Fledgling: Book 1 (Afterlife) (20 page)

This time our trip to the headquarters seems to go too quickly. We were not on our way to a likely punishment. I see the cloud platform not too far ahead.
 

As we land, Cindy looks around. Her eyes are flicking from cloud to cloud, and her face shows disbelief. She turns to us and asks, “Is this it?” Her whisper travels loudly.
 

I grin at her surprise. “Yes, it is.”

“Are you serious? I expected something more flashy than this. Clouds as headquarters, I mean, really?” her eyebrows rise.

Archangel Michael turns around. He is leading us toward the boardroom and by the look on his face and the rock gaze in Cindy’s direction he clearly heard what she said.
 

“Fledgling.” The usual sternness is bordering on harsh.
 

Cindy’s face turns white before she turns around to look at our leader.
 

“We are angels, not God. Our quarters are not meant to be flashy for we are meant to serve, not think about glorifying ourselves. It will pay you well to know your place.”

Cindy drops her chin with her eyes cast down. “I apologise respected leader. I did not mean it in that way. I did not know what to expect, but I wasn’t expecting clouds. Not that there is anything wrong with that.” She looks up at his face briefly. “Please do not hold my blabbering mouth against me. I tend to speak without thinking at times.”

Archangel Michael‘s stare remained consistent. “I know fledgling. Yet, you must learn to hold your tongue and think before you speak. The tongue is but a two-edged sword.”
 

Cindy bows her head. “I will do my best, great leader.”

His eyes gaze past Cindy to us. “Now come.” He turns and walks toward the boardroom. We follow as he passes through the gap in the cloud walls leading into the boardroom. Cindy’s face turns a paler shade of white as her eyes fall upon the three archangels standing around the room. I sense myself joining her. With each step, my body is becoming increasingly tense. I can’t help entertaining the thought that the angels may pick up on some of the mischief I have partaken in the last few days. If they do, then I may end up in the abyss instead of taking on an important mission.
 

I look at Ben. As usual when he deals with the archangels, his face is strong and unreadable. I wonder if my face portrays the lack of emotion. I focus on my outside portrayal trying to keep it unreadable as I study Archangel Gabriel’s face, marvelling at the perfect balance in features between male and female. Archangel Gabriel’s friendly eyes make it an easy achievement and a perfect distraction.
 

“What is the meaning of this meeting Michael?” Uriel asks. I turn to face the voice. His eyes pass over me, then Ben, finally studying Cindy with interest. “I believed this was called to allocate distinguished fledglings on the search,” his eyes land on me again, “not troublemakers.” There is that Zeus impression again.
 

Archangel Michael takes a deep breath then clasps his hands behind his back. “Yes, that is right Uriel. However, I have just assessed their last mission and was delighted, although surprised, to find they exceeded their taught capabilities.” He moves his feet comfortably to the width of his shoulders and continued. “As you know, two of these have spent time in the abyss for going against the rules proven over time.” His gaze passes over the other two archangels. “I am also confident when you assessed their mission that landed them in the abyss, you saw there is more to them — that their gifts are different from others. Especially that one.” He says while pointing to me.
 

My brow pushes together. I have no idea what he is insinuating. After a quick thought, I guess maybe he is talking about the healing I did during our last mission. My sight passes from Archangel Michael to Archangel Uriel, and I watch his face as a frown creases his ageless features.
 

Archangel Uriel fiddles with his cape draped over his white gown and then looks at each one of us in turn. He then faces the other two archangels, Gabriel and Raphael. Archangel Raphael stands with his arms crossed over his chest, and Archangel Gabriel stands relaxed leaning up against the cloud wall. This relaxed look is reflecting on Archangel Gabriel’s face. Archangel Uriel turns back to look at our leader.
 

“Do you place your full confidence in their abilities?” he asks Archangel Michael. “Will they put the mission first?”
 

“I understand your concern,” Michael says with his voice weary. "I have brought them here as my best choice after what I have seen. None of you have the time to complete this mission. I have to go back to the war to check on our warriors, and at the moment there is no one else to commit to the task. I have brought them to let you take a look and decide.”
 

While Archangel Uriel processes the information in his corner, Archangel Gabriel steps forward saying, “I’ll be the first to have a look, seeing I was the one that sent them on the mission together. I’ve been itching to find out how it went.” Smiling at me and placing a hand on my forehead, I can see my memories being accessed. Nervous, I focus on studying the blueness in the archangel’s eyes.
 

I am so nervous that my teeth clamp down on my tongue. After a few moments, the pain turns to numbness.
 

A voice sounds loudly in my head. “Relax, honey.” Involuntarily I jump. Archangel Gabriel is speaking inside my mind. “If you don’t calm down they will look further than you want. They will think that you are hiding something.” The eyes sharpen with intensity. “Are you hiding something?”

I cannot talk back. I don’t know how the archangels talk in our minds. They haven’t told us. I assume that it is a gift that only the archangels have. I shake my head enough to be seen only by Archangel Gabriel even though I know I am lying.
 

The voice is in my head again. “Uh huh!” Archangel Gabriel nods in understanding while lifting an eyebrow, giving me the impression my answer is not believed.

Panic strikes me and my body turns stiff. It must have shown on my face because Archangel Gabriel says it again, “Relax, honey. Remember, I am a little more open minded that the others. It is part of my creative nature. I look more at the heart’s intentions than the misbehaviour.” The eyes turn serious. “But, I will put you in the abyss if I think that your heart is not in the right place, or you overstep the mark. Last time I looked this was not the case, so relax.”

I break eye contact with Archangel Gabriel and look around. Breathing a sigh of relief I see that they haven’t noticed the private conversation we have just had. The other Archangels are busy preparing to read Ben and Cindy’s mind and Archangel Michael is standing to the side, watching. I look back into the calming blue eyes. I know I am lucky to have Archangel Gabriel reading my mind first. I can tell Uriel is not impressed with me being chosen for this important task. His disapproval is arousing my interest in the mission. I just need to pass their tests.
 

In silence, I watch my last mission pass by as Archangel Gabriel views it in my mind. There is no hint of emotion, only a straight face until the part is reached where I heal the injured. I then see a small flicker across the eyes and an eyebrow rises.
 

The finger retracts, and the probing stops. “Interesting,” Archangel Gabriel says out loud then backs away.

Archangel Raphael moves to stand in front of me, uttering not one word as the probing finger is lifted and placed on my forehead. I let my eyes wander over his dark brown straight hair that cups around his handsome face. His expression is serious, making the nervous twinges rise.
 

Trying to lower my anxiety I look beside his face, taking in the light green of his soft feathers on his wings. The colour is calming, allowing me to relax enough to look straight into his emerald eyes. There is no emotion in them as I see the mission flick past my eyes again. Being an angel of healing, I expect a reaction of some sort when he sees the part where I heal. Disappointment sinks in when he retracts his finger and backs away without even an eyebrow raise.
 

Being in between readings, I glance over at Ben and Cindy. They do not look at me. I am not so worried about Cindy, as I am sure she hasn’t done anything wrong, but when Ben doesn’t look my way I am not sure what to make of it. I hope that it is a sign that all is well on his part.
 

A flash of golden brown passes across my peripheral vision. Knowing what was coming next, I focus on becoming more relaxed and turn to face Archangel Uriel.
 

The finger is raised and placed on my forehead before I have time to breathe in, and the probing is beginning. Trying desperately not to hold my breath, I focus on the colour of his eyes. They are the colour of liquid honey – a light golden brown. I stare so hard that they seem to begin swirling. In my mind, I am vaguely aware of the warmth that is probing my memory. Parts are paused and watched slowly, taking in each action, thought, feeling. To make sure I don’t hold my breath, I purposely breathe out when he reaches the final scene. The end passes, and his probing finger remains.
 

- Chapter Nineteen -

The tension in my body rises. My stomach starts to turn into clusters as I see the next stage of my life unfold. He uncovered that Ben, and I know each other’s last human name, and I am insisting on calling Cindy a name. I swallow — that lump just doesn’t want to leave my throat. For the first time, the replay of our flight back to base enters my vision. I am flying high in the air; up, up to the highest point where the birds don’t fly, followed the death-defying dive back to earth. He continues the replay — the base, the wait for Archangel Michael — me getting annoyed at the attention Pink and Violet are giving Ben.
 

He is so close. The stress levels are escalating. Someone make him stop! I scream inside of me. I am now picturing Ben and my walk into the forest. My knees are starting to buckle.

Something nudges me backward, and I jump. Archangel Uriel’s finger has slid from the middle of my forehead toward my left temple, and the probing light has gone out. Stunned, I take my eyes off the archangel in front of me and look at a movement over his shoulder. With an arm slung across Archangel Uriel’s shoulders, Archangel Gabriel’s friendly blue eyes greet me. The nudge originated from a strong, friendly pat on Archangel Uriel’s back.

“Well, good to see you are finished here,” Archangel Gabriel says. Turning to Archangel Uriel, my rescuer says, “I’m sure you have seen enough to make your assessment. For a while there, I thought you were viewing her whole journey as an angel. You took forever.” The blue angel gown swishes around Archangel Gabriel’s feet as the archangel turns to the other archangels and says, “Now, let’s make a decision. We don’t have a lot of time and lives are at stake.”

Archangel Uriel turns to face Archangel Gabriel causing the arm to fall off his shoulders, and he crosses his arms. “I call for a meeting.” He turns and his gaze lands on me and progresses along the three of the fledglings. “In private.”
 

I am sure my eyes are spread wide open in shock. I look at Ben and this time he is looking at me. A worried look greets me as his eyes search my face for answers. Cindy is standing in between us, and I can see her head turning back and forth between the two of us.
 

Archangel Michael answers, “Agreed. We will hold a brief meeting in private.” He turns to face us. “Fledglings, wait at our training ground. We will address you shortly.”

“Yes, sir.” Our voices are joined in unison.
 

Immediately I turn to leave. I can’t wait to get out of here. A fleeting thought crosses my mind. I wonder if it was possible for an angel to run away. Maybe I am not cut out for this life, but then an image of Ethan and his brother and other innocents that I have saved enter my vision. I know I could not abandon them. I must stay and continue to save lives even if I have to face punishment again.
 

Diving off the platform, I allow myself to free-fall. The air sounds like static across my ears, and the breeze pushes forcefully against my skin. I revel in it as it massages all the tension away. As my body falls, I drop past a bird, and it darts sideways in the opposite direction. The ground approaches quickly, and I flick out my wings to trap the air and slow me down, gliding the rest of the way to the earth's surface. I hear the flapping of wings behind me, and I know that Ben and Cindy are following. With the slightest thump, my feet hit the grassy grounds of our training area. I hear two similar thumps behind me. I turn to look at my friends.
 

The instant I am facing them Cindy is on to me. “What have you done?” Her voice is high, almost a screech. Her arms have flown out to her sides, and her shoulders rise.

I wish I could tell her that I didn’t do anything — that I am blameless. She would know instantly that this is a lie. I look at Ben. His face shows no guilt, yet he is as guilty as I am. They must not have probed his mind as much as mine.