Once I closed off my magic and the healers’ golden arches disappeared into nothing, I was shocked to discover that I felt great. The angel marks on my arms lit up and swirled as I grinned. Maybe I felt even better than great. I mean, I was starving—I definitely needed a platter of bacon, stat—but I felt as rejuvenated as Harley looked.
“How are you guys feeling?” Drea asked with a worried look.
“I feel amazing,” Harley said.
“And you?” Gage asked, a crease of worry between his eyebrows.
I grinned back at him. “Awesome. Seriously.” I looked at Harley. “I think maybe we can give each other energy or magic or whatever because we’re both Shadowlings. Maybe this is part of what Dash’s mom meant when she said we were more powerful together?”
Harley nodded, a grin growing on her face as well. “Wicked cool.”
“Okay.” Drea clapped her hands together. “We need to get back to the Lumen Compound to make the final plans.”
“Right, that,” I said, and then turned toward Harley. Dash was already walking to stand behind her. “I’ll come back to get you, so you guys need to be ready. Which means please get as much rest as you can.”
Harley rolled her eyes, but Dash nodded, letting me know he was on it.
“You’re bringing me bacon when you come back, right?” she asked.
I laughed. “For sure.”
“See you soon,” Drea said to Harley and Dash.
Gage gave Dash a fist bump and then stood at my side.
I quickly made a portal back to the Lumen Compound and within moments we could see the courtyard and tons of Lumens milling around—most of whom stopped to stare at the portal with wide eyes. As I held the portal open for Drea, Dash, and the two healers to walk through, a few of the unfamiliar Lumen even went as far as to pull a weapon in shock before they stowed it again when they saw we weren’t a threat. Portals to the Netherworld usually meant a demon invasion, so their initial reactions were warranted. Especially now. The whole compound was on high alert.
The two healers quickly crossed the courtyard, making a beeline toward the healing center. I got the message. We’d kept them long enough.
“Thank you!” I yelled after them. They waved before ducking into the building.
I stepped one foot into the portal and then felt a delicate hand on my shoulder. Halting, I looked over my shoulder at Harley. She lifted her chin and a sheen of what looked like tears covered her eyes.
“Thanks,” she said, and removed her hand.
I nodded, a smile breaking out on my face. Yeah, I was definitely wiggling my way into her heart.
“Anytime, sis,” I said, and then walked through the portal, closing it behind me.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Isent Gage out to get four orders of bacon lasagna and three pizzas for the gang, then I quickly delivered two of the lasagnas to Harley and Dash before returning to the Lumen Compound to enjoy my own dinner. I was happy to see that Harley was resting. Dash promised to feed her when she woke.
We all sat around a giant table at the cafeteria. Gage ate an entire pizza himself as I polished off two of the lasagnas. Drea, Indigo, Marlow, and Jacob finished off the rest of the food, then we all talked about the plan as if we were studying for a lesson.
“So, how are you going to contain Apollyon’s powers to get him in the cell?” Marlow quizzed me. “That sounds like it’s going to take up a lot of your energy. Not to mention the idea is for you to have pulled all the souls back from the Netherworld and into Tartarus by that point. You may be exhausted.”
I chewed my lip. “I’ll be okay. I will have Harley’s help too.”
Who knew what my energy would be like by the time Apollyon showed up to crash our Tartarus raid party. I had to trust in the powers Cael had given me. I had faith that they would be enough for me to complete my mission.
“What if Harley can’t bring the whole concealment spell down? Think all the souls can still come back?” Jacob asked.
I swallowed hard. It was a good question, and my gut said no. We needed that entire spell down so that the souls could return.
Our conversation went on like this for over an hour talking about all facets of the plan, until one by one my friends fell asleep. Drea was first, yawning and just saying she was going to rest for a minute as she put her head down on her arms. Jacob had no shame and sprawled out right on the cafeteria floor with a hoodie bunched under his head as a pillow. Marlow and Indigo found the couch at the back of the cafeteria and leaned against each other before drifting off. Gage tried the hardest to stay up but passed out on the tabletop beside me.
Fatigue pulled at my limbs, making my lids heavy as well. I knew I should get a few hours of sleep in, but as I looked at the peaceful resting faces of my best friends I couldn’t help but feel sadness wash over me.
