“We’ll make it through this, Roxy. We’ll figure out … we’ll figure out what we’re supposed to do. We have to.”
“I guess you’re right. I can sleep out here on the couch if you want. You’ve had a hard day.”
“Roxy,” said Imorean, looking at her and furrowing his brow. “You have had a much harder day than I have. Take my bed. I can sleep out here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Go and make yourself comfortable. I need to go and talk with my mom anyway. She’ll be wanting to know what’s going on as well.”
“Good luck. I don’t think I’ve ever seen your mom quite as upset as she was this evening.”
“That’s encouraging,” sighed Imorean, standing up. He extended his hand down to Roxy to help her to her feet.
“Thank you,” said Roxy, taking his hand and standing slowly.
“Come here,” said Imorean, pulling his friend into a tight hug. He realized it was his turn to be upset, as he buried his head in the crook of her neck and drew a shuddering breath. He held tight on to Roxy. Memories of Vortigern swimming in front of his closed eyes. Once more, he saw the hot, bitter desire for murder, his murder, flashing in Vortigern’s eyes. Again, he saw the tip of Vortigern’s sword through his feathers and the glee on the man’s face. Imorean swallowed hard. Roxy had just been a means to an end, but he, Imorean, was the end. He was the one Vortigern wanted to bring down.
When Imorean spoke again, his voice shook. “God, I am so glad you’re all right. I thought … I thought we’d lost you. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“Not so easily,” replied Roxy, a fragment of her normal humor returning to her voice. Imorean smiled shakily. He needed her more than ever right now.
“Let’s get you in bed,” said Imorean, releasing her from his hug. “And then I’ll go and face my mother.”
“Good luck,” said Roxy, offering him a small smile. Imorean returned it with one of his own.
Chapter 34
Only mere hours later, Imorean found himself once more opening the door to his house for Michael and Gabriel. The two Archangels were dressed identically. Imorean himself could barely tell the difference between them. Had it not been for their small difference in height and marginal eye color difference, he wouldn’t have been able to.
Imorean looked over his shoulder, his mother and Roxy were waiting in the living room. Not for the first time that weekend, Imorean was glad the twins were away at his grandparents’ house.
“So, you’re taking my son to Baffin Island?” said Amelia, scowling at Michael as he stopped in the center of the living room.
“It seems to be our only choice, Mrs. Watson,” replied Michael.
“We’ll do our best to take care of him, Amelia,” said Gabriel, stopping next to his brother. “Felsenmeer is a strong base. He will be safe there.”
Amelia simply shook her head and crossed the room to sit down next to Roxy on the couch. Imorean could sense both terror and disgust rolling off his mother in waves.
“Your best doesn’t seem to be very good,” she scoffed, folding her arms.
“Have you found Roxy’s family?” Imorean asked, shutting the door to the house and sitting down next to his mother.
“We have,” replied Michael. “They were in Tennessee, not too far from here, but …”
“We had an issue,” said Gabriel.
“What happened?” asked Roxy, her eyes wide with worry.
“They are with the rest of your family, but they’re being watched by Vortigern’s forces. They appear to be safe, but we have no way to get close to them. You mentioned that you had an altercation with them after you told them what we had done?” asked Gabriel, speaking with measured words.
“I did,” nodded Roxy.
“Due to the fact that we cannot get close to them, it is not safe at the current time for Roxanne to return to them. It is also unsafe for her to return to her home as its location is now known. Perhaps it would be possible to arrange for her to stay here with Imorean until we are ready to leave,” said Michael, speaking to the entire room.
“Amelia?” asked Gabriel, looking at Imorean’s mother.
“I would have no problem with Roxy staying here for a while,” replied Amelia.
“Are you sure?” asked Roxy.
“It’s nothing we haven’t done before, Rox,” said Imorean, walking forward so that he stood on Michael’s other side.
“I know … but it’s different this time.”
“No, it isn’t,” said Imorean, shaking his head.
“We’ll be glad to have you,” nodded Amelia. “Gabriel, would you want me to go and speak with Roxy’s parents? I’m human after all. I may not be quite as visible.”
“What needs doing is not something a human is capable of doing. Also, it would be extremely risky for you to do,” said Gabriel, his eyes wide in concern.
“But I want to. Maybe I could talk to them. It would help Roxy,” said Amelia.
Imorean watched as Gabriel and Michael exchanged a glance. There was hesitation in both of their eyes.
“If you can arrange to meet with them, preferably on neutral ground or here behind our barriers, I will go with you,” said Gabriel.
“Then it looks like that’s what we’re doing,” replied Amelia, raising her chin and looking between Imorean, Michael and Gabriel. “Now. What’s the deal with this Felsenmeer place?”
“Felsenmeer.” Michael stepped forward. “Used to be the site of our elite training. We closed it down after everything began to heat up with Vortigern. We thought it better to centralize all of the students. Now, however, we need to move Imorean and it would not be right for us to move him on his own. He would be far too lonely at Felsenmeer with just myself and the staff for company.”
“So, you’re perfectly content to risk the lives of other parents’ children as well?” snapped Amelia, her hands on her hips.
“We are caught in the middle of a war, Amelia. I am afraid this is the way it has to be,” said Michael. “As it currently stands, all of our students are at risk.”
“Why not give all of them elite training?”
“We –” began Michael, his voice sharp. Suddenly he stopped himself and pinched the bridge of his nose, huffing in irritation. “Mrs. Watson, we do not have the time, nor do we have the resources. Please, say that you are finished interrogating me. Imorean is not my sole order of business today.”
“No, I’m not finished. I’m his mother. I think I have a right to all the information.”
“I’ll answer any questions you might have,” said Gabriel, stepping forward and crossing the room to stand near Amelia’s side of the couch.
Imorean felt a flicker of irritation as Gabriel rested a hand on Amelia’s shoulder. Michael cleared his throat and Imorean turned back to the commander.
White wings shrugged as Imorean tucked his hands into his pockets. “So?”
“When you arrive, the training center will be in the depths of winter. Due to your angelic genes and your Archangelic ones in particular, you will be able to ignore the cold for the most part. By and large, supernatural creatures do not feel temperatures. However, due to inclement weather conditions, most of your training will take place inside.”
“How many of us will be there?”
“It will be you, your squad – whoever may be on it – and the head trainer, medical, cleaning and cooking staff. It is likely that after some time Uriel will join us there as well. Gabriel may come and go intermittently, as may Raphael, but for the most part, they will now oversee Upper Morvine.”
“Who’s the head trainer?”
“Me,” said Michael. “I will ensure you have the best possible training and every advantage that I can give.”
“When are we leaving?” asked Imorean, glancing at his mother from his peripherals. He noticed Michael follow his line of sight.
“After Christmas.”
“You’re still set on that date the
n?” snapped Amelia, turning sharply to glare daggers at Michael.
“I am sorry, Mrs. Watson. But I cannot afford to wait any longer. Vortigern is at large, he knows Imorean is nearby. It is likely he knows already where to find him. We cannot risk that. Vortigern has an angel on his side, an angel that I trained. Imorean’s safety and his life are on the line. You cannot possibly tell me that having Imorean here with you for a few more weeks means more to you than having him alive.”
Amelia took a deep breath and when she spoke, her voice was soft with shock and horror. “His life? That’s what’s at stake?”
“If Vortigern gets his hands on your son, he will kill him. I will do everything in my considerable power to defend him, but Imorean cannot rely on my protection forever. He must learn how to defend himself.”
“I hate this,” said Amelia, her dark brown eyes boring holes into Michael.
“I know. I wish I did not have to take him from here and I know that you hate me for it.”
“How are we getting there?” asked Imorean.
“We will be flying from Raleigh to Iqaluit, in Nunavut, Canada.”
“Why couldn’t you take him somewhere closer?” asked Amelia.
Imorean looked at his mother in sympathy. He could hear the worry, fear and distress in her voice. This was exactly what he had wanted to avoid.
“The more remote a place is, the easier it is to keep it a secret,” replied Michael. “That, and we angels have always operated far outside the reaches of humanity. You humans enjoy poking your noses into our business far too much.”
“That’s hilarious. You’re the ones who’ve come poking your noses into our business, the way I see it.”
“Can we please stop arguing,” said Imorean, folding his arms. “It isn’t helping anyone. Michael, I assume we aren’t stopping in Iqaluit?”
“Correct. Our final stopping point will be Felsenmeer Academy, several miles away from the town of Pangnirtung. The base is better known to the locals as Felsenmeer Arctic Research Station.”
“I’ve never heard of it,” said Imorean.
“That is the general idea of a secret location. Felsenmeer is tiny and extremely isolated. That is part of the reason that Vortigern has never found it.”
Imorean nodded and caught sight of Roxy watching him with wide eyes.
“Michael,” said Imorean, catching the Archangel’s attention.
“Yes?”
“Roxy took a course in first aid during high school. Would that qualify her to be part of the squad?”
Michael turned his gaze from Imorean to Roxy and Imorean watched him with bated breath. This was perhaps Roxy’s only chance to come with him. Internally, he begged for Michael to let her come. There was a flicker in Michael’s eyes and the Archangel nodded.
“Yes, I think that would work well. A medic is always necessary. Upon arrival, we can pair her with the medical staff and later Raphael. He can build on knowledge that she already has.”
“Thank you!” exclaimed Imorean, almost overwhelmed by the urge to hug Michael. He restrained himself though, fearing what the Archangel’s reaction may be.
“I think that is all we have. Gabriel, do you have anything else you wish to say?”
“No, I’m all done.”
“Good,” nodded Michael. “Mrs. Watson, I thank you for being as understanding as you have been, and I apologize for all of this. It is never our intention to disrupt the families of our students.”
“You say you’re sorry, but you don’t mean it,” said Amelia, glaring at Michael.
“Accept the apology with grace, Mrs. Watson. Imorean, I will come for you the day after Christmas. Miss Daire, you will leave that day as well. Gabriel will return and collect your fellow squad members and students later.”
“What about my parents?” asked Roxy.
“We will work out the details with them soon. Miss Daire, Mr. Frayneson, be ready when I come back. Take this time to prepare and gather yourselves. I will see you in two weeks.”
“Two weeks,” said Imorean, speaking for himself and Roxy.
Imorean walked with the two Archangels to the front door and watched silently as they exited. He swallowed hard and looked at Roxy. He could see his own emotions reflected in her eyes. She was just as worried as he was about what was to come. In just a few weeks, they would be pulled even deeper into the world of the angels.
End of Book Two
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Angels Soaring (Angels Rising Book 2) Page 32