Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

I crash against something hard, cracking my head. Darkness surrounds me as screams and cries cut through the thick dust and ash-filled air. There’s a ringing in my ear as I attempt to move, but pain tears through my leg and I cry out. My head is throbbing, and when I reach around to the back, it feels wet. I bring my hand before my face and see red.

“Amaros?” I call out and then cough into the dirty air.

I struggle a bit, but eventually manage to stand. My legs are unsteady, and I stumble on my heels. I press my hand against my ear and try unsuccessfully to stop the ringing.

As the dust settles, I finally get a picture of the damage caused. There are chairs and tables strewn about. Several walls have collapsed into the room, leaving mounds of large hunks of stone, and several fires have broken out.

I glance up to see a hole in the ceiling where it has caved in from the explosion. There are injured angels as far as the eye can see. I cough in a feeble attempt to clear my throat, which is raw from breathing in the dust and smoke-filled air.

“Amaros?” I call out again in a raspy voice.

He was right with me when the explosion happened. He couldn’t have gone far.

I take a few steps through the rubble before I trip, sending a fresh wave of pain through my leg. I scream and roll onto my side as I look for the source. There’s a shard of wood stuck in the back of my calf, and blood is slowly seeping from the wound.

With a shaky hand, I reach for it, but I know enough about this sort of thing to understand removing it could cause me to bleed out, unless my healing abilities can prevent that. I decide not to try it. It’s unlikely I’ll be able to do it myself anyway.

I spot Demetros across the other side of the hall helping injured angels, and I let out a sigh of relief knowing he’s all right.

“Zarla?” someone calls.

It’s Amaros. I stand and do my best to ignore the pain as I hobble in the direction of his voice.

“Zarla?” he calls again.

Gods above, where is he?

A sudden sharp pain tears into my side, and I turn to see Astelle holding the handle of the knife she just plunged into me. Her blue eyes bore into mine, and they are free from any ounce of remorse or regret.

“Amaros is mine. You will never have him.” Her voice is almost unrecognisable, thick with hatred.

Tears spill down my cheeks while I fall to my knees. I know I need to say something to her, to tell her I don’t want him, but I can’t. My vision sways as I glance down at the large knife sticking out of my side. My body shakes uncontrollably while I desperately try to hold on to consciousness.

She wouldn’t kill me, would she?

Astelle shoves her heel into my chest, and I fall onto my back. She bends down and grips the handle of the knife. I scream as an unimaginable pain takes hold of me.

“Time to join that whore of a mother,” she whispers into my ear as she twists the knife.

Something shoves into Astelle and sends her flying across the room into a pile of rubble, where she lands at an awkward angle.

I blink, unsure if I’m imagining it. Kyle?

He stands before me, his fists balled and his black wings spread out at his sides. I’ve never seen him so angry in all the time I’ve known him. Darkness hovers over him as he glares at Astelle across the room.

And then his eyes find mine.

Pain twists his features when he looks me over, and in an instant, he drops to my side and scoops me into his arms. I scream at the movement, but quickly relax against his chest. Anger flashes in his eyes as they search mine, as if trying to understand what’s happened to me. I reach up and cup his cheek to check that he’s real, and he smiles while his features soften.

“I’m going to save you, Zarla. I promise.”

His voice alone is enough to soothe and distract me from the pain I’m in. I spot Amaros across the room, standing behind Kyle. His face and clothes are dirty, as if he’s just crawled out from beneath the rubble. Maybe he has.

“Let her go. Now,” Amaros demands.

Kyle turns to face him but doesn’t put me down. Several angels nearby catch sight of Kyle and hurry out of the hall, likely terrified of the powerful male archangel from Zarquon, and I don’t blame them. He is larger and much stronger than most males within our Kingdom.

I risk a glance toward Astelle, and she’s lying still, strewn across some debris.

Amaros takes a step closer. “He’s dangerous, Zarla. You mustn’t trust him.”

I’m barely holding on to consciousness right now. My body is shaking, and a clammy layer of cold sweat covers my forehead. Although I am sure the pain is still there, somehow I’m unable to feel it. White spots dance across my vision as my body grows weaker, and I can feel myself slowly fading.

“Your father needs you,” Amaros says through a strained voice, grabbing my attention. “He’s in a bad way.”

I force myself to look at Amaros, and he’s holding his side. He’s injured.

“I don’t trust him,” Kyle whispers to me, his focus locked on Amaros. “You need to go with me. Don’t listen to him.”

My focus shifts between Amaros and Kyle, but my vision falters.

Kyle’s eyes soften as he looks down at me. “I will protect you, no matter what. Trust me.”

I can feel myself slipping away, but I manage to open my mouth to speak. “Take me…” I whisper.

And without another word, Kyle swoops up and out through the castle roof while I drift into unconsciousness.

I blink my eyes open and find I’m in an unfamiliar bed, but it’s the most comfortable one I have ever been in. I stretch my arms out at my sides, and my memories come rushing back to me. The Great Hall. The explosion. Astelle stabbing me. And Kyle, with his gorgeous black wings.

Kyle.

I sit upright and search the room. Where in the gods am I?

The room is large with pristine bright-blue walls with gold trim. The floor is a light oak wood, and I glance out to the windows where translucent white curtains blow open in the breeze. The salty scent of the ocean hits my nose, and I take in a deep breath. I glance down and see I’m wearing a blue silk top with matching shorts.

“You’re awake.”

My focus snaps to the door where Kyle is coming through holding a tray of food. He’s shirtless, and my gaze immediately drops to his tanned and chiselled chest with his sexy dragon tattoo, and then to his abs.

He clears his throat and sets the tray down next to me on the bed.

Heat rises in my cheeks, and he laughs.

“Glad to see you’re feeling better,” he says and leans down to press his soft lips to mine.

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him against me as tears well in my eyes. “Kyle. Gods, I missed you.”

He pulls back and cups my face between his hands. “I’ve missed you too.” His eyes scan mine, and he brushes a few tears from my cheek with the pad of his thumb before kissing me once more.

Although I am seriously enjoying this right now, I can’t help but wonder where I am.

Kyle moves back and sits on the edge of the bed. “This is my room. We’re in Zarquon,” he says, as if reading my thoughts.

My eyes widen as my head snaps toward Kyle. “What?” The panic in my voice is clear.

He reaches out and strokes my cheek. “It’s okay. Remember what I told you? That I would protect you no matter what? You’re safe here.”

I think back to the Great Hall, when Kyle showed up, and my hand quickly moves to my side where Astelle stabbed me. I’m thankful when there’s no pain.

Kyle puts his hand over mine. “You’ve been unconscious for four days,” he gently tells me as he lifts my silk top up to reveal a bandage on my side. “You were unable to heal yourself. Astelle used a weapon that is lethal to angels. It’s getting better, though. Luckily, our healers have special herbs only found here within our Kingdom that have been helping your body to heal.”

I carefully peel back the bandage to reveal a gash in my side that has started to knit back together. It’s still only halfway healed, so I’m surprised there’s no pain.

As if reading my expression, Kyle adds, “The healers gave you herbs for the pain, too.”

Without meaning to, dark magic swirls from my fingers and into the wound, healing it completely. My eyes shift up to meet Kyle’s, and he’s staring at me with a furrowed brow.

“Thank you,” I tell him, “for saving my life.”

He rests his forehead against mine. “Always,” he says before adding, “Is it okay to use it like that?”

I pull back to study his face. “I didn’t mean to do that just now. Sometimes it just happens on its own.”

He presses his lips together, and I can see how concerned that makes him. I scan my eyes over him, but he looks completely fine. Not a scratch on him. Whatever happened to him during the watcher attack with Finlay has healed by now.

“Em found me,” he says, and I immediately tense at the mention of her name, but he continues. “She took me back to Zarquon to our healers. I wanted to send word to you, but it wasn’t possible.” His features shift, showing the pain he feels at that.

I wrap my arms around his neck and breathe in his scent. It instantly comforts me, as it always has. “I have been so worried about you. My father wouldn’t let me leave the Kingdom. I wanted to come and find you, and I was going to, but then the explosion happened and?—”

He presses a finger to my lips. “It’s okay. Once I was healed, I decided to go and find you instead.” He pauses, and I can see the pain in his eyes. “Seeing you hurt like that… It tore me apart. If I hadn’t been there…”

I can only imagine what he’s thinking.

It would have been torturous for me to see him like that, too. Like I did on Earth before Amaros forced me back to Silanthia.

The gentle sea breeze blows through my hair and reminds me I’m in another Kingdom. I move to slip out of bed, but Kyle places his hand on my arm to stop me.

I raise a brow at him.

“You should eat something first. You need your strength.”

It’s adorable how much he cares about me. I have never had a male do that for me before, and it feels good. I peck him on the cheek and ignore him, slipping out of bed anyway.

“Or not,” he says with a humorous flare.

I slowly cross the room to the door and step out onto a balcony overlooking the ocean. My breath catches at the beauty. I haven’t seen the ocean before. Our Kingdom is too far from it and instead contains rivers, mostly. I step toward the edge and grip the wooden balustrade as I close my eyes and feel the warm breeze on my skin.

Kyle moves in behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. “The view here is incredible, isn’t it?”

It truly is. There is something so peaceful about being near the ocean, and I envy the angels who live here.

“This is my family’s castle. My father is the King of Zarquon.”

I spin around to face him, my mouth open with shock. “What?”

He laughs and grips my hips. “I know. Pretty crazy, right?”

I nervously bite the inside of my cheek. What will his parents think of having me here? Worry swirls in the pit of my stomach, and Kyle seems to sense it.

“Hey, it’s all right. They know you’re here, and they’re fine with it. They know what’s been going on with the watchers.”

I let out a long breath, and my tummy grumbles. Interesting timing, but I’ll take it.

Kyle takes my hand and leads me back inside to the bed where I sit.

“Eat,” he instructs, and I do.

The tray is covered in an array of various foods, including sliced fresh fruits, a fruit smoothie, herbal tea, toast, and something else I’ve not tried before. It’s some sort of pudding made with special seeds, and it tastes amazing.

Kyle watches me eat, and despite offering him some, he refuses. “I can eat later. You need it more than me.”

Once I’m done, he shows me to the bathroom where a floor-to-ceiling glass wall overlooks the ocean. It’s the most peaceful shower I have ever had, and I take my time washing my hair and scrubbing every inch of my body. Once I’m done, I find fresh clothes laid out for me on Kyle’s bed. A long, turquoise floaty dress and some gold sandals.

Once I’m dressed, I find Kyle waiting for me outside his room.

He holds his hand out to me. “I want to show you around my Kingdom. I’m still getting used to it, but I remember most of it now.”

I take his hand and slip my fingers through his. “I’d love to see it.”

We wander through the castle, and it’s absolutely stunning. Every single detail is so well thought out and makes me wonder how old it is. The walls are made from beige sandstone with intricate details carved into them; the flooring is pale wood, and there are blue and gold details everywhere. We pass by one wall covered in little seashells, and it’s gorgeous.

“Growing up, this was one of my favourite parts of the castle,” he says, admiring the wall.

“I can see why.”

I’m nervous about bumping into one of his family members, but once we’re out of the castle, I relax a little. I need some time to explore the Kingdom with Kyle and learn more before I meet them.

We walk down the stone pathway that leads out of the castle grounds and down to the beach. I slip my sandals off, and the warm sand feels so good beneath my feet. We run down to the water, and my gaze follows the small waves lapping at the beach.

I hold my dress up and step into the warm water. The wind blows my hair around my face, and I spin around, laughing a little, and find Kyle watching me with his hands in his pockets. His white shirt is unbuttoned revealing the top of his chest, and his hair is dishevelled.

“The seaside suits you,” he says, his eyes focused on mine, and it sends a wave of electricity through my body.

We walk along the beach collecting seashells and chatting together, and it’s perfect. Just the two of us. We soon reach a stone pathway and follow it up to the city, passing small shops and food stalls along the way. The angels here are happy, all smiles as they greet their customers, and they all recognise Kyle despite his absence for the last ten years.

We stop by a jewellery stall, and Kyle buys me a gorgeous quartz necklace with seashells. He fastens it around my neck, tracing his fingers along my skin before pressing a kiss to my neck. His touch ignites a fire within me that has me craving more.

I turn to face him and press my lips against his. My lips part as he slides his tongue into my mouth, deepening the kiss. His hand snakes around my waist and pulls me close.

I remember we’re not alone and pull back as heat rises in my cheeks. “I love it. Thank you.”

“So beautiful,” he says, his eyes on mine, but something tells me he isn’t referring to the necklace.

My lips curl at the sides, but my smile immediately disappears when I spot Em behind him walking toward us.

Kyle turns to see what has disappointed me. “Em, what are you doing here?”

She moves to his side and hugs him, then shoots me a fake smile. Jealousy rages inside me as she touches him, but sensing it, Kyle moves next to me, threading his fingers through mine in reassurance.

Her gaze drops to our hands, and disappointment settles in her features. “I heard the two of you were out and about, and I wanted to say hi.”

There’s something insincere about her words, and I know she’s lying. She has feelings for him. It’s fairly obvious, to me at least, and I wonder whether Kyle picks up on it too.

“I’m glad to see you’re okay, Zarla.”

Her words aren’t genuine, but I reply anyway. “Thanks.”

“Well, I’d better get going, then. See you tonight.” She gives Kyle one last smile, ignores me, and then walks away.

“Tonight?” I ask him with an arched brow.

“We’ve got a family feast this evening. I’ll tell you all about it later. But first, there’s somewhere I want to take you.”

His large black wings spring free, and he lifts off up into the air, hovering above me. I’m suddenly anxious at the thought of releasing my white wings in the middle of his Kingdom, but seeing Kyle above and knowing his place here, I decide I’m probably safe enough to reveal myself. I release my white wings and fly up to meet him.

A few surprised gasps come from below, but I focus on Kyle instead.

“Follow me,” he says, and with several large swoops of his black wings, he soars high into the sky above the city.

I follow, and when I reach him, the view takes my breath away. Seeing the ocean from his room was beautiful, but this is something else. We fly toward a lush green area of the Kingdom in the distance, and as we get closer, a waterfall comes into view. It immediately reminds me of my mother and the beautiful waterfall in that place, wherever she is, but I bury the thought for now.

Kyle descends and lands on the grass near the waterfall, and I land next to him, taking in the beauty of it. There’s an enormous lake at the bottom surrounded by large stone boulders. My focus shifts to Kyle when he unbuttons his shirt, and my mouth goes dry. I can’t tear my eyes away.

He laughs. “Are you coming in, or are you just going to watch me?” He removes his shorts and runs into the water before diving under.

I realise there’s nothing under my dress, and I’m unsure what to do. Kyle resurfaces and watches me.

“I have nothing to wear,” I tell him.

He gives me a wide, cheeky grin. “That’s fine by me.” He turns around to give me some privacy.

I bite my bottom lip and slip my dress over my head, and then I toss it to the side as I hurry to the edge of the water. The water is pristine, and when I dip my toe in, I find it’s warm, too.

Kyle is still facing the other way when I walk into the water to join him. Once I’m in, I realise the water is so clear, he’ll see me anyway.

He keeps his focus at eye level, though, as we wade in small circles around one another.

“Your Kingdom is beautiful,” I finally tell him, breaking the silence. “It must be quite a change from where you were living on Earth.”

“Just a little,” he jokes.

“Everyone here is so kind. Everything they taught us about your Kingdom is a lie.”

He wades toward me as I stare into the blue depths of his eyes.

“I know. I’m beginning to realise that.”

His gaze drops to my lips, and I move closer and wrap my arms around his neck. I kiss him gently before he pulls back.

He glides his fingers across my cheek. “Thank you for helping me to remember who I am and for restoring my wings. For everything, actually.” He pauses, looking out across the lake before meeting my eyes once more. “I have always felt lost, like I didn’t belong, like a piece of me was missing. As soon as you came down to Earth, I felt whole again, even if I didn’t realise why at the time. You are a part of me, and you always will be.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand how you were bonded to me, but you have saved me in more ways than you could ever know. I love you, Zarla.”

My eyes well at his words, and I’m left a little speechless. How can I top that?

“I love you, too,” I whisper, unable to think of a better response.

He kisses me again, only this time there’s a burning passion behind it. I part my lips, tasting his tongue against mine, and the connection between us is stronger than anything I have ever experienced in my life. I never knew I could find a male that would make me feel the way he does.

His hard length presses against my stomach, and I want him. All of him. He softly kisses my cheek.

“We will find the right moment,” he whispers, pressing his forehead against mine.

I close my eyes, licking my bottom lip. I have never wanted anything more than I want him right now, in this moment. Kyle is mine, and I am his.

“I want you to meet my family,” he says.

My stomach knots as nerves swirl inside me. Will the rulers of Zarquon be accepting of an angel from Silanthia dating their son?

“Sure,” I say. “I’d love to.”