Page 58 of Wicked Angel
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind—pleas for my family, defiance against Rhodes, regrets for what might have been. But before I could voice any of them, a familiar voice cut through the tension in the chamber.
“Yeah, I've got some last words for you.”
The air shimmered, and suddenly Levi was there, the invisibility potion wearing off at exactly the right moment. His darkfire crackled around his fingers as he stepped out from the shadows near the entrance. “Get away from her.”
Rhodes froze, his eyes widening in shock as more figures appeared throughout the chamber—Farrah and Wyatt near the balcony doors, Erin and Rey flanking the main entrance, Lacey and Abbie on either side of the prisoners, their hands already moving in patterns that would undo the shackles.
“What is this?” Rhodes demanded, his voice cracking with rage and disbelief. “How did you?—”
“Surprise,” I said, feeling a fierce grin spread across my face despite the danger we were still in. “Did you really think I'd come alone?”
22
For a heartbeat,the chamber was suspended in shocked silence—Rhodes and his guards frozen in disbelief, my family wide-eyed with hope, and my friends positioned strategically around the room, ready for battle.
Then chaos erupted.
The doors to the chamber burst open, and dozens of angel warriors poured in, summoning their weapons with flashes of light. The peaceful crystal walls that had reflected gentle rainbows moments ago now blazed with the harsh glare of angelic magic and darkfire as the fighting began.
“Ariella!” Levi shouted, fighting his way toward me. A guard moved to intercept him, but Levi dispatched him with a brutal efficiency that left no doubt about his intentions. He reached me, his eyes blazing with determination. “Let's get these off you.”
He grabbed the shackles, straining against the enchanted metal, but they resisted even his demonic strength. Lacey appeared at his side, her face tight with concentration as her fingers traced glowing patterns over the bindings.
“Hold still,” she commanded. “These are complex.”
A wave of magic flowed from her fingertips, seeping into the shackles. They heated, then cooled rapidly, becoming brittle. With a final surge of power from Lacey and a sharp wrench from Levi, they shattered, falling to the ground in fragments.
Power flooded back into me, my magic rushing through my veins like a river breaking through a dam. I flexed my fingers, feeling the light magic crackling at my fingertips, ready to be unleashed.
“Thanks,” I said, already turning toward Rhodes, who had retreated several steps, the dagger still clutched in his hand.
Around us, the battle raged. Farrah and Wyatt fought back-to-back, her ice magic freezing angels in their tracks while Wyatt, partially shifted with claws and fangs bared, tore through any who got too close. Erin and Rey moved with the practiced coordination of long-time partners, their demon-hunting weapons finding weak spots in angelic armor with deadly precision.
The Lost Legion had engaged Rhodes's elite guard, angel fighting angel in a blur of wings and light magic. Aspen and Boise had created a barrier near one of the exits, preventing reinforcements from flooding in too quickly.
Rhodes's eyes darted around the chamber, assessing the situation with the cold calculation of a seasoned warrior. His gaze landed on my mother and sister, still bound on the floor, and a cruel smile twisted his lips.
“Guards!” he barked. “Kill the prisoners if anyone comes near me!”
Two warriors broke away from the fighting, moving toward my family with swords drawn. My heart lurched, but before I could react, Abbie was there, her hands moving fast. A shield of silvery light sprang up around Sanvi, Adriel, and the unconscious Ezekiel, deflecting the first strike from the guards.
Lacey joined Abbie, her own magic bolstering the shield as she worked to free the prisoners from their bonds. “Go!” she shouted to me. “We've got them!”
I hesitated, torn between protecting my family and stopping Rhodes, but Levi's hand on my arm steadied me.
“Trust them,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “Rhodes is the priority. The dagger?—”
“I know.” I steeled myself and turned away from my family, focusing on Rhodes. “Let's finish this.”
We advanced on Rhodes, who had backed toward Adona, the dagger held before him like a talisman. Haines moved to his side, his own sword materializing in his hand.
“This changes nothing,” Rhodes snarled, his composure cracking. “You're outnumbered, outmatched. Elysium is mine!”
“Keep telling yourself that,” Levi replied, darkfire crackling around his hands. “Maybe it'll be a comfort when you're dead.”
We attacked simultaneously—me with a bolt of light magic aimed at the hand holding the dagger, Levi with a stream of darkfire directed at Haines to keep him occupied. Rhodes deflected my attack with a shield of his own magic, but the force of it knocked him back a step.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Ezekiel regaining consciousness as Lacey finished removing his shackles. Adriel was at his side instantly, helping him sit up, while my mother looked on with concern.
