“I’ll take Shannon home with the girls,” Aura said.
“Pegasus wants apple Aura, we have more?” Mia asked.
They all agreed the horses deserved another treat after taking such good care of them. As Aura walked back to the car, she overheard Jeziel complaining about being sore from the ride. She was the only one to grumble. Perhaps Jeziel’s horse knew her better than Aidan did.
As she brought the box of apples to the stalls, each of them grabbed one to feed to the ponies. Aura was surprised when Jeziel picked up a piece of fruit.
As everyone was feeding the treats to the animals, they heard Jeziel scream.
“He bit me,” she cried to Aidan. Aidan quickly grabbed a cloth and wrapped it around her hand. He removed it after a short time to assess the damage. Everyone present saw that her blood was black. Aidan was more concerned with her injury, than he was with the dark stain on the cloth.
“He’s never done that before. I’m so sorry,” Dareus said. “You should apologize,” Jeziel yelled. “That beast could have taken my hand off.”
“I’m sure it was an accident. You don’t appear to be hurt that bad,” Bren said, after seeing her wound.
“Get away from me, you little brat. Who asked you anyway? I want to go home now Aidan right now.” It was all that Aura could do to bite her tongue after hearing Jeziel call Bren a brat. Aidan saw how angry she was, and decided it would be useless to offer any condolences. Instead, he remained quiet, and walked Jeziel to his car.
“Do you see how they treat me?” she cried.
“It was an accident Jeziel. Surely you can’t blame any of them.”
“They were glad I got hurt. Not one of them offered to help,” she moaned.
“I’m sure you’ll be fine. I’ll take you home,” Aidan said. Aura gathered the little ones together and apologized to Aureus and Dareus. “I’m so sorry. It was my idea to invite her. I’m sure the horse didn’t do anything wrong. Please don’t feel bad.”
“I don’t know what made him bite her. He’s never acted that way before,” Dareus said. “Maybe it had something to do with her. Did you see the color of her blood? I don’t care what color her eyes are; blood doesn’t lie,” Bren said.
“Why did she call you a brat Bren?” Alannah asked.
“I’m afraid all children are brats to her,” Aura said. “Doesn’t it bother you that Aidan left with her?” Alannah asked.
“Aidan is a grown man. He’s responsible for his own actions right, wrong or indifferent. I wouldn’t dream about telling him what to do. If he prefers Jeziels company to ours, then I wish him the best. I’m certainly not going to lose any sleep over it.”
A voice trickled into Aura’s mind, one that she was certain Bren and Alannah heard. “Mommy knows what she’s doing. You have to allow him to stay close to Jeziel. I’ll be home soon, and then everybody will know the truth.”
Aura knew the voice was Alorrah’s. She was warning them not to interfere. Her life might depend on it. Aura was so close to bringing her home. She wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her plans.
Aura smiled. She expected that Jeziel would use this opportunity to get closer to Aidan. Aura didn’t mind. That was all part of her plan. “Let’s get you home and changed, then we can have lunch.”
She hugged the twin’s goodbye and told them not to worry about Jeziel.
“We’ll be in touch soon,” Aura said, as she put the girls in the car. She hoped they wouldn’t be upset. It would be a shame for them to feel bad. She stopped momentarily as a new vision popped into her head. Aura looked up to Heaven and smiled. “Thank you Esra,” she said silently.
Paul led Phillipe out of the library. He announced to his family, there would be no charges filed against him.
“They think we should stay here until after Will and Joshua’s wedding. I agree with them,” Phillipe said.
“Aura has plenty of room. Why don’t you call and have some of the girls clothes delivered,” Eve said.
“Are you sure she won’t mind?” Marie asked. “Of course not, she’s used to having company. I’m sure she’ll make you all feel welcome.”
“Will Rita and Jessica be staying here too?” Yvonne asked. “They might be; I’m not sure. Is that going to be a problem?” Paul asked.
“No, but we weren’t very nice to them when we met at the Academy. I hope they won’t hold it against us,” Yvette said. “I’m sure everyone was under a lot of stress then. It will be fine,” Eve said.
Eve made them feel at ease. They were certain if there were any problems, they could turn to her for guidance. Phillipe called the house, and made arrangements with one of the younger servants to have some of the girls belongings brought to Aeden. Has anyone called for me?” he asked.
“Your sister called. She is going to the island. She wanted me to tell you only two of them would be going. She said it was important for you to know that, sir.”
“That is good news. I’ll be expecting you around noon then. Drive carefully.”
Phillipe informed the Guild that Charisse was successful in getting Desiree away from Meredith.
“Natalie and Jeziel won’t be happy if they’re unable to contact her. Are you surethey’ll be safe on the island?” Paul asked. “They’ll be safe, until we know what Natalie is planning.” “We should meet with the High Council and advise them of this new information,” Adam said.
“I agree - the more details we give them, the more preparedwe’ll be. When are the children planning to return?” Paul asked his wife. “I expect they’ll be home before lunch.” “We’ll speak to Aura when she returns. If we aren’t here, get a message to us,” Paul said.
“I’ll let you know as soon as she gets home.” Eve knew not to ask anything else, because she never liked to involve herself with Guild business. She would have her hands full, keeping her family protected with her father’s shield.
“Why don’t I take you upstairs and show you to your rooms. Will you two girls be sharing a room, or do you want separate spaces?” Eve asked.
“We don’t mind staying in the same room,” Yvonne said. “I have just the room for you then.”
As Eve led Yvette and Yvonne up the stairs with their parents, they couldn’t help noticing the picture in the living room. “That’s our tree of life. The names of our family are woven into the tapestry. It is modeled after the real tree which is growing in a park at the end of the street. Perhaps you girls would like to take a walk there afteryou get settled in. You needn’t worry; my shield will protect you, as long as you remain in the valley.”
Aura always made sure the guest rooms would be ready in a moment’s notice. As the girls walked in, they found the room to be large, but cozy. It was decorated in soft shades of purple and they were convinced the bed would accommodate six people. There were toiletries in the bathroom, and the refrigerator was stocked with an assortment of snacks and beverages.
Eve walked just a little further down the hall until she came to the room Phillipe and Marie would be sharing. The room was decorated with a beach scene. She knew it would be perfect for Marie, knowing how much she loved the seashore.
“I’ll leave you to get settled. We’ll be downstairs if you need anything,” she said, before closing the door.
“They aren’t anything like I imagined,” Yvette said to her sister. “How could Natalie tell such lies about them?” Yvonne asked. “Maybe she was jealous of them. They seem to get along and the Guild isn’t as frightening as she had us believe. They forgave father completely. I doubt if Richard would have done that. Do you think they will come looking for us?” Yvette asked.
“It won’t matter. Eve said her shield will protect us as long as we stay in the valley.”
“Natalie is going to be really mad when she finds out Dad spoke to the Guild.” “He did the right thing. What kind of life would we have looking over our shoulder all the time? I’m sure they will keep us safe. The information Dad gave them was useful,” Yvette said.
&nb
sp; The two girls stretched out on the bed and talked like they didn’t have a care in the world. Eve smiled when she saw a vision of what the room looked like a few days from now.
She would speak to Marie and explain that the girls would be expected to keep their room tidy. Cleanliness was next to Godliness. Her family had always abided by that rule, but it was evident the Devereaux sisters had never cleaned anything in their lives. They were used to having servants, but there were no servants here. Their children were more hands on, and did the cooking and cleaning themselves.
“You’ll learn,” Eve chuckled, before returning to the kitchen.
Chapter 14
Colin and Claudia arrived in Aeden, and found no one home at the Kelly’s house. “Where do you think they are?” Colin asked. “I don’t know, but we are going to wait here until they return. I’m not about to face Natalie or her cousin, and admit our failure to them.”
They didn’t have to wait long. At eleven o’clock, the entire group returned home. They didn’t know Mahlyssa had returned earlier with her mother.
Aura hurried the little ones into the house. “We have company.” She looked to her sister Bren. “Make sure you stay close to Shannon.”
“What’s going on?” Tracy asked.
“I’m afraid we have some uninvited guests.”
When they were sure the children had been settled, Claudia knocked on Aura’s door. As usual, Mia answered the door. “I help you?” she asked.
The little ones were still wearing their riding outfits and Claudia thought they looked ridiculous. These were the angelbloods that Natalie hated. This young child looked innocent enough.
“We are looking for Mahlyssa, is she here?” Claudia asked. “Grammy somebody here see you,” Mia yelled. “You have seat Grammy coming.”
Mahlyssa was shocked when she saw Colin and Claudia. “What do you want?” she asked. Colin Cavanaugh was not used to conflict, so he stood there in silence and allowed his wife to do the talking. She commanded a more authoritative presence, and would know exactly what needed to be said.
“We’ve come for our daughter. Surely you didn’t think we wouldn’t come back for her?” Claudia said. “You have no rights to her. You abandoned her when she was a few weeks old. You were never to come near us again. That was part of our agreement,” Mahlyssa hissed.
“Things have changed since then. We want her back, and we’re not leaving without her,” Claudia insisted. “Who are they Mum?” Shannon asked. “No one you need to know,” Mahlyssa said.
Bren and the other little ones, sensing there might be trouble, quickly surrounded Shannon. “She’s not going anywhere with you,” Bren shouted. “You killed those other people, and if you don’t leave right now, I’m going to make sure you join them.”
Hearing Bren shouting at the two strangers, Paul walked out of the kitchen. “What’s this about?” he asked.
“My name is Claudia Cavanaugh and this is my husband Colin. We are here to claim our daughter, Shannon, and take her home.” “I’m afraid that’s impossible. The child is no longer mortal. She’s an angelblood, and will remain here with her mother,” Adam said.
“I am her mother!” Claudia bellowed.
“You may have been responsible for her birth, but you are certainly not her mother,” Aura said. “The law will be on our side in this. We hoped to do this the easy way, but we are prepared to fight you, if we need to,” Claudia argued.
“I don’t know what law you live by, but our laws say different. You abandoned the child after murdering four Enchantors. According to the laws of Heaven, we could demand your life right now,” Aura said.
Paul glared at the Enchantor. He was aware that she had helped to give Natalie a new identity and knew the child would be in grave danger, if she left with Claudia.
“Shannon will remain with Mahlyssa. She has been adopted and her mother will retain all legal rights to her. Now I believe you have taken up enough of our time, so I must insist you leave immediately,” Paul said with an authoritative voice.
“This isn’t over. You had better hope you never leave her alone, because we will be back, with friends.” Aura was livid. She walked over and stood in front of Claudia. “You dare come here and threaten my family? I’m aware of that little book you have in your possession. Perhaps you should have done more to safeguard it. The book will be in ashes, when you return to London. For your sake, yourfriends better bring Hell’s army when you return, because that’s what it’s going to take to get Shannon away from us!”
Colin quickly grabbed his wife by the arm and scurried out the front door. They returned to London, before any damages could be done. Colin heard about some of the angelbloods, and the weapons they used. Claudia wouldn’t stand a chance with them; especially the descendants of the Archangels.
The first thing Claudia did when she returned was to go to the sideboard where she kept the book hidden. Aura was right; all that remained were the ashes. She stood paralyzed. How could the girl have burned the book from such a great distance? She was beside herself with rage, which she then directed towards her husband.
“Why did you do that?” Claudia hissed at Colin.
“Are you mad? They would have killed you if you touched Shannon. I told you this was a mistake. The child is an angelblood now. They must have given her some of their blood. She doesn’t even remember us.”
“What am I supposed to tell Natalie and Jeziel when they return?” Claudia asked.
“Tell them we tried, but the Guild threatened us and we had no choice, but to leave her there.”
“Do you think they’re going to believe us?” Colin thought about it for a minute, before walking to the other room. As Claudia followed him, she saw him packing. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“I have enough cash to live comfortably for the rest of my life. I have no intention of staying here, and waiting for those girls to come back. Youcan choose to stay or leave. It doesn’t matter to me now. But I’m going.”
“They will come looking for us Colin. We can’t escape them. We need to explain what happened. They’ll understand,” Claudia said, trying to reason with her husband.
“The only thing they understand is death and I won’t be a party to it. Are you coming or not?”
“No I’ll wait for them and hope they will be forgiving,” Claudia said. “You are a bigger fool than I thought. You should never have accepted that book. Now what do you have; a pile of ashes. For your sake, I hope you can remember some of the spells. You can take them with you to your grave.” Colin hurried out the door, slamming it behind him.
Claudia stood there stunned. She knew Colin would never return. She was alone now. She tried to remember some of the spells from her reading, but she hadn’t found anything useful in the pages. She would wait for Natalie and Jeziel. Surely they would forgive her after they learned of the threats that Aura made.
Chapter 15
Jeziel didn’t want to divulge the location of her new home to Aidan, so she had him take her to the cottage near Elijah’s home. Aidan had no intention of going inside. He meant only to drop her off and return home. Of course, Jeziel had other plans. “Will you stay with me for a while?” she asked him, in a pitiful voice.
“I need to go home. I promised to help with the wedding plans,” he said.
“I’m sure everything’s done. Please stay with me for a little while,” she pleaded.
“Perhaps I could stay for an hour.”
“Wonderful, I’ll make us some tea.” Even though she had been staying at the other cottage, she knew there was tea in the cupboards. This was a perfect opportunity to make Aidan jealous of the twin brothers.“I couldn’t help noticing how friendly Aura was with Dareus and Aureus today.” The wound on her hand was healed, but there was no need for Aidan to know. He never even questioned the color of her blood. Perhaps he was truly concerned about her wellbeing. She would use that sympathy against Aura.
“Aura is friendly with everyone,” Aidan
responded. “I’m sure she is, but I couldn’t help noticing how attentive Dareus was to her. Are they dating?”
Aidan suddenly became defensive. Jeziel knew that he regarded Aura as his wife. “Why would you ask me that?” “I didn’t mean to upset you. I just thought since she wasn’t involved with anyone else, she might be dating one of the twins,” Jeziel smiled.
“I doubt that Aura is looking for a relationship,” Aidan said, remembering Aura’s harsh words after he gave her Avriel’s ring. “Judging by the way she was acting today; she wasn’t very friendly towards you. You have to admit, she barely said two words to you the entire time we were there.”
“She was preoccupied withthe little ones.”
“It appeared to me, she was preoccupied with Dareus,” Jeziel insisted.
“I think it would be best if I left now. Thank you for the tea, but I really need to go home.”
“Afraid of what Aura might think?” Jeziel asked. Aidan gave her a harsh look, before standing up, and walking towards the door. “I realize that you have not yet accepted this, but Aura is still my wife!”
Jeziel hurried to him and placed her hand affectionately on his arm. “I’m sorry Aidan please stay. I can’t help myself. I think Aura’s taking advantage of you. You’re my friend, and I know she’s going to break your heart. You need to accept that her memory may never return.”
Aidan knew Jeziel was speaking the truth. Aura had accepted Avriel’s ring, but she made it clear she did not accept him. “If it were me, I would send her a message, reminding her that your heart is not to be toyed with. Why don’t we take a drive and we can have lunch and dinner together?” she asked.
Aidan thought about it for a minute. Aura had been ignoring him most of the day. Maybe Jeziel was right. It certainly did look like she was more than a little friendly with Dareus and his twin brother Aureus. Perhaps if she became jealous of Jeziel, she would be more receptive to making a commitment to him. Then, maybe she would remember how close they once were, and they could be a family again.
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