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

Chapter Nineteen: If I Could Fly Seven-Hundred Miles

Iris

After we got Nancy into the car — making sure we took the whisky bottle from her first —

I watched Payton — once again — drive away. The last time we made eye contact through a side mirror, the Dark Angels were coming and Leo was taken.

The memory doesn't sit well with me.

"Okay, so, what's the plan?" Aiden asks clapping his hands together.

"We should go back to the White Angel camp," Daniel says. "We're safer in numbers."

Aiden's face actually seems to drop in disappointment. He doesn't want to go back to them.

Maybe it's the part of him that wants to be alone, maybe it's something more.

"Not when they're about to be attacked by an army," Asher argues. " The further from them

the safer we'll be."

"Until we need their help," Daniel counters. "Until a scout troop finds us and we're too far away from them to help."

"You said it yourself, the Dark Angels are focused mainly on your army; they aren't looking for us."

"But Jayden told me that Mateo still wants Iris," Kinsley says.

I feel my stomach drop a bit.

The grey-eyed girl meets my eyes. "His main focus might not be on you, but I have no doubt that he's going to send some troops after you."

I nod slowly. "I know, but I agree with Asher." I turn to Daniel. "We can't go to the White Angels. If Kinsley is right, then we'll just be bringing more Dark Angels to them, and they're already outnumbered."

Daniel narrows his eyes, but nods.

"Splitting up their forces is a good plan, but it still begs the question: Where are we going to go?"

I watch Aiden as his brow actually furrows as he thinks.

Suddenly, it pops up. He leans into Daniel's ear and whispers too quietly to hear.

Daniel frowns, looking a bit annoyed of Aiden's closeness. But he does nod and whisper back.

"Care to share?" Bailey asks practically rolling her eyes with her voice.

Daniel continues to frown as he acknowledges her. "We know a place. The troops have used it as a safe house of sorts."

"And the Dark Angels don't know about it?" Alex asks.

"Oh, they know about it," Aiden says. "We just told you for the fun of it."

Alex frowns at the sarcasm while Aiden's grins at the snarky comment. The corners of Daniel's lips twitch.

"How far is it?" Kinsley asks ready to calculate the time it would take.

Daniel and Aiden exchange unsure glances.

"How far?" Alex asks, annoyance tainting the words.

Daniel sighs. "About seven-hundred miles."

"Where the hell is this place?" Bailey asks.

"California."

I let loose a breath full of worry and disappointment. "Payton will never make it that far." I shake my head. "We can't carry her that many miles."

"She could drive," Alex says encouragingly.

"They don't have that kind of money. To pay for hotels and gas, that'd be‒"