The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

She gave me one more probing look that softened when she could see the resolve on my face. Turning toward Shawn, she gave him a quick hug. "Take care of my besties," she said in an uncharacteristically strangled voice.

"I will," he said solemnly, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

Robert pulled me in for a long hug without saying a word. I could feel his turbulent emotions as he glanced at us one last time before he and Lynn joined the other group. Sam's eyes stayed locked on them as we watched the other Bands say their own goodbyes. Haniel and I had decided to split the Bands to help preserve the lineage of each group as much as we could. The chances of all of our members being completely decimated were slim, but the likely hood that all of us would survive was a pipe dream as well. Preserving even a small fraction of each Band was better than nothing.

Haniel joined my group before we headed out. "You have the power," he said, looking at me intensely.

I nodded my head. "I won't let you down."

"Follow Krista's lead. She will not lead you astray," he told my group before he departed with his own group.

We watched him and our friends trudge through the deep snow away from the campsite until they disappeared from sight. Their journey would take longer than ours since Haniel planned on taking them around the mountain to the back entrance of Victor's lair. My group's journey would be much easier with a straight path right up the mountain.

"I guess we should head out," I told everyone, stomping my feet in hopes that the movement would get a little blood flowing to help the numbness.

The Protector's led us out of the campsite and the Guides and I fell in behind them. Jaime and Sam flanked my sides while Kieran and Amelia moved to the rear of the group.

Hiking through the thick snow made talking difficult and within a few minutes we were all breathing heavy. "Sheesh, obviously super lungs isn't part of my new powers," I gasped as I tied my windbreaker jacket around my waist and pushed up the sleeves of my hoodie.

"Yeah, because being able to read minds, save people, and have an Archangel at your beck and call isn't enough," Sam teased.

Jaime laughed at her words. "Sam's got a point Krista, besides if you're so bent on wishing for new powers, I would wish for the ability to fly, that way you would already be there," she joked. Her remark made all of us girls burst out laughing.

"Perhaps breathing would be easier without so much chatter," John said, using his voice of reason.

Kieran mimed his words behind him, making us laugh even harder. It felt good to let go of the sadness we had all felt at the campsite.

Our laughter wound up winding us though, so any further talk was put on hold as John led us up the mountain at a grueling pace. Thirty minutes later, we entered a pass that was somewhat flat and allowed us to catch our breath.

"I would give my left arm to a starving zombie for a drink of water," Sam huffed as she worked to even out her breathing.

"Suck on some snow," Kieran said, scooping up a handful.

"Eww that's gross," Sam said, wrinkling her nose up in disgust. "Who knows what you might be munching on."

"Spoken like a true city girl," Paul joked. "Believe me, there have been many times that I've been hiking in Utah and have had to rehydrate with some good old-fashioned snow. It's no different than drinking rainwater. Both come from the same sky."

"I guess," Sam said, still looking slightly disgusted at the snow in her cupped hand.

"He's right Sam, my dad and I used to eat snow all the time in Montana. You just want to stay away from yellow snow," I teased.

"That's disgusting," she said before finally popping her handful of snow into her mouth.

I giggled, getting a kick out of her expression. Suddenly, something felt wrong. There was something dark and evil close by. It felt like I was being submerged in water as my ears began to hum, sending my senses into overdrive. I scanned the perimeter of the pass with one glance, seeing nothing yet, but I knew they were there.

"Over there to the right," I pointed. "They're coming quick."

The Protectors herded the Guides together, forming a tight circle around us. My stomach twisted as I recalled a similar time we had circled up like this and had failed. I quickly readjusted so that the guys formed a line in front of us instead. "This way you have more room to maneuver," I reasoned.

"Krista, are you sure they're coming? I'm not picking anything up," Kieran asked.

"Absolutely sure, they're coming from the east," I said, pointing to the trees in front of us.

The guys tensed up at my words, waiting for the Daemons to enter the clearing.

My senses tuned into the beasts that stalked us and I could feel their bloodlust as they got closer to the pass.

Sam gasped beside me as she and the other Guides finally sensed the oncoming Daemons.