My head hurts. The thought floated to me from the darkness: “My head hurts.”
I was awake, but I didn’t want to open my eyes. I didn’t want to know where I was. I couldn’t get past the pain in my head. It didn’t even feel like my head anymore; it felt like my head had been removed and replaced with a block of concrete that was being crushed from all sides. Maybe if I never opened my eyes, the pain would just go away.
As the “awake” message traveled around my body, I received reports from all appendages. My arms and legs were intact and sore, but not terribly so. I was lying down on something soft. Light registered through my eyelids in a curtain of orangey-red, so I knew I was no longer in the dark. My right hand felt slightly compressed, and I realized someone was holding it. Gavin! I popped my eyelids open.
Hunter was sitting next to me, cradling my hand in both of hers. “Maren!” she cried. “You’re awake! Blimey, you had me so worried!”
“Where’s Gavin?” I asked, propping myself up on my left elbow and immediately regretting it because of the rush of pain to my forehead. I was in a small, windowless room painted a shocking bright yellow. There were two twin beds, including the one I was lying on; two chairs, one currently occupied by Hunter; and two dressers. Behind Hunter, an arched door stood slightly ajar.
“Shhhh!” she admonished. “He’s not allowed in the Chambers. He’s with the other angels, across the river. But you’d better keep your whole romance with him a secret while we’re here. It’s not allowed, you know.”
“Where are we?” I asked.
She smiled. “Magnificat. We made it.”
“We’re all safe, then?” I asked, sinking back down in relief. I noticed the yellow ceiling was decorated with scallops and pretty designs in a darker gold color.
“Yes, we’re safe,” she said. “Well, at least . . . um . . .”
I bolted upright again. “What happened? Is Gavin okay?” My brain swelled as if an ocean wave rose and crashed inside my skull.
“Yes, yes, he’s fine,” she assured me. “It’s . . . Alfred didn’t make it.”
“What do you mean, ‘didn’t make it’?”
“He sacrificed himself, Maren, to save you. Gavin and I were behind the door to Magnificat, waiting for you, but we heard screams, and then a thunk. Gavin was ready to go back in after you but Alfred appeared, carrying you. You were out cold. He just managed to hand you off when he was pulled back in—”
“He’s . . . he’s dead? Because of me?” I felt sick. Poor Alfred. He didn’t deserve it.
“Don’t think like that,” Hunter admonished. “He’s not dead because of you; he was able to fulfill his destiny because of you. He didn’t want to sit around rotting in St. Paul’s. You gave him the opportunity to be a hero.”
Hunter had clearly lost her mind.
“Are you serious?” I said. “You can find the positive in something like this? An hour ago, you were passing out on the top of St. Paul’s, saying you couldn’t make it, and now you’re all full of wisdom about an old man getting mauled to death by demons?”
She smiled. “I know, it’s amazing, isn’t it? I’ve learned so much since we’ve been here.”
“You’ve learned so much in the past hour?”
“Well, actually, we weren’t on the roof an hour ago. It was more like three days ago. You’ve been out a long time. I’ve been checking on you constantly, of course,” she added hastily, “and sending reports to Gavin as often as I can. I even texted your grandparents from your phone, pretending to be you, so they wouldn’t worry.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Gavin’s ‘across the river’? What river? I thought we all crossed under the Thames.”
“Not the Thames,” Hunter answered. “Another river. Come and see for yourself.”
She helped me out of the bed and across the room. She opened the door, and although I’d seen people in the movies do it all the time—along with spitting out their drink when they were surprised, which I absolutely don’t believe anyone really does—I actually gasped out loud. Magnificat was more than just a location. It was an entire underground city. Made entirely of gold.
The subterranean cavern was enormous; so large, I couldn’t see the top of it. Mist swirled about where I thought the ceiling of earth must be. Hundreds of buildings of all shapes and sizes seemed to grow out of the ground and climb the walls, impossibly stacked on top of one another. Balconies, raised walkways, arched staircases, and meandering bridges connected every structure. A river swept right through the middle, down deep in the bottom of the canyon, physically separating the city in two.
Every available surface was covered in gold. The brilliance of it might have blinded me if we were anywhere near the sun, but being underground, the golden surfaces perfectly reflected the lights scattered everywhere. There were tall post lanterns, porch lights perched next to doorways, even footlights on the bridges. Magnificat, it seemed, had electricity—or some source of power, anyway.
“It’s amazing. It’s breathtaking. It’s . . . gold,” I stuttered. “Or, at least, it looks like gold.”
“No, it’s really gold,” Hunter confirmed. “Did you know gold doesn’t ever rust or tarnish? That’s why they used it down here. Amazing, huh?”
“So Gav . . . I mean, the angels are over on that side?” I pointed across the chasm.
Hunter nodded. “No fraternizing allowed. Angels are only supposed to have contact with humans in an emergency.”
Emergency. The image of Jo in her hospital bed came flooding back to me. “What about the antidote?” I asked. “Do they have it?”
“Yes,” Hunter said. “Just. The blood sample Gavin brought was infected with a really complicated poison. It took them awhile to find the right antidote.”
“Gavin brought a blood sample?” I asked.
“Apparently.” She shrugged as she led me along the main path. “He sent me a note that he’d finally gotten the antidote and was going to take it back to Aviemore tonight. He was hoping you’d wake up in time to go back with him. If not, I think he was going to deliver it and then come back for you.”
“How could he do that? I thought we weren’t allowed to fraternize.”
“He told them about your mom’s stuff, and said he needed to escort you back for your own safety. I’m actually getting my own Guardian too, since the demons recorded my heartbeat.”
“Where’s my backpack?” I asked, feeling a protective surge for my mom’s journals.
“It’s in our room, under the bed,” she answered. “No one touched it. We were waiting to see what you wanted to do.”
“I want to turn it over to the High Council,” I said, remembering my stubborn declaration to Gavin. “Maybe they can figure it out.”
As we walked, we passed a peculiar bridge. It was the only one that spanned the river and connected both sides of the canyon. A huge ramp spiraled up from the middle of the bridge and into the clouds above. I couldn’t see where it ended, but I did see what stood at its start: two hulking angels with their wings exposed, holding what looked like swords on fire.
“What is that?” I asked.
“Exodus,” Hunter answered. “The way out. It’s the only place in Magnificat where you’re allowed to meet with a Warrior or a Guardian angel—when you’re leaving.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I told you, they’re very serious about humans and angels keeping things professional. It’s completely against the rules to fall in love with one.”
Too late, I thought, as we hurried past the scary guards. I had already fallen. Far.