Ascended (Fallen Guardian Saga #2)

by Debra Ann Miller

  The Guardians listened to the same heart-wrenching scream they’d heard when Odessa had made her confession about killing Vie’s mother, only it was far worse this time. This time, the scream contained the gamut of emotions Vie carried in her soul for the boy she loved. His death was destroying her, ripping her apart from the inside out, and they could do nothing to save her from unimaginable devastation. They all grabbed their ears, trying to protect themselves against her deafening screams.

  Gabriel watched as Vie stood above Carter’s body with her hair blowing in the breeze and a light still cast upon her. But then he noticed something strange: it wasn’t the light from the Spectre that was shining down on her, it was her own golden aura that had once again reappeared around the fearless young Guardian.

  The aura that had seemed to offer nothing to her before suddenly had power. Carter’s body was lifted up from the ground and began to levitate, rising up toward the Spectre. Vie’s aura extended out, cocooning his lifeless body, as if to show everyone she and Carter were joined together as one. Her shield was impenetrable and his soul was intertwined with hers; she wasn’t letting him go.

  Vie’s eyes were fixed on Carter. Memories of him flooded her mind. She could see his piercing green eyes, she could hear the sound of his laughter, and she could smell his clean scent in the air. Just thinking about him and the love they’d shared seemed to stop the rage inside her.

  Her screams softened; her vocalizing changed into one long, startlingly angelic musical note that floated out from her amazing voice. It was the most pleasing sound any of the Guardians had ever heard. Even in her darkest hour, Vie had found the strength to control her power, to pull back and turn it into something spectacular.

  Gabriel could not have been more proud of her than he was at that moment. The single note coming out of Vie stunned the Guardians; they looked at her in awe. Gabriel ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her. He held her tight so she could feel his love and would know she was not alone. Everything was perfectly still and tranquil.

  Boom!

  There was a sudden, loud explosion, followed by a blast of fire from below. The surface of rubble upon which they’d been standing began to rise up from the ground, lifting the Guardians up with it. The unexpected brute force of the eruption knocked Gabe off his feet, but Vie remained standing with her eyes closed, her arms out to her sides, and her head still tilted up toward the Spectre. The Tower continued to rise higher and higher, reaching toward the Brocken Spectre. The Guardians had never witnessed anything like it before. It was tumultuous and chaotic and no one knew what was happening.

  From the realms of Hell, Dimorte stared up through the light as the Tower resurrected itself. He could hear his daughter’s screams, and he could see the aura she’d placed around the Chosen One. He heard her words, and although Vie had no idea of the power she held, Dimorte did. She was the Dark Princess, one of royal blood, one who held the power to claim any soul from the world to which she belonged.

  Vie had staked her claim on Carter when she’d placed him in her aura. Dimorte looked at the vial in his hand, and then back up to the light. He shouted vengefully, “This isn’t over!”

  The vial shattered, Carter’s soul was freed, and Dimorte vanished.

  Just like that, it was over. The Tower stood tall, fully erect in its perfect, original, rock-like formation. Everything was completely still, but it was what came next that had everyone’s undivided attention. There was no other way to describe it, other than an absolute miracle; none of them could believe what they were seeing or feeling.

  Tiny particles floated up above them, like a million brilliant diamonds shining down upon them. The pain in Vie’s chest was dissipating, replaced by an indescribable sensation. Her keen senses kicked in immediately, allowing her to take it all in.

  She could see the sparkle of Carter’s eyes in the diamond particles above her; she could smell his scent all around her; she could feel his touch caressing her skin; and she could hear his voice in the wind. She relished the wondrous moment, twirling around and absorbing every bit of him in the air. She reached her hand up into the glittery particles that floated above her and touched them. They tingled on her skin, and she knew it was Carter.

  A warm smile flashed over her face, sunshine on a flower. I can feel you, she spoke silently from her soul.

  Initially observing Vie, Gabriel was alarmed. The complete turnabout of emotions displayed by her gave him reason to worry. He started to walk over to her and she saw the confusion on his face.

  Vie looked at him and said “Can you feel him, Gabe?”

  He stopped, unsure how to respond to her, and then suddenly he felt it, too. It was Carter! Vie was right; he could feel Carter Stone all around him just as Vie could.

  They smiled happily at each other, each of them reaching their hands into the sky, allowing Carter to feel them, to feel their love for him.

  The particles gathered together, creating a single brilliant mass before streaming down toward Carter’s lifeless body. A bright light flashed, blinding the Guardians and causing them to turn away.

  And then, like a dream, it was gone. Everything was gone except Carter.

  There he stood, magnificent. His eyes blazed like the deep green of the forests. He was perfection, pure and utter perfection, and Vie’s eyes were glimmering, star-like, in her pale face as she looked at him.

  Then she bolted, running as fast as she could, hoping he wouldn’t disappear before she got to him. “Carter!” she screamed, and jumped into his arms. She held on to him with everything she had. She didn’t want to let him go.

  “It was you, Vie; you saved me,” Carter said, his tone absolute.

  “Just like you saved me once. I guess that makes us even,” she teased. Although she tried to make light of the moment, Carter could see a whole host of emotions raging behind the beautiful smile.

  “Vie, are you okay?” he asked, holding her still-trembling hands.

  “I thought I’d lost you, Carter,” she said, giving way to her tears.

  “You could never lose me, Vie. I’m yours forever,” he said, holding her face in his hands and wiping her tears with his thumb.

  “Promise me?” she said, looking deep into his eyes.

  “I promise Vie,” he replied, then sealed his promise with a long-awaited kiss.

  The Guardians watched as the two star-crossed lovers reunited. Emotions were running high.

  Camulus walked over to Gabriel, shaking his head, and said, “Humans! —Oh, and Gabe, you’ve got a little something in your eye.”

  Gabriel quickly wiped the tear from his eye and looked around to make sure no one had seen the emotion he’d just expressed.

  Camulus laughed out loud and walked toward Vie and Carter.

  “Kind of hits you, doesn’t it, Gabe?” Fallon said with tear-filled eyes.

  “Yeah, it kind of does,” he replied. He looked into Fallon’s eyes and could see the tears beginning to spill over. “Come here,” he pulled Fallon in. “It’s okay, kiddo, just let it out.”

  “Let what out? I’m—”

  Gabe just held her. He knew she was fighting hard to hold back her emotions. Only in his arms was Fallon able to have a brief and much-needed moment. The truth was, he needed to have one himself, but he held it in as he always did, because he was a leader, a Guardian.

  After a few minutes passed and everyone managed to compose themselves, they joined Vie and Carter, who were still intertwined in a passionate embrace.

  Camulus pulled Gabriel aside and said, “Are you going to tell them, or should I?”

  Gabe knew someone had to interrupt the happy reunion and break the news to Carter that Vie would have to return with them to the Gates. It wasn’t a choice. It was an order from the Council. She’d broken her vows when she decided to fall and leave the Gates on her own, without permission, and there were consequences to her actions.

  “Vie,” Gabriel said. “We need to go now.”

  “W
hat? Go where?” Carter questioned.

  “Carter, it’s okay,” Vie replied. “Just give me a minute, okay, Gabe?”

  “What is he talking about? You’re not leaving…she’s not going anywhere!” he shouted at Gabriel where he waited only steps away from them.

  “Carter, stop. It won’t do any good to be angry with Gabriel. It isn’t his fault, it’s mine,” she confessed. “I knew I’d have to answer for what I did. I broke the law, and now I have to return.”

  She understood this was something she couldn’t run from; and the truth of the matter was, she didn’t want to. The only thing Vie cared about was that Carter was alive and safe, and that gave her great peace. Imagining an existence without him was painful, but it was nothing compared to imagining a world in which he didn’t exist. Thanks to the Guardians, she didn’t have to.

  She could see the worry in Carter’s eyes. She put her hand on his cheek and looked into his grief-stricken eyes and said, “Don’t worry about me, it’ll be okay. Forever remember? I promise.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder and then kissed him softly. Carter felt her breath upon his cheek like perfumed air, and then her fingers slipped away from his hand as she walked toward Gabe.

  “I’m ready,” she said.

  “Hold on,” Gabriel said as he walked back to Carter. “I won’t let anything happen to her. You have my word,” he vowed.

  Carter was angry, but he believed Gabriel would see to it that Vie was protected at all costs.

  Gabe put his hand out as if to secure his vow with a trusted handshake. Carter grabbed his hand and shook it firmly, sealing their deal.

  Gabriel gathered up his men, telling Fallon, “I need you to stay behind with Carter. I’ll call for you when the hearing is over.”

  “What? Now I’m a babysitter?” she replied defiantly to his request.

  Gabriel winced in disapproval, and she quickly recanted with a reluctant, “Fine.”

  Like a dream, they all vanished.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Justice for All

  Vie waited outside the Council chambers, anxious to get the hearing underway. She thought about what she would say to them and how she would explain the reasons behind her decision to leave the Gates, to fall. She feared nothing she could say would justify her actions to them, but she held out hope, despite her fears. Violet believed she was prepared, armed with something she believed to be a very powerful weapon for her defense: the truth.

  These were the first waves of thought that crossed Vie’s mind as she waited to be called into the hearing. She felt confident in her story and the reasons for her fall.

  But then came the second wave, the insecurity; the what-ifs slowly crept into her head. Now Vie was uncertain about the mercy she hoped her story would bring her. Suddenly, there seemed to be no explanation she could come up with that would warrant what could only be perceived as her defiant actions.

  She started to practice out loud what she might say to them. “Camulus, members of the Council, while there is no excuse for my insubordination, I feel I need to… No, no, no!” Vie started her speech again. “Camulus, members of the Council,” she repeated her words, desperately trying to find a way to defend her actions, but she knew she couldn’t. There were no magic words that would suffice and no wise deliverance speech that would change the fact that she’d betrayed them. She’d broken the rules and there would be atonement for her depravities.

  “Violet, the Council will see you now,” Raphael informed her. He had just finished testifying and he didn’t look good. In fact, he couldn’t even look her in the face when he addressed her.

  Vie stopped him by grabbing his hand as he passed by. “Raph, it’s okay,” she said with empathy. It was clear that whatever had happened in there had him really upset. He was a good friend to her and to Carter, and she trusted that whatever had gone on inside that room had bothered Raphael a great deal.

  He kissed her on the cheek, “Good luck kiddo,” he said, before he walked away. Raphael had hated being grilled about Vie’s supposed betrayal. It wasn’t the way he saw it at all, but unfortunately for Vie, he didn’t seem to be able to convince the Council to see things the way he did.

  She walked slowly down the long hallway, getting more and more nervous with each step she took. Her stomach was in knots, her hands felt cold and clammy, and she started to sweat. She thought it strange that everything she was feeling seemed to emulate the distinguishing qualities of humans, not Guardians. Okay, this is weird, she thought, trying to shake it off.

  Relax, Vie, everything will be all right, she told herself, but she couldn’t seem to ease her anxiety. Carter and Gabriel were the only two people in the world who could bring calm to her panics and neither of them was there. So she improvised by redirecting her thoughts to Carter.

  She closed her eyes and imagined being in his arms. Almost immediately, the nervous flutters in her stomach dissipated and a wide smile returned to her face. Just thinking about Carter turned her chaos to calm.

  Carter was thinking about her, too; more like worrying, actually. His anxiety shot through the roof at the mere thought of losing her again. Nothing made any sense to him about the world in which the Guardians lived. He thought Fallon could shed some light on a few questions he had regarding things up at the Gates. Plus, he needed the distraction from the worry he had for Vie.

  “So, the Gates…what’s it like up there?” he asked.

  “Busy,” she replied, seemingly annoyed.

  “Look, I wasn’t the one who asked you to stay here, but since we’re both stuck where neither of us wants to be, why don’t we try to make the best of it?”

  “Do you always do that?” Fallon asked.

  “Do what?”

  “That thing… you know, where you try act all like, ‘gee, why can’t we all just get along,’” she mocked his sentiment.

  “Do you always do that?” he asked, and Fallon shot an exasperated look his way.

  Okay I’ll play, she thought. “Do what?”

  “You know, where you act all like, unpleasant, to dodge getting close to people. I mean, forget about me, let’s talk about you. What makes Fallon tick? Perhaps we could chat about the tall, dark, and handsome Guardian named Gabriel, hmmm?” Carter teased, hoping to get the factious Guardian to lighten up.

  Fallon just stared at him and said nothing.

  He could see the sadness in her eyes and he could feel the pain emanating from within her soul. “Fallon, I’m sorry. I was just—”

  She didn’t let him finish. She abruptly got up and walked away.

  Carter had hit a nerve; although he wasn’t trying, he had apparently touched on something Fallon didn’t know he could see. His comment had obviously taken her by surprise and he could tell she hated that, but he guessed what she hated most was having her vulnerability exposed. Truthfully, Fallon’s reaction really threw Carter; she was fully equipped with a quick wit and a razor sharp tongue, and could have really let him have it. He watched her as she stood at the edge of the Tower with her arms folded, looking out across the plains as if she were a million miles away.

  Carter felt terrible.

  “Hey,” he said, walking over to her and resting his hand on her arm, “I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just trying to distract myself, you know, from things with Vie,” he confessed. “I’m sorry, Fallon, really.”

  Fallon lifted her eyes to look at Carter; she could see his sincerity. She replied in a softer, gentler voice, “It’s all right, Carter. It’s not you, anyway; it’s me.”

  “Do you want to talk about it? I mean, we do have some time to kill.” He tried joking with her. “And I promise whatever you say to me right here and now will stay between us. Come on, Fallon, talk to me,” he pleaded.

  “There’s really not much to say. I love Gabriel, Gabriel loves Vie, Vie loves you, end of story,” she said.

  Carter burst into laughter. “Is that what’s bothering you? You think that because Gabe lo
ves Vie he can’t possibly love you?

  “So you know he loves her? And you’re not bothered by it?” She sounded puzzled.

  “Of course I do, and of course I’m not,” he said. “Fallon, love isn’t exclusive to one being.”

  “Then why are you sitting here pining away over someone you know you can’t possibly be with? I mean, if love isn’t exclusive, then why not go find someone else?” Fallon asked.

  “Well, for starters, since you so eloquently pointed out my current dilemma, I happen to believe that Vie and I will be together. But even if I didn’t, it wouldn’t change what I feel for her. I know I was created to be with Vie. We were destined to exist together and I know we will.

  “Yes, Gabriel loves her. I saw it in his eyes the very first day I met him. But those two, they were destined to meet, too, to befriend each other and to bond to one another as they have. As soul mates—friendship mates,” he clarified. “A soul mate is simply a person with whom you feel a deep connection, a connection that sometimes defies all logic. So yes, Gabriel and Vie do love each other, very much. But no, it isn’t the kind of love that should cause you to feel threatened.”

  “Who says I’m threatened?” she replied defensively.

  “Well, I’m just guessing here now,” Carter put his hands up, ready to block the fist that would probably come flying at his face if he continued with his thought. “Wasn’t this—let’s just call it jealousy for lack of better word—jealousy thing you had for Vie the whole reason you went to Lucian in the first place?”

  Carter backed up quickly and put his hands in front of his face, pretending to cringe in fear as he finished his sentence.