what I am speaking of, and others of you are unaware of the darkness that swirls around our society.” He shifted his weight, uneasiness hanging in the air, suffocating our society with trepidation.
“The Nightenbows: a society outside of our own. They are angels, yes…but of darkness, not of the light like us. They have always despised our purpose, but they lay quiet for decades…until now. Recently there was an attack on one of our very own. An attack that portrayed the handiwork of the Nightenbows society.”
My heartbeat quickened at his words. Several people turned to stare, leaving me feeling ashamed and hurt at what I had done. Trey squeezed my hand, trying to reassure me that I had done nothing to cause the violent encounter. If they only knew the truth about what had really transpired. I knew the truth, and my shoulders suddenly felt weighted by the burden that I had given my commonwealth to carry. If only I hadn’t been so careless, we wouldn’t be sitting here today contemplating our safety and survival as a whole.
He continued his address. “They are looking for failure within the Guardians. For failure gives them a right to steal life. The life of a Shomer…the life of a Guardian.”
A hushed gasp emerged from the throats of several Guardians in the room. The news, the danger that lurked outside the walls was real and undeniable to the ears that listened intently. My eyes remained glued to the Baron, a distraction to keep me from crying out in guilt.
“A treaty was signed nearly sixty years ago between the Guardians and the Nightenbows; an arrangement to keep peace between both sides at all costs. Before the treaty, unexplained accidents, deaths and terminations were prominent, leaving our society frightened and recoiled. The humans we protect often went missing, and members were often found beaten…or murdered.”
At his words, more than a dozen men stood, my father included, and proceeded to the front of the room to stand with Baron Griland. The rest of us watched intently as they took their places.
“These men, they have given their lives not only to their Shomer, but to each of you. Their secrecy is what has kept each of you safe. They interact with the Nightenbows often, meeting with them behind closed doors to evaluate and maintain the treaty that was written so long ago. There are other societies like ours throughout the world, but the Nightenbows still remain stronger and more abundant, holding more members than all of us put together. These men keep the peace…the calm in this world. Your world.”
Baron Griland stepped out in front of his podium, his face weathered and serious as he spoke. “The Nightenbows are restless. We have remained honorable over the years, leaving them without the notion or need for their twisted ways. They feed off of failure…our failure, the failure of an angel of light. They long for us to falter. Do not falter, dear ones. For death is what they seek.”
At his words, I trembled with deep remorse as the crowd buzzed with quiet conversation at Baron Griland’s final words. Empress Griland stood, the Baron taking her hand as the two of them exited the room, the eyes of the Guardian society watching them closely. The warning had been read, we had been given instruction, and now we were to act as told and remain tightly knitted to one another to avoid any more attacks.
“This is more serious than I thought,” Trey whispered quietly to me, his hand still grasping mine tightly.
As the words caught in my throat, I answered with a simple, “Yes.”
My mother and father were now in quiet discourse with Lord and Lady Yancey across the Great Hall. Trey excused himself to talk with several other members of the group, his mother calling him forth, which was no surprise. The hate that exuded from her every look left me extremely uncomfortable.
Aria waved at me as she walked away with her mother, her little brother Cadence grasping her hand. I waved back,
“The Nightenbows: a society outside of our own. They are angels, yes…but of darkness, not of the light like us. They have always despised our purpose, but they lay quiet for decades…until now. Recently there was an attack on one of our very own. An attack that portrayed the handiwork of the Nightenbows society.”
My heartbeat quickened at his words. Several people turned to stare, leaving me feeling ashamed and hurt at what I had done. Trey squeezed my hand, trying to reassure me that I had done nothing to cause the violent encounter. If they only knew the truth about what had really transpired. I knew the truth, and my shoulders suddenly felt weighted by the burden that I had given my commonwealth to carry. If only I hadn’t been so careless, we wouldn’t be sitting here today contemplating our safety and survival as a whole.
He continued his address. “They are looking for failure within the Guardians. For failure gives them a right to steal life. The life of a Shomer…the life of a Guardian.”
A hushed gasp emerged from the throats of several Guardians in the room. The news, the danger that lurked outside the walls was real and undeniable to the ears that listened intently. My eyes remained glued to the Baron, a distraction to keep me from crying out in guilt.
“A treaty was signed nearly sixty years ago between the Guardians and the Nightenbows; an arrangement to keep peace between both sides at all costs. Before the treaty, unexplained accidents, deaths and terminations were prominent, leaving our society frightened and recoiled. The humans we protect often went missing, and members were often found beaten…or murdered.”
At his words, more than a dozen men stood, my father included, and proceeded to the front of the room to stand with Baron Griland. The rest of us watched intently as they took their places.
“These men, they have given their lives not only to their Shomer, but to each of you. Their secrecy is what has kept each of you safe. They interact with the Nightenbows often, meeting with them behind closed doors to evaluate and maintain the treaty that was written so long ago. There are other societies like ours throughout the world, but the Nightenbows still remain stronger and more abundant, holding more members than all of us put together. These men keep the peace…the calm in this world. Your world.”
Baron Griland stepped out in front of his podium, his face weathered and serious as he spoke. “The Nightenbows are restless. We have remained honorable over the years, leaving them without the notion or need for their twisted ways. They feed off of failure…our failure, the failure of an angel of light. They long for us to falter. Do not falter, dear ones. For death is what they seek.”
At his words, I trembled with deep remorse as the crowd buzzed with quiet conversation at Baron Griland’s final words. Empress Griland stood, the Baron taking her hand as the two of them exited the room, the eyes of the Guardian society watching them closely. The warning had been read, we had been given instruction, and now we were to act as told and remain tightly knitted to one another to avoid any more attacks.
“This is more serious than I thought,” Trey whispered quietly to me, his hand still grasping mine tightly.
As the words caught in my throat, I answered with a simple, “Yes.”
My mother and father were now in quiet discourse with Lord and Lady Yancey across the Great Hall. Trey excused himself to talk with several other members of the group, his mother calling him forth, which was no surprise. The hate that exuded from her every look left me extremely uncomfortable.
Aria waved at me as she walked away with her mother, her little brother Cadence grasping her hand. I waved back,
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