“I trust her,” I said boldly.
Aurelia sighed. “Okay. I’ll get the diadem.”
* * *
Harley’s hotel room wasn’t particularly fancy, but it was surprisingly large for New York City. Past the entrance and the en suite bathroom, there was a small sitting area situated next to the queen bed. Beyond the bed was a single window that looked out at the side of the neighboring building. The floors were a dark red tight-weave carpet with a pattern, and my first thought was that it would hide blood well.
I shook my head. When did my thoughts become so morbid?
“Let’s pick up whatever furniture isn’t bolted to the floor and move it out of the way. We need as much empty room as possible to work,” Aurelia said, and the group of us jumped into action.
Besides Aurelia and Harley, Theo had also joined us, along with two master Lumens I didn’t know well. They eyed Harley with suspicion as they hefted a loveseat and moved it to the foot of the bed. Harley pretended like she didn’t notice their hostile stares, but there was a stiffness in her movements that gave her away.
Dash and Drea were with us as well. The three of us moved around the room grabbing smaller objects like lamps and nightstands, placing them on the bed or against the walls. Marlow, Jacob, and Indigo had stayed behind at the Lumen Compound. Marlow had been given a walkie-talkie with instructions to notify us immediately if Gage reappeared. Aurelia had wanted Dash to remain with them as well, but in a very non-Dash-like behavior he refused. He wasn’t openly antagonistic toward Harley like he’d been the night before, but I still caught him casting occasional glances in her direction that I couldn’t interpret.
I stood next to Harley, twisting my fingers together in agitation once we’d cleared a space like Aurelia requested. Aurelia stepped toward us holding the familiar wood box decorated with angelic script that held the diadem.
“Are you sure you’re comfortable attempting to contact Gage?” Aurelia asked Harley. “This relic is very powerful. It almost killed me once, and I’ve been training with it for years. If you link with something you shouldn’t, you might slip into a coma… or worse. If something like that happens, there’s no guarantee our Lumen healers can save you.”
Harley scoffed at Aurelia like it was no big deal, but a pit of dread opened up in my gut. I hadn’t forgotten Drea’s story about what happened to her mom when she was trying to contact Cael but accidentally connected with a demon instead. This was dangerous. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea… but it was after midnight and Gage still hadn’t returned, which meant something had happened to him, or Apollyon was preventing him from returning.
“I got this,” Harley said with confidence and went to snatch the box out of Aurelia’s hands, but Aurelia yanked it away before she could grab it.
“Hang on. You have to be careful with it,” Aurelia told her.
“This is wrong,” one of the master Lumens said. She stepped forward and pulled a light blade off her forearms, glaring at Harley. “It’s blasphemy to allow a Shade to eventouchone of our most powerful relics, let alone use it. This is a mistake, Aurelia.”
Before I could gather the words to defend Harley, Aurelia’s authoritative voice boomed. “Sienna, your opinion was not solicited or needed. Go wait in the hallway,” she snapped. “I don’t want you coming back in this room unless a Shade or demon shows up.”
The master Lumen, Sienna, held her ground for two short seconds before she dropped her gaze. Re-storing her light weapon, she turned and exited the room without argument.
I caught the look of shock on Harley’s face that Aurelia had reprimanded one of her own people. Trusting people wasn’t something that Harley did, I knew that, but I hoped that despite some of the reactions she’d received from various Lumens so far, she would slowly learn to trust me and my friends. I didn’t want to look too far into the future, because it was so uncertain, but if we did make it through this war with Apollyon, I wanted a relationship with my sister that would last.
Clearing her throat, Harley slipped her mask of indifference back on. “So, are you going to hand it over and let me do my thing or what?”
Aurelia’s gaze moved to me as she heaved in a deep breath. I knew what silent question she was asking me.Do you still trust Harley? Do you still want to go through with this?
I nodded.Yes, we were doing this.
Without a word, Aurelia gestured Harley to the middle of the open space. Theo and the other remaining master Lumen, as well as Drea, Dash, and I, moved to stand in a circle around the pair.
Aurelia gently lifted the lid and a supernatural blue glow arced and swirled around the delicate gold tiara that lay within. Just like before, it took my breath away.
Harley’s eyes widened as she took in the Lumen relic. She licked her upper lip and swallowed before slowly reaching forward and grasping the diadem and pulling it out. Aurelia closed the box and moved back, giving Harley space.
For a long moment Harley just stared at the object in her hands, but then a small smile appeared on her mouth and she rolled her shoulders. I didn’t realize what she was doing until black shadow wings burst from her back. Gasping, I took a step backward as she pulled more of her power to the surface and dark veins of magic streaked up her arms and neck. It was impressive and terrifying to see at the same time.
As Harley grew her magic, a phantom breeze started in the room, swirling around her like an invisible vortex, making her black hair billow out around her head. I wasn’t sure exactly what Harley was doing, but before using the relic to talk to my mom, Aurelia had taken a moment to settle herself. Maybe this was Harley’s way of doing that? Either way, she was definitely pulling a lot of power. Dark power.
I spotted Drea and Dash on the other side of Harley. Dash’s hood had been blown back by the gust of wind Harley’s magic created, and both their faces were a mix of fear, shock, and awe. I’m sure my expression mirrored their own, because Harley’s display of power was immense, even for a master Watcher. I wondered then if I had grown up knowing about Lumens and Shades and started my schooling early, if I too would be at a master level.
Harley lifted the diadem, her dark shadow wings arching around her as the tips curled inward, partially cocooning her body. Closing her eyes, she placed the Diadem of Avalon on her head. Once the relic was settled against her forehead, the vortex her magic created disappeared and the room stilled. I held my breath and waited, only taking in air when my lungs started to burn.
Nobody said anything as seconds and then minutes ticked past. Before, the blue magic of the diadem had covered Aurelia’s body, but that didn’t happen now. Harley’s body twitched lightly, and I wondered if she was fighting with the magic of the Lumen relic rather than flowing with it, but as soon as that thought ran through my mind she whispered Gage’s name and a wash of power flowed from the diadem, blanketing Harley in a blue glow—black shadow wings and all.
“She connected with him,” Aurelia announced, and I stepped closer, my heart ramming against my chest in anticipation.
Harley’s face scrunched in concentration and then she gritted her teeth. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
