âItâs going to be okay, Bishop. Iâll help you.â
He looked at me with surprise. âYou will?â
âOf course.â I reached for his hand.
The moment I touched him, a strong crackle of electricity coursed up my arm.
I gasped.
And then a vision slammed into me like Iâd just been flattened by a truck.
A city in darkness, melting and draining away like water in a bathtubâfalling into a dark hole in the centre of everything. People, thousands and thousands of them, trying to run away but getting pulled into the vortex. There was no escape.
Bishop was there trying to help. To save everyone, including me. I reached for his hand as he yelled my name, but he was swept away from me before I could touch him.
Then it was all over.
Where there had once been a city, there was nothing but darkness.
This is going to hurt like hell.
The grim thought was confirmed by the look on the gatekeeperâs face, but Bishop didnât want anyoneâs pity. After all, heâd volunteered for this.
âAre you ready?â the gatekeeper asked.
âYes, Iâm ready.â
âAnd you know your mission.â
âOf course.â
Bishop glanced over his shoulder at the expanse of bright white behind him. This was as far as he could go before leaving Heaven entirely. Heâd left before, many times, but this was different. He pushed aside a sliver of fear. He would return soonâthis was not the end for him. It was only the beginning.
The gatekeeper studied Bishop as if looking for any sign of weakness. âYouâve been warned that there will be pain?â
âI have.â
âAnd disorientation?â
âYes.â
Traveling to the human world was not normally a huge ordeal. However, there was nothing normal about this mission.
An invisible barrier shielded his destination, preventing any supernatural being from entering or leaving the city through normal means. Bishop had been told this gatekeeper had the ability to help him breach the barrierâbut it wasnât going to be pleasant. The minds of the others would be protected to prevent any harm, but not his. He was the only one who would remember what needed to be done.
Bishop was positive he was more than strong enough to handle whatever was to come. All the better to prove his worth.
This was going to be very good.
âFirst you must find the others,â instructed the gatekeeper. âIf you donât find them within seven days, theyâll be lost forever.â
âI know this already.â He didnât even try to keep the sharp tone from his voice. Patience had never been his strongest virtue.
The gatekeeper pursed his lips and his expression soured. âDo you have it?â
âYes.â A golden dagger was tucked into the sheath he wore strapped between his shoulder blades. It was all he needed to take with him.
The gatekeeper nodded. âCome closer.â
Bishop did as he asked. The gatekeeper pressed his pale, long-fingered hand against Bishopâs chest. Bishop grimaced as an unpleasant burning sensation sank into him. He gritted his teeth to keep from showing discomfort at whatever protection the gatekeeper was searing into him to help in his journey.
Finally the gatekeeper stepped back. He didnât smile. It was quite possible that he never smiled.
The oldest angels were usually the least pleasant.
âWell?â Bishop prompted. âAre we done here?â
âWe are. May your journey beââ
Before the sentence could be completed, the solidity beneath Bishop dropped away. He hadnât had a chance to brace himself.
Bishop had imagined what this might feel likeâa cleansing pain that would help him focus on the all-important task that lay ahead.
Instead, it was an agony unlike anything heâd ever experienced. He struggled against it, but it was too much, and he had his very first doubt about his success.
But it was too late for doubts. Too late for fear. Too late for anything.
As he continued to fall with no way to stop his torturous descent, he felt his mind begin to rip away.
The instant he slammed through the barrier surrounding the human city, Bishop realized heâd never before heard himself scream.
âThis is going to be an amazing night, Sam!â Carly shouted over the music blasting all around us.
âYou think so?â I yelled back.
âBest night ever!â
Sure. My throat already hurt and weâd only been here for a half hour. So far it felt like every Friday night at Crave, elbow to elbow with other sweaty kids on the dance floor.
Donât get me wrong, as one of the only all-ages clubs here in Trinity, it was a decent place to hang outâespecially with my best friendâI just didnât think it was going to change my life or anything.
Anyone looking at us would think that Carly and I were the polar opposite of each other in looks and attitude. Carly Kessler was a curvy, flippy-haired blonde with a sunny personality whereas I was a skinny, nonsunny, long-haired brunette. And yet we were still best friends and had been forever.