said philosophically. “We’ve done it before.”
“The storm is just a distraction,” Aries said thoughtfully. “This demon is up to something.” He let fire pool into his palm, a roiling ball of angelic energy. “I may not be able to stop the storm, but I can stop him, whatever he tries.”
***
The sound of the rain beating against the window dragged Skye from her half doze. She lifted herself up a little and saw Lewis standing over by the window looking out, an unfathomable look on his face.
“Storm’s coming,” he said, not even turning around. Skye wondered how he knew she was awake, but then shrugged it off as one of those things. She pushed back the covers on the bed (not as comfortable as Aries’, and why did that thought hurt?) and slid out, putting her clothes on again. Now that she was focused, she could hear the wind building outside, gusts occasionally shaking the window frames.
“Sounds like it could be bad,” she said, moving to stand beside him.
“It will be.”
Skye thought she heard a note of satisfaction in his voice.
She moved up beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder. He moved his shoulder away sharply and shot her a disgusted look. Nausea churned in her gut.
“Sorry,” she apologised.
There was a flash of lightning that illuminated the outside world. Skye looked out of the window. The dark clouds were thick and heavy, turning the bright afternoon into the blackest night. Rain sheeted down and puddles were already forming on the saturated ground. The windows rattled again as another gust hit, and Skye shuddered.
There was another enormous flash of lightning, a great forked bolt that seemed to tear the heavens asunder, illuminating the world as bright as day. In the stark, harsh light she saw the barn for the sheep in flames, and the door open. Woolly bodies scattered everywhere in panic before another driving sheet of rain and darkness blocked them from view.
“The sheep!” she exclaimed.
Lewis turned to her, his eyes glittering strangely. “You and your bleeding heart,” he said conversationally. “But by all means, go out and save the wretched beasts.”
That idea hadn’t occurred to her. She wasn’t going to put herself in the centre of a storm like that just for some sheep. But now that Lewis had suggested it, she couldn’t get it out of her head. She could go out there and do something useful. Maybe Lewis might even be pleased with her – she could show him that she was brave, that even in this weather, she was willing to take a risk, even if it was only for some sheep.
Maybe Aries would be pleased with her, a little thought whispered, and pain spiked in her temples. The desire to step out into the storm was pushing at her now, almost painful in its intensity.
“Well?” Lewis said challengingly.
Skye didn’t hesitate. To the beat of her blood, she moved to the door, opened it, and stepped out.
Immediately, she was caught by a gust of wind, staggering sideways with the force of the push. The rain soaked her within seconds, making her clothes clingy and heavy. Her hair stuck to her scalp and she wiped the water from her eyes so she could see. The air felt charged as another lightning bolt split the sky, followed by a roll of thunder that threatened to shatter her eardrums.
But standing around was doing nothing but getting her soaked to the bone. Bracing herself against the wind that wanted to tear her from her feet, she stepped off in the direction she thought the sheep would have fled in.
She could barely see her hand in front of her face, let alone where she was putting her feet. This was probably one of the stupidest ideas she had ever had, but she was not going to give up now – not and prove Lewis right about her when he called her snivelling or a coward.
Lightning flashed again and she caught sight of a woolly form sprinting around the side of the next cottage over. She clapped her hands over her ears to muffle the sound of the
“The storm is just a distraction,” Aries said thoughtfully. “This demon is up to something.” He let fire pool into his palm, a roiling ball of angelic energy. “I may not be able to stop the storm, but I can stop him, whatever he tries.”
***
The sound of the rain beating against the window dragged Skye from her half doze. She lifted herself up a little and saw Lewis standing over by the window looking out, an unfathomable look on his face.
“Storm’s coming,” he said, not even turning around. Skye wondered how he knew she was awake, but then shrugged it off as one of those things. She pushed back the covers on the bed (not as comfortable as Aries’, and why did that thought hurt?) and slid out, putting her clothes on again. Now that she was focused, she could hear the wind building outside, gusts occasionally shaking the window frames.
“Sounds like it could be bad,” she said, moving to stand beside him.
“It will be.”
Skye thought she heard a note of satisfaction in his voice.
She moved up beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder. He moved his shoulder away sharply and shot her a disgusted look. Nausea churned in her gut.
“Sorry,” she apologised.
There was a flash of lightning that illuminated the outside world. Skye looked out of the window. The dark clouds were thick and heavy, turning the bright afternoon into the blackest night. Rain sheeted down and puddles were already forming on the saturated ground. The windows rattled again as another gust hit, and Skye shuddered.
There was another enormous flash of lightning, a great forked bolt that seemed to tear the heavens asunder, illuminating the world as bright as day. In the stark, harsh light she saw the barn for the sheep in flames, and the door open. Woolly bodies scattered everywhere in panic before another driving sheet of rain and darkness blocked them from view.
“The sheep!” she exclaimed.
Lewis turned to her, his eyes glittering strangely. “You and your bleeding heart,” he said conversationally. “But by all means, go out and save the wretched beasts.”
That idea hadn’t occurred to her. She wasn’t going to put herself in the centre of a storm like that just for some sheep. But now that Lewis had suggested it, she couldn’t get it out of her head. She could go out there and do something useful. Maybe Lewis might even be pleased with her – she could show him that she was brave, that even in this weather, she was willing to take a risk, even if it was only for some sheep.
Maybe Aries would be pleased with her, a little thought whispered, and pain spiked in her temples. The desire to step out into the storm was pushing at her now, almost painful in its intensity.
“Well?” Lewis said challengingly.
Skye didn’t hesitate. To the beat of her blood, she moved to the door, opened it, and stepped out.
Immediately, she was caught by a gust of wind, staggering sideways with the force of the push. The rain soaked her within seconds, making her clothes clingy and heavy. Her hair stuck to her scalp and she wiped the water from her eyes so she could see. The air felt charged as another lightning bolt split the sky, followed by a roll of thunder that threatened to shatter her eardrums.
But standing around was doing nothing but getting her soaked to the bone. Bracing herself against the wind that wanted to tear her from her feet, she stepped off in the direction she thought the sheep would have fled in.
She could barely see her hand in front of her face, let alone where she was putting her feet. This was probably one of the stupidest ideas she had ever had, but she was not going to give up now – not and prove Lewis right about her when he called her snivelling or a coward.
Lightning flashed again and she caught sight of a woolly form sprinting around the side of the next cottage over. She clapped her hands over her ears to muffle the sound of the
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