by Linda Creel
Eve nodded.
“All these years – I thought Lucifer cared about me, but I was just another of his pawns. Now, Shanna is dead because of me.” She looked at Uriel. “I will accept whatever punishment the Council decides. Giving my life is the least I can do to right this terrible injustice.”
“Shanna may not be able to return to earth, but she is far from dead,” Uriel said. ‘She is beginning a new life; a happier life. As to your punishment – there were mitigating circumstances which forced you to make poor decisions. As you said, Lucifer deceived you.”
“If she held the feather of trust, we would know if she were loyal to Heaven,” Bren suggested. “Paul was a murderer and Jesus forgave him. He became one of the twelve apostles.”
Uriel smiled at his granddaughter. She was wise beyond her years. “If she would be willing to hold the feather, then perhaps we could put this matter to rest.”
“Don’t be afraid, Mehri,” Bren said. “I know the feather will find the goodness in your soul, and you will be forgiven. Besides, your mother was the real monster. She would have killed you, if she had been given the chance.”
Mehri forced a weak smile. “I don’t think I am worthy of forgiveness. I am Lucifer’s wife.”
“Yeah, but it wasn’t a real marriage,” Bren insisted. “Unless there was a church ceremony, and it was recognized by God, it doesn’t count. Isn’t that right, Mommy?”
Eve nodded. “See, even Mommy agrees. OK, let’s get this over with so we can go home. I’m getting hungry for some more of those hotdog fingers.”
Uriel called for the feather. It was a one foot plume, and at the tip there was a golden eye. When he passed the quill to Mehri, she was reluctant to take it in her hand.
“It will not harm you unless your soul is consumed with darkness,” Uriel said.
As Mehri held the white feather, she felt a subtle, soothing warmth in her hand. The golden eye opened, and a light radiated down her arm until it reached her chest. With eyes closed, her lips trembled, and she held her breath, waiting to be engulfed by fire, and then turned to ash.
A soft glow enveloped her entire body, and the light beam stayed over her chest for what felt like an eternity, but couldn’t have been more than a few seconds. The light then disappeared, and the eye closed.
Mehri felt her cheeks redden. She stared at the flume, but couldn’t bring herself to look Uriel in the eye.
It was Bren who spoke. “You see -- the feather didn’t burn you. You passed the test.”
“My granddaughter is correct, but the problem is what to do with you,” Uriel said. “I suppose you could stay in Aeden, but you should be forewarned that if Lucifer knows you’re here, he may come looking for you.”
“We aren’t afraid of Lucifer,” Bren said. “If Mehri was given the blood of the angels, she would have extra protection.”
Eve smiled at her daughter. “With permission from the High Council, we can allow the children to exchange their blood with Mehri, Katie and Sophia. Under the circumstances, it isn’t safe for any of them to leave Aeden now.”
“I think we can make an argument with our brothers,” Raphael said. “In the meantime, you should return to Aura’s. We’ll notify you of our decision within the hour.”
“I don’t understand,” Katie said. “Isn’t Paul going to test us first?”
“There is no need,” Eve replied. “Neither of you are angel-bloods, but we can change that.”
Katie bit her lip as she looked to Sophia, who shrugged her shoulders. “What do we have to do?”
“We’ll talk about that after the Council makes their ruling. For now, we should go back to the house. Samhael may return, and we don’t want him to know what we’ve just discussed.”
“I know some of Lucifer’s plans, and I will do whatever I can to help you,” Mehri said as she hung her head. “It’s the least I can do.”
“Grab each other’s hands,” Bren said. “We might as well get them used to using the portal.”
The little ones held onto each other, while Eve took Katie and Sophia’s hands. Before the girls knew what was happening, they vanished, and re-appeared in front of Aura’s house.
Katie slipped to the ground again. “I’m sorry, but this is a lot to take in.”
“You have no idea,” Bren thought as she opened the door and guided the little ones to the dining room.
Aura waited for everyone else to go inside. She didn’t feel like having a party. Even though she knew Ryan would be called to Heaven; she still lost her best friend.
Eve didn’t pressure Aura to talk. She allowed her to deal with Ryan’s death on her own terms. Tomorrow would be one of the hardest days in Aura’s life, but unfortunately, there would be many more difficult days. I pray our children have the strength for the tasks they will face in the coming weeks. Our lives may depend on them.
The rest of the evening was a bit of a blur for Aura. Even though she knew Ryan was safe; she couldn’t get it out of her head that he was killed in Aeden.
Since Shanna was an angel-blood, the ground would be hallowed. That might not make a difference for Lucifer, but it might keep the less powerful dark wings away.
Eve notified Ella about her brother’s death, and then she and Angie left to prepare Ryan’s body and the funeral hall.
They had just been there when Gregory Godwin died, and the seat coverings and satin ribbons still adorned each pew.
Chapter 58
Paul stopped to see Jeziel and Elijah after he delivered Ryan’s body to Father Patrick. He recommended they not attend the young priest’s funeral. Neither Jeziel, nor Elijah, really knew Ryan and not everyone would be receptive to the presence of Lucifer’s daughter, especially Mehri.
Raphael informed the girls that the Council had agreed to the blood exchange, so when Paul returned to Aura’s house, he gathered everyone into the living room.
Gertie volunteered to give her blood to Mehri. Despite her young age, she knew what it felt like to be alone after Mortriel killed her parents. Ava and Alli would exchange their blood with Katie and Sophia.
Only a descendant of the archangels was given permission to perform the ceremony. If anyone else tried to use the rod, they would burn. At first the girls were anxious, until they saw the six-inch, translucent, glass dowel had a head no bigger than the eye of a needle.
Even though Aura swore Richard couldn’t have been involved in Ryan’s death, according to Mehri, Richard and Samhael were good friends. Lucifer didn’t confide the details of his plans with her, but she felt certain Richard may have had some responsibility in the attack on Utopia which led to the Crestwell’s death.
Will, Joshua and Jade stayed until the exchange was complete. Then, they returned to Utopia with Rita and Jessica.
Rita was still insistent on linking Richard to the attack which killed Will’s parents and left his brother, Arian, missing. She didn’t have the proof she needed, but after the funeral, she planned to make finding evidence to convict Richard her number one priority.
The Crestwell’s memorial service was scheduled for the next afternoon at one o’clock. Because of the time difference, it would be 8a.m. in Aeden. Since there were no bodies, the service would be brief, so Rita and her Utopian friends would be back in time for Ryan’s funeral.
Ryan’s funeral – he was mortal, so they would have to bury him in a plot behind the mortuary. His parents, who were killed in an auto accident a few years back, were already there, along with Hespa’s human husband.
Ella took the news about her brother better than Eve expected. Either she was doing a good job of masking her grief, or she realized Ryan was probably already in Heaven and was better off.
Eve cautioned her to stay in Aeden for a few days. She knew Jasper had been taking her to different cities to determine where they would honeymoon after their spring wedding, but for now, they needed the protection of the Guild.
Five deaths in three days – Lucifer was up to something. No one knew if, or w
hen, Samhael would return, but they were pretty sure Stella wouldn’t be coming back. Mehri insisted that Samhael took his daughter to Purgatory, where she would be protected.
“Yeah – he can keep on thinking that,” Bren said. “Sooner or later we’re going to bring those other kids’ home, and if Stella is there, I might just bring her back too. Then, she’ll know what justice is.”
Tracy and the other little ones nodded. They didn’t know Shanna or Father Ryan that well, but they knew Bren’s family was close to them.
By midnight, Aura had stored the leftover foods in the fridge and the house was back in order. The kids were bathed and settled into the beds in the dormitory. She set out camisoles and short pajama bottoms for the older girls.
Gertie insisted Mehri and her friends sleep with them. Aura had plenty of spare jeans and sweaters, and they could go back to the apartment in the morning to get the rest of their clothes.
Mehri would not be returning to the cottage; it was too dangerous. Eve and Angie volunteered to bring her belongings, but she wanted nothing. Samhael had filled her closet and she didn’t want to be reminded about Stella.
Finally, Aura didn’t have any more excuses for staying awake. She stepped into the warm shower, hoping the water would relax her.
Unfortunately, the visions of Ryan kept creeping into her head, and she started blubbering like a love-sick fool. Thankfully, the sound of the running water drowned out most of her whimpering.
She finally got herself together and climbed into the bed with two of the three-year-olds. With their arms wrapped around her, she closed her eyes, hoping she wouldn’t wake them with her sobs.
Chapter 59
By the time the sun started peeking through the dormitory window the next morning, Aura and the girls were just waking. Despite all the visions popping in and out of her head, Aura managed to get a few hours of sleep.
Her godfather and his son, Rusty wouldn’t be attending the funeral. Though Howard wanted to be there, he was on a mission for the Council. Aura suspected it must have been really important because nothing kept Howard or Rusty from being there when she needed them.
Once again, everyone would be dressed in white to celebrate the beginning of a new life for Ryan and Shanna.
Aura couldn’t help feeling if she had disobeyed the council and given Ryan her blood; he would still be alive, although that didn’t change the outcome for Shanna, and she was an angel-blood.
The Witches Bane was a powerful poison and not something generally used by the fallen angels. They preferred an outright physical attack. This was a new strategy; one that was pretty effective.
Three of their friends were killed with the ancient toxin, leading Aura to believe there were others helping the dark wings. Who, she didn’t know, but she swore to find out, and then she would personally avenge Ryan’s death.
Stella – how could they have not seen she was Nephylim? At least they knew Samhael took her to Purgatory. Bren and Tracy had already been there, and would be more than happy to go back to rescue the other angel-bloods and deal with the traitor.
For now, Eve made them promise they wouldn’t go there again because they would be walking into a trap. Bren and Tracy were powerful angel-bloods, but they weren’t immortal. If Mortriel or Samhael could capture them, they would have leverage.
Today was Halloween, and although Aura didn’t agree with her parent’s decision to take the little ones to Savannah to go trick or treating, she was looking forward to having some time alone.
Rita and Jessica returned to Aeden just before breakfast was served. The memorial service for Will’s parents lasted only half an hour, and the boys didn’t feel like hanging around for the traditional, ceremonial wake afterwards.
Ryan and Shanna’s deaths gave them the excuse they were looking for. They intended to pay their respects to the young priest, but if the truth be told; Will couldn’t tolerate being in the same room with Joshua’s family.
Every time he looked at Richard, or his daughter Natalie, they seemed to be sneering at him. Maybe it was him just being paranoid, but he felt like the walls of darkness were closing in on him.
Will couldn’t get it out of his mind that the last conversation he had with Arian was an argument about Natalie. Would he ever see his brother again? Jade was convinced Arian was alive, but Will wasn’t sure. Despite their disagreement, the brothers were tight. Arian would have found a way to come home if he were alive.
“What if he’s hurt and he can’t come home?” Jade asked.
Rather than debate the issue, Will walked away.
Rita and Jessica convinced the boys to accompany them to Savannah. Not that they planned on trick or treating, but Rita wanted to keep a close eye on her little sisters.
The rest of the Guild would be there, and the plantation had more than enough bedrooms to accommodate all of them. Since Eve was raised there, and her mother Alice, died on the property, the ground was hallowed.
Whether that would make a difference in keeping Lucifer and his disciples out was yet to be determined, but Rita was ready for a fight if it came to that. She was tired of being on the losing end; it was time to retaliate.
At 10 o’clock, the families left for the mortuary. Rather than use the portal, they piled into several vans and cars to take the fifteen minute jaunt. Mehri was nervous about meeting Ryan’s sister, but Aura assured her Ella would blame Samhael and Stella for using the poison, not her.
Eve decided to dress Ryan in one of his black pin-striped suits, with a white linen shirt and blue tie to match the color of his eyes. She thought it would be too much for the family, especially Aura, to bear, if he was wearing his vestments.
Paul warned her about the dangers of getting close to a mortal, but Aura ignored his warnings. How could she ignore someone who was so kind and generous -- who put others before himself?
Now, she couldn’t help thinking it was somehow her fault that Ryan and Shanna died. Lucifer’s visit to Aeden wasn’t a coincidence. There was a connection to the deaths, and she was determined to find out what that connection was.
The large mahogany doors were already propped open when they climbed the stone steps and filed past the large pillars into the funeral hall. Father Patrick was standing at the dais watching Ella, who stood next to her brother’s open bronze coffin.
A rosary was wrapped around Ryan’s left hand; a gold bible was clasped in his right. The pained expression that distorted his face the night before was gone, replaced by a subtle smile at the corners of his mouth. Ryan was at peace.
Eve found pictures of Shanna and her father when she was a little girl – where -- she had no idea, but they were displayed in the front of the hall, along with pictures of Sophia and Katie.
Aura recognized the other members of the Guild, but there was a little girl and another angel with them, she didn’t know. Maybe they were friends from Savannah.
The male was blonde, and his eyes were a soft lavender-gray color, but as Aura stared at the child, she realized her eyes and hair were the same color as her own.
As far as she knew, Esra was the only other angel who had violet eyes. She wondered if this little girl was somehow related to Esra, and if she had second sight. The next time she saw her great-grandmother she would ask.
The service began as soon as everyone was seated. Aura felt sorry for Father Patrick, who had to stop a couple of times while he was delivering the eulogy because he was so overcome with emotion, his voice started to crack. Finally, he got through the ritual and managed to squeak out the last prayer.
Before the family said their final goodbyes, they watched a gold light envelope Ryan. Even though his body was still there, Aura knew his soul had gone to Heaven, and somehow all the sadness she was feeling disappeared.
Paul and Adam waited for the hall to empty before placing the glass lid on the coffin. They carried it out the back door and buried Ryan next to a fountain with a statue of Gabriel. Aura wondered if Bren had a little something to do
with choosing the location.
Everyone else had gone, but Aura waited so she could place a white rose on top of the mound of dirt. I will get to the truth, and whoever was responsible for this heinous act will be punished.
Laying the rose gently on top of the heap, she turned and walked to her car. She had promised to meet Ryan’s sister, Ella, at his bungalow, so they could go through his personal possessions together. First, they would return to Aura’s house where a light fare would be waiting for them.
Aura really hoped the little girl would be there. Even though she had never seen her before today, there was something familiar about the child.
By the time Aura arrived at her house, the rest of the family was already inside. Bren and the little ones were in the dining room filling their plates. Paul and Adam were in the library with Mehri, talking about who knew what.
Even though it was a celebration of life, Aura’s mood was somber. Most of the group walked on eggshells when they were around her, except Bren, who was talking excitedly to the little ones about trick or treating in Savannah.
Aura was disappointed that the little angel and her male friend, whom she saw at the mortuary, didn’t come to the house. Maybe they had other duties, but she really wanted to speak to the child. She was curious about her eyes and wanted to know if she was a seer too. There was something memorable about her, but Aura couldn’t put her finger on it.
The family sat in the living room, reminiscing about Ryan and Shanna.
Katie and Sophia were still trying to wrap their heads around everything that happened, especially since they were angel-bloods now.
One of the first things they wanted to do was change the color of their hair back to blonde. They already had a target on their back; there was no reason for them to stand out like a sore thumb. Bren promised them they would be safe in Aeden, but their shield hadn’t saved Shanna, or Ryan.
At least Aura got to see the light surround Ryan, and she knew he was in Heaven, which gave her some comfort. Still, they had to find out who was pulling the strings and killing all of their friends.