“Just trust me,” I said as the Chevy lurched violently close to the edge of the cliff. Xavier gasped and lifted an arm to shield his face, expecting a collision, but the car swung back onto the road at the last minute.
“Xavier,” I said. “Look at me.”
I didn’t know how much time we had together, but I needed to let him know he wasn’t alone. A familiar Bible verse floated into my head. It was an old favorite of mine and came from Genesis 31. It spoke about the Mizpah, the Meeting Place. It was a place that could be anywhere and nowhere at the same time. A place that didn’t exist in this dimension but held more power than anyone could understand. It was a place where a reunion of spirit could occur without any physical presence. I remembered the day at Bryce Hamilton when I’d run into Xavier’s arms, terrified that one day we’d be separated. The words from that afternoon came back to me clear as day: “Let’s create a place. A place that’s just ours; a place we can always find each other if things ever go wrong.”
“Do you remember the white place?” I whispered urgently.
Xavier’s body unclenched a little as he looked directly at me. “Of course,” he murmured.
“Then close your eyes and go there,” I whispered. “I’ll be waiting for you. And don’t forget … it is only space that separates us.”
Xavier drew a deep breath and in his eyes I saw an understanding that hadn’t been there before. He closed his eyes, let go of the steering wheel, and sat very still.
I heard Jake’s harsh voice from the backseat. “I’ve had just about enough of this sentimental crap for one day.”
“Listen …” I whipped around to try and reason with him, but it was too late. I felt a sickening jolt in my stomach as the Chevy skidded to the side of the road, smashed through the flimsy iron railing as if it were made of matchsticks, and plummeted over the cliff face.
“No!” I screamed.
Xavier didn’t react. He was still in the white place, indifferent to whether he would live or die.
I watched the Chevy plunge over the cliff in what seemed like slow motion. I heard a sickening metallic screech as the underbelly of the car scraped across the rock ledge. It seemed to teeter for a moment; its body tilting precariously as it balanced on the edge. Then gravity took over and with a deep shudder and a cloud of dust, the car fell. At the sight of it, nearby birds squawked and fled the trees, vanishing into the sky as they sounded their warning. I saw Xavier’s body get thrown forward and collide with the steering wheel. The moment seemed to last for the longest time. My vision tunneled and I noticed the strangest things. The sunlight through the windshield hit Xavier’s hair, making the strands glow copper and gold. Xavier’s hair had always been a soft shade of brown like honey or walnuts, but today, in this moment, I could have sworn he wore a halo of golden light. Xavier had made no effort to protect himself. Anyone else would have thrown his hands up to shield himself, but Xavier remained unnaturally calm and still. He showed no signs of panic, as if he were resigned to accept his fate. When his hair shifted out of the way, I caught sight of his face and it struck me how young he looked. I could see in him the schoolboy he would have been not so many years ago. His skin was smooth and unmarked, without even a wrinkle to mark his years on earth.
I realized then that I was screaming, screaming loud enough for all the town to hear me, but nobody did. The Chevy was still nosediving toward the rocks below where it would smash and crumple like tinfoil. I’d never felt more powerless in my entire life. My body was still imprisoned deep underground in Hades and my soul was trapped between the dimensions. But as I caught sight of Jake’s smirking face in the rearview mirror, I realized I wasn’t as powerless as I thought. I spun around and grabbed him by both wrists. He looked surprised, but didn’t shake me off.
“Don’t hurt him,” I pleaded. “I’ll do whatever you want. Name your terms.”
“Is that so?” Jake smiled. “A trade … how interesting.”
“This isn’t the time for games!” I begged. The car was only seconds from the rocks and dusty ground below. “If Xavier dies, I’ll never forgive you! Please … let’s make a deal.”
“Okay,” Jake said. “I’ll spare his life in exchange for you granting me one wish.”
“Done!” I cried. “Just stop the car!”
“Do I have your word?”
“I swear on my life.”
The Chevy lurched to a stop in midair, completely frozen. It was a sight to behold and it was lucky there were no humans around to witness it.
“I’ll see you back home, Bethany.”
“Wait — you can’t just leave him here!”
“He’ll be taken care of,” Jake said and with a snap of his fingers he vanished from the backseat. After a few seconds, I became aware of the presence of Ivy and Gabriel. They screeched to the edge of the cliff in a borrowed Range Rover and bolted out. Seeing the Chevy suspended in the air, Gabriel didn’t hesitate, he ran to the cliff’s edge and jumped, his wings bursting out to hold him up as he descended toward the rocks below. I’d forgotten how majestic Gabriel’s wings were and the sight made my breath catch in my throat. They reared up ten feet in the air, blazing white and powerful beyond belief. They were heavy and feathered and yet seemed to ripple with a life of their own. Ivy followed suit, graceful as a swan, her feet skimming the edge of the cliff as she swooped down. Her wings were a different color from Gabriel’s. His were ice white and flecked with brass and gold. Ivy’s on the other hand were more of a pearly gray like a dove’s and dappled with rose petal pink. Xavier had opened his eyes and was staring incredulously at the angels now hovering in front of the windshield of his airborne Chevy. He blinked hard, uncertain whether to trust his own eyes.
“What the hell …” he breathed.
“It’s okay,” I told him. “You’re okay.”
But Xavier could no longer hear me. He just watched in amazement as Gabriel looped his hands through the front window, gripping the roof of the car. On the other side, Ivy did the same. Then they began to slowly lift it back onto the road. The muscles in their arms didn’t even strain, just flexed ever so slightly as they guided the car back to solid earth. It landed so smoothly that Xavier didn’t even shift position in his seat. Ivy’s and Gabriel’s wings, which had been beating rhythmically to hold them up, retracted in a flash as soon as their feet connected with the ground.
Xavier threw open the door and jumped out at the first opportunity. He leaned against the hood and exhaled loudly.
“I don’t believe it,” he murmured.
“Neither do we.” My sister glowered. “What were you thinking?”
“Hold up.” A look of surprise flitted across Xavier’s face. “You think I did this on purpose?”
Gabriel fixed him with his penetrating gaze. “A car doesn’t drive itself off a cliff.”
“Guys.” Xavier threw up his hands. “Jake was controlling the car. What kind of an idiot do you take me for?”
“You saw him too?” Ivy’s eyes widened. “We sensed his presence, but we didn’t think he’d have the nerve to show himself.”
“He didn’t show himself exactly.” Xavier frowned. “I couldn’t see him … but Beth told me he was there.”
“Beth?” Gabriel looked as if he thought Xavier might be losing his mind.
“She spoke to me through the radio … and then she appeared when I thought I was going to die.” Xavier twisted his face into a grimace, aware of how far-fetched his story sounded. “It’s true, I swear.”
“All right,” Ivy said grimly. “Whatever happened, we have to remember that Jake is pulling some dirty moves. At least we got here in time.”
“That’s the thing,” Xavier said, crossing his arms. “The car was gonna smash, I know it was. Then suddenly it stopped, and Beth and Jake were gone.”
“What are you saying?” Gabriel asked.
“I’m not sure — but I know Jake was trying to kill me. Something or someone stopped him.”
Ivy and Gabriel exchanged worried looks. “Let’s just be thankful you’re all right,” said my sister.
“Yeah.” Xavier nodded, but he still looked concerned. “Thanks for helping me out. Jeez, I hope no one saw you.”
