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
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
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