Tenn, hold your left arm in front of you. Bettina, walk to your right a few steps, then hold your hands together.
Pink mist sparkled from the floor, electricity buzzed into my feet, and then I heard Bettina’s thoughts in my mind, what did I mess up already?
I grinned. I was so proud of her. She’d gotten so good at her telepathy. It seemed to only work with me – or Tenn, though he couldn’t say if he heard her or just felt her while fighting Joseph. The glyph on the back of my hand changed from pink to emerald green as Tenn grew nervous beside me.
Your angel bands didn’t cloak, I told them both. Imma remix this bitch for you two. Hold.
I reached out and covered their gold bands. That rush of warmth and power washed through me like it did every time I touched their bands. The power of Heaven was intense. I pictured the angelic rune for hide in my mind, then recited the same spell but in angelic. Energy tickled under my palms. I lifted my hands…and the bands were gone.
Sweet. That worked. Now go on, git.
Once I felt them both go through, I jumped in after them…then came out at the base of the tower surrounded by trees. I looked up and spotted Henley, Saffie, Bentley, Amelia, Landy, and Riah hanging out on the balcony. Through the windows I saw Easton and Lily beside Lennox and Warner – it wasn’t the real them, but it looked it.
Willow, nicely done.
Henley, pull that moon down and let’s get the show started.
Henley’s legs swung lightly as she sat there hanging them over the edge. She looked up at the moon, then held her hand high. The moon filled out like she was blowing up a balloon and turned a soft golden color. It dropped in the sky until it looked like it was sitting atop the trees.
Bentley and Saffie, go inside with the dogs and stay there. You too, Amelia and Landy.
Riah, give me a flyover? See if he’s here yet?
Bentley jumped up, then stole Olli from Riah’s hands. Saffie glanced down and I saw the fear in her eyes when she saw what used to be her prison. I wouldn’t have wanted to be here either. She would have followed us if we asked her to…but there were just some people who’d been through enough, and we owed it to her to let her sit this one out. She’d come back here when she was ready, and we’d be by her side.
Riah stepped off the balcony, his silver wings popping out mid-step. He shot across the sky over the treetops and then lowered beneath the trees and out of sight. My pulse quickened. This plan was brilliant and twisted but I hated it. I hated putting Henley in danger.
My Coven-mates were tense. I felt it in the air rushing over me.
Riah emerged a few minutes later from within the trees, holding a single yellow rose. He landed on the balcony of Lookout Tower and stretched – the idea of Riah needing to stretch was disconcerting somehow, so I knew he was stalling to hear from me.
If no shadow monster was seen, sit down beside Henley and chat. If he’s coming our way, walk inside.
He stretched his arms some more and spun around and shrugged. Then he glanced over his shoulder. “I’m already here, Tegan,” he shouted through the doorway, like he was looking right at me for real.
My stomach sank.
He’s already here?
“You heard what I said,” he called out again, then rolled his eyes. It was such a human expression, except so not. “Henley, I’ll be right back, gotta see what she’s talking about.”
“No problem.” Henley smiled up at him and nodded. “You’ll get used to her riddles.”
I took a deep breath. Okay, Henley. He says he’s here. It’s game time.
Henley jerked around to face inside the tower like someone had called her. “What, Royce?” She pretended to listen to someone speaking and I had to say her acting skills were superb. She rolled her eyes. “You said it wasn’t yours! How am I supposed to know you were lying— FINE. I’ll go get it but only because you’ll get lost looking.”
She stood and brushed her hands off on her black leather shorts. “Hey, T? Gimme a lift?”
I snapped my fingers and a white portal box opened up beside her.
“Royce, I’ll be fine. I’ll be right back,” she shouted, then leapt inside the portal.