Page 47 of Angel Captive

"Mom!" Jenax popped inside the room with her face flushed red. Her hair had streaks of purple the same color of my wings woven into the chestnut strands.

"Mom isn't here right now." Riley pulled the blankets over her head. "Please see Dad for all emergencies."

"Jenax, no dropping in Mom and Dad's bedroom without knocking first." I scooped her up in my arms and tickled her.

She used her second gift and vanished. Her lack of wings didn’t alter her using her skills to get away quickly.

“I love you,” Riley said, blowing me a kiss.

“I love you too.” I grinned wickedly. “And I intend to show you just how much tonight. All right, kiddos, time for Arcane berry hunting.”

Squeals of delight nearly busted my eardrums. Bex’s amethyst, black-tipped wings folded as he launched himself onto my leg. His sister, Krelay did the same with my other leg, her brown wings the color of Riley’s hair rustled, and she had the same pattern of freckles. All three of the triplets had my eye color with flecks of gold like their mother’s.

“Save some berries for me,” Riley called out after us.

I was the luckiest Angeliminir in the universe.

Riley

Showered and dressed,I rushed out of Xaden's and my bedroom to meet Melody. I hadn’t seen her since the Angeliminir had healed her stab wound from Sofria. Yeah, Xaden told me all about the sleazy chameleon. If I ever saw the woman again, I would murder her myself.

Trox and Melody had hit it off and he left with her back to our home to try and spread the word of what the Roulex were doing and getting the prison closed. Hadn’t happened yet, but they’d been planet-hopping to gather allies and support.

I found her in the throne room and Alva waved me forward.

“Melody has given me her update, but I’m sure Trox can fill me in if I have any questions. I know you two haven’t seen each other in a while.” She inclined her head.

“Thank you,” Melody and I said in unison.

I led her out into the hallway, then we hugged and cried, saying gibberish while sobbing our joy.

“I’m so, so sorry, Riley.”

“For what?” I asked, wiping my face with the back of my sleeve.

“For missing the birth and birthdays of the triplets. I feel awful.”

“Let’s go to my rooms and I’ll make you some Arcane berry tea.” In silence, she followed me, and I wondered what was going on that seemed to weigh so heavily on her. It couldn’t be about the triplets; she’d been trying to save hundreds of innocent lives.

Back in my and Xaden’s chambers, I made tea and gave her a glass, then sat across from her on a fluffy chair.

She inhaled a shaky sigh and stared at her cup. “The truth is, I didn’t think I could face you after what I did.”

“It’s okay,” I said reassuringly.

“No. No, it isn’t.” She looked up at me. “I know you didn’t love your father, but it’s because of me that he died.”

“Sorry?” I shook my head. “How do you mean? I was there. Sofria killed him, not you.” And I couldn’t believe that I ever thought that Melody would betray me.

“After the speed-dating horror, I woke up on some weird planet with nothing. No money or way to get help and I didn’t speak the language.” She shivered. “It took me a bit to get back home and when I did, I found you had been missing too. No one knew anything. Then I remembered your dad had been asking to talk to you and you had turned him down. So, I went to talk to him to see if he knew anything.”

Which explained why she’d been with my dad that day. “What happened?” I could only imagine. From my brief conversations with him, he’d been manipulative and a schemer.

“He said that you’d been taken hostage by the Angelimir and needed my help to get you back.”

“And you believed him?”

“He was so convincing, and he said someone had tried to get you out, but that you’d been brainwashed and controlled by them.” She took a sip of her tea.

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