Alexei scoffed. “You areinsane, MJ.”
“And it seems you two have been holding out on me,” she said, looking over my shoulder.
I released my Glory, and a shadow tickled up my nose. My pain vanished, and pressure descended on the hole in my hand.
Ronen was here.
“Leave, before I do something I’ll regret,” Ronen bit out, his words sharp and cold.
Goosebumps scattered down the back of my neck, and I stepped forward, away from the wrathful energy he exuded.
MJ smiled. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”
“Leave. Now!”
A beautiful pair of auburn wings burst from her back, and she shot into the air.
Ronen came around me and surveyed the cuts on my face. His shadows brushed my wild hair back, and his expression narrowed.
I didn’t think Ronen’s energy could get more menacing—but it did. The pitch black of his irises writhed with barely restrained rage.
“Did the Archangel do that to you?”
“Do what to me?”
He grazed my tipless ear with a shadowed finger.
Oh.
Self-conscious, I pulled my hair in front of my ear. His shadows didn’t seem to like that and pushed it back again.
“Who the fuck did that?”
“A fallen angel named Brockalian,” I whispered.
Ronen’s nostrils flared, but he released me and stepped back.
“Oliver, take Lucy to Sam,” he said, dismissing us and turning to his second. “Alexei, I thought I banned the use of powers in her lessons. Has she been using them all this time?”
Alexei’s silence answered for him. We’d started these trainings to practice my Glory. Alexei and I saw no reason to stop, so we ignored Ronen’s unusual order. Of course, I probably should’ve questionedusing my power with MJ here. But as Ronen’s third, I assumed she was as trustworthy as Alexei.
Ronen’s large black wings expanded as he drilled his gaze into Alexei. “Inform MJ to meet me tomorrow.”
He shot into the sky with those parting words, taking his pain-reducing shadows with him and leaving me unsteady.
“What the hell was that?” Oliver asked, staring after Ronen.
Alexei rubbed the back of his neck, looking tired. “That was Ronen under the influence.”
My eyes widened. “Under the influence ofwhat?”
“Powerful, hellish alcohol?” Oliver offered.
“No.” Alexei sighed. “Something more powerful than that. Get Lucy to Sam—she’s bleeding all over the snow. We’ll practice more tomorrow, but I’ll lead instead of MJ. Especially if Ronen ends up killing her.”
I assumed that was a joke, but I couldn’t be sure.
“Sounds good to me,” Oliver chirped, lifting me into his arms and luscelering to Sam.
