Brandon and I stared at each other before following Master Philip. When we entered the meeting room, we found Master Charles and Master Nathan seated there.
"How are you, child?" Master Charles asked me.
I stared at the empty seat of Mistress Adele and fought back the tears. I also looked at Master Frank's empty seat. They were both gone, gone forever.
I only nodded in answer to Master Charles's question. I wasn't okay. I couldn't be okay unless Luther and all his beasts were dead. And even then, I wasn't sure I would be okay.
"Rachel, what you did back then with The Voice was incredible," Master Nathan commented.
"Thank you."
"But we'd prefer it if you didn't do such a thing anymore. It could have killed you, and I mean it."
"But –"
He cut me off. "No buts. Yes, you saved a lot of Guardians from dying, but you could've damaged your brain beyond repair, and nobody would be happy with that. Understood?"
I nodded.
"That is why, by the way," Master Philip began, "we called the both of you here for one thing. As you both know, Master Frank and Mistress Adele are both gone. Their seats are empty and need to be replaced. Brandon, we want you to fill in Master Frank's position. You're a very skilled fighter, and you could teach the Guardians a few things with your sword. And Rachel, we want you to fill in Mistress Adele's position. Your Voice skill is incredible. You learned quite well within a short period of time.
"No," I uttered, and they all stared at me. "They're not even dead a week yet. How could you people be trying to replace them?"
"We're not trying to replace them. They could never be replaced in our hearts. But their positions can't remain empty," Master Charles tried to reason with me.
I shook my head. "I won't do it. Find somebody else."
"She wanted you to fill her position if anything was to have happened to her. She told us that," Master Philip said quietly.
I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "How am I sure you're telling the truth?"
"Because deep down, you know that is what she would want. To her, you were the daughter she never had."
I wiped my cheeks again. Dammit. He was right. I knew Mistress Adele. I knew she would've wanted me to accept her position if anything were to happen to her. "Fine. I accept the position."
"You guys know I'm not a Guardian, right?" Brandon finally spoke up.
"You are a Guardian at heart, Brandon. Never forget that." Master Philip told him.
Brandon and I left the meeting room in thoughts. I couldn't help but question if I had made the right decision by accepting Mistress Adele's position. Was I ready? Could I do it? Could I be as perfect and loved as Mistress Adele was?
I missed a step as I recalled something, and Brandon caught my arm.
"She knew," I whispered to him.
He frowned. "Who knew what?"
A huge responsibility is going to befall you very soon. Don't shy away from it. Do it. The position was meant for you all this while. She only held it temporarily for you.
Then Brandon's words.
"Nothing much. She just told me how the Goddess considered me one of hers and how I should be very prepared for the fight and after it. Something about a huge responsibility or something."
"Did she say what the huge responsibility was?"
He shook his head. "No. Only that I should embrace it when it comes."
I looked at Brandon. "The Goddess and her vessel. The huge responsibility the vessel told you about, the Goddess, also told me about it. Now I understand it. They meant Mistress Adele and Master Frank's position."
Brandon's eyes widened.
I looked at the sky, where I knew the Goddess was watching us from. I had only one question for her.
Why?
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Revenge on Guardians Page 4