Aurelia looked over our group as Skye stepped up next to me.
“Let’s move,” the Portal Master barked, and then spun and led us outside. I went to follow, then Skye stepped in front of me. I tried to sidestep her, not wanting to ghost through her, but she moved with me, blocking me.
“Skye, move,” I whisper-hissed. “You can come, but we gotta go.”
“Don’t go. This ends badly,” she said, and I stood stock still as I stared at her face. She looked terrified, eyes wide, mouth set into a grim line, and wringing her hands. I wasn’t used to serious Skye. It kind of freaked me out.
“What? Can you see the future now too?” I laughed nervously.
She ran a hand through her long brunette hair and rolled her eyes. “No. But I feel…” She paused, struggling to find the right words to explain. “…timelines, possibilities, choices not taken. And none of them are good. Don’t go. Call this off.”
Why was she doing this right before we were going to contact my mom? This was the single most important thing to me right now.
“Skye, my mom’s stuck in the Netherworld, and she needs to know I’m coming for her. We’re just sending her a message to hold on,” I said, and tried to sidestep her again.
When her cold hands rested on my shoulders and then phased through my torso, I yelped and lurched backward.
“Tatum Powers, I’m assigned to look after you, and I’m telling you: this ends badly for someone no matter how I see it,” she growled.
I frowned. “Can you be more specific? What did youseeexactly?” I pressed her.
She looked unsure. “It wasn’t a vision or anything, more of a feeling, I can sense—”
“Skye!” I snarled. “If you don’t want me to go, and you can just zip up and down to Avalon, then why don’t you fly down to the Netherworld and give a message to my mom? Then I won’t need to do this at all.”
She put one hand on her hip and glared at me. “I can’t get to the Netherworld, genius. If I tried, I’d get stuck there for eternity, or worse, become Apollyon’s next meal.”
I gasped. So it was true, heatesouls.
A shiver ran through my body. I guess Skye knew everything now that she was dead and conversing with the angels of Avalon on a daily basis.
“Look, Skye, if you can’t help me, I need to go. I can’t leave my mom in a Hell realm for another month without any hope. We’ve got half a dozen master Lumens. We’ll be fine,” I told her just as the front door to the academy opened and Drea stuck her head in. “What are you doing? Everyone is waiting.”
I looked at Skye one more time and then walked to Drea, doing my best to ignore the icy chill that swept over me when I passed through Skye. I had to know my mom was all right. If Skye was just going to blab about random feelings rather than give me a concrete vision, then I would ignore her.
But an unwanted part of my mind whispered,If ignoring Skye is such a solid plan, then why is there a pit in the bottom of my stomach?
* * *
We all stood in the center of an abandoned industrial loft in the Meatpacking District. With drywall and tools strewn around the room, it looked like it was under construction. We were on the second floor. Aurelia stood in the center of the space with Drea, her father, and me. The master Lumen she’d brought stood like sentinels in a corner of the room with weapons drawn.
“I have a confession,” I squeaked just as Aurelia was about to lift the lid on the box and reveal whatever was in there.
“What is it, dear?” Aurelia asked.
I blew air through my teeth. “Skye showed up as we were leaving and said this was a bad idea. That she had a feeling it would end badly.”
There. I said it. My conscience was clear.
Aurelia raised one eyebrow. “A feeling?”
“That’s what I said! But I would never forgive myself if something bad happened on account of me and my desire to contact my mom,” I told her honestly. “Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this?”
She smiled and reached out to grasp my hand. “You’re not the only one who wants to contact your mother, honey. I’m excited to speak with Emery as well. I’ve taken every precaution for this little venture. I promise you.” Her gaze flicked around the room at the master Lumens.
I nodded, feeling marginally better about the whole thing. If Aurelia thought it was safe, then it probably was. “Okay.”
Drea’s hand slipped into mine and squeezed as Aurelia popped the lid off the box.
