We Are The Archangels

Chapter XVIII - Arrow

<>------<> Arrow <>------<>

My blood was at boiling point.

The campers were frustrating enough to train. Being informed that my sister had followed a cloaked figure into the forest alone just worsened my mood. I was the dormant volcano that had suddenly become active, any second ready to explode and spew lava.

‘How could you let her just walk out?’ I yelled angrily.

‘We tried telling her it was a bad idea,’ Leo shouted back, his fire matching my own. ‘Do you really think we wanted to jump into the path of an Archangel?’

My anger subsided somewhat. He was right. If Destiny had set her mind to something, nothing the two boys said or did would stop her. She was too powerful for that.

Frank huffed, ‘Besides, she was so sure they could help.’

‘Destiny would believe the moon could help if it told her so,’ I snapped. ‘She’s too trusting.’

‘Don’t you trust your sister to take care of herself?’ Frank asked as if disbelieved I would think anything otherwise. ‘She seems plenty capable to me.’

My eyes narrowed, ‘Of course she is. That doesn’t stop me worrying about her. Her trust is her weakness. She thinks there’s a peaceful solution to just about everything.’

'What if that person was our enemy?’ Leo wondered aloud.

I shook my head, ‘No. They wouldn’t come strolling into camp. More likely it was a servant or ally.’

They fell quiet. Perhaps they were contemplating possible consequences of letting Destiny walk off. My head turned to the still forest, the trees gently blowing in the slight breeze. It was unusually quiet, like something had driven off the monsters. Though I welcomed the silence, it made me nervous. If something was lurking in the forest I wasn’t keen to find out what. My worry for Destiny increased tenfold.

Behind us, a flap of wind indicated someone emerging from the quarantine tent. I turned to huge almond eyes. Leo instantly wrapped his arms around Calypso’s neck and pulled her tight. The gardener girl took off her protective mask and let shinning tears roll down her cheeks onto Leo’s shirt.

‘What’s wrong?’ I asked not unkindly.

Calypso sniffed, ‘They’re just getting worse. I’m afraid some of them aren’t going to last much longer. The Fire Fever is spreading. I don’t think we can contain this.’

I turned back to the forest and Leo muttered comforting words and stroked her hair. Frank sunk to one knee and rested his head in his hands. My will was as strong as any (any Sorrow could tell you that) but even it was wavering as we seemed on the losing side of this war.

A glint of gold caught my attention and I gasped in relief as Destiny emerged from the foliage. She grasped her arms and glanced around wildly like she was shook up. That didn’t stop me from running over and embracing her in a bone cracking hug.

‘Where were you?’ I yelled. ‘My gods, I was so worried! Don’t ever do that again. How could you go off like that, Destiny? You scared me half to death!’

‘I’m sorry, Arrow,’ she took my hands and pulled them off her, gripping them together between us. ‘I have to talk to you. And you have to hear me out.’

I glanced over my shoulder. Leo, Frank and Calypso stared after us expectantly, the quarantine tent looming behind them like some ugly green monster.

‘We’ll be back soon,’ I called. ‘We have something to discuss.’

They muttered something amongst themselves but I didn’t stay to eavesdrop. I grabbed Destiny’s arm and steered her away, nodding at her to start talking. She didn’t hesitate.