House of Guardians

by Beatrice Sand

  I wrap my still trembling fingers around the mug. “No,” I whisper. And then I tell her everything, every single word of what Adrian told me. Every once in a while, she nods or puts her hand on my knee to encourage me to keep talking. “Is it true?” I ask her eventually. “Are we supposed to have a child together? A… demigod?”

  “Oh, that guy suffers from megalomania.”

  I relax my shoulders. “Would you mind staying with me, Olivia? My father and Mia are out of town until Friday, and…” I stop talking when I hear the roaring engine of car as it pulls up the driveway. Shocked, I look at Olivia. “Adrian?”

  “Relax, it’s just the guys.”

  I wipe my tears away with the sleeve of my turtleneck. “The guys?”

  She gently strokes a lock of loose hair out of my face. “You sounded so upset on the phone, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I called in Sam and Andreas for backup.”

  “I just wanted to talk to you. What were you expecting to find?” Her lips press together firmly. “Olivia, please, I need to hear you say that Adrian is lying.” I need to know the truth before the guys barge in and try to hide it from me, because I know now Sam hasn’t been honest with me. He has lied to you.

  Olivia takes my hands in hers and looks me straight in the eye. “Laurel…”

  Suddenly, as if a devastating hurricane hits the shore, the locks are knocked off and the backdoor swings open. Sam is standing on the doorstep, panting, and his eyes are pitch-dark. “Olivia, don’t do it.”

  “That’s enough, Sam! She deserves to know the truth.”

  “Please,” he says weakly, “don’t do this to her.”

  Confused, I look at Sam and Olivia. “Don’t do what?”

  “Andreas, take him outside!” Olivia commands, her voice ruthless.

  “We’ll wait outside, Sam,” Andreas says as he puts his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Let’s give the girls some privacy.”

  “Don’t touch me!” Sam growls with a low, bestial, throaty sound, ready to bring down anyone who dares touch him.

  I search for his eyes, and I know for certain that I would believe everything he would tell me right now as the absolute truth. All those months I’ve trusted him, and he assured me that nothing was going to happen to me, that I wasn’t in any danger.

  I turn my head away. “Say it! Tell me the truth, Olivia,” I command her while tears stream down my face. Olivia doesn’t have to say it out loud; I already see my fate in her eyes.

  “Adrian spoke the truth,” she softly says.

  “No!” Sam roars. He rams his fist into the wall, and a photo frame with a picture of me receiving my high school diploma with a forced smile slides off the wall and shatters into pieces on the kitchen floor.

  I get up and walk toward the guys. I stop in front of Sam, who is more restless and agitated than I’ve ever seen him. His breaths are short and rhythmical, and he radiates heat. “Is this what you meant by deceit and deception?” I calmly ask. It doesn’t happen often that he is lost for words.

  “Laurel…” He raises his arm, but I slip past him.

  “I don’t ever want to have anything to do with any of you, you hear me? Never!”

  Stumbling, I run across the yard and cover my mouth with both hands. My knees buckle and I fall down onto the wet grass. Retching sounds echo through the dark garden. Violently, I begin to vomit until there’s only clear fluid coming out of me.

  I wake up to the sound of muffled voices. I’m in a strange bed and my gullet is burning. On a stand next to the bed is a glass of water, and I take a sip. I frown while sniffing my arm. On my skin I smell a familiar scent. When I bury my nose in the sheet I think Sam is surrounding me.

  Shocked, I sit upright. I’m in Sam’s bed!

  My ears prick up when I hear Olivia’s voice.

  “… have descended?”

  “Yeah, he was hiding in his playroom. We were almost there, but he was awaiting us with his favorite toy.”

  “Did he hurt you?”

  “He got Sam. He went in first.”

  “How bad is it, Sam?”

  “Nothing I can’t heal myself.”

  “He deserves to be punished for this; he isn’t allowed to use his attributes. You are going to report this, right?”

  “I’m not planning to provoke him, Liv. How is Laurel doing?”

  “She’s completely used up. I couldn’t leave her by herself, so I’m taking her to my place until her father gets home.”

  “She stays here. I’ll take care of her.”

  “Sam…”

  “I’m not letting her out of my sight, Liv, and I already have enough trouble as it is on Olympus. There’s no need to involve you too.”

  “You have been warned to stay away from the chosen one, Sam … You’ll get into even bigger problems with the Keepers.”

  “Right now, the safest place for her to be is with Storm and me. I’ll fix this.”

  “Fix what?”

  “This goddamn vision.”

  “Her fate is sealed, Sampson. There’s nothing you can do to stop it without endangering your own life. She’s on the island for one reason, and that’s to bear us a demigod.”

  “Yeah, we’ll see about that.”

  “Guys, I have to go. The bears will probably be hungry by now. I’m taking a quick look at Laurel and then I’m off.”

  “Sampson, you’re bleeding. Go take care of your injuries, before you endanger her even more, and then all of this will have been for nothing. We’ll think of a solution, but I suspect that you’ll probably be taking a trip to Olympus if you insist on keeping her here. Adrian will figure out soon enough and then he’ll rat y…”

  I startle when the door opens.

  “Hey, you’re awake. How do you feel?” Olivia asks.

  “Worn down.”

  “Understandable, you were pretty sick.” She sits down on the bed. “I know you must be scared out of your mind because of what Adrian has told you today, but remember you’re not alone in this, okay? We’re not turning our backs on you. I’m sure you have a million questions, and I’ll answer them one by one, but right now you need to rest. You’re exhausted.”

  I nod.

  “Listen, you’re at Sam’s now. Out of all of us he can best protect you.”

  I swallow nervously. “You’re leaving me alone with him?”

  “You know who he is now, Laurel. So you also know you’re safe with him. He usually knows what’s going to happen. We don’t. He’ll take you home when your father gets back.”

  “He lied to me.”

  “He kept the truth from you. I’m not saying I’m defending him, but he did it to protect you. He didn’t want you to feel scared. You can trust him, I swear. Listen, I need to go feed my pets, but if you don’t feel at ease here, I’ll come back and spend the night here.”

  I smile. “That would be childish, wouldn’t it?”

  Olivia hugs me. “Give Sam a chance to explain himself,” she whispers. “I’ll be back in the morning and then we’ll talk some more.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “And in the meantime, stop worrying! You’ll be heavily guarded.”

  “I will,” I say, knowing I’ll be worrying and mulling all night long. I feel myself drifting further and further away from my family and the tiny, peaceful village at sea that I live in. I’ve been wandering in a parallel universe for quite some time now, a sub world where the shots are called by the descendants of ancient mythical creatures who don’t shy away from violence and death.

  And now I’m a part of it.

  My fate is sealed—I’m going to bear a demigod. A descendent of the underworld…

  36

  laurel

  Yawning, I swing my legs over the side of the bed. My limbs are stiff from the hard mattress, and I massage one of my sh
oulders. I look around the room; oddly enough, there’s nothing special to see in the bedroom of a demigod. A bed, a dresser, and a chair with a pile of clothes—that’s it.

  I walk toward the window, and slightly open the curtain. No matter how boring the room is, it for sure has the best view of the island.

  My heart falters when I see Sam standing in front of the lake. Gray cotton pants hang low on his hips. Storm is quietly sitting next to him, and I smile. The picture before me looks so serene, and with all my heart and soul I wish I could be a part of it. But I can’t. My fate lies with darkness, with evil and not with the light, the good. The sooner I accept that, the better—not just for me, but also for Sam and for all the others I might endanger if I don’t.

  I allow myself one more look at the man I long for with every fiber in my body, and I lick a tear off my lip. It’s time to let him go.

  Hastily, I pull on my jeans and turtleneck and go out into the living room, where I look for pen and paper.

  I don’t have time to write poetry or pretty sentences, so I jot something down that more or less gets my point across. I place the paper on the blanket that is lying on the couch and resist the temptation to bury my face in it. I hurry off before Storm notices me—or before Sam gets a vision.

  I happen to find a spot for my car right next to the entrance, and after parking I walk quickly to the shopping mall. I’m not sure where to go, but I notice a mall map next to the escalator. After scanning it briefly, I note there’s a travel agent inside the warehouse.

  I stand on the escalator, and I nervously drum my fingers on the band.

  “Going somewhere?”

  Startled by the low voice right in my ear, I turn around to see Sam. “How did you know I was here?”

  “You keep underestimating me, Laurel. You have to stop doing that if you want to outsmart me.” I can tell he’s amused. “I had a vision of you in a mall, but I don’t know why, and to be honest I’m bursting with curiosity.”

  “I have a plan.”

  “Can I hear it?”

  “It’s better for both of us if I keep that to myself.”

  Sam starts laughing, and people standing on the escalator turn our way.

  “Don’t patronize me,” I say angrily. “Last night I made a decision that keeps everyone safe.”

  “That’s not your job.”

  “Then I’ll make it my job, since I have the leading part in this thriller anyway. When were you going to tell me, Sam? Or did you want to keep me in the dark, just like your cousin?”

  When we get to the top, Sam pushes me into an aisle of the closest store. “Whatever plan you’ve dreamed up, it won’t work, and I can’t protect you if you bolt.”

  “I’ll take care of myself from now on. I’ll be departing shortly.”

  Sam nearly chokes. “You’ll soon be departing?”

  “I’m leaving. I’m here to buy a ticket, and you’re not going to stop me.”

  I start to walk away, but he blocks my movement in one smooth motion.

  “So you’re here to buy a ticket and then you’ll fly somewhere far away– that’s your big plan?”

  “It probably isn’t a plan that meets your high standards, but let me be clear that I will get on a plane today, however I can and to wherever I can, and if you try to stop me or dare to abduct me from the mall in some idiotic way, I swear I’ll scream so loud that all the security in the building will come to my rescue.”

  Inhaling deeply through his nose, he hooks his hands behind his head, and seemingly calm, he scans the premises. “I believe I’m in need of a strong coffee.”

  Sam’s shirt rises up as he lifts his arms, and my eyes wander to his bare midsection. Red marks run across the exposed skin. Raw welts, as if someone just whipped him. “Are those lashes?” I ask aghast.

  Without answering he puts his hand around my elbow and guides me toward a coffee shop on the top floor. “Go look for a quiet place, and don’t run away please,” he says evenly.

  I sit down at a table tucked away in a corner and wait for Sam. I know he will thwart my plan if I let him. So I won’t let him. Both our lives depend on it.

  Sam plants a coffee mug and an espresso on the table. He shoves a plate with a piece of cake my way. “I hope you like banana and pecans.”

  “I do, I just don’t have time to eat breakfast, Sam. I want to buy a ticket, I’ll eat when I’m on the plane.”

  “I’m sorry Laurel, but you’re not going anywhere. I thought you had figured that out by now.”

  “I thought you were on my side?”

  He leans toward me and expels air through his nose. “Do you seriously doubt that?”

  “I’m not sure about anything anymore. I just know that I have to go before you get into more trouble.”

  “Me?”

  “I heard your conversation.”

  Confused, he looks at me. “What conversation?”

  “Last night, when I was in your bed, I overheard you.” I know I’m flushing red by mentioning Sam’s bed. “You got injured, and it’s my fault.”

  Sam’s face is taut. “Who said that?”

  “I can read between the lines.”

  “Yeah? Well, you’re doing a lousy job then.”

  I push my plate away. “It doesn’t matter, I still need to leave this island. You don’t get to decide things for me anymore, Sam. You can keep the truth from me, but that’s all. I’m taking back control of my own life.”

  Sam rests his elbow on the table and rubs his unshaved chin. He’s trying to keep his face carefully blank, but I can practically see the cogs turning in his head. I try to ignore the fact that he’s simply irresistible.

  He puts down his arm. “I never meant to hurt you, Laurel, and I’m very sorry if I did, but my world is so hard to comprehend that I don’t know where to begin to explain to you when I barely understand it myself.”

  “You said no more secrets, Sam. I asked you countless times if you knew if something was going on, and all this time there was and you didn’t even try to explain it to me, apart from Adrian’s obsession for me. Didn’t you think it was necessary for me to know what your people intend to do with me in order for me to keep myself safe?”

  “How, Laurel?” Sam now asks angrily. “How do you plan to keep yourself safe? Tell me, apart from jetting off to the Netherlands.”

  “I never said I was going there!”

  “Cut the bullshit, Laurel, you don’t have to say anything. A blind man can see where you’re going.”

  “Then I’ll go someplace else.”

  “Yeah, I thought you would say that, but it doesn’t really matter where you go. Adrian will find you; he’s got the means, the sources, and the permission to do it. Someday you’ll pop up on his radar, and then he’ll come for you, that’s a guarantee.”

  “Then I have another option.”

  Sam takes a sip of his coffee. “Bring it on.”

  “If I can’t protect myself from him anymore, my life is over. I’m better off dead.”

  His hand, the one holding the espresso cup, freezes in the air. He slowly places the cup back on the saucer. I can’t fathom his expression, but it’s almost like someone else all of a sudden took my place in his eyes. He grabs his head and falls back into his chair, his eyes closed.

  “Why are you acting so weird?”

  He opens his eyes. “You think I’m acting weird? You’re sitting here, telling me plainly that you’re going to take your own life, and I am the one who’s acting weird?”

  “Yes, you are.”

  Sam exhales. “I saw it.”

  “You saw what?”

  “This, you and me, sitting in this coffee shop. And what you just said, that you’d rather be dead. I already heard you say it.”

  “Like in a vision, you mean?”

  He nods.
“During pankration with Adrian.”

  “During what?”

  Sam bangs his head against the wall behind him. He utters a low, animalistic sound. “I fell straight into his trap.”

  “For heaven’s sake, Sam, what’s going on?”

  He looks at me, anguished. “Last summer, in the mountains, we held games.”

  “Yes, you told me. To honor Zeus.”

  Sam leans forward. “I almost beat Adrian. It’s a great honor to win the Games, and it would’ve given me a lot of credit. Credit I could use with the Keepers. I was hoping that by winning, they would grant me more freedom. Maybe I could’ve even called off my marriage to Philene.”

  I’m surprised. It’s the last thing I would’ve expected him to say. Philene is like a forbidden subject. “But you lost?” I ask in a whisper.

  “Only on purpose. Adrian threatened to go after you if I didn’t let him win. At that moment I had the vision. It was you, Laurel. You said that you wanted to die if no one could protect you anymore. So I knew full well that his threat was not a bluff, and that he would never leave you alone if I didn’t lose. I let him win, which gave him all the credit with the Keepers.” He pauses a moment. “God, I’m stupid! All this time Adrian knew your destiny and his part in it. That’s why he was at the brasserie that day, to get in contact with you. He knew exactly what was going to happen.”

  I swallow. “That I would get pregnant with his child?”

  “Yeah,” Sam says softly. He barely looks at me.

  “Why were you guys there?”

  Sam waves his hand. “We eat there on a regular basis. Not Adrian, he never does. Believe me, otherwise we wouldn’t. We were kind of surprised when he showed up there with Bow. When I saw you… I felt you were in trouble, that you needed protection. I just didn’t know from what.”

  I frown. “So that’s where your need to protect me comes from?”

  He nods. “I’ve known the story since the Games.” Suddenly, he grabs hold of my hand. “Laurel, if I promise you that I’ll fix this, whatever it takes, to ensure that you’ll never have to be with him, then will you promise me you’ll never hurt yourself?”