by Brea Essex
“Why would they listen to me?” I asked.
“There is a prophecy, Rae, that a female descendent of a Watcher will be the one to return the Fallen to their rightful place in Heaven. You are that descendent,” he said.
“Andrei, there’s a reason the Fall happened. How could I restore Heaven to you? It just doesn’t make sense.”
“I’m going to keep you here, chained and starving, until you agree to help us,” he threatened me. Apparently he didn’t intend to answer my question.
“Do what you want. I can’t help you. I don’t know how. I have no powers. I have no wings. I don’t know how to get to Heaven. I don’t care if you starve me. I don’t care if you chain me and let me freeze. I can’t help. Even if I knew how, I don’t think I would. Nothing you have done has shown me that you or any of the Fallen are worthy of redemption.” I cringed, knowing my little speech would make him angry, but at the same time knowing it had to be said. What he wanted me to do just didn’t seem right.
To my surprise, he didn’t get mad. “You don’t need wings. As the child of an angel, you have the power to teleport. You can teleport yourself directly to the gates of Heaven. From there, the angels who guard the gates would allow you in. Then you can convince them to allow us to come back.”
“I’m not going to do it, Andrei. I don’t think it’s right. You and the other Fallen rebelled, and this is your punishment. I don’t care if you lock me up and starve me. I’m not going to be a part of this,” I said.
“Fine!” he shouted. “I guess you need some more convincing.”
He headed for the doorway, then stopped and turned around. “You know I’m never going to let you go, Rae. You’re going to help me. You can’t get out of here until you do what I want.” He reached for the door handle, and then paused again. “Oh, and don’t think Logan is going to rescue you. Even if he can get into your dreams, he will only reach the outer realm. He can’t get in here physically. And even if he did figure out how to travel here, it wouldn’t do him—or you—any good. He would have no powers here. Because angels have no authority in the Shadow Imperium, his powers would be useless.”
He exited, throwing the bolt behind him and leaving me alone with my anxious thoughts until I at last fell into a restless sleep.
Chapter Forty-Two
Logan
I opened my eyes, ready to admit defeat once again. But glancing around, I realized I no longer sat in my bedroom. I faced different scenery.
I’d done it! I had broken into her dreams on purpose! Now if I could just figure out where Andrei had taken her. I stood in a desolate, blackened field that stretched as far as the eye could see. Swirls of fog surrounded me. It was as dark as midnight. It didn’t seem as though anything lived.
I could just make out some shapes looming in the distance. I squinted, trying to see the shapes more clearly through the eddying fog. I wandered toward them. They proved to be large rocks, forming a sort of mountain. I walked around the mountain, looking for some sort of entrance or a way to climb it. Maybe Raena was being held somewhere inside.
She appeared out of nowhere, as if I had subconsciously summoned her. Her dress hung in tatters. Dress? She hadn’t been wearing a dress when Andrei had taken her. Her feet were bare and her hair disheveled. She appeared thinner than usual. I wondered if Andrei had been starving her.
I ran to her, relieved. I tried to put my arms around her, but they passed through her body. What was this? Hadn’t I been able to hold her before? That had been how I’d saved her in all her other dreams, by grabbing her and flying away before Andrei caught her. Wasn’t it? Why was she intangible in this dream? I stood in front of her, dying to touch her. “Raena, where are you?” I asked.
“Andrei has taken me to the Shadow Imperium,” she explained. “Your powers won’t work here.”
“What do you mean, my powers won’t work here? I’m an angel! My powers work everywhere!”
“Not here. Angels have no power in the Shadow Imperium. Devils hold the power here. Devils like Andrei.” She started to cry. “Logan, I’m scared.”
“I know,” I tried to soothe her, wishing I could take her in my arms and comfort her. “I will find a way to get you out of there! How do you get to the Shadow Imperium?”
“We’re in part of the Shadow Imperium now. The outer part that you can only visit in your dreams.” She paused. “Logan, how did you get here? Are you actually here? How are we speaking?”
I gazed deep into her eyes. I had missed her even more than I had imagined. But now I needed her to listen to me. “Raena, I’m actually here, but in your dreams. I can get into your mind in a dream state. That’s how I saved you in all those dreams. It was me. I just didn’t realize it until now. You have to listen to me though. Andrei has the power to enter your dreams as well. That’s why you had all those nightmares. That’s how he found us at the hotel. You have to be careful. You have to learn to guard your mind from him somehow, but at the same time, you may need to learn to keep your mind open to me, at least until I can get you out of here.”
She stared at me, looking stunned. “Do you mean to say those dreams were real? Well, not real, but Andrei was there in my head? You were there too?”
“Yes, but there’s no time for that now. We can figure that out later.”
“This is insane. All of this! Now you’re telling me that you and Andrei can both come into my dreams?” She sounded panicked.
“Raena, I would never try to control you. I love you. You know that. The reason I am here now because I needed to know how to find you. I want to keep you safe. I’ve only ever entered your dreams to protect you, to save you.”
She stared at me, tears springing to her eyes. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I do. You need to tell me how to get to the physical Shadow Imperium.”
“A portal. There’s one in Andrei’s house. That’s how we got here. There may be others. Logan, there’s not much time. I think—look out!” she shrieked.
A shadow crossed her face, and I barely had time to duck before a sword whistled over my head. I spun and faced Andrei. “Ah, Logan, Logan. You shouldn’t have come. You’ll never be able to find her,” Andrei taunted.
I had nothing to defend myself with. I wasn’t a physical being in the dream, but I still feared that Andrei could kill me. If I died, I couldn’t rescue Rae. No, I can’t leave her trapped here with him!
I ducked and rolled as the sword swung down again. Rae started screaming. I could hear her sobbing, begging Andrei to stop. If Rae were right, I would have no powers here. But still, I had to try…
Light streaked from the dark sky and coalesced around my hands. I looked up at Andrei, whose eyes widened in shock. He froze, his sword point dipping to the ground. I took my opportunity. I flung all the energy at Andrei, knocking him down and pinning him to the ground. Light flashed again, and a blade appeared in my hand. I wondered where it had come from, but I couldn’t pause to think about it. I ran at Andrei.
He jumped up, his wings spread as he hovered in the sky. I extended my wings, too, and leapt into the air. I held my sword in front of me, ready to battle.
Andrei chuckled menacingly. “Do you expect to fight me, boy? You’ll never win!”
“I could beat you any day!” I shot back, hoping it wasn’t an idle threat.
Andrei considered it for a moment. “No. Now is not the time or the place for our confrontation. Come find me in the Shadow Imperium if you dare.” With that, he swept past me in a blinding movement. He grabbed Raena, and she sobbed louder.
“Logan!” she screamed my name, extending her hand toward me as they vanished.
“Raena! No!” I yelled into the darkness as she disappeared yet again.
Everything went black. I sat straight up, gasping for breath as her name echoed all around me. How would I ever find her?
Chapter Forty-Three
Raena
I woke up suddenly, screaming Logan’s name into the darkness. Had th
e dream been real? Had I actually spoken to him? He had told me it was real, that he could somehow get into my dreams, but had I dreamt that as well? I curled on my side on the bed as best I could and sobbed so hard I shook. My chains clanked loudly. Desperately, I prayed that I had, in fact, spoken with Logan, and he now knew how to get here and save me.
I felt relieved that despite Andrei’s taunts, Logan’s powers had worked. It meant that he might have a real chance against Andrei. I didn’t want them to fight again because I feared Logan would get hurt, but I had to get out of here, and he might be my only way to safety.
The walls were beginning to press in on me. I had never considered myself claustrophobic, but being stuck in this room was making me lose my mind. I had no idea how I could get out on my own, although I would try if I could just figure something out.
The lack of food had left me so weak I didn’t think I could overpower the tiny girl who brought my food to me, let alone Andrei or anyone else I might come across if I tried to make my escape. Andrei claimed I had powers, but I had no idea what they were or how to use them. Even if I did, I didn’t think I would have the energy to do much of anything. No, as much as I hated feeling powerless, I figured it would be best if I just waited for Logan to come.
I heard footsteps outside the door and held my breath as Andrei entered the room. I pretended to be asleep. I didn’t want to answer any of his questions. He sat in a chair next to the bed and stroked my hair softly. It took all my will to not pull away from his hand. “Ah, Rae, your Logan will never find you here. Only one portal to the Shadow Imperium exists, and by the time he figures out how to make his own, you will be dead.”
He stood and stared down at me. “Such a foolish girl,” he crooned. “You don’t even realize just how real your dreams are. If you only knew that I controlled your dreams.”
The revelation startled me, and I had to force myself to continue to breathe evenly. I had to hear what else Andrei might say. He couldn’t suspect I was awake.
He continued his confession. “I wonder how you would react if you knew what I was really doing.” He chuckled to himself, clearly amused. “I wonder what you would say if you knew I have been sneaking into your room at night, forcing you to dream of me. The first night, I almost couldn’t get in because you had locked your bedroom door. Your foolish sister would never think to lock hers. I snuck in through her bedroom. But you had wedged a chair under the door! The chair was no match for my strength though. I knocked it aside easily. When I heard you stirring, I had to make a quick escape.
“The next night, I tried to be a little sneakier. I came in through your window. It made for a faster exit, and you thought you had left your window open! You almost caught me both nights, but I made you think nothing was amiss. You would never see me. Even if you could somehow see through my deception, my glamour, I had to take the risk. I had to exert my control over you in case you ran.
“Run, you did. You see, Rae, I never would have been able to find you at the hotel if I hadn’t had control of you. If you had only learned how to shield your mind, you could have hidden from me. But you were too naïve to even think of erecting a shield in your mind.”
He fell silent for a moment. I wondered whether he’d finished with his little monologue. Finally he began to speak again. “You know what the funny thing is, Rae? If your little boyfriend” —he spat the word— “hadn’t interfered even in your dreams, I might not have had to bring you here. Every time I almost caught up to you in your mind, your little angel boy came to the rescue. I could have bent you to my will, but he would arrive and pull you away at the last moment. If he hadn’t done that, I could have already done what I had to do and I would be back in Heaven, where I belong. But he did interfere. And now you’re here. Your little guardian is never going to find you.” He leaned forward and whispered the last few words in my ear. “And you’re never going home.”
There was a faint click as he exited the room again.
I stayed completely still until I heard the bolt slam home and heard his footsteps walking away. I willed myself not to cry again. So he planned to let me die? Or would he kill me himself? He seemed to act as though I were the only one who could help him—I didn’t understand what he could gain by letting me die. I hoped it was just a ruse. But why would he lie if he thought I’d been asleep?
One thing I knew for sure—if Andrei knew what had happened in my dreams, I had been right all along. He could get into my mind and control me in a way. I had actually been running from him the whole time. That also explained how he’d found Logan and I when we had fled to the hotel.
That meant Logan could get into my dreams as well. I had talked to him and now I had some measure of hope he would be able to rescue me.
Despite the craziness of my dream, it had been good to see him again, however briefly. I had missed him more than I realized during the time I had been trapped. Even though I couldn’t touch him, I was glad to know he was okay.
It seemed as though he had gotten stronger and learned more about his powers as an angel. I didn’t know whether he knew my dreams had a real quality to them and had come on purpose, or if I had subconsciously pulled him in, as I had seemed to do in the past. Whatever had happened, I felt relieved I had been able to tell him what I knew. I closed my eyes once again and slept more peacefully than I had since I’d been taken, knowing Logan would be coming for me soon.
Chapter Forty-Four
Logan
I pulled myself up off the floor and went around my room, blowing out all the candles. I knew I should try to sleep. I needed to be alert and focused so I could find or make a portal, and I felt exhausted from fighting Andrei. I knew it had been a dream, but it still had worn me down somehow. I felt mentally and emotionally fatigued. All of my muscles hurt, especially between my shoulder blades where my wings came out from my back. Maybe the battle had been more real than I had thought.
I glanced at my bedside clock. Twelve-oh-seven in the morning. Well, they say even the longest and most vivid dream lasts no longer than eight minutes. I supposed it made no difference, even though it hadn’t been my dream.
Since it was the middle of the night, I couldn’t go to the library to look for answers. I didn’t want to wake up the priest either. I tiptoed downstairs to get a snack, hoping I wouldn’t wake my parents. I didn’t usually wander the house in the middle of the night, but I had to try to eat something to recharge a little. I had expended a lot of energy in trying to get into Rae’s dreams and fend off Andrei’s attack. I felt ravenous. I went through the fridge and cupboards, pulling out random things and stuffing them into my mouth. I paid no attention to what I grabbed and I barely chewed. I was too upset to be able to taste anything anyway.
When I had finished eating, I sprinted up the stairs to my room, running on my toes in an attempt at keeping the noise down. I closed my bedroom door behind me. I sat down at my desk and turned on my laptop, drumming my fingers on the wooden surface of my desk as I waited for the computer to boot up.
I did random Internet searches, not sure what to look for. I couldn’t just type “portal” into the search bar and get an instant answer—at least, not one that pertained to what I needed. I searched for a long time before I hit upon a solution. Mercury! It was pliable. Maybe I could use that to make a portal.
Now, where could I find some? I racked my brain, trying to remember where a quicksilver mine might be located. When Mrs. Cortesi had lectured on quicksilver, I had been paying more attention to Rae. I went back to my computer. My heart sank when I saw the search results. All the mines seemed to be in China. I didn’t think my wings could carry me that far. I might have to take a plane. That could take days, and I had already wasted enough time. There had to be a faster solution.
I almost began the hunt for another idea when a link at the end of the results page caught my eye. San Jose? I hurriedly clicked on the link. There was a mine in San Jose! It had been closed for over thirty-five years and changed into a nat
ional park, but it might still have ore inside. As much as I hated the idea, I would have to break in. I’d risk it to save Rae.
I needed to go now. Rae’s life might depend upon it. I still had no idea what Andrei wanted from her. I pulled on some clothes, grabbing the first things I laid my hands on. I ran down the stairs where I dashed off a hurried, vague note for my parents in case they woke before I returned. I still hadn’t told them everything, so I just told them I’d gone for a drive. I felt bad lying to them, but I didn’t want to get them involved any more than they already were.
I pulled on my shoes that lay next to the front door and, grabbing my keys, ran for my car. I skidded to a stop halfway down the driveway, realizing I probably needed some tools. I headed for the shed in my back yard. I knew I could find what I needed, thanks to my dad the tool fanatic. I grabbed a pick, a shovel, a flashlight, and a few other things that might be promising.
I threw them in the back of my car and climbed in. I breathed a quick thanks that my parents’ room was on the other side of the house. They shouldn’t hear the clanking of the tools or hear my car start. I sped down the street and turned onto the freeway and toward San Jose in a matter of minutes.
The trip over the hill passed quickly. Not many people were on the road at this time of night. As I drove into the city, I plugged the address for the mine into my GPS. I knew my way around that part of town. I shouldn’t have trouble finding it. Getting in might be another matter.
When I reached the mine, I saw there were high fences surrounding it. Not a problem. I would just fly over them. I parked the car and climbed out. I stripped from the waist up, not wanting to ruin yet another shirt, and braced myself for the pain of forcing my wings out of my back. I clenched my teeth and bit back a scream as my silvery wings tore through my flesh with a familiar searing pain.
