by Alexia Purdy
“We’ve been forgotten. There will be no returning to Heaven for any of us. But you—you might stand a chance to reach paradise. I would be wary, though. You’re the only one with a key to Heaven, and it’ll make you the most hunted person on Earth.
“You have nothing to fear from me, for I do not believe I’ll ever return. I chose this, and I will live the rest of my immortal life here. It was believed that no one could enter the Skein.” He wrinkled his nose and swung his gaze back to Thalia. “Yet here you stand, a refugee from the Skein itself. Unfortunately, it’s not nearly enough to convince me there is another way back into Heaven. It might be prudent to assume Ereziel will begin to hunt for you himself. Any of the archangels might. The problem is, nobody knows the way back into the Skein, not even you. You killed the one person who might have known how to enter the fourth realm, but he could never reach it, for he was not from there.”
Thalia regretted killing Ariuk more than ever, but there was no turning back from her vile deeds. All she had was one stupid locket.
Chapter Nineteen
“You were supposed to have all the answers, but the ones you’ve given me bring me no closer to the Skein or my origins. You don’t even know where the blasted entrance to the maze is located. Why would Paul send me to someone who is just as clueless as I am?” Thalia curled her fingers into her palms, feeling her nails dig into her flesh. Her short temper surged, try as she might to tame it.
Theroniel didn’t flinch at her words but instead exhaled slowly, blowing out smoke as he glanced out the window again. She felt herself pushing against his powers, searching for a weakness along the barrier. He picked up on it and got to his feet, still looking out the window. His eyes moved to the door as Matt stumbled in.
“We have company,” Matt said, pointing toward the window. “These any of your guys?” he asked the archangel.
Theroniel shook his head but didn’t move as though he knew what was going to happen and had known for long time.
“Who are they?” Thalia was already on her feet and shoving aside the curtains to look out at the road. Several vehicles were rapidly approaching, kicking up dust behind them.
“I don’t know, but I suspect they’re here for the key and have been following you all the way from New York City.”
Thalia paused, a rock sitting in her chest as she realized she knew who was coming for them. They’d never stop. They’d been coming after her and Matt ever since they’d seen her angel-killer sword and realized Ariuk had lost his locket.
“Dammit, it’s Ichiro’s men. I didn’t think they would catch up to us this quickly.” She faced Theroniel. “Is there another vehicle out back we could use?”
“I have no need for vehicles. I have these.” He reached over toward a large trunk set near his armchair. He flipped open the lid and pulled out a bundle wrapped in cloth. He unfolded it and hoisted up a jumble of metal and leather. A set of metal wings.
“I must go now,” he said, slipping the contraption over his shoulders, “but I do wish you luck. I hope you find the entrance to the maze world. If anyone can find it, it’s you, dear Thalia. I had a pleasant visit. Do stop by when you can in the future.”
Theroniel secured the leather straps around his torso then extended the wings, which took up most of the living room. Gears whirred as the wings flexed and contracted, almost like natural wings. Whatever they were made of must have been the lightest but strongest metal around. The feathers glinted in the beams of sunlight before he bent his knees and bolted up through an open skylight in the roof. She hadn’t even noticed that he’d clicked a mechanism to slide it open as he’d donned his artificial wings. So, he wasn’t flightless after all. Technology had become his best friend.
The roar of vehicles became louder, and she turned back to the window. “Damn bastard,” Thalia cursed. “I guess we’re going to have to fight our way out. Grab that shotgun.”
Matt plucked up the gun Theroniel had left behind. Thalia grabbed her sword and pulled out several other knives that she had tucked into her pants and jacket.
Unsheathing her angel-killer sword, she perched near the window, eyeing the approaching convoy. Matt checked to make sure the shotgun was loaded then grabbed the half-full box of shells sitting near Theroniel’s chair. The cars came to an abrupt stop in front of the house. Several doors opened and shut. A few seconds passed in silence, interrupted only by a slight wind lifting the sheer curtains. It was too nice of a day for a firefight, but there was never a good time for a shootout.
“Thalia!” a man called out to her. “Give us the locket and sword, and we’ll let you go.” She recognized him as one of Ichiro’s lieutenants. He had slicked back, dirty blonde hair and was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses. His stiff jaw told her he meant business, but otherwise, he appeared far too youthful to be anyone important. Maybe he was an immortal. Maybe he was just a young, astute kid.
She didn’t answer, instead remaining crouched at the windowsill and examining the room for another way out. Besides Theroniel’s hole in the ceiling, there was one back door she could see out of. It was wide open, but with the screen still in place.
She pointed toward it, but Matt shook his head.
“They’ll run us down out there,” he whispered. “Our best bet is to pick them off one by one until we can get to our car.”
Thalia groaned, but he was right. Running from the enemy wouldn’t get them far unless there were wheels to confiscate. For now, they would remain inside.
“You’re forcing us to take it from you,” the man called out. “Give us the locket and avoid death or choose to die now.” The blonde man didn’t wait for an answer, instead waving his cohorts forward. The insignia on his right breast pocket confirmed who was chasing them.
“Dammit, Ichiro,” she whispered. “I knew he’d come after me. Maybe I should’ve just given him the stupid locket. It’s been nothing but trouble. At least if I had, he wouldn’t have the complete key since we didn’t find the pieces my parents left me until after I saw him.”
“Don’t give them anything,” Matt protested. “It’s your birthright. Without it, you’ll have no way into the labyrinth. Plus, that’s all you’ve ever wanted, right? Entrance to Heaven to be with your family. You can’t give up on that dream.”
“What if it’s just a dream? What if we never find the Skein?”
Matt reached over and squeezed her shoulder before rubbing her back. It sent a shiver down her spine and warmed her middle even as her heart hammered in panic.
“Trust me. Like Theroniel said, if anyone can find it, it’s you.”
Thalia had to admit that Matt was right again. How did he know her so well, yet they were far from being close friends? She sucked in a breath and leaned toward the window, refocusing her attention on the approaching enemy before yelling out to them.
“If you want the locket, you’re going to have to pry it from my hands. I’m waiting.”
She’d stand her ground. Nothing had been able to kill her before, but she wouldn’t put it past an archangel like Ichiro to find a way. She now knew she was from the Skein. Were her people actually immortal or just highly resilient? Even if she did die, at least she would go down fighting.
Matt was another problem. He could definitely die, and easily, and she didn’t relish the thought of him sacrificing his life for her.
They were greeted by the thumping of several boots shuffling up the driveway. If they could drive the enemy back and pick them off one by one, like Matt had suggested, they might have a chance of making it through this ordeal. Any which way, it was looking bleak.
She silently counted bodies as they fanned out, approaching cautiously. She placed her sword on the floor and pulled a handgun from her jacket. The sword was best for hand-to-hand fighting, but at distance, little could take the place of a gun.
They couldn’t allow them to get up the steps. They’d have to keep them all several feet from the door if they were going to do this right. All servants of an
archangel would fight to the death to fulfill their master’s desires. It meant they would not stop. Blind faith was as dangerous as no faith at all.
Good thing she was born for this. She was ready to kill them all.
Chapter Twenty
The attack was not going well. Thalia went through her bullets faster than the enemy. Matt only had ammunition left because it took him longer to reload. The others were going to enter the house any minute now. The second wave of fighters waited by the cars, hunched behind the metal to avoid their bullets.
“This isn’t going our way!” Thalia snapped, wondering how they were going to get out of this. “We might have to make a run for it.”
Matt appraised her, throwing her a knowing look with a tight frown. He looked out the window once more as he propped his shotgun up on the sill and shot at one of the cars.
“Well, it was great knowing you, Thalia. I must admit, it’s never a boring day around you. I do, however, regret we didn’t get to know each other better than this.”
Thalia didn’t respond but felt her cheeks burn at his comment, not wanting to admit she wished for the same thing. Bullets interrupted her thoughts as they rained through the broken window and shattered its frame. She got to her feet, grasping her sword as she listened to the approaching footsteps outside. If only the words would come to her to let Matt know how he had made her feel before the ambush. Unfortunately, the phrases failed to materialize on her lips; her mind was frozen.
The door exploded into a spray of splinters, but Thalia was ready. She jabbed her sword forward, catching one on the right side of his neck. Blood sprayed across the room as he fell to his knees, grasping at the wound, but another enemy immediately replaced him. They all had weapons; swords, daggers, and guns. At least the latter appeared to be as empty as hers. They still tried to smack her over the head with the guns, but none got close enough to do any damage. They were just too darn slow.
She killed each one easily with her angel-killer sword, but more kept coming. At least the door created a choke point, which helped slow them down. Soon, the telltale clicks of Matt running out of ammo sounded out like a bomb behind her. She sucked in a breath, smacking one of the men over the head with her gun, and then shoving him out the doorway. He went flying over the porch railing, his body landing with a thwack just out of sight.
“It’s time to go!” she called out to Matt, but before he could answer, a loud yell sounded outside as she disposed of the last warrior on the porch. She watched in shock as the ninja from Ichiro’s club picked his way through the warriors bunched up around the cars, dispatching them far too easily. He wasn’t alone. Three others fought alongside him, and although they no longer wore Ichiro’s insignia, she knew he was a traitor and couldn’t be trusted. Why was he attacking those he’d fought beside before? What reason did this man have to fight against Ichiro’s crew? Despite her questions, Thalia was certainly glad he’d chosen her side.
“What the hell?” Matt exclaimed, still carrying the shotgun, for all it was worth. All he could do was bludgeon someone with it, which was probably his plan. He joined her at the doorway and watched the ninja team decimate Ichiro’s men, including the pretentious blonde, who now lay next to his car, impaled by a sword.
“Come on!” Thalia yelled. “We can make it to our car while they’re distracted and get the hell out of here. I think they’re all out of bullets.”
She grabbed Matt’s arm and dragged him down the wooden steps and out into the open. The others were too busy fighting the black-clad warriors to give them much notice. Those who got too close were immediately dispatched with a swipe of the angel-killer sword. Matt hit another one of the warriors on the side of the head, knocking him out cold with a cringe-worthy crack. At least he could hold his own against these people; she wasn’t sure what she’d do if he wasn’t able to. She’d have to remember to thank him later for not crumbling under pressure.
Thalia made it to their rental car, grasping for the door handle before jumping into the driver’s side. Fishing out the keys from her jacket, she slammed them into the ignition as Matt plopped onto the seat beside her, closing the door on the arm of one of their assailants. Matt shoved the door back open and gave him a swift kick, sending him tumbling to the ground as Thalia shifted the car into reverse. She jerked the steering wheel, and the car spun right, toward the dirt road, the wheels screeching against the gravel as she threw it into drive.
The vehicle lurched violently, catching its tread on the rocks in one glorious heave. They sped away, spewing gravel and debris behind them and sending up a massive plume of dust. Tossing a glance in the rearview mirror, Thalia watched as the house went up in flames. Ichiro’s men had set fire to it to cover up the massacre or smoke out anyone left inside. Either way, Theroniel would have nothing but ashes to return to.
Through the clouds of dust, she found the traitor ninja who’d helped them. He had his blood-streaked katana, its blade dripping of crimson fluid, held out to the side as he watched them leave. He bowed his head, dismissing them as the fire spread to the dry vegetation surrounding the house. It burned with unusual speed, consuming the quaint ranch home in record time. Had they fed the fire with gasoline? She was sure of it and knew the propane tank in the back would eventually ignite from the intense heat. Good thing they wouldn’t be near enough to feel the explosion.
Would the warriors left standing realize this as they continued to fight? Not that she cared, but she fought to not look back at the flames illuminating the darkening evening sky. They reached the main road as the propane tank shot fire into the sky. The explosion shook the car, but they were far enough away that the windows didn’t shatter.
Once safely out on the road, she reached up to grasp the artifact dangling around her neck. “All this for a pathetic little locket. Who knew?”
“It must be real special for those people to go through so much trouble. But who were those warriors helping us? I thought they were part of Ichiro’s group.”
“That’s because they were part of Ichiro’s men. But not anymore. They’ve betrayed him.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “Beats me. But I’m not going to reject their help. They’re the only reason we got away. I hope they left before the place exploded. Poor Theroniel. His little abode is history.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Matt’s eyes turned glassy as his smiling expression softened. He gazed out the side window, solemn and quiet. She kept an eye on the road and watched him in the periphery, stealing glances every now and then at him, wondering what was drifting through his mind. He looked different, too silent and somber. There was no telling what he thought of their situation. Her situation, she reminded herself.
There was no one following them, nor had she seen any car lights ahead of them either. At least they had the cover of darkness. Eventually, Ichiro’s men would figure out which direction they’d taken. She’d have to get onto a different road sooner or later, so she played the map of Utah through her mind before turning at an intersection. Figuring out a route, she finally turned toward Matt to find him sweating profusely and squeezing his eyes shut, his head pressed against the cool window. His hand was pressed to his stomach, where blood seeped between his fingers, soaking his shirt.
“Matt? Are you all right? What’s wrong? Matt!”
Chapter Twenty-One
Matt roused, bleary eyed and drowsy.
“Matt, talk to me. You’re hurt.”
“What? Yeah… they shot me. Someone still had ammo and shot me when I was getting into the car.” Matt’s words were slurred. His eyelids slid closed again, his head bobbing as the car bumped over the ruts and divots in the road.
Thalia cursed under her breath but continued to drive. She’d been so focused on getting the car into gear, her brain hadn’t registered the sound of the shot. Her heart began hammering in her chest, and she squeezed the steering wheel impossibly tight. Her knuckles gleamed stark white beneath the moonlig
ht as the radio played some violent metal guitar music she ignored. A truck stop sign shined up ahead, and she decided to pull the car into the rear of the parking lot. Flipping the light on, she then moved Matt’s hands from the wound, calling out to him as she examined the injury.
Matt stirred and looked at her, barely focusing, his head rolling.
“Let me see.” She peered beneath his hand as she moved to let the car’s light shine on the wound. It was high in the middle of his stomach. It was serious; the amount of blood pouring from the site told her the bullet had hit something vital, or at least nicked it good.
“Crap,” she cursed under her breath, fumbling through a bag sitting in the backseat for some of Matt’s T-shirts. Finding two white ones, she folded and pressed them to his wound. He yelped from the pain, which woke him up immediately. After the brief cry, he quieted again, and he looked like he was about to pass out.
“Matt? It’s all right. Keep pressure on it,” she said, pushing on the site. He groaned, stirring once more.
“Geez, that can’t be good,” he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut.
“I need to take you to a hospital.”
“No hospitals. Use the salve.”
“I can’t fix this. There’s internal bleeding which I can’t reach with the salve. You need surgery and a blood transfusion. No amount of petty magic can fix this without intervention. You need a doctor.”
He reached out, curling his fingers around her wrist and shoving her away. He replaced her hands with his, refusing to look her way. Thalia grabbed his belt, ripped it off his pants, and tightened it around his waist to hold the T-shirts in place. The bottom one had already soaked through.
“No hospitals,” he grunted. “No cops. I’m wanted, you know. I’m not going back to jail. I’d rather die.”
“I’m not going to let you die,” Thalia snapped. Satisfied that the belt was tight enough, she wiped her hands on yet another shirt and grabbed the steering wheel. Where was the nearest hospital? She had to figure out something to save him. There was no way he was dying now. Not now. Not when her heart was breaking from seeing him hurt. He had chosen to go with her on this journey to discover what to do with the locket. He had helped her when there was no one else to trust. He wouldn’t be dying any time soon if she could help it.
