Women of the Otherworld 09.5 - Angelic Read Online Free PDF Page A

of thinking that’ll help you get you out of here.”
     
    My voice echoed through the empty hall. I turned into a room and sat cross-legged on the floor. When my powers had recovered, I’d try a few other things—
     
    “Mom?”
     
    I jumped up so fast my legs tangled and I fell backward, nearly impaling myself on my sword.
     
    “Mom? Is that you?”
     
    Savannah’s voice drifted from somewhere above me. I hurried to the hall.
     
    “Savannah?”
     
    Her laugh tinkled down. “That is you. Where are we? One second, I’m typing a stack of invoices for Paige, then next…”
     
    Her voice drifted off.
     
    “Hold on. I’ll come find you.”
     
    Damn Dantalian. Damn him to a thousand hells. I strode down the hall, searching for the stairs. But the hall just kept going, an endless corridor of doors.
     
    “Mom?”
     
    “I’m coming, hon. Just sit tight.”
     
    As I strode past a room, another voice stopped me.
     
    “Yes, if you can find her again, I’d appreciate that. No, don’t do anything. Just let me know where she is. Let me know she’s all right.”
     
    “Kris?” I said.
     
    I turned into a furnished room. A home office. Kris sat behind the desk, slumped forward, forehead resting on his hand.
     
    “Daddy?” Across the room, a door opened and a blond boy of about five poked his head in.
     
    When Kris lifted his head, I saw the face of the man I’d left twenty years ago. I looked at the boy—Bryce, Kris’s youngest son, as he would have looked back then.
     
    Kris managed a tired smile for his son.
     
    “Hey, bud. I was just coming to—”
     
    “Was that your witch girlfriend?”
     
    The venom in Bryce’s voice made Kris flinch. “Girlfriend? No, I don’t have—”
     
    “Not anymore. Uncle Josef said she dumped you.”
     
    Kristof blinked back his surprise. We’d worked hard to keep our relationship a secret. “Okay, bud. How about we grab some ice cream and talk—”
     
    “That’s why mom left, isn’t it? Because of your witch girlfriend.”
     
    Kristof’s surprise turned to shock. “No, that’s not—”
     
    Bryce ran off. Kristof hurried after him.
     
    So Bryce had known about us? Blamed me for his mom leaving? Not true—she’d abandoned them before I met Kristof.
     
    That’s why Bryce hates Savannah , a voice whispered behind me. He hates that Sean treats her like a sister. He hates that his father died trying to save her. He’s never gotten over it, and it’s all your fault.
     
    I wheeled. No one was there.
     
    Djinn.
     
    As Dantalian’s soldier, Armaros, would command the djinn. And what was their specialty? Driving people insane.
     
    “Mom?”
     
    “Savannah?” I called cautiously now. She was probably just an illusion, but I couldn’t be sure. I continued down the hall.
     
    “—bunch of stupid bitches—”
     
    “Savannah, please,” a familiar husky voice answered. “I know you’re upset, but talking like that—”
     
    “I’ll talk any way I damn well want. You aren’t my mother, Paige.”
     
    I followed the voices to see Paige’s old living room. Her house in East Falls, seven years ago. Savannah was there, thirteen again, pacing the floor. Paige sat across the room. She leaned back in her chair, long curls spilling over the top as she stared at the ceiling as if praying for guidance.
     
    God, Paige looked young. I’d forgotten how young she’d been.
     
    Twenty-two when you got yourself killed and dumped your daughter in her lap.
     
    “You think my language is bad?” Savannah said. “You should have heard what they called my mom. Stupid little Coven bitches. My mom was smart. She left.”
     
    “You need to ignore what they say about her, Savannah. Don’t pay any attention—”
     
    “Just let them say those things? You’re as bad as they are, Paige. As stupid, too. I hate them and I hate you!”
     
    Savannah stormed off, smacking the wall as she went. A piece of molding popped free. Paige slowly got up and