Charisse looked sympathetically at her daughter. “You know I lost your father before you were born. Things have a way of working out. If you remain in a state of turmoil, it won’t be good for the baby.”
Desiree continued to weep. “I want them all to die. They took Richard from me.”
“You need to be patient. Surely you understand that.” “I will be patient, for now, but we will have revenge on the lot of them,” Meredith said.
Charisse excused herself to go to the study. She would call Phillipe and inform him of the news. Meredith poured herself another full glass of wine and a half glass for Desiree. “I wish I could make the tea Richard always made. It had a way of settling my nerves.”
“Richard knew many things. One can only hope he passed some of his knowledge on, to Natalie,” Desiree said, as she sipped her wine. The alcohol was already starting to clam her and her hand stopped trembling.
“I’ll feel better when I know Natalie’s safe. It’s only a short distance between New York and Aeden. The Guild could come for her at any time.”
“Phillipe will know how to reach her.”
When Charisse was in the study, she called her bother-in-law Phillipe, to advise him of Richard’s death.
“How could he be dead?” Phillipe asked. Charisse went on to describe the events Meredith and Desiree had recanted to her. “I couldn’t say anything to either of them, but if Richard pulled his weapon first, the Council would view it as an act of self defense. Desiree is beside herself knowing she has to raise Richard’s son, without him.”
“Desiree is pregnant? Why didn’t they use precautions?” “I think they believed that Caspian was dead. The Committee had no choice but to dismiss the petition when he arrived at the Hall. After Caspian told them that he didn’t consummate his marriage he requested that the union between him and Desiree be annulled. He was responsible for bringing her pregnancy to the attention of the Council.”
“Did Desiree deny that she was pregnant?” Phillipe asked. “No it was common knowledge that Desiree hadn’t seen or heard from Caspian, since their wedding night. He made it known that Richard fathered the child.”
“Who else was at the meeting?” “Rita and Will were there on behalf of the Guild. I’m certain Paul and the others will want to question you about Richard and Natalie. Henry knows Meredith insisted that you be appointed to your position. Since he had his own marriage annulled, Henry has no loyalty to Meredith. You should withdraw the girls from Godwin’s Academy, and send them somewhere safe until this whole thing blows over.”
“Nothing is going to blow over, Charisse. We are knee deep in this, and I can assure you Natalie will want retribution for Richard’s death. She is impulsive and careless. She won’t have any regards for our safety, if she’s consumed with revenge. I’m certain that she’ll show up here. Richard told her to contact me if she was in any trouble. First, I’ll take care of Yvonne and Yvette.”
“Do you know how to contact Natalie?” she asked. “Yes though I’m not happy about dealing with her. Richard may have been ruthless, but Natalie acts first, and considers the consequences afterwards. Her father was always there to clean up her messes in the past. None of this would have happened if it weren’t for her. Do you think you’ll be safe in Paris?”
“I’m not planning to stay here. I’ll be taking Desiree with me, but I don’t see any way I can avoid taking Meredith along too.” “Perhaps she will consider staying with Natalie and Jeziel?” “I’ll mention it, but I think Desiree will want her close, after what happened today.”
“Tell her it would be better for all of us, if we split up for a short time; at least until after the baby is born.” “I can try, but I doubt she’ll listen to me. Keep yourself and the girls safe. Desiree mentioned something about two Enchantors who are living inLondon. Do you know their whereabouts?”
“No, but I’m sure Natalie will remember how to find them. We have made a terrible mistake aligning ourselves with Richard. Let’s keep our hands clean of this whole ordeal.”
“That may be easier said than done. I don’t have to remind you, my daughter is pregnant with Richard’s child. Her son will have Lucifer’s blood. We can’t run away from that.”
“If Natalie tells Jeziel, it will only be a matter of time before Samhael knows too. Lucifer will want to protect the unborn child, in the hopes he can be trained to follow the dark path, as his father did.”
“Desiree won’t give up the child,” Charisse insisted. “She may not have a choice. You saw what Meredith did after Genevieve’s death. We need to stay as uninvolved as possible. Although there may be another option,” Phillipe said.
“What other option is there?” “We could go to the Guild ourselves. If we could supply them with enough information, they may be lenient with us.” “It won’t change the fact that Desiree’s son will have Lucifer’s blood.”
“Loralei had Lucifer’s blood and she remained true to Heaven. There is always a chance. I want us to consider all of our choices.” “The Guild may forgive us, but that still leaves Natalie, Jeziel and Samhael to deal with.We don’t have the skills or weapons to take them on.”
“Let’s wait and see what happens. We can talk more later. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and don’t trust Meredith or Natalie.”
“You do the same. Where should we meet?”
“I’ll contact you after I meet with Natalie.”
“You are a good friend Phillipe; better than I deserve. Get those girls somewhere safe, and make sure Marie doesn’t return from her vacation. They don’t need to be in the middle of any of this.”
“I’ll take care of everything,” he said, before hanging up the phone.
“I should never have listened to Richard or Meredith. I hope I haven’t ruined us all,” Phillipe whispered to no one.
Chapter 4
After leaving Jeziel’s cottage, Natalie followed her father’s instructions and went to Phillipe Devereaux’s estate in New York. He opened the door and whisked her inside.
“Charisse already called. Is there anything I can do for you now?” he asked.
“Not unless you can figure out a way to kill Rita.” “I’m sure justice will be served,” Phillipe said, though he was not thinking about Rita’s death. “Not soon enough. The Council isn’t even going to investigate my father’s death. Apparently, Rita follows a different set of rules than the rest of us do.”
Phillipe didn’t want Natalie to know he was unsympathetic to her. “Sometimes you just need to be patient about these things.” “I have no time for patience. When Jeziel comes back, we’ll plan our revenge on the Guild and their precious daughters.” “It might be wise to return to Paris, and see your grandmother. She’s having a difficult time adjusting to your father’s death.” “You’re right. If Jeziel comes, tell her I went to Paris. She’ll remember the wayto Desiree’s home. You were a good friend to my father. I trust you will help me follow through with his plans.”
“Surely you’re not considering attacking Utopia, now?” “That’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’ll be in touch, when I know something definitive.” “It would be unwise for me to stay in New York. Perhaps, it would be better if we remained distant for a short time. Charisse will know how to contact me.”
“I see your point. I’m certain the Guild will want to question you. Charisse will likely take Desiree away from Paris before the Guild has an opportunity to question her about the child.”
“My sister has a multitude of places she can hide, but it might be safer if you and your grandmother stayed with Jeziel.”
“My grandmother won’t want to leave Desiree, with the baby due so soon.”
“Avoiding each other will be best for the child.” “I’ll speak to Desiree and my grandmother about your suggestion. At the very least, it will make finding us more difficult for the Guild.”
“I need to notify the girls that they will be leaving the Academy. I’ll be discreet, so Andromeda won’t be suspicious
.”
“I’m certain that Andromeda will be at the wedding. That’s where Jeziel went,” Natalie said.
“Was it wise for her to return to Aeden? The Guild still wants to question her in the death of those angelbloods.”
“Jeziel is Lucifer’s daughter. She does what she wants. I’ll leave her a message at the cottage, before I leave for Paris.”
“Surely, you don’t intend to go to Aeden. That’s madness!” “I won’t be near the Guild. I want to make sure she knows how to find me; unless you would rather wait here for her?” “No - I need to make arrangements for my daughters. Just be careful. You don’t want the Guild to suspect you’ve been anywhere near their valley.”
“I’ll be gone, before they know that I was there.”
Natalie vanished before Phillipe could respond. “I hope she considers my suggestion,” Phillipe muttered to himself. “I’ll speak to Charisse before I collect the girls. It might be in our best interest
tomeet with the Guild before they summon us.” He walked to the study and called his sister-in-law. When Charisse answered, he told her to expect Natalie soon. “She’s planning to make a stop in Aeden first, to let Jeziel know she’ll be in Paris.”
“Why would she stop there? Surely she knows the Guild will be looking for her.”
“I doubt she cares. She was receptive to the idea that Meredith stay with her and Jeziel, until this is sorted out.”
“How did you get her to agree to that?”
“She hasn’t actually agreed, but I told her it would be best if we separated.”
“Do you think she might consider it?”
“It depends on Desiree. If you can convince her to put some distance between Meredith and Natalie, she may agree.” “I’ll do everything I can to convince her. When she’s free of Meredith’s influence, Desiree may see them in a different light.” “Make her understand that Meredith is as responsible for Richard’s death, as Rita. If you can turn Desiree against her, we may be able to keep the rest of the family safe.”
“What if she refuses?” “Don’t allow her to refuse. She’ll want to keep the child safe. The Guild will be looking for Meredith, and we both know Henry isn’t going to help her now.”
“Where will you go?” “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll keep you posted. I might travel to one of the other colonies. Under the circumstances, it may be the safest choice.”
“How will I get in touch with you?”
“I’ll call you after I have the girls settled. Let’s hope Meredith considers our suggestion, and you and Desiree willbe alone.” “Natalie’s here. Take care of yourself Phillipe. I’ll speak to you soon.” Charisse shared a close relationship with her daughter, but she was concerned about her giving birth to another descendant of Lucifer. Desiree needed to realize how damning it would be, for her and her son to follow Richard’s family.
Phillipe called for his driver. “We need to go to the Godwin Academy and pack up my daughters and their belongings.” When they arrived at the Academy, Andromeda wasn’t there. Phillipe found the girls in their room. “We need to pack your things urgently,” Phillipe told the girls.
“Where are we going father?” Yvonne asked.
“Richard Fairbourne was killed this morning.”
Both girls jumped off the bed and ran to their father. “Will the Guildcome after us? Do you think they suspect you’ve been helping Richard and Natalie?”
“I’m not planning to stay in New York to find out what they know. Once I’ve decided on our destination, we’ll send for your belongings.”
“We should never have trusted them Father. Our lives could be ruined now.” “I won’t let anything happen to either of you. Charisse is trying to get Desiree away from Natalie and Meredith. It might be harder than you can imagine. She’s pregnant with Richard’s son.”
Yvonne and Yvette were shocked. People considered them snotty and arrogant, but even they would never violate the laws of marriage. “What will the Guild do to her?”
“I’m not sure. Charisse will hide her until the baby is born. Getting Desiree away from Meredith will help. It was a mistake to align myself with Richard. I am considering going to the Guild and telling them what I know. My hope is that they will show me some leniency if I come forward. I’ll know more after I talk to Charisse this evening.”
“Do you think the Guild will help us Father?” “Our hands have been clean in most of this. I will tell them I was aware that Richard had Natalie’s appearance altered. I can also inform them about his meetings with Samhael. If they determine I am being truthful, they may not punish me as severely. You girls and your mother have done nothing wrong, so there’s no need to worry.”
“We’ll go with you. If we all cooperate with them, they’ll have no choice but to grant you amnesty.” “The Guild will be as fair as they are allowed by law. While I did not come forward at the time, I can always use the excuse that I was afraid of Richard. No one could ever doubt that. I’m sure they know his manipulative ways. Let’s get you packed, and we’ll talk about this later. I’m not looking forward to having this conversation with your mother.”
“Mother will forgive you. She always has in the past. You believed Richard was going to provide a better life for all of us. Surely the Guild will see that’s the truth.”
“Richard spoke of a husband and wife living in London. When Natalie’s identity was discovered, he took her there. I don’t recall their names, but I’m sure they won’t be difficult to find.”
“If you give enough information to the Guild, it will prove you are faithful to their cause.”
“We won’t be completely out of danger. If Natalie or Jeziel realize we’ve met with the Guild, they’ll come after us.” “Won’t the Guild protect us, if we’re innocent?”
“A lot is going to depend on how well my meeting goes with them. Right now, none of them have any reason to trust us.” Yvonne hesitated with her next question. “You didn’t participate in the deaths did you?” Phillipe was offended by his daughters’ question. “I may be guilty of consorting with Richard, but I can assure you, I am not a murderer. I wasn’t even aware that Richard killed all those people. I will swear to that.”
Yvonne and Yvette both hugged Phillipe. “It will be alright, we’re sure of it.” “We need to hurry. I don’t want to explain this to Andromeda right now.” The girls followed their father to the car. After placing a few bags in the auto Phillipe decided that it would be too dangerous to ride home. “Drive back to the house,” he told his driver. “The girls and I will leave from here. I’ll be in touch soon. It’s better if you don’t know where we went, or when we’re coming back.”
Phillipe watched as the car drove away. He instructed his daughters to hold hands. “Let’s go find your mother.”
Chapter 5
Caspian sent word to Andromeda, advising her of his plans to stay in Utopia for a few hours, to help Henry convey the news of Richard’s death to the other residents. Paul already informed him that Axel would be returning to Utopia later that morning.
“We should call a meeting now. It will only be a matter of time before the rest of the colony hears the rumor of Richard’s death,” Arthur said.
“Do you think they will blame me?” Henry asked. “No one has ever found fault with you, Henry. With Richard gone, perhaps the children of Utopia will finally have some peace in their lives.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Caspian said. “Natalie is still free, and if what Warren and his brother Wendell say is true, she has already aligned herself with Lucifer’s daughter. Jeziel has only recently appeared since the death of Hespa’s children. The Guild suspect’s she was may have been involved in the deaths, though there is no proof at this time.”
“Why would Natalie and Jeziel risk coming here to take Richard’s body?” Henry asked.
“No one knows the answer to that question,” Caspian said. “Why haven’t they taken Natalie before the High Council?” Arthur asked. “Aura has
a plan. She has asked the Guild to wait before bringing charges against Natalie or Jeziel. There is still Samhael to consider. He may be a fallen angel, but he still has powers, and is close to Lucifer. They suspect that he was responsible for bringing hellfire to Aeden,” Caspian said.
“Meredith knows more than she’s saying. I can’t say that I agree with Aura’s decision not to question her and Desiree. We need to determine just how involved Desiree and her family were with Richard,” Henry said.
Caspian stared at his father. “Desiree was involved enough, to be pregnant with his child.” “Your mother was the one who insisted that you marry Desiree. I deeply regret not allowing you to make your own choice. Perhaps things would have turned out differently if I had,” Henry said, apologetically.
Caspian smiled. “What makes you think everything hasn’t turned out? I suppose I should tell you I’m planning to marry Andromeda. We talked about it, when I visited on Thanksgiving.”
“You were in New York on Thanksgiving Day? Why didn’t you come to the valley with Axel?” Henry asked. “I was under strict orders from the Guild not to let anyone else know my whereabouts. It was meant to keep the rest of you safe. Paul was afraid Richard would find me. You do realize when he killed the Crestwell’s; he intended to kill Analie and Ambrosia?”
“I heard rumors to that effect, but I thought they were unfounded,” Henry said. “Perhaps you should have believed all those rumors about Richard. I’m not familiar with all of his plans, but I do know he was planning to overthrow the government in Utopia, and eventually declare war on the other colonies.”
“Do you think Natalie and her friends will follow through with those plans?” Arthur asked. Caspian spoke candidly. “There are a great many truths we don’t yet know. If Jeziel has returned to her father’s good graces, there’s no doubt she will use Samhael to help her. We know that Lucifer regards him as a son, and Richard kept in close contact with him. Together, they were responsible for administering the blood of the hellhounds to those once mortal creatures.”
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