Wicked.
“Can you make that six?” I pointed to Gage, who was admiring a set of battle knives on the wall. Grinning, he pulled one of the blades into his palm.
The armory master tucked a lock of brown hair behind her ear and shook her head. “I’m sorry, I don’t have clearance for that.”
The doors opened behind us, and Aurelia walked in. When she noticed Gage examining the weapon in his hand, she cleared her throat lightly. “Gage, until I can assess the extent of the powers Avalon has bestowed on you, I can’t allow you out on missions. It’s for your own safety, of course.”
Staring at Gage’s face as he realized that he was unable to go on missions with us was like watching a train wreck. Any last shred of light that had filled his eyes since he got back died in that moment. He set the knife down on the counter. “I understand.”
He then gave her a curt nod and left the armory.
Crap.
“Gage!” Grabbing two random light weapons, I touched them to my weapons storage angel mark and ran out after him.
He spun as I reached him. There was so much hurt in his eyes, my heart shattered.
“It’s not forever. Just until she tests your power,” I told him.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I don’t have any power, Tate.” His voice was dead, devoid of all emotion. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“What?”
“Avalon stripped my power, okay? I’m basically human.” He gazed at the floor. He couldn’t even look at me.
Another hunter team left the funeral and jogged toward the armory to go out on a call. I had to sidestep to allow them to pass.
They stripped his power and took his wings and then gave him nothing in return? I just couldn’t believe that. Or maybe I could. He was a Shade after all, the son of Arthur.
“Gage, that doesn’t matter, okay—”
“Of course it matters.” His throat sounded raw as anger crept into his voice. “They took everything that made me powerful and destroyed it. I’m weak, a liability,nothing.”
I chewed the inside of my lip to keep from crying. “You can still fight. We can brush up on your sword training and—”
“You should go,” he interrupted, and stepped forward, hastily planting a kiss on my cheek. “Be safe.”
Then he spun and headed across the courtyard to the main academy building.
No. This was all wrong, this wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Why couldn’t Cael have given him wings, or a few angel marks? Evenoneangel mark would have been enough, but he got nothing?
“Tatum, we’ve got to go.” Drea’s voice pulled my thoughts away from Gage, who was halfway across the lawn now. I had to focus on my team and not letting them down. We had some demon ass to kick, but after that I’d help Gage. My Pandora’s box was getting full, but even so I stuffed my Gage-related emotions inside of it and took off after Drea and the Angel Gang. I was going to harness all of my anger and unleash it on some demons.
CHAPTERFIVE
The entire subway ride to the club was a blur. I couldn’t get Gage’s voice out of my head.
They took everything that made me powerful and destroyed it. I’m weak, a liability, nothing.
So much for Pandora’s box. There was clearly a crack in the lid.
“Remember to use a light weapon on any lower levels that might show up,” Drea murmured to me as we hit the ground level.
I nodded, rolling out my neck and trying to mentally get in the game.
