“They’re gone,” Reed turns in my arms and wraps his around my invisible body. I let go of my spell and watch his mouth curve in a beautiful smile when he sees me. He leans down and kisses me hungrily.
“Where did they go?” I ask him between kisses, my hands skimming over his firm biceps. “How much time do we have?”
“Not much.” Reed relents and lifts his lips from me. “Tau told me to wait here. Xavier went to bludgeon Atwater and let him know that he will never allow Atwater to have the boatswain here, in Heaven, or in Hell. Tau went to make sure Xavier doesn’t kill Atwater.”
“But Tau still wants you to kill Atwater?”
Reed’s eyebrows pull together. “How did you know that?” I hold onto Reed’s wrists and feel something beneath his shirt. My grasp shifts to just one wrist, while moving his sleeve up, exposing a leather wrist holster. Clasped inside the holster is a spade-shaped blade. I move my hand to his other wrist and find another one.
“Atwater told me Tau wants you to murder him for the boatswain.” I pull his sleeves back into place. “You don’t have to kill the Cherub. He’s going to give the boatswain to you. Heaven wants us to have it. He’s going to make Tau give it to him, and then he’s going to leave it in the shield of the ice angel in the courtyard. It’s the one that has it’s arm aloft and looks like it’s about to smite something.”
“And once I retrieve it?”
“Find me and we’ll leave.”
“How?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet, but it has to be just you and me. Atwater wants you to use the whistle. There’s a special tone he made me learn.”
“A tone?”
“It will make me remember some kind of deal I made.”
Reed grips my upper arms. “I’ll bring it to you.” He kisses me again and it feels as if I’m living on the edge of a blade with him, sharp with painful longing.
The door handle rattles. I let out a little squeak before I whisper another hasty spell. I think for a second that Tau sees me as he pauses at the door and gazes at Reed’s back. Reed has resumed his military posture, but he’s unable to turn around right away and face Tau because of what I’ve done to him with my kisses. I look up at Reed’s eyes. I know he can’t see me anymore. I place my hand on his heart, right where I know my wings to be branded. It’s beating furiously in his chest. With a small smile, he winks at me.
I let go of him. I wait until Tau jumps the cavern in the room. I time it so that I land on the other side just as he touches down. Behind me, Tau murmurs something I recognize in Angel to Reed, “Be ready.” I’m almost to the door when Xavier comes through it with Atwater trailing him. I skitter to the side out of their path. They’re all speaking Angel now. As they pass me, I creep to the door. Behind me, Atwater and Xavier join Tau and Reed on the other side of the room. Tau lifts his arms and pulls a chain from around his neck, attached to it is the boatswain. He hands the whistle to Atwater. The moment that it is in his palm, Reed’s wings unfold out from his back. He rushes Atwater and tackles him, falling with him into the hole in the middle of the room.
Xavier growls. His red wings extend as he dives into the cavern to follow them. In the chaos I bolt through the door and out into the corridor. I have to find a portal. It doesn’t matter where it leads as long as I find one in the next few minutes.
Navigating unfamiliar hallways, it takes me awhile to figure out where I am, but I eventually find the aisle that leads back to my room. Flying through the door to Xavier’s room, I land and quickly open bureau drawers and dresser drawers. I almost scream when I notice the Power angel, who must be guarding the door to my room, get up from a chair. His deep voice asks, “How did you—” He looks at the door to my room. Going to it, his gray wings spread wide as he scans my bedroom for me, but my clone has long since evaporated into the air. He closes the door and turns to look at me.
I shrug. “I won’t tell Xavier if you don’t.” He scowls. Hurrying past me, he leaves the room in a rush. “Tattletale,” I mutter.