Avenging Cupids

Chapter 16: Elle's Tale

“Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle.” 

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

“But—but—how can that be?” Willow had begun to pace the deck. She was so sure she had seen Alden’s wings at the beach. She thought she even felt them. She didn’t have much of an imagination so there was no way she thought up the wings on her own.

“Did you expect anything else?” Alden asked with a raised eyebrow. There was a curious twinkle in his eye that made Willow almost think that he wanted her to believe otherwise—to believe that he was an angel. So strange, twinkles.

“Well I just assumed…since you two are related and all.” Willow didn’t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. It was strange. Just a little over a week ago, she would never have believed in angels even if their wings were flapping right before her eyes. Now it seemed as if her practicality had run stocking-thin.

“Elle’s only my stepsister and Nicollette is my stepmother,” Alden said, his eyes moving from side to side as he watched Willow stride. That little fact definitely explained why he called Nicollette by her name. He turned to Elle. “It’s time,” he said with a shaky voice.

Elle nodded her head in understanding. Willow watched her make her way towards the bar. Again. Her wings were folding in on themselves until disappearing into her back. All that was left of Elle’s beautiful wings was a pinhead of white light between her shoulder blades. That had vanished too by the time she reached the bar.

Willow wondered if Elle was born with some kind of pouch inside her back that housed her wings when they weren’t in use. Like a marsupial or something.

Elle seized the entire Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey bottle, obviously deciding that one shot—or even one full-sized glass—was not enough. She didn’t even bother with a chaser.  She made her way towards Willow, holding the bottle in her arms as if it were a newborn baby. Once she reached Willow, she freed an arm and held her in place. “You may need to sit down,” she said. “There’s more to this than meets the eye.”

Elle led her towards the white lounge sofa, Alden following in their wake. Willow bent her legs and let her body collapse onto the plush lounge. While Alden sat beside her, Elle made herself comfortable on the coffee table opposite them.

“Wills,” she said, “my brother and I think you’re ready to hear our side of the story. Can we trust you?”

“Of course you can,” Willow avowed. She snuggled closer to Alden and looped arms with him as if they were getting ready to watch a horror movie. A part of her was excited and another part was nervous at what she might hear. She thought she had life somewhat figured out and Elle was about to throw confusion into the clumped mix.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 Elle took a masculine swig from her bottle before finally beginning.

“If you haven’t put two and two together yet, my mother’s an angel. She’s a lower rank than your parents but an angel nonetheless. She is—or was, to be exact—an angel in the lowest celestial sphere—the archangels. They work as heavenly warriors and guardians. She was my father’s guardian angel.