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can do this.” Fear filled Jude’s eyes as he looked at the rings intently. He shifted his legs, rocking them back and forth, seemingly contemplating whether to go back instead of forward with us.
    Victoria slapped his back. “Stop being a chicken. You’re not going to die today.”
    Sometimes, Victoria could be harsh. Jude scowled. I intended to say something in his favor but he stepped up.
    “Speak for yourself, Miss Know-it-all,” he snapped, inching closer with a challenging stance.
    “Leave her alone.” Isaac pushed Jude enough for him to stumble backward.
    “Stop,” Zach barked, glaring at them. “What are you fighting about? We need to get moving. I’m going first.”
    Zach took off, flapping his wings like a beautiful dove. When he reached the first ring, he closed them—as I’d suggested—and flew through the middle.
    “I’m going next.” I soared away before anyone could say a word. As I passed the first ring, Victoria came next, then Isaac, and at last, Jude. Up close, the rings were thick and incredibly intimidating. As I entered the ring, the thick and heavy air sucked me in, trying to keep me locked inside. At one point, it almost did, but I pushed with all my strength. I felt like a bird flying against the tornado-like wind.
    When I had successfully passed through all twelve rings, I breathed in with relief. It may have looked easy to observers, but it was the most difficult obstacle, in my opinion. I couldn’t have been more pleased with myself. As I waited for the others to finish, Zach gave me a knowing smile and a pat on my shoulder.
    “Good job, little sis,” he said proudly, sounding like Father. “A piece of cake, wasn’t it?”
    My mouth widened. “For you, maybe. I didn’t like it at all. It was too stressful. I almost got knocked out or sucked in, whatever.”
    As I said those words, Victoria’s body got stuck like tape to the last ring.
    “Oh, no,” I mumbled under my breath. I felt her frustration. Victoria and I were as close to being friends as possible, and on missions together, I trusted her to watch my back.
    Victoria struggled to set herself free. She tried to push to the center, but to no avail. When I took a step, Zach gripped my arm and froze me in place. Zach knew me too well. I had thought about aiding Victoria, but I had finished the course and couldn’t go back.
    “No,” he hissed. “Let Isaac or Jude help her.”
    Isaac dove in faster. His flight speed increased every second. He looked like a rocket that had just been launched. When he passed through the final ring, he grabbed Victoria. His body sprang back like a coiled spring, but he managed to pull both of them out. Then Jude flew through without a hitch with the ugliest expression on his face. He probably thought he would collide with them.
    Our team cheered and so did the others as they waited for us at the finish line.
    “I knew you could do it,” Uncle Davin said to our team. “Piece of cake, right?”
    I arched my brows in confusion. “I thought you said it wasn’t a piece of cake.”
    He shrugged. “Well, it wouldn’t be for some. Besides, if I had told you it was, then you wouldn’t have tried so hard.”
    “I always try my best, Uncle Davin,” I threw in.
    He ruffled my hair. “That you do.” Then he shifted his attention to the others. “It’s time to send the next team. Let’s see how far you can go.”

Chapter 7

    Several other groups made it to the finish line, but Uncle Davin picked the groups with the fastest time. Our group was in, and the other one was from Nubilus City. Though I had seen them before, I didn’t know them well enough to call them by name. They were a determined team, if a bit reserved. They never smiled, nor did they speak unnecessarily—a sample of fine, polished demon hunters.
    The plan had been set in motion: to descend to Earth when the sun went down. The flight to the warehouse had a breathtaking view. New York City glowed with colorful neon at