Page 125 of Wings of Lies
At his disbelieving eyes, I nodded.
“You didn’t die,” Oliver said, stunned.
“Nope. And he didn’t seem to care either way,” I shrugged.
“Or he knew you’d survive it.”
Oliver had a point. The king didn’t want me going to the Mother of Demons to be torn apart. He didn’t want Marcus to have me. So what did he want, and how did it tie in with the test I believe I passed because I survived against all odds?
“Has he told you anything else?”
I glanced back at Oliver’s suspicious face, wondering what to say. I didn’t forgive him. Rage still faintly poked at me. But I understoodwhy he did it, and that helped the need to wrap my hands around his neck. “He’s been searching for my mom, but I don’t know why.”
Oliver rubbed at the rune on his wrist. “Well, that’s kind of helpful. He seems creepy enough to have all the right resources, especially if he’s a king.”
“Yeah,” I sighed.
Oliver stood, walking over to me, and reaching out a hand. “So, assuming your memories haven’t returned yet, have you somehow figured out a place to start looking?”
Blankly, I panned between it and his face. “Who says I want your help?”
He flinched and twisted over his wrist to show me the black rune. “Sorry, sweets, but you don’t have a choice. He directed me to you. I found you. Now you get to keep my ass.”
“Fine. But only because I know I can’t survive in Elora without help, so I’ll call a truce and not burn you in your sleep.” Despite my threat, Oliver still held his hand in front of my face.
“Don’t worry, Luce. I’ll get back into your good graces soon enough.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. Ignoring his hand, I stood, wiping off the dirt on my pants. “Where are we anyway?”
“You wandered into a graveyard,” Oliver said, crossing his arms and smiling around at the area.
“What does that mean?”
He winked, keeping his cheerful attitude. I didn’t like it.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Because we actually are in a graveyard, and I’m enjoying your reactions.”
Great. No wonder it was so silent, and the trees hummed like they were alive. Everyone was probably too scared to venture into this part of the forest and I wandered in, welcoming it with open arms.
Oliver laughed. “Relax, Lucy. It’s not like they will pop out of the ground and grab your leg.”
I gave him a nasty look.
He snorted. “Even though dead bodies are underneath our feet, and ghosts are possible in a place like Elora, this forest is pretty cool. The remaining essence of dead angels, Nephilim, and Fallen are buried here.”
Not sure how that made it cool. A burial ground creeped me out, no matter who was buried there. And ghosts—yeah, I would rather not.
Oliver flung out his arms toward the trees. “They’re what makes these so ginormous. Whatever powers we have left over seep into the forest floor and affect the nature. Enchanted and haunted, or so they say.” He waggled his eyebrows, and I refrained from smiling. He wouldn’t get under my skin that fast.
“Why is it so silent?”
Oliver’s eyes lit up, and before he could say anything outrageous, I stopped him. “A serious answer, please.”
“You can’t feel it?”
“Feel what?”
