by Avery Tingle
don’t have a lot of time.”
He took a step back. “So let’s get started.”
ANGELICA ST. MIHR: Alpha Radiant
A series of gentle knocks on her heavy wooden door roused Angelica St. Mihr from restless slumber. As she turned over, she first saw Saji, her pet tiger, curled up comfortably at the foot of her bed. The massive tiger looked like a big, striped orange ball. She turned over onto her back, irritated at being disturbed from sleep. She stretched, revealing her intimidating claws before finding comfort in a curved position, belly exposed. Before long, she was snoring again.
“Angelica, honey, do you want to open the door? This stuff isn’t light, dear.” It was a kind voice at the other end of the door, and Angelica quickly shook off the previous night’s sleep and kicked her long legs over the edge of the bed. “Coming, Grandmom.” She replied. She pulled down the long, white silk robe from the coatrack that stood near her bed and put it on quickly, pulling her lengthy, light-brown hair out from under her robe and letting it flow freely.
She opened the door with a smile, but when she saw what her grandmother had, she was moved. The older Angel looked up at her and smiled. “You want to take this, please?” She asked, passing her the tray.
“Yes, Grandmom, sure! You didn’t have to do this, though!” Angelica took the wooden tray from her grandmother and ushered her into the simple home. The tray carried a plate of three fresh pancakes covered in fruit, scrambled eggs, three pieces of bacon and a cup of coffee that was so strong that merely taking in the aroma was enough to completely wake her up.
Angelica’s grandmother was aged. Her body had actually begun to break down as she refused to reincarnate. She was slightly hunched with coarse black hair that clung to her scalp, contained by a handkerchief she’d put on one summer and never removed. She was dressed in a simple green dress patterned with white dots, her eyes were so deeply brown that they were nearly black, her face freckled, her skin a dark brown. She was always smiling, no matter the occasion. She also walked quickly, belying her great age. She’d carried Angelica’s breakfast up nearly a mile-long hill. “Well, I had an ulterior motive for wanting to see you this morning, baby.” Her grandmother spoke as Angelica took a seat at the two-seat dining room table near the bed. The woman squatted, petting Saji on her open belly, and the cat purred loudly in content before rolling onto her side.
Angelica said a quick prayer, grabbed the fork near the scrambled eggs and began to eat. “Mm.” She swallowed her food before speaking. “Thank you for breakfast, gran, but you can always just come up.”
“This is different.” Her grandmother replied quickly, sitting across from her. There was seriousness in her face reserved for dire occasions. Angelica frowned. “What is it?” She asked as she finished her scrambled eggs.
Her grandmother took a deep breath, and then reached across the table to take her grandmother’s hand. “Angel…I saw Reiko leave here last night.”
Angelica blanched; her eyes went wide, she dropped her fork and it clattered to the ground. “What?” She breathed.
Her grandmother nodded. “I know, honey.”
Angelica suddenly felt sick. She’d taken such precautions…
“Baby, you need to know.” Her grandmother began, “I don’t care. I love you no matter what.” She raised her eyebrows, nodding her head. “You understand me, child?”
Angelica swallowed to keep from bawling and nodded, grateful. “Yes, gram. Thank you.”
“Good. Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold. I didn’t walk a mile up that hill for nothin’.”
Angelica smiled and bent down to pick up her fork. Her grandmother shushed her, rising from the table. “Don’t you put that back in your mouth, Angel. I’ll get you a clean one.”
Angelica chuckled and passed the dirty fork to her grandmother. “Thank you, gran.”
The aged woman moved to the sink at the corner behind her. Pumping the well twice, she rinsed the fork off and left it in the sink. She then reached into a drawer underneath the sink and pulled forth a new, clean one. “So…” Angelica asked hesitantly as her grandmother passed the utensil, “…does anyone else know?”
Her grandmother raised her eyebrows and sighed. “Your sister knows. She was with me when Reiko flew from this place like a thief in the night.”
Angelica winced. Oh, no. Tatyana doesn’t need to be burdened with this.
“Child,” Her grandmother began ominously, “It will not be long before your grandfather discovers the truth. He knows we’re hiding something and you know how tenacious he can be.”
Angelica nodded curtly. “I know how vindictive he can be, too.”
Her grandmother scowled. “Angelica. Don’t be like that. He’s still your grandfather.”
“Until he finds out the truth.” Angelica shot back. Before her grandmother could reply, Angelica raised her hand. “Grandmom, I mean no disrespect, but let’s be honest with each other. Granddad reveres the Chronicles. He follows the rules. When he learns about me and Reiko--”
“You are still the best escort in the region.” Her grandmother put forth sternly, pointing at Angelica, “He’s not just gonna excommunicate you; he’d have the whole town up in arms.”
Angelica was silent. She’d seen that finger enough as a child to know what it meant.
“Besides.” Her grandmother sighed, leaning back, “With the spike in new arrivals across the Radiants, he needs you now more than ever. Even if he doesn’t want to admit it.”
She looked at Angelica and smiled warmly. After a second, Angelica’s fear melted and she laughed. The girl took the coffee cup and drank. “So granddad’s still mad at me, hm?”
Her grandmother quickly raised her eyebrows and cocked her head. “You challenged his authority in front of the entire town, Angelica. ‘Mad’ doesn’t quite cover it.”
“I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful, Grandmom, you know that. But I’m not gonna pretend I agree with something I know is wrong.”
Her grandmother chuckled. “Oh, I know that, Angelica. I helped raise you, remember?” Again, she made eye contact. “But there were other ways to go about it. You could’ve waited until the gathering was over.”
“I’ve tried that.” Angelica replied, finishing her coffee. “He wouldn’t hear me then. He most certainly won’t hear me now.”
“So you challenge a man’s ego in front of his people?” Her grandmother said, “Have you learned nothing from me all these years?”
Angelica laughed. She took a breath and said; “You know I’m right, don’t you?” Her tone was hopeful as she leaned in, folding her arms on the table. “It’s not our job to decide the fate of the new arrivals. Our job is to help them acclimate, nothing more. Where the new arrivals go should be left to Yin and Yang.”
Her grandmother was surprised. “Yin too? Even after all she’s done?”
Angelica nodded quickly. “That’s what the truce allows. She has dominion over her own lands, and we should respect her sovereignty as much as she respects her brother’s. Grandmom, what if someone decides that a new arrival doesn’t belong because they don’t acclimate? You’ve seen plenty of souls like that.”
Her grandmother nodded in agreement. “I have.” She said sadly, “And I do think you’re right; no good will come from the escorts deciding the fate of the transcendents.
I’ve also lived long enough to know that everything happens for a reason, whether or not we agree with it, or even understand it. This decision is out of our hands. We’ll know more when the decree is handed down.”
Angelica pursed her lips. She was relieved at the confirmation, but her grandmother’s words brought her no peace.
Her grandmother read her emotions and sighed, taking her hand and squeezing it as she rose. “Well,” She sighed, “At least now I know why you never took any of those boys up on their offer.”
Angelica chuckled involuntarily. “I’m sorry, Grandmom.”
“Don’t apologize for who you are, child. We’ll d
eal with your grandfather when the time comes.”
Angelica nodded. “Thank you.”
“He’s at the summit communing. Why don’t you join him?”
Angelica immediately shook her head. “I’m not a child anymore, gran. He won’t wanna see me.”
“Try anyway.” Her grandmother urged, “You never know when it might be your last chance.”
Angelica had promised her grandmother to return a clean tray in short order and then seen her out. Her grandmother still burst wings effortlessly and silently, although they were a deeper shade of orange than most. She had learned to control the sound over time.
Angelica had finished her breakfast and dressed casually. She only needed the fancy garb if there were new arrivals. She’d dressed in a thin, black wool sweater and brown leather jeans. She then stepped outside, burst purple wings, and began a slow flight to the top of the hill.
Isobella Flats was a beautiful little town, always had been. It was nestled high in one of the many grassy slopes that comprised the low mountain range on Heaven’s Northern side. They were close enough to the wintry mountains to enjoy stunning winters, but far enough for the weather to be comfortable.
A single row of stairs led from the bottom of the mountain, several miles below, and then stopped roughly four miles before the apex. Anyone seeking the summit would have to fly. The residents had found that to be a good test of a new arrivals acclimation, to see whether or not they’d mastered their
