The Guardians' Daughter

by A. M. McPherson

  It’s a little concerning that The Prism is okay just leaving us with this girl who’s clearly insane, but I eye Aiden’s forcefield. There’s no reason why we can’t stay safe.

  Aiden’s heartbeat hammers into my back. “I can manage. Go after Mad Marie and leave the Guardians where they’re needed the most.”

  With a nod, Valentino takes off like a beam of light, leaving us behind in the darkness.

  The ground erupts with a mixture of white tile and spirals around us. Jill cackles, still perched in the window with her finger twirling in circles in front of her. “Manage, you say? Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t think I can let you two go. You’ll have to die, joining The Regenerator.”

  My heart goes still. “What did you say?”

  She jumps down and continues the circular movements. “Oh! You don’t know? Ha-ha! Yes! He’s dead! Seems like the old fool had one too many explosions!”

  Aiden’s forcefield shimmers, reminding me it’s there, but I still feel vulnerable. I can’t accept what she’s telling me. “You’re lying. You just want to get a rise out of me.”

  Johnny laughs, but a cough cuts it short. I completely forgot he was still here. He leans against the door and sweat glistens on his forehead. “Oh, no. She’s telling you the truth. He’s gone. Nothing’s left of him to regenerate this time.”

  Aiden’s grip tightens on me, like he’s preparing to hold me back.

  Jill wiggles her fingers at us. “And soon, nothing will be left of you two.”

  “What makes you think that?” Aiden joins the conversation. “You can’t touch us. Have fun with your little dirt twister, but it won’t hurt a hair on our heads.”

  Jill eyes Johnny and grimaces. “Damn, he’s right, isn’t he?”

  Johnny closes his eyes and struggles for a breath. “Unfortunately. Also, I may be losing too much blood. I got … got cut pretty deep by some glass when he chucked me out the door.”

  “You two are lucky there is always a bigger fish to fry.” Jill sighs, and her finger goes still. The dirt drops around us. “How disappointing though.” She turns, grabs Johnny’s collar and drags him out with her. “C’mon, you pathetic fool. They would be quite upset if I let you die.”

  My quiet sobs choke me, and I turn into Aiden’s chest.

  He embraces me. “I’m so sorry, Ember.”

  “It can’t be true, can it?”

  Aiden flinches. “Ow.” He glances up, and his mouth drops open. “Oh, no!”

  “What is it?” I look above me to see a storm cloud downpouring on us—a parting gift from Jill, it would seem. My heart sinks. Rain. Water—the only thing I know to make Aiden’s power falter. I reach for him, wanting to protect him in some way. “Aiden! Are you okay?”

  Aiden screams in torment then faces me. “Ember, get away from me!” The forcefield disappears, and Aiden pushes me from him.

  I crash into the counter.

  The forcefield regenerates, flickering with electricity wildly running throughout. Aiden doubles over, clutching his stomach. Electricity bounces off him in small chaotic bolts. The forcefield glitches and cuts outs.

  I stand helpless, watching the man I love having his life drained with the rain. He looks like some kind of out-of-control electrical storm, and smoke rises from his arms as the rain falls hard around us.

  His eyes scrunch together, but the intensity of their glow peeks out around the edges, like a light behind a closed door.

  Wait! I can try to break apart the storm cloud with a heat blast! I glance up, aim and—

  “Ha-ha-ha!” Jill’s maniac laugh pierces the air, and she’s on my back, scratching at me like a wild animal.

  My legs give out. I have no strength; whatever Johnny did to me is having a lasting effect. I collapse onto the ground, too weak to fight back, too weak to do anything. I blink rapidly, trying to focus, but with Jill pinning me to the floor, I can’t breathe.

  Aiden springs forward and punches Jill off me. He’s too hurt to do anything else and falls to his knees. Red patches cover his face, but his eyes are their brilliant blue color, no longer glowing. Wisps of smoke swirl from his exhausted body as rain continues to heavily fall.

  “Well, it seems like my decision to rain on your parade was a brilliant move on my part!” Jill walks by Aiden, and I notice her shoes are the color of a dirty pumpkin. She grabs Aiden’s neck, and he winces.

  Seeing Aiden so vulnerable breaks me. I can’t lose him too. I have nothing left in me to give, but I must do something. I get to my feet, unsteadily holding onto the counter to assist me. “Is this your grand plan? Kill two people who are clearly too weak to put up a fight?”

  Jill grins, and her head twitches violently. “Oh, honey. I know how powerful you are. I’ve seen you train. So why not eliminate you when you’re so defenseless?”

  Her words punch me in the gut. “You’re the one who has been watching me!”

  She shrugs. “Guilty. We knew we would need to keep an eye on you, especially after your little fight with Forgie.”

  Water runs down my face, making it hard to see. “Why was he even there? Just to spy on me?”

  She shakes her head, flinging water everywhere. “Oh, no. We have our connections, and they fill us in on who would make the next best test subject. Not everything revolves around you, believe it or not.”

  It’s becoming harder to control my breathing. “Are you telling me you have people on the inside? At the university?”

  “Of course, they do.” Aiden laughs. “They probably have people all over the city! How else would they have known about the prison moving Mad Marie today? You guys are brilliant. I’m sure you have a lot of people in the higher ranks, don’t you?”

  Jill flips her hair, sloshing it behind her. “If only you knew how high our reach goes.”

  Aiden nods, and the corners of his lips move into a sexy smirk. “Impressive. I wish I could be as smart as you guys. Especially you, Jill. Not just anyone can make me go weak at the knees.” He winks at me, and I get what game he’s playing.

  “Well, you’re pretty impressive yourself, big guy.” Jill giggles. “Maybe we can trade secrets sometime.”

  “Sure … in Hell maybe.” Aiden grabs Jill’s arm and whips her over him then slams her into the floor.

  She gasps and stares wide-eyed at the ceiling.

  Aiden comes for me and reconstructs a forcefield around us. “We need to get you out of here. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

  “Aiden, no! Drop the forcefield!”

  He clenches his jaw, trying to maintain control, but the chaotic bolts begin again.

  “I have to protect you! I will overcome this damn rain!”

  Jill stands, but she’s hunched over like some kind of cadaver. Her hair looks like a dirty, wet mop with a crooked grin underneath.

  The rain gets denser, and Aiden’s muscles tense; he won’t last this fight. A new determination sparks a renewal in my abilities. Thermal energy flows back through my body, strengthening my muscles once again.

  It’s my turn to save him.

  I kiss him, needing to feel his lips in case this is the last time. Sparks dance around us and prick my face. I retract and take in what may be the last time I see him. His eyes are bright with fear, and I reach to stroke his cheek.

  Does he really think I would let him do this?

  “No, Aiden. I need to protect you.” I place my other hand on his chest, and it illuminates, blasting him away from me with miniscule energy.

  He’s too debilitated, and it’s enough to cause him to drop the forcefield as he stumbles backward.

  It takes only a second to absorb a vast amount of thermal energy. I feel like every inch of me is about to explode with power. I aim at the storm cloud and disintegrate it with extreme heat. Aiden can now use his abilities without pain. Now to destroy Jill.

  I grab the counter behind me and feel the granite melt under my glowing hands. My body literally feels like it’s being ripped apart. I can’
t handle this type of energy right now—my body is too fragile—but it’s the only way to ensure Jill’s demise.

  Jill lunges for me and shrieks like a banshee.

  “Aiden!” I shout with my last ounce of breath. “Forcefield! Now!”

  “Ember! No!”

  I go supernova, blasting everything and everyone, engulfing the shop in my most powerful heat blast to date.

  Everything goes silent.

  I look toward Aiden, there’s no Jill in sight.

  The blue shield around him disappears, and he rushes toward me.

  I feel weightless and no longer connected to this world. My eyes roll back into my head, and I swear I hear my dad’s voice whisper, “My little Ember. You’ll make a beautiful flame one day.”

  All goes black.

  Chapter 34

  Aiden

  I run out of the flower shop, holding Ember who’s barely alive in my arms. The street is vacant—no help, no assistance. It’s eerily quiet; the attacks must’ve ceased. I was an idiot to tell Valentino I could handle Jill. I knew she could control weather, and there was a chance she would make it rain. Why did I have to put on a brave face? Why? Now Ember is the one who paid the price for my stupidity—again.

  The smoke isn’t as bad as it was earlier, but it’s dense enough that I can’t see more than twenty feet in front of me. Thankfully, I know the general direction of the hospital. I take off, not caring about the dust I’m inhaling, the way it burns my eyes and lungs. The rest of my body still stings from the ordeal earlier, but I can handle the discomfort. Nothing else matters until I see those emerald-colored eyes again.

  “Ember! Ember! Where are you?” a phantom voice wails, like it lost the most precious thing in the world.

  I stop and goosebumps decorate my arms. Ahead of me emerges an eerie light through the dust. A rotating green circle.

  A small woman wearing a blue dress shredded around the edges comes forward. She’s controlling the ring of green light around her.

  Anxiety rushes through my veins, and my heartbeat reverberates in my ears.

  The woman freezes and stares at me. Her eyes are lit up bright, lime green.

  I glance at Ember in my arms, looking dead. This isn’t going to bode well.

  “Drop her!” she screams. “I won’t hesitate to kill you!”

  Eliza. This must be Eliza. I attempt to wave my hand like a white flag. “Please, wait! I’m a friend! This isn’t what it looks like!”

  “How do I know you’re telling the truth?” She swirls the light above her head, it mimics green fire.

  I bet I know where she is planning on aiming that. “Wait! I’m Aiden! I was with Ember when—”

  “Aiden?” The recognition in her voice is palpable, and the light around her dies out.

  My teeth rattle together. “Yes.”

  Eliza rushes over. She has a cut on her cheek that’s caked with blood. She places her hand on Ember’s forehead. “Oh, no … Ember.” She glances at me, tears well in her eyes. “What happened?”

  “We … were attacked. She blasted a villain who was attacking us. I’m surprised the building is still standing. The heat from her was so intense I could feel it through my forcefield.”

  “We need to get her somewhere safe.”

  “I was heading for the hospital.”

  “No! The press will eat her alive there!” Eliza puts her ear to Ember’s mouth. “She’s breathing, so that’s a good sign. She probably just overexerted herself, but we need to get her somewhere safe.”

  “Are you sure the hospital wouldn’t be the best place for her?”

  She shakes her head. “No. This would put an unnecessary spotlight on her, and plus, I’m sure they’re flooded with people. I have a friend who can help us. As long as she’s okay.”

  “A friend?”

  “Yes. Rose Pumpa. I know she lives in the general area.” She pats an area close to her hip. “Good. I still have my communicator. I should be able to get a message to her.”

  I raise an eyebrow inquisitively. “Nurse Pumpa? The same one who works at the university?”

  “The same.” She pushes back some of Ember’s hair like a mother trying to console her child. “Just hang on, Em. We’ll figure out some place to go to get you safe.”

  My eyes and throat burn with guilt.

  Ember looks so helpless. Dirt, ash, and sweat cover her face like confetti. Only her lips have any color to them, a delicate pink.

  “We can go to my house. It’s not too far from here, and we have a generator, so we’ll have electricity.” A new worry ensues. My parents. I have no clue if they’re okay or not. I eye behind me, unable to see the damage in the distance. “That’s if it’s still standing!”

  “This side of the city is pretty untouched compared to the westside, so I’m sure it’s fine.”

  The westside. Where Billy lives.

  If I wasn’t holding Ember, the tidal wave of worry, anger, and sadness would take me under. But Ember needs me. I must stay strong for her. “Let’s go then.”

  A picture of Iron Forge is displayed on the TV screen with a red banner stating, Captured. Next to it are three more photos. One is Black Mold, with his slimy hair covering most of his face. Another is of Disguiser, a man whose brow shadows the rest of his facial features. The last is Twisted Bill, a man with sleek hair with a smolder that would make any woman swoon. It’s only until he squeezes their body like twisting a towel when they realize the horror behind that grin. Wanted flashes underneath each of their photos.

  “Prism, Mantu, and other Guardians in the Capital League captured Iron Forge tonight. A chase ensued after the attack downtown today, and Iron Forge used a life-threatening amount of metal from his body, weakening him enough to be captured.” The reporter on the TV looks so shiny and new. He’s dressed in a blue suit with his hair neatly styled to the side with gel. “The three other villains pictured are considered the most dangerous and the masterminds behind the escape for Mad Marie. Be on the lookout and avoid them at all costs. Their current whereabouts are unknown.”

  “Mantu?” My dad asks from the couch. His leg is propped on the ottoman in front of him. His knee is wrapped with gauze, and a small patch of blood has oozed through. His brown hair is disheveled, and his face is lined with stress.

  I sigh. He can never remember which Guardian is who anymore. “He’s the shapeshifter.”

  “Is that Mantu Lee? The Guardian who’s always naked?”

  I laugh and lean against the doorway of the living room. “Well, clothes don’t stay on him too long when he changes into a tiger or something.”

  Wait a second … Lee? Is that who could be related to Sing?

  The man on TV clears his throat. “Tonight, the city of Stalwarth is not only recovering from the devastation that has hit our city, but we’re also mourning the lives lost.” A picture of The Regenerator consumes the entirety of the screen. He’s wearing a muscle-tight blue t-shirt and matching goggles. “We regret to report that The Regenerator, one of our most beloved Guardians, did not survive the initial explosion …” The reporter’s voice trails off.

  I stare at the photo, a sudden lump in my throat. Not only have we lost one of our best defenses against Mad Marie, but Ember lost someone dear to her.

  The photo fades, and the reporter takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself. “This evening, officers were transporting one of our most dangerous prisoners, Mad Marie, to a newly constructed prison in Stromeburg.” A picture of Mad Marie appears: a woman with crazed white hair and grey eyes. Her stare is of an intelligent, tortured soul. “The Regenerator, the only Guardian who captured her before, was part of this special operation. Unfortunately, villains attacked the unit while crossing the westside of town—”

  “Aiden?” my mom calls for me.

  I turn to see my mom closing the door to my room, the same room where Ember is. “Yes?” I choke out.

  She pushes her hair from her face. Bandages are wrapped on her arms from whe
re she stopped some debris in midair from falling on my dad. “Ember is awake—barely—but she’s responding”

  I swallow back my sob. “Oh, thank the Guardians!”

  She nods with a gentle smile. “She’s talking with Eliza right now.”

  “She’s okay then? I know Nurse Pumpa said all her vitals were good and that she just needs to rest, but—”

  “Aiden.” My mom lays a hand on my arm. “She’ll be all right. I already can see what you’re doing to yourself. You did the best you could. Ember made a choice to do what she did. Don’t beat yourself up over what happened.”

  A tear escapes down my cheek. “Mom, she … she could’ve died.”

  Understanding weighs down my mom’s face. “You really care for her, don’t you?”

  I drop my head. “I do.”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Of course.”

  “Do you feel like you owe her? Is that why you’re so close to her? I know how much the death of Emerald Blaze and Digger affected you … and meeting their daughter had to rip open all those old wounds.”

  My mom knows me too well. “I won’t lie. At first, that might’ve been what drew me to her, but it’s not why I stayed. Being their daughter … I wanted to keep my distance, but … I found it almost impossible to do so.”

  The wrinkles around my mom’s eyes deepen. “Does she know? About your connection to her parents?”

  “No. I haven’t told her anything.”

  “Oh, honey. You’ll have to tell her if you want to have some kind of future with her.” She eyes my dad on the couch. “For a relationship to succeed, honesty is the key.”

  “I planned on it after break, but now … I don’t know if I can.”

  Her attention snaps back to me, her face etched with concern. “Why not?”

  “She’ll be furious.” My voice breaks. “She’ll never trust me after she learns everything.”

  “Sweetheart …” My mom’s tone is kind but firm. “I know what I told you earlier about keeping this secret, but I think you’re old enough to handle anything that’s thrown at you. The choice is yours, but, if you don’t tell her, it will always loom over your head. You did nothing wrong that day, and she should see that.”