[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.’I shake my head, fighting back another wave of tears and wishing I could rub behind Shadow’s ears and put my face in his mane and smell his goodness.‘If I go anywhere I will take him with me.That is my promise to Shadow.’Gabriel’s still-glowing palm glides with a feather-light touch across Shadow’s neck and down to his pounding heart.He’s checking Shadow for injuries.His hand stays over his chest until Shadow’s heart finally calms down.Then Gabriel turns to the glass wall and nods.He’s OK.I release a long breath in relief.Gabriel’s impeccable white wings sway behind him as he moves to Elsa to check her out next.Seeming satisfied, he turns to face the glass once more and salutes me with two fingers to his forehead before leading the horses back to the stables.Jordan and I sit on kitchen stools and wait for Gabriel to return.I get restless and start pacing while Jordan downs a second mug of hot chocolate.‘Gabriel was amazing tonight,’ he says.‘Yeah, he was incredible.’‘Well, he is an angel.’And it occurs to me that I am too! Somehow I just know it and this feeling is coming from somewhere deep inside my core.A red haze appears before my eyes.I try to brush it away with my hand like I would if a wad of hair fell across my eyes.But it doesn’t go away.Gabriel finally comes in.We inundate him with questions.He looks weary and lifts both hands in the air.‘As you saw, the horses were extremely disturbed, but they’re fine now.They’re safe.’ He plonks down on to a stool opposite us.‘I’m confident the dark forces won’t return tonight.’‘What happened out there, Gabriel?’ I ask.‘I thought the stables were as safe as the house.’He takes the glass of water I offer him, downs it, and motions for another.‘The internal mechanisms on all the locks were seared as if someone took a blow torch to them.I don’t know how they did it, but I’ve changed them now so they will only open with the touch of your hands.’‘Gabriel, why would the dark forces want to hurt my horses? They were trying to lure me outside, weren’t they?’‘I believe so.’ Annoyingly, he doesn’t elaborate.But I need answers.‘You’ve been watching them for weeks now, how is it that you still know so little about them?’‘I understand your concerns, Ebony, but the best I can do right now is update the Brothers with the information I’ve gathered, so they can assist me in figuring this out.’Jordan strokes my arm.‘Take it easy, Ebony.Shadow and Elsa are safe now.’‘I know that!’ I practically screech at him.The red haze is turning purple at the edges and my heart is beating in overdrive.I don’t like the sensations coming over me.I like to stay in control and this feels like I’m losing it.It’s then I notice both Jordan and Gabriel holding on to things, while their hair whips around their faces.On some level it should occur to me to wonder why it’s windy in a house with no windows and no open doors, but I’m exhausted and don’t pay the thought much attention until Gabriel walks round, turns me to face him and takes my shoulders in his hands.‘Ebony, take a deep breath.Your powers are untried.We don’t know how strong you are yet, but apparently your emotions trigger them.’‘Yeah,’ Jordan cuts in, ‘like when you’re angry and about to explode.’‘Pardon me?’‘He’s right,’ Gabriel says.‘Your powers could quite pos-sibly blow this roof off.’He’s saying I made this wind happen.Just like I did a few weeks ago in the living room.I am an angel!And no one gets to tell me that I’m not!OK, so I don’t have wings, I’m not as tall, or as beautiful, and my eyes are pale, but I can make wind inside a closed room, I can trash a room full of furniture and I can feel something powerful brewing inside me, pushing up from the centre of my core, pulsing through my veins, and pushing at my skin with an urgent need to escape.They’re both staring at me.I probably look wild and freakish, but I don’t care.I just have one thing to say to them: ‘Nathaneal did not make a mistake.’23JordanEbony is amazing.She’s standing in the doorway to the dining room in the middle of a wind she created that’s blowing her incredible long hair, the reddest I’ve seen it, around her shoulders.Her normally violet eyes are vivid purple.Her skin has a golden glow.She seems taller than usual, if that’s possible.And her confidence, her self-assuredness, is stronger than I’ve seen it before.She looks like a goddess.‘How do I turn it off?’ she asks Gabe.He walks up to her with a big smile on his face and lightly grips her upper arms.‘Think calm, gentle thoughts.’ He shrugs.‘Think of me.’She laughs a little, then closes her eyes, and pretty soon the wind disappears.‘Way to go!’ I call out, forcing a happy grin.In reality, Ebony’s surging confidence and belief in her angelic origins is bad news for me.Skinner is not going to like my next report.I’m gonna have to change my plan – again.‘So what are those dark forces?’ Ebony asks Gabe, oblivious to my plotting against her happiness.‘Demons?’‘Possibly, but they have abilities beyond what demons and even what most angels can do.They don’t appear connected to Prince Luca, though I’m sure he’s involved somehow.I just don’t know in what way yet.’My mood starts to plummet.I recognise the signs – a sense of approaching gloominess that descends over me like a second skin.A feeling that I’m losing control, that I can’t cope, that I’m a loser, and all alone in a hostile world.It always happens when my plans don’t work out.Huh! When do they ever? ‘You don’t sound too sure of yourself, Gabe.’‘Unfortunately, I’m not, Jordan.What I do know is that this powerful dark force hasn’t finished evolving.In only three weeks it’s become two almost identical entities, and they’re violent, constantly hungry, destructive, and don’t belong on the Earth.Their stench is still intense but receding.And I suspect they don’t feel pain.’‘So they have no weaknesses,’ I snigger.‘Great.’‘Why do they radiate to me?’ Ebony asks, returning to the bench to sit beside me.Her eyes narrow as she looks me over and asks softly, ‘Are you OK?’I nod while Gabe answers her question.‘I’m working on that, my lady.In the meantime you will need to be vigilant – both of you.’ His eyes flick to me.‘These forces can think for themselves, and they’re growing smarter every day as they become more human or angel in shape.’He walks to the wall and peers into the yard.‘It’s as if they’re trying to become one of us.’‘Seriously, Gabe, that can’t be good.’‘With eight billion humans to hide amongst, no, Jordan, that’s not good at all.’‘What are you going to do about them?’The angel takes a deep breath before he turns round.‘According to what I’ve witnessed these past weeks, taking into account how rapidly they’re evolving, their indiscriminate ravaging of Earth, their increasing understanding of mortal life, the possibility of entering unnoticed into a human community one day, and the way they appear focused on Ebony –’ he shakes his head – ‘I’m left with only one option.’‘Destroy them!’ I roar, smashing my palms together.When they both glare at me, I shrug.‘What else is there?’‘Destroying them is not a simple task, Jordan.It will require careful observation to avoid collateral damage
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]