“Repeat what?” Drea popped her head in the room.
“Nothing,” Aurelia said quickly.
“When she burned her eyebrows off,” I told Drea as she joined us.
Drea smiled wickedly. “I found pictures last year.”
“You will not show those to anyone,” Aurelia said sternly, but I could sense she was on the verge of laughter. “That was a very embarrassing time in my life that I wish to never live again.”
Drea and I burst into snickers, and an unwelcome image of Gage suddenly flashed into my mind. Agony sliced through my heart and the laughter died in my throat. It was like I was trying to get back to normal, but my heart wouldn’t allow it. I still couldn’t believe he’d just left like that.
Aurelia noticed the change and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll make the arrangements for tonight. Be ready after dinner.”
“Yeah. Of course,” I said, with a small and unconvincing smile.
She swept her gaze over my face again. “I was sorry to hear about Gage leaving. He’s welcome back anytime.”
Was my heartbreak that apparent?
I just nodded, and with an encouraging smile of her own, Aurelia left, leaving Drea and me alone.
“What’s tonight? What arrangements?” Drea asked.
That helped shake me out of my funk. “Your mom has a way to send a message to my mom in the Netherworld. We’re going to contact her this evening.”
Drea’s smile faded, and her dark skin paled to a lighter brown. “She… she said thatshewas going to send a message for you?”
“Yeah. Why?”
Drea exhaled, a mixture of alarm and anxiety flashing across her features. “There is a relic she can use to link with someone’s mind across the worlds, but last time she tried to get an urgent message to Cael in Avalon, she was badly hurt.”
I frowned. “What? Hurt how? Why didn’t she just use the portal to go to Avalon and speak to Cael?”
Drea shook her head. “The portal only works once. You ascend and that’s it. It’s not an open free-for-all. If she wants to contact another realm it gets really complicated and dangerous.”
Oh man, now I felt awful. I didn’t want her mom to get hurt trying to save mine.
I fumbled for the right words. “Well, she doesn’t have to.”
Drea shook herself. “No, I’m sure it will be fine. My mom wouldn’t have mentioned it if she couldn’t handle it.”
But I wasn’t so sure of that. Now I wondered if that’s why I’d seen a flicker of fear across Aurelia’s face when she spoke about getting word to my mom.
Don’t let me lose them both,I prayed to the angels of Avalon. I wasn’t sure I could handle that.
CHAPTEREIGHT
What I thought was going to be some small ritual where Aurelia sat in an empty classroom and closed her eyes to try to contact my mom, turned out to be a much bigger deal. When Drea and I met her in the lobby of the academy, there were nearly half a dozen Lumens, including Theo, dressed in battle gear. The gold-winged insignia pin on their breastplates identified themallas masters.
“We’re going to an off-campus building so this relic doesn’t disturb the wards around the compound,” Aurelia explained. “But don’t worry, we picked a location that’s easily defensible in case our efforts draw demons.”
Oh great.
We were doing something that was possibly going to attract demons. Good thing Drea and I were always armed. I glanced at the long sword tattoo on her arm and the two small daggers on my own. We could fight if need be, but I doubted the need would arise with this many master hunters present.
Mrs. Knapp suddenly stepped out of the elevator doors with a small box in her hands, and Skye was right behind her.
“All set,” Mrs. Knapp said as she gave Aurelia a curt nod and handed the wooden box to Theo. This box wasn’t like the one I’d seen in the subbasement before. This one was highly decorative with swirls and burned etchings on the side. Angelic script.
