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Oh, it’s good to see the corn belt country as I fly above the fields making my way to Minnesota. The gusty winds blow me off course, but I straighten and fight against the breeze until it bends to my wishes. I remain invisible as the Twin Cities’ skyline appears on the horizon. By the time I see the IDS Tower soaring into the clouds, my back is sore, not being used to using muscles to flap wings. Freaking wings!
I’m almost there. Home.
Turning north, I know these cities and tick them off one by one as I pass them. A countdown to when I can be with my family and friends. And when I can finally land and rest.
I’m free at last.
Over the long journey, I’ve managed to learn how to use my wings. With nothing else to do but fly, I’ve spun, twirled, and dived into spirals, taken sharp turns, circled, and delicately floated on the air currents. Flying became second nature to me.
I should check in on my family first, but Kieran’s house pulls me in. My feet touch the ground outside his door; I sway, then fall to my knees, not used to using them after my long flight back from Four Corners.
Making myself visible, and my wings invisible, I burst through the front door. The house is silent. Everything is in order and nothing is disturbed. I run through the halls and to the weapons room. The door is ajar, and the shelves and cabinets are bare. It’s the only disheveled room. Someone must have been here and left in a hurry.
“Kieran? Shay?”
I wander to the backyard. Paschar is gazing down at me with her wings reaching upward. I don’t know how she works or communicates with others. Cupping my hands, I scoop up water and let it run through my fingers onto her feet just like how Kieran had done it.
She blinks and tucks her wings behind her back. A soft female voice fills my head. “Hello, Zoe. I’m glad you made it back to us. Everyone has been concerned about you. They have been distracted in your search by all the natural disasters, but rest assured that you are still in their minds.”
“Thank you for telling me that. I know I’ve been worried sick about everyone.”
“They will be back soon. I believe that they are returning from Denali National Park.”
“All right, I’ll be back. I’m going home to my parents.”
Paschar nods and returns to her original position.
I sprint around the house and down the street. My feet automatically take me up the three steps to my door. My raised hand hovers on the handle. I inhale a deep breath, turning the knob.
“Mom? Dad?” The house is dark. Where is everyone? The ticking clock tells me that it’s early in the morning. They should be here, unless ...
What day of the week is it?
I check the calendar in the kitchen, and it’s flipped to June. It’s what I feel is still my birthday, but it might not be. I left my dead cell phone in that room. Running up to my bedroom, I open my laptop and glance at the bottom right corner of the screen.
It’s still June 24.
“Yes!”
I click on the clock icon and open the calendar. Today is Wednesday. Breathing a sigh of relief, I know where my family is: soccer practice with Stella.
Looking around my room, it’s just as I left it. Makeup is scattered along the counter in the bathroom. The door to my walk-in-closet is still ajar. A single heeled shoe sits at the foot of my bed, the match someplace else. Dresser drawers are half closed, tops skewed and peeking out.
Remembering what Aiden told me about my Seraph’s Sword, I should pack some clothes and toiletries. We’ll be leaving to go fine mine, as soon as my friends come back.
I dig for my purple backpack in my closet. Yes, I’m back and could conjure anything I need, but there is something about wearing my own clothes that just feels like home. I toss in jeans and T-shirts, knowing that they’re more durable than yoga pants, as well as throwing in undergarments, socks, and a hat. Going to the bathroom, I drop a toothbrush, paste, and face tissues into the bag. Makeup, I can live without. Being in battle isn’t a fashion contest. And frankly, I could care less what I look like anymore. I have much bigger problems to deal with besides wearing the correct clothes and always trying to fit in. I don’t need that added stress.
I drop my bag in the hallway.
My feet take me out of the room and down the hall to my parents’. Their bed is neatly made; nothing else is amiss. Then I amble to my sister’s room. Her laptop is open as the screen saver flips through pictures of me and her and some of our whole family. A few of her favorite stuffed animals line the bookshelves. New band posters are pinned to the walls.
I leave her bedroom and march down the stairs, skimming my fingers along the photo frames.
Once in the kitchen, I scribble a note and leave it on the table, telling my family that I’m back and at Kieran’s, leaving his house number because I no longer have my cell phone.
Picking up my pack, I wedge in a few water bottles and protein bars, head out of the front door, and wait for my friends to return.
I sit in my favorite room at Kieran’s house, the den. We’ve had some major meetings in here. First, he told me about the Enlightens, the Orders, and the coming war. During another meeting, I met Vash and he told me about werewolves and the packs’ fight against demons. So it seems to make sense that I’m here now, waiting for them to return.
The sun shines bright through the floor to ceiling windows. No clouds hinder its rays. It’s like the sun is also rejoicing my homecoming.
My wait isn’t long. I hear the exhaust from Shay’s Bel-Air rumble into the driveway. I leap off the couch and rush to the door, throwing it open. The three steps and sidewalk are a blur as I launch myself into surprised arms.
“Zoe? Is it really you?” Shay mumbles into my ear. “Oh, my god! I can feel you. You’re really here.” He steps back to look at me. His mouth crashes against mine as his arms tighten around my waist.
“Ahem.”
We don’t break apart. I block out the rest of the world and inhale Shay and his musky lavender scent with a hint of something sweet like a strawberry.
“BFF time.” Kieran nudges his way between me and Shay, forcing us to part. “It’ll only take a second, and you can go back to being lip-locked. I just need to get a hug.”
Blood floods my cheeks, but I toss my arms around Kieran’s shoulders. “It’s great to be back. I’ve missed you guys.”
“Some more than others apparently.”
“No, I’ve missed you, too, K.”
“How did you escape?” He turns and leads us toward the house. “Come inside and tell us everything.”
“Where are Vash and Sidelle?” I ask as Shay takes my hand.
“I dropped Vash at his house, so he could spend time with Cali. We’ll call him, so he knows you’re here. I’m sure they both will want to see you.”
I nod. The bond between wolf mates is strong. So entwined with each other that if one dies, the other will follow. That’s how Vash became Alpha of his pack. His father died during a demon battle.
“Sidelle went back to Fairyland with her father and Queen Mab.”
“What?” I stop mid-step.
“Yeah, we’ve got a lot to tell you, too. Happy birthday, by the way.” Shay kisses me again, and we stop in the hallway. “I’ve missed you so much, and I’m thankful that you’re here and you made it out.”
“I know.” I press my body against his and lay my head on his shoulder. “I don’t ever want to be away from you again.”
“Have you gone to see your parents? They must be thrilled that you’ve returned to them.”
“I stopped over there first, but they’re not home. I left a note to call here when they get back from practice. We have some time yet.”
“Guys?” Kieran calls. “Will you two be joining me anytime soon?”
I cringe, knowing that we have more important things to discuss. Locking hands, we enter the den. Shay pulls me onto the couch and lays me against his chest. For a minute, I stare at my best friend, glad to be here and see him again, even though I know what’s coming.
“I watched you and Sidelle battle the storms and saw the deserts dry up,” I say. “Aiden told me about the volcanoes.”
“How?” Kieran asks.
“Through a special mirror. It allowed me to see you guys.”
“Sounds like a speculo.”
“I could check in with my parents and Stella. I couldn’t talk to them, and I’d like to think they knew I was there.”
“So, you know what we’ve been trying to handle here,” Shay says. “Including the crazy weather and the fight in Denali. Sidelle got her dad and Mab to come through a porta and help with the rain. Oberon managed to stop the flooding and landslides. And he told us that the Marqs were on the move in northern Canada. That’s where we met some Knights and Marqs.”
“Zoe, have you found out anything about Aiden?” Kieran asks. “Shay kept us informed about your Dream Walking.”
“It’s all a sham. Everything he’s ever told me was a lie. Well, there’s always a bit of truth to it, but nothing significant. He works for his father; Sarah, his sister, is not really related to him. But I think he’s an angel and not a demon.”
“Why do you think that?” Shay asks. “Did he say he was?”
“No, just a gut feeling. The things he’s said, what I’ve read between the lines.”
“He told you he’s a demon, though.”
“Maybe.”
Silence hugs the air as we process everything we said. Shay kisses the back of my neck, sending a tingling feeling down to my toes. My back itches and I squirm.
“Oh, my gosh.” I bolt upright. “I have to show you something.” I stand and think about my purple wings: their length, the way they shimmer, their feel. Light zips through my body, and my wings snap out from my back. “Look what I got!”
The boys’ mouths drop open. The room is flooded with pulsing purple light. My wings gently flap.
Before either can speak, the silence is broken from a phone’s ring.