Nigel wheeled Jet out to a massive balcony. He raised his collar and blew into his hands.

“Is this the end of the tour?” Nigel asked, rubbing his hands.

“I want to see the chateau from the upper tree line.”

He squinted in the bright midday sun.

It’s beautiful here, but I need to get back to helping people. Not some psycho.

“How are we going to get you up there?”

His heart soared as she gave him a playful smile. He had forgotten how good it was to be with her.

“Piggyback ride?”

Nigel grinned. “Can I get a kiss when we get to the top?”

“We’ll see,” Jet said, blushing.

Moments later, the teen lovers were ascending a gentle slope leading away from the chateau. They were not a hundred feet from the back of the chateau when Vedrana intercepted them.

“You’re underequipped for an escape.”

“We are going to hike up the ridge to take in the view,” Nigel said.

“This is the first clear day I’ve seen in a while. And besides, I haven’t been out of that chateau in a long time,” Jet replied.

“If you’re worried, you can join us,” Nigel said.

Vedrana shook her head.

“I don’t think you’re stupid enough to escape in your condition. Have fun.”

Nigel continued his ascent. Moments later, they were sitting on a fallen tree, taking in a magnificent view of the chateau and the valley beyond. Jet grasped Nigel’s hand.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“I’m sorry for Father.”

A single tear rolled down Nigel’s cheek. He kissed her hand, the couple embraced. Nigel wished that the moment could last forever.

“What’s that?” Jet asked, pointing to his necklace.

Nigel examined it. An obsidian angel with a smooth surface looped through a gold chain.

“This was a gift from the leader of the Dark Angels. He gave it to me after I helped storm the windowless building.”

“It’s pretty—Wait. You did what?”

“It’s a long story.”

Nigel sighed. He had so much to tell her, he didn’t know where to begin. He removed the necklace and gave it to Jet. She put it on.

“I have a lot of tell you, too. But for now, let’s enjoy the moment.”

A low humming sound rose in the distance. It sounded like the buzzing of a beehive.

Jet pressed up against Nigel. Her breath of was visible in the chilly air, but he no longer cared about the weather. He wanted only her. He closed his eyes as his lips met hers again. Their embrace lasted a long time. A bright white light seeped through the lids of Nigel’s eyes. An unseen force sent the teens hurtling away from the chateau and down the other side of the hill. Nigel hit several blunt objects while descending. He landed in a dry creek bed. Leaves and branches broke his fall. Jet landed not far away. The familiar odor of burning trees assaulted his nostrils. Jet moaned. She was about twenty feet away, and he was about to crawl toward her when he saw it. A gray behemoth was turning. It was the largest aircraft he had ever seen.

Is that a bomber?

A crackling sound echoed through the woods. The stench of burning wood and forest animals was unbearable.

“Nigel, I hurt all over,” Jet said.

She was bleeding from her nose and lips. A gash ran along her left cheek, just below the eye.

“What the hell was that? I need to see what happened,” Nigel said as he ran back up the ridge.

Moments later, he gazed in the direction of the chateau, but it was missing. A smoking crater remained. On the far side of the crater, part of the chateau was still standing.

Oh my god! No one would have survived that.

Snowflakes swirled in the wind and landed everywhere he could see.

“What is it Nige?” Jet said.

Nigel rubbed his hand through his hair. His heart was pounding.

“It’s gone, and so is everyone else at the chateau.”

Nigel carried Jet down the slope toward the crater. He avoided the burning trees and other debris.

“We need to find April,” Jet said.

“I don’t know if she survived in all this.”

Jet’s eyes became moist and soon she was sobbing. Nigel set her down near an outcropping of rocks.

“Wait here. I’m going to see if anyone is still alive.”

“Don’t leave me Nige,” Jet said.

“I don’t have the strength to carry you the entire way. Besides, you can keep a look out for any survivors.”

Nigel cleared the snow and leaves off a sizable boulder and helped Jet upon it. He wasn’t hopeful that he would find April or any other survivors, but he had to try. He trudged down the snowy hill toward the remains of the grand chateau of Black Iris.