The Protectors: Book 1 in the Protectors Saga (43 page)

With too many emotions swirling around inside of her,
Avery couldn’t bring herself to join her family for dinner, instead
she lay on to top of her bed, not even bothering to take off her
bloody clothes, and just staring up at the dark wood ceiling.

“Can I do this?” She said into the darkness, the
memory of the Serpentine fight vivid and sharp in her mind, “Can I
really do this?”

The reality of what it truly meant to be a Protector
was becoming clear to Avery. It was a life of struggle, and
fighting, and carrying the weight of being responsible for keeping
the people you loved alive. Just a few hours ago she had almost
been killed, but she had also been strong enough to fight back, to
use her powers, and defeat a Demon powerful enough to impress even
Gumptin.

All Avery knew for sure as closed her eyes was that
it had been the longest few weeks of her life, that she had seen
things she could never have imagined existed, done things she never
thought herself capable of, and that her journey was only just
starting.

Paige Dooling was born and raised in Arizona, where
besides a healthy love for writing, she also developed an obsession
with Chuck Taylors, Jim Henson, and classic rock. In what little
free time she has she enjoys writing fantasy, visiting
observatories, and spending far too much time reading travel
narratives.

If you enjoyed this story and want to find out more
about upcoming books, the world of the Protectors, or the author;
you can do so by following her at:

http://paigedooling.blogspot.com/