Gaibel pulled back and looked at Rhea. "She's more than that. She's your daughter."
Rhea knew it to be true, but hearing Gaibel say it was unbelievable. She stepped into their arms and let them embrace her, finally forming the family they should have been all along.
Rhea only allowed herself a moment before she pulled back and said, "We still have one more to deal with." And she was out the door.
Rhea stepped from the kitchen to find the others talking to the prisoners. She waved to her fellow rescuers. "This way." She ran towards the path behind the barn. She could hear footsteps behind her as she approached the wooden door in the side the cliff. She didn't stop to open the door. Instead, she blasted it off its hinges and ran inside, followed by everyone else.
There, standing by the liquid window, which wasn't liquid anymore, was the dark-haired man.
Rhea breathed hard as she took him in, anger pulsing through her. "It's over."
He just laughed. "It's only just begun." He swept his hand over the table and then the wall, before stepping through the window. In an instant, the room on the other side of the window disappeared and the opening turned a flat solid white.
Rhea tried to run after him, but the hands of her companions stopped her. She struggled to free herself. "Don't! He's getting away!"
Taulin's voice stood out above them all. "Rhea! Another time."
Rhea stopped her efforts to chase after the man who'd caused so much trouble, the man responsible for hurting so many people. There was no way to follow him … yet. But she would find a way.
Thank You!
Thank you for reading The Guardian. I hope you enjoyed it.
The Gifted
The Guardian
The Channel
The Dark Healer
The Keeper
Learn more at http://luxatra.com
~~~
The Dark Healer
The Gifted Book 3
Sneek Peek
1
Perspective
Mani stopped mid-stride, his breath caught in his throat. The scene unfolding in front of him couldn't be happening. Four guards lay lifeless on the ground and armed men and women were entering his home—Pelyn's home.
Spinning around, Mani ran back to the cave where his childhood friend waited for him. His heart raced, his breathing quickened, as he debated on what he would say.
Pelyn looked up from the table where he was unrolling a map. "That was ..." His smile faded as he looked into Mani's wide eyes. "What's happened?"
"We are being ..." He struggled to take a breath. "We are being invaded. The guards are dead."
Pelyn straightened his back, his jaw clenched as he tried to understand what Mani was telling him. "That's not possible."
"It's true. We have to get out of here. Now."
"Nonsense." Pelyn stepped towards the door that protected the cave from island predators. "I will put an end to this."
Mani grabbed his sleeve. "No. We don't know how many there are."
"We are on a small island in the middle of the ocean. It's likely pirates. They will be easy enough to deal with."
Mani gripped Pelyn's shirt tighter. "You can't risk it. I can't risk losing you too."
Pelyn studied the man's face and saw a lifetime of agony in his eyes. "Nothing will happen to me."
"That's what she said, remember?"
How could he not? She had been Mani's sister, Daunal, and Pelyn's wife. Pelyn glanced towards the open door and then back to Mani. "I need the current journal from my room."
"I'll go. You get the portal ready." Mani ran from the cave before Pelyn could stop him.
Pelyn followed him to the door and watched as he disappeared around a curve in the trail. He knew Mani was right. It would take time to call the opening in the portal.
Returning to the stone table in the center of the cave, he started to prepare their escape route.
~~~
Mani slowed as he approached the garden separating him from the house. Unfamiliar voices reach his ears. He slipped behind a tree and scanned the garden. The men and women he and Pelyn held captive were talking to a woman, a stranger.
She turned suddenly, as if to circle around the house. "I'll be right back. I promise," she shouted over her shoulder. "I just have to show the others where we are."
Others? Mani cringed. If he didn't get Pelyn's journal before the others arrived, there would be no hope. Moreover, knowing Pelyn, he'd likely do something stupid, like trying to retrieve it himself.
With the way clear of intruders, he stepped from behind the tree and stormed towards the house. Several of the men and women who had been at his and Pelyn's mercy for years, cowered away from him, afraid of his touch. One sneered, his bravery starting to surface.
Mani glared at the man as he reached towards him, but quickly shook off his desire.
The man stepped forward in defiance but stumbled to his knees.
Mani just shook his head and passed over the threshold into the kitchen, heading for the hall leading to Pelyn's quarters. The library was just beyond that.
The sound of blades clashing against blades told him the intruders were above him, fighting the guards who had just come off the night patrol. Good. He had time.
As he reached end of the hall, he heard the trample of boots descending the stone stairs. He flattened himself against the wall, just as a tall blond woman came into view.
The light from the narrow window in the stairwell highlighted the gold and silver streaks in her hair. Her light green eyes appeared ghostly against her bronze skin. It was as if time stood still as he took in her beauty, her power. He could feel it radiating from her and he knew whom she was.
He stepped away from the wall, revealing himself, and reached for her energy. The stinging sensation that accompanied the taking of a life force ripped up his arm. The pain was worth it. The power was overwhelming.
Her expression was one of shock. He had her.
From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed an armed man descending the stairs behind the woman, the crest on his leather-armored vest announcing his position: the channel’s guardian, her protector.
Mani’s other hand shot forward, the corners of his mouth curved upward as he reached for the guardian’s energy as well. It had been a long time since he'd pulled the life from two people simultaneously, but the reward would be worth the pain.
Her guardian fell to his knees, no longer her mighty protector. His sword slipped from his hand. He cried out as he struggled to keep himself upright. His life energy slipped from his body.
Mani opened his mouth to laugh but was cut off by a sensation he never thought to feel. He watched, stunned, as the channel raised her hands and started to pull.
Panic threatened his focus. She shouldn't have been able to fight back. She was too new to her gift.
Determined to win, to have the prize, he focused on just the channel, but he was too late. The sensation of energy entering his body began to fade.
He watched in horror as the channel's aura erupted in a swirling mass of colors, almost blinding to one gifted to see, as he was. Her eyes narrowed as she lowered one of her hands, resting it on the guardian's head as he leaned against her thigh.
Mani stepped closer to the channel, desperately struggling to regain the energy he’d stolen and prevent his own from being taken.
The channel’s colors swirled faster, brighter. Her jaw clenched as her hand trembled.
Mani gasped as the battle turned in the channel’s favor, leaving him with an overwhelming feeling of loss.
So this was what it was like, he thought. His body trembled and in a matter of seconds, his world went dark.
~~~
Pelyn moved quickly, placing the first diamond in the alcove next to the portal window, turning its solid white surface to a mass of swirling clouds.
He moved around the table to face the portal and laid two diamonds on the m
ap etched into the smooth shiny surface. One diamond positioned on the small island centered between the lands of Libritas and Terranees and the other on the center of Terranees.
His eyes fixed on the swirling clouds and he spoke the ancient spell, "Ishba duncoon alzebar." He maneuvered the second diamond until the swirling clouds cleared to reveal another portal cave, just like the one in which he stood.
The scene was like looking through an open window. All he had to do was step through and he would be off his island and into the heart of Terranees, the land of the domains, known for its wars and civil rulers, each one greedy for what the other had. With only two domains remaining, Terranees was ready for his leadership.
The sound of a small force approaching drew his attention away from the portal. He stared at the door. Mani was in trouble. They were after him.
Pelyn positioned himself between the portal and the table, ready to grab the diamonds as he and Mani made their escape.
The door exploded inward, revealing the tall blond woman he’d been hunting, her glare a mixture of agony and anger, her aura blazing with power, barely in check. There was no escaping the aftereffects of taking the energy from another. In that instant, he knew he would never see Mani again.
Rage and pain coursed through Pelyn's body as he realized he'd just lost the most important person in his life. His heart told him to stand and fight, to avenge his friend, but when he caught sight of who followed her, his mind took over, logic reigned. He would not last long against gifted sword wielding warriors.
"It's over," she stated.
He stood a little taller, a little straighter; refusing to appear defeated, and almost laughed at the irony of the scene. He'd been trying to capture or kill the Libraim's channel for years and now was his chance.
Pelyn clenched his teeth and tried to hide the pain and anger in his heart. "It's only just begun." He swept his hand over the table and plucked the diamond from the wall before stepping through the window.
The opening turned solid again, marking his escape.
2
Family
Rhea tried to run after the fleeing man, but the hands of her companions stopped her. She struggled to free herself. "Don't! He's getting away!"
"Rhea! Another time," pleaded Taulin as they watched the opening turn white.
Rhea shrugged out of Taulin's grip and spun to face those who'd joined her in the cave. Daen and Randell stepped around her, their brows furrowed as they headed for the solid white slab in the middle of the cave wall.
Gaibel appeared next, holding Kalaub’s hand, confusion dancing in her eyes.
Lanne skidded to a stop as she took in the wood splinters that had once been the door to the cave.
Rhea pivoted to face the solid white surface. "I don't understand." She watched as Daen touched it tentatively.
"It's cool and smooth." He stepped back. "It's as if a marble slab just dropped into place."
Rhea glanced around the cave, taking in the black runes painted on the sand-colored walls, highlighted by torchlight dancing over them. She studied the stone table with its etched surface.
"This is the place," Rhea murmured. "This is where I saw him when I looked through the veil. It's daylight here," she looked at her watch, "and in the other world. This isn't possible."
"What is not possible?" Kalaub asked, stepping further into the cave.
Rhea stared at the white smooth panel before them. "The veil between Luxatra and the world of shadows; how can he ..." Her voice whispered of uncertainly. "It's daylight in both worlds. Unless the moon is shining brightly in the world of shadows, the veil cannot be crossed."
Kalaub moved into her line of sight, and pointed to the white surface. "That is a portal. It does more than just connect with the openings in the veil."
Rhea forced her gaze upon him, her brows furrowed.
"Pelyn pulled me through an opening in the veil and into this very cave eighteen years ago." Kalaub glanced at the portal. "Others on the island have passed between portals, without the use of the veil."
Kalaub's words battled for Rhea's attention, her thoughts were now on her aunt, the queen who had put her in charge. Rhea was supposed to capture the dark-haired man. She’d failed.
It was no wonder. She didn’t grow up in this world. She wasn't experienced in hunting and capturing the bad guys. Oh, sure. She'd watched her fair share of cop shows, but that wasn’t anything like this.
Her stomach roiled with guilt as she watched Daen push on the unyielding white surface that blocked their way.
Gaibel placed her hand on Rhea's shoulder. "Terrwyn. Daughter."
Rhea closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath.
Gaibel tried again. "Rhea."
"I failed." Rhea swallowed hard. She could feel everyone’s eyes upon her. Her cheeks started to warm as she imagined what they must be thinking of her. She'd been so sure, so confident, yet so wrong.
Gaibel took Rhea's hand and gave her a gentle tug, turning her away from the white window. "You did not fail."
Rhea forced herself to meet Gaibel's eyes.
Commander Gaibel Gaulette of the Taulomi realm wasn't the one looking at her. Her eyes were those of a concerned and caring mother.
"You did not fail," she repeated sternly, pulling Kalaub closer to her side. "You rescued your father and the others."
"You, my daughter, saved our lives." Kalaub spoke softly.
Rhea looked from Gaibel to Kalaub. She'd wanted to find him, wanted to save him, as did his sister, Queen Jauline. She remembered that, now, as the two people she never thought she would know were standing before her. How could she have ever thought she wouldn’t want to know them? She could barely breathe as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Gaibel and Kalaub reached for her at the same time, enveloping her into their arms.
Rhea welcomed the embrace and the tears flowed. Tears of joy for having found them, tears of sadness for having not known them, tears of guilt for thinking she was okay with not knowing them.
Rhea’s gaze fell on Lanne, who held her hands pressed to her chest. The woman’s eyes glistened as she crossed the small space and slipped into Daen's welcoming arms, the man her friend loved dearly.
The sounds of voices and shuffling feet broke the reverie in the small space.
The first to step past the splintered cave door was a battered and tired looking woman. Faces drawn, their bodies frail, three feeble men and two women filled the cave entrance.
Rhea gently stepped away from her parent's embrace but then paused as Randell approached the first woman. She considered the woman again and remembered the photo of Raisal that Randell carried.
With bright eyes, the woman scanned their faces. "Well? Did you get them?" The bitterness in voice was unmistakable.
"He got away. I'm sorry," said Randell.
"And what of Mani?" Her brows furrowed. "Pelyn's right hand?"
"Who's Mani?" Daen asked.
"He's not any better than the beast himself," the woman snapped, glancing towards the cave entrance. "He's got shoulder length dirty blond hair. Wears a beard. Whatever you do, don't get close to him."
Rhea and Daen exchanged knowing looks.
"He can pull a person's energy, can't he?" Rhea asked.
The woman’s frail body shuddered as the brightness in her eyes faded into pools of terror. "They both can."
"That's why we were captured," explained Kalaub. "They ... fed on of us. Sucking the life from our bodies. It made them appear youthful."
"Daen and I were attacked by a man in the stairwell. He tried to ..." Rhea forced herself to breath steadily as the memory threatened to make her sick.
"He tried to kill us but she fought him, and won." Daen’s admiration was obvious.
The woman's eyes widened and there was a low murmur from the others hovering near the cave entrance. "Well. At least we are free now." She peered into Randell's face. "Who are you
people?"
"I’m Randell Young. This is Rhea Gaulette Baurden, Gaibel Gaulette, and Lanne Gaulette."
The woman squinted as she looked from one face to the next. "Just because you look like Gaulettes ... I've been fooled before." She looked sternly at Kalaub. "Is it true?"
Kalaub nodded and wrapped his arm around Gaibel. "Raisal, this is the woman I told you about."
Raisal looked at the three women again and nodded, before turning her attention to the young man standing before her. "You said your name is Young? That is not a Luxatran name."
Randell's lips curved upward. "You're right."
No one spoke as Raisal moved closer to Randell, her eyes dancing over his face.
Randell bent slightly to meet her gaze.
With a shaky hand, she reached up to touch his hair, slowly gliding her fingers over his jaw.
Randell encased her hand in his. "I am your great-grandson."
Her eyes filled with tears. "How can this be?"
"It's a long story." Randell smiled warmly.
"Is he gone?" A long limbed man dressed in nothing but rags entered and pushed past the others who were blocking the cave entrance.
"Dorak. It's all right." Kalaub motioned for him to come closer. "Pelyn is gone and Mani is dead."
The mix of bewilderment and relief on the prisoner's face was comical.
In spite of herself, Rhea began to laugh. A soft chuckle emanated from behind her as Daen and Lanne joined in.
Randell, still holding Raisal's hand, looked at his friends and joined in as well.
"Was it something I said?" Dorak asked.
Taulin shook his head. "No, sir. We're just glad to have made it this far."
"That doesn't tell me who you are," mumbled Dorak as the laughter subsided.
"This is true. Come, I will explain." Taulin motioned for the tattered men and the rest of the freed people to follow him, leaving the others to their reunion. He offered his arm to a woman as she swayed on her feet. "May I be of assistance?"
She looked into his handsome face, one corner of her lips curved up as she placed her bony hand on his arm. She gladly leaned against him when she took her first step away from the cave, using him as a cane.
The Channel (The Gifted Book 2) Page 33