by CS Yelle
“Did he?” I asked.
“Of course he did,” the man screamed, his face turning red.
I looked at Allister as he stared at me. My eyes urged him to speak in his own defense. Seeing hope at last, he nodded and turned to the council for the first time since I’d arrived.
“May I speak?” Allister asked humbly.
“The council recognizes the accused, Allister Parks,” a council woman said.
“I found Britt on the riverbank, no sign of life and a shell of a human being. Something about her spoke to me, urging me to reach out and touch her. I had to save her.” He turned back to me as the men holding him let go. “I didn’t care if she was here, or gone. I only knew I wanted her, no, needed her with me, more than I’d needed anything before. So if you say I am guilty for touching her knowing she may be dead, then I am guilty.”
A roar of outrage erupted from the chamber.
“No,” I cried in shock.
It took a moment, before the noise finally ceased and Allister, still holding my gaze, continued. “I saw the beauty in her and knew that if by my touch I could bring back something to this world as glorious as she, it was worth any price.”
Tears ran down my cheeks as he spoke, the words touching deep within me.
“He’s guilty,” the haughty man repeated. “He admitted it, he is guilty. Carry out the sentence.” He motioned to the men flanking Allister. The two men grabbed his arms once more and the third reared back to remove Allister’s heart.
“No,” I screamed, leaping between Allister and the Eternal poised to kill him.
Cries flew up around us, although I couldn’t tell if they were in protest or approval. The hand, seeming to move in slow motion, drove forward as I stood in front of Allister. The executioner couldn’t or wouldn’t stay his strike and hit my chest with his full force, driving the air from me and pushing me back into Allister and the two men holding him. We tumbled backwards to the floor as I landed on top of Allister with him safely behind me.
The other men were upon us at once, pulling us apart and lifting us to our feet. They stared in shock as I stood between them with the two holding my arms, not a scratch on me.
Another group of men surrounding Victor jostled with the others for better vantage points.
“This is outrageous,” Victor shouted over the chaos. “The council needs to rule based on the new findings and not allow Prosecutor Hamlin to act as both judge and executioner.”
“Agreed,” a voice said from the vicinity of the council though I couldn’t see over the mass of Eternals now surrounding us.
“No,” Hamlin shouted. “It is time for the council to realize they are no longer ruling in the best interests of the Eternals. Cowering before Victor Parks is no way to govern. Now is the time for a new order to take control. Men!” His last was spoken as an order.
A rush of hundreds erupted from the gallery thrusting the Eternals into a coup, a full blown coup.
“Victor, Angelina, Jennavia,” I shouted as I sidled up and took hold of Allister.
The three Parks pushed through the crowd as Eternal fought Eternal; those who supported the council and Victor against Hamlin’s Eternals supporting the coup.
Victor pressed Angelina and Jennavia next to me. “Take them to safety,” he ordered.
“I need to stay and fight,” I protested wanting to use my new strength.
“This is not your fight,” Victor pointed out. “Please, take them out of here. You’re the only one who can travel through these walls.”
Allister stood next to me, his hands freed from their constraints and wrapped his arms around me. Without any sort of ceremony he kissed me hard and passionate, then stepped back, beaming.
“Please, take them out, Britt,” he shouted over the chaos. “We’ll catch up with you later.”
I leaned in and kissed him hard then pulled away with a nod. I extended my hands and each woman took hold of one. Everything before me blurred and pain erupted in my head. I tilted my face to the sky and screamed as I thought my head would burst from the pressure. I forced my mind to concentrate on the study even as my arms and legs began to burn.
“Britt, Britt don’t go. Stay here with us, fight Britt. We love you, don’t go,” Jennavia and Angelina’s words reached me from far away.
“Britt, please, my love. Stay with me forever, stay with me,” Allister pleaded.
I couldn’t open my eyes to see him. The pain, so intense, I begged for it to end. Nothing hurt like this before and I just wanted it over.
It did end, but not the way I’d hoped. I eased my eyes open, seeing the sterile walls of a hospital room; the sounds, muffled at first, slurred into clarity as the whirring and beeping of machines and monitors brought back all too familiar memories.
I glanced to one side as a nurse checked my IV. The room was familiar, yet confusing. This wasn’t Grand Rapids. This wasn’t Rochester Mayo. This was…
“Where am I?” I whispered, the effort burning my throat.
“Oh, you scared me.” The nurse jumped, putting a hand to her chest. “You’re just fine. You’re going to be just fine.”
“What happened, where am I?”
“You’re at the Ely Hospital; they found you by a river.”
I tried to sit up only my arms and legs wouldn’t work. I hurt all over. Did I dream it all? I panicked, unable to wrap my head around it. Ely was the nearest hospital to the BWCA. And the waterfall.
“Easy, you’ll pull your IV out,” a soft voice cautioned.
I turned my head and he sat looking at me. His bright smile not as bright, his normally sparkling eyes clouded with concern. Allister stood up and moved over to my bed, and sat down on the edge.
“Oh my God,” I gasped, feeling the tears threatening. “I thought it was all a dream.”
“A nightmare, you mean.” Allister frowned.
“As long as I have you, it’ll be a dream.” I smiled through wet eyes. “What are we doing here?”
“You must have lost your focus because you traveled to the edge of the very river where we first found you.”
“Why am I here?”
“The traveling with Angelina and Jennavia pushed you to your limits. You were badly burned and they needed to get you here to treat you.”
“Why didn’t Angelina or you just heal me?” I frowned.
“Britt, you’re more angel than Eternal now. We can’t heal you like we once could. I guess our abilities are limited to humans and Eternals. You’re something entirely different.”
“Bastion,” I gasped, remembering the Eternal now knew where I lived.
“Don’t worry. I think Bastion will have more important things to worry about. The Eternal Council survived the coup and all Eternals involved with the attempt will be hunted down and imprisoned. Bastion is in league with Hamlin. He should be on the run for a long time.”
“Let’s hope so.” I felt my tension ebb. My friends and family were safe.
“There is going to be a lot of trouble over all this. They asked Victor to take control of the council again.”
“And?”
“He’s thinking about it.”
“What about us?” I asked the question foremost in my mind.
“I think my family wants to stay in Grand Rapids for a while, if that’s okay?”
“Okay? It’s more than okay.” I sat up, ignoring the pain in my damaged, shifting skin as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
Allister sensed my discomfort and looked at me with concern. “Sore?” he asked.
“Yeah. Can’t I heal like before?”
“Angels are actually a lot more resilient than we are, but you pushed it. Even immortals can push too far.”
“Then don’t make me come save you again, okay?” I smirked and gave him a kiss. This forever thing might turn out yet.
THE END
Epilogue Trish’s Jeep sat alongside the road just before the ‘Welcome to Grand Rapids’ sign as Elise and Trish worked at chan
ging the large off road tire. They’d struggled to get the spare off the back and now worked to jack up the back side of the Jeep.
“You’d think with all this racing around with Kendal,it would have gone flat then,” Trish grumbled. “Not now.”
“Quit complaining and let’s get this thing changed. Cassie is waiting for us to pick her up at the hospital.”
A sleek black Mercedes pulled up, the windows tinted too dark to see who was inside. The window hummed down partway and the girls turned to see the nose and jaw of the driver inside illuminated by the fading sunlight.
“Need some help ladies?” the driver asked them. “I think we got it,” Trish called out and turned back to changing the tire.
“Maybe we can catch a ride to the hospital and have the boys come out and get this?” Elise hated manual labor.
Trish straightened with a hand to her back as she considered the comfort of the black Mercedes. She nodded, “Alright, thanks mister.”
“No problem, no problem at all.” The man smiled and ran his tongue over his shiny silver tooth.
Stay tuned for book two of The Angel Crusades Summer 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my wife for her patient support of my writing. My four children, Ruth and Dale who are constantly cheering me on. My Roseville writing group, (Celia, John, Quinette, Cathy, and Michelle) who helped me wade through uncharted waters. And to Heather. Without her insight and input, this book would definitely be lacking. And to Sheri and Mike for the support an author can only dream about. You guys are awesome! About the Author
C.S. Yelle was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MN, the “almost” middle child of six. He attended Grand Rapids Senior High School where he enjoyed music and sports. He received his BS in Chemistry from Mayville State University, Mayville, ND in 1987. He taught 7-12 Science and coached for six years in several North Dakota schools and currently works as an Executive Account Manager in the Water Treatment Industry where he has been for over eighteen years. He is the father of four and grandfather of one. He writes novels, screenplays, and an occasional short story. He has been writing seriously for over 15 years and plans to continue until his fingers are unable, maybe longer. He currently resides in a Minneapolis, MN suburb with his wife Jennifer.
Other titles published previously:
Reclaiming Ter Chadain Black Stones of Ter Chadain
Follow CS Yelle on Facebook or go to his website: http://p8.hostingprod.com/@csyelle.com/