“That’s not fair!”I roll my eyes with a heavy sigh. “What’s not fair?”“That!” she shouts, pointing at the flames in my hand. “You figured out how to create fire and you’ve been at this for barely a day! I’ve been practicing for weeks and I still can’t do it!”

My breath stops in my chest.“Oh my god,” I whisper.The forest around me holds an

It hurts. I know it shouldn't, but I can't seem to stop the throbbing ache in my chest.The pain seems to pulse in time with the waves. It makes it seem almost . . . comforting. Like it's reminding me of what's real . . ."Luci.""Please leave me alone," I whisper, my voice hoarse from crying."You have been gone for hours," he says."I don't care.""But I do. And so does Diana.""I want to be left alone," I snap."You're lying."I let my chin fall onto my knees, hugging them tighter against my chest. "Please just go Logan," I mutter."I refuse to leave you out here alone. It isn't safe," he says in a firm voice.I pick at the sand with my fingers, wrinkling my nose as it gets up under my fingernails. "I'm still on your property. The council can't find me here," I mumble. My eye catches onto a pale gray stone and I flick it into the surf."I'm not worried about the Council, I'm worried about you hurting yourself," he growls."I told you I'm fine!" I spit."Ten years ago, I made a promi

I was harshly awoken by shouting and the screech of metal on metal. I jerked upright, scrambling off the cot when I heard the familiar jingle of keys outside the door.“Hands on the wall!”I bit my tongue, trudging over to plant my hands on the stone. I heard the door squeak open and it took all of my self control to remain still as the guard yanked my hands behind my back and shoved my face against the wall.“You try an’ pull another stunt like ya did last time and they won’ even bother givin’ ya a trial—they’ll throw ya righ’ in the Cage,” he spat, locking the heavy chains around my wrists.He hauled me out of the cell none too gently. He pulled me by my arm so roughly I stumbled repeatedly as we made our way through the prison.The whines and moans of the other prisoners pierced my ears, making me bow my head and squeeze my eyes shut in a desperate attempt to block them out. I clenched my teeth together until my jaw hurt and dug my nails into my palms until I felt blood but it did n

His eyes search my face. “You want to kill him don’t you?” “Tell me where he is,” I growl. “He’s more powerful than you Luciana,” he says, shaking his head. My lip curls upward. Had he not been bound and shivering and covered in blood and tears, I might have been concerned by his words. “Tell me where to find Michael,” I demand. His head bows and he keels over, coughing violently. I wait for him to finish shaking; blood dribbles down his front and splatters onto the floor. “He lives in the mountains.” I crouch down, my gaze locked on him. “Tell me more.” I listen intently to every single word he says. He seems to grow more weary as he describes the Council Leader’s home: a prison-like structure deep in the mountains, far from danger, far from enemies. Guarded by hundreds of angels. Protected by magic. Surrounded by miles of icy mazes. It sounds like an evil fortress straight out of a fiction novel. I sit back on my heels. “Anything else?” I ask. He shakes his head and goes sil