Wanting to soak it all in before they left, Eden found her feet slipping away from the group. The grass was soft and cool between her toes, the sun was bathing her back with its warm rays, and the gentle breeze sent the ivy on the surrounding walls dancing. It felt magical. Stooping down, she let her hand glide through the blades of grass, when something caught her eye. There was something growing. Cocking her head to one side, she was overcome with a desire to touch what appeared to be a small sapling. Just as her fingers extended, her body hurdled back, flying through the air, and landing with a thud.
“Do not touch it, Eden!” Gabriel’s voice roared with such authority it scared her. Gasping for air, she grappled with what just happened. She gaped at Gabriel standing over her, sword drawn, spitting flames.
Where’s the danger? She searched Gabriel’s stone-hard face, trying to understand. He didn’t flinch, only held his sword like he was ready to strike. Wait, he thinks I’m the threat! She scrambled to her feet as someone pulled her up from behind.
“Are you ok?” Micah held onto her arm, looking her over.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She glanced back at Gabriel. “What did I do?”
Gabriel’s face softened, but his stance remained rigid as he hovered over the small tree. “Eden, I can’t permit you to touch this tree. For this tree, no mortal’s permitted to touch until the great judgment, when He shall take vengeance on all and bring everything to its consummation forever. It shall then be given to the righteous and holy to eat.”
“Just like it says in the Book of Enoch. How interesting,” Micah commented next to Eden.
How interesting? Eden gaped at Micah. Gabriel’s talking crazy and I’m shaking head to toe!
What frightened her even more was how powerful a being Gabriel truly was. She had grown accustomed to their easy relationship; she sort of forgot who he really was.
With wobbly legs, she shuffled away.
“Eden, wait,” Gabriel called.
She hesitated and then peeked over her shoulder. Gabriel lowered both of his arms and a line of Cherubim immediately surrounded him, their flaming swords drawn and ready. Without a word, the angels encircled the sapling. Gabriel examined them and then sheathed his sword. His eyes met Eden’s as he walked towards her.
“Eden, I’m sorry. I know that seemed a bit rough, but I had to keep you from touching this tree,” he explained once he was close.
She nodded, staring at her toes. Somewhere in her mind, she wondered where she’d tossed her shoes earlier.
Micah touched her arm. “You need to understand… this is Gabriel’s first command from the Captain. He’s to protect the Tree of Life.”
“I know. I read it in the Bible,” she whispered.
Micah’s eyes widened. “That little tree’s the same tree that was in the Garden of Eden. It’ll grow and the Cherubim will stand guard, protecting it until the day the Captain returns.”
She supposed that should make it all fine, but for some reason, she couldn’t tear her eyes from the ground. In her peripheral, she saw Gabriel shift his weight between his feet, his hands balled up at his sides.
Trent called out, “What happened?”
It didn’t take long for everyone to gather around. Micah told them. She was embarrassed more than anything else. With the Cherubim glaring them down, eventually they all backed away, leaving only Gabriel and her left. Perhaps Micah sensed she needed a minute alone with her guardian.
“You understand, right?” Gabriel asked. His tone sounded worried.
“I wouldn’t have tried to touch it if I’d known.”
Gabriel exhaled. “It’s my fault. I should’ve been looking for it. I wasn’t expecting the tree to appear so quickly. You had no way of knowing what you were doing.” He paused and then his tone became lighter. “Just because I’m an angel doesn’t mean I’m perfect. We mess up too sometimes.”
She peeked over at him. There was small smile on his lips.
“Sometimes?” she teased.
He grunted.
“I’m fine, really. You just scared me a little.”
“You aren’t afraid of me now?” He cocked an eyebrow at her.
“Should I be?”
“Maybe, but I don’t want you to be.”
Why I ever deserved him as my guardian, I’ll never know. She threw her arms around him before she could second-guess herself. He stiffened, and then slowly, she felt his warm arms wrap around her.
The Awakener Page 54