Guardians of the Akasha

by Celia Stander

  *****

  “Shit!” Keira muttered, tripping over another gnarled tree root. Even in the twilight she could see the eyebrow Marco lifted.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, overly polite.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” she snapped, brushing away the hand he offered.

  “Suit yourself,” he snapped back and stalked through the dense undergrowth.

  Keira tried to move her legs faster and catch up, but they wouldn’t obey. It felt as if weights were strapped to her ankles; every step was an effort of will. In her exhaustion, the magnificence of the forest surrounding her went unnoticed. She stumbled past towering trees which stood like silent sentries, their canopies disappearing up into the mist. Giant ferns hid narrow passageways created by the countless unseen creatures that made this place their home. A slight breeze stirred the leaves and she became dimly aware of the earthy smell of dark soil, mushrooms, bark, and rotting vegetation.

  The cacophonous screeching of birds in the branches above their heads shocked Keira out of her lethargy. The small boost of adrenaline gave her enough energy to hurry and fall back in line behind Marco’s broad back.

  Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw vague outlines of the other people in their group as they flitted through the trees, briefly illuminated by the dim beams of remaining sunlight filtering through the branches. Layers of spongy, dead foliage, collected on the forest floor over countless years, hushed the sound of their footfalls.

  Everyone seemed completely at home here; they were tense, but alert. They knew exactly what was expected of them and slipped into their roles with practised ease. It made Keira feel even more the outsider, a stranger among people who were supposed to protect her life with their own. This was a sacrifice Keira couldn’t accept. Victoria tried to explain, but they had too little time together.

  The thought of Victoria’s body on the cobblestones made her want to throw her head back and howl in desolation at the sky.

  She dragged her mind back as they struggled through a patch of swampy terrain and stagnant water. Putrid mud dragged at their feet and threatened to suck the last energy from their bones. Their passage stirred up a cloud of gnats unusually gifted at finding every inch of exposed flesh.

  At last they were on firm ground again, everyone covered in stinking swamp mud.

  “At this rate that bastard Daemon won’t even need his hounds to find us. He can sniff us out himself,” someone grumbled nearby.

  Marco lifted a hand and signalled the group to stop. They gathered together, forming a protective circle around Keira as she gratefully sank down on a moss-covered tree stump.

  “We are not far from the cave,” he said. “Adam, catch up with Chetan and make sure it is safe; we’ll wait here for your signal. The rest of you, fan out.”

  Marco watched as everyone followed his directions, then turned back to Keira. There were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence. She could see the tense set of his shoulders, his hands restlessly tapping against his thighs.

  “I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what she was apologising for, only that she didn’t want him to feel that he had to babysit her. “You don’t have to stay with me. I know you want to be out there with everyone else.”

  He didn’t answer, only scanned the trees with narrowed eyes.

  His silence was an added weight of self-recrimination she already carried. Hurt, she bent forward and rested her head on her knees. She only sat up when she heard someone returning.

  “It’s clear,” Adam said and motioned them forward. Keira gathered her reserves of strength and walked on.

  After a few minutes, the forest floor began to gradually incline. The trees became sparser and she could see patches of darkening sky overhead. As the path got steeper, Keira’s trembling legs had to work even harder to carry her along. More and more frequently, Marco or Adam had to pull her over another slippery, algae-covered obstacle. She had to concentrate with everything she had to put one foot in front of the other.

  Adam stopped abruptly; she nearly walked into him. There, behind the skeleton of an enormous oak tree, she could make out the dark yawn of an opening in the mountain side. They had at last reached the cave.

  Chloe emerged from the gloom towards them and took Keira’s arm. “Come,” she said.

  Keira was too tired to pretend that she could walk any further on her own, and let Chloe support her into the darkness. Though her eyes took a few moments to adjust, Chloe had obviously been here before as she didn’t hesitate making her way down into the inky blackness. The air slowly got colder and Keira could smell that peculiar odour of wet rock and clay. Something flapped past her ear and she instinctively ducked. “Only bats,” Chloe reassured her.

  They turned a few corners then, in the distance, a faint, inviting glow appeared. They were deep in the mountainside and as the light ahead became brighter, glistening stalactites emerged from the darkness, dripping from the ceiling above them. She tried to appreciate the beauty of it, but all she wanted was to curl into a ball and sink into deep oblivion.

  She wanted to forget. Forget the road which led her here, to this unimaginable place where she didn’t know who she was anymore, and where Aunt Vic was dead. She gasped at the sharp pain in her heart and stumbled the last few metres towards the light, dimly realising that it was torches, burning in holders hammered into the rock chamber’s walls. Chloe led her to a bed of blankets arranged in the far corner.

  “It’s not much, but it will do for tonight,” she said. All Keira could do was mutter her gratitude and kick off her mud-caked boots before she sank onto the blankets.

  Through half-closed eyes she watched the shadowy figures of her protectors make a small camp fire and unpack field rations from wooden crates they dragged from a hidden alcove. Then she slept.

  *****

  “I’m not sure she can make it out of here. She is a liability to us right now,” Rafael said to Marco, who crouched next to him, sorting through field rations.

  Marco glanced over at Keira where she lay against the far wall. “We have to trust Victoria. It is all we have. Besides, we all saw what she is capable of back at the castle.”

  “Marco,” Rafael hesitated, “How did they get in? I thought our defences were impenetrable?”

  “I’ve been thinking about that. There is only one explanation,” Marco growled.

  “You don’t think someone from the inside—?” Rafael asked in a low whisper.

  Conflicting emotions crossed Marco’s face. “I don’t want to believe that, but right now, it’s the only thing that makes sense.” He gripped Rafael’s arm. “Keep this to yourself. We have no proof.”

  Rafael nodded and got up. “I’ll take first watch,” he mumbled and walked off to the cave entrance.

  Chapter 16

  Marco opened his eyes, instantly awake. He’d had only a few hours’ sleep after taking his turn at sentry duty. He sat up and looked at Keira’s corner of the chamber. Her blankets were rumpled, but she wasn’t there. Adrenaline pumping, he jumped up and scanned the cave. He closed his eyes in relief when he saw her sitting on the other side of the fire, having a breakfast of left-overs from last night.

  He sat down beside her, giving her a quick once-over. “Did you manage any sleep?” he asked, helping himself to some of the food.

  “Not really,” she said and put the empty bowl down beside her. “Marco, what are we going to do? I mean, what is the plan?”

  Marco stared into the remnants of the fire and took a while to answer. “The plan is to follow Victoria’s instructions. She ordered the Draaken to protect you, at all costs. That means you and I stay together.”

  “No! I can’t allow anyone else to get hurt. I won’t!”

  “You don’t have a choice,” Marco glared. “I lost friends in that battle. Brian, Frank—the Council members are all dead, or will be very soon now that Daemon has his hands on them. I will be damned if I allow him to capture you as well.”

  Keira fought the urge to c
lose her eyes and withdraw into herself as the names of those lost lashed her conscience. Instead, she looked at him in silence. Dark circles lay heavy under his eyes and his jaw clenched under black stubble. She saw the grief he couldn’t hide, even though he tried very hard to.

  The last conversation she had with Victoria replayed in her mind. Her aunt must have been so disappointed. There were no recriminations, just a request to stay and spend more time with her. Keira wished she could go back. Maybe if she had listened, she would have changed her mind. Was it really necessary to be so adamant? It wouldn’t have changed the fact that the battle happened, but at least then Victoria would have gone into it with the knowledge that Keira wasn’t a traitor. Because that is how she felt. Like a traitor to everything her aunt stood for.

  “Our first priority is to get everyone out of these woods alive,” Marco continued. “They have to reach their Families and reorganise.”

  “Marco—” Keira didn’t want to ask a stupid question, but the solution seemed so obvious. “Why don’t we just call someone to come and fetch us—with a helicopter—or something? Surely one of you has a mobile phone?”

  He frowned and took a while to answer. “I keep forgetting that you don’t know—you didn’t grow up with this around you all the time.”

  “No, I didn’t. And I don’t like the fact that I don’t know the rules!” Keira was annoyed and didn’t mind showing it.

  He ignored her tone and explained, “Electronics don’t work in these woods, the magick currents are too strong. It is said all the currents crossing the Earth converge here.”

  “Oh,” Keira said. “But, there is electricity at the castle?”

  “Only because the Council members have raised a shield around its walls, and there are generators to keep things going.”

  “This shield—was it up when Daemon attacked? Wasn’t it supposed to protect us?”

  “Yes and yes,” Marco said. “And before you ask, I don’t know how he got through.”

  Keira wanted to push it, she wanted more information, but his clipped tone discouraged further questions.

  “Marco,” she tried another tact. “I understand your loyalty to Aunt Vic, really, I do; but surely she would understand that everything has changed now. She wouldn’t expect us to follow her orders if it puts us in danger. You know she wouldn’t. Besides, I overheard you and Rafael talking last night. You think someone let Daemon into the castle. One of the Guardians—” Her voice caught, the mere thought seemed monstrous.

  “Please keep your voice down,” Marco said and looked around. “It is a possibility,” he acknowledged.

  “Then, it is a possibility that the person who betrayed us is here, in this group?”

  He looked at her, frowning. “Keira, please don’t—”

  “Don’t patronise me, Marco,” she interrupted him. “I’m in the middle of the woods, somewhere in Europe, with a bunch of people I don’t know. I lost the one person who believed in me and I seriously feel like freaking out right now. If you are going to start lying to me, I might just lose it.” Keira crossed her arms and tried not to cry.

  “We all lost someone in that battle.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. It means that we only have each other to rely on to get out of here. If you want me to be part of this team, you have to trust me.”

  He was silent, deep in thought. “Yes, it is possible. If we were betrayed from the inside, that person could be here with us.”

  “So doesn’t it make more sense for us to split up? Then the spy would be isolated, not able to report on what the group is doing?” she asked.

  He looked at her intently. She could see him calculating all the options. The Draaken would be more effective in smaller groups, slipping through the forest and trying to reach civilisation. A big group travelling together left too many signs of their passing and made it easier for Daemon’s trackers to follow them.

  “I agree,” he said, and Keira’s shoulders slumped in relief. “I’ll have to convince the others, though.”

  Good, she thought. If we split up, more of them have a chance at getting away.

  “I will call everyone together.” Marco walked off to summon the men and women to the inner chamber.

  A few moments later, everyone was gathered around. They were dressed in combat fatigues, claimed from the crates stored in the cave for this exact purpose. The mood was subdued, but alert.

  “Rafael and Chloe are outside, by the entrance,” Zina informed Marco. “She’s trying to See where the Watchers are.”

  He nodded and began: “Right. We are all aware of who and what are tracking us. We have to get out and warn those Families still loyal to the Council. They have to prepare themselves for what is to come. Victoria trained us for war, even though she hoped we’d stop Daemon before it came to that. She also trained us to think—to be flexible—to be able to retreat and regroup, which is exactly what we’re going to do now. I know the original plan was for all of us to stay together, to protect Keira at all costs. That was Victoria’s wish.” He had to stop and bowed his head. Stifled sobs sounded from the group about him.

  After a moment, he looked up again, his eyes as cold as the Arctic sea. “I would like nothing better than to go back, avenge her death, and that of our friends. But it will lead to all of our ruin. The time will come for us to face Daemon. That time is not today.”

  Marco waited for everyone to indicate their concurrence and continued: “We are too conspicuous travelling together. We will split up into smaller groups of two and get out of the forest as fast as possible. You have to get to your respective Families. Warn them, get them organised. Most of the Guardians can fight if needs be. If you have Healers in your Family, have them on close standby. The Draaken will then regroup at the Santana Family ranch in Argentina. We’ll use it as our head quarters. Once there, we’ll reassess and decide on our next move. Agreed?”

  Before anyone could answer, Simone said, “Marco, no disrespect, but Victoria gave us clear orders to stay with Keira and protect her at all costs. How are we going to do that when we are spread out all over the forest?”

  Keira looked at her in surprise. She thought that Marco had made it clear, they’d be safer in smaller groups. Besides, he said that Victoria had trained them to adapt to changing situations.

  Simone stood next to Marco and placed her hand on his arm. She managed to look elegant, even in her khaki camouflage. “We are stronger as a group,” she said and looked around at everyone. “Our powers work better when they feed off of the collective energy.”

  No one had a chance to reply. Zina gasped as Rafael stumbled into the chamber. He carried Chloe in his arms, her head lolled backward.

  “What happened?” Marco jumped forward and helped his brother lay Chloe on a blanket. A swell of raised voices ran through the rocky chamber. Everyone pushed forward, their faces filled with dread. They knew the risks Chloe took, especially when scrying for a formidable enemy like Daemon. She was the most powerful Seer the Guardians had in centuries. She didn’t need a medium, like a crystal ball, or reflective water, to scry. She could connect her mind directly to the Akasha and travel on its currents at will to different people and places. That ability came with severe dangers. There was no barrier between her and the person she was Seeing.

  “I don’t know,” Rafael answered Marco. “She was scrying—started convulsing—I’ve never seen this happen to her before, my shield wasn’t enough!” His voice was frantic as he clung to Chloe’s hand.

  “Rafael, did she say anything?” Marco asked. “We need to know if she saw anything!”

  “I don’t know, I don’t know!” Rafael shouted at his brother.

  Zina pushed through the circle and knelt next to Chloe. Her presence soothed Rafael and he calmed his ragged breathing. Holding both her hands a few inches over Chloe’s body, the Healer scanned her from head to toe. Small sparks of light jumped from Zina’s hands to Chloe’s body. The smell of peppermint lingered in the air.


  Magick was a part of life for this group of people and Keira couldn’t get enough of it. She stood closer, drawn like a desert nomad to water.

  After a few minutes, Chloe slowly opened her eyes. She was still dazed and unsteady when Rafael helped her to sit up, but at least she was conscious.

  Marco knelt next to her. “Chloe, I’m sorry, but it is vital that we know what happened out there. Did you see anything?” The urgency in his voice got through to the Seer and she focused on him. That far-away look was still there, but she answered him clearly. “I saw them coming, they are near. The first group was stopped by the wolves, but the second is on its way.”

  At this news, the group all started talking at once, trying to decide what to do next. Marco held up his hand and there was instant silence.

  Chloe continued. “I got past his defences, but then he trapped me—and—and I couldn’t get back! I fought and fought, but he was toying with me! Then he let me go. He wanted me to come back and tell you what I saw.” She covered her face with her hands, sobbing softly. Rafael put his arms around her and rocked her gently, whispering encouragements in her ear.

  “Chloe’s information decides it.” Marco fixed the group’s attention back on the matter at hand. “We will split up, no more than two in a group. Pack only essential gear and some food, there are backpacks in one of the crates. Be fast. Zina’s magick would have left its signature in the Akasha. Daemon will know where we are. We leave in ten minutes!”

  Heads nodded in agreement. They were trained for an event such as this and they knew how to move with speed. Everyone was packed and ready to go before the time was up.

  “Excuse me,” Keira stepped forward.

  “Yes?” Marco asked.

  “Well, everyone seems to have sorted themselves out already,” Keira said, feeling a bit like the last kid to get picked for the football team. “I’m not quite sure which group I should be joining.”

  “That’s because it’s obvious. You’re coming with me.” Marco walked over to the crates, picked up two backpacks and started stowing gear with determined efficiency.