Dragon's Storm (Legion Of Angels #4)(62)

“You were trying to grow the castle’s magic and banish the monsters from this Earth. That wasn’t foolish. It was very brave,” I told her.

“It wasn’t just about the castle and the monsters,” she admitted.

“Oh?”

“I was looking for Cadence.”

Nero watched her in silence.

“Before Cadence disappeared, she told me not to look for her, but I just couldn’t help myself,” she continued. “I had to see her. I thought if I grew my magic, I could find her.”

I could totally relate. After all, I’d joined the Legion to gain the magic I needed to find my brother.

“I thought if I could wield spells of dark and light, I could break the boundaries between realms and open a way to her,” Colonel Starborn said. “But it didn’t work out at all the way I’d hoped. I am the reason for all of this. My fiddling with the forces of magic attracted the attention of the Dark Force. It gave them the idea to blend magic. It allowed them to snatch me in my sleep, to control me because I’d opened my mind to their realm, their magic. This is all because of me.”

“What is the Dark Force’s next move?” I asked her. “What are they planning?”

“I don’t know.” She looked at Nero. “Has Silverwing shared anything with you?”

He frowned. “No, the dark angel has been less than forthcoming. Major Singh offered to interrogate him herself.”

“She’s ambitious,” commented Colonel Starborn.

The Legion always assigned an angel to interrogate a dark angel. According to Major Horn, Major Singh had aspirations of becoming an angel, and breaking a dark angel was just the way to prove herself worthy of the promotion.

“Yes, she is,” said Nero. “But Nyx has assigned Colonel Fireswift the task of breaking him.”

“He has broken more dark angels than any other Interrogator.”

“Yes. But he isn’t an Interrogator anymore.”

Colonel Starborn chuckled. “You two are still fighting? It’s been nearly two hundred years, Nero.”

“As you know, Leila, immortals have long memories.”

“I know,” she sighed. “When will Colonel Fireswift arrive?”

“He won’t. We’re to bring the prisoner to him.”

“I guess he couldn’t take time away from his busy schedule of killing all my friends,” I commented.

Colonel Starborn looked at me in surprise.

“Yeah, I don’t get along with him either,” I told her. “He’s trying to promote as many Legion soldiers in New York as he can, and he doesn’t care how many die in the process.”

“He is better suited to interrogating than leading,” she said. “I wonder why the First Angel didn’t keep him as an Interrogator.”

“Because the Legion doesn’t have enough angels to go around,” Nero said. “And if we don’t find out what the Dark Force is doing and stop them, we might lose more angels to the demons.”

“I think I can help you with that,” Harker declared as he entered the room. He looked even worse than Nero. Blood was splattered like a crimson tattoo across his skin.

Nero gave him a long, hard look. “You have been interrogating the prisoner.”

Harker did not deny it.

“I forbade you from going in there,” Nero said, his voice hard and cold. “Silverwing is too powerful.”

“Your concern is touching.”

“That dark angel is one of the Dark Force’s most powerful telepaths, Harker. He could have attacked your mind and confused you into releasing him.”

Harker folded his arms across his chest. “I am stronger than you think, Nero. And besides, I made sure he wasn’t able to concentrate long enough to attack my mind.”

“You had no right.”

“Save the lecture for tomorrow. I’ve found out what the demons are really planning,” Harker declared. He looked at Colonel Starborn. “This was never about turning you into a hybrid angel. This is bigger.”

What could possibly be bigger than turning an angel… I gasped. “Storm Castle.”

“You always were clever, Leda,” Harker told me with an approving nod. “The Dark Force wants to gain control over Storm Castle. They have already turned the other three Dragons.”

“When did this happen?” Colonel Starborn asked.

“Weeks ago.”

“When I was too busy playing with magic to see what was going on right under my nose. Storm Castle and the Dragons were my responsibility. I was supposed to protect them.” Anger flashed in her turquoise eyes. “I will not fail them again. And I will not allow the Dark Force to take control of Storm Castle.”

Nero’s eyes looked up from his phone. “Major Horn tells me the castle has gone silent.”

“The Dark Force was after Storm Castle the whole time,” Harker said.

“They just needed the fourth Dragon to gain control over the castle’s magic,” I added. “When they failed to turn you, they would have gone after—”

“Basanti.” She jumped up so fast that she fell out of the bed.

Harker caught her before she hit the floor. “You can’t go. You’re still too weak.”