The Librarian's Daughter The Story of Abi VanHaven

by M.M. Gavillet

“What happened in that book?” I asked before I thought. I smacked my hand to my mouth and looked at them with wide eyes. “I’m sorry,” I said timidly.

  Ella and Lou exchanged glances. “We were put into well-furnished houses where our needs were met and didn’t have anyone bugging us,” Ella said quickly and looked down at her hands.

  I looked at them both with confusion.

  “Yes, strange to be locked up in a beautiful place and still find it miserable?” Lou could read my face and spoke before I could ask. “Imagine living without your legs or arms—difficult but you’d still be alive. That’s what it’s like when Ella and I are separated. Our power runs between us like we are connected as one.”

  “And living separately made your life uncomfortable.” I concluded.

  “Yes, only a thin wall separated us, but we could never reach each other. It was like I died every day, but death doesn’t come that way with us.” Ella’s voice had regained its peculiar tone as if she was speaking from outside herself.

  “Torture—that’s what they like to do to us, no matter what we do or how bad we are.” Beannca stepped forward glaring at the guardians. She pierced each one with her eyes. “And you,” she pointed at Nate. “You got stung by someone posing as a siren and to me that’s good enough revenge—for right now.” She crossed her arms.

  “Beannca,” Grace stepped in front of her. “I know you’ve been wronged…”

  “Wronged?! More like screwed over!” Beannca then shot her glance to me. “Want to know what they’re really like?” She waved her hand at the guardians. “I’ll tell you.” She knelt down in front of me as I looked at Kelan.

  “Do we really have to have show-and-tell?” Nate blurted out only to be ignored.

  “No, I’m going to tell,” Beannca said without looking at him. “I was in love and I mean in love with a guardian, only he had another—he had a wife and family. It was disgusting really because I still loved him and I couldn’t shake it.” Her voice trembled. “He told me that he couldn’t see me anymore, our fling was over and he enjoyed the ride. Enjoyed the ride like that’s all it was!” Tears swelled in her eyes and Lou placed her hand on her shoulder. “I threatened to expose him and with a family—I know I wasn’t thinking, but I wanted to get him—he didn’t deserve a family. When I went to turn him in, he’d already beat me to it and accused me of stalking him and trying to charm him with spells.” Beannca lifted her eyes to me. “How’s a siren supposed to defend herself in a sea of sharks that all stick together. Without a blink of their eye and without listening to my story, I was put into confinement—a dark place so silent all you can hear is your heart beat.”

  Silence fell all around us as Beannca got up and went into another room.

  “And that’s why things need to change.” Grace met everyone’s eyes stopping on Nate’s.

  He stepped away with a huff and went to the kitchen and opened a bottle of beer. I looked at him and him at me.

  “What about Meg?” I stood up slowly coming towards him. “She deserves to know the truth.”

  “No, she can’t Abi,” Barnabus said coming behind me. “She simply can’t.”

  “So you’re protecting him?” I asked sternly.

  Barnabus drew in a long breath and looked to the ceiling for a moment. “No, I’m not protecting Nathaniel. I’m protecting Meg.”

  I glared at him crossing my arms. “How?”

  “Because she’s protected by a spell and if that spell is broken then she could die.” Nate took a swig of beer and put the bottle down.

  “You see, another thing they use us for out of convenience!” Beannca leaned against the corner of the wall gazing solely at Nate.

  “True,” he said without hesitation. “And the laws should be changed—I do agree with that, but don’t judge me if you don’t know me.”

  Nate twirled his bottle of beer looking like he was collecting his thoughts. Beannca came closer leaning on the counter inches from him. He only looked at her as her movements were like a snake sneaking up on its prey.

  “So, why don’t you explain yourself, so we don’t have to assume what you mean?” She nodded her head side to side and twirled her long blonde hair with her finger.

  “It was a long time ago when Meg went overseas to study,” Nate said without hesitation and I remembered her going after she graduated high school. She planned on studying art in France. I remember how happy and excited she was about going. When she returned it was a different story—she had Nate. “She fell in love with the guardianship and also a guardian. She was selected, sworn to secrecy and was going to be inducted.” Nate only acknowledged me, but everyone’s eyes were on him. “I was there that day…I’d known her for a while. She was going to marry my brother Michael and I was to be his best man.” Nate’s eyes pulled away from mine and his lips trembled trying to restrain his sorrow. “He died at the hands of a wizard and in his last words he wanted me to protect Meg at all costs.”

  “Why didn’t she tell me any of this…why didn’t you?” I slammed my fist on the counter.

  Nate’s eyes lifted to connect with mine. “Because if I did, the spell would be broken and she would die. She didn’t tell you because she can’t remember. I had it erased and put me in Michael’s place. It’s what he wanted. He loved her that much that he never wanted to see her suffer.” Nate finished his beer.

  “Why didn’t you just tell her the truth? She would’ve survived and healed…”

  “No, she wouldn’t. The wizard they were after put a spell on them both. When she heard of Michael’s death, her pain and suffering would be her death as well. Michael knew this and asked me to take his place. He didn’t want her to die.”

  “But I saw you two kissing…in your office.” My eyes were steady on Nate. “Why—why would you do that to Meg?”

  I could see by the expression on his face that my question stung him like an arrow on fire.