Guardian

by Valerie King

  I knew he was strained, uncertain about speaking of the ones we were meant to fear. Those who knew what I had done…who wanted to put their hands around my throat and choke the life out of me.

  “Nightenbows,” he continued, only slightly above a whisper. He shook his head and removed his glasses, rubbing his eyelids. “They want to kill the Guardians, Mac. There is no doubt in my mind that they want to kill you. You were so close to death just a few weeks ago…” He didn’t continue this time, my mother wrapping her arm around his shoulders, as I watched my father try and remain composed. He was not one to show emotion often, even in times of grief, or in this case…fear.

  “We’ll be meeting with the Guardian council tonight, Mac. Baron and Empress Griland have expressed an urgent need to convene and discuss the matter at hand. We must be on high alert from this point forward as the numbers of Nightenbows continue to increase. They are not only a threat to us, but to our Shomers as well.” My mother laid her hand upon the table, before staring into my eyes with extreme intensity. “Keep this with you. Never speak of the ones we are meant to fear to anyone outside of the Guardians. Follow your vow to uphold the promises of our society, always.”

  My mother’s hand lifted slowly, revealing a platinum ring set with a strikingly beautiful amethyst. “For protection. It was your grandmother’s ring, now it’s yours.”

  I gasped at the gorgeous piece, lifting it from the table and slipping it onto my ring finger on my right hand.

  “It’s beautiful, Mom.” I wiggled my finger around, the light of the stone reflecting wildly within my eyes. “How does it protect the one who wears it?”

  “If you sense danger, summon the ring to hide you within its veil,” she said swiftly.

  “How do I summon it?”

  “Ask it. It now views you as its matriarch. It’s that simple.” My mother rose from her chair, clearing the plates from the dinner table. “We leave in fifteen minutes, make haste.”

  I followed my mother into the kitchen as I mulled over the ring and the immense power it held. As I loaded the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, I meditated on the belief that now he could no longer touch me. Neither Aaron’s filthy hands nor the likes of the Nightenbows could ever touch me again. Perhaps explaining things to Evan was no longer a sin, but a reason to live. I longed for him to need me once more. My hunger grew as the image of his face surfaced, flooding my world with his perfection and allure, for what had to be…the millionth time. I was more than willing to continue to risk my life for him…and for the sake of love.

  *****

  A sea of faces sat in the Great Hall of the Grilands’ home. Quiet swept its way around each of us, everyone choosing to focus on the matter at hand rather than extending friendly conversation to one another. Anxiety filled the room as we waited for Baron Griland to enter and address our society about the looming battle at hand.

  The same string quartet that had played the beautiful melodies of the Guardians during my Aisle of Namesake was now playing quietly in the corner; a hauntingly majestic tune that reminded me more of a funeral than a meeting. Trey and his mother Deidra walked through the door only moments before the quartet switched its melody, playing March of the Guardians to announce the entrance of the Baron and Empress. As everyone stood, Trey left his mother’s side, her face growing bitter at his haste. He made his way over to where I sat with my parents and Aria, taking the empty seat beside me, grabbing a hold of my hand in the process.

  “How are you, my sweets?” he whispered ever so softly in my ear.

  I glanced over at him and smiled. “Wonderful now that you are here,” I replied, turning my attention back to the matter at hand.

  It was becoming increasingly difficult to hide my infatuation with Evan. I adored Trey, but the feelings I had for him seemed to grow dimmer and dimmer as the days passed. The touch of his hand, the taste of his kiss, the gentle caresses he brushed across my cheeks had always caused a fiery response, but only a single ember remained. It was wrong of me to lead him on, but my relationship with him kept my obsession with Evan a deeply hidden enigma that I vowed would never emerge…at least not to the world of the Guardians. Not now.

  Baron Griland took his place behind his marble podium before speaking. “You may all be seated.”

  Empress Griland took her seat in an enormous dark oak chair, each of the massive arms carved into the shape of angel wings, and the cushions covered in a deep plum colored velvet. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her white charmeuse gown as she looked lovingly at her husband; her face somewhat scarred with disbelief, and alarm hidden beneath a radiant smile.

  “I have gathered all of you here today to discuss a disturbing matter at hand, one which leaves me gravely distraught and without sleep. Some of you already know what I am speaking of, and others of you are unaware of the darkness that swirls around our society.” He shifted his weight, uneasiness hanging in the air, suffocating our society with trepidation.

  “The Nightenbows: a society outside of our own. They are angels, yes…but of darkness, not of the light like us. They have always despised our purpose, but they lay quiet for decades…until now. Recently there was an attack on one of our very own. An attack that portrayed the handiwork of the Nightenbows society.”

  My heartbeat quickened at his words. Several people turned to stare, leaving me feeling ashamed and hurt at what I had done. Trey squeezed my hand, trying to reassure me that I had done nothing to cause the violent encounter. If they only knew the truth about what had really transpired. I knew the truth, and my shoulders suddenly felt weighted by the burden that I had given my commonwealth to carry. If only I hadn’t been so careless, we wouldn’t be sitting here today contemplating our safety and survival as a whole.

  He continued his address. “They are looking for failure within the Guardians. For failure gives them a right to steal life. The life of a Shomer…the life of a Guardian.”

  A hushed gasp emerged from the throats of several Guardians in the room. The news, the danger that lurked outside the walls was real and undeniable to the ears that listened intently. My eyes remained glued to the Baron, a distraction to keep me from crying out in guilt.

  “A treaty was signed nearly sixty years ago between the Guardians and the Nightenbows; an arrangement to keep peace between both sides at all costs. Before the treaty, unexplained accidents, deaths and terminations were prominent, leaving our society frightened and recoiled. The humans we protect often went missing, and members were often found beaten…or murdered.”

  At his words, more than a dozen men stood, my father included, and proceeded to the front of the room to stand with Baron Griland. The rest of us watched intently as they took their places.

  “These men, they have given their lives not only to their Shomer, but to each of you. Their secrecy is what has kept each of you safe. They interact with the Nightenbows often, meeting with them behind closed doors to evaluate and maintain the treaty that was written so long ago. There are other societies like ours throughout the world, but the Nightenbows still remain stronger and more abundant, holding more members than all of us put together. These men keep the peace…the calm in this world. Your world.”

  Baron Griland stepped out in front of his podium, his face weathered and serious as he spoke. “The Nightenbows are restless. We have remained honorable over the years, leaving them without the notion or need for their twisted ways. They feed off of failure…our failure, the failure of an angel of light. They long for us to falter. Do not falter, dear ones. For death is what they seek.”

  At his words, I trembled with deep remorse as the crowd buzzed with quiet conversation at Baron Griland’s final words. Empress Griland stood, the Baron taking her hand as the two of them exited the room, the eyes of the Guardian society watching them closely. The warning had been read, we had been given instruction, and now we were to act as told and remain tightly knitted to one another to avoid any more attacks.

  “This is more serious than I though
t,” Trey whispered quietly to me, his hand still grasping mine tightly.

  As the words caught in my throat, I answered with a simple, “Yes.”

  My mother and father were now in quiet discourse with Lord and Lady Yancey across the Great Hall. Trey excused himself to talk with several other members of the group, his mother calling him forth, which was no surprise. The hate that exuded from her every look left me extremely uncomfortable.

  Aria waved at me as she walked away with her mother, her little brother Cadence grasping her hand. I waved back, mustering up a grin. With my head hung low now that I sat alone, I viewed the last remaining bruise that had lightened to a pale yellow around my left wrist. It was a valid reminder that I had faltered, that my foot had stumbled, giving the Nightenbows reason to step in and uphold the treaty in place. Now I understood what my father’s importance was. What his job entailed, and why it had remained a secret all these years. Knowing the truth didn’t make things any easier.

  Aaron had made it perfectly clear what my world now held, what my fate was. Evan’s life was to expire along with mine, but his life was to be taken by my own two hands. And as the truth hit my conscience head on, I made one final promise to myself, to my Shomer…to the Guardians. I would leave before any more damage could be done, before the truth escaped the lips of another…before anyone knew what Macy Louise Milligan had done.

  I refused to kill, and I refused to die in vain. I would leave the only world that I had ever known, and I would take Evan with me. Yes, I would have to break the heart of someone I genuinely cared for, but I longed to love the one who knew me and accepted me. He was the one I longed for, wanted more than anything in this world. I had spoken a vow, and it would remain unbroken for all eternity. Or at least, for as long as this girl walked the streets of the broken world around her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Warning

  Days passed slowly as I waited for him to cry out for me. It was the only way I could face him again, to speak of the dangers that awaited the two of us if we stayed any longer. But his heartbeat remained silent, his resilient being completely still. I had to awaken a need inside the depths of his soul, so I planned a course of action. It was a completely crazy scheme that left me questioning my own sanity, but one that left me no choice unless I was ready to face my eradication. I wasn’t ready to leave this world just yet. I had too much to live for, to give.

  “Where are you off to so early this morning, dear?” Mom was working the crossword puzzle in the New York Times. Dad had already left for the day; he had left for the job, the position of secrecy that was no longer a secret to any of us. But this didn’t make his work any less important. If anything, it was even more important nowadays.

  Trey and I didn’t see each other very often anymore. It wasn’t that we didn’t want to spend time together; it was because the Guardians had formed a group to watch the slithering moves of the Nightenbows. They were watching us, so we began watching them. A handful of young men were called to action, to disperse throughout the city, and to check that the Nightenbows continued to uphold their side of the bargain. Several other groups of angels had joined ours in an attempt to keep things in peaceful order. The Seraphims, Cherubims and the Chayots were working alongside us.

  “I’m headed downtown for coffee, a little window-shopping, and to take a walk through the park,” I replied.

  Mom folded her newspaper and removed her reading glasses. “Mind if I join you? I could use some fresh air.” She rose to her feet before I could answer.

  I knew what she was doing, she was afraid to allow me to go anywhere alone. After the attack, my mother had grown leery of everything and trusted no one. Of course, I had expected this to be her reply to my answer. So I had constructed a plan that would allow me to part ways with her at just the right time later this morning.

  Mom slipped on her shoes, pulling her hair back in a loose ponytail. Within ten minutes, she was ready to go, and so was I. As we shut the door behind us, her arm slipped around my shoulder, pulling me into her side as we walked into the empty elevator. “This will be nice, Mac. A little mother-daughter time this morning.”

  I smiled at her sweet gesture and replied with great ease, “Of course, Mom. Now let’s grab that coffee.”

  *****

  He left for work each morning at nine o’clock sharp. I glanced at my wristwatch constantly; the minutes creeping by as my mother and I made our way through the busy streets of New York, steaming hot coffee in hand. My nerves were on edge, but I knew what I had to do. I had gotten this far. There was absolutely no reason to turn back now.

  Stopping in front of Strand, a local bookstore, I watched as my mother ran her fingers along the glass of their display window. “Look at that book, Mac. A book about angels for the eyes of the average human.” She shook her head. “Ha! If they only knew the real truth about angels.” She took a sip of her coffee and kept walking ahead, the morning sunlight beginning to fill the sidewalks of the city.

  I stopped suddenly, my hand grabbing my shoulder as I groaned aloud.

  Mom spun around and stared at me, a look of fear now bubbling over in her eyes. “What is it? What’s the matter?”

  “My mark, it burns…I can hear his heartbeat. He needs me,” I lied through gritted teeth. I did my best to act uncomfortable, but made sure the people that swept past us didn’t grow suspicious. I only needed to convince my mother that leaving now was imperative.

  “I-I really don’t want you going alone, Macy.” She shook her head, uncertainty and aversion twisting her mouth. “Maybe I should come with you…”

  “No, no, I’ll be fine. Really…I’ll be fine,” I reassured her, my hand now resting on her shoulder. “I have to go, Mom.” Without giving her another opportunity to argue with me, I turned around and began walking briskly to the corner of 12th Street. Hanging a sharp right, I wedged myself between an overflowing dumpster and a stack of wooden crates, dematerializing instantly, only to reappear in the alleyway of his apartment building seconds later. Looking down at my watch, I only had a minute to spare before he left for work.

  “Where is he?” I said under my breath. Individuals walked past me, unaware that I stood only inches away from them. My eyes never strayed from the front door of his building. Maybe he had left early this morning, or maybe he was running late? My breath quickened as a sinking feeling fell over me…what if they had gotten him? My hands weren’t meant for killing, so perhaps they had taken care of him for me as a peace offering. I bit my lip in apprehension, drawing blood, the foul metal taste filling my mouth. Pushing the noises inside my head aside, I focused on his heartbeat. I had to find it, hear it, to ease my apprehension. Slow and steady, the beat of life permeated my mind, allowing the heat of worry I felt for him to slowly dissipate. The sound of his heartbeat had never sounded so beautiful before. But where was he? Without his direct prompting, I couldn’t materialize where he currently stood. I could only place myself where he might be.

  Dread pulsed through my veins as I searched my mind for answers. I concocted a scheme to find Evan; a tug at his soul to fizz over, allowing me to intervene. So I took my place on the bench in front of his apartment building…and waited for the right moment. The right moment to save the one I loved.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Departure

  His figure started out small, but grew ever larger as he sauntered his way through the floodgates of individuals, half-eaten bagel in hand and earbuds blaring. Relief spilled forth as the truth washed over me; he was safe, alive, and walking towards me. Standing, I shut my eyes and called out to his spirit. I was toying with the dark arts, but I had to do what I had to do. Pushing my thoughts into his head, I begged for his feet to move toward the busy street, leaving the safety of the sidewalk. At first, there was no response. Then almost instantly, his course changed.

  Stepping out onto 72nd Avenue, a bold yellow New York City cab slammed on its brakes, crushing the passenger side door of a white Mercedes as it sw
erved angrily into the next lane. As the scene of the accident began to unfold, I rushed to intervene, pulling Evan back onto the sidewalk a split second before the cab careened onto the sidewalk, narrowly missing a handful of individuals.

  As soon as my touch fell upon Evan, he knew I was there. He spun around looking for me, removing his headphones, as stranger after stranger gasped in horror at the death sentence he had narrowly missed.

  A man in a black double-breasted business suit patted him on the shoulder. “Man, somebody’s looking out for you today.”

  Evan laughed out loud, completely panic stricken as he continued searching the crowd for my presence. As the scene unfolded and emergency vehicles began to arrive, I realized now was my only chance. Without revealing myself, I whispered into his ear sweetly, “Meet me at your apartment.”

  His eyes flashed with trepidation as he glanced over his shoulder, running his hands through his mussy hair, beads of sweat now visible above his brow. Several officers had begun gathering statements from the crowd of witnesses. Evan spun around, sprinting towards the front door of his apartment, slipping inside before ever being approached. I followed him, swiftly and quietly in secret, as we crept up the stairs to the third floor. Slipping his key into the lock, he held the door open for me; the invisible woman who he had longed to see…to hold…to embrace. He knew I was present, and in a strange, lustful way, I was completely turned on.

  As the door closed, sunlight filtered through the windows, catching every morsel of dust that filled his cluttered apartment. Books lined the walls, the tables, and the floor of his home. It was more saturated in literature than when I had previously visited him in silence just weeks ago. Literature from the twentieth century, publications about architecture…books about angels. My breath caught within my throat as I allowed the life of the one I protected, longed for, to soak in.