“Then we’ll go with you. When do you want to leave?”
“We should go now; the sooner the better. I don’t know when Richard might try to contact you again.” “He called this morning to check on me.” “Richard removed your fathers curse. Since the spell is broken, he can’t change you back again.”
“I suspected as much . I lived as a hideous creature for so long. But what about the boy;won’t the Guild want to punish me for taking him in at Richard’s request?”
“I have no doubt you saved Arian’s life. They will see the same goodness in you I see. My family trusts me more than you know. They would never go against one of my visions and I see a happy reunion for you and your daughter. The Guild will know how hard you worked to keep Arian alive. Were you not responsible for nursing him back to health when he first arrived?”
“He was in terrible shape when Richard brought him here. I thought in the beginning he might die.”
“He didn’t die because of your efforts and I know his brother will be grateful to you for taking good care of him. Why don’t you bring the others to the room and we’ll tell them our good news?”
“Are you sure we will be accepted there?”
“They will love you, all of you.”
Mahlyssa smiled at her. Could it be possible she would finally see her daughter after all this time? She called the others to the room and told them they would be leaving the house immediately.
“Where are we going mum?” Shannon asked.
Aura was the one who answered. “You’re going home; somewhere safe and happy, where you will be loved by the rest of your family.”
“How are we going to get there? We can’t all fit in the car together.”
“You leave the transportation to me,” Aura winked at her. “Don’t take too many things. We can go shopping when you get there; perhaps just an overnight bag. I’ll have my father and his friends collect the rest of your things later today.”
“I suppose you’ll want to see the boy?” Mahlyssa asked. “He should be awake now.”
Aura followed her to one of the back rooms. She had an invisible guard on the room, so Arian couldn’t escape. The room was tidy and from his appearance, she could see Mahlyssa had taken good care of him. Aura introduced herself and said, “We’re going to see your brother today Arian. I know he has been missing you terribly.”
“What about Jade? Do you know if Jade is alright?” he asked weakly.
Aura smiled at him. “Jade is fine. You’ll see her today too.” Arian thanked her and Mahlyssa and Shannon helped him get ready.
When they were all packed Aura took them outside. “You’ll have to hold each other’s hands and put the bags over yourshoulders. This won’t take long.”Aura spread her wings and they gasped. They had never seen anything so breathtaking before. Her wings were pure white with tiny golden balls at the end of each feather. Aura looked at them and asked, “Are you ready?”
When they all shook their heads in agreement, she lifted them off the ground and took to the sky. They were at their new home a few minutes later. When they landed Aura could see they were shocked by the experience. Shannon asked excitedly, “Will I get wings too?”
“If your Mum says it’s ok, I’m sure I can arrange it.” Aura smiled at her new little friend.
Shannon begged Mahlyssa.“Please mum-can I?” “If Aura can arrange it, I see no problem,” Mahlyssa grinned at the young child.
Shannon was so excited her face was beaming. Aura would make sure one of the little ones passed their blood to her. She walked them into the house. As usual her father thought of everything. Though it wasn’t exactly like the home they left, it was warm and comfortable. She was grateful no one burned when they stepped on the property. They were all children of Heaven. Aura would ensure they were treated as family, because they were.
As they entered the house, Mahlyssa helped them choose their rooms. The refrigerator was stocked with foods and Aura was glad her father remembered to put the toiletries in the bathrooms. Her mother must have helped him because there were clothes in the closets sized perfectly for the new tenants.
Shannon’s room was pi nk with a butterfly mobile hanging from the ceiling. She loved her new room. She checked out the clothes in her closet with Mahlyssa. Aura knew they would not be treated like servants here; although she was certain Mahlyssa treated them like family in her other home. Aura promised she would return for them in a couple of hours.
“Before you leave there is something else I must tell you,” Mahlyssa insisted. “It’s about Richards daughter Natalie. I performed a spell on her, changing her appearance. She now has blonde hair and blue eyes and goes by the name Natasha. I feel terrible I helped Richard after everything he has done. I hope your family will forgive me?”
“They are your family now too Mahlyssa. Never forget that,” Aura smiled. “When I return, I’ll take you to meet them. You’ll have to stay here Arian, but not for long. I need to deal with Natalie first and then I promise I’ll return. We will all be celebrating something special tonight.”
Arian would use the time to clean up. He needed a haircut and when Mahlyssa offered, at first he was skeptical. He changed his mind after Aura reminded him that Mahlyssa saved his life.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can. Richard can’t bother you here. I swear you will all be safe.” Shannon came up and hugged Aura before she left.
Aura used the portal to return to her house. She arrived at her home before her family returned from breakfast. She was grateful she wouldn’t have to explain her whereabouts to them. The caterers showed up a few minutes later and she directed them to the kitchen where they could start preparing the menu.
She went into her room and picked out clothes for the little ones. Perhaps they would spend the night at home tonight after they saw what a good mood she was in. She thought about Aidan and wondered if she had gone too far with some of the comments she made. If he knew what she was planning it would only add to his grief. She needed to be careful to expose Natalie at precisely the right time. Aura knew Jayden would be most upset when he saw her, but she would deal with him later.
After breakfast Natasha excused herself saying she needed to return home to change. The others were still talking excitedly about the weddings. No one paid any attention to the looks she was giving to Jayden and Acadia; except Jessica and Rita. They didn’t want to talk in front of Will and Joshua so when they arrived home they told the boys they were going to change for the party.
Iris brought the two young men home with her. They were definitely pureblood angels. Aura wondered how Iris knew them, but their fathers didn’t. Perhaps they were born after the Guild came to earth. They didn’t look any older than Aidan, but then none of the men looked older than twenty five. Their hair was no longer braided. It was flowing freely past their waist.
Iris approached Aura.“This is Dareus and Aureus. They will be staying here for a while.”
“Will they be staying with us?” Aura asked, not noticing that Aidan was listening.
“No, I’m afraid they have a small home outside the valley. The boys are fond of horses and they found a nice piece of property where they can ride every day.”
“I never ride a horse,” Mia said.
“”We’ll be more than happy to take you for a ride,” Dareus said to her delight.
“Joey come too?” Mia asked.
The two brothers laughed. “Of course he can. We have a couple of miniature ponies that will be perfect for the two of you.”
Alannah looked at the brothers. ‘I’ve never ridden a horse either.”
Dareus knelt down in front of her. “We have more than enough horses at the farm. It’s actually good to exercise them on a regular basis. Maybe you and your friends can help us?”
Alannah looked at Bren and Tracy. “Do you want to go horseback riding?”
“Yeah that sounds like fun,” the two girls agreed. “I need my spurs Bren?” Meaghan asked.
“
No you won’t need them for those horses. You only need them for lazy horses.”
“Ok,” Meaghansmiled. “When we going?”
“We just moved in so we’ll need a couple of days before we can receive visitors. How about one day this week?” Dareus said.
“That’s good; as long as it’s not tomorrow. We’re going shopping in New York,” Bren reminded them. “You can let us know when you want to come. The farm is close and easy to find,” Aureus said.
“Would you like to join us?” Dareus asked Aura. “Certainly, it sounds like fun,” Aura smiled.
Aidan couldn’t help noticing how Aura’s mood had changed since this morning. He wondered if the arrival of the strangers had anything to do with her new frame of mind.
Aura pulled her father and the other Guild into the library after she was sure the caterers were settled in the kitchen. She often used their service, so they knew their way around. It was a blessing not to have to show them where everything was.
“What’s this about Aura?” Adam asked.
“When I left you after church this morning, I went to visit someone. I couldn’t tell you before, because I didn’t know how I would be received. I can tell you the visit went well and we can expect some guests here this afternoon.”
“Is this about the house your father and I built this morning?” Adam asked.
“Where is this house?” Joseph asked.
“It’s on Hespa’s property,” Aura said calmly.
“Were you given permission to build there?” Martin asked.
“No, but I’m sure if Hespa knew my purpose, she would wholeheartedly agree.”
“Why don’t you let her speak first and then we can have a discussion?” Adam said.
“I went to see Mahlyssa this morning. We had a long conversation and she told me about Richard and part of his plan. I can’t tell you everything yet. But I moved her and her family to the house on Hespa’s property because it was hallowed. I knew they would be safe there. Will’s bother Arian was with her,” Aura said honestly.
“Why would you bring her here?” Martin gasped. “She’s an Enchantor. Do you know what she’s capable of?”
“She has great goodness in her,” Aura affirmed. “If she was dark in any way, she would have burned when she stepped on the property. The fact that she didn’t, makes me believe she is still a child of Heaven.”
The men looked at each other. They knew Aura spoke the truth. “I still don’t understand why you brought her here. Surely she will want to meet Myra now,” Martin said.
“She should meet her daughter. Mahlyssa is not evil; quite the contrary,” Aura insisted. “She can help us finally bring Richard to justice. She has as much to lose as the rest of us. She has lived a miserable existence the last forty years. Perhaps it’s time for her to have some peace and happiness in her life.”
“Aura, those types of people can’t always be trusted,” Paul said quietly.
“If she wasn’t trustworthy how could she walk on hallowed ground?”
Jack who had been silent said, “I’m afraid Aura has a point. If she were evil, she would have burned. Since she didn’t, I believe she must still be faithful.”
“I’m planning to bring Mahlyssa and her family here this afternoon. I wanted to tell you first, so you could be prepared. Arian will also be coming. I know Will has been wondering about his brother since his parent’s deaths. Now we know the truth. It was Richard who captured him. Mahlyssa said he was in terrible shape when he first arrived. She spent a great deal of time nursing him back to health. If she was following a dark path, she could have just let him die.”
“I know you may not believe me, but my visions have never failed me before. I trust her explicitly and I know once you get to know her; you’ll trust her too.”
“We should wait to reserve judgment on this unfortunate woman until we’ve interviewed her ourselves,” Paul said.
“I need to take care of something before I bring them here. Please don’t ask me about it now. I promise you’ll know everything in a couple of hours. I’m asking you to trust me.”
“We trust you Aura. We will honor your request and see what happens,” her father smiled.
Aura hugged her father. “I need to get back to the kitchen. I promised Rita some stuffed mushrooms. Thank you for believing in me. I won’t disappoint you, I swear it.”
After Aura left, the Guild stayed behind to talk privately.
“At least now we have some answers about Richard. We can use this new information when we bring him before the Council with regards to Virgil’s death,” Adam said.
“I agree. We suspected Richard was working with the creatures. He will have to explain how he was uninjured, but was capable of saving Arian from them,” Joseph added.
“Aren’t you curious why he saved Arian? I would like to know what his plan was for the boy. I’m sure he had one,” Adam said. “Let’s not forget Richard took him against his will.”
“At least the boy is safe and he will be reunited with his brother today,” Paul said.
They looked at Martin who hadn’t said a word. “Are you concerned about Myra meeting her mother after all these years?” Paul asked.
“Of course I am. Myra was barely three years old when she came to Seraphon. She knows very little about Mahlyssa. I have kept everything I knew about her parents secret to protect her.”
“Myra doesn’t need protection Martin. Aura is correct. She should have the right to see her mother. If Mahlyssa is as Aura says, the reunion might be good for both of them. I’m sure Myra has wondered about her mother, now she’ll know,” Adam said gently.
“You may be right, but I don’t want Myra hurt.”
“Aura would never bring her here if there was any chance of that happening. Mahlyssa has put herself in great danger by coming. When Richard finds out Arian has escaped with her, he will not be happy about the betrayal,” Joseph said.
“The property will protect her. We’ll make sure Mahlyssa knows not to leave without one of the girls accompanying her. My daughters can use their shields to keep her and her family safe,” Paul said.
“You do realize Richard may come here?” Adam said.
“One can only hope,” Joseph smiled. They all looked at each other and nodded. If Richard was foolish enough to come to the valley, it would not go well for him. The men concluded their discussion and walked out of the library to join the rest of their family. They had a great many things to celebrate today.
Chapter 22
When Natalie left the restaurant, she couldn’t wait to find Jeziel. She had a lot to tell her. She found her at home and walked in the house to enlighten her with the news.
“Natalie I wasn’t expecting you to return so soon. How was church this morning?”
“Ugh. Thankfully it was a short service. They invited me to go to breakfast with them afterwards.” “So I take it no one recognized you?”
“Not at all, my new identity was quite convincing,” she laughed.
“What news do you have for me?”
“I can tell you that Aidan and Aura are at odds with each other. They barely spoke after the service and Aura went home without him.”
“He left her alone? That’s interesting. She must have seen me kiss him last night.”
“You kissed him? You didn’t tell me that. What was his response?”
“He certainly didn’t pull away as I expected. Maybe they aren’t as close as I thought. I need a little more time and then Aidan will join me.I’m sure of it.”
“He looked depressed today. I wouldn’t count on him leaving her yet.”
“I’m just getting started. I have a great many things planned for Aidan and I can assure you none of those plans include Aura. What else did you learn? Did you see Jayden?”
“Yes, he was co zying up to one of my grandmother’s servants. He acted as if we were never married and he was a single man.”
“Don’t do anything stupid. Remember your father warn
ed you to stay away from him.”
“I’m not going to do anything, but they invited me to a party this afternoon. Apparently Joshua and Will are engaged now to Rita and Jessica.”
Jeziel laughed. “Oh I bet your grandmother will be thrilled when she hears that good news.”
“I doubt she even knows. My father said she’s in Paris visiting Desiree.”
“So you’re going to the party?”
“Yes. They’ll all be there and I might be able to gather some information for my father.” Natalie looked at the clock on the wall. “I have to go. I wanted to stop by and see you first. I’ll come back afterwards and let you know what’s happening with Aidan and Aura.”
“Please do. I might visit Aidan again later tonight. I haven’t decided yet.”
“Well if you do, be careful. I know they’re looking for you and it won’t be good if the Guild finds you there.”
“I doubt Aidan would betray me to them, but don’t worry I’ll be careful.” The two girls hugged each other and Natalie left to get ready for the party. Jeziel sat there smiling, “Soon the ring will be mine, very soon.”
The Guild returned to the family room as most of the guests arrived. They said nothing of their conversation with Aura. Martin stood close to his wife Myra, who was talking with their son Logan. The girls were busy introducing Aureus and Dareus to the rest of the family. Aura was glad everyone was in a festive mood.
“I see you are in better spirits,” Aidan commented.
“Why wouldn’t I be? We have a great deal to celebrate today. Although I have to admit, I was surprised by Will’s sudden declaration of love. I certainly didn’t see that coming,” she laughed.
“They will be good together. I have no doubt Will loves her. I’m happy for them.”
“Yes, but it’s hard to imagine Rita as somebody’s wife. I wonder if they’ve discussed children yet.” “Don’t you think your sister wants to have children?”
I’m sure they’ll have children eventually, but I can’t picture Rita with the whole pregnancy thing. Maybe she and Jessica will have children together. Most of us were born a minute apart from each other. I often wonder if it was planned that way.”
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