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Zade roars and his hand links through mine.
Raven screams our names, but the world disappears around us, and I stand beside Zade in a flaming circle in the Mortal Realm. Something sent us back here. But alone. Raven and Elias remain on the heavenly plane.
My ears ring, and the world spins around me again, dropping me into a wave of blinding light. As quickly as we were thrown from Heaven, Raven pulls us back. A dozen voices hum through the air, and it takes me a minute to gather my bearings.
“Do whatever it takes. Grab the mortal. We need those gifts now.” The comment comes from an angel and blinding light shoots anger through me. Where are the others? They should be here to help us by now.
I unleash my devil power, swinging my massive tail over my shoulder and staking it through the blurry angelic light trying to keep me back. Fire explodes through the air with a deafening crackle. Dark fissures crawl through the light, forming figures before me.
I jerk my tail over my shoulder again, penetrating the being of another angel. Fire explodes from the spot as I send the bastard through a Hell portal and to Micah. The world shudders as the planes connect. The angels continue to shoot heavenly light at the weakest points, trying to seal off the plane. Raven cries out, her sob stealing my breath away. I still can’t see her among the figures, but I know she’s nearby. Elias had better be protecting her. If I find out she gets hurt, he will have my Hell to pay.
“You’re doing amazing, Raven. Pull their tethers again. I know it hurts, but they’re not all the way through.” Elias’s voice snaps in my ear, and I realize what’s happening. Raven fights against the angelic light to bring us through completely. That’s why the world is shuddering and shaking and darkness creeps in through crevices leading to the Hell Realm.
“Andre, Zade. Help me. I need you to follow the line. It hurts so bad.” Raven’s voice cracks with her words, and I look to Zade.
He presses his hand to his chest, igniting his purple power across his heart. I close my eyes and manifest my own power, imagining a braided cord connecting me to Raven. I don’t tug on it though. I don’t want to risk pulling her from Heaven and getting her hurt from the sudden crossing between planes. She’s only mortal after all and there’s only so much her body can bear.
“We’re coming, little hellion. Just hold tight.“ I follow Zade as he uses the line as guidance.
My skin burns and blisters, crackling with lava-like lines as we push completely through the veil and into the one place we don’t belong.
The light fades and the figures materialize before us. I grind my teeth and swing my tail, staking another angel right through the top of his head. He has no time to prepare, so caught up in trying to cage Raven with angelic light. His body explodes in flames, and the world shakes again. Opening Hell in this moment shocks the plane of Heaven, and our world wavers, flashing from light to dark and back to light.
“You are banished from this realm.” A stream of heavenly light shoots into my chest, aiming for that light tether connecting me to Raven.
Raven screams, and she drops to her knees with Elias beside her. He feels her pain as if it was his own, and I swing my fist and punch the angel trying to get to them out of the way. The heavenly light grows more intense, and I’m afraid Raven will lose connection.
“Go find her soul. I’ll protect her.” Zade growls and whips his long tail knocking away another two angels that manage to get through the power crackling around Raven and Elias.
He’s right. As much as I want to stay here and fight, I need to get to her soul. This might be our only chance, and I can’t let Raven down.
Spreading my wings, I launch into the air and into the light, pushing through the pain and heading toward where Elias thinks her soul is being held captive. The angels split up, half of them chasing me, and I spin and fling my tail, staking them and tossing them away. I slice my sword through the air, cutting wings of angels enough to keep them away. The farther I get from Raven, the more aggressive they become, shooting me over and over with heavenly light. My vision dims, and my energy begins to fade. I slow, my wings struggling to hold my weight. But I can’t stop. I won’t stop.
“Please help me.” The words sound like a whisper from my mouth as I try to connect with the Higher Power on this plane. “I know this was never your intention. Please help me get to Raven’s soul. I will serve you well as a teacher of the souls if you give me the strength to fight.”
“Your prayers will never be answered.” The sharp familiar voice of Mikail stabs through me at the same time as his heavenly blade cuts through my back.
I roar and spin, flinging the blade away from me. I was too focused on reaching the highest peak of Heaven that I missed him stalking me.
I drop from the sky, the world blurring around me. My wings refuse to expand, the heavenly light taking a toll on my body. I crash to the ground, sending flames rising all around me. Mikail lands beside me, towering over me, wielding his sword and preparing to slice it through me. If he sends me to Hell, I don’t think I’ll be able to get back here. I won’t be able to save Raven.
Jerking my tail, I swing it at Mikail, trying to knock his sword away. He slices it across my stinger, cutting it clean off my body. I holler in agony, watching as lava-like liquid pours from my body.
“Andre!” Raven screams, her voice slapping me as if she’s within my reach, but I can’t see her anywhere. “Andre! Return to me. I can’t hold on any longer.”
“Take my strength!” I shout, forcing my body to cooperate despite my agony.
I push to my feet and spin around, looking for Mikail. He will be the one who can take me to Raven’s soul.
But he’s gone.
The world quivers around me, and my chest explodes as Raven tugs on my tether, dragging me back to her. I have no choice but to allow her to pull me. Her hold on me is far stronger than it has ever been, and it feels as if we are one being. Her pain and grief are mine. My agony belongs to her.
I skid across the ground and land beside Raven. Fire burns around us, and I watch the flutter of wings fly above.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, reaching out to stroke her glittering face, her tears reflecting off the light around us.
“Take them now.” Mikail’s voice shocks me, and I whip my attention as he materializes above us.
