The Guardian (The Gifted Book 1)

by C. L. McCourt

  "Yeah, if that's okay."

  Ander held Raisal's dagger in his hands and remembered the day he’d first seen the blade. He slid it from its scabbard and held it up. "May you never have to use it." He sheathed it again and hung it on the back of the chair.

  Daen pointed to a pile of snack bars, fruit, and water bottles. "See how much of that you can fit into your bag."

  When Rhea was finished stuffing her bag, Daen handed her one of the rolled wool Army blankets Pam had given them. "Can you strap this to the bottom of your pack?" He was pointing to the two straps on the underside of her backpack.

  It didn't take long to get ready. When Daen saw that Rhea was packed, he handed her the sword she had been using.

  "Let's see if you can draw this if we strap it around your waist." Rhea belted it on, allowing the sword to hang at her left hip. She reached across her body, took hold of the hilt, and pulled. The sword slid easily from its scabbard. Its smaller size was a perfect fit for Rhea's height and arm length.

  Christine sat at the kitchen table, watching the three of them get ready. She was trying to hide her pain, but Rhea could see it in her eyes, and it cut into her heart.

  Rhea knelt in front of Christine and hugged her. "I'll come back, I promise."

  Christine whispered in her ear, "Don't make promises you can't keep."

  Rhea pulled back and looked at her, memorizing every inch of Christine's face. "I love you."

  "I love you too, sweetheart." Christine kissed her daughter's cheek, pressing her lips against her skin as a mother would do to a newborn.

  Daen turned to give them their privacy and saw Randell step back from Pam's embrace. A moment later, they were all in the living room.

  ~~~

  Daen lifted the pillowcase just enough to wave some smelling salts under Bestian's nose and pull his gag free. Bestian came around quickly, struggling at first, but it didn't take long for him to realize he wasn't going to succeed in breaking free. Daen repeated the process with Gauvin.

  Daen spoke in Aduraun. "Do you want to live?"

  Bestian growled, "You'll pay for this!"

  "So, is that a no?" Daen’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

  "I'd prefer to live." Gauvin's voice wasn't whiny or pleading, it was simply matter-of-fact.

  "Ah, the sensible one of the pair."

  Bestian wasn't done with his threats. "You won't escape. He'll have her. He gets what he wants or else."

  Daen found this bit of information interesting. "And who is this man who gets what he wants?"

  Both men were silent.

  Daen needed that name. "You'd die for him? You're that loyal?"

  Gauvin snickered. "I wouldn't call it loyal."

  "Shut up, you fool!" Bestian threw his body against Gauvin, knocking him over.

  Gauvin struggled to right himself.

  "Or what? You'll kill me? Ooh. I'm scared. You have no idea who you're dealing with. You're the fool."

  Daen pulled Gauvin to a sitting position. "And who is he dealing with?"

  "A guardian. A warrior guardian if I recognized your sword correctly." Again, Gauvin's voice revealed he was resolved to his situation. "I assume you're going to kill us."

  Rhea gasped before she could control herself. She slapped her hand over her mouth and apologized with her eyes as Daen looked at her.

  Daen shook his head and rolled his eyes before returning his attention to the trackers. "Who sent you? How did you know who to look for? Cooperate and I might let you live."

  Bestian growled from under his pillowcase. "We don't know his name."

  Gauvin added, "He told us to find the Luxatran, as if there was only one." Gauvin laughed. "He was wrong."

  "What did he look like? Where did you meet him?"

  There was a long pause, and neither man talked.

  "Let me make it easy for you. You can die now by my hand or later by the hand of your master, assuming he catches you. Which do you prefer, a sure death or the possibility for life?"

  There was another pause before Gauvin answered, "He was hooded. We never saw his face. We met him in Drunsaur and he asked us if we wanted to make some money. He gave us a location, and when we arrived, he gave us our orders. Then someone pushed us and we found ourselves here, in this world, looking back at Luxatra. The man on the other side said if we came back empty-handed, he would kill us."

  Daen turned to Randell and Rhea and motioned for them to accompany him into the kitchen.

  Once inside, Daen switched back to English and whispered, "Randell, did you pick up on anything?"

  "I didn't see any deception in their colors, but then they are already dark. I can't be 100 percent sure, but I think they're just hired thugs."

  "I agree. We're not going to get any more from them." He paused, "You ready to go?"

  Rhea and Randell nodded.

  "Well, then, let's break the news to our guests that they'll be getting wet." They went back into the living room.

  Daen asked, "Can you swim?"

  Both men nodded.

  Ander stood ready with the piece of plywood, creating a shadow large enough for them to pass through.

  "If you venture close enough to your master, you can tell him we have returned to Luxatra to put an end to him. If you come after us again, you will forfeit your life. Do I make myself clear?" Daen winked at Rhea.

  "I'll get you for this!" Bestian snarled, as he squirmed, struggling against his bindings.

  Daen grabbed him by the shoulders, twisting him into position. "Well, you can try, but I wasn't kidding. The next time we meet, I won't show any mercy." Just before Bestian was pushed head first into Luxatra, Daen cut his hand ties.

  Bestian yelled, panic in his voice, and then he was gone.

  Daen took Gauvin by the shoulders and dragged him to the shadow. "You're going to land in the water, but you'll be only a few feet from an island." Daen pushed him through, cutting his ties when he was halfway through.

  “And your desires are pure,” whispered Rhea as she thought back to Raisal’s journal and what they had assumed was the key for returning to Luxatra. She looked between Daen and Randell. “Their desire to return, or maybe lack thereof, didn’t seem very ‘pure.’ How did they go through?”

  Randell answered, “Their reason for staying might have been real for them, pure for them, but it wasn’t a good reason. It would seem that clause in the key is open to interpretation by the powers that control the veil.”

  Rhea nodded as she considered Randell’s explanation. It didn’t matter at this point. They’d been able to push the trackers through the veil and that was all that mattered.

  Ander rested the plywood against the wall and turned on a light. "Well, I'm glad that's over. Let's get you to a shadow far from the lake."

  ~~~

  Ander pulled a map of the area from a kitchen drawer and laid it out on the table. "Do you want to be close to your rendezvous location?"

  "Not too close. I want to come in from the south; Lanne will be coming in from the Northwest." Daen looked at the map. "Let's head east from here for about an hour. That should get us close enough."

  Daen, Randell, and Rhea grabbed their gear. Rhea rode with her parents, with Daen insisting that he ride with her. He wasn't going to let her out of his sight. Randell rode with his parents in their car.

  Surprisingly, there was little discussion in the Canton car. Daen rode up front with Brian, allowing Christine and Rhea to sit together.

  About thirty minutes into the trip, Christine took Rhea's hand and said, "We're sorry for having doubted you. All those years you kept this part of your life secret; it must have been so hard."

  "It's okay, Mom," Rhea replied, "I understand. To be honest, there were times I wasn't sure I shouldn't be checked into a hospital. If it wasn't for Lanne all these years, I don't know what I would have done."

  "I'm glad you had her."

  The occupants of the car were quiet for a while before Christine approached another sensitive t
opic. "I understand you’ve met your biological mother. Her name is Gaibel, right?"

  "I saw her in the shadow in my dorm room but she didn't see me. She was told I was there."

  Christine looked at Daen in the front seat. "Daen says she's a warrior for King Argeon." Her voice was soft and distant.

  Rhea squeezed her hand and looked at her. "You'll always be my mother."

  Christine turned back to Rhea. "But now that you know she gave you up to save your life, I assume you'll find it in your heart to see her as your mother."

  Rhea thought about what she was saying; that her biological mother hadn't given her up because she didn't want her. She had done the hardest thing a mother could do; she gave her up to save her. Rhea felt a special connection to Gaibel, more than she ever thought she would.

  The tone of Christine's voice said she feared Rhea would forget she had raised her, loved her, kept her safe. That wasn't true, but Rhea had to be honest with herself. "I think I have enough room in my heart for both of you, if that's okay with you."

  Rhea could tell Christine forced her smile. "Of course."

  Brian was looking at Rhea in the rearview mirror. "What's up, Dad?"

  He shrugged. "I don't know ... I was just listening to you two." His eyes returned to the road. After a few minutes he said, "Did you ever find out who your father is?"

  Rhea reached forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You are."

  "Rhea, you know what I'm asking."

  "No, no word on my biological father." She leaned back in her seat, not able to quiet the questions in her head. Who was her biological father? Where was he? Was he a good man? Did Gaibel love him? She hoped to have answers to her questions soon.

  ~~~

  After an hour in the car, they started to look for a place to pull over. The moon was bright, and there was not a cloud in the sky. They needed to be in a secluded location to avoid being seen, but they also needed a shadow that showed them the other side.

  They pulled over at a small rest stop and found a shadow that would suffice. Fortunately, the rest stop was abandoned but there was no way to know for how long, so a long goodbye wouldn't be possible.

  Pam pulled Daen into a hug and whispered, "Thank you for coming into our lives. I'll miss you."

  Daen kissed her on the ear. "I'll miss you too." He broke the hug and extended his hand to Ander.

  Ander grabbed it and pulled him into a manly hug. "The door is always open to you."

  Daen returned the hug. "I'll visit."

  Ander pulled away and held Daen by the shoulders. "You are like a son to me."

  "Thanks for taking care of me. I don't know how I would have managed all these years without you." Daen stepped back and turned his head, his emotions starting to get the best of him. "I'll go first and check it out."

  Randell and Rhea said their goodbyes again as Daen stepped into the shadow. The rush, the sensation that coursed through him, added years to his life as he hung suspended in the veil, before it released him into his world.

  Daen stood in the darkness of Luxatra, overwhelmed by the fact he was finally home. A small part of him wanted to believe that nothing else mattered but he knew better. Pushing his feelings of joy aside, he focused on his surroundings, reaching out with his gift to discern if there was any human life nearby. He sensed no one.

  Daen turned to face the direction from which he’d come through, but couldn't see through to the world of shadows, his home for the last twenty-some years. He knew Ander and Rhea would be watching so he waved that all was clear.

  Rhea took Randell's hand and led him into the veil. As they stepped into the shadow, time slowed. The energy in the veil coursed through them.

  For an instant, Randell thought he might not be accepted into the veil, but when his surroundings faded from his sight, he knew that was not the case. He tightened his grip on Rhea’s hand, not wanting to get lost in the space between the worlds.

  Rhea received images of the Libraim in her mind and felt it reach out to her, connecting with her in a way she'd never felt before. Just when she thought she might be lost, trapped in the veil, she stepped out the other side with Randell close behind.

  They’d made it.

  Rhea turned in time to see her parents walk away from the opening in the veil. Her heart ached for the pain she caused them, her only solace was the fact that her parents now believed.

  Randell stood next to Rhea and could sense her sadness.

  Rhea whispered, “They’re gone.”

  “We’ll see them again.”

  Thank You!

  Thank you for reading The Guardian. I hope you enjoyed it.

  The Gifted

  The Guardian

  The Channel

  The Dark Healer

  The Keeper

  Learn more at http://luxatra.com

  ~~~

  The Channel

  The Gifted Book 2

  1

  Seeing

  The sound of Doaran's boots echoed in the long torch-lit tunnel leading to the Seer's sanctuary, an ancient cave within the Kinling Mountains. Since the beginning of the Libraim's histories, the sanctuary had been a place where those gifted with visions could see most clearly and without distraction.

  He knew she would be expecting him. The veil between worlds had opened just a few hours ago, ready to receive, and he needed to know if there was any sign that the prophecy would be fulfilled. Doaran had started making this walk after the Seer advised Daen of his mission, after Daen had disappeared, a little over 18 years ago.

  He stopped at the heavy wooden doors that hid the gifted seers from prying eyes. The knowledge obtained by the seers was not to be shared with just anyone—the future was not theirs to change. Visions of missions were the only bits of information the seers passed on, as it was believed to be their responsibility.

  He gripped the iron handle and pressed the latch. The massive door slid open with ease, as if inviting him in. He stepped quietly inside and closed the door.

  She sat with her back to him, on a stack of pillows in front of an opening in the cave wall. The sanctuary was located just a few feet below the rocky surface of the Kinling Mountains. He couldn't see her face but he knew her white eyes were open, staring out nature's window and seeing that which no one else could see.

  Behind her, her fellow guardians, each with the gift of visions, sat with their eyes closed watching the world around them, waiting for the Libraim to send them a request.

  A cool breeze whipped through the opening in the mountain's wall as Midori turned towards him, her long black hair swirling in the wind's wake. She lifted her white eyes to meet his and held his gaze. "They are here."

  Doaran strained to control his excitement. "So the prophecy will be fulfilled?"

  Midori dipped her head once. "It has started." She turned back to the opening. "Now we must wait."

  Doaran turned on his heel and briskly left the sanctuary, returning the way he'd come; the elders and his peers would be the next to know. He reached the end of the tunnel and stepped into the cool storage room, closing the doors to the tunnel behind him.

  Passing crates filled with supplies, barrels of wine, and stores of food, Doaran climbed the stone steps, carved out of the mountains rock, to the main floor meeting hall. Before him, the darkness of the vast chamber was tempered by a scattering of torches hanging along the walls, casting enough light to see only a few of the wood plank tables and benches that occupied the space.

  He turned left, away from the tables, to a set of open doors at the end of the room. Darkness was upon Luxatra, but that didn't keep him from seeing those who sat around the table of decisions, waiting for his report. They would not retire, for what remained of the night, until the Seer's message had been delivered.

  The heels of Doaran's boots gave notice of his approach, drawing all eyes to him as he entered the room and closed the doors. He proceeded to the head of the table where he stood and looked into the faces of the men and
women who'd waited patiently, yet anxiously, to know. "They are here. The prophecy has come to be."

  The rumble of voices, each commenting on top of the other, filled the room.

  Doaran could see the excitement, as well as the concern, on their faces and in their body language. He remained standing, silently watching, as word of Daen's return was rejoiced and discussed.

  ~~~

  Bestian and Gauvin reached the grassy shore of Hondau Lake, exhausted from their swim. It took them almost thirty minutes, fully clothed, to reach the shore after leaving the tiny island where they had been unceremoniously dumped.

  Bestian's anger raged inside him, burning through his veins such that he didn't even notice the coldness of the water. He wanted Gauvin to know just what he planned to do to the guardian who had caused him so much trouble, but each time he spoke, water had splashed into his mouth causing him to spit and sputter.

  It had taken only a few minutes for them to decide to leave the island. Gauvin had wanted to wait until the darkness had started to fade into light, but Bestian couldn't wait. After Gauvin had stepped onto the island, Bestian walked to the other side and slipped into the cold water again, determined to reach shore as fast as possible.

  Gauvin had kept his mouth shut. He hadn't wanted to listen to Bestian's gripes and insults so he'd followed his partner into the lake. He had worked slowly and methodically, maximizing each stroke to reach a shore he hadn't been able to see in the dark but trusted was there. He hadn't known how far they'd have to swim so he'd focused on reserving his energy, ignoring Bestian, and hoping that he would survive.

  Now, Bestian and Gauvin lay on the grass-line shore, recovering from their efforts.

  Gauvin asked, "Do you think they returned, like he said they would?"

  Bestian strained for every breath, barely able to answer, "I ... don't ... know." As he sucked in more breaths, his heart rate started to slow, and feeling started to return to his numb appendages. "It certainly sounded like he would."

  "Do you have a plan for finding them?" Gauvin sat up and stared into the darkness. "They could be anyplace by now."