Angels of Gold (First Book in Angels Series)

Chapter 28

"I must give you this warning: your journeys will rarely ever go as you plan. You will make mistakes, and you will feel lost. Whenever that happens, look to the light and keep moving forward in faith." ~Seth Adam Smith

Lady Adaline

The next two days of our final leg of our journey go by quickly, not that I can complain about that though. We reach the end of the Land of Cassiel just as Phoebe and Blaze do. 

"Ryder!" Phoebe screams with delight as soon as she catches sight of her big brother. She comes sprinting over and practically pounces on him in a hug. "I missed you so much." 

"I missed you too, Phoebe," Ryder replies. 

Blaze and I make eye contact. "Lady Adaline," he begins. "I am sorry for the things I said in the Domain of Abathar Muzania." 

I give him a hug before I answer. "I don't blame you, Blaze." 

"But what I said was out of line," he argues. 

"You aren't at fault," I say sternly. "You don't need to apologize." 

"Lady Adaline!" Phoebe squeals, running up to me and giving me the biggest hug. 

"Phoebe!" I say with happiness and returning the hug. 

"I missed you," she admits, her face buried in my shirt. 

"I missed you too," I reply happily. 

"I think I am ready to meet the Angels," she says with confidence, bringing me back to that conversation we had that seems like it took place decades ago. 

"You are?" 

"Yep," she says, nodding her head. 

"Then let's go meet the Angels," I say, taking her hand in mine. 

The Portal isn't far from here, only taking us ten minutes to walk to it. 

There is a guard at the door to the Portal which doesn't surprise me in the least. 

"What is your business here?" He asks. 

"We are here for the Trial of Augustus, Warrior of Raphael," I reply with seriousness. 

"What are your names?" He asks. 

"My name is Lady Adaline, Daughter of Raphael, Warrior of Raphael," I reply. 

"I am Phoebe, Warrior of Arariel," Phoebe says with confidence, sounding older than she is. 

"I am Blaze, Warrior of Jehoel," Blaze says, standing just behind me with Ryder. 

"And I am Ryder, Warrior of Arariel," Ryder says. 

"Your father has been expecting you, Lady Adaline," the guard says. 

"Are we allowed to go through?" I ask. 

"Yes," he says, opening up the Portal's door. 

We each walk through and we transported in a matter of a seconds into the House of the Angels. 

The floors are marble with pillars all over. There are portraits and statues by the walls and the air smells like lavender. But my eyes aren't immediately drawn to the items in the foyer but to the figure in front of me. My father. 

"Adaline," he says. 

"Father," I reply, looking at him in the eyes. I run up to him and wrap my arms around his neck, giving him a hug. "Oh, Father! I have missed you so much!" I say with relief. 

"Well, it's been awhile, hasn't it?" He replies. 

"Too long," I reply. 

"I've missed you, my Little Angel," he says, using the name he used to call me by when I was a little girl. "Now, are you going to introduce me to your friends?" He asks. 

"Of course!" I reply as if I had forgotten about them. "This is Phoebe," I begin, introducing the littlest in the group. 

"Hello, Phoebe," my father says with kindness. "I am Raphael." 

Phoebe stares at him in awe. "Are you Lady Adaline's father?" She asks. 

"Yes, yes I am," he replies. "Do you like candies and desserts?" He asks. 

"Yes!" She says with excitement. 

"Well, there is this room in this house that is full of candies and desserts. Do you want me to show you it later?" 

"Yes, please!" She replies with giddiness in her voice. 

"This is Blaze," I say, introducing Ryder's best friend. 

"It's an honor to meet you," Blaze says with reverence. 

"It is an honor to meet you as well, Blaze," my Father says in reply. 

"And this is Ryder," I say in introduction of the man I am falling for. 

"Ryder," my Father says with thought. "Doesn't that mean 'knight?'"

"Yes," Ryder replies. 

"Well, I am sure that you are someone's knight in shining armor," Father says, giving me a look that tells me that he knows the truth. 

Ryder's face turns bright red with embarrassment.