Guardian (Book Two of the Spirits' War Trilogy)

by K. V. Wilson

  “Probably a bad idea, mate,” Ace snorts. “They hate your guts.”

  “Yeah, they do,” Xera adds, and Ace regards her with interest and admiration.

  I smile inside as I sense that the Lycan’s regard for the little shapeshifter girl has only grown stronger as they’d been apart. Perhaps Xera would begin to feel the same way about him as time passes. One can only sit back and watch, hoping she won’t give him another black eye. Unless he deserves it, of course.

  “I shall stay, then,” Xunnu says, approaching us and handing me the intricate bow that Litu had carved for me. “I will act as the mediator between the many arguments that will ensue when your father finds out you’re missing, Ru-Yeva.”

  The chieftain winks at me, adjusting his ponytail. I feel a pang of residual emotion as I remember when Sejka had to leave Xunnu behind all those years ago. She had to find the other spirits, just like I have to, now. The only way we can stop Patercius is to unite the world against him.

  “Alright, all aboard,” Aelshen commands, and I realize he’s already exited the barn and Shifted to dragon form. Jen, Damian, and Ace clamber upon his great scaly back. “Remember to generate a cover of fog fer us, Skye.”

  I smile as I shrug off my sweatshirt and pants and stuff them into my pack. So much for getting dressed. I lower myself to all fours, relishing the familiar rather-painful sensation of relinquishing my body to my bestial form. It feels damn good to be a dragon.

  “Can I get a ride?” Conall asks with a sideways grin.

  I roll my eyes, nodding towards my gargantuan auburn back. He shrugs on my pack and climbs up, pulling Xera on behind him.

  “Up for a picnic?” Flint asks with a grin that highlights his hundreds of razor-sharp fangs.

  “Of courssse. Hope you packed lunch,” I tell the great dragon, nearly stumbling on the words as I attempt to get my forked tongue to cooperate.

  “Wouldn’t dream of forgetting,” Nessie replies, arching her beautiful moss-coloured neck and stretching her immense wings.

  Flint laughs. “One does not ssssimply traipse across the countryside without bringing a sssnack!”

  I turn my head to ensure my passengers are in place. “Here goesss nothing.”

  Pumping my leathery wings, I bound through the field and then leap into the air. Conall and Xera yelp in surprise as they grip tightly to the spines on my back.

  I pursue the Father of Lycans’ scaly chestnut form as we spiral skyward and then head east. Flint and Nessie are already high in the sky, performing aerial acrobatics the likes the world has never seen.

  Thank the First Guardian they aren’t carrying passengers.

  I inquire, gazing at the gold and magenta hues of the clouds above and below us as the dawn reaches its zenith.

 

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I want to give a big thank you – once again – to my mom for reading my drafts and supporting me. Your kindness will never be forgotten. I’m glad to have inherited your love of books. Special thanks as well to Daniel and Jade for your enthusiasm and encouragement. I am lucky to know you. Finally, there have been many kind readers and editors from WriteOn and Wattpad who have read Guardian and have taken the time to help me get this manuscript to where it is today. Evelyn Hail, J.M. Coles, DebbAnn, Jim Heter, Sue Baron, Celestious91, Amy Henry, Juliette L. Dunn, Cynk Napp, MayaR-31, Soleil Daniels, Stephanie Smith, Donna Fieldhouse, John Tolstoy King, L.E. Glazebrook, and all of my wonderful readers – I can’t thank you enough!

  If you enjoyed Guardian, please consider taking a few seconds to leave me a rating and/or review. You can check out more of my work here:

  Website: kvwilsonauthor.ca

  Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/16644289.K_V_Wilson

  Facebook: facebook.com/spirits.kvwilson

  Wattpad: wattpad.com/user/kv_wilson

  Thank you so much for reading and I hope to see you for the next installment of the Spirits’ War Trilogy: Incarnate – coming soon!

  ~ K.V. Wilson

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Born and raised in western Canada, K.V. Wilson has always been influenced by the natural world and by all sorts of fantasy and sci-fi works. Some of her influences are authors J.K. Rowling, Christopher Paolini, and Kevin Hearne. She currently lives in British Columbia and utilizes her spare time to play piano, hike, paint, and write songs and stories.

  Books by K.V. Wilson:

  The Spirits’ War Trilogy:

  ~ Spiritborne

  ~ Guardian

  ~ Incarnate

  ~ The Contraption (the first part of which is included in the One Million Project Fantasy Anthology)