Guardian

by Heather Burch

  “Some wounds take a long time to heal.”

  She looked over at him. “And some you just learn to live with.”

  “That’s hard enough to do for a single lifespan. We have several to remember our mistakes, our regrets. Our pain.”

  A faint smile touched Winter’s face. “But also to remember our victories. The people we saved, rescued.”

  Raven tilted a little closer to her and tried to pierce her with his gaze. “Why don’t I see that reflected in your eyes?”

  A sound that wasn’t quite a laugh escaped her lips. “Easier to remember the bad stuff, maybe? Hold on to the good in each journey you take, Raven.”

  He turned and looked back at the door where Nikki had disappeared. “That’s what I’m trying to do.”

  “But also remember, journeys end. And we have to walk away. Don’t do more damage than good.”

  Anger shot through his chest. Just when I was starting to think I liked you. “I’ll try to remember that. Thanks, Mom.”

  “Nikki is a human.”

  “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”

  “One day …”

  “I get it. One day she’ll return to a normal life.”

  Winter shook her head. “No, she won’t.”

  What did she mean? What did Winter know about Nikki’s future?

  “Don’t look so worried, Raven. What I mean is, how would you ever expect Nikki to return to a normal world after being swept off her feet by an angel who’s determined to make every moment she spends with him a breathtaking adventure?”

  He didn’t like the feeling that settled in his stomach, and he wanted out of this conversation. But he stayed.

  Winter went on. “The dolphins, the faith ball. Every second she spends with you is one spectacular moment followed by another. You’ve made sure of that, but you can’t keep it up, not even for one lifetime. Sooner or later the shiny new penny looks just like all the others. And where does that leave you?”

  He laughed without humor. “Suddenly, you’re worried about me?”

  “I’ve been worried about you all along. Because one day Nikki will grow old and die. But you, Raven … Unless you’re murdered, you’ll have until the end of days to remember what it felt like to not be the new toy anymore.”

  What did Winter know about who he was? Nothing. She barely knew him.

  “I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m just speaking from experience. I couldn’t live with myself if I wasn’t honest about it. Nikki’s a mistake, Raven. Don’t turn it into a tragedy.”

  With that she walked away.

  Raven pressed his lips together hard, trying to reject the words she’d said, but they refused to be silenced. They flew through his mind, bouncing off one another, each accusation growing as the collisions increased.

  Nikki isn’t a mistake. Nikki is freedom, and possibly my only chance to be content.

  The roll of the waves had increased as the wind shifted direction. At least that’s what she is right now. But what about later? When the new wore off? How would she feel about him then? He thrived on the moment, but what happened when the moment lost its charm? Was there anything, any lasting thing that would hold Nikki’s attention and affection?

  Something tingled in his nose. Raven’s hands clamped into fists as he stared up at the stars through watery eyes. “This is why you’re a loner,” he mumbled. “Anything else is just too painful.”

  Chapter 9

  Nikki woke with sweat pouring off her body. On instinct, she grabbed the sketchpad and charcoal pencil on the table beside her bunk, then scooted on the bed into a dim streak of light coming in from the porthole. The room was a suffocating mix of hot air and Glimmer’s perfume; she worried she might vomit, but she forced down the pressure in her throat and put the pencil to her sketchpad. Her hands were trembling, making the first few strokes jerky and uneven. Slick with perspiration, her arm stuck to the pad while she drew. But as the lines took shape, her breathing slowed to a normal rate. She swiped her brow with her free hand, not wanting sweat to run into her eyes and obscure her view of the drawing. For days she’d felt something strange happening in her mind. Now, the answers lay in the lines and angles forming on the page.

  The small round window was over her shoulder, but taking the time to open it for some needed airflow would slow her progress. She noticed the room was empty, and wished the girls had left the door open even a crack—a quick glance up confirmed it was closed tight. Nikki marveled at all that fresh air above the ceiling that had no inlet to the room.

  The entire bed was wet from her fevered dream. A nightmare of something horrible. She remembered falling, a giant metal music box slipping and then crashing. Why is it so hot in here? Nikki swiped her forehead and focused on the picture. She ignored the stale, suffocating air.

  A mass of mangled lines originated at one corner of the page. Tracks stretched from them, crisscrossed rails intersecting like a ladder. Train tracks!

  The realization fueled her, though her hand ached from the tight grip and intense force behind each line. Within minutes a train began to take shape beneath her purposeful strokes. As the sketch became clear, her apprehension grew. Short puffs of air became all her tight lungs could handle. Her eyes darted from the mass of tangled lines in the corner of the sketchpad to the center where long boxcars filled the page. The picture cleared. It was definitely a train.

  And it was about to crash.

  “Where?” Will said, his eyes searching Nikki for answers she didn’t have.

  “I don’t know.” Her voice squeaked, close to panic.

  She’d gathered a crowd when she’d run up the stairs screaming for Will. Now the entire crew was staring at the picture, as well as at her, and they all wanted the same answer as Will. But she didn’t know. Nothing else came to her mind, though she’d tried to continue drawing.

  Will studied the picture. “What’s this?”

  She looked at the spot he pointed to. “A road sign, maybe?” She concentrated on the small square. Numbers, letters, but nothing conclusive.

  “Zero?” Will said.

  “I’m on it.” He disappeared behind her.

  “Can you draw more?” Will asked her.

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so. There’s just nothing else.”

  Ocean stepped into the center of the crowd and pointed to the drawing. “This is it, Will. This is what I feared.”

  “Retaliation?”

  He nodded. “My guess would be to start searching in France. If the titanium shippers are trying to send a message for us to back off, this would certainly be one way to do it.” He pointed to the paper. “The train’s about to hit the section of track that’s mangled. How could that happen? Only a bomb could twist a track into a silly straw.”

  “Which means there’s no way the wreck is an accident.” Will nodded. “Vine, go tell Zero to narrow his search to France, then spread out from there if needed.”

  “I’m here,” Zero said, carrying his open laptop with one hand while feverishly tapping the keys with the other. He settled onto the deck and motioned for Vine to block the sun. Vine got in position, even snapping his wings open to create a perfect shadow over Zero.

  Around him, the rest of the crew stayed silent, waiting for Zero’s words.

  He shook his head. “Nothing. No train wrecks reported. And I’ve checked globally.”

  Will’s eyes returned to the sketch. “Maybe it hasn’t happened yet.”

  Nikki stared at him. Hasn’t happened? Did he think she could draw the future?

  Mace stood behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Nikki, when will it crash?”

  “I—I don’t know.”

  “As a Seer, you glimpse into the realm of the spirit. While the heavenly realm is tightly connected to the earthly realm, it doesn’t always move simultaneously.” Will looked at her the same way he had when they’d begun training. “You may have caught a glimpse of something that is in the near future. But we need to dete
rmine which one it is.”

  Okay, like she really needed more pressure right now. “I don’t know what train it is or where it is, or …” She shook her head, causing the sets of eyes on her to jump and jolt. Panic rose. It burned in her stomach, escalating with each breath.

  “Just try to think.” Mace’s words were soft, but tinged with urgency.

  Think. Just focus. But when she tried, her mind blanked. “I don’t know!”

  Zero left the computer screen long enough to snag the sketch. His silver eyes seemed to analyze every stroke. “What’s on that sign? The letters and numbers—read them to me, Nikki.”

  She shrugged from Mace’s grasp and stared at the words above Zero’s finger. But the page was a blur.

  “You can do it,” Mace coaxed.

  She shook her head, and a fat tear slid down her cheek. “I can’t. They aren’t clear.” Her heart beat so hard it was making her nauseated. People’s lives could be at stake and I can’t read my own writing.

  “You wrote them, Nikki. You’ve got to be able to read them.” When she didn’t answer Mace, just looked at the paper blankly, she felt him move away. Nikki watched as he stepped to the railing and stared at the horizon. Was he giving up on her?

  Then she felt warm hands flat against her back. She’d know that touch anywhere, and with it, calm descended. The heat of Raven’s body was like a wave of peace over her. Lips against her ear, he whispered, “Close your eyes, Nikki.”

  She did and felt a few more tears trickle down her face.

  “Imagine the picture in your mind. Can you see it?”

  She nodded.

  “Do you see the sign?”

  “Yes,” she croaked.

  “Tell me what it says.”

  “There are two sets of letters, but I can’t read them.”

  “That’s okay. Just tell me the letters one by one.”

  “A-l-s-a-c-e, and V-o-s-g-e-s. Yes, Vosges. Then the numbers twelve, five km … or maybe that’s one hundred two, five km. I’m not sure.”

  “Good job,” he whispered.

  Her eyes opened and she turned to him. “Did I tell you what was on the paper?”

  His upper lip curled. “No. There are only six letters on the paper. You just told us what was on the whole sign.”

  “Got it,” Zero said. His fingers stopped clicking keys. “It’s near the Rhine River in France. Vosges Mountains. Looks pretty remote, Will.”

  Will pointed to Ocean at the helm. “How long until we make landfall?”

  “Less than an hour. What do you want to do?” Ocean asked.

  “We can’t wait. Zero, try to discern what train line that is and get a message to them that the track is out. We’ll leap from here, then Ocean and Zero can catch up to us once the boat is in the harbor.”

  Zero shot Will a look, but must have decided not to argue.

  Mace made his way back to the group. “Nikki, you’ll be safe in the harbor. Just stay on the boat and out of sight.”

  “What?” Her anger flared and she shot a questioning look to Will. “I’m going with you, right?”

  “If we come upon a train wreck, the Halflings will need to focus their attention on helping the wounded. I can’t guarantee your safety.”

  Mace’s hand began to fall on her shoulder. She pushed it away. “I don’t care about my safety. I’m the one who found the train. I’m going.”

  “You can fly with me,” Raven said.

  Daggers flew between him and Mace.

  “She will fly with me,” Will corrected, and stepped between the boys. “She’s right. We need her there, as she’s the only link to the wreck.” He turned to Nikki. “I just wanted you to understand the risk.”

  She gave Mace a defiant stare, but guilt followed as his eyes liquefied into worry.

  “I’ll be careful,” she offered. “I promise to stay out of the way.”

  He tried to nod, but the gesture was more like a flinch. Every muscle in his face was tight. Nikki hated the fact she’d caused him so many of those looks. Sometimes it seemed all she did was hurt Mace. Over and over and over again.

  When did Raven become so sensitive? Mace pumped his wings harder, knowing the adrenaline and anger would fuel his flight. He was mad, but had no one to blame but himself.

  The one time Nikki needed a soft touch, he’d pushed her too hard. Raven, ever the opportunist, had snaked right in there and helped Nikki. Man, it was so difficult sorting his feelings where she was concerned. He was all about getting the job done and done right, and he was all about protecting Nikki. But every obstacle that came along became one more thing he stumbled over. Worse, with each fumble his grip tightened a little more. It almost made him sick to realize, but to keep Nikki close he’d have to be a little more like Raven. Live in the moment, let his emotions override his brain. But only a little, he reminded himself, because Raven is the worst kind of dangerous. One that assumed no responsibility. The way Mace saw it, Raven was the inevitable fall, and he was the waiting net.

  And Nikki was slipping.

  Mace tried to force the image of Raven and Nikki together in the water from his mind. Surrounded by dolphins, her hand against his neck, and looking like there was nowhere else she’d rather be. And the kiss. Raven’s lips on hers like it was his right.

  She hadn’t turned away. Hadn’t tried to stop him. She just stayed against his chest, head tilted up to his, kissing him.

  Mace pulled in a long breath, and as he let it out released the situation from his thoughts. Right now he had to concentrate on what they would find at the scene of the train accident. He glanced left and right to see the other Halflings moving at the same accelerated pace as him. He located Vine in the mix. His white-blond hair flew like a miniature cape behind him, and determination set his face. He was preparing himself for what they might see. Mace hoped Vine was ready for his first big test since tapping into his angelic power. Fighting demons and hell hounds was one thing. Human carnage was another thing entirely.

  Will flew with them, although as a heavenly angel he could certainly fly faster. But unless authorized by the Throne, Will couldn’t intervene in the accident, which, selfishly, suited Mace just fine. Nikki would be with Will, and that meant she’d be safe. Even though Will had told her he couldn’t assure her safety, perhaps he’d hoped she’d choose to stay on the boat. Will probably figured she’d be a distraction to both Mace and Raven. Maybe he was right.

  Raven touched down in the valley, where a mass of mangled metal foreshadowed the disaster to come. The surrounding hillsides gave the lush landscape an Old World charm, and if not for the tracks and a narrow road beside them, it would appear untouched by man.

  “Where’s the train?” Glimmer asked as she stopped beside the track. Her glistening wings tucked behind her as she turned to study the metal, hands on her hips.

  A hillside stretched behind them, cut only by the strip of track that ended in a twisted clump of metal near the spot where they stood. Raven had noticed the eastern side of the track dropped off a mountainside. This was the worst possible scenario and probably carefully chosen by the enemies. If it hit with enough force, the train’s propulsion could topple the whole thing right off the cliff.

  “Let’s get organized,” Mace said. “Can we bend the track back into shape?”

  “No way.” Vine grabbed one rail and tugged hard. “Even if we could, we’d never get it straight enough to keep the train from derailing.” Dash grabbed the same piece of metal, and as both pulled it creaked and moved but remained kinked.

  “He’s right,” Dash said. “The train is still going to jump the track. No way around it.”

  “Listen!” Mace held a hand up.

  A whistle blew, and its urgency threw them all into high gear. Mace’s eyes darted to Raven’s. “It’s coming.”

  Think, Raven, think. “Vine, Dash, go down the track. Try to get the engineer’s attention.”

  “There isn’t time for it to stop,” Sky said, pointing to a flash of
black iron and steel snaking through the countryside and coming closer. Before Raven could stop them, Vine and Dash disappeared in the direction of the oncoming train.

  “Maybe they can slow it down.”

  The others began pulling and tugging the metal, but too much of it had warped into an irreparable mangle.

  Will landed beside Mace with Nikki in his arms. The massive guardian angel placed a hand on Mace’s shoulder.

  Mace pointed to Nikki. “Will, get her on the hillside. If she’s down here when the train hits …”

  But Will was frozen. His face read deep concern. Mace didn’t seem to notice, but Raven did. “Will, go.”

  The verbal order snapped him back from wherever his mind had traveled. Just before he left, however, Will’s lightning-blue eyes settled on Raven. This look held neither the reprimand nor admiration Raven expected to see. It almost resembled a goodbye. Will and Nikki disappeared from sight and materialized on the next hill over.

  Raven’s entire body felt bathed in ice water. At the very beginning of this assignment on earth, he’d stood outside of his room listening to Will nag about the importance of protocol. For once, Mace had been the one in trouble. He’d broken the rules and gone after Nikki.

  The look on Will’s face that day was too much like this one. And Raven knew even then what it meant. This journey would take the life of either him, Mace, or Vine.

  He wondered if today would be a good day to die.

  Chapter 10

  There was a time when Raven would have welcomed death, to be removed from the tug of war that was his existence. But that was before Nikki. She’d made it worth staying, and changed everything almost from the day they’d met. Besides, it was a lie anyway. If he died—and wasn’t offered mercy—eternity would be far more hellish than anything he’d experienced on earth. And Raven had a strong suspicion he’d not be offered mercy.

  The train rolled closer, and he knew what had to happen. Before he could shout instructions to the group, Mace beat him to it.