An Angel's Crusade (An Angel's Wings Sequel)

Chapter Four: Spy or Friend?

Kinsley

Aiden leads Kinsley, Charlie and Asher to a space filled with tents. It must be the heart of the camp. He stops in front of two guarded tents. "Mr. Mooley, you'll be evaluated in this one." He motions to the tent to his right. "And Kinsley, you're in this one." Kinsley notices that her tent is much more guarded than Charlie's. "We ask you to leave your swords outside the tent. If you give it to one of the guards, he will bring it to our cleaner. She'll sharpen and clean it and it will be returned to you when you return with your friends," his eyes lay on her, "if you return to your friends."

"Let's get this over with," Asher growls and he nudges his brother forward into the tent, handing Charlie's and his baldrics to one of the guards. Before walking in, he catches Kinsley's gaze, narrows his eyes, then ducks into the tent.

Aiden steps closer to Kinsley. "After you." He gestures to the entrance and with a scowl, Kinsley takes her baldric off, feeling the hilt of her black steel blade, Vicki's blade, and shoves it at one of the guards. He gives her a dirty look, but Kinsley ignores him and steps in.

When she enters and her eyes adjust to the slight change of lighting, she's taken aback.

"Iris?" She can't even hide her surprise. "What are you doing here?"

The fiery haired White Angel has her arms crossed intimidatingly over her chest. Her emerald green eyes are daring anyone to cross her.

She looks dangerous.

"Caesar said we could accompany you for the interrogation," she says.

Kinsley doesn't know who Caesar is, probably the leader, but she's glad Iris is here. She nods to Kinsley and Kinsley returns it.

"It's not an interrogation, simply an evaluation," Aiden says suddenly.

Iris' eyes flick to the White Angel boy. She regards him calmly. "You can call it anything you want, but it doesn't make it any less prejudice and stupid."

Aiden smirks and green eyes meet green eyes. "It's just a precaution."

"I think Kinsley proved herself when she fought for us," Iris argued. "She's no longer a threat to the White Angels. You think I'd let her near my friends if she were?"

Aiden tilts his head. "I'm not doubting your instincts, but after what you've gone through today, we just want to make sure, and we will with this evaluation."

Iris lets loose a long exasperated sigh, but she takes a seat in one of the four chairs set up in the middle of the tent.

Aiden smiles, victory twinkling in his eyes. He walks past Kinsley and sits in the chair across IRis. He looks at Kinsley and gestures to the chair diagonal to him with his head.

Kinsley sighs to herself and flops into the chair, feeling very exposed with her back to the tent entrance.

"Okay," Aiden starts. "I'm going to ask you a few questions. Please answer them truthfully and as well as you can. Understand?"

Kinsley nods.

He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small notebook. He flips a few pages and finally leans back. "Okay, so you were a Dark Angel."

"No, I just dye my wings black," she says sarcastically. "I have to do it every few months otherwise the natural color starts showing."

Aiden doesn't smile. He sighs and leans forward. You aren't making this any easier for yourself, Kinsley. There are White Angels here who want your wings burned off and your head separated from your body. This evaluation decides whether that happens or not."

Kinsley's eyes narrow.

"You try to hurt her, you'll have to hurt me," Iris growls.

"We don't want anyone hurt," Aiden says. "At least I don't and neither does Caesar. Just answer the questions and we can get you to your friends."

Kinsley ndos, defeated.

Aiden nods, this time no victory in his eyes. "So, you were a Dark Angel?"

Kinsley nods. "Yes. I was with them for seventeen years, but before my eighteenth birthday, before I could become a real Dark Angel, I left."

"And why did you leave?"

Kinsley shifted uncomfortably. "I couldn't trust them. I thought what we were doing was right, but I learned they were lying to me. I was being used, tricked."

"We received information stating you were romantically involved with one?" Kinsley's head snapped up. "Are you still?"

"Excuse me?" she snaps.

"Are you still romantically involved with the Dark Angel?" he asks again.

Kinsley feels her face heat up. Her hands grew sweaty and she feels like all the breath was taken from her lungs.

Owen.

He betrayed her. He took advantage of her. He used her love to his own benefits. He killed an innocent boy.

Did she still love him?

Yes.

"No."

Aiden's eyebrows lower. "No?"

"She said no," Iris growls. "If you don't believe what she says, what does this matter?"

Aiden's eyes lay on Iris and he smiles. "I just wanted to make sure. She sounded a bit doubtful." Iris glares at him, but he only gives her a wink. She narrows her eyes. He shrugs and looks down at his notebook. "Let's continue. What can you tell me about Mateo Boyle?"

"He's the leader of everything. He's the one who wants Iris." Iris stiffens next to her. "He originally picked me for the mission because I hadn't gone through the Change and I was a girl." Kinsley hesitates for a moment, knowing what she's going to say next will make her look really bad. "They wanted me to get Iris and the rest of the White Angels to trust me, but after I encountered her and a few others in the forest, the mission was compromised and it changed to just capturing her."

"So your mission was to get Miss Cooper to trust you?"

Kinsley nods, knowing where he's going with this.

"And here you are, with her trust." He sits back in his chair.

Kinsley nods. "Maybe. Maybe I killed my people for it. Maybe I fought my boyfriend for it. Maybe I had my best friend killed. All just to get close to Iris Cooper." She nods her head. "If you believe that, then take me out of here and execute me. If you truly believe that then I guess there's nothing I can do about it." She folds her arms across her chest and leans back.

Aiden stares at her, his green eyes filled with uncertainty and maybe even a little pity.

"Clear her," a voice says behind them. Kinsley turns around to see Alex standing in the entrance. "She's not a spy. She helped me escape from the Dark Angel compound, and she's my friend." Kinsley's cheeks flare up and she looks away. "Clear her."

Aiden narrow his eyes. "I have one more question for her."

Kinsley looks back at Alex and sees him glaring at the other boy.

"Are you still a Dark Angel?"

Her head snaps back to the White Angel soldier. A Dark Angel? She has black wings...but does that make her one? "Yes." Aiden sits up. "I will always be a Dark Angel, just as you will always be a White Angel. But I no longer support them. You can carve wood into a little figurine, but it's still wood."

Iris stands up. "Are we done?"

Aiden also stands. He's almost a whole head taller than Iris and she looks ridiculous standing up to him like she is. "Yes, Miss Cooper. Kinsley has been evaluated and she does not seem to be a threat to anyone anymore."

Kinsley stands and Aiden's eyes drop on her. :Though we will be keeping an eye on her and Mr. Mooley."

"Come on, Kinsley," Iris says coldly. "Let's go get our swords back." She turns to Aiden. "You can tell Caesar that we will be leaving tomorrow." And with that, she exits the tent, Kinsley following and Alex behind her.