Page 56 of Reluctant Rebel

“Wait one fucking minute. Where is Sabre? What about Brax? And Draven? And why the fuck would Z take Jinx in the first place? He went straight for her.”

“I fucked up,” Mikhail admitted, shame and guilt filling him. “I told Z that Jinx is my mate. And I left without Sabre. I’m sure they’re on their way here now. You can fill them in. I’m not waiting.”

Eric grabbed Mikhail’s shoulder. “You can’t go by yourself. Wait for Sabre.”

“I’m the fucking King! I can do anything I want,” he shouted, shoving Eric’s hand away.

Not wasting any more time, he stepped through the portal, closing it behind him with a thought. He knew he was being stupid. He knew he was acting irrationally. But the thought of Jinx being harmed at the hands of his brother was a literal nightmare.

He took a moment to take in his surroundings. The sun had dipped below the horizon during his mad rush through the warehouse, leaving only the moon's silvery glow to illuminatethe landscape. Its pale light danced across gentle waves lapping at the shore of a deserted beach. The beach curved gracefully, hugging the base of towering cliffs that loomed ominously in the darkness. Their jagged silhouettes stood like sentinels against the sky, casting long shadows that seemed to writhe and twist with a life of their own. And that wasn’t far from the truth, he acknowledged, given the demons that claimed the area as their own.

He couldn’t see the caves that housed the shadow demons, but he knew they were there. As he sprinted across the sand, he wished he could open a portal directly into Perran’s home. But the shadows made it too easy to make a mistake and would only end up costing him more time.

When he reached the mouth of the first set of caves, he hesitated, his heart pounding. The moonlight barely penetrated the inky darkness within. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and stepped inside. As his eyes adjusted, a world of shimmering wonder gradually revealed itself in breathtaking detail. Crystalline formations encrusted the walls, their surfaces sparkling like a thousand tiny stars, casting prismatic reflections that danced and played in the faint light. Stalactites hung precariously from the ceiling like nature's own chandeliers. Under any other circumstances, he would have taken in the unique beauty wholeheartedly, but he moved as fast as he could while being stealthy.

He strained to hear any sound other than the soft drip of water and the echo of his own footsteps. The air was cool and damp, carrying a mineral tang that filled his lungs with each breath. The passageway suddenly broadened, hinting at a larger space beyond, and his heart quickened with anticipation. It opened up into a large cavern—one that showed signs of a struggle. Forgetting himself for a moment, he shouted, “Jinx!” No reply came.

Looking around, his breath caught in his throat when he spotted a dark stain glistening on the ground. Was it blood?Jinx’sblood? The dark patch gleamed in the faint light, its texture and colour horribly familiar. He reached out with a trembling hand, then hesitated as if touching it would manifest his worst fears. Slowly, he brought his fingers closer, touching the cool liquid.

It was definitely blood. Jinx’s blood. He couldn’t explain how he knew, but he was positive.

A cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he wiped it away with a shaking hand. His entire body felt like it was vibrating, every nerve on high alert. He stood up and took a step back, then another, as if distance could lessen the impact. It wasn’t a lot, not enough to be fatal. But it was proof that Jinx was hurt.

Mikhail forced himself to look around, scanning the cave for any clues. The ground was a mess with dozens of footprints in different forms and sizes. “Zagan, you fuck,” he muttered painfully.

He was about to give up and call Sabre when he spotted human footprints leading towards the exit. Spots of red blood followed them, and Mikhail took off, running back the way he came. The bloody trail eventually led him to the cliff’s edge, where he could see nothing but ocean. Spinning around, he saw someone wearing a pair of shoes headed back down to the water’s edge. But the bare footprints didn’t. They looked to go straight off the edge.

“She jumped,” Mikhail breathed, knowing Jinx must have been damn desperate to make the leap.

A shadow in the distance caught his attention, and he squinted, trying to make out what it was. It was too big to be a person or a tiger. A sandbar or a small island, perhaps? Mikhail wondered. Taking a chance, he created a portal, hoping he didn’t end up in the middle of the sea.

Bursting onto the rocky landmass, he saw Jinx immediately. She lay crumpled at the base of a huge rock, her stripey hair splayed out around her like a halo. "Jinx!" he cried, rushing to her side. He gently cradled her head in his lap, his fingers coming away sticky with blood. Angry red welts crisscrossed her pale, bare skin, and her chest rose and fell in shallow, ragged breaths. “Hold on,” he whispered.

With utmost care—there would be time to rage later—Mikhail gathered Jinx into his arms. Holding her close to his chest, he commanded a portal to open. For the first time since he’d created his first magical gateway when he was twenty and sneaking out of the palace to meet a feisty succubus demon, his power failed him. His hands tightened around Jinx’s still form, causing her to whimper.

“Come on, Mikhail. Get your shit together,” he ordered himself.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he closed his eyes and focused his energy. The air around them began to shimmer and distort, reality itself bending to his will. Motes of silvery light swirled in a widening spiral, coalescing into a shimmering oval portal. Through its translucent surface, Mikhail could make out the familiar outlines of his bedroom. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, experiencing a mild sensation of weightlessness as they passed through the boundary between spaces.

Moving quickly, he placed Jinx gently on his bed. His hands trembled as he tucked a soft blanket around her motionless form. Her skin was ashen, her breathing shallow and laboured, and blood immediately began seeping through the blanket where her thigh was. Fumbling with his phone, he saw dozens of notifications for missed calls and messages. Hitting speed dial, he bellowed the moment it was answered. “Sabre! I need you!”

“Mikhail! Where are you?!” Sabre yelled back.

“My bedroom. I have Jinx. I found her,” he said in a rush. “Hurry.”

“I’m already here,” came Sabre’s low reply, even as his bedroom door burst open. She stood framed in the doorway, her eyes blazing and twin daggers glinting in her hands. "What the fuck happened?" she demanded, scanning the room for danger. Her gaze fell on Jinx, and her eyes widened in shock. “Jinx …”

“It was Zagan. We need Draven,” Mikhail said urgently, gripping Sabre's shoulders when she moved to go to Jinx. “Get him, now.”

Sabre tore her eyes away from her friend and darted out of the room without another word. Mikhail turned back to Jinx, and he gently brushed a stray strand of white hair from her face. His lips touched her forehead in a gentle kiss as he whispered apologies over and over.This is all my fault,he thought silently.

A whine from the doorway caught his attention, and Styx padded quickly across the room. He nudged Jinx’s hand with his nose, whining once again. “I know, buddy,” Mikhail murmured. “She’ll be okay.” He wouldn’t accept anything less.

What was likely only two minutes, but felt like an hour later, Sabre burst back into the room. Draven and Brax were one step behind her. Draven’s piercing blue eyes quickly assessed the situation. "Step aside," he commanded, nudging Styx gently out of the way after giving him a gentle stroke to the head.

Mikhail reluctantly moved away from the bedside as Sabre, and his brother took up positions on either side of him. Draven placed his palms gently on Jinx's forehead and chest, closing his eyes in concentration. The room then filled with a soft, humming sound as the angel channelled his healing magic into Jinx. The red welts on Jinx's skin slowly faded away, the skin knitting back together, and the bruises disappeared.

Draven stepped back. “She will need rest, but there won’t be any lasting damage. Jinx is going to be just fine,” he declared, relief evident in his voice.

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