“It’s different for everyone,” the healer replied. “I provide the catalyst, and your body provides the results. Let’s get started.”
Magdelin closed her eyes and mumbled softly. A surge of heat rushed through Sara’s body, then a sense of calm. It was so calm she nearly fell asleep, until the next rush of heat assaulted her. She gasped and tried to turn her head, but Magdelin’s small hands held her in place.
Another wave of calm washed over her, and she thought of the ocean. The smell of salt water and suntan lotion. Her daughter’s small, bare feet digging in the sand. She was three years old. Sara remembered it like it was yesterday. The little girl plunged her pudgy fingers into the wet sand, then looked up and smiled at her mother.
That’s when Sara realized it wasn’t her memory. It was Magdelin’s. They both opened their eyes at the same time, and Sara saw tears rolling down Magdelin’s cheeks.
“You were there at the beach that day?” Sara asked as the healer put her hands on her own lap.
“I was the one who led her back to you,” Magdelin answered. “One of the Csökkent distracted you with the umbrella blowing away while another tried to take that beautiful baby from you.”
Sara didn’t know what to say. How did she just share Magdelin’s memory? She thought that was only something that happened between her and Darian. Regardless, if what she said was true, Sara owed her everything. She would’ve gone insane if she’d lost Julie that young.
“We all took turns looking after you,” Magdelin continued. “The Csökkent were relentless, even after Darian’s display. I don’t’ think they knew you were his Sentinel. They were just targeting everyone who fit the description. So many innocent people died because of it.”
“I don’t want to know what Darian did, do I?” Sara asked.
“No, but it isn’t my story to tell even if you did.”
Sara couldn’t remember any point in her life when she found herself truly speechless, until now. How many of the others had watched out for her? Is that why she felt so comfortable around them? Had they been part of her life all this time?
“You’ve always been a part of our family, Seraphina, even if you never realized it,” Magdelin said, wrapping her fingers around Sara’s hand. “We have loved you since the day you were born.”
Darian had said the same thing, but it meant something different coming from the healer. “I don’t know what to say.” Sara tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She thought she’d gotten rid of it, but the damn stubborn thing kept coming back.
“You don’t have to say anything,” She squeezed her hand and released it, then rose to her feet. “We’ll try again later when my emotions aren’t all over the place.”
“Why are your emotions all over?” Raphael asked as he walked up behind her, his eyes narrowed with concern.
“None of your business,” she replied and kissed him on the cheek.
He blushed and Magdelin winked at Sara. They were together, like a couple together. How had Sara not seen it before?
“Um, Mikel said you wanted to talk?” Raphael said, rubbing the side of his face and watching Magdelin.
They were definitely a thing, Sara thought to herself.
“Yes. Did Mikel and Darian tell you about our meeting with Orin?”
“Mikel did,” Raphael replied, sitting in the chair Magdelin had vacated. “I didn’t see Darian.”
“Oh, well, anyway… I was wondering if you could watch me create one of my shields, and tell me what you see.”
“Of course, but I’ve already watched you do it several times,” Raphael replied. “And you are correct, it’s more of a creation than a summoning of light the way Mikel does.”
“I assume there are limits to what I can create?” she asked.
“There are limits to all magic,” Raphael said. “Most of the time, it’s the exhaustion you feel now.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.” She chewed her lip for a second, then stopped. She wouldn’t have one left if she kept doing it. “I know I can create a shield in just about any shape or size. I can also make swords and daggers.”
She held out her hand and thought about what she wanted for several seconds, then exhaled loudly when it didn’t work. She didn’t want to be a weapon, but it’s exactly what she felt like.
“I wanted to create a butterfly rather than a weapon,” she said.
“A butterfly is an organic, living thing,” Raphael said, and she heard the compassion in his voice. “You can only create inanimate objects. Human’s don’t create life, except by having babies of course.”
She thought about the butterfly as a statue, and translucent wings attached to a small body appeared in her hand.
“Exactly,” Raphael said with a smile.
“I was thinking about something Orin said before our fight.” The butterfly vanished and one of Darian’s daggers replaced it. “He said he had no value because he was just a weapon.” She looked at Raphael and noticed Magdelin at his side.
“You must know you are not just a weapon, Sara,” Raphael replied.
“Am I?” She looked at both of them. “You all protected me my entire life so that I could fight against this evil, so I could partner with my Watcher and defeat the Overlords who threaten humanity. I’m missing the part that includes something other than a weapon.”
“Orin also said our strength comes from something the demons do not possess and cannot possibly understand.” Darian’s disembodied voice spoke from the other side of Sara’s bed.
She thrust her fist in his direction and was surprised when it hit. He appeared with a grunt, rubbing his ribs.
“That’s rather inappropriate, Darian,” Magdelin stated. “Have you been here the entire time?”
“Possibly,” he replied. “But my Sentinel should have known that.”
How dare he eavesdrop on her conversation? Just when she was beginning to get over her anger, he would do something stupid. “Really?” Sara asked with disbelief. “I was trying to mind my own business and not get in your head. You’re making it really hard not to track you all the time.”
“About that,” Raphael said, then stopped abruptly. “Never mind.”
Darian scowled at the Runemaster, but he snapped his mouth closed.
“About what, Raphael?” Sara asked giving her attention to Raphael, knowing that Darian had disrupted the conversation.
“We were talking about Orin’s conversation,” Darian said. “Let’s not get distracted.”
“What did Orin think we had that the demons’ don’t?” Raphael asked, obviously grateful for the redirect.
“Sara?” Darian looked at her expectantly.
“Love and compassion,” she replied, glaring at him.
“And you should know that better than most,” Darian continued.
“They do not know compassion, nor are they capable of love,” Sara finished.
“Yet you have both, do you not?”
She looked up at his unyielding eyes. “I did, but I think it’s gone.” She hadn’t admitted it to herself, and here she was saying it out loud.
“Yet I see it in everything you do.” His expression softened slightly as he continued, and she secretly hoped his understanding side would show up. “You wouldn’t let me kill Orin because of your compassion for his human half. You were able to see past the demon staring down at you and see the man beneath. Your love for family is just as strong today as it was last week when they were still a part of your life. And you constantly think about your neighbors and whether or not they survived at Smoky’s.”
She tried to swallow that damn lump again and cursed. Those were the same reasons she knew she couldn’t love again. She’d lost so much.
“But my lack of love for you keeps us weak,” she replied. “I feel it, just as much as you do.”
“I think you just missed my point,” he replied, but she saw the hurt in his eyes. “Love is not just about a husband and wife relationship. You know that. I would
never try to replace Andrew’s place in your heart because he will always occupy that space. But that doesn’t mean we cannot be friends.”
“Did you really just put yourself in the friend zone?” she asked with a sad smile.
“Yes, I suppose I did.”
Chapter 41
Darian
For the next two days, Darian and Sara worked on her skills with melee weapons. He was amazed at the variety of swords and axes she could create. Adalina loved it, embracing Sara’s training with a vigor Darian had not seen from her in years. He was equally astounded by how quickly Sara learned to use them. Raphael said it was part of her gift.
“Why would God give her a gift she couldn’t use naturally?” he asked that evening as they watched the girls practice.
“Darian, has she trained with you yet?” Adalina’s voice bellowed across the arena.
“What did you think we were doing when we weren’t here?” Darian asked, immediately regretting it.
“I know what I’d be doing,” Adalina wagged her eyebrows at him. “It would have nothing to do with a sword. Well, maybe…”
“Stop!” Darian smiled at her ridiculous comments. “You have only ever tried to kill me.”
“You know that’s not true, darling,” she said with a grin. “You just always tell me no.”
“Do we need to leave you two alone?” Sara asked as her eyes narrowed.
Was that jealousy emanating from his Sentinel?
“My dear,” Adalina answered without hesitation. “He made his position clear years ago. Regardless of what I wanted from him, he was only giving it to one person, and that wasn’t me.”
“Adalina, we’re supposed to be training, not talking about your love life,” Darian interjected before she went any further. Sara didn’t need the reminder of his feelings. Since his admission into the friend zone, their relationship seemed easier. He wanted to leave it that way. He left the bench he’d been sitting on and joined them in the arena.
“I assume she can see you when you’re concealed,” Adalina began.
“Actually, she cannot,” Darian replied.
“Really?” The warrior looked between the two of them, surprised. “Then, we’ll see if she actually does have any warrior blood.” She turned her focus completely to Sara. “There is a split second before he strikes where we can see his silhouette. It’s part of the ability to feel their intent. As soon as he makes up his mind to hit his opponent, his concealment blinks.” She leaned in close and whispered, “He’s also wearing my favorite cologne, so you should find him easily.” She winked and stepped back towards the bench Darian had vacated.
“You do realize your version of a whisper is not very effective, right?” Darian asked as Adalina walked away.
“Of course I do.”
“She does it to get under your skin,” Sara said with a grin. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who enjoys seeing you squirm like that.”
“Does she realize you can just read my intentions through our connection?” Darian asked with a true whisper, grateful for Sara’s comfort around him.
“I’m sure she does,” Sara replied softly. “Just as she realizes you can read mine. I think she’s merely forcing us to work together in her own special way.”
“Then, let’s provide some entertainment, shall we?” Darian asked.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “What did you have in mind?”
He held his hand out to her and bowed. “Shall we dance, my lady?”
A smile spread across her face. She took his hand and curtsied. “It would be my pleasure, my lord.”
He pulled her body into his and leaned down to her ear. “Don’t let your guard down, Sara. I still plan to challenge you.”
Her eyes narrowed, but he felt her heart beating against her chest. “I would say the same to you, Lord Darian.”
She pushed away from him, and he concealed himself. His heart raced in anticipation. Two days ago, she never would’ve allowed herself to be this familiar with him. But without the pressure of a romantic commitment, their friendship grew quickly. He returned his focus to their dual. He would not draw daggers on her, but he didn’t think he would need them.
Little boy underestimating his opponent, is he?
Her voice echoed in his mind, and he smiled, knowing she couldn’t see him. He circled around to her left, watching her circle to the right. He reached out and smacked her thigh with his open hand, the sound resonated through the arena. Adalina chuckled, and Sara cursed loudly.
He took several steps back out of her reach and circled back in front of her. She’d dropped her hands to her sides and closed her eyes. What was she doing? Letting her guard down on purpose to draw him in?
He poked at her mind, and she poked back. He grinned at her attempt to not intrude, but he didn’t reciprocate. He stepped into her personal space the same time he reached into her thoughts. Her mind was blank, unusual for her. She was always thinking about something. He took another step closer, intending to reach in, pick her up, and toss her to the ground. As soon as he thought it, she reacted, and he knew he wouldn’t be quick enough to avoid her.
She stepped forward, planted her shoulder in his sternum, grabbed his left arm, and hip-checked him over her back. She fell with him despite her efforts to push away from him as he tumbled. His concealment vanished as he wrapped one arm around her waist and held tight to the hand that grabbed him first. Her back was warm against his chest, and he could feel her racing heart.
“That was unexpected,” he said with a chuckle, rolling her over onto her stomach and pinning her left hand above her head. “But now that you’re here, how do you get out of this one?”
She wiggled her hips against his, and he instinctively pressed against her.
Most men would take that as an invitation, he whispered through their link.
But you aren’t most men.
And you would use that against me? He was surprised by her sudden lack of concern for his feelings.
This is a duel, is it not? I believe you were the one who said I would be challenged.
Then consider this your challenge, Seraphina. He growled as he pressed tighter against her, knowing she could feel his hardness against her butt. Your heart isn’t heating from fear, he taunted, not keeping his resentment or desire to himself.
You bastard!
You started it, he countered.
Because I thought you would back off.
Now, who is underestimating their opponent?
She stilled, and he reached for her mind again just as her shield erupted between them. He was thrown backwards, landing hard on his tailbone. He laughed as he watched her roll over and rise to her feet. She glared at him and summoned replicas of his daggers.
“Sure, now you want to use traditional weapons,” he called to her.
“Since the other one didn’t work…” She let the thought hang in the air between them.
“I think it worked perfectly,” Darian replied, pulling his daggers from the sheaths on his back. “You now know how to remove yourself from that situation.”
“I don’t like you very much right now,” she hissed.
“Your body was saying something different a minute ago,” he taunted her again, knowing she would react.
She charged at him, and he disappeared. He watched her daggers turn to ropes, and she flicked them towards the spot he’d just stepped away from. She was getting creative with her weapons, and his body reacted to all of them. He wanted to be mad at her for using his desire against him, but he couldn’t. The fact that she was comfortable enough to try meant they were one step closer to each other. It was all he could ask for.
Chapter 42
Mikel
Mikel, Raphael, Stephen, and Claud sat at one end of the long table in the tower’s meeting room.
“So, there are now two military groups in America’s mid-west?” Mikel asked.
“Yes,” Stephen replied. “But they’re working together to round up
survivors and bring them to the small barricade they’ve set up. It’s remarkable how quickly the soldiers have been able to coordinate and pool their resources.”
“Word about the protected forts has traveled quickly,” Claud added, “and survivors are flocking to them.”
“That’s encouraging,” Mikel said. “Military bases, even small ones, would greatly increase those civilians’ chances of survival against any more demon attacks. I assume you’ve already offered our assistance?”
“Of course,” Claud replied. “We’d like to take some of the warriors to each location as well. It would help boost morale and provide us with a line of intelligence we are currently lacking.”
“I agree,” Mikel stated. “I’m sure Adalina will be more than willing to join the fight.”
“Are you offering up my services yet again, Mikel?” Adalina said as she entered the room, a tinge of playful sarcasm in her voice.
“Don’t I always?” Mikel asked, smiling at the warrior.
She dropped into the chair next to Claud and rested her forearms on the table. “Where’s the fight and how many do you need?”
“I’m not sure,” Claud replied. “Maybe ten at each location. A couple of scouts would also be really beneficial. Where is Darian, anyway? Shouldn’t he be part of this conversation?”
“He and Sara are preoccupied,” Adalina responded with raised eyebrows.
“Surely not that type of preoccupied?” Stephen asked.
“It started as a duel but ended with Darian on top of her after she tossed him to the ground,” Adalina replied, shrugging her shoulders. “It looked like they needed privacy, so I left.”
“Really?” Stephen asked.
Mikel shared his surprise. Sara wasn’t over her husband yet; there was no way she’d allow Darian to do anything inappropriate.
“I love that girl,” Adalina continued. “Once she’s past her grieving, Darian will have his hands full.”
“It’s about time,” Stephen mumbled. “I’m tired of his brooding ass. Don’t you dare tell Eva, but she was the best thing that ever happened to me. Even as just a friend, she helped bring my life into perspective.”
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