Fearless (28 page)

Meanwhile, Elijah unlocks a door behind the counter, returning a few seconds later bearing cloaks.

Nathaneal lowers me to the floor to collect our cloaks. His touch as he places a crimson floor-length cloak around my shoulders has my stomach doing somersaults. He lift
s my
hair to pull it out, and hundreds of strands wrap around his fingers.

Shae helps untangle them, so amused she's almost laughing aloud.

Others come and stare in disbelief, but mostly find it amusing and make comments at Nathaneal's unusual ‘predicament'. But when Jezelle sees them she starts tugging at the strands impatiently, spearing me disbelieving looks that clearly accuse me of performing a childish, attention-seeking, time-wasting act.

She's not doing it
, Nathaneal snaps at her with a sharp look.

I lower my gaze to the floor until my cheeks, burning with mortification, start to cool off.

Finally we're ready to move again, but before we leave the cloakroom, Elijah gives each of us a once-over. He hands Michael a black ribbon, pointing to his head. Michael gathers his masses of golden curls and ties them at the base of his neck. Elijah then helps Solomon into a black c
hain-ma
il vest to conceal his silver armour, since his chest is so massive the cloak doesn't cover him completely.
He checks
Mela next and simply nods and smiles at her, letting her know he's happy that she's leaving. He then stands in front of me and pulls my hood down low over my face. I can hardly see where I'm going but I get it, he needs to ensure my eyes don't show.

Do nothing that draws attention to yourself; someone might notice you don't belong
, he advises as he moves between us.
Right outside this door are two soldiers. We will walk straight past them. To reach the courtyard, we have to cross a large reception area crowded with high-ranking visitors, who will all have their own security contingents watching. So be careful. Whatever happens, avoid eye contact. If I stop, you must stop and fan out into couples and small groups, but stay close, ready to move on. And look as if you're enjoying yourselves
.

Lhiam, watching the corridor, urges his brother to hurry. Elijah takes a deep breath and opens the door. We follow him, walking straight past the two soldiers he just mentioned, and another two further along, with several more in the lift area. That's at least three times as many as the day I arrived.

Elijah doesn't even pause when we enter the palace foyer. But I don't need to look to know where we are. The chatter of hundreds of angels, maybe even a thousand or more, talking simultaneously, gives it away. I tilt my head high enough to glimpse angels wearing impeccable formal dress, and my mouth goes instantly dry. There are soldiers in uniform at every turn.

We keep walking, past the first alabaster column, one of many that support the high ceiling, separating it into sections of sculpted or painted battle scenes from any number of wars. I catch sight of chandeliers with hundreds
of candles hanging down at different levels. If I wasn't so focused on the exit doors, I might be impressed at how the designers have created a warm ambience in such a vast space with so little furniture.

At a small, intimate area created by long sofas positioned at right angles, an angel with long brown dreadlocks sits playing a baby grand piano to a crowd of at least twenty enraptured angels. His music is breathtaking, and just as we're passing he finishes his piece to boisterous applause.

Without thinking, I glance at the piano man as he's going down in a bow. He catches me looking and stops.
Crap.
I want to avert my eyes really quickly, but I make myself take the time to do it in a manner that doesn't seem rude and arouse his suspicions. Looking straight at me he gives a wide sweeping bow, so I nod with as much poise as my thumping heart can muster, and ease my focus away.

But now I'm terrified that he will recognise me.
What have I done?

You handled that perfectly. Just keep walking
, Nathaneal links.
By the time he puts it together, we'll be out of here.

I hope Nathaneal is right. I force my eyes not to glance back.

Souls, both male and female, in stylish black outfits, walk around offering trays of canapés and glasses of wine. A tall couple, with midnight-blue cloaks, and lots of sparkling jewellery embedded like tattoos on their hands, feet and faces, stop in front of us, blocking our path as they take their time selecting a sweet from a slave's tray. Elijah nods at the pair and picks one for himself. While they chat with him, a nearby soldier glances our way, his eyes narrowing as they
come to rest on me.

Nathaneal casually moves in front of me, blocking the soldier's view with his back.

I shoot my eyes to the floor and keep them there until I see the bejewelled couple walk away with the soldier following closely behind.

Our group regathers quickly. But no matter where I keep my gaze, it's impossible not to notice more soldiers piling in and walking among the guests with alert looks and searching eyes.

Doors straight ahead
, Elijah links.

We're almost out of the palace. Dare I hope we're going to make it all the way to the Crossing? Hope is a powerful motivating emotion and I live by the possibilities it can generate inside me. If I hadn't had hope during my time here, I would have had nothing.

Nathaneal loops my arm through his.
See the soldiers?

I nod, not trusting the accuracy of forging a closed mind-link here amongst so many.

I don't want you to worry, Ebony, because your safety is my main priority. It's just that the plan I had hoped I wouldn't need to use is starting to look like I might just have to.

I'm not sure where he's going with this yet, but I want to tell him I understand if he needs to let go of my hand.

And suddenly Shae is on my left and Michael is moving in on my right, and I find I'm not so OK with Nathaneal letting go of my hand. A knot in my stomach tells me I'm starting to over-breathe. Panic is rising, something I can't allow when we're so close to freedom, so I try to muster a smile as Nathaneal moves ahead to Elijah.

Michael takes his place, hooking his left arm through my right elbow.
Hello, little one, I told you I'd bring him back. I just hadn't counted on having to bring you back as well.

He's trying to make me feel at ease. Nothing will. Not yet. But I nod and smile to let him think I'm OK. I will be. Once we're in the Crossing and on the way home.

Shae squeezes my hand.
We're almost out of here, sis, and then I will give you a big hug from Mum and Dad.
Her unc
ondition
al acceptance of me shatters any doubts my angelic family might not want me.

If I were anywhere else I would shout to the world that I have a sister. And that she loves me!

The front doors appear in my line of sight, bringing me back to the moment, and my breathing starts speeding up again as doubts strike like arrows at my chest. Am I really going to walk out the palace front doors, cross the courtyard and, without anyone noticing, be lifted up to the gates? Or are we walking into another of Luca's well-planned traps? Is he a step ahead of us again?

Concentrating on Michael and Shae, I carefully forge a mind-link with them.
What happens if someone recognises me in the courtyard?

Don't go there, little one.

But, Michael, that man at the piano –

Is playing again. Listen.

Do you know where
HE
is?
HE
always knows where
I
am. He's probably on the other s-side of those doors with those s-same Throne soldiers he used last time to c-capture me.

Ebony
, Shae says,
right now Gabe and Uri and their teams are keeping the king caught up in a battle on the east side of the palace.
He
thinks you're still in the stairwell. And while he's otherwise occupied, we're going to lift you out of here.

Really?

Really.

No one will get hurt in that east-side battle, will they?

That's not for you to worry about
, Michael says.
Just remember to keep moving. Before you know it, you'll be in the Crossing.

I still can't fly. What happens when we need to take to the air?

Shae glances over her shoulder and smiles at someone close behind us.
You will be safe, sister.

Michael says,
Breathe, little one.

I am, a-aren't I?

Slower
, he says.
Ah, look who the doorman is today. This should calm your racing heart.

Or make it race faster
, Shae jokes, smiling inside her hood, appearing to anyone watching as if she's relaxed and enjoying herself.

It's what I need to do. Appearing scared puts us all in danger. I have to try harder.

Look ahead, little one.

I force my mouth into a small smile, and when I raise my face I meet Nathaneal's gaze head on. His blue eyes are as intense as ever. He's so beautiful. How lucky am I to have him in my corner, wanting
me
, loving
me
, fighting the odds and taking the biggest risks to rescue
me
.

As we draw close to the exit he holds open the door. When I walk past him it feels as if I'm floating in a cloud, moving in slow motion. My eyes remain glued to his and, unable to stop myself, I turn my head back to hold on to his gaze for as long as I can.

Shae's grip on my arm tightens as she tugs me forward. But Nathaneal is not looking away yet either. His eyes are emitting so much love I can't force myself to look elsewhere.

Eventually he releases his breath and blinks.
Eyes down now, sweetheart
, he forges with a spine-tingling smile.
We are almost home, and then we can look upon each other until the end of days.

With difficulty I drag my eyes away from his, and to force myself into the present moment, I take note of my surroundings.

It's a carnival atmosphere outside, with hanging lanterns, dancers in bright costumes of silk and tulle, jugglers spinning balls high into the air, fire walkers, glass eaters, clowns performing acrobatics without nets and many more ac
tiviti
es. A rocket launches into the sky with a hiss and a loud bang. Instinct has me ducking, but Isaac's voice sounds in my head:
Look up, Ebony.

An explosion of pretty lights in the pattern of an ­emerging flower opens up in the dark sky, dissolving over ­thousands of angels who ‘ooh' and ‘ahh' as more colourful fireworks burst into life.

And while the spectacular fireworks display occupies my thoughts, I hardly realise the closeness of the white perimeter wall. Michael and Shae watch the patrolling soldiers intently, waiting patiently for the right moment. When the soldiers are distracted by the fireworks display, they calmly wing into the air.

It's
that
time?
I ask Isaac.

Yes, my lady, but don't you worry; I've done this before.

I watch him watch the soldiers on the wall, making sure I'm ready for when his hands close around my waist. He flicks me a glance and I nod. Scooping me up in one seamless movement, he leaps into the air, clearing the wall before releasing immense white wings that lift us high really fast. He shoots into the sky like an arrow, his magnificent wings barely moving, making hardly any sound while shifting large volumes of air. And I can't help thinking he really is good at this.

Tash brings Mela up next, followed by the others, who catch up and fall into formation around us.

Between the angels' beating wings, fireworks setting off lights in the sky, and fingers of early dawn creeping up the distant horizon, I spot soldiers flying towards us from t
he pal
ace's eastern side. My heart quickens as I'm sure it's Luca coming after us, only for me to realise in the next burst of red, white and pink that it's Prince Gabriel in front.

Some soldiers appear to have trouble flying on their own, but as I watch them help one another fly as hard as they can towards us I start to believe –
really believe
– that I'm going to make it out of Skade today, and so will all the angels who worked hard to make it happen.

Look ahead
, Isaac links, indicating with his chin the gates shimmering like a waterfall in the northern sky. We're still a fair distance from them, but each wingbeat brings us closer to freedom. I spot a burning ring of fire in the centre gate. This must be what Nathaneal did to break into Skade. I swing my head round to catch Mela's eye, expecting to see joy or at least relief, certainly not the shocked look etched on her face.

I glance down towards the ground and my heart skids to a halt at the sight of a livid Prince Luca with his highest-ranked general – Ithran – at his side as always. The two deploy their shiny black wings and leap into the air. Soldiers in black armour follow not far behind.

He's coming for me. Isaac, this time he's never going to let me go. He's going to turn into the beast and –

Stay calm,
Ebony
, Isaac links.

You see them, don't you?

I see.

And those?

I point further afield to where more enemy soldiers are taking flight. Hundreds more. Commanders appear to be rallying their troops on the ground before sending them up in rows to give Luca air support. And yet still more soldiers are running out of apartment buildings and houses. At this rate there will soon be thousands pursuing us.

I squeeze my eyes shut and take a deep breath as the familiar unnerving sound of battle horns begins playing their warning tune across the land.