I blinked. “So this is not the first time this has happened to its wielder?”
“No.” Aunt Janelle rubbed his back gently. “I’m sure there’s a reason for this, Luminitsa. Maybe Master Haziel has an answer or the Goddess will let us know what it means.”
Yeah, I had a question or two for the Goddess. Like why was she screwing with my head? I couldn’t do my job when I was busy worrying about my powers.
“You know what? I don’t care anymore. I don’t have the headache, so I’m fine with whatever this means. How was the meeting?” I asked in an upbeat voice and pointed at their priestly robes. “Did everyone wear those?”
Grampa frowned. “We reached a consensus, which we plan to convey to the elders. Lil, about the dagger—”
“I’m not going to discuss it anymore, Grampa.” I rubbed my arms as goose bumps spread fast on the surface of my skin. The sleeveless pajama top and shorts weren’t exactly warm, but the chill wasn’t brought on by cold. “When you say elders, do you mean the CT?”
He nodded. “Yes. The final decision rests with them.”
“You can’t leave now,” I protested, hating the panic coiling inside me. “The CT takes forever to decide on anything. It took them days to sanction canceling contracts, yet they knew Bran’s soul was at stake.”
Aunt Janelle chuckled. “Mass canceling of contracts is not something we’ve done before and they had to weigh the pros and the cons.”
What were the cons of canceling contracts and Bran getting his soul back? Senile old goats! They made it so easy for me to hate them.
Grampa dropped a kiss on my temple. “Now go back to bed. We’ll be back by the end of the day. Cardinals Seth, Moira, and Hsia will keep an eye on things while we are gone. Don’t forget to tell Master Haziel about the missing ancient texts first thing in the morning.”
Talking about them wasn’t going to change a thing.
- 12 -
SECURITY GUARDIANS
I couldn’t sleep. Maybe I was too used to falling asleep in Bran’s arms, or the worries about the Tribe, my wacky powers, and the fact that Grampa was in Xenith got to me. The other three senior Cardinals were around, but having my grandfather in charge often made me feel safer.
Whatever the reason, I tossed and turned the rest of the night until I gave up on sleep, turned on the lights and picked up the book Master Haziel had given me.
Starting from where I had previously stopped, I scanned the pages for clues, read captions under drawings, and scrutinized the pictures. There was nothing about transfer of powers from the dagger to its wielder. About to give up, words leapt out at me when I turned the next page and saw the subtitle.
‘Vessels’.
I sat up with excitement and read.
“To communicate with her people, Goddess Xenia used Guardians as vessels from time to time. This practice allowed her to interact with her people on a physical level even though the bodies she chose were not hers. The Guardians got the chance to hear her voice and even see her mannerisms manifested by her vessels. It was considered an honor to be chosen as a vessel. Unfortunately, the effect of possession by the more powerful Goddess often proved detrimental to the chosen Guardians. The vessels…”
My heart pounded with dread as I turned the page.
“…often ascended as soon as the Goddess left their bodies. Even though the ability to ascend was and is still a coveted achievement among the Guardians, the Goddess stopped this practice after several millennia. She did not think it was right for the chosen vessels to sacrifice their physical lives for her. Also, most of her vessels were Cardinals, which deprived them of their primary objective, which was and still is to defend humanity and help the remaining Guardians get their glory back.”
My admiration for the Goddess went up a notch.
“Instead, Goddess Xenia chose to telepathically link with her people in their time of need. Until a more powerful Cardinal is born to be the Goddess’ vessel, the Guardians must be content with telepathed words from our Goddess. Even though such messages are often misunderstood, it is better than completely severing ties between the Guardians and their exalted Goddess.”
A more powerful Cardinal? Like the Chosen One, or a Cardinal with the dagger’s powers inside her perhaps? I didn’t want to speculate, yet I couldn’t help myself.
I changed and was ready to go training by seven before I remembered Master Haziel’s instructions not to go to the pit until eight. I pinged him anyway.
Can I come and talk to you? I asked.
Now is not a good time.
Why? What are you doing? I mean, you are not training us or anything, and I really need to know something.
He chuckled. Always impatient. Okay. What is it, Lil? Is it your headache?
My headache is gone. The writings are gone too. Am I the Goddess’ vessel?
There was silence then, Lil—
Just give me a yes or no answer, Master Haziel. I tried to stay calm but my inner voice rose. I hated losing control and the hollow feeling in my stomach just kept growing. Am I or am I not her vessel?
Yes, you are. You were not ready, hut the arrival of the Tribe caught us unaware, so the Goddess did what she could to prepare you. That is why the powers of the dagger moved to you. I was not sure whether your body would reject or accept the powers.
I blew out a breath. You knew from the moment we were attacked, didn’t you?
No, I knew from the moment you were born that you were the one. Do you think the Fates decided you should survive the dangers that have dogged your steps since your birth? Guardians were strategically placed to ensure your survival. You might not have seen them, but they were there. I am but a humble trainer, destined to prepare you. As the Chosen One, your duties will be many and varied. Some of them, like being the Goddess’ vessel, are happening sooner than we had expected, but you will rise to the challenge just as you have risen before when the Cardinals needed you.
I swallowed, not sure whether to be scared or furious. Do I have a say on whether I want to be her vessel or not?
Of course you do, but being her vessel is an honor. If you have a problem with it, tell her.
Yeah. Right.
It is true. Just because she is the Goddess does not mean she gets her way all the time.
He was nuts. How do I talk to her?
When she links with you again. After all, this is not the first time she has appeared to you, is it? According to the Chronicles of the battle on Coronis Isle, she helped you retrieve the Kris Dagger.
No wonder she’d sounded familiar. I would have died in that cave if it weren’t for her. Not sure how to feel, I asked, How many surprises should I expect from her?
All will be revealed to you, Lil. Be patient. I will see you at eight. Come prepared to train. And no more doubts about your destiny. I believe it. The Guardians believe it. We will need to rally behind you, but we cannot if you are not a believer.
He broke the link before I could come up with a response. I hadn’t asked to be given all these powers. They came with responsibilities and pain. Pacing, I fought the urge to scream, my heart pounding. Could one really refuse a Goddess? I was a nobody, a teen still exploring her abilities, while she was the Goddess, daughter of Azazel—one of the leaders of the Principalities. She was stronger, powerful and older, while I was…me. Worse, I could still ascend once she was done with me.
Ascend. I had never known that word would fill me with so much fear. Unfortunately, I couldn’t outrun my destiny. Like Master Haziel had said, the responsibilities of the Chosen One were many and varied. Grampa always told me to face my problems head on, even if it meant death. Ascend, death, same thing.
The acceptance didn’t mean I liked it. Neither did it take away my fears. Sighing, I laid on my bed and stared at the ceiling until it was time to head to the pit.
Lights from crystals blazed in the hallway and the offices. The morning shift employees were visible through the glass panels on the doors, holographic i
mages in front of them. The whirring of ellipticals and treadmills filtered into the hallway from the Civilian gym. The High Council provided everything for its employees.
Surprisingly, the lights along the hallway leading to the dorms were also on. Could the students be back? I entered the rotunda of the Academy to find Sykes and Remy slouched on one of the benches.
“Cutting it close, aren’t you?” Remy said, looking at his watch.
I glanced at my watch. It was three minutes to eight. “You guys coming?”
“No, not yet,” Sykes said, teleporting to my side and draping an arm around my shoulders. He led me to the bench. “Sit. We’re waiting for Kim, Izzy, and Llyr.”
“Bran is not in the valley.” I slouched lower and sighed. “He never came home last night. What’s going on?”
“We need to make an entrance,” Sykes added, finger combing his messy hair.
“Don’t listen to him,” Remy cut in. “Master Haziel was waiting here in the rotunda when we arrived. He told us to wait for you guys. What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing. Why?” I finally removed Sykes’ arm from my shoulder.
“You look like you want to punch someone,” Remy said.
“Yeah,” Sykes added, dropping beside me on the bench. “Didn’t you sleep?”
“Sleep has nothing to do with it. My life sucks.”
They stared, not masking their shock. I tended not to whine about stuff, except to Bran.
“That’s extreme. Did you and Llyr have a fight?” Remy asked.
“Want me to hunt him down and beat the crap out of him?” Sykes added.
“Everyone but me,” I snapped. “Why is that? Is it a conspiracy?”
“What?” Sykes asked.
“When did you find out?” Remy asked.
I explained everything that happened. “So the bottom line is I’m completely bonded with the most powerful weapon in the universe, so I can be the Goddess’ vessel.”
The massive doors to the rotunda closed with a thud and we whipped around. Kim and Izzy walked it. Kim’s usually gorgeous hair was a mess and her eyes were red-rimmed.
“Please tell me he canceled,” she said hopefully.
Sykes laughed. “Nope. What happened to you? And don’t say you couldn’t sleep because your life sucks. Lil called dibs on that first.”
“I’m too exhausted to argue with you,” Kim mumbled.
“Let me guess.” Sykes smirked. “You went back to L.A. to visit a certain violet-eyed Brotherhood Guardian and spent the night tangoing between the sheets?”
Kim opened her mouth to respond, and closed it without saying a word.
“She was up late last night helping her mother pack, and this morning dealing with her tears,” Izzy explained.
“Pack? Why?” I asked.
“Most Civilians have been ordered back to Xenith,” Izzy explained. “They will stay there until we finish with the Tribe.”
Kim looped her arm around Izzy’s. “And the sooner we send them packing, the faster things will return to normal around here.”
“Lil is the solution,” Remy said, causing the other two girls to stop and glance my way. But before they could speak, Remy gripped their shoulders and turned them toward the pit. “We’ll explain later. Right now, Master Haziel is waiting.”
“You can’t just drop that bombshell and expect us to forget it,” Izzy griped, digging her heels in.
“The power of the dagger didn’t just switch to Lil temporarily; she bonded with it because she’s the Goddess’ true vessel,” Sykes said.
I shook my head. He couldn’t keep a secret if his life depended on it.
I ignored the questioning looks from Kim and Izzy as we left the rotunda. Already, the noose of responsibility and of everyone’s expectations was tightening around my neck. How could I train and mentally prepare myself to fight the Tribe with thoughts about the Goddess and being her vessel hanging over my head? When would the Goddess need me?
As we got closer to the pit, we could hear thuds and voices. We glanced at each other without saying anything, but we were all asking the same question—who was with Master Haziel?
Kim, still in the lead, pushed open the door and stopped, forcing us to stop too. We stared. There were at least sixty men and women, all dressed in black sweats and tank tops like us. Unlike the gold six-sided star on the breast of our uniform, their insignia looked like a rising sun. From their sweaty skins and the wooden staffs in their hands, they’d been practicing for a while.
Were they new trainees? Most of them looked older.
“Come on,” Master Haziel called out impatiently from somewhere in the back. “Grab a stick and step forward.”
Propped on the wall by the door were six wooden staffs. We grabbed them. When we faced the new trainees, they had split and created a path between them.
“Come forward, please,” Master Haziel called out. “No need to be hesitant. You are among your peers.”
You’d think he would have warned us we had visitors, Izzy griped.
Where did they come from? I asked as we walked forward.
Remy chuckled. Xenith, of course.
I made a few eye contacts and received nods and smiles. How do you know?
They are SGs—Security Guardians trained to defend Xenith. I recognize a few hotheads from the Institute, Sykes said. Don’t worry, they love us. They consider us heroes.
My hand tightened on the staff. Master Haziel had a wacky way of doing things, but parading us before these Guardians just didn’t seem like him. Unless…
Guys, get ready, I warned. We were in the middle, nearly surrounded by them.
Ready for what? Sykes asked, smirking and nodding at the SGs he knew.
An ambush, I said.
They rushed us from all sides just as I finished speaking, two against each of us. I raised the staff, ducked and blocked, and counterattacked. The flurry of movements kept me from being hit. Two sticks came at me, their movements so fast they were a blur. I teleported and reappeared, knocking the attackers off-balance from behind. I delayed rematerializing until I saw an opening, over and over again.
The SGs meant business, and as soon as two went down, two more replaced them. They got time to rest, we didn’t. My gaze connected with Sykes’. Hero worshipping, huh? Nice red carpet.
He smirked. I know. Incoming. Nine o’clock.
I turned and parried, then attacked. Switching to autopilot, I went on offense. I anchored the staff on the floor and swung on it, using a split kick to stop my two attackers at the same time. More replaced them. Sweat ran down my face. My lungs hurt with each breath and my arms grew tired and heavy. How long was Master Haziel going to let this go on?
“When outnumbered, go for the unexpected,” Master Haziel often said. But we were out to defeat these guys, not kill them. Still, the unexpected came in many forms.
I locked on some of the psi energies and telepathed one message. A woman was in the air, aiming a kick at my side. In a fraction of a second, she adjusted the arc and caught the man on my other side instead. The man responded. Grinning, I blasted them with my power of persuasion. The ones in the periphery joined the fight, first one by one, then in droves. In seconds, the floor was filled with fighters, all more interested in each other than in us.
I teleported to a booth on the upper level of the arena, settled on a seat and watched the mayhem below.
What are you doing? Kim yelled.
Resting.
She materialized beside me, her breathing labored, and gave me a high-five. “Nice move.”
“Thanks. These guys mean business, don’t they?”
“Yep.” She leaned forward and studied the booths below. “Where did Master Haziel go?”
“Home. He’s probably having potato soup for breakfast,” I said. “Ready to go back?”
She gripped my arm. “Not yet.”
We grinned and watched the fight.
“They’re good,” I said. “I’d like to see t
heir sword skills.”
“They are just as good as us. Master Haziel trained them. But if we used our powers, we could take them out in seconds.” Kim winced when Izzy got hit. “That was some mind control you pulled.”
I was beginning to feel bad. I watched a girl trying her hardest to beat Remy into the floor. She was totally focused on him, which might explain why my mojo hadn’t worked on her. “Do you know some of them?”
“No. My family didn’t allow me to associate with other students before or after I joined the Institute.”
“Friends?”
“No time,” she said airily, as if it didn’t matter, yet she sounded regretful.
“I’m not buying it,” I said.
Kim shrugged. “Mom kept me busy. I had a private tutor, private trainer, movies, and computer games from Earth for entertainment.”
I frowned. “I thought Xenithians despised earth things.”
“We do, but my parents knew I’d be joining the Academy, so what better way to prepare me? Dad brought the gadgets home; Mom selected appropriate DVDs and games whenever she visited him. I grew up watching Veronica Mars, The O.C., Gossip Girl, 90210…even Buffy”
I grew up on Earth and yet never watched any of these programs until I’d met Kylie.
Izzy dropped on a seat on the other side of Kim. “Bitches, you should have telepathed me.”
Kim laughed. “You were having so much fun.”
“Fun?” Izzy elbowed Kim.
Watching them, I now understood why Izzy’s friendship meant so much to Kim. She was her first and only friend.
“You did that?” Izzy asked, jerking her head to indicate the fighting.
“Yeah. Who’s the girl trying to send Remy to Tartarus?”
“His ex,” Izzy said then glanced at Kim. “Remember?—he’d visit her on weekends until a year ago when she broke it off. Let’s tell the guys to join us. Whatever mind control you threw at these people might last for a long time and they need a break.”
“I don’t know,” Kim said, studying Remy, then Sykes. “They seem to be enjoying themselves.”
Izzy ignored Kim and telepathed Remy and Sykes. They looked up at the same time. Distracted, they didn’t see their attackers. Sykes got hit in the chest, propelling him back into someone’s stick, while Remy literally got swept off his feet. They both teleported at the same time, landing on top of us in a tangle of arms and legs.
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