Daughter of Earth (Tales of the Guardian) (3 page)

     “Yeah, well, maybe so.” He shrugged his shoulders, a sheepish grin spreading widely across his lips.

     They stepped back onto the sidewalk, continuing southward with matched strides.

     “All kidding aside though, I am glad you two got some time without us. I know it can be frustrating with Xavier and me hanging around you guys like we’re a CIA protection unit. We just want you to be safe, that’s all.”

     “I understand. You know I love having you around and, believe me; it makes me feel a lot better. But I have to admit it was nice to have a night with just my dad. I’m going to miss him a lot,” Emily’s voice cracked slightly. She cleared her throat in an effort to take control.

     “You know we are going to be able to come back and visit,” he reassured her.

     “Yeah, I know.” It was all she could say before a man headed the opposite direction pushed between her and Alexander, interrupting their conversation.

     Emily frowned and shook her head.
“Some people, I swear,”
she thought.

     She couldn’t imagine the Guardians would be like that in Eden, pushing and shoving, completely unaware of anyone else around them. She imagined them all to be like Alexander and Xavier—kind, chivalrous and polite. The anticipation to visit Eden was growing stronger for her each day.

     Another factor contributing to her growing eagerness to enter Eden was the very vibrant dream Emily had experienced. It repeated itself exactly over the past three nights and had become difficult to forget.

      In her dream, she was in a thick, wooded area with giant willow trees, larger than she thought possible, which looked as though they reached to the very sky. The branches drooped low, some almost to the ground and as she walked through them they softly tickled her face, the leaves and branches feeling as though they were satin. Tiny light orbs floated all around, at first looking like little lightening bugs, but upon closer examination Emily could see they were purely light. Almost like a glowing dust filtered throughout the air.

     She’d walked through the trees holding out her arms, letting the willow branches gently stroke her hands. Not knowing where she was going, Emily walked for a time, breathing in the overwhelming floral scent and clean air. The sunlight peeked through the branches occasionally, supplying instant warmth when she passed under the bright rays.

     Then, appearing directly before her stood a magnificent building. The stones’ whiteness was almost blinding. Eight giant columns reached high above her, supporting a stone roof. Emily could see that more equal-sized pillars stretched down the structure’s side, but she could not count their number. It reminded her of a picture she’d once seen of the great Acropolis in Athens.

     After the awe of the building in front of her had passed she carefully climbed the stairs leading to the entrance. She had never seen this place, yet somehow she knew exactly where she was going. With each step she took, she felt a strong pulling sensation. Something was calling to her in that building. When she passed the giant columns onto a marble terrace she was surprised with what she beheld. She’d very much expected to be inside a building, yet what she saw was more willow trees. These trees were much smaller than the ones outside; miniature versions really, decorated with gorgeous white flowers of every shape and size. Green grass carpeted the structure and seemed so soft; it was like a fuzzy green fur.

     Emily glanced around, but found she was still in fact inside the great stone building. The scene before her was like a giant atrium, a gorgeous garden inside a building.

     She descended from the terrace down a few stairs into the atrium area. At this point there was one thing and one thing only that captured her attention. Between two trees was an oversized altar. On the altar, hoisted by two fork-like prongs, was a golden dagger.

     As Emily approached the altar, she could more clearly see the intricate floral carvings adorning it and the dagger. She reached her hand toward the glistening object but, before getting close enough to touch the dagger, her dream abruptly ended.

     Each night she found she’d gotten a little closer to the dagger than the previous night. It made her wonder if tonight she would have the same dream and maybe this time grasp the object she felt was calling to her.

     After her first experience with the dream she told Alexander and Xavier everything, recalling the details of the place like she’d been there dozens of times. Alexander thought it sounded like a dream of Eden but said the exact location Emily described was not like any building he’d ever seen there. Neither he nor Xavier knew anything about a golden dagger.

     When she went on to have the same dream the following two nights, the three determined it had to have something to do with Eden. They just weren’t sure what. Emily had a hard time focusing her thoughts during the day as her mind kept drifting back to the dream. Even now, as Alexander asked her a question, she had to return her dazed attention back to the present conversation.

     “Um, sorry, what was that?” She blinked hard trying to refocus.

     Alexander chuckled. “Your thoughts were elsewhere again, weren’t they? Thinking about your dream, am I right?”

     She shook her head. “
How does he always know my thoughts?”

    
“Yeah, I was,” she half grinned with the admission. “I can’t seem to go more than an hour or so without at least giving it all a thought or two, if not recalling the entire thing. It was just so peaceful.”

     “It has some significance I’m sure. Even if all it does is bring you peace, that’s good enough for me. Peace is a good thing to have, especially when confronted with the troubles we know are coming and the danger you’ve experienced.” Alexander had lowered his voice. They were still in a public area, though most everyone they passed was in a mad rush and went by too quickly to catch more than a word of their conversation.

     “True, peace is a great thing to have right now. But you know, it’s been quiet since the attack in Cooperstown. I just thought when Aldara said war was coming I expected things to break into chaos right away. Or at least we would experience another attack from The Opposition. But things have seemed totally normal. Eerily normal, actually.” She turned partially sideways to let another person pass between them, this time not even wasting her thoughts on how rude it was.

     “It has been quiet for us,” Alexander agreed. “But, it doesn’t mean there aren’t things going on. The Opposition doesn’t act hastily; they tend to thoroughly plot and plan. What they struggle with is working together, that is usually what takes the most time. So even though we haven’t gotten word doesn’t mean The Opposition isn’t moving forward with plans.”

     “I know. It’s just been nice to have some time to pretend that everything is normal. And, to have a chance to say goodbye.” she looked up, recognizing the building before her. It was Candice’s.

     Emily told her best friend she wanted to come over today to see her one last time. Candice was headed for a college in California in three days. She thought Emily was leaving for Dartmouth in a few weeks, as did everyone else.

     “
If she only knew how crazy things really are. I envy her lack of knowledge.”

    
“Are you sure you want to just hang around here and wait? I mean it could be hours. Remember, this is Candice we’re talking about. And this is the last time she’ll have the opportunity to yak my ear off in person. It could be a long time,” she giggled with the thought of her best friend going on and on. She really loved her, even if her friend didn’t know how to be quiet for five minutes.

     “Yep, I’m good. I can hang out in the lobby and the shops around here. I’ll people watch, that’s always fun. Especially when you can be invisible about it and people don’t see when you are watching them,” Alexander raised his dark thick brows with an excited expression.

     “Oh to be a fly on the wall, like you,” she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. “Well, have fun.” She turned toward the apartment building and entered through the revolving glass door.

     The visit didn’t end up being as long as initially expected. The girls talked mostly about expectations for college. Emily kept her comments brief since it was a lie for her to say anything about excitement over Dartmouth. They laughed a lot about favorite memories and they both cried when it was time to say goodbye.

     Candice made Emily promise they would both come home for Christmas and hang out together. She also made Emily vow to be outgoing and social at Dartmouth and find a good guy. Candice didn’t know about Alexander. Emily agreed to her friend’s demands and after a long hug, made her departure.

     As she rode the empty elevator down to the lobby Emily’s lingering thoughts and sadness over leaving were interrupted and her hearing suddenly became muffled. She was experiencing it again, the impaired ability to hear any noise around her. There was only the bell sound. She closed her eyes, concentrating, hoping and praying that this time it all might work. She envisioned the ringing as though it was a bell chiming louder and louder with each pulse, like she could see the actual noise waves expanding through the air after each chime. The ringing grew stronger and stronger and then went quiet, deathly quiet. For a moment Emily thought the experience was over but then she heard it. Like someone right beside her had whispered into her ear.

     Hearing her name sent ripples through her entire body, like she’d just stuck her finger in the light socket and received an electric shock. She heard her name once more, “Emily,” and the same effect took place in her body.

     The elevator doors opened and she could sense the bright light flooding the space even though her eyes were still closed. She opened them only to find a man staring at her with an inquisitive expression, waiting for her to exit so he could board the elevator.

     “Oh… uh, sorry,” Emily stammered as she moved out. Her full hearing had been restored but she still felt slightly disoriented. Quickly she spun around back towards the elevator, just to check and see there really hadn’t been anyone else in there with her, but the doors had already shut.

     “Hey,” a voice from behind said in her ear.

     A little yelp escaped as she hopped slightly to the side. It was Alexander who had caused her to spook. She knew he must have seen the bewildered look on her face and instantly understood what happened.

     “Did Athos just try to call you again?” he asked.

     “Mmhhmmm,” her response lacked complete confidence. She knew she must have looked like a deer in the headlights.

     “And you heard it this time, didn’t you? You heard your name and you felt it.”

     “Yeah, uh, yeah I did,” she nodded her head and let out a big breath, not sure what amazed her more. The fact that she had just heard her name whispered with no one physically around to be the cause or how Alexander seemed to always know her thoughts and feelings. “How do you always know these things?”

     “You seem to forget, I’ve been studying your features since you were a baby. Your feelings and thoughts are always expressed in your face. But, Athos just called me as well so that kinda gave it away.”

     “So what does it mean?” Emily still felt a bit breathless and utterly clueless.

     Alexander smiled, “It means it’s time to go.”

Chapter 3

     Haunting yellow eyes peered from afar as the couple left the building. The Ancient One knew there was no move he could make to assault them which would not send a vision to Alexander. Swooping in like a hawk with talons open and sharpened for the kill was what they were expecting.

     Sandros had to work in less predictable ways.

     Now that The Opposition’s motive was apparent, there was no longer the element of surprise, which could have been a huge advantage for his side. No, he knew The Seer now watched their every move. There was no way around it.