by Elle Scott
Leila stood there, stomach sinking. She studied the feeling as it sent warning signals to her brain. Something was wrong. “Sir, if you need—”
Mr. Robertson looked up, still facing the wall. He groaned, “Are you still here?”
A light tap on the door took Leila’s attention. She glanced over her shoulder to see Riley waiting at the door. She turned back to Mr, Robertson. “I’m going. But if you wanna talk about it, Riley and I are available.”
Mr Robertson huffed and swung around in his chair. As he stood, he placed a hand on Leila’s shoulder. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again, shaking his head. He squeezed her shoulder and pushed off, passing Riley to leave the room.
When the room was clear, Riley held out his hand. As Leila took it, he threaded his fingers through hers and pulled her in close to his side. “Is everything okay?”
“Who knows.” Leila shrugged and sighed. Then, remembering Sadie’s request, she asked, “Where’s Damien?”
“Where’s Sadie?” Damien asked, placing his tray on the table. He slid next to Riley, scanning the cafeteria.
“Uh, I think she had to stay behind in class. She needed to finish an essay or something…” Leila lied. She wasn’t so great at lying, though. She tended to trip on her words, say too much or not enough. Before Damien could pick up on it, she leaned forward and changed the subject. “I think Kiko ordered Mr Robertson to keep an eye on us.”
Damien frowned and pointed his spoon to the back corner. “Is that why he’s staring at us?”
Leila swiveled around. Sure, enough. There was Mr Robertson, leaning against the wall, crunching into an apple. When he noticed the three of them staring, he shifted his gaze.
“Well, that’s annoying,” Riley said, stabbing a tater tot. “We don’t need a babysitter.”
“That’s what I told him.” Leila turned back around and pulled out a sandwich her mom made. Tomato, swiss cheese, premium ham, and mayonnaise.
Damien stared into his soup, swirling the spoon around in circles. He rested his elbow on the table and curved his palm around his chin. Eyes downward, he mumbled, “And Sadie has to stay in class for all lunch?”
“What’s your fascination with where Sadie is?” Riley thumped his palm against Damien’s shoulder-blade. “Gabby’s not here either, but I don’t hear you asking about her.”
Looking up, Damien glared at Riley. “Dude. Don’t be lame.”
Riley guffawed. “Me? Lame? I think you’ve got the wrong person.”
Leila chuckled. How quickly Damien had forgotten where he came from. She watched him turn back to his soup, hair falling around his face. Then, she realized maybe he hadn’t forgotten, maybe he was still trying so desperately hard to forget.
The table vibrated as Riley’s phone buzzed once. He picked it up and tapped the screen. Leila took a large bite of her sandwich as she watched Riley’s eyes dart over the message.
His brows raised and his mouth twisted down. A small “heh” resonated from his throat. Finally, he looked up. “It’s from Ren. You wanna go visit the Veil?”
“Now?” Leila said with a mouthful. She dropped half her sandwich back into its bag and sprung to her feet.
“Have fun, you two,” Damien said, tapping the spoon in and out of his bowl. “I’ll stay here with all my friends.”
“Come on,” Leila said, grabbing her lunch bag. She couldn’t exactly promise Sadie she’d distract him and then not follow through. Plus, there wasn’t any reason why she couldn’t help both Gabby and Sadie at the same time. “You’ve gotta come, too.”
“Yeah, man. You’re coming.” Riley wiggled his phone in between two fingers. “From what Ren says, we’re going to need the back-up.”
Sadie
“Why are we eating in the library instead of the cafeteria?” Gabby asked, balancing her tray on her lap.
“Just for something different,” Sadie said, wistfully. She wasn’t ready to tell Gabby about Damien, not yet anyway.
At the back of the double-floored library, the two of them sat opposite each other on matching maroon, suede sofas. Sadie propped up on her knees and leaned over the back of the sofa, pressing her head against the wall-sized window. The second-floor view overlooked the oval, where students hung out in cliques.
“I don’t buy it,” Gabby said, placing her tray onto the sofa. “Are you distracting me from something? Have Riley and Leila finally given up on my redemption?”
“What?” Sadie turned around, confused. “No. Why would they do that?”
Gabby shoved a piece of roast chicken in her mouth and waved her fork in the air. “No matter. So, what is this about then?”
Behind Gabby, the library doors swung open. Sadie’s eyes widened and she folded herself over, chest to thighs. With her head in a cushion, she asked, “Who is it?”
“The varsity team. What the heck are you doing, weirdo?”
Sadie relaxed and sat up. She shrugged and turned back to the window. “You know, Bianca from twelfth grade is gay. You should date her.”
“Now I really think you are distracting me. Anyway, I’ll bite. What’s your point? Thomas is heterosexual, you should date him.”
Sadie swung her head at the sound of the doors creaking open. A bunch of giggling freshmen made their way out. At their absence, the room fell silent. She noticed the basketball-come-water polo team huddled by the sports section, flicking through strategy books. Sebastian pointed Thomas to the clean romance section and laughed. His laugh was a booming staccato, loud enough to incur a warning from the librarian, but also warm enough to make Sadie’s mouth twitch.
Almost smiling, Sadie returned her attention back to Gabby and leaned forward. “No, I shouldn’t date Thomas just because he’s hetero… ew.”
Gabby raised her brow. “Exactly.”
“I know, but…” Sadie’s eyes flitted to Sebastian and back. “You don’t think Bianca is nice?”
“Of course,” Gabby smirked. “And she’s hot, too.”
Sadie threw her arms in the air. “So date her.”
“Quiet!” The librarian demanded, causing the whole team to look their way. As Sebastian’s gaze fell on Sadie, his eyes turned to slits.
“You’re kidding? Like this?” Gabby half-shifted, silver flashing across her irises. “I don’t think so. She’s human.”
Sadie winced. She really hated when they shifted in front of her. She understood what Gabby was getting at though, it really wasn’t ideal. But she’d already begun her defense and there was no turning back. “Well, I’m human.”
“And you’re not going to date a Guardian…” Gabby placed her tray onto the seat beside her. She studied Sadie’s expression, and dubiously said, “Right?”
“Maybe I already have.” Sadie retorted, slumping back into the sofa. As soon as her back hit, she sat up again, eyes glued to Sebastian as he approached them.
“What?” Gabby burst, her voice echoing up around the lofted ceiling. “Who? When? Where—”
“Itsy. Spider.” Sebastian greeted them, placing his hands on the back of Gabby’s sofa. “It just doesn’t have the same ring to it without Bitsy.”
Gabby scowled at the interruption. “What do you want?”
“I need to talk to Shorty,” Sebastian said, meeting Sadie’s gaping stare.
Gabby didn’t bother checking with Sadie before vocalizing her thoughts on his random request. “No. Go away.”
Clenching his teeth, Sebastian glowered at Gabby. “I wasn’t asking you, bleacher girl. Can you give us a moment, please?”
Gabby turned to Sadie and gave an apologetic glare. It was all Sadie needed to know that Gabby was about to do something reckless.
“Sorry Sades,” Gabby said, pupils dilating. Silver burst from her eyes.
“No! Gabby!” Sadie whispered as loud as she could.
But it was too late. Gabby rose, chin jutting forward as fangs began to grow. She spun around to face him. “I said no, Sebastian. Now, for the last time
. Go away.”
Sebastian cracked his neck and took a deep breath. Behind a curling lip, his canine teeth lengthened. Claws popped from his nails, puncturing holes into the top of the sofa. “You really wanna have a brawl right here in the library, with all these innocents around?”
Oh god, here they go, Sadie thought, watching Sebastian’s sky-blue eyes brighten. She leaped from the sofa and clutched at Gabby’s wrist. “Stop, Gabby. It’s fine.”
Turning to Sebastian, Sadie hitched a thumb to the history section, and stormed into the aisle. She moved along the row, until she could no longer see Gabby. As soon as Sebastian appeared, she hissed, “Are you crazy?”
“Probably.” Sebastian smirked. The rims of his irises became a deep blue, like the sky right before night fall.
“Please, put your wolf away,” she demanded, cowering back.
Noticing her discomfort, Sebastian blinked rapidly until his eyes returned to normal. He grimaced as his fangs and claws retracted.
Sadie took a rushed breath. She’d never seen Leila do that. “Does it hurt?”
Sebastian shrugged as if it were no big deal. But from that moment, she decided it was a big deal. She never considered shifting was painful. No wonder Gabby was cranky all the time.
Sebastian lifted his hand to a book and tilted it from the spine. Letting the book fall back into its place, he sighed. “Why are fifteen-year-olds such jerks?”
“Huh?” It took Sadie a few beats to realize what he was talking about. “Oh. I take it you haven’t seen them yet?”
“No. Have you?” A hint of vulnerability laced his voice as he looked at her sideways, hopeful.
Leila always claimed that Sebastian Weir possessed a soft side. And it seemed, Sadie Sloan had just discovered that it came in the shape of his little sister. Imogen.
Sadie shook her head. “Sorry. I’ve been… pre-occupied.”
Turning to her fully, Sebastian raised both his hands to his head, threading his fingers through his disheveled locks. His blazer wrinkled over his biceps.
Sadie blinked, forcing her gaze back to his face.
“I wouldn’t be so worried if there weren’t such things as Guardians.” Sebastian let his hands drop to his sides. “And it’s weird ‘cause she’s a sweet kid. I mean, she tries to be cool — your sister doesn’t help. But we are close, she would have told me if she wasn’t coming home.”
The look on his face worried Sadie. If the immovable Sebastian Weir was worried, maybe she should be, too.
He sighed and a bored expression fell across his face. “Call me if they show up.”
As he spun on his heels, Sadie dug her phone out from her blazer pocket. “I don’t have your number.”
Sebastian turned with a lop-sided grin. He snatched the phone out of her fingers and punched at the screen. He placed it back in her hand, and with the smile still planted on his face he turned and walked away.
Curious, Sadie looked at what he’d just entered.
His number was listed under: “your crush”.
Sadie rushed to the end of the history section and gawked as Sebastian walked past a scowling Gabby. She called out to the back of him. “I… I don’t have a crush on you!”
Without looking back, Sebastian waved at her over his head.
Leila
Leila stood in her garage beside Riley, Ren, and Damien. She stared at the odd sight in front of her. Two heavy chains curled in a pile, both ends attached to a neck brace.
She remained speechless as Ren picked up a chain and opened the neck brace. “I’ll take you, Riley.”
Leila and Riley shared a hesitant glance. It was obvious he wanted to chain them up. But why?
“Dammit.” Ren dropped the chain. “You seriously don’t know how it all works?”
Riley gave a nervous smile and rubbed the nape of his neck. “All I know is what you’ve told me. Please don’t take offense, but you haven’t told me much.”
The fluorescent light on the garage ceiling flickered off Ren’s dark irises. He rolled his eyes. “I’m not an Alpha. This is why I don’t turn many people. The responsibility is too heavy.”
“Ren?” Leila spoke up, finding her voice. “Why do we need chains?”
Ren sighed, frustrated. He ran both his palms up his mohawk. “Okay. Let’s make this simple. We, as Guardians, are the door to the Veil. The animals we’ve connected with are very real, we just can’t see them as real because we are acting as the conduit in that moment. It’s why when half-aligned we can see the Veil, waiting for our doors to open.”
“And the chains?” Leila asked, still not sure why the hell they were needed.
A small moan rumbled in the back of Ren’s throat. He glared at Leila, as if annoyance itself would make her understand.
Riley said, “Because when we step into the Veil, our Guardians anchor us here.”
“Bingo!” Ren’s shoulders dropped with relief. He wagged a finger at Riley. “I knew I chose you for a reason. Yes. Your wolf and lion stay here, while you shift through the other side. Without you to control them, they are nothing but a wild animal.”
Leila balked, eyes wandering to the neck brace. She squeaked out an “Oh,” followed by, “You could have started with that.”
“Damien,” Ren ordered. “You hold Leila.”
Damien secured the neck brace on Leila. It was loose, balancing on the top of her shoulders. She was somewhat relieved, but still on edge.
After Ren did the same for Riley, he moved in front of them, clasping the end of the chain. “All right, ready?”
Leila felt Riley’s hand slip into hers. She nodded her reply, even though she didn’t think she was. Or if she’d ever be.
“I want you to align with your Guardian, meet them in the middle in half-shift.” Ren’s voice was gentle, decidedly less sharp than his frustration earlier.
If she didn’t have a heavy piece of steel lumped on her, she may have found his tone soothing. Nevertheless, she pushed through the discomfort and aligned with her lion. Her aura shone golden, and she felt the power of its energy rippling through her.
“That’s it,” Ren continued, taking the chain with both hands. “Now, instead of letting your Guardian move forward, I want you to move back into the Veil. Your destination is the sanctuary. You’ll know it when you see it. And for the love of all good things, don’t stay long.”
The softness of Ren’s voice broke on the last sentence. For a split second, she wondered whether it was a good idea at all. Leaving a wolf and a lion inside her garage. But then she thought of Gabby and the promise she made to help her. Swallowing any hesitation, Leila tightened her grasp on Riley’s hand and took a step back.
A shimmer crossed in front of her eyes. The world around them dulled, as though she was looking at her garage through a sepia-stained mirror. She saw Ren, his muscles bulging as he half-shifted to increase his strength. Damien did the same, his eyes widening as he looked in Leila’s direction.
“I think it’s this way,” Riley said, snapping her attention away. He pointed to a bright light, shining just beyond the driveway.
They moved towards it together. As they got closer, Leila glanced over shoulder. A large white wolf and majestic lion bucked wildly against the chains that held them—Damien and Ren using all their strength to keep them contained.
“I think we should hurry,” Riley said, tugging on her hand.
Leila nodded and they rushed toward the light.
As they stepped through, the sight took Leila’s breath away. An array of colors, bolder and brighter than anything their world possessed, surrounded them.
“Is this real?” Leila gasped. “It’s like a painting.”
She peered back to the garage, but the density had all but disappeared. In its place was a ghostly, transparent shimmer in the shape of her house, as though hidden by magic.
“Yeah,” Riley agreed, pulling on her hand to follow him.
Leila turned back, and as if her memory had a momentary lapse,
the deeper hues of the Veil stunned her once more. She blinked slowly. As her eyes adjusted, a pathway appeared in front of them.
They walked down a cobblestone path that hugged a winding creek. They followed the slow trickle of water, until the stones led them to a clearing. A building, similar to a church with steeples and stained-glass windows, sat at the bottom of a small hill.
To the right, rows of cherry blossoms stretched out as far as the eye could see. A few animals wandered in between the blossoms close to the clearing, eyes glued to the intruders. Leila noticed a wildebeest identical to Crystal’s staring at her.
An ominous forest loomed next to the orchard. Its evergreens reached for the sky, and olive-green leaves created a canopy that turned the forest floor into darkness. Silhouettes of animals lurked in the shadows.
“Do we knock?” Riley asked.
Leila jerked her head to him. She was about to ask what the heck he meant when she realized they’d walked right up to the temple. Spiral glyphs decorated two floor-to-ceiling doors.
Leila stepped forward and lifted her hand, as her knuckles were about to hit against the wooden door, it opened. Someone in a dark-blue robe stepped out, hood covering their face.
They spoke with a deep and warm voice, “Ahh, William. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Riley swallowed hard. “Actually, it’s Riley now.”
“Ah, different name, same you. Interesting.”
A growl grabbed Leila’s attention. At the edge of the dark forest, a cougar leaned onto its hind legs, ready to pounce. Leila would have recognized it anywhere. “Is that—”
“Mmm,” the person said. “Daniel. Or as you called him, Cap. Don’t fret, he cannot pass the Exile limits. In a little while, once his Fallen parts have healed, we hope to allow him into the Sanctuary.” A long, brown-skinned finger poked through the sleeve of the robe and pointed to the cherry blossoms. “The place where Guardians go to rest… Or wait for a new host.”
