***

- LEHAHIAH - The Angel of Obedience.

***

We are all gathered at the entrance of the academy. Everyone is carrying their backpack, and Hadrien hands each of us a dagger before giving Liam a bow with arrows. The two brothers have their celestial swords and their own daggers.

— These weapons are just in case, to protect you. You can't activate them, but at least they cut, explains Hayden.

— Very well, is everyone ready? asks Liam.

We all respond "yes" one after the other, and we finally set off in search of Hailey.

— Follow the exit through the forest behind the school. Elise, remember all the routes we take, says Liam before taking flight.

We watch him rise into the air, and without wasting a second, we follow after him. My heart beats faster, and a surge of adrenaline rushes through my veins. This is my first real expedition, and excitement builds at the thought of this adventure. But I quickly pull myself together. This is not just a simple hike, nor a game. Hailey is in danger, and we must find her at all costs.

— Hailey, we're coming, I say.

Looking at everyone's faces, I can tell we're all on the same page—we're ready to do anything for her.

***

We enter the forest behind the academy. I've never ventured here before. On this side, the forest is denser.

We all follow Elise, who carefully observes the surroundings while keeping an eye on Liam, flying above us. Ambre follows closely behind her, accompanied by Hadrien. They don't speak but remain side by side.

They had a fight?

Hayden, at the back of the group, keeps one hand on his sword, watching us. When I glance at him, he blushes slightly and looks away toward the trees.

He looks cute like that, I think.

But I need to be careful. Suddenly remembering what Olivia told me, Hayden must be the one she fears, since Hadrien doesn't seem to know she exists.

My arm didn't itch when I was alone with Hadrien... but it has never burned in Hayden's presence either.

I need to check to be sure.

I slow my pace until Hayden is closer to me, then kneel down to discreetly untie my shoelaces. Hayden steps closer and stops right beside me.

I don't feel anything, my arm doesn't hurt.

— You can go ahead, I say. I'm just tying my laces.

— I can't leave you trailing behind alone, he replies calmly.

I finish and stand up. I resume walking, now beside him.

I hesitate to talk to him. What if he gets angry? Or worse, what if it makes him sad?

We've fallen behind the group, who don't seem to have noticed our stop. This is the perfect opportunity—Elise is far ahead and can't hear us.

I clench my hands tightly to gather my courage, take a deep breath, and then speak up.

— Hayden, I have a question.

— Yes, go ahead, he responds, eyes fixed straight ahead.

How can I phrase it without mentioning Olivia?

— I've never seen any children at the academy. Is that normal?

If he knows Olivia, he'll react.

— Yes, he replies. There are only teenagers and adults. We only sense angelic magic starting in adolescence, thanks to the Architects' gifts.

— Oh, I see. Is that how you found me the first time?

— Exactly.

A weight lifts off my chest. He never lies. He doesn't know Olivia, so he's not the one she was talking about. If it's neither Hadrien nor Hayden, then who is it?

— Why do you ask? he inquires.

— Oh, no reason. Just curiosity.

We catch up with the others, who have stopped while Liam descends from the sky.

— We're taking a break, Liam announces.

We've been walking for nearly two hours without stopping. I didn't think hiking would be this exhausting.

I sit against a tree and pull a water bottle from my bag. I notice some of the others doing the same.

— Come on, let's keep going, demands Ambre.

Elise, sitting on the ground, looks at her, exhausted.

— We just sat down. Give us time to rest.

— She's right, we need to keep moving—every second counts, Hadrien insists.

Ambre glances at him and smiles, grateful that he agrees with her.

I stand up and nod.

— I agree, let's go.

Everyone gets to their feet, and we all turn to Elise, still sitting on the ground with her water bottle in hand.

— Fine, fine, she says, feeling pressured.

Liam takes off again, and we resume our march, falling back into a single file.

***

The light fades little by little. I can barely feel my legs, and with the few short breaks we took, I haven't been able to fully recover. I've kept going purely on mental strength, repeating to myself that we have to find Hailey at all costs.

I feel responsible for her disappearance, so foot pain can't possibly hurt more than the guilt I'm carrying.

Liam descends. Flying slowly for long periods must be just as exhausting.

— The sun is going to set soon, Liam warns.

We've been walking for hours with only short breaks. I have to admit, this hike is grueling, and fatigue sets in quickly.

— We're not going to camp here, are we? Ambre asks anxiously. There's nothing to protect us tonight.

We're on a hill, and all around us are just trees. Demons could easily be hiding behind them, waiting to attack us in our sleep.

— We'll take turns keeping watch tonight, Hadrien suggests.

— Yes, we'll do that. We don't have much choice. I checked the area while I was in the air and didn't see any demons, Liam reassures.

***

I watch the stars appear in the sky, the ones I can see between the branches swaying in the wind. With my fingertip, I trace the contours of the two moons. One is full tonight, while the other is a crescent, turning its back on the first. Squinting, I can make out the shape of a duck's head.

A light breeze brushes my skin, carrying a sweet scent that drifts under my nose. Probably the felses. That magical plant that instantly heals pain and wounds. Could it cure psychological pain just by inhaling it?

— This is nice, I whisper, taking a deep breath with my eyes closed.

I sit up, unable to find sleep, and move closer to Liam. I might as well keep watch with him since I'm still awake.

— Marie, he murmurs.

He glances back at the others, making sure there's no danger.

— I can't sleep.

— I see.

— Can I sit here? I ask, pointing to a spot near him.

— Yes, of course, he replies.

I sit down, and we look around.

It's a breathtaking sight. From the top of this small hill, my gaze extends beyond the treetops. What makes the scene so magical are the silver rays of the moons and the twinkling stars reflecting on every leaf, revealing their subtle hues while casting dancing shadows under the night breeze.

Nature is soothing, a true remedy for the heart and soul. I wonder why, in my world, I didn't take more time to walk in parks or gardens.

— You know, I blame myself for not noticing that Hailey wasn't doing well. Back then, I was the one who spent the most time with her, yet I failed to see how much her brothers' lack of attention was upsetting her, he confesses.

— It's not your fault, Liam. Sometimes, we hide our wounds so we don't burden others.

I know because I do the same.

— Exactly! She shouldn't have thought that I wouldn't care or that it would bother me to listen to her talk about her problems.

I place a friendly hand on his shoulder. At my touch, he gives me a grateful smile before diving into his confessions:

— I... I confessed my feelings to her, showing her the full strength of my wings. She almost took flight, just so you understand how much she meant to me. I still care about her, but she never responded.

He takes a deep breath to keep himself from drowning in his sorrow, then continues:

— Back then, I thought the affection was one-sided. I couldn't understand why she rejected me, running away and never speaking to me again. But today, I think I finally understand that she didn't leave because of me, but rather because she had done something against me, and she must have been ashamed. She must have thought I didn't deserve her, but she's wrong. That angeless is the one destined for me—it's our fate. She must not believe that I will ever change my mind about her.

I believe him. I remember the day Hailey separated him and Hayden in the cafeteria during a fight. He remained on the ground when she hit him, unwilling to fight back.

He truly loves her—you can hear it in his words—but I don't see the connection between confessing his feelings and making her take flight.

— What do you mean, "she almost took flight"? I don't quite understand.

— Oh, you don't know how angels bond?

— Uh... no. Should I?

— Yes, otherwise, how would you know when an angelite declares their love for you?

— With words, I say slowly.

— Angels only bond once in their lifetime. This bond is called Aethernia. Angelites beat their wings forward with great force, not only to show their strength but also to express the depth of their affection. As for angelesses, if the feeling is mutual, they offer them a drop of their blood.

Imagining what Liam describes gives me a strange sense of déjà vu.

— Angelesses never make the first move? I ask.

— Yes, of course, it happens quite often. The process remains the same. If an angeless initiates a declaration and the angelite spreads his wings, then they are bonded forever after he drinks her blood. However, there is a difference. Angelesses declare their love because they are convinced of their sincere feelings for the person in front of them. On the other hand, when an angelite declares his love, it's not a decision he makes himself, but rather his wings act on their own—because only they know who is truly meant for him.

A memory tries to surface but remains stuck in a corner of my mind.

— So that would mean every person is predestined for another?

— Yes. It doesn't always happen at first sight. For some, it takes a few days in the angeless's presence, and for others, it can take months. It's unique to each person. But once the wings have chosen their partner, it's for life.

I find it so romantic, especially compared to my world, where men simply send an "I love you" text, often without real meaning.

— So, Hailey didn't share her blood with you? I ask delicately.

Hearing myself speak, I realize how morbid that sounds. But well, I've seen worse in this world.

— That's right... In any case, I will do everything to show her how much I care about her.

He truly seems attached to her. He is a genuinely kind angel, probably the only one I've met since coming to this world. I push away all my doubts about him. Now, it's clear—his love is sincere, and those with ill intentions probably don't understand such feelings.

Suddenly, Hayden invades my thoughts despite myself, and the memories that were blocked finally resurface.

He never mentioned it again since that incident in the library, where he had literally created gusts of wind with his wings.

I remember the wide-open windows due to the force of the wind he generated, and the books falling from the shelves, carried away by the violent gusts. As for me, I was nearly sliding across the floor under the impact of the wind...

A smile forms on my face, but I realize it too late.

Wait a second, I say to myself. That would mean...

When I finally understand why he reacted that way back then, my heart pounds so hard in my chest it feels like it wants to escape and find him.

Hayden...

A shiver runs through me, turning into a soft electric tension that courses through my entire body. My hands, gripping the grass, release this tension into the earth.

I turn my head toward the others behind us, my eyes scanning each body on the ground, searching for the one I care about.

— I don't see Hayden. Do you know where he is? I ask Liam.

He turns as well, and his reaction says it all.

— No, I don't know, he replies.

He stands up, and I do the same.

— Maybe he needed to relieve himself? he wonders aloud.

— Let's wait a bit, that's probably it, I try to reassure us.

Suddenly, we hear growls nearby.

Liam and I exchange a glance, realizing we both heard the same thing.

And if he's there, in danger? My eyes scan the surroundings, and I notice that Hayden has nothing to defend himself if needed.

— He didn't take his sword, I remark.

I point to his bag on the ground and his sword lying beside it.

— Wake the others and stay here, near Hadrien. I'm going to check what's happening.

Liam grabs his bow and spreads his wings, silently taking off into the night, heading toward the sounds.

There's no doubt—those growls have become recognizable over time. They belong to demons.

Let's hope Hayden isn't in danger.

I rush toward the others and start by waking Hadrien, touching his arm and gently shaking him.

— Wake up, Hadrien. There are demons nearby.

He groans.

— Did you just growl at me? Come on, wake up, this isn't the time for your morning grumpiness, I say.

He barely opens his eyes, probably disgusted by the fact that his sleep was interrupted. But as soon as he realizes he's not in his bedroom, he fully opens them, jumping to his feet, remembering where he is.

He starts waking up Ambre the same way I did with him, then nudges Elise with his foot.

— Wake up, the demons are here, he warns.

They open their eyes at the same time, hearing what he just said, and react just like Hadrien, realizing they aren't in their beds.

— Where are Liam and Hayden? Hadrien asks.

— I'm here.

A voice rings out from behind the bushes. We see Hayden emerging, hands in his pockets, as if nothing happened, coming from the opposite direction of where Liam left.

— Oh no... I think aloud.

They all look at me.

— We noticed you were missing and heard growls... I start, panicked.

— Where's Liam? Hayden asks, his gaze landing on the obvious absence of his brother.

— ...He flew toward the demons, I finish, my voice trembling.

Without wasting another second, he grabs his sword and takes off instantly. One second was all it took for him to vanish into the sky.