by G. K. DeRosa
Roman folded his arms across his chest and let out a displeased grunt. “So why did you do it anyway?”
Celeste crossed her arms to meet and mirror his defensive stance. “Because I’m the Guardian and that’s my job. Just because I’ve been out of commission for the past few months doesn’t mean I’m helpless,” she countered.
Before the argument escalated, Stellan stepped in. “Celeste did what she had to do,” he said. “We all need to take a step back sometimes and let her fight her own battles. If there’s anything I’ve learned in the past few months, it’s that she is very capable.”
Roman threw his hands in the air and shot Stellan a traitorous glare.
“Thank you, Stellan,” said Celeste, surprised by his words.
“So what happened out there?” asked Nico.
Celeste recounted the tip she and Marco had received from the Council and the subsequent course of events. She was eager to tell them about what she had overheard, having temporarily forgotten all about it after Marco’s near-death experience.
“That werewolf was from Brazen’s pack and whatever he was meeting those helvic demons for couldn’t have been good. I managed to interrupt their discussion, but I have a bad feeling,” she said.
“What exactly did you hear?” asked Roman.
“That’s just it. I’m not a hundred percent sure. They were speaking in some strange language that I couldn’t make out at first. But then, I concentrated on my power and just like the time I discovered I could read the language of the Fae, I began to understand bits and pieces.”
“They were probably speaking helvitian, the language of the underworld cave dwellers,” chimed in Stellan. “It’s true, in much the same way that you can read supernatural languages, with practice you should be able to understand them as well.”
“Your powers really have gotten stronger,” said Nico, appearing impressed.
A part of Celeste was relieved knowing she hadn’t just made up what she had heard, but another part of her was now terrified that it had been confirmed. “They were talking about breaking Brazen out of Astor.”
“Are you sure?” asked Stellan.
Celeste nodded. “Like I said before, I couldn’t understand a single word they were saying and then all of a sudden it was like a veil had been lifted and every word made perfect sense.”
“It’s not possible for supernatural creatures to get into Astor,” said Stellan.
“That’s what we thought before the attack on the Induction Ceremony too,” said Roman.
“But the magical wards have been bolstered since then and the guard has been doubled,” confirmed Stellan, “not to mention the constant security around Brazen’s underground cell.”
“Well, we need to warn them anyway,” said Celeste.
“Of course,” said Stellan, nodding his head in agreement.
“Sometimes I think you’re a magnet for this stuff,” murmured Roman under his breath.
“What do you mean?” asked Celeste.
“Everything’s been quiet for months and the minute that you return to duty, something like this happens!” he exclaimed.
Celeste knew Roman was just worried about her, but for some reason his comment got under her skin. Maybe it was what Brazen had said to her when she last saw him, but in any case, it struck a nerve.
Roman noticed the pouty look on her face, and he took a step closer to her as a feeling of guilt washed over him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for that to sound like an accusation.”
“Whatever,” she said, folding her arms across her chest and moving away from him.
Stellan felt the tension in the air and chimed in. “Is there anything else you need to share with us? If not, I’d like to go speak personally to Dante about this matter.”
“Yes, there is one more thing,” said Celeste, the petulant look on her face fading. “I summoned the Wilder sword today.”
All three men turned to her with surprised expressions. “How?” asked Stellan.
“I focused all of my power on it, clutched the Wilder key and the Albsurori ring and before I knew it, it appeared out of thin air,” she explained.
“That’s incredible,” said Stellan with a hint of awe in his voice.
“Isn’t that what happened when you were in the caves with Fabian last year?” asked Roman.
“Yes, I think it was. Only back then I had no idea what I was doing,” she said as she twirled the ring around her finger. “There’s some sort of a connection between the key and the ring, Stellan, I’m sure of it.”
Stellan took a step forward and placed his hand over the key, trying to get a read off of it. Then he took Celeste’s hand and did the same with the ring. “It’s quite perplexing.”
“Everyone has said how powerful the Albsurori ring is,” said Nico. “It would make sense that there are powers it holds that we’re not even aware of.”
“That is very true, Nico. And I think it’s about time we find out exactly what they are,” said Stellan.
Chapter 3
Alek stared uneasily over the veranda at the Spanish Steps below. This had become his favorite spot for thinking since spring had come, allowing him to take advantage of the ample terrazzo with the beautiful views. It had been months now that he and Lilliana had been enjoying a peaceful existence in Rome, but he was beginning to get antsy. Perhaps it was knowing that his half-brothers still freely roamed the world that disturbed him, and that they had finally reconciled with their long-lost mother. He knew Fabian would be laughing at him from the Abyss for allowing them not only to live, but also to visit with Lilliana as they pleased.
Alek’s phone vibrated in his pocket, pulling him from his dark musings. He glanced down at the caller ID, seeing Unknown flash in bright letters. He was tempted to ignore it after their last heated conversation, but reluctantly he pressed the green icon.
“Yes?”
“Good, I thought you weren’t going to pick up,” came the voice over the phone.
“I was busy. I’m not in the habit of having to answer to someone,” retorted Alek.
The man on the other line grunted. “Have you heard from the Council yet?”
“No, should I be hearing from them?”
“Yes. They will be contacting you soon. I have already assured them that you will offer whatever assistance necessary.”
Alek remained silent for a moment. His dealings with this man had always been for mutual benefit, but working with the Council seemed a bit extreme.
“Alek, are you still there?”
“Yes,” he mumbled. “Fine. I will be waiting for their call,” he said and quickly hung up. He could see Lilliana down below, strolling up the walkway carrying multiple shopping bags. Pocketing his cell phone, he hurried down the stairs to meet her.
Alek reached the entrance door just as she was fumbling for her keys in her new designer purse.
“Oh thank you, my son,” she said as he held the door open and took a few of the bags from her arms.
“I’ve told you time and again to let me know when you have done a lot of shopping. I’d be more than happy to come down and help you. It’s quite an uphill climb from the streets,” said Alek.
“I don’t want to be a bother,” she answered with a smile.
Alek shook his head at her and disappeared up the stairs with all of the shopping bags while she took the groceries into the kitchen. She set aside the fresh tomatoes, basil, and fresh ravioli to prepare for dinner, then put the rest away in the refrigerator. A fond smile came to her lips as a memory rushed to the surface of her mind. Luka. Ravioli had always been her husband’s favorite. Lost in thought, she pulled out the bag of crusty rolls, still warm from the bakery, as one tumbled out and rolled to the edge of the tile floor. Bending down to pick it up, her head began to spin. She tried to grab hold of the counter to keep her balance, but it was just out of reach. Blackness crept into the edge of her vision just as she hit the floor.
Lilliana watched as Luka unpac
ked the familiar brown cardboard boxes that were strewn across the living room. This was the fourth time they had moved in the past five years. She often wondered if it wouldn’t be easier just to leave everything behind and start fresh each time. But when she saw Luka pulling out Roman and Nico’s baby clothes and holding them up in the air with a smile, she remembered exactly why she couldn’t abandon their possessions.
“Can you believe they were ever this tiny?” asked Luka from across the living room.
“No, I can’t,” she answered with a hint of regret lacing her voice. She had been saving those clothes for years in hopes of one day seeing her grandchildren in them. And now her sons would never have children of their own—not after the curse that Fabian had cast upon them.
Luka noticed the look in her eye and came to sit down next to her on the couch. He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “They’re going to be fine, Lilliana.”
“How can you be so sure?” she asked, fear in her expressive blue eyes.
“Roman and Nico love the life they lead. They will be eternal twenty-year-olds, traveling the globe and exploring the ends of the earth. They have become quite good at controlling their bloodlust, thanks to you, and they live full and complete lives,” he said.
“But not human lives,” she said sadly. “They will never know a love like ours, get married, or hold their own child in their arms.”
“All of that’s over-rated, don’t you think?” he said with a chuckle and a twinkle in his dark eyes.
Lilliana leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Luckily, you’ll never have to find out,” he said taking her hand and smothering it with kisses until she laughed out loud. “Now where are those two? They are supposed to be helping me unpack.”
“They’ve gone into the town square. They weren’t too thrilled about moving to such a small town, but I convinced them to go find some locals and get acclimated,” she answered.
“Nonsense,” he said. “Oak Bluffs will be perfect. It’s just the respite we need after London. And as long as there are some attractive young ladies, I’m sure Nico will find himself right at home.”
“It’s Roman I worry about,” she admitted. “You know how he struggles with his control.”
“He just needs to find someone to make it worth his while,” he said with a smirk.
“Mother! Mother, wake up!” cried Alek.
Lilliana heard Alek’s muffled voice, sounding as though he were very far away. She didn’t want to wake up though. The vivid memories were alive in her mind and she was reluctant to let them go. Finally, her eyes began to flutter, and she felt the cold touch of Alek’s hand on her cheek.
“Are you all right?” he asked when her eyes finally opened, his pale face a few shades whiter than normal.
“Yes,” she said, as she tried to pick her head up, her golden curls coming loose from her bun. As she did, she felt the room tilt in a peculiar angle and she leaned back down.
“Mother, you’re not well,” he said.
“I’ll be fine in a moment, I’m sure. I haven’t eaten much today and I’m simply a bit lightheaded,” she explained.
Before she could blink, Alek waved his hand and she found herself lying on the couch in the loggia. “Stay here and rest,” he said. “I will bring you some tea and something to eat.”
As soon as he disappeared back into the kitchen, Lilliana clutched at her spinning head. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm herself, hoping that the room would right itself. When she opened them again, she felt a bit better, but she couldn’t dismiss the feeling that something was simply not right.
***
“You know, it’s my birthday tomorrow,” said Celeste with a playful grin as she looked over at Roman whose eyes were fixed on the road ahead. He hadn’t said much since picking her up.
“I’m very aware of that,” he answered, not turning his gaze.
“Are you mad at me or something?” she asked. She thought maybe he wasn’t thrilled about going to hang out with Brian and Marie, but this was, after all, a fact-finding mission.
“No,” he said with a shrug.
“Roman, I know when something’s bothering you and if it’s not me, then what’s going on?”
Roman let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s nothing, I’ll get over it. It’s not even worth mentioning.”
“So it is about me?” she asked. She knew very well that there weren’t many things that Roman got that worked up about. Last she had heard everything was fine between him and his mother, and Alek had been laying low so it couldn’t be about him either.
With a quick spin of the wheel, Roman pulled over to the side of the road and turned on his emergency lights. He finally turned to face her.
Whoa, this can’t be good.
“The other day with Marco – it’s been driving me wild!” he half-shouted.
“What are you talking about?” she asked, looking perplexed.
“Look, I know that you and Marco spent the past few months together during your rehab and you’ve gotten pretty close, but…”
“But what?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just going crazy,” he said, dragging his hands through his hair.
“Just spit it out, Roman.” Celeste was starting to get annoyed with his vague comments.
“When we were at the town square the other night, and you thought Marco was dying, I thought I recognized that look in your eyes.”
“Fear?” she asked. “I was scared. I thought my friend was going to die, Roman.”
“It came across as more than that,” he mumbled, averting his gaze to stare blankly out the window.
Celeste’s throat tightened. “You’re right, Marco and I have gotten much closer over the past few months. He’s been an amazing friend and has really been there for me during all of that evil rehab craziness. I don’t know what I would do if I lost him.” She paused for a second. “But I would feel the same way if that had been Stellan or Nico or even Marie.”
Roman grumbled in reply.
“There’s nothing going on between Marco and me besides a very strong friendship,” she finished.
“Well maybe for you, but that’s not how he feels about it.”
“You know there’s nothing I can do about that. And believe me, I’ve tried,” she said with a smirk.
“I know. It’s not just that, I guess I may be a little jealous that he has taken my place as your hunting buddy or sidekick, as Nico liked to call us.”
“No one could replace you,” she said taking his hand in hers.
“I was so mad at you for not calling me first when you went after those demons. Then when I got there and I saw the blood all over you… I’ve never been so scared in my life. The thought of losing you is completely unbearable,” he admitted, his blue eyes clouded with pain.
Celeste unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed over the center console to sit in Roman’s lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. “You’re never going to lose me.”
Pulling into Marie’s new apartment, Celeste’s mind was again on the idyllic dream in Astor, the mere thought of which sent pangs of guilt coursing through her. She had to stop thinking about it for the sake of her relationship with Roman. She still couldn’t believe how aware of her feelings Roman was. He had made it pretty clear that he had sensed something as Marco lay dying, and that it had hurt him. As they parked the car and Roman cut the engine, Celeste shook her head to get past the vivid scene at the lake still embedded in her mind. She had to focus: if she were going to have any future ahead of her, she had to find out about the fairy princess, Astrid, and if she had anything to do with a possible break-out attempt set up for Brazen.
“Ready?” asked Roman, who was already out of the car and holding the door open for her.
Celeste nodded and taking his hand, followed him up the walkway.
“Hey! Welcome to my new place,” said Ma
rie as she stood at the door and greeted them with a big smile, her flowing auburn hair shining in the mid-afternoon sunlight.
“It’s really nice!” said Celeste as she walked through the entryway. Marie’s new apartment was just a few steps from campus and though not nearly as luxurious as Roman and Nico’s place, it was modern and functional. There were still a few boxes stacked in the corner of the living room, but considering Marie had just moved in a week ago, the apartment already seemed pretty lived in. The aroma of scented candles filled the space, and blooming flowering plants brought color to the generic beige walls.
As Celeste admired the bright floral arrangement on the entrance table, Brian came racing around the corner and tackled her in a big hug. “You’re finally back,” he said as he squeezed her tightly.
“I am,” she said with a laugh. “It’s good to see you too.”
“I know you’re here on official guardian business, so I promise I won’t interfere,” said Brian as he led them into the living room. Roman raised a skeptical brow, but held his tongue.
The three of them sat down on the couch as Marie went into the kitchen to grab some drinks. When she came back with a tray of sodas, she said, “Okay, let’s talk. My roommate’s gone so no need to whisper.”
“That’s right,” said Celeste. “Brian told me you had a roommate. What’s she like?”
“Aria is okay so far. I haven’t seen her much. I was randomly matched to her through the college housing office.”
“Oh, cool,” said Celeste. She suddenly thought back to NYU. She had been scheduled to start there last fall and was supposed to have a random roommate too. She had temporarily put a hold on her dream of attending the university to deal with her new guardian duties. She hadn’t really had a chance to think about it much since then.
“She’s actually just finishing up her senior year of high school and then she’s starting at Oak Bluffs CC in the fall,” Marie continued.
“She sounds harmless enough,” said Roman, trying to get the girls back on track. “So about Astrid?”
