LANCE POINTED OUT THE SECURITY cameras’ lines of sight, and the three of them crept along the dimly lit museum hallways, moving in the shadows and against the walls. The soft glow of ceiling lights weirdly elongated their shadows on the smooth granite floors. Alexa had to be careful not to put all her weight into each step. She didn’t possess the stealth of Milo and Lance, both of whom seemed to glide and never really touch the floor at all.
At the far end of the long hallway, stairs led to the upper floors. She wondered if she’d ever been here before. Maybe on a school trip? But nothing looked familiar.
Alexa was glad to have her own personal space again, but she felt cold and even more lonely than before. She glanced at Milo when he wasn’t looking. He’d been concerned for her, but it was clear that he had his own problems, and they were eating him up inside.
Milo glanced at a wall map and said, “Third floor. This way.”
Alexa still had little idea where they were going. Milo had told her next to nothing about the whereabouts of the Helm of Darkness, only that it was hidden here inside this museum.
Alexa and Lance hurried after Milo as he dashed into another hall. Three skeletons, a crouching chimpanzee, a slightly stooped Neanderthal, and an upright Homo sapiens depicted human evolution in the entrance, and a big interactive map depicted the development of modern humans in Africa. The hall was packed with artifacts, and in the center of the room an ape-like couple stood together in a glass case. Most of the exhibition passed her in a blur of blues, browns, and whites. The silence was eerie. They reached the end of the hall and bounded up some steps onto the third-floor gallery.
As soon as Alexa stepped onto the third floor, she perceived a pulsing like the steady beating of a heart. Then she smelled sulfur and burnt hair—the smell of the supernatural. It was not the normal smell of ancient artifacts. It was as if an entity that didn’t belong in this world was screaming for attention. Come find me! Come use me!
Whatever it was, it was close.
Milo and Lance must have felt it too, for they hurried towards it. Alexa followed behind and they all moved under the sign at the entrance that read: THE MARGARET MEAD HALL OF PACIFIC PEOPLES.
They passed by walls of photos, indigenous objects, and a curious walking stick—objects from the different groups of pacific peoples. A large color-coded map of Oceania showed the different cultural groups, and a diorama depicted village scenes with intricate carvings, rugs, spears, war clubs, and giant carved human figures.
And still the pulsing increased.
Alexa, Milo, and Lance ran without speaking. Their angel senses pulled them towards the exact same location.
They stopped in front of a glass case containing five colorful wooden masks hanging from a thin metal wire. They were embellished with leather and had intricate carvings along the edges. At first glance, they all looked the same, but as she studied them Alexa realized that one of them was different.
There, on the far right, was the Helm of Darkness.
The other four masks were made of wood, but the helmet was made of rough metal. Its rounded crown was reinforced with strips of steel and rivets, and it had two openings for the eyes, a nasal guard, and a row of sharp metal teeth.
Alexa could see a flowing script of demonic symbols engraved into the metal. She would have recognized it anywhere. The supernatural energy it generated was unmistakable. The other masks all had strange dark marks on the side that faced the helmet. They had slowly burned in its demonic energy.
“I’m no expert, but the helm doesn’t exactly fit with the rest of these masks,” Alexa took a tentative step forward. “Why would the museum place it with these? They don’t even look the same?”
“The Elders’ Guild put an illusion spell on it,” said Milo. “The spell hides the helmet’s true identity from mortal eyes. They probably think it’s a Mayan mask or something like it. They can’t see through the veil like we can.”
Lance sniffed the glass. “I had no idea the Elders’ Guild dabbled in magic,” he said. “But this thing stinks like rotten fruit.”
“They do fiddle in the dark arts from time to time,” answered Milo. “But they probably had help from one of the dark witches.”
He moved around to the back of the glass case. “It’s locked. I’m going to have to cut it open. Watch out.”
He pulled out one of his spirit sabers, and Alexa and Lance stepped back. Milo gave a powerful swing and sliced through the glass cabinet as if it were butter. The compartment came apart slowly, but then it fell to the floor and shattered with a thundering crash.
“Well, if the security didn’t hear us before,” said Lance, “that should do it.”
But Alexa wasn’t listening. She couldn’t take her eyes off the helm. It seemed to be looking at her. And then she heard it speak inside her head.
If you want to defeat Hades, you must put me on. Take me…Take me, Alexa…
Alexa knew there was something terribly important she was supposed to be doing, but she couldn’t remember what it was, or why she had cared. All she wanted was the helm.
She stepped in front of the display and reached out—
“Don’t touch it!” howled Milo. His eyes were as troubled as she’d ever seen them.
“You mustn’t touch the helm with your bare hands. Ever.”
Alexa stared at her hands, shocked at what she had been about to do. It was as though the helm had taken over her mind for just a few seconds. It terrified her.
“Didn’t you hear it? It told me to take it. It knew my name—”
“You heard it speak?” Lance leapt to his feet and padded away, keeping a cautious distance from the helm.
Alexa frowned. Milo and Lance were looking at her as if she were dangerous.
“Yes…like a voice inside my head that wasn’t my own. Why did I hear it and not you? What does that mean? And stop staring at me like I might spaz out or something.”
“I’m not sure,” said Milo as he pulled off his coat. “But you must never touch it. None of us can, not without being seduced by its evil. Especially not you, Alexa, now that we know you’re more susceptible to dark energies.”
“What would have happened if I had touched it?” Alexa kept her eyes on the helm.
“I don’t even want to think about that,” growled Milo. “It is far more powerful and evil than anything you can imagine.”
“Then why can’t we use it?” said Alexa. She felt its pull again. Somehow, she knew if she took it she would be able to control demons.
“If it can control demons, maybe I can use it to destroy Hades—”
“No.” Milo’s tone was final.
He sheathed his sword and threw his coat over the helm. He wrapped it until it was a tight little bundle, and he was careful not to touch it with his fingers. He held it close to his chest.
“I told you. It’s too dangerous.”
Alexa started to feel angry.
“But I don’t understand. If it’s as powerful as you say, the helm can help us. Why not take this opportunity and use it against Hades? It can’t be that dangerous if mortals have been moving it around for years and touching it.”
“It’s harmless to mortals,” said Milo. “But not to supernatural creatures like us. Its evil would possess and consume us. Only Hades or another greater demon can wield it.”
Alexa wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know—”
“Milo is right,” said Lance, still keeping his distance.
“When the race of Ancients forged the Helm of Darkness so long ago, they made other magical and demonic objects. Some were more potent and some were less. But the helm was one of the more ominous and insidious kinds. It should never have been created. If you take the helm, even if your will is strong and you wanted to do good with it, neither your strength, nor your good intentions would last. Sooner or later its dark power would devour you.”
There was a long silence. Lance and Milo both looked at Alexa suspiciously, but she didn’t know why. She felt fine. She felt this was her chance to vanquish Hades. She could feel its thrumming power flowing into her veins. She felt it taunting her. She could sense a wild unwieldy power like the breathy edge of another world.
“Fine,” she said finally. “But I still think it’s a mistake. This could have been our only shot at destroying Hades.”
“It’s not,” said Milo. But Alexa’s anger did not diminish.
She put her hands on her waist. “And what do you plan to do with it? You just said angels can’t use it, so what good will it do if you’re planning on taking it back to Horizon?” She raised her brows. “You are planning to take it back to Horizon, right?”
She saw that Lance was watching Milo as well. He looked as though he was wondering the same thing.
Milo was quiet for a while. “The oracles will know what to do with it.”
He looked distressed, but then he turned to Alexa and said, “I’m going to use it as a bargaining chip in exchange for your life.”
Alexa’s throat burned, and no words would come. She felt both angry and foolish at the same time. But mostly she was angry at herself for not thinking of using the Helm of Darkness as a show of loyalty. It was the proof she needed to show Metatron that she was on the side of the Legion.
For a moment, there was nothing in the world but the two of them, standing face to face, staring at each other. Once again, the angel warrior had done her an act of kindness.
But was he acting truly for her sake, or was this Milo’s attempt to get back in the Legion’s good graces himself?
After what she had learned from the Elders’ Guild, Milo needed the helm to make amends for what he’d done, just as much as she did.
Alexa looked into his handsome, noble face, and she could still feel something angry and predatory about him that annoyed her. Even now, he remained as calm and collected as when they’d first met. It was infuriating.
Milo exhaled. The anger in his face vanished, and his gaze became open and vulnerable.
“I know Metatron,” he said. “He’s not unreasonable, but he bases most of his decisions on facts. We need proof that you’re not working for Hades.”
He lifted the bundle. “And this is it. Metatron will believe us with this.”
“And so will the entire Legion,” added Lance. “I’m pretty sure they’ll be pleased to keep this very dangerous artifact safe inside the walls of the Legion and out of enemy hands.”
Alexa hung her head. “You’re right. I’m sorry—”
“Stay where you are!” came a voice behind them.
Alexa whirled around and drew her soul blade.
Four uniformed security guards were rushing towards them. One of them was talking into his radio.
“Stupid kids, they’ve got a dog in here.”
He pointed his gun at them and looked at Milo.
“Trying to show off in front of your girlfriend by breaking into a museum? Thought that made you cool? It didn’t. Very stupid move, boy. The kind that lands you in jail.”
“Since when do security guards use guns?” whispered Lance. He moved next to Alexa.
“No idea,” said Alexa.
The guards stopped a few feet away from them.
“Martin, look,” said the fattest of the guards. He pointed his chubby finger. “Look, they broke the case.”
The guard called Martin frowned at the shattered glass around their feet. He looked even angrier when he noticed that at one of the masks was missing. His eyes settled on the buddle in Milo’s hand.
“You better give that back if you know what’s good for you, boy.” He waved the gun in front of Milo’s face.
Milo smiled mirthlessly at him. “I’m not your boy, mortal.”
“You’re a boy if I say you are—and you better do what you’re told,” seethed Martin.
“Somebody didn’t get enough hugs as a child,” muttered Lance under his breath.
The security guard closed the distance between them. He was more muscled than Milo and taller. The guard straightened up and stared aggressively at Milo. He looked as if he were itching to start a fight.
Milo squared his shoulders. “Can’t do that.”
Martin snarled angrily. “You’re one stupid SOB. Don’t matter.”
He looked at Alexa, and then he smiled. “The police are on their way. You’re going to be spending the rest of your date locked up in a jail cell—”
Spurts of bright red blood flew out of his mouth and showered Alexa’s face.
She flinched and stepped back in horror as the pointed tip of a dark blade emerged from his mouth. The guard choked on his own blood and collapsed at her feet.
Three creatures stepped out from the shadows. Their faces were emaciated and scabbed, and their skin looked as if it was far too large and didn’t fit. They were making a snuffling noise and moving their heads from side to side. They were smelling them.
Coils of black smoke curled up from the blades in their hands, and the air stank of sulfur and spoiled meat. They smelled of death. While Alexa recognized the cold and putrid presence of a demon, she sensed something else, too.
The brilliant white sphere of the guard’s soul hovered above him, but the demon snatched it and devoured it before Alexa could act.
The remaining security guards were too frightened to move and cowered by the glass displays.
Alexa had never seen these demons before. Their skin hung on them so loosely that it was as though they were in the midst of changing into something else.
The air was suddenly filled with static, and Alexa sensed that some powerful evil was approaching.
A man in an expensive pinstripe suit appeared from the end of the hallway. His dark hair gleamed in the dim light and darkness rippled around him. The man ignored everyone and gazed intently at the bundle in Milo’s hands. He looked as if he was delighted with what he saw.
The Helm of Darkness began to hum and pulse as though it had recognized its master and was calling out to him.
They were too late.
Alexa swore, “God, no.”
“Hades will suffice,” the pagan god looked like a wolf when he smiled.