Page 131 of Wings of Lies
“Why does the grass look like that?” It reminded me of the field near Drune Forest.
Oliver chuckled. “It’s the barrier that makes it that color.”
I craned my head up to him. “What?”
“The Ethereal Kingdom is on the other side of the golden grass. There is a barrier in place that separates The Divide from the kingdom. It keeps out unwanted species.”
I stilled, staring at the swaying silver grass, as a chill brushed my spine. “I can’t cross that.”
He looked at me funny. “Your legs look fine to me.”
My eyebrows shot into my forehead. “We just said angels were after me, and now you want to go into their territory? Do you plan on handing me over to them, too?”
His mouth opened and closed. “But that’s where we can eat food,” he whined.
What a child.
“Aren’t there other places we can eat? Or hunt more squirrels?”
Oliver frowned. “This is the closest place to find real food. Aren’t you sick of squirrels? Wouldn’t you like some homemade bread or stew or anything else?”
I threw up my hands. “Of course, Oliver. I’d love to have my fill and not be on the brink of starvation! That doesn’t change the fact I,for some reason,have everyone after me!”
“Okay, okay, don’t have a panic attack.” He mulled over the rest of what I said. “I promise if we see any angels with armor, we leave. But they normally don’t come to this village. Plus, it’s just over the border. Then, after we eat, maybe we rest a second. Magda won’t fly away on her broomstick before we arrive,” he said, bottom lip sticking out as his blonde lashes fluttered.
Such a baby. But my stomach rivaled with the need to reach Magda.
“I swear, Oliver. If we run into trouble…”
He hugged me. “You’ll love this place, trust me. Plus, I’d never risk our deal for a second time.”
We walked to the edge of the golden grass. A hum of energy vibrated into my feet and up my spine. “So, we just walk through? Easy peasy?”
Oliver nodded. “As long as you have angel blood, you should be good. But once we cross, we need to move fast again. I only stopped to be considerate and let you know what the barrier was.”
I was sure that wasn’t theonlyreason.
“Okay, what about my cuffs?”
“What about them? I’ll be carrying you.”
I bit my lip. “But what if they have demon energies in it? Do you think the barrier would pick up on them?”
Oliver glanced at my cuffs, analyzing them. “I don’t think it’ll register with border control. They may like to make sure what walks onto their side is angel, but I’ve seen mix-breeds in the villages, some even part demon. They’re not as strict about their rules in this area, but once you pass the villages and near their capital, they’ll hunt you down if you’re not pure angel.”
“You’re sure?”
He grabbed my hand, the devil sneaking a peek through his bold smile. “Any danger, and we’re out, I promise. Plus, you already agreed. Too late to back out now.”
“Okay,” I sighed, trusting him.
He pulled me through the shimmery barrier before I could finish my sentence. It tingled against my skin like pins and needles.
“Did you feel that?” I whispered, awed by the golden field butting up to a stream that bordered a forest of pink trees.
“No dilly dally, remember? We need to run.”
Oliver swooped me up and luscelered us over the stream and through the pink trees. His puffs of hot morning breath hit my cheek until it changed to sprays of spit. After nearly missing a couple of tree trunks, his long strides shortened, slowing our pace to a jog. A pink root caught his shoe. He tripped, and I landed in a bush.
