"Yes, thank you, Galern," Steva said, putting him in his place. "Delane one of Gaa's best fighters and a true champion just visited the isle and believes that some type of foreign energy, originating from the abyss, draws the souls and holds them. We hope you might offer more insight or a.s.sistance."

I exchanged a glance with Lucy. It sounded a little like the energy-sucking thing Que had had set up in the dark mountains on First World. Maybe this was a Walker problem.

"We'll fulfill Grantham's bargain. But if the energy originates within the abyss, and we can't enter this area, I see a large problem," Colton said.

Steva nodded but did not comment further.

Colton moved closer to Lucy, who looked extra tiny amongst the giants in the room. He was very protective of her. Not that Brace had been any less of me, but Lucy was the sort of person who inspired protective instincts. Me not so much. But I was okay with that. I liked to be my own savior. Brace was the exception to my rule, and that's just because I loved him.

"The tournament will start soon. You need to be fitted with armor and a weapon." Steva was still speaking. "The first round is saidon."

"What's a saidon?" I murmured to Brace. We'd used a variety of basic weapons in the compound. But I didn't know that one.

"One of my favorite weapons," he said with a grin. "I think on Earth they call it sai."

Oh, right, I was pretty sure I knew what that was. Just like the one on that animated show with the "Turtles," Lucy trilled, catching my eye.

Colton snorted. "What do Earth reptiles have to do with weapons?"

"Teenage mutant ninja turtles," Lucy and I said together.

"Raphael used the sai." I'd love the three-p.r.o.ng weapon of the red turtle.

"Heroes in a half-sh.e.l.l " Lucy started to sing.

"Turtle power." We finished together on a shout, thrusting our clenched fists into the air, before dissolving into laughter. Television shows from the 80s and 90s had been the best.

Brace and Colton exchanged grins, but it was clear that they had no idea what we were talking about.

"Earth's a little wacked out," Colton said. And he wasn't wrong.

"Cute though," Brace said.

Oh, my. He was staring at me like he wanted to eat me and I mean that in the non-cannibalistic way. On the other hand the Angelica were also staring at us. But their looks, if I had to guess, were a combination of disbelief and disgust.

"So is it a fight to the death, surrender or a timed-points win?" Brace managed to devour me with his eyes and still stay focused.

"All events are three rounds, and it's either points-based or surrender. We do not fight to the death unless that is agreed on beforehand. The council from all five flocks form a panel of judges," Galern said.

How the h.e.l.l was that fair for Brace? We needed a representative on that panel.

"We are trained to remain unbiased, but the reality is we are probably harder on our own flock members." Galern seemed to read my mind.

Which was impossible, my s.h.i.+eld was solid.

"What are the strengths of the different flocks?" I asked.

They all froze, but eventually Steva answered me. "Why do you think we would give you insights? You must earn your advantage."

"And yet, I a.s.sume, every single Angelica fighting will already know the strengths and weaknesses of each flock. So how are you giving us an advantage?" I was over the bulls.h.i.+t of politics.

"You are correct." Steva inclined her head slightly. "And here are the stats. Black flock Gaa are the strongest intellectually and physically; we are the leaders. Purple flock Baa are the most cunning. You must keep an eye on them. They'll do anything to win and can't be trusted." She paused. "Green flock Saa are our gentle giants. They're the largest physically, but generally non-threatening. They create living plants from the clouds."

She spoke methodically, but I sensed more beneath. She took pride in leading the Angelica.

"Blue flock Maa are the kings in the air. They can fly harder and stronger than any and can use the blue-and-white camouflage colors to their advantage."

"How are they to compete when they have no wings and cannot fly?" Galern shook his head, as if he'd only just realized.

"They must utilize the advantages they have," Steva said, before continuing her explanations. "And the last flock is white Jaa they have control over the mists. They can bring an iciness that will freeze you to your core."

"I thought that this battle was solely hand-to-hand, no powers," Lucy said, her tone quiet as her eyes flicked around the room, staring them down.

"The abilities of the Angelica are not considered powers. These are just our natural abilities."

Walker powers were their natural abilities also, but it seemed as if there were two different rules here.

Steva continued. "There are some rounds which are only weapon or hand-to-hand, and there are some with no requirements. Free-for-all."

I caught Brace's eyes. They were still chocolate colored; no stressing from him. I took confidence from his confidence.

"If we are done with questions, it's time to head to the tournament zone," Steva said, waving us toward the doors. "I will lead you to your designated area."

The other black-flock members followed us, their wings folded down against their backs.

"How are you going to find the half-Walker if we can't explore?" Lucy muttered to me, loud enough for the boys to hear, but not the Angelica, unless they had super-super hearing.

I worried at my lips. My plan had been to wait until Brace was fighting and cruise around with my locket open. I knew the half-Walker would be a fighter and most probably a black-wing. Our mothers were always from the strongest members of these worlds.

But that plan had a big kink in it if I was stuck in one area and couldn't roam.

Chapter 9.

Lucy and I spent the next few hours learning all about the Angelica. It was always an eye-opener to see the way these planets functioned. Thankfully, we weren't really isolated. The zone for non-fighters was pretty large, and different flocks wandered in and out constantly. The Angelica were regimented, like soldiers, but with a certain level of arrogance that prevented complete subjugation. They took pride in their battle abilities, and the flock hierarchy was based solely on their skills and champions.h.i.+p wins.

As soon as Brace left to get ready for the tournament, a.s.sisted by Colton, a chatty blue-wing called Jered, with ivory-colored hair and large eyes in a shade of caramel, sidled up to us. Lucy and I took full advantage. He answered most of our questions without pause. We learned that only the true fighters came to this tournament. At least half of each flock stayed back on their home lands. d.a.m.n, I hoped my half-Walker was a fighter and not a housewife or something.

"What do you do all day?" I asked Jered.

"We spend at least half the time in meditation. This allows our bodies to rest and absorb nutrition from the clouds. And other than that we play games, have fight training and teach our young." He smiled, and I was surprised to see that his teeth were much larger and broader than ours. I hadn't noticed that on the others. "Sometimes it feels like a long wait between tournaments."

"Jered, you are needed in Maa zone," another blue-wing muttered as he marched past.

"For what?" Jered demanded.

But there was no further reply, and with a loud exhalation of breath our source of information left us.

"Are you going to open the locket now?" Lucy asked. I hadn't seen any females close enough yet to bother.

"Might as well."

I was sure the Angelica would wonder what the yellow moonstale light was, but I'd just pretend it was some weird Walker thing. Which technically was the truth.

Lucy and I chatted as we casually walked around, trying to get as close to each group as possible.

"So the reason we can't enter your mind is just pixie strength?" I was curious to hear what she'd learned yesterday.

"Malisna said it's the combination of pixie and faerie. My mind is virtually impenetrable, unless I want you to see my thoughts. And on top of that she thinks whatever planted those prophecies also added strength and protection to my thoughts."

"Did you find any clue as to who it is?"

Lucy shook her head, her face scrunching a little and a few flutters of glitter emerging. "Nope, just that they're powerful, and that they would have had to touch me to plant the prophecies."

I ground to a halt. "So you've actually been close to them?"

Lucy met my eyes. "More than once. Refis thinks they could only gift me one vision at a time, so as not to confuse my mind."

My mouth was opening and closing. Faces flashed across my thoughts, everyone we had met since arriving on First World. Too many people to really narrow it down.

"Well, eff me," I finally said, shaking my head.

"Word. Word. Double word," Lucy muttered.

The worst part was that anyone close enough to us to have done something like this was someone I trusted. Except maybe Lucas and some of the Doreen Walker guards that had been in and out of our lives. We needed to pay closer attention. I knew that sooner or later the rest of the Seventine would be released and we would have to fight them. And if we had a traitor in our house, then the cards, which were already more than stacked against us, would crumble to the ground.

Our random wanderings were revealing no hidden half-Walkers, and although a few eyes were locked on us, watching our movements, most of the Angelica paid no attention to us. Suddenly Colton and Brace appeared across the way.

"He's trying to kill me." I sighed.

Brace was now outfitted with a chest piece, arm armor and leg guards across his s.h.i.+ns. He held the sai. They looked a little different to the ones we had seen on Earth. The tri-spikes were longer and seemed to be made of something very reflective, s.h.i.+mmering as it moved in his large hands. My gaze was locked on Brace, and even though he was chatting with Colton, I could tell by the way his dark eyes caressed my features that he'd noticed my interest. And liked it.

Lucy was laughing, although she wasn't much better drooling over Colton.

I just couldn't get over how strong Brace looked; like a warrior from long ago. It's mostly true that after meeting someone for the first time, I pretty much stopped noticing what they looked like. Unless of course they had food on their face. Josian was the perfect example. My father was a scary-a.s.s man, but I barely noticed that now. But my awareness of Brace never went anywhere and I wondered if it ever would.

His armor emphasized his broad shoulders and heavily muscled arms. Brace was a huge man, and had never looked more so than right then. My eyes darted to the left as Abernath marks appeared on Colton who was a little in front of Brace when he entered my sphere of moonstale. The black tribal design contrasted with his white-blond hair. The yellow light wouldn't affect Brace's marks; they were permanent like my own. So his black tribal design was always there.

s.h.i.+t, what the h.e.l.l was I thinking?

With a gasp I slammed shut my necklace, just before Brace would have stepped into the light. Holy h.e.l.l in a handbasket, that was close. It didn't matter if our marks were permanent. I couldn't let both of us be in the moonstale. Who knew what would happen? Lucy didn't notice my near blunder. Her eyes were still pinned to her mate.

My heart was thundering as to the true implications of what I'd almost just done. Working to calm my pulse, breathing deeply in and out, I found my gaze drawn back to Brace.

d.a.m.n s.e.xy Walker, using his maleness to cloud my judgment.

Brace's grin widened. And I felt his amus.e.m.e.nt in my head. s.h.i.+t, my mind barriers had fallen on that last thought. Thank the G.o.ds he hadn't felt my panic at having the necklace open. Despite that stupid prophecy, it was obvious our melding bond had been part of my strengths, not a weakness. Just little things like the fact I had to work really hard to keep my thoughts protected now. But did this mean the prophecy was fake? Or just that there was another reason for Brace and I to be un-melded?

As the men moved into our radius, an Angelica group s.h.i.+fted aside to let them reach us.

"You two stay out of trouble?" Colton said, before leaning down and capturing Lucy's lips.

Her wings fluttered as she rose in the air. Now, instead of an awkward distance between them, they were the perfect height for making out.

"Why ask a question if you were only going to seal her mouth and prevent an answer," I said, without rolling my eyes, which was quite a feat, if you ask me.

"If he ever greets me any other way he'll be neutered and running on three legs," Lucy managed to murmur around their kiss.

"And I'm the wolf to obey her orders."

I turned my back on them, focusing on Brace. "Are you nervous?"

I was a little worried. Yeah, he was the strongest Walker I knew, and we're hard to kill. But not impossible. You just had to inflict enough damage before our advanced healing could fix it. "Those sai look pretty deadly."

"Don't even waste one second worrying. There's no chance for the Angelica in this tournament," he said. I hid my grin; his confidence needed no boost. "I'm more than capable and I love a good battle."

"Can I see?" I said as I held out my flat-palmed hand.

Brace placed one of the blades onto it. The saidon was lighter than I expected, but still had a balanced weight. The tips were razor sharp. Just the slightest brush broke the skin. It sparkled. Nephilius seemed to have one sun which strangely looked like a cloud high in the sky. Its rays were casting s.h.i.+mmers of light off the metal.

"What are they made of?" I turned it over, but there were no marks or insignias.

"Clouds," Brace said.

I looked up at him, my brow furrowing. Lucy and Colton were still lip-locked next to us, but we were doing a pretty good job of ignoring them. And also pretending that our own attraction wasn't beating at us.

"The same as their buildings they manipulate these cloudy mists with their own energy and can form solid structures. Including the armor and weapons. They insisted I use their weapons, to keep the playing field fair."

I doubted they were interested in fair. Probably wanted to make sure they stayed in control.

He was standing very close to me. I could feel his heat all down my side. I found myself closing my eyes as I handed the weapon back to him. I was having very inappropriate thoughts right then. Dammit, how was I going to stay unmelded? My entire body was urging me to throw myself at Brace, to drown in his strength and love. I forced myself to remember that he didn't know me anymore, that I was doing this for the worlds. Tears p.r.i.c.ked at my eyes and I had to turn away.

"Are you okay, Abby?"

I hadn't been quick enough. I raised my head and met his eyes. The concern there was so strong and warm that I almost full-on ugly cried. I managed to keep it to a few stray tears.

"I lost someone I loved recently; they just left." I had to say something, but I didn't want to pretend anyone died. I would never tempt fate like that. "Sometimes it hits me hard."

He didn't say anything for a long time. And then finally he lifted a hand and wiped away a single tear from my cheek.

"Anyone that walks away from you is a d.a.m.n fool." His hand lingered for a moment before he pulled back and straightened.