The Witch's Guardian (Caspian Academy Book 1)

by Anna Edwards

  “The King and Queen, my parents.” Juniper steps beside me. Mrs Donavan nods.

  “Yes, it was King Ambrose who killed them.”

  I stand at Jacobi’s bedroom window and watch the night sky. Life as the magic world knows it is about to change, and I’m going to be the catalyst. I could leave things as they are. I could speak to the King and tell him what I know, warn him to leave me and those I love alone...

  I glance over to Jacobi. We’ve had no time to spend with each other, only sharing a handful of kisses. At our age, we should be exploring one another, spending time together being carefree and having fun. I should want to make a deal for him, for them all, because what I’m contemplating is dangerous. Someone may lose their life, someone other than me, and I still cannot stomach the thought of Sebastian dying. It was my fault. All the lies are tied up in me.

  Am I a bad person? I wonder it for the longest time, knowing I’m going to risk them all. Because, no matter what, I can’t let him continue to be King. He can’t be allowed to trick the world into thinking he’s something he’s not. He stole his title, and I’m going to claim it back.

  I creep out of the room, needing to breathe the night air, and when I walk out into the back garden, I’m surprised to see Mrs Donovan.

  “You’re out late, or early,” I say, “depending on how you look at it.”

  “I haven’t been to sleep yet. Too many thoughts running through my mind.”

  “Hmm,” I reply, “seems to be going around.”

  “You should call me Rose.” She shrugs. “There seems little point keeping up with formalities. Your mum will call me Rose, so you, Jacobi, and Emmie may as well. I think we’re past the head teacher and student relationship, don’t you think?”

  I smirk at her. “Well, depending on what the scrolls say, I may well become your true Queen.”

  She smiles at me. “When when that day happens, I’ll address you appropriately, but until then, you’ll be Juniper.”

  I chuckle. “Noted.”

  We stand for a moment, both quiet and a little lost.

  “What happened to Jacobi’s mum? I thought she came back here for him?” Rose asks.

  “He sent her away. I think he cares about her, just not in the way you should care about your parents, it’s a distanced, forced kind of love. It’s actually quite sad. He loves them because he’s expected to, not because he can’t help himself.”

  She nods.“That certainly is sad.”

  “I need you to take me to the scrolls.”

  She sighs. “I know. Are you bringing Jacobi?”

  I look towards the house and contemplate it, then turning back to her. I nod. “If he left me behind, I’m not sure I’d forgive him.”

  Her face softens. “You love him.”

  “More than I love myself.”

  Movement from the back door pulls both our attention as Jacobi walks outside, completely focused on me.

  “I’ll leave you two alone. We can go to Caspian as soon as you want.”

  I nod. “Thank you.”

  She slips away, squeezing Jacobi’s shoulder as he passes her. He stops in front of me and cups my face with his hands.

  “Cobi,” I whisper, but it’s the only word I’m allowed before his mouth slams down on mine.

  His lips are soft, and explorative, but after a moment, his need becomes clear as his lips move faster, his tongue tracing my mouth, and I open up, inviting him inside. Our tongues touch and investigate until we find a pace where we’re sharing our movements. Jacobi allows it for a few seconds more, and then he takes over, owning our kiss and my mouth, but I willingly submit. I’m his and our kiss extends that feeling between us.

  His mouth tears from mine, and I whimper, the loss substantial.

  “I fucking love you, more than anyone, more than myself… more than this world, Juni… more than this whole fucking world.”

  Tears slide down my cheeks, and I know they’re a mixture of overwhelming emotions, happiness and sadness. My fists find his shirt, and gripping hold of it, I pull him closer to me, our faces only an inch apart.

  “Promise me we’ll get through this,” I plead.

  His hand finds the back of my head, and once again, he brings our lips together, softer and slower this time. Love passes between our mouths before he pulls away again. His eyes search mine, and his resolve settles.

  “We’ll get through this. I was born to protect you, to save you, and it will always be the first thought on my mind.”

  “Shall we go to Caspian now?”

  He nods. “We’ll have to put a spell over this house, protecting the others and keeping them asleep so they don’t try to find us, though.”

  “You think they will?” I question him.

  He looks down at me. “I’d rather not take the chance. I don’t know about them all, but Lucas would try.”

  I nod. “Then let’s get Mrs…Rose,” Cobi raises his eyebrow. “She said to call her Rose.” I shrug. “Anyway, let’s get her and go.”

  Caspian holds an ominous feeling. It’s dark and threatening.

  “You feel it?” I whisper to Cobi.

  He nods. “I do.”

  Rose remains quiet, rushing through the hallways and guiding us to our destination. When we reach a doorway I’ve never seen before, I stop and turn around, realising I’ve no idea where we are.

  “I created an illusion,” Rose states, waving her hand above us. The moment she does the corridor returns, and we’re standing outside the school library. She mumbles something, and we’re once again outside the unrecognisable door.

  “Only I can enter and the two of you.”

  “We can go in, without you?”

  She hurries us through the old wooden door, and we hustle into a dark room.

  “Lux,” she breathes, and the room is bathed in light. “Yes, you only have to ask to enter and you’ll be allowed in. You are, after all, the Chosen Ones.”

  I snort. “The Chosen Ones.”

  She turns to me. “Yes, it’s both a boon and a bother. We can’t escape our destinies, Juniper.”

  I huff. I’m fully aware destiny isn’t always a choice, like many people believe.

  Rose whispers while turning around the room in a circle, her eyes closed. Cobi grabs my hand in his, and I feel the heavy weight of magic filling the space. This is old magic. It takes nearly five minutes of Rose repeating her chant before four tapestries appear, one on each wall. They’re all a foot long and half as wide. There isn’t a mass of writing on them like I expected, but it’s clear they hold deep secrets.

  “I thought there was a lot of information?” I question.

  Rose stares at me, simply shrugging. “In my mind, there was.” Slowly she makes her way to a chair in the corner of the room, it’s clear the magic she’s just expended has depleted her, and she needs to rest.

  “Custos,” Jacobi murmurs, and I look around. He’s right, the scrolls are in the language of the Guardians, but for some reason, unlike the book he had before, I understand the scrolls.

  “I can read them,” I tell him as surprise filters through me.

  “The two of you are now joined, like you were always destined to be. It means, Juniper, you can also read and comprehend the Guardian’s language. It also means Michael can never marry you.”

  My heart leaps, but I don’t get my hopes up, not yet.

  “Explain,” Jacobi growls.

  Rose smiles. “You are both aware that in our world when you marry, the Gods and Superiors bless the marriage if they agree with it. The magic between the two of you has been awakened. You are meant to be together, and no one, not even the Gods, will pull apart that which destiny has proclaimed. King Ambrose could make you marry Michael, but it would never mean anything in this world, and when Ambrose dies,” she shrugs, “you could take the throne without Michael. It would be your choice.”

  “I don’t understand something. Why doesn’t King Ambrose just kill me and hand the throne to Michael?”
I ask, and Jacobi’s hand tightens in mine.

  “If you died, the Superiors would appoint a new King or Queen upon King Ambrose’s death. It would not be his choice,” Rose explains.

  I walk away from Jacobi and Rose and move towards the first scroll, letting my eyes skirt over the words.

  “Why Michael? Why does Ambrose want Juni with him so much?” Jacobi questions.

  “Michael was the reason the King killed your parents.”

  I turn to look at Rose again, “What?”

  “At that time, Nikolai, or King Ambrose as he is now, was the advisor to your father, the true King. He suggested you be bound to Michael upon your birth. Michael was three years old at the time, and his father was on the council. But, your parents refused the match. They were the first King and Queen in the royal line to decree that you, alone, could make the choice of who would have your hand in marriage. It was revolutionary.” She smiles wistfully. “When your parents died, Nikolai produced a will which stated he was to be your guardian. He would become Regent and raise you until you were old enough to claim your throne.” A tear falls from her eye, and she quickly dashes it away. “However, once he managed to get the council to agree, he claimed the power of the King and then wiped everyone’s mind of you.”

  “So then why adopt me?”

  “And why does he want Juniper to marry Michael?” Jacobi asks, and walking across the room, he starts scanning a different scroll from the one I’m reading..

  “He wants Michael to be his successor, which means he doesn’t want the Superiors choosing the next person suitable to take the throne. The best way to prevent that is to get Juniper to marry Michael.” Rose stands from the chair, and walking over to me, she stops in front of me and holds my upper arms. “Nikolai had an affair with a married woman. No one knew. However, the King and Queen found out. The husband of the woman he took was on the council, and your parents were going to tell him, Juniper.”

  “So he killed them because he had an affair!” I screech, throwing my hands in the air.

  “No,” Jacobi growls as Rose’s tears keep flowing, “he killed them because he had a son, Michael.”

  My eyes meet Jacobi’s as he holds on to the scroll he was just reading.

  “So this is all about putting his real son on the throne?” I shudder, suddenly feeling cold.

  Jacobi wraps his arms around me, “I’m not going to try and put him before the council with evidence, Juni. I’m going to kill him.”

  It’s a promise.

  I leave Rose and Juniper safely reading the scrolls. They are formulating our next move, but something draws me away. A feeling. I’m learning to trust them as I discover more and more about my Guardian powers.

  It calls loudly to me, and I have to follow it before we go after King Ambrose.

  I transform myself into a Guardian and allow my wings to unfurl as I step into the large mansion my parents live in. I know they’re home; I can sense them. I’m not here as a Guardian, though, neither of them are injured. They don’t need me, but I just have to see them. There are a lot of unanswered questions.

  “Mum?” I call and listen for a reply.

  She pops her head around the door. “Jacobi? What are you doing here?” My mother is holding a cup of tea. When she sees my large wings the cup falls to the floor and smashes, sending china and tea everywhere. “You’ve got wings?”

  “I have. I’m a Guardian,” I reply flatly.

  “A G-Guardian…” she stammers in response.

  My father appears behind my mother, he looks equally shocked but it’s the deathly paleness to his skin’s hue which tells me everything I need to know.

  “You knew?” I address him as I prowl towards my parents. I push them into the lounge, and my father stumbles backwards into the corner of the room. My mother places a hand on my arm.

  “Jacobi, what’s going on?” she questions.

  A cold chill travels through my body. This explains the uneasy feeling I had whenever I was in my father’s presence. My father knew I was a Guardian, but what is his level of involvement in the King’s plan.

  “Talk to me,” I shout, ignoring my mother’s attempts to placate me.

  “It’s not what you think,” my father finally responds. “Let me explain.”

  “Explain? What is going on?” my mother asks. I guide her to a chair and help her to sit down. She reaches out to touch my wings. “Jacobi, what is happening?”

  I retract my wings, and putting them away, I take my mother’s hand in mine. “Please don’t worry. What I am is a good thing, even if people have tried to keep it from me.” I send a curt look towards my father. “I just need to ask Dad a few questions. I have to know all the facts.”

  “Okay.” She nods her head and falls silent. I refocus my attention on my father, who still looks pale but is now pacing the room.

  “Dad, please, tell me what you know.”

  “It’s not what you think, I promise. I did it to try and help you. I was told that being a Guardian would be bad thing for you.” He stops pacing and lets out a long breath. “I remember the first time you came to me with your wings protruding from your back. I panicked. I took you to the King. You and Juniper were playing together while I spoke with him. It happened so quickly.” My father shakes his head and looks down at the ground. “He said the only way to save you was to bind your powers, to stop them from coming out again. He told me we couldn’t have a monster roaming the Earth, like the creature you’d become. It was too dangerous and would expose the magical world to humans eventually. You were too much of a risk.” My father stops. He silences himself and gets lost in his thoughts. I can only watch on as I will him to tell me what happened.

  “Dad, please. I have to know everything. What I am, it’s not a bad thing. The King is the malicious one, not me,” I plead with my father to tell me more.

  “Before I knew what was happening...” my father reluctantly continues. He slumps down into a nearby chair as he speaks, and when I look at my mother, she has tears streaming down her cheeks. I know, just by the look on her face, she really doesn’t have a clue about any of this. “The King was performing a spell on you. You whimpered in pain. Juniper took your hand and kissed you just at the moment the spell was completed. She said it would stop the pain and it did. I’m sorry my son, I thought it was the right thing to do. What the King told me would happen to you, I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

  “It wasn’t your decision to make, Dad, but I understand why you did. The spell is broken now, and I have my full powers. I won’t give them up again, but I needed to know, to understand. I feel a settling inside me now. Thank you for telling me.”

  My father gets to his feet and comes over to me. I’m angry at him, but I know he was doing what he believed was the best thing for me. It’s the King behind all of this. He’s the one who’s woven all the lies and magic together to disguise what a monster he really is.

  “I’ve regretted my decision. I promise you, though, I honestly thought I was doing the right thing. Will you forgive?” my father questions.

  Without hesitation, I bring him into my arms and embrace him, and for the first time, he’s dwarfed in my arms. He’s always been bigger than me, and the person I’ve looked up to, but I’ve grown so much over the last few years, and especially in the last few months since Juniper returned to Caspian.

  My father continues, “I really am sorry, Jacobi. I’ve only ever wanted to do what’s best for you. You’re my son, and my first thought is always to protect you. I’ll do that every day until the day I die. I know when you’re on the wrong path, and I’ll protect you from making mistakes. You might not always agree with me, but I’m doing it for you and your mother.”

  I smile at my father, a warmness filling my heart. Maybe he isn’t such a bad parent after all. We’ve never really been a family who spends much together, but to know he protects me is all I that matters.

  I stumble forward.

  What’s happening
?

  I can’t move.

  “Dad?”

  Magical tendrils of a binding rope emerge from the carpeted floor and wrap around my legs. They circle their way up until they encase me in a tight cocoon. I try to dispel them with a spell, but it doesn’t work. I’m not in control of my body. I’m bound tight like a prisoner.

  “What’s happening?” my mum jumps to her feet and tries to touch the magical ropes, but they push her backwards.

  “Don’t touch them,” my father orders, and my mother is magically transported back into the chair she was previously sitting in. My father stares at me, a look of anger on his face. “I promise you what I’m doing is for your own good. I can’t allow you to get mixed up with the wrong people. Mutiny against the power who governs our lands is treason, and I won’t see you executed as a result. This is all to protect you from the power that witch has put upon you. Juniper is the true evil here.”

  My eyes goes wide. I can’t believe what I’m hearing out of my father’s mouth.

  “Dad, please, you know nothing. Who’s been feeding your head with these lies?”

  An evil cackle comes from behind me. I know the tones instantly. They send a feeling of nausea, washing through my body.

  “They aren’t lies, Jacobi.” Taya struts into the room, confident in a tight leather catsuit. “You know that as well as I do. Juniper is the reason for all the issues at Caspian. We were happy before she arrived and warped your mind.”

  “Go to hell, Taya. Dad, this woman is a manipulative liar. Don’t listen to her. Let me out of these binds, and I’ll prove it to you. Please, Dad. Listen to me. Trust your son for once. Not this bitch who’s jealous because I dumped her.”

  Taya throws her head back and laughs loudly. It fills the room. My mother crumbles into her seat at the evilness of it. My father still can’t see it, though, and I wonder what spell he’s been placed under.

  “Dad, listen to me,” I shout, but he turns towards Taya.