by SJ West
“I don’t have to stand here and take this,” Lorcan proclaims, phasing away before anything else can be said.
“Well,” Olivia says, looking shocked by Lorcan’s sudden disappearance. She looks up at Barclay and says, “General Stewart, by the will of the other royals here, I would kindly ask you to track your emperor down so he can be brought to justice for his crimes.”
“It would be my pleasure,” Barclay says, bowing to Olivia.
“Considering everything that has been presented here today,” Olivia says to us all, “I believe sufficient evidence has been presented to clear Empress Anna’s name and place the blame on the correct party: Emperor Lorcan Halloran of Stratus. I suggest we reconvene here once the emperor is captured to determine his punishment. Until that time, I officially adjourn this meeting and ask Empress Anna to forgive us for placing her on trial for a crime she obviously had no part in committing. Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for coming.”
I breathe out a sigh of relief as I sit farther back in my chair.
“What just happened?” I ask Malcolm, still stunned by the events.
“Helena saved you,” Malcolm says, equally shocked.
“Why would she do that?” I ask in confusion.
“I have no idea,” Malcolm admits, “but it looks like she might be coming over to tell us.”
Malcolm and I stand from our chairs as Helena walks down the steps from the upper level to our dais.
“I suppose you have some questions for me,” she says knowingly. The small, pleased smile on her face tells me she’s enjoying our bewilderment.
“Why did you help me?” I whisper, not wanting to be overheard.
“I didn’t do it for you,” she tells me in a low voice. “I did it for Cade … and for myself to an extent. I just came over here to tell you that, for now at least, I won’t be finding ways to attack you anymore. I’ve decided I want to try a different life, and I’m hoping Cade will be able to help me find a way to have it. I may not deserve his forgiveness after what I did to Virga and to you, but I hope he loves me enough to give me a second chance to prove myself.”
“I hope so too,” I tell her, truly meaning it. Selfishly, I assume that if she’s happy with Cade, she won’t have time to cause any more havoc in my life.
“Anna, you still have the rebellion angels to look out for,” she warns me. “They won’t be happy that I helped you today. The possibility of you being disgraced and exiled off Earth was the only thing that was keeping them at bay. You’ll need to figure out a way to deal with them.”
“Thank you for the warning,” I say. “I’m sure we’ll be able to figure out a way to deal with them.”
“Well, I should be going,” Helena says. “Hopefully, you won’t be seeing me for quite some time. It all depends on if I can talk Cade into leaving with me and starting over somewhere else.”
“Where will you go?” I ask.
Helena shrugs. “I don’t know yet, and it’s probably better if you don’t either.”
Helena phases away, leaving me stunned and hopeful of a brighter future without her in it.
Chapter 21
“She’s right,” Malcolm tells me, “we need to get back to the house and tell the others what’s going on.” Malcolm turns to my Watcher protectors who are standing behind us. “I need for you to gather all the War Angels and bring them to the house. I bet you anything Lorcan just went to inform the rebellion angels that Helena betrayed them all. They’re going to be livid and see Anna as their only target.”
“We’re on it,” Jered says as they all phase away.
“Come on,” Malcolm says, phasing us to our New Orleans home.
When we phase into the living room, Lucifer is there speaking with one guest I’m not surprised to see and one guest who is very unexpected.
Christopher, the rebellion angel who was acting as a go-between for us and our mole within the rebellion angel ranks, is standing beside Cleo. The last time I saw Cleo, she had brought a group of rebellion angels to this very house to attack my Watchers and me. I can still remember that fight. Jered had his arm cut off. Luna was just a puppy at the time, but she defended me and ended up being thrown against a wall, which injured her head. It was a horrible fight and one I would rather not relive today.
“So you’re our mole?” I ask Cleo as Malcolm and I walk up to the others.
Cleo tosses her beautiful long blonde hair as she considers me appraisingly.
“I felt like I owed Lucifer one for old time’s sake,” she says. “You look good, by the way. I can barely tell you just gave birth to twins. If your breasts weren’t so huge, I’d hardly even notice.”
“Thank you, I think,” I reply uncertainly. It may have been an oddly stated compliment, but at least she isn’t here to attack us. “Why are you here? I thought information was supposed to go through Christopher to keep your identity unknown to us.”
Cleo shrugs her slim shoulders. “I didn’t see the point. Hale and the others will be here shortly, and you’re going to need all the protection you can get. They won’t be coming here to make threats. They’re coming here to kill you and anyone who might get in their way.”
“Lorcan certainly didn’t waste any time,” Malcolm grumbles. “I should have killed him when I had the chance.”
“Yeah, I was with Hale when he showed up to complain about Helena saving Anna.”
“Did you have a chance to speak with her?” Lucifer asks me.
“Yes. She came to Malcolm and me before she left. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen Helena look content. She said she was going to take Cade somewhere else for a fresh start. I assume she meant to an off-world.”
“Good for her,” Lucifer says, sounding pleased by the outcome. “Maybe the talk I had with her this morning helped some.”
“Talk?” I ask, realizing that’s why no one knew where my dad was this morning. “What did you talk about?”
“I told her how sorry I was for what I did to her,” he tells me. “I should have done it a long time ago, but I was just too stubborn to admit that how she turned out was my fault.”
“That must have been hard for you,” I say.
Lucifer shrugs. “It was long overdue. I think it finally gave us both some closure.”
I turn to Malcolm, clutching his right forearm. “If the rebellion angels are coming, we need to take the children somewhere safe. We have to get them out of here.”
Malcolm phases us to the kitchen where we find Jess, Mason, and my papa with the kids and dogs.
“Rebellion scum are on their way here,” Malcolm tells them. “The kids will need to be taken somewhere else.”
“Where is a safe place?” Mason asks as he picks up Liam.
“Let’s take them to my grandfather,” I suggest. “They may not know he’s still alive.”
“I like Grandpa Rory,” Lucas tells me as he comes to place a comforting arm around my waist. “Great idea, Mommy.”
“Helena may know about Rory,” my papa points out. “She could have told Hale and the others that he’s on Mars.”
“It doesn’t really seem like something Helena would bother telling them about,” I say. “Plus, only a handful of people even know who or where he is right now. I think it’s the safest place for them.”
“Anna,” I hear Zane say, drawing my attention as he and Marcus enter the kitchen behind me. “Ethan told us to get you and the kids to a safer location.”
“I need for you to take the children to Mars and stay there with my grandfather,” I tell my War Angels.
“And you,” Zane says, noticing that I didn’t include myself in the bubble of safety.
“I’m not leaving,” I inform them. “All I would do is draw attention if I left. It’s me they’re after, and it’s me they will meet when they get here. Right now, the wellbeing of my children takes top priority.”
As we gather up all the items we think the children will need while they’re in hiding, I can’t hel
p but tear up as I pack the twins’ diaper bag.
“They’ll be okay,” Malcolm tells me. I look across the kitchen table to meet my husband’s reassuring gaze. He’s placing the snacks Lucas picked from the cupboards into a backpack for him to take.
“I know,” I say with a sniffle, “I just don’t like being forced to hide them away like this. I’m tired of our family being in constant danger, Malcolm.”
“I know,” he sympathizes. “I am too, but let’s try to focus on the positives right now. Helena is going away, so we don’t have to worry about her for a while. You’ve been found innocent of being a terrorist, and we found a way to break Helena’s connection to Liana. I would say we’re doing pretty well, wouldn’t you?”
“I don’t think Liana’s connection to Helena is broken. I think all the bracelet does is counteract her influence enough not to affect how Liana feels.”
“Whatever it does, I’m just glad it works.”
“Me too,” I admit.
“We haven’t met anything that we couldn’t handle together,” Malcolm reminds me. “We’ll make it through this like we make it through everything else.”
“I know you’re right.”
“Then don’t look so sad, my love. I have a feeling we’re close to ending all of this animosity toward our family. Plus, this will give Lucifer the chance to talk to his angels and possibly put right what he got so wrong in Heaven.”
“I hope it does,” I say. “They can’t all be bad, right? Some of them have to want to return to God’s side.”
“I would think so,” Malcolm says cautiously, “but some of them will carry their hate around with them until the day they die. Some people live for strife.”
“Anna, I don’t know where your grandfather’s home is,” Zane says, walking up to me with Liam in his arms. “I haven’t been there before.”
“I’ll phase you over,” Malcolm tells him, handing Lucas his full backpack. “Don’t eat all of that food at once.”
“You know me, Dad. I just like to be prepared,” Lucas replies, securing his pack on his back.
Malcolm ruffles Lucas’ hair. “Just like a Boy Scout. Always be prepared.”
I walk over to Zane and gaze down at Liam.
“I love you,” I tell my baby boy, kissing him on the forehead. “We won’t be separated for very long. I promise.”
Marcus walks over to me, knowing without having to be told that I want to say farewell to my little girl too.
“You take care of your little brother,” I tell my girl. “And when you get back, we’re going to have a big party with all the citizens in Cirrus to celebrate the birth of their new prince and princess.”
After I kiss Liana on the cheek, I pull Lucas into my arms.
“Take care of them for me, okay?” I say.
“I will, Mommy. I promise.”
“Don’t worry about the children, Anna,” Vala says. “Luna and I will protect them if it comes to that.”
“I know you will,” I tell one of my best friends. “Hopefully by moving you all to Mars, we won’t have to worry about anything happening. As soon as things have settled down here, we’ll come and get all of you.”
“Be back in a minute,” Malcolm says, kissing me on the cheek. “You might want to change before Hale and the others get here though.”
I nod, agreeing with his assessment of my wardrobe. If the rebellion angels make us fight them, the dress I’m wearing isn’t exactly conducive to free, unobstructed movement.
I phase up to our bedroom and pull out my leather outfit. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite fit like it used to. The pregnancy has changed my body too much, and its tightness is restricting my movement. I opt for a pair of black pants, a white shirt, and boots. I’m not sure where my sword is, so I phase downstairs to ask Jess since she was the last one to use it.
I don’t see anyone in the kitchen, so I phase to the living room, but I don’t see anyone there either. Just as I’m about to leave to search the dining room, I happen to glance out one of the front windows and see where everyone has gone.
“The children are safely with your grandfather,” I hear Malcolm announce, apparently just arriving back from Mars.
“Come on,” I tell him, walking toward the front entry. “We have visitors outside.”
When we step into the foyer, we see that the front door has been left wide open.
As soon as we step over the threshold and onto the stoop, we’re standing directly behind Lucifer, Jess, and Mason. Standing in a line on a step below us are my Watchers. Out in the front courtyard, staring each other down, are the War Angels and the rebellion angels.
“Stay behind us, Anna,” Lucifer instructs me. “Apparently, we’re waiting on their fearless leader to arrive. I guess he intends to make a dramatic entrance.”
“Who?” I ask. “This Hale person Cleo mentioned?”
“Yes,” Lucifer answers, keeping a steady gaze on the rebellion angels he once commanded.
“He’s a bit of a drama queen,” Cleo complains from her position beside Jess. “He thinks of himself as Lucifer 2.0.”
Lucifer snorts. “There can only be one me in existence.”
“Yeah, another ego as big as yours can’t possibly exist in this reality.”
“I see you still think you’re witty, Jessica,” Lucifer grumbles.
Jess shrugs. “I can’t help it. I make myself laugh. Plus, you’ve always been an easy target.”
“Dad,” I say from behind him, “have you tried to talk to them?”
“It won’t do any good until Hale comes,” he answers. “Rebellion angels are followers by nature. How do you think I was able to convince them to rebel in the first place?”
“I sort of resent that remark,” Cleo says.
“At least you’ve shown some initiative by joining our side,” Lucifer tells her. “That’s more than I can say for those fools out there.”
“You might want to curb your insults,” Jess tells him. “You’re supposed to be making a mea culpa with them, not pissing them off.”
Lucifer sighs. “Old habits are hard to change. I’m more used to just giving them orders, not asking them to reexamine their lives and choose a different path.”
“Well,” I say, thinking about what’s been said so far, “you did just say that they’re followers. Maybe you just need to persuade them to follow you one more time.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to try,” Jess agrees. “That is one of the reasons you came back here.”
“I suppose I can try,” Lucifer says, just as a new rebellion angel phases in front of the others.
He’s a handsome black man with striking hazel eyes. This has to be Hale, the new leader of the rebellion angels that we’ve all been waiting for. When he meets my gaze, all I see is hate. It’s obvious by the way he’s looking at me that he detests the mere fact that I exist. Now that I’ve seen Hale, I seriously doubt my father will be able to change his mind, but who would have thought Lucifer would ever ask for forgiveness? Miracles are known to happen.
“I can’t believe you had the audacity to come back here,” Hale says to my father. “We don’t need you anymore, Lucifer. Go back to Heaven and leave us alone.”
“You know I can’t do that,” Lucifer tells him. “Not when so many of you are trying to kill my daughter. Helena is gone, Hale. She won’t be helping you anymore. She’s moving on with her life. I suggest you do the same.”
“Moving on?” Hale asks incredulously. “What exactly are we supposed to move on to?”
Lucifer walks down the steps to stand a little closer to the crowd of rebellion angels.
“If our father can forgive me, don’t you believe He can forgive the rest of you?” Lucifer asks them. “I know for a fact that some of you want to return to Heaven more than anything, and I’m here to tell you that you can. All you have to do is ask for His forgiveness and it will be granted, no questions asked.”
“Do you really think anyone here believes you came back
for us? You came back to protect your daughter, not to act as our father’s go-between to try to convince us that all our sins will be forgiven if we just ask.”
“If you don’t believe Lucifer’s words, will you believe mine, Hale?” I hear God say.
I don’t see Him right away, but the gathering of angels in front of my house do.
The rebellion angels part as if God was a pebble thrown into their midst. As they all back away from Him, I can’t help but feel comforted by His presence. With Him here, I know there won’t be a fight.
God stares at Hale, patiently waiting for an answer to His question.
“How could you forgive any of us after what we’ve done here?” Hale questions.
“I forgave Lucifer, didn’t I?” God points out. “What makes your sins any greater than his?”
Hale doesn’t answer. I can only presume it’s because he doesn’t have one to give.
God considers all the rebellion angels around Him. Most of them look like they’re in shock. A few even begin to cry. Could this be the first time some of them have seen their father since the Fall?
“When I exiled you all from Heaven,” God begins, “it was with the hope that you would someday find your way back to Me. I don’t ask for much from you. All I need is for you to truly repent for betraying Me and for the sins you have committed against humanity. If any of you can do those two things right this second, you can return home … return to Me.”
“And that’s all You want from us?” Hale asks doubtfully. “For us to bow down to You again and obey Your every command?”
“I’m not asking you to bow down to Me,” God patiently explains. “I’m asking you to accept My love again and rejoin Me in Heaven where you all belong. Sending you here to Earth wasn’t a punishment. It was simply the only way to make some of you find yourselves again.”
An angel I don’t know steps closer to God.
“I want to go home, Father,” he says tearfully.
“I know you do, Jessop,” God says, smiling benevolently at him. He looks at the gathering of angels and says, “I know many of you want to return with Me but that you feel unworthy to ask for My forgiveness just yet. There is a simple solution to your dilemma.” God finds me with His eyes. “If you feel as though you need to prove yourselves to Me, stay here and protect Anna and her family. There are still those among you who hold her personally responsible for Lucifer’s salvation and subsequent return to Heaven.” God looks directly at Hale. “Whether you hate her because of that fact or because you are jealous his love for her was so absolute, I know it will take more time for you to finally come back to Me. I’ve waited this long for you. I can be patient and wait a little longer. Those of you who wish to stay and help Anna should phase to the front of the house and stand with her War Angels so the rest of your brethren know where your loyalties lie.”
