The Darkest Touch

“But...”

“That sounds like an argument.” Keeley gave a sharp clap of her hands. “Do we want to do a little rescuing today or just chat? Either way, my time is money.”

Danika looked to Reyes, who nodded stiffly. She walked over, but before she climbed inside, looked up at Keeley and said, “Thank you. For all you’re doing to help us.”

A lump grew in Keeley’s throat—what was this? Emotion? Over well-deserved praise? My delightful haughty outer shell has deteriorated that much?

She slammed the door shut with more force than she’d intended, and at the ominous clank, Danika yelped.

“A little background for my audience,” Keeley said. “I’m the owner of the Cage. While Danika is trapped inside it, no one will be able to remove her but me. Blah, blah.”

“If you hurt her...” Reyes began.

“Haven’t we covered this already? I won’t.” But the process sure would. Keeley returned to the case and removed the Rod.

“Careful with that,” Torin said.

She gave him the universal look for are you kidding me?

“The last two women to touch that Rod vanished without a trace,” he explained.

“That’s because they didn’t know how to use it properly.” She carried the artifact to the Cage and fit the end over the hole in the center of the lid. “Move to the side,” she commanded Danika and, after the girl had obeyed, pushed the shaft all the way to the bottom, anchoring it like a flag.

“Did you know it could do that?” Torin muttered to Reyes.

“No.”

“We’re obviously idiots.”

If you only knew the half of it, darling. “Charming, how would you feel if I went for the Morning Star first? With it, we could save all the others in a blink.”

“Yes. Do it.”

“Morning Star?” Reyes asked.

She ignored him, saying, “Fit your hands around the Rod,” to Danika. “And don’t remove them until I’ve returned and given permission.” She didn’t have to end with If you fail to obey me, you will leave me trapped inside another realm and angry, because once a command was given, the occupant of the Cage was forced to do it.

Slowly the girl reached out.

“By the way,” Keeley added. “This might not be the most pleasant experience—for you. My...apologies.”

Danika curled her fingers around the shaft and screamed.

Reyes stepped toward her, but once again Torin moved into his path. The warrior sidestepped him, but Torin followed, remaining a constant block.

“Now,” Keeley said to the girl. “Close your eyes and picture the Morning Star.”

The girl closed her eyes but said, “I don’t know what that is.”

“Just think the words. Morning Star. Morning Star.”

Several minutes ticked by in silence, nothing happening. Tensions grew. Were the artifacts broken?

“I don’t understand,” Keeley said. “Picture Cameo.”

The second Danika complied, the top of the Rod switched on, making a mockery of its earlier glow. Bright colors shot out in every direction, filling the entire room. Definitely not broken. Just in front of the Cage, those colors sucked together, forming a picture of an exquisite dark-haired female being dragged up a flight of stairs by...humans? She didn’t fight them, but then, she couldn’t; she was unconscious, her head cracking against every new step and leaving a smear of blood.

“Cameo,” Torin gasped.

“How do we get to her?” Reyes demanded.

Easy. “You step through the portal. You’ll be transported to the midst of the very scene you see.” As she spoke, she unfolded the Cloak of Invisibility until what had started as a tiny square had grown to size “circus tent.”

“I’ll go,” Torin said.

Reyes gave a clipped shake of his head. “You can’t. You can’t touch her.”

Her warrior spat a blistering curse. “Left behind again? No!”

“You know that’s for the—”

Torin spoke over him with a harried, “What I know is that I don’t like Keeley doing this. I know I pushed her into it, but I’m worried about her. I don’t want her going through. I don’t want anyone but me going through. If someone ends up hurt...”

Misguided, but sweet. She’d promised to rescue Cameo, so she would be the one to do this.

In the bag, baby. As they continued to argue, Keeley fit the Cloak over her shoulders and moved toward the portal.

Torin, somehow aware of her every move without seeming to focus on her, snapped, “What are you doing, princess? Don’t you dare—”

“Be back soon!” With a flick of her wrist, she draped the material over her head and vanished from view.

“Get back here right this—”

She stepped through the portal, cutting off his tirade. Since the Cloak was the one and only ticket through, he would be unable to follow her.

He’ll thank me later.

The scent of sulfur and rot immediately assaulted her nose, and she gagged. Okay. Had to be in one of the realms in the underworld, but there were too many to choose from. The one ruled by Lucifer. The one ruled by Hades. Oh, and she couldn’t forget the thousands ruled by fallen angels, as well as Nephilim. At least the Cloak masked her in every way, the humans dragging Cameo unable to scent Keeley or even hear her.

As the group trudged upward, they muttered about the things they wanted to do to the girl...things their leader—whoever he was—had forbidden them to do. Dark, terrible things. An avalanche of anger dropped through Keeley.