Angels of Gold (First Book in Angels Series)

Chapter 4

"The messages must be stuck somewhere in the tube of light underneath the ocean that connects London and New York." ~Olivia Sudjic 

"So, wait, you are the Lady Adaline?" Blaze asks with shock. 

"Yes," Lady Adaline replies for what seems to be the hundredth time. 

"So where is your knight in shining armor?" He asks. 

"What?" Adaline asks with confusion.

"You know," he says. "Augustus." 

"I don't know." 

"You have gotta know. I mean, you guys did love each other," he says like it's obvious. 

"Do love someone, Blaze?" Lady Adaline asks, her head tilted to the side with wonder. 

"Her name is Vivian. She is my fiancé," he replies. "What does that have to do with anything?" 

"Do you know where she is all day, everyday?" She asks. 

"No." 

"Then that should answer your question. Augustus and I did love each other very much but that doesn't mean that I know where he is," she explains. "I think that it would exhausting to always know where the other is." 

"True," Blaze says with astonishment in his voice. "You are very wise." 

"I am well over two hundred years old! I better hope that I would be wise at this point," Lady Adaline replies with a role of her amber eyes. 

I hear the doorbell ring so I head back downstairs, leaving Blaze with Lady Adaline and Phoebe which who knows what he is going to say next. 

I open the front door to see a man dressed in the armor of the Assembly of Angels. "Is Lady Adaline, Daughter of Raphael, Warrior of Raphael, present in this house?" He asks in a grave voice. 

"Who's asking?" I ask. 

"I am Benedict, Warrior of Gabriel, Messenger of the Assembly of Angels," he replies. 

"She is here," I reply honestly. 

"May I enter?" He asks. 

"Why?" I ask with hesitancy. 

"I have a message to deliver to Lady Adaline from the Assembly of Angels," he replies. "It is of the most importance that I deliver this message to her." 

I lead him up the stairs and to the study. The minute Benedict enters the room, all is silent. "Lady Adaline?" He asks, his gaze on her. 

"Yes?" She replies. 

"I have a message from the Assembly of Angels," he explains. "In two weeks a trial shall be held for Augustus. You are invited by the Archangel Raphael, your father, to attend and possibly testify at this trial." 

"Tell me, if I do attend this trial, will I be put to trial for my actions?" She asks with worry. 

"The Assembly says no for you, according to the evidence, were not lusting after him but the other way," he replies. "The Assembly needs an answer, Lady Adaline. Will you be attending?" 

"How can I answer that?" She replies. "It hasn't even been a full day since I have been awoken." 

"Shall I tell them that you are undecided?" Benedict asks. "I don't think the Assembly will be pleased with that answer." 

"They are only pleased when they receive the answer they want and nothing else," Adaline replies. "Save a seat for me at the trial but I cannot make any promises for me attending." 

"I shall," he replies with a sigh. 

Benedict makes his departure and Lady Adaline lets out a sigh of relief. 

"Lady Adaline, are you going to go to the trial?" Phoebe asks from beside her. 

"I should," she replies. 

"Why wouldn't you?" I ask. 

She looks up at me before answering. "I don't love Augustus," she replies. "I did love him but not anymore." 

"Why?" Phoebe asks with almost sadness in her little voice. 

"Phoebe, there comes a time in some relationships that you realize you weren't meant for the other person," Lady Adaline replies in the simplest way possible. 

"When did you stop loving him?" Blaze asks. 

"A long time ago. I loved him when I put myself under the curse but when you are essentially asleep for two hundred years, you have plenty of time to think. I slowly fell out of love that doesn't mean that I don't think he is a good person. We just weren't meant for each other," she explains. "How long does it take to get to the portal to the Assembly of Angels?" 

Blaze and I both look at each other before answering in unison. "Twelve days." 

"What is it like on the way there?" She asks. "The terrain, the people?" 

"First you will enter the fire domain, then the land of nonstop thunderstorms, then domain where your soul will be searched, and then the Land of Cassiel before you get to the Portal," I explain. 

"Can I do it alone?" She asks. 

"Not easily," Blaze replies. "It can be dangerous." 

"Then who would I go with?" She asks with confusion. 

Blaze looks at me and I look at him. "I have nothing better to do," I reply with a shrug. "Blaze?" 

"I'm sure Vivian wouldn't kill me for taking a break from wedding planning," he replies with a shrug. "But we need to leave tomorrow. The more time we have, the better." 

"Lady Adaline?" I ask. 

"Yes, Ryder?" 

"Do you want to go to the trial?" I ask. 

"I wouldn't want to burden you," she says, hiding what she truly wants. 

"You wouldn't be. It's a good learning experience for Phoebe," I reply with a shrug.