"Stay there,” he said quietly, pressing a finger to his lips. He grabbed his sword and edged to the window, each step slow and carefully balanced. My eyes darted around the room, looking for a hiding place. But this room was so scarce, there was practically nothing.
He crept closer and closer, his eyes glued where the bustling noise was coming from, until suddenly—
"Ah!"
Andrew's face appeared in the window. My shoulders sagged in relief, and I let out a breath I hadn't known I'd been holding. My relief didn't last though—a moment later, I saw all the blood Andrew was covered in.
My heart skipped a beat, and both Jason and I helped him through, trying to be as gentle as possible. His right wing was torn and badly damaged, and his arm had slashes running down it. He gritted his teeth against the pain. We guided him onto the mattress, where he collapsed.
"He needs medical help,” I said to Jason urgently. His expression hardened.
"Alright—I'll be back,” he promised, his eyes alight with determination. He held my gaze for a moment before turning and heading for the window. I turned back to Andrew, who was breathing slow, steady breaths. He was here, but where was…
"Valarie?” I asked, my voice trembling. Andrew slowly closed his eyes, his eyebrows creasing with regret.
"I'm so sorry, Lucy,” he breathed. "It was… too much."
"What happened?” I demanded, trying to stay calm. But my heart was racing. I knew we shouldn't have left her.
"They turned my weapons against me,” he explained, his voice strained with pain. "Skye—the one who can manipulate willpower? She toyed with me until I couldn't fly, and then they took the car and left me there. I had to walk back. That's why it took so long."
"But where did they take Valarie?” I asked, panic rising in my voice. What if they hurt her to try and get to me? Or worse, what if they…
"She'll be fine,” Andrew said. "The important thing is that you got away."
Something inside me snapped.
"It's not okay!” I cried angrily, jumping to my feet. "They're after me! They were always after me! But she's always the one who ends up sacrificing herself, the one who falls short of what she deserves!"
I had to find her.
"Don't do anything irrational,” Andrew pleaded, his eyes wide with worry. "You don't understand—"
"No, you don't understand!” I shot back. "Me? I understand perfectly! I'm the Starlight Princess. I'm the key to everyone's survival. For some reason, you all seem to think that makes me special. But my life isn't worth any more than hers, and I'm not going to let people overlook that!"
I was ready to storm out of there and find her myself, but Jason had taken the sword with him, which left me weaponless. I couldn't barge in there with just shield magic. That wouldn't do me any good.
Gritting my teeth, I turned back to Andrew.
"If they hurt her, I will tear them limb from limb."
"Calm yourself,” Andrew replied softly. "It's not wise to get so worked up. We'll get her back; I swear that to you."
His eyes seemed to glow with the promise, and I had to pause. He was right… I remembered what my mum had always told me. A calm Lucy is a capable Lucy. And it was true. With a calm mind, I could come up with a rational plan. But if I let my anger drive me, I wouldn't stand a chance.
I took a few deep breaths and sat down next to Andrew.
"Sorry,” I mumbled. He winced, evidently still in a lot of pain. I relit the candles so that I could examine his wounds a little better. Thankfully, he hadn't bled out.
His right wing had patches of feathers missing, and his blood was drying everywhere, sticky and lumpy. I did my best to clean some of it off so that it would be easier when Jason got back. As I knelt over him, gently prying the blood away and unsticking his feathers, I felt a sharp pinch on my finger and yelped.
I noticed a paper-thin cut, with blood slowly pooling on my finger. Andrew's eyebrows widened in alarm.
"Sorry!” he said quickly. "I should have warned you—I assumed you'd remember."
I raised an eyebrow, ignoring the sting of the wound. "Your feathers are sharp?"
He nodded. "They're an angel's best weapon. But I don't mind a sword, either."
I grimaced, wiping the blood away on my jeans before resuming my work—more carefully this time.
"What's it like being an angel?” I asked, truly curious. He seemed surprised that I was taking an interest, but he humoured me.
"Well,” he said, thinking. "Our angel essence enhances our senses. Mainly our hearing and vision, so that we can fight better. But we can run fast when we want to. And we can fly too, though I don't bring my wings out so much anymore."
"And… you've been here all this time?” I asked slowly.
"Since your kingdom began,” he confirmed. "But I rarely engaged with the royals. I worked on the outskirts, recruiting and training armies. Otherwise, I would have recognized you sooner. I was away when they attacked, and I got back too late."
Something in his eyes flickered. Shame? He shifted his head, and I shook away the thought.
My mind went back to Valarie, and I remembered what I'd discussed with Jason earlier. I practically jumped.
"Starlight!” I exclaimed. "Andrew, we need starlight. Where can we get it?"
Andrew frowned. "If you try and capture starlight, you'll be putting the barrier at risk. The only current source of it is within the lanterns in the sky—and even then, it's mixed with our angel essence, so it's weaker than pure starlight. It won't be like the observatory; we exhausted our powers infusing the lights."
"It's the only way we can stop them,” I insisted. "If we infuse Jason's sword with starlight, we can plunge it into the hearts of the Chards and turn them human again. The Shadeows won't have a legacy to continue on with, and their deaths will be final."
Andrew's eyes widened in surprise.
"That could actually work,” he agreed, musing over it. "But if you break the barrier trying to get starlight, it will all be over. So you'd have to be very careful."
Well then, that was that. We just had to fly up there and get it somehow. But with Andrew's torn wing, he couldn't exactly fly us up.
"How would we reach it?” I asked numbly, my hopes fading.
"I'll get Irma to meet you at the observatory in the morning. She can help you, but you'll have to act quickly, as the observatory isn't safe,” Andrew said. "And in the meantime, Jason can track down Valarie's location."
"Why can't Irma meet us here?” I asked.
"Because if this is our only current safe place, we can't risk exposing it,” Andrew said.
I didn't like waiting, but I wasn't going to argue. Andrew needed to rest, and I knew he would be useless if he didn't. So when Jason got back with a first aid kit, we were quick to clean him up and then leave him to sleep.
After that, it was just a waiting game, and I wasn't able to get back to sleep. Jason sat down on a nearby box, and I leaned against the wall near the candles, trying to stay warm. Their tiny flames emitted the smallest of heat. It was almost as if they were teasing me.
"I really am sorry,” Jason said finally, in a low voice. I glanced over at him, and he avoided my gaze. Shame was written all over his face. "I heard you talking in your sleep before, so I know…” he trailed off, biting his lip and frowning, then finally added, "I lost my mother too.”
He was trying to empathize with me? Him, of all people?
"Knowing that I caused so much pain to so many people… I live with that every day. I'm not saying it's an excuse. I'm just telling you what you deserve to hear. And you deserve my apologies—for everything I put you through."
I didn't smile; didn't offer a shred of sympathy. Instead, I spoke coldly, "You did so much just to try and get back to Adrina. But was any of it even worth it?”
His expression became incredulous. I’d offended him. Well, good. I continued on, pushing off the wall. "What did you think was going to happen?” I asked darkl
y. "That she'd forgive you and you'd get to live your happily ever after? I can't stand the thought of my best friend being with someone like you. I would never let that happen."
He snarled at me. "You don't get to decide that for her!” he snapped. "Everything I've done has been for her!"
"And everything I've done has been for her!” I hissed. "You don't know a damn thing about her! She's not Adrina, Jason. And I'm not Annaliese. We're entirely different people, even if we have the same memories and emotions. And when all of this is over, we're still going to be entirely different people. She's going to be my best friend, the person who I've known my whole life, and when she asks for my opinion of you, I'm going to tell her to run as fast as she can. Because you're nothing but a stranger to her. She doesn't know that you're a liar… and a murderer."
Jason pushed off the box, marched over to me, and gripped my upper arm. My heart pounded as I recalled how he'd tried to kill me once.
"We don't have to be friends,” he said darkly, his fingers digging in. I tried not to reveal what his proximity did to me; my frantic heartbeats that told me to be scared, to get away. "But I'm not going to give up on Adrina. So you can either deal with it, or you can get out of here. Either way, I'm going to win her back. I didn't come this far to fail."
I shook off his grip and stepped back a little.
"We'll see,” I managed to growl before turning away from him. I couldn't wait for morning to come. Couldn't wait to get out of this cold warehouse, away from the likes of Jason, and rescue Valarie. My eyes settled on the night sky, which was lightening ever so slowly, and I knew it wouldn't be long.
Ten
At the crack of dawn, when it was still fairly dark, we were able to leave the warehouse. Andrew informed us that Irma and Walter had been guarding the observatory, and that we should head there. He'd regained some strength since earlier, and was able to retract his wings again. But he was still sore from his wounds, and definitely couldn't fly.
"You two go,” Jason said, handing Andrew the sword. Not me, but Andrew. He didn't so much as acknowledge me as he added, "As far as Chrissy's aware, I'm still working for her. So if I can find her, I might be able to snag a lead and lure her astray briefly. It should buy you some time."
Andrew nodded. "I'll take Lucy then, and we'll get the starlight."
Andrew and I slipped into his car. I was anxious about Andrew driving while he was hurt, but he didn’t seem too fazed by the injuries. We pulled out from behind the warehouse and took the back roads. No doubt people would be looking for us—both Shadeows and members of the Lorelai community. A part of me had been worried to leave the sanctuary of the warehouse, as dreary as it was—after all, the observatory would be one of the least safe places to go, next to our own homes. But Andrew insisted that we'd be better off with more allies around us, and he had a wealth of weapons there we could use.
"Angels can directly retract starlight into their bodies, but not into objects. But as the creator of the barrier, you will be able to guide the starlight through your body into the sword. Irma can guide you up into the atmosphere, but you'll need a protective shield to get there and back without dying,” Andrew explained as we drove. "It's fine for us angels—we've got completely different DNA. But you'll still relatively human, so you'd freeze, burn up, and suffocate without the right protection."
"Wait a second—I thought you infused the observatory lights with starlight?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That's different. We can directly infuse light sources, but only if we infuse them directly from our essence, not from another source. Besides, using too much essence—no matter how much starlight is mixed with it—puts us at risk of changing into a fallen angel."
"Right,” I said, trying to mask my nerves as we walked. I hadn't tried to use my powers yet. A part of me feared I wouldn't be able to do it. But a wave of tingles in my blood reassured me they were there, waiting under my skin for me to call upon them.
When we got there, Irma and Walter waved us through, holding the doors open for us. But as soon as we'd entered, they pressed a button, and the doors and windows sealed themselves with metal shutters. I tried to ignore how closed in it made me feel—like a high-tech security prison. But at least we were safe.
We followed Andrew through the observatory, heading into the main area with the telescopes and planet models. Though Andrew had healed since last night, it still seemed like he was straining to get around, and he collapsed in the nearest chair.
I glanced around and suddenly became very aware of all the mirrored reflections in the room. A tightness developed in my chest at the thought of Chrissy spying on us, but hopefully Jason would keep her distracted enough not to pry.
"So what's the plan?” Walter asked, and Andrew filled them both in. When he was finished, he turned to me.
"You should practice first—do you think you can conjure a starlight bubble around yourself?” Andrew asked. I hesitated, unsure how to respond. Or how to even go about trying.
Irma noticed my lack of response, and her gaze softened.
"Relax, you can do it,” she prompted, her voice encouraging. She stepped forward, her black dilk pants drifting like a skirt and her embroidered navy shirt glittering under the now replaced, ordinary lights. "It takes a minute to get used to it. But if you look deep inside yourself and find the core of your power, you should feel a tug of some kind."
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I tried to relax, tried to concentrate. Searched every inch of my soul. Tried to grasp the magic, to pull it out. I felt the tingle, the desperate thrum under my fingertips. Use me, it pleaded.
But I couldn't summon it. The frustration must have shown on my face, along with my burning red cheeks.
"You're thinking too logically,” Walter criticized, also stepping forward. He was dressed in similar colours, wearing a tight jacket and pants. "Try not to see it as tangible, but as a force of nature. Except it's linked to you, and it can travel through you like electricity on a wire."
I forced myself to relax.
A calm Lucy is a capable Lucy.
I waited. I called to it. Willed for it to come, to use me as a vessel, to fill me with the power I needed.
And then I really felt it. That tug, like a vacuum had switched on, and it was pulling energy into my very core. The energy coiled and swirled until it began to flood through my body, and then—
Whoosh!
A blinding golden light burst into the room, so bright I could barely keep my eyes open. The golden light shimmered, gently flickering and slowly dimming, until it settled around me like tiny little lights, complete with links that were barely visible to my naked eye.
My eyes widened in shock.
Looking down at my hands, I saw that they glowed. The power was coursing through my veins, fuelling the shield.
"Good,” Irma praised, smiling widely. She tested its strength, pressing her hand against the shield. It hissed against her touch, and she said,
"The shield is too widespread—try strengthening it by fusing the stars together until the shield is a solid block around you."
I closed my eyes and concentrated once more, willing the stars to do exactly that. To grow larger, closer, until they formed as one.
When I opened my eyes, the shield was less transparent, and it was like looking through a pair of coloured shades.
Irma nodded. "That will do nicely."
"Now try to release it,” Andrew said, watching my every move. I focused, willing the power once more to bend to my will.
"Let go…"
The words echoed through my head. They were masculine.
"Let the power go, Annaliese."
I recognized that voice, and a vision formed in my head. My father, from my past life. Teaching me how to wield my power when I was just a young girl. I could see him so clearly now—his brown beard and perfectly kept hair, the slight crinkle around his blue eyes. I listened to his words and was able to do as he asked.
"That's my girl."
The shield faded, and I let out a steady breath as the tension released from my shoulders.
"I think you're ready,” Andrew told us, looking confident. "But remember, you must be careful. If you create a single crack or tear, or move any lantern out of place, the barrier will break. It's going to sense your presence, and it will react to your every touch."
I swallowed hard, nodding. There was so much at risk if I messed this up, and the pressure was daunting. But I pushed it down as far as I could, doing my best to ignore my fears. This was the only way.
"I'm ready."
* * *
We didn't go out the front door—perhaps it was a precaution in case we were being watched. Instead, Irma led me through a labyrinth of hallways that eventually led to a tiny back door. Pushing it open, we came out under the observatory, a fair way down the hill. A grove of trees grew around us, sheltering the door from view.
"Okay,” Irma said, smiling confidently. She checked that she had the sword sheathed in her belt. "I'm going to fly you up, and you'll focus on the shield. Got it?"
I nodded. She stepped toward me and wings tore through her shirt—wide, pearly wings, perfectly arched and tinged gold along the edges.
They were beautiful. After everything I had witnessed in the last few hours, the presence of another angel in our midst certainly didn’t surprise me.
I focused once more on willing my power to come forward. I felt it respond to my call, growing inside of me until it exploded from my fingertips again, cloaking us protectively in an impenetrable orb. I stood tall, able to balance within it and press against it without breaking it.
Irma pushed against the top and kicked off the ground, her strong wings flapping. The wind pulsed around the orb; somehow, I could feel the pressure of the outside from within. We spiralled up into the sky, and my gaze locked onto the clouds above that were parting to reveal the late orange and pink sunrise.
I'd never had an interest in skydiving, but this could be described as a similar feeling. We were flying straight into space, into the wide, vast unknown. My shield was my lifeline, keeping me pressurized and breathing. As we gained height and the world below grew tinier and tinier, I could feel the pressure intensifying. It started to feel as if it were crushing me—the outside of the orb conveying everything to me. I steadied my breathing. I couldn't break my focus, couldn't let the orb shatter.
Lanterns In The Sky Page 10
