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

Chapter Ten: The Last Goodbye

Iris

"No." I shake my head as hard as I can. "Hell no! You are not coming." I turn to Caesar. "He's not coming with us."

"Come on, Iris. You know you want me with you." Aiden has an amused expression on his face and I want to punch it off of him.

I try to ignore him and face Caesar again. "He's not coming with us."

"Miss Cooper−" he starts.

"It's Iris!" I snap. "It's not that hard to remember, and there's nothing left to say. We did fine on our own before, and we'll be fine now."

"You lost one of your own before," Caesar says.

I take a step back, feeling like I've just been punched in the stomach. I glare at him. "You have no right."

"Iris," he says softly. "You lost somebody." I want to walk away. To tell them both to just shove it where the sun doesn't shine, but something in his voice makes me stay. "You lost somebody in a horrible way. And though you'll never be able to replace Leo Foxxx, you can get revenge on the Dark Angel who took him from you and your friends. Mr. Davis can help you with that. He's a great soldier and he'll both protect you and help you avenge Mr. Foxxx."

I open my mouth to say something, but find that I have no works.

"Even if you say no," Aiden says, no longer smiling, "you can't stop me from following."

I frown. "What if my friends don't agree?"

He shrugs. "I don't need their approval. I'm not a proud man."

"So, it's settled." Caesar claps his hands together. "Mr. Davis will join you."

"How will he find you after?" I ask.

Caesar smiles and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "Oh, I have a strong feeling that we will see each other again very soon, Miss Cooper."

I don't even bother to correct him for my name. "Let's just go, Aiden." I snatch my sword from his hand and stalk back toward the camp, trying not to feel like a fly in a spider's web.

~

Nobody was especially happy about Aiden's tagging along, but Alex convinced them that the chestnut-haired rebel could do no harm.

And though he charmed his way through Alex, Bailey didn't go for it. "You may be charming, but if you try to hit on me, I'll shave your head."

Aiden grins. "I would never. I value my hair far too much." He gives her a wink and it's enough to cause alarm to Charlie, who grabs her by the shoulders and leads her safely away.

"She's not kidding," I warn him. "She'll shave you while you're sleeping."

He just continues to smile. "I'm a light sleeper."

I decide to leave him to his own defenses and walk up beside Asher.

For a few moments we don't say anything, but finally, I decide to break the silence.

"I know you don't trust him." He remains quiet. "It's not like I asked him to come."

"I know that, Iris," he says softly, but I can hear the edge in his voice. "I'm not mad, I'm just frustrated that we have him to worry about, too."

That sounds familiar. I turn to look him in the eyes. Those creamy brown eyes looking into my soul and my heart. "Maybe we won't have to worry about him. Maybe he's actually coming to help us."

Asher looks away, those brown eyes watching Aiden's every move. "Maybe." But doubt drips from his voice thicker than blood.

~

We all said one last goodbye to Leo before leaving. The wind had blown his ashes into the forest surrounding the battlefield, but the charred ground was enough of a grave for us.

Aiden respectively kept his distance, saying that he had to say goodbye to a few friends before we took off and for that I'm thankful.

"Goodbye, little brother," Gabriel says softly, his bright blue eyes glossy from incoming tears. His face contorts with pain and he opens his mouth to say more, but instead of words, a strangled sob comes out. Payton grabs his hand in support and pulls him away, giving a sorrowful glance to the burnt ground before leaving.

Asher steps forward next. "You'll never be forgotten, Leo Foxxx. You went through so much more than a fourteen-year-old kid should've, but you were strong all the way to the end, way stronger than me." Asher takes a deep breath, keeping himself together—barely. "Fly on, Leo." He meets my eyes and I give him a small, sad smile and he returns it with a nod. I watch as he slowly walks away.

Bailey goes next, already in tears. "You were the brother anybody would ask for. You were more than just a friend; you were my family. The moment I met you, the moment you asked me if I'd ever considered joining the eagles that lived in the mountains." She gives a laugh that is half a sob. "I knew you'd become one of the most important people in my life." She kneels down and touches her hand to the burned grass. "I love you, Leo."

When Bailey walks away, just Alex and I remain. Charlie had said a few words, but we all understood that he didn't know Leo well enough to have much to say.

So, Alex and I stand silent, both of us willing the other to go first.

Finally, he steps forward. "You were too young." His voice sounds so strangled I wince at each syllable. "You were too young and I dragged you into all of this." Tears did not fall from his eyes, but there's an emptiness in those blue storms. "I'm the leader, the oldest. I should have protected you." He pauses, guilt filling the air. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

I want to say something, but I can't find any words that could possibly help, so I watch in silence as he walks away.

At last, it's my turn. I take a deep breath and gather all of my strength. "I'm sorry we couldn't have that champagne." His soft brown eyes enter my mind. "I know we both would have enjoyed it." His young face. "And boy, could I use some now." His joyful laugh that could only make you smile. I close my eyes. "I'm going to kill him, Leo. I'm going to hunt him down and make him pay for taking you away from us." The determination in my voice is enough to make it harden. "I promise you. I will make Owen pay."