Marked, Soul Guardians Book 1

by Kim Richardson

Kara and David had to do some serious convincing to persuade the suspicious baboon to drop them off the elevator to Orientation on level one. They had arranged to rendezvous with Jenny and Peter here if they got separated. It was going to take a while to find their friends amongst the thousands of newly born angels who waited in line, but Kara knew that the crowds also meant that it was a perfect place for fugitives like them to hide.

  Ever since they had arrived back in Horizon, Kara felt dejected. She wasn’t sure where she fit anymore. She had been glad to be a guardian angel, and even more so when she found out she had unique abilities the other guardians didn’t share. She was different. Her mind wandered back to her mundane life. School, friends, family, it was all very droning. She never felt she fit in, and that lingering feeling of something missing, always weighed her down. Finally, when she truly believed she found what she was looking for, it slapped her in the face. Literally. She remembered being excited at the prospect of becoming a guardian angel. Saving mortal lives was the most important job one could have, she figured. Saving the human world against the evil demons had real importance. And it meant something to her.

  But now her situation had changed. Kara knew that her role as a guardian could never be the same, not after what she’d done. She had to focus on saving her mother’s soul, no matter what the consequences. Save the soul, she repeated in her head constantly. The rest didn’t matter.

  She watched David—his jaw was clenched and his expression was intense. Her eyes wandered to his broad shoulders as they swayed back and forth. Her body prickled. She forced herself to ignore her feelings towards him. This wasn’t the time to have romantic thoughts, she told herself. They had shared a real connection in the angel world, and Kara wondered why it was so intense. Why couldn’t she have met David back on Earth, where love wasn’t forbidden, and where they could have been together? Kara shrugged. Whatever happened to her now, she didn’t want David to pay for her mistakes. Jenny and Peter shouldn’t get into trouble either. This was her mess; she needed to clean it up.

  She pushed her way through the crowds, stood on her toes, and searched above all the heads. “I don’t see them.”

  “Let’s go this way.” David led Kara to the wall at the far west end of the majestic hall. The lines of the recently deceased thinned out here, and it was now easier to see through crowds. David pressed his back against the wall and folded his arms across his chest.

  “Let’s wait here,” he said. “We have a better view anyway. Pull your hoodie over your head a bit more—I can see your face.”

  Kara grabbed the edges of her hoodie and pulled them just above the bridge of her nose. “Is it better now?”

  “Perfect.”

  Kara fidgeted with the sleeve of her shirt. “I don’t want you to get involved in my mess.”

  David cocked his head to the side. He was silent for a moment. “It’s too late for that. Besides, I like breaking the rules. It makes me feel mortal again.”

  “I’m serious, David.” Kara shook her head. “The situation is bad. And it’ll only get worse. I don’t want to have your fate on my conscience as well—or Jenny’s and Peter’s for that matter. I don’t think I can handle that.”

  “We’re your friends. And friends stick up for one another. I couldn’t leave you in that prison to rot. It wasn’t right.” David’s face was pulled tight in a grimace.

  Kara looked away and didn’t respond. She pulled her hoodie lower around her face. If it weren’t for her friends, she’d still be locked away in Tartarus. She wondered how long the council would have left her there. How such a horrendous place could exist in Horizon, she didn’t know. She wondered what other secret dungeons were hidden from the rest of the guardians. She frowned.

  After about two hours, Jenny and Peter emerged from the crowd and walked slowly towards them.

  “Hey guys,” whispered Jenny. She looked casually over her shoulder. “We spotted a few officers looking for you, Kara. You can’t stay here long. It’s all over the Legion.”

  Kara screwed up her face. “Great. You’d think they would try to keep it quiet?” She felt uneasy, and glanced into the crowd.

  “Unfortunately no,” interrupted Peter. He adjusted his glasses. “They’re pretty angry with you. The one place you weren’t supposed to break out from—you did. It makes them look weak.”

  “And now they’re really pissed.” Jenny smiled mischievously.

  “Great,” said Kara. She let herself fall back against the wall. “—another thing to add to the list of reasons I should be killed. They’ll never believe me now. The innocent don’t break out of prisons.”

  “Yeah … well … you did. You didn’t have a choice.” David’s tone was getting louder. “We all know you’re innocent—and they’re too stupid and stuck in their ways to notice.”

  Kara hit her head against the wall behind her. “Well, haven’t you noticed? It doesn’t matter what you guys think. What matters is what the council believes. And right now, I’m nothing but a demon in their eyes—an evil one.”

  “Stop that.” David frowned. “You know you’re not evil. Those douche bags that sit on the council chairs all day have shit for brains. We’ll just have to prove your innocence somehow.”

  Kara felt consoled by the kindness in his voice.

  “Besides, how else are we supposed to look for your mom if you’re locked inside a giant Rubik’s cube?”

  Kara stared at the ground and didn’t answer. She tried to remember her last conversation with her mother. She hoped it had been a good one, but she couldn’t remember. She knew the council wasn’t about to help. She was her mother’s only hope—she had to do something.

  “Listen,” said Jenny, “my scout friend thinks he has the location of your mother’s soul.”

  “What? Where?”

  “In Paris.”

  Kara took a step closer to Jenny. “In Paris!”

  “Shhh!” Jenny looked over her shoulder. “Be careful. There are spies everywhere. After they tried to stab David, you can’t trust anyone anymore.”

  Anger flared inside Kara. “Did they ever find the Death Blade?”

  Peter shook his head. “No. I don’t think they even really looked. They didn’t believe you, Kara.”

  They didn’t believe me, thought Kara. It wasn’t a surprise. She was a demon to them now; her claims were a waste of time. She clenched her fists so that the others wouldn’t see her shaking hands.

  “So my mother’s soul is in Paris.” Hope filled the emptiness inside her. “But—Paris is huge. Do we know where in Paris?”

  “I couldn’t get that information without attracting suspicion. You’ll have to go there and meet with him.”

  “It’s better if Jenny and I stay in Horizon anyway,” said Peter. “We’ll keep our ears open and feed you information from the inside.”

  “Did your scout say who was keeping her?” Kara shivered as she remembered Tom’s angel essence disappearing down the new breed’s gaping mouth. How could her mother’s soul survive its acidic black blood?

  Jenny glanced sideways before speaking. “No. As I said, I couldn’t get any more information. Peter and I are already being watched by Cassiel. I think he suspects something.”

  Kara nodded. “It’s fine. This is the break I’ve been looking for.”

  “You know it’s a trap, don’t you.” David sighed wearily. “They’re using her soul as bait. You know that.”

  Kara shrugged. “I don’t care. I have to try. I can’t just sit here and wait for things to happen. They might never happen. I have to do something.”

  David touched his hand to Kara’s shoulder. “I’m going with you. You can’t have all the fun—”

  “THERE SHE IS! GET HER!”

  A group of first officers pushed their way out of the multitude of the newly dead and pointed straight at Kara. A five hundred pound silverback gorilla was with them. It snarled, revealing rows of sharp yellow teeth, pushed itself on its back legs and rose to
its full height. Kara could hear the loud thumps as it hit its powerful chest with its great muscular arms. It threw back its head and roared. Kara could see the glare in its intelligent black eyes. Then it took a giant leap towards her.

  Kara froze, like a deer caught in headlights. The silverback ploughed through the crowd, knocking them down like pins in a bowling alley.

  “Get out of here!” Jenny pushed on Kara’s back. “My scout will find you. Get to Paris, hurry! I’ll create a diversion. Go!”

  David grabbed Kara by the arm and pulled her with him as he ran.

  She heard a great commotion behind her. She turned her head. Jenny jumped in the air, flailing her arms and yelling, “Look! It’s Elvis! He’s over here!” Crowds rushed over like a giant wave and Kara could see the officers’ heads disappear in the crush.

  But the silverback was still coming. It jumped over the crowds of angels and came down with a thundering crash. Its predatory eyes were locked on Kara.

  David yanked Kara by the hand. “This way!”

  They ran northwards through the crowds and reached the Orientation offices down a hallway. They turned a corner and stood before an ancient looking door. A brightly lit neon sign read: Oracle Division # 745-5678, Orientation. David pushed open the door without hesitating. Kara followed closely behind him.

  A tiny white haired man sat above his great crystal ball. He flipped through papers from a file. His white flowing beard brushed the tips of his toes. He looked up as they came in.

  “Oh … hello! I’ve been waiting for you.” He gave them a kind smile. “Please, shut the door behind you.”

  Kara slipped her hand out of David’s grasp. The floor vibrated beneath her feet, and she knew the silverback was close by. She took a step back and shut the door. The door had no lock. She prayed that the gorilla would run past it. She approached the oracle cautiously, glancing over her shoulder to David at every chance she had.

  “What do you mean you were waiting for us?” she asked. She looked over at David who shrugged.

  The oracle clapped his hands excitedly. “I have seen it! I’m supposed to help you escape! How electrifying! I haven’t had this much fun in over a thousand years!”

  He started to spin on his heels, the giant crystal ball revolving with him like a spinning top.

  “I think the oracle sniffed a little …” David wiped his nose, “… you know.”

  “Yes! Yes! Yes!” exclaimed the oracle. He rolled himself to the far end of his office. He crashed into the pool in the corner. Water spilled on the floor. “I am assisting a fugitive. How delightful!” He grabbed his beard and swung it over his right shoulder, like a plush feather boa.

  David snorted and raised his eyebrows. “He’s definitely on to something.”

  “Or it’s a trap.” Kara felt uneasy. She glanced at the door behind them. It was still shut. No officers. No enormous gorilla. No one.

  “Trap!” expressed the oracle. “Nonsense. Quickly now! I have seen it—the first officers will be arriving soon looking for you. And that dreadful gorilla. It’ll stink up my office—oh dear! I almost forgot!” He rolled himself to his desk and grabbed a forest green back pack. He gave it to David.

  “Weapons,” said David as he opened the bag and pulled out a blade.

  Kara walked towards the oracle. “Why are you doing this? Why are you helping us?”

  The oracle was silent for a moment. He smiled. “Because it is the right thing to do. It is what is to come. I have seen it—you are to go to Paris—it is the beginning of the events that will follow. You must go to Paris.” The oracle waved his hands impatiently. “And you better go quickly! They are coming!”

  David and Kara ran arm in arm to the pool. They stepped up to the ledge. David threw the backpack over his shoulders and grasped Kara’s hand.

  Kara glanced momentarily at the oracle. He stood above his crystal ball grinning with satisfaction.

  “Thank you.” Kara felt a deep affection for the oracle. He believed her.

  “Au revoir!” the oracle waved.

  Kara and David plunged into the water. A moment later, they were gone.

  Chapter 12

  Paris