by G. K. DeRosa
“Uh oh,” she said, grasping at the key around her neck.
“What?”
“I’m being summoned by the Council,” she explained, her eyes wide. “Do you think they know about Rome? What am I going to tell them?”
“Not the truth,” he answered as she disappeared before his eyes.
Within seconds, Celeste was in the middle of the white circular Council chamber. Instead of seeing all of the Council members in front of her as expected, she was surprised to find only Dante.
“Celeste,” he said with a nod by way of greeting. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay,” she answered warily. She didn’t want to offer up any information before knowing exactly what Dante knew first.
“I’ll get right to the point as I know you have training and rehabilitation to get to,” he said. “I just got off the phone with Gianpaolo Caccia.” Celeste’s eyes shot wide open. “Since Gianpaolo assured me that you were safe and sound in his highly capable hands, I will spare you the lecture that I’m sure Stellan has already given you on the absolute wrecklessness that you exhibited by running off to Rome.”
Celeste nodded without saying a word. Why is Marco’s dad covering for me?
“I’m not sure if you are aware, but he and I are dear old friends. He has vouched for you, and I can do nothing but take his word for what happened. I am pleased that you and Marco have grown so close, and while I do not believe you are the best influence on him, I do think he could be a positive power in your rehabilitation efforts.”
“Yes, he’s been really great,” said Celeste, following along with the story.
“As such, Gianpaolo has convinced me to allow Marco to come spend a few weeks with you at Stellan’s. He will be arriving in the next day or so. I expect you to be dedicated to your therapy and do exactly as Stellan instructs, and hopefully with Marco there you won’t have any other distractions,” Dante said. “We need you back in full Guardian mode as soon as possible, Celeste.”
“I promise I won’t disappoint you,” she said obediently.
“Good. Brazen and those werewolves are out of control, and they must be stopped sooner than later,” he continued.
“Has there been another attack?” asked Celeste, her heartbeat quickening.
“No attack but the Albsurori discovered that their grimoire is missing. That must have been what the Black Devils were after when they broke into their compound. There have been rumblings throughout the supernatural community,” he explained. “He’s infiltrated the land of the Fae yet again and Queen Elsbetta is not pleased.”
Celeste nodded again and took a deep breath, trying to control the anger rising within. “I’ll be back to work soon, I guarantee it.”
“Very well then, you are dismissed.”
When Celeste reappeared back in her bedroom at Stellan’s, she found him and Roman waiting anxiously.
“What happened?” asked Roman.
“Nothing really. I think Mr. Caccia saved my butt,” she answered crinkling her brows.
“What do you mean?” asked Stellan.
“He spoke to Dante and made up some excuse as to why I was in Rome. He made it seem like I had snuck off to visit Marco or something,” she said. “I don’t think he has any idea why I really went.”
Roman rolled his eyes at the remark about Marco, but kept his comments to himself. It was better that Dante believed Celeste was having a fling with Marco than to know the truth, but it still rubbed him the wrong way.
“So he doesn’t know anything about your visit with Lilliana and Alek?” asked Stellan.
“It doesn’t seem like it,” she said and smiled inwardly at the fact that Stellan was finally speaking to her.
“Why would Mr. Caccia lie for Celeste?” asked Roman.
“I’m not quite sure,” responded Stellan, “but it’s lucky for us that he did.”
“There’s one more thing,” she continued. “Dante wants Marco to help with my rehabilitation. Apparently Mr. Caccia insisted. He’ll be coming to stay with us here in the next few days.”
“He’s going to stay here with you?” asked Roman, his voice going up a notch.
Celeste shrugged. “I guess so.” She could tell by Roman’s exaggerated frown that he was not the least bit happy about this new arrangement.
“Well, I’m staying too then,” he said childishly.
“That’s out of the question,” interjected Stellan. “Celeste can have no distractions during her recovery. You may come and visit as I allow, but you cannot stay here.”
Celeste bit her tongue to suppress the urge to argue. Stellan had finally begun talking to her, and she couldn’t fight with him about this now, as unfair as she thought his decree was.
“Fine,” growled Roman.
“Oh and I almost forgot, Stellan, did you know that the Black Devils stole the Albsurori grimoire?” she asked.
“Yes, Dalla informed me a few days ago.”
“Where has Dalla been anyway?” asked Roman suspiciously. Not that he enjoyed her presence all that much, but it had seemed odd to him that she had been peculiarly absent for the past week.
“She’s been very busy with Albsurori matters trying to locate their grimoire,” answered Stellan.
“What are we going to do about finding it?” Celeste asked.
“We aren’t going to do anything about it. You are to rest and do exactly as I say. The Albsurori can deal with the pack,” he said sternly.
“But – ”
“Now if you wouldn’t mind, you two may go say your goodbyes as Celeste and I have much work to do,” instructed Stellan, cutting Celeste off before she could object.
Celeste followed Roman to the door with a heavy heart. She had hoped that Stellan would allow Roman to stay for the duration of her anti-evil training. She always felt stronger when he was around. He wrapped his solid arms around her and they stood at the doorway holding each other tightly.
“Stellan didn’t say anything about no phone calls so I’ll call you everyday, okay?” she said.
“Don’t worry I’ll be keeping an eye on your progress,” he said with a wink. “Stellan didn’t say I couldn’t stay outside, like say in a nearby tree to watch over you.”
Celeste smiled. “Don’t get me into more trouble!”
“I’ll be as stealthy as a ninja,” he said.
“Roman, before you go, can you do me a favor?”
“Of course, anything,” he said.
“Can you and Nico keep an eye on Brazen and the pack?” she asked. “Dante said they’ve been up to no good, and we still don’t know what they’re planning on doing with the Albsurori grimoire or why he wanted my ring.”
“I will, I promise, but you have to promise me something too.”
“Okay,” she said and this time she meant it.
“Stop worrying about all of these things. You’re supposed to be taking a break. You need to focus on yourself and your recovery, and Nico and I will handle those wolves.”
Celeste got up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his. His reaction was more than she had hoped for. He pulled her tighter into his chest and kissed her passionately as his warmth spread through her. As they kissed, all of her worries melted away and for a few moments, she was just a girl in love. When his lips finally pulled away from hers, a chill filled the space that had once been occupied by his body.
“I better go,” he said sullenly.
“I know,” she said, “but I really don’t want you to.”
“If I don’t leave now, I might not be able to control myself,” he said with a flirty smile.
“I’m okay with that,” she said leaning into him.
“Stellan won’t be,” he said, peeling his body away from hers. He gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead and trudged out to his car.
Celeste stood by the door and watched him drive away until the Porsche was completely out of sight. As she stared out into the wintery day, she couldn’t help but feel empty inside
. Not seeing Roman for weeks was certainly not how she wanted to spend her rehab. She had just gotten him back and the thought of facing this without him was more than she could bear.
“Marco will be arriving tomorrow evening,” said Stellan, sneaking up behind her.
Before she turned around, she wiped away the stray tear that had fallen. “Okay, great,” she said, trying to sound cheerful. He turned back toward his study, but Celeste stopped him.
“I really am terribly sorry for what I did, Stellan. I know how stupid it was and I’m so sorry I made you worry. I promise I will do everything you say from now on,” she said.
He turned to face her, his grey brows furrowed. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Celeste.”
It had been quite some time since Celeste had dreamt about her father, but perhaps being back at Stellan’s, in his old room, had brought his memory to mind. When she came to, she found herself in the middle of a beautiful, lush green meadow with the warm sun at her back. She and her father were sparring with a pair of swords in the clearing, and she felt completely at peace for the first time in a long while.
“Focus on me, Celeste,” he reprimanded when she missed an easy shot.
She dodged and parried as the two of them pranced through the clearing, engaged in a sort of intricate dance. Every time she got a good cut and thrust in, her father smiled proudly.
“I see you’ve been practicing,” he said.
“I’ve been pretty busy lately, Dad. It’s been mostly on the job training,” she replied.
“No wonder your form is a bit sloppy,” he said with a grin.
“Luckily the demons don’t seem to mind,” she said as she dodged the arc of his sword and thrust hers inches away from his neck.
“Very nice,” he said raising his arms in surrender.
Celeste stepped back, turned around and lowered her sword, but just as she did he lunged at her, managing to get the cold tip of his sword in between her shoulder blades. She had no choice but to surrender, putting her hands up in the air.
“Never turn your back on an opponent, unless you’re absolutely certain he is dead,” he said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“I didn’t think you would stab me in the back,” Celeste countered.
Her dad chuckled and dropped his sword to the ground. “As a guardian, you must always stay alert and learn to only trust your instincts.”
Celeste slumped down on the warm grass, and looked up at her father. “What if I can’t even trust those anymore?”
“Why would you say that?” he asked, as he sat down beside her.
“There’s something wrong inside of me,” she answered as she twirled a blade of grass between her fingers. “I can feel it growing and getting stronger.”
“Um hmm…” he mumbled and nodded grimly.
“That’s why I’m staying with Stellan again. He thinks he can fix me. It’s just difficult because whatever it is, I feel like it’s closely tied to my guardian powers. I don’t know how to turn one off without losing the other,” she explained. “Does that make any sense?”
“It actually does. As guardians, we are given an immense amount of power, but we must remember that we are only human,” he said putting his hand on her shoulder. “I know that you have been through a lot lately, and it’s bound to affect a person, no matter how strong.”
“What do I do, Dad?”
“Stellan will guide you through it. I trust that you are in capable hands. Just remember who you are, the real you, not the Guardian you.” He placed his palm on Celeste’s heart as he continued, “You are the kindest and most compassionate person I know; don’t ever forget that. You may be strong and powerful now, but remember where that comes from.”
“Where?” she asked.
“From the goodness in your heart, Celeste. It’s not from some evil growing inside of you.”
“Thanks, Dad,” she said as she closed her eyes and snuggled into his arms.
When she opened her eyes again, she was back in her bedroom at Stellan’s, and the peace that she had felt just moments ago was already beginning to dissipate. She closed her eyes, trying to hold onto the feeling as long as possible, then soon drifted back to sleep.
At 7a.m. sharp, the shrill buzzer of her alarm went off, startling Celeste from a deep slumber. She rubbed her eyes sleepily just as Stellan barged through her door.
“Dress comfortably as I would like to get in some martial arts and meditation today before Marco arrives. We have a lot to do,” he said before slipping back out again.
“Good morning to you too,” she shouted back grumpily.
When Celeste finally made it downstairs, she found Stellan not in his usual blue robe but rather in a matching grey sweat suit and sneakers. She had to suppress the giggle that was bubbling up inside of her. She had never seen Stellan dressed in such a sporty outfit.
“Follow me,” he said, leading her through the corridor to the basement door.
As Celeste followed him down the steps, she couldn’t help but think of Dani. The basement had been her old room, and the idea of being down here now that she was gone was unsettling. Finally reaching the bottom step, Celeste was amazed at what she saw. The formerly dusty cramped basement, without so much as plastered walls, had been converted into a state-of-the-art gym complete with a meditation room outfitted with scented candles and comfy floor pillows.
“Stellan, this is unbelievable,” she said, as she looked around in awe. “When did you do all of this?”
He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I’ve been working on it for awhile now. I wanted to do something with the space, after Dani’s…” He broke off not wanting to finish the sentence. “This is where you’ll train for the next few weeks.”
“Thank you, Stellan, for all of this.”
“No need to thank me. I am merely doing my duty. It is essential to exercise both the body and mind. You must learn to control all aspects of your power, and as I’m sure you’re aware, that all starts here,” he said as he pointed to her chest.
Celeste nodded and resisted the urge to thank him again.
“Let’s begin with some basic martial arts,” he said and opening a large utility closet, pulled out a life-size dummy. He hung the figure from a tall rack and handed Celeste a wooden staff. Taking one for himself, he got into position with his legs spread a bit more than shoulder width apart. “I want you to follow my movements exactly. Today we will be focusing on complete control of your body. Speed is not the goal; instead, I wish you to exert slow and deliberate movements while concentrating on your breathing.”
Celeste watched as Stellan raised the staff slowly and looped it around his head in an arc. “Now you try.” She attempted to follow his exact motions, but she felt awkward and bumbling while Stellan had appeared smooth and graceful. “And again,” he repeated. “Breathe in as you raise the staff and out as you lower it.”
For hours, he and Celeste practiced the slow and steady movements with the wooden rod, first only against an imaginary opponent and then eventually with the stuffed dummy. When it was finally time for a break, Celeste was exhausted but also feeling quite relaxed.
“That was good,” she said between gulps of water. She discovered the gym also had a fully stocked refrigerator filled with water and sports drinks.
Stellan nodded and glanced at the clock on the wall. “This evening we will spend a few hours meditating after Marco’s arrival. He should be here soon if you’d like to shower.”
Celeste looked at her reflection in the mirror for the first time and saw her sweat covered white t-shirt and damp curly hair and dashed up the stairs to her room before he could say another word.
Celeste heard the doorbell ring just as she was throwing on a pair of jeans. She took a quick look in the mirror and ran her fingers through her curls to smooth them out as much as possible, then hurried down the spiral staircase. When she opened the door, she couldn’t help the big smile that formed on her face at the sight of her frie
nd.
“Ciao bella!” he said with a wide, toothy grin. As always, his dark eyes scanned her from head to toe before finally settling on her face. He pulled her in for a double-cheeked kiss, and Celeste was all smiles.
“Thanks so much for coming,” she said.
As she welcomed him in, she saw a familiar car behind him in the driveway. She held the door open and stuck her head out, and sure enough she saw Roman in the Porsche. Her face lit up and she motioned for him to come in, but he shook his head at her sadly.
“He’s not coming in,” said Marco. “He was just providing transportation.”
“Oh,” said Celeste, disappointment echoing in her voice as she watched his car drive off from the doorway.
“He didn’t want to interrupt,” Marco explained.
“Yeah, Stellan made it pretty clear that this was a Guardians-only thing. I’m honestly surprised he let you come,” she said closing the door.
“Never underestimate the power of my father,” he said.
“About that – I have some questions for you,” said Celeste, but before she could continue Stellan appeared.
“Welcome, Marco,” Stellan said graciously. “Come this way and I’ll show you to your room.” He led Marco up the stairs and through the corridor to the opposite side of Celeste’s room. This guest room was similarly decorated to Celeste’s with old furniture, striped wallpaper and the same musty mothball smell. She couldn’t help but compare the room to the luxurious one she had stayed in at the Caccia’s estate in Rome. But Marco was perfectly polite and set his luggage down in the corner without a word.
“Please make yourself comfortable, and you can join Celeste and me for dinner when you are settled in,” said Stellan.
“Thank you,” said Marco. “I’ll be down soon. I’m starved!”
Celeste followed Stellan back down to the kitchen where he had already begun setting up for dinner. Apparently part of her rehabilitation included cooking meals for all of them.