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The next morning Emily seemed in better spirits. I suspected it was for Amara’s benefit. We ate breakfast in relative silence getting ready to say our good-byes. Sariel and Maalik would not be going with us. They were sending Ruth, Amara and I to the village with Lucius as our guardian. Sariel promised he’d send more. It was important that he selected carefully. He didn’t want Azriel to find us. I’d asked about our parents. Sariel assured me that he would start looking for them right away. Emily had called ahead and told the village we would be coming. Our contact was a woman named Sarah. We helped Emily clean up the breakfast dishes as Maalik carried the luggage to the Jeep. Amara’s was loaded in the back of Sariel’s SUV, due to the sheer volume. Emily promised to ship the rest. We all took turns hugging Emily in the foyer and we walked to the Jeep with heavy hearts.

  Amara suggested that I ride with Lucius and my mom shot it down faster than an Olympian skeet shooter. I was embarrassed. Amara looked was devious. My mom whole body was tight with tension. We hadn’t had a second alone since Lucius and I came back from our walk last night and I was glad. I’d been raised to be an obedient daughter but something about my angel told me I was getting ready to rebel. Scary.

  We drove until we needed to pull over for gas. We decided to grab some lunch as well. I stepped out of the car and Lucius was by my side before I could move out of the way for Amara to climb from the back seat. When she saw him she changed her mind and crawled to the other side to exit the car on my mom’s side.

  I held my breath as Lucius looked down at me. He grabbed my ponytail and ran his hand down the length of it before laying his hand on my shoulder briefly. His hand on my back the night before was not an intimate touch. This was. I swallowed my heart and waited.

  “Don’t get out of the car before I’m next to your door.”

  The instructions were spoken low, and sounded as intimate as the touch. I nodded. “Okay.”

  We entered the restaurant behind my mom and Amara. Mom had already given me the evil eye that promised a very long talk as soon as we had a moment alone. Good luck with that. Amara was better than any Tackle to my Quarterback.

  The restaurant was crowded for lunch and we had to wait twenty minutes to be seated. I knew Lucius didn’t like it—to many people. We were seated in a booth in the back with Lucius sitting in a seat that allowed him to see the entire establishment. Amara sat next to him, on the inside. After eating we drove a block over to the nearest gas station and grabbed the customary snacks. As I walked in I thought of the last time I’d stopped for snacks and smiled. I didn’t think I’d ever travel again and not think about the first time I saw Lucius. We stopped for the night after driving for more than fourteen hours. I wanted to be too excited to sleep, but after we sat our overnight bags in the closet cubby I peeled off my clothes and was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

  My mom was the first up and was in the shower when I opened my eyes. My first thought was of Lucius. He had the adjoining room. I turned to look at the door that separated the rooms. It was open. Lucius’s was closed.

  “You need to talk to him,” Amara said.

  I sat up in bed. Amara was sitting at the desk. Her hair was the same texture as mine, which meant that it should have been standing up all over her head since she’d slept with it down, but it wasn’t. I thought mean thoughts at it as I threw my legs over the side of the bed. Amara had taken the time to put on one of her nightgowns. She looked like a princess and me…a poor substitute. I wasn’t jealous. Really—I wasn’t.

  “Yeah,” I finally said, standing up and going to get my bag. I threw it on the bed and pulled out something to wear.

  “I’ll get Ruth to take me downstairs to breakfast while you’re in the shower,” Amara said and walked over to the bed. She surprised me with a hug. “I love you.”

  The three words were shocking. Amara had been raised with a sister, a twin no less. We’d known each other for forty eight hours but already being with her was easy.

  “I love you too,” I said hugging her tighter.

  When I opened the bathroom door the room was empty, our bags were even gone. I had no idea what Amara had to do or say to get my mom to leave but I owed her one. I felt a little guilty because Amara had no protection. I was fairly confident that no one was following us. Not from stealth observations, or any special training. It was a hunch. Besides, I really wanted to talk to Lucius

  I opened the door that separated the room. Lucius sat on the bed closest to the door on his side. He was dressed already including his shoes. Dressed in all white and camel colored loafers, his attire gave away his advanced age if his looks did not. His hazel eyes were serious and fierce and I almost lost my nerve before even opening my mouth. Either the bed had not been slept in or he had gotten up and made it. Who makes up a hotel room bed? I stood in the doorway afraid to cross the threshold into his room.

  “Sleep well?” He asked.

  The very sound of his voice added to my nervousness and I started to regret my decision to speak to him about my feelings. I couldn’t put it off any longer. I had to know where I stood; even if it was nowhere.

  “Yes,” I said and looked around his room as I tried to figure out where to start. Lucius walked over to the small table in the corner and I followed.

  “Amara and Mom are at breakfast. Are you hungry?”

  The small talk sounded forced and phony, even to me. I’d been on pins and needles since we’d left Emily’s. I didn’t know what to say now that I was sitting with him. When Lucius started the conversation I was relieved.

  “I don’t know how to explain my feelings for you. It’s more than being your guardian. I’ve asked Sariel to see if he can look into it.”

  My heart dropped from the sound of formality in the words, they were cold. I looked up from my hands. Lucius was staring at me.

  “Do you care about me at all?”

  The words sounded ludicrous. The person that sat across from me wasn’t a person at all, he was an angel. My guardian angel created before the world was made. I tried not to think of mummified remains dating back a million years and knowing Lucius was older than even that. To think that I’d half planned on declaring my unwavering love. What on earth had I been thinking?

  My life seemed to be stuck in warp speed but there was so much I still didn’t know, so much I still didn’t understand. My school girl crush seemed childish in retrospect and I pressed my palms together as I tried to think of a way to take back the last few minutes.

  “Of course I care about you. I care that you’re safe and I care that you’re sad, I care very much that right now I am the reason for your unhappiness. Look at me please?”

  Slowly I raised my eyes. Embarrassment was not the right word. It wasn’t big enough. If the floor beneath me opened up and swallowed me hold I would be eternally in its debt.

  “I think of you all the time, but that’s not any different from the thousand years. I am protecting two of the most precious things on earth. My full attention and focus has to be making sure nothing happens to you or Amara. Please tell me you understand this?”

  “I do,” I whispered, nodding my head too fast ready get past all the buffoonery that I’d initiated. I was about to stand up when Lucius took my hand in his. His words had cleared up any misunderstanding but that didn’t stop me from feeling the way I did. He pulled me up from my chair and stood in front of me so close a deep breath would have made us touch. He put his finger under my chin to raise my head. He didn’t say anything, just looked at me, making me uncomfortable with each passing second.

  “I need to touch you.”

  His words were warm on my face. I could only nod. I understood what he meant. I was comforted by his touch too. He gave me one of his signature nods. A quick jerk of his head and took my hand. We were still holding hands when we entered the hotel dining room. I spotted Amara and Mom right away. Even though I had tried to get myself under control, I didn’t fool Amara. She looked at me with pained eyes
when Lucius and I approached. As we walked into the room he put his hand on my arm.

  “I’m glad you changed your mind and decided to get something to eat,” my mom said, turning back to her food. She was unhappy but made no further comment.

  “I just want some coffee.”

  I went to the coffee station with Lucius by my side. I sat next to my mom fiddling with the rim of the Styrofoam cup while Lucius stood next to my chair.

  “Take a load off Lucius. You don’t have to stand there looking all secret service. You’re going to give us away.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. No one could change the mood like Amara. Lucius sat down, pulling a chair from a neighboring table. He sat as close to me as he could. To anyone else in the room we looked like a young couple in love. But that wasn’t the case. He wanted me safe and cared about my well-being which is not the same…at all.

  When Emily and Sariel said village I’d hoped that it in their own weird way everywhere was a village and we’d end up somewhere exciting, or at least busier than the places that my mom had dragged me to over the last sixteen years. Unfortunately, it was the type of place where people probably slept with their doors unlocked and I imagined had maybe four traffic lights, if it had any at all. One look at the place and we knew everyone knew each other on a personal level.

  We stopped at a gas station for directions to Sarah’s house. The attendant, an old man with a heedful of thick, wavy, white hair and a smile that rivaled Emily’s, told us she lived at the end of the road on the left. He welcomed us to town and to our surprise addressed each of us by name. When I laughed after she pulled off, my mom gave me a questioning look that I shrugged off. At least I didn’t have to get use to big city living.

  The town was a fairy community, but humans live there also. Sarah age gave her away as human. Short, round and extremely happy, she waved at us in from her front porch. No doubt warned by the gentleman from the gas station. Sarah welcomed us into her small cottage-style house, ushering us into a small sitting room. Her house was neatly kept. There were doilies everywhere.

  “Was the trip bad? I hope not. I’ve been waiting for you all morning. Would you like any tea or coffee?”

  “No thank you Sarah. We’ve been on the road for three days and more than anything else, we just want to get settled and rest for the day,” my mom answered for us all.

  “Of course, what was I thinking? You’ll be staying in two houses not far from here. I’ll take you there straight away.”

  We were all relieved that we were not putting Sarah out. It was obvious she was prepared to work herself ragged at our expense. The houses were the same small cottage style as Sarah’s home and they were perfect. Amara didn’t even complain about the size of her room, which was roughly the size of her closet back at her house. I laughed thinking of where she was going to put all her clothes. There were only three bedrooms and no other room available to be a substitute closet. We would have to call Emily and tell her not to ship anything else…or so I thought. Amara corrected me quickly announcing Lucius house also had three bedrooms. He only needed one and the rest of her clothes could be stored at his house.

  While Amara was busy giving instructions to Lucius on which of the bedrooms in his house would act as her closet, mom took Sarah back home and I escaped. I went to my new bedroom and found the bed incredibly soft. It had been a crazy week for me. My birthday seemed light years behind me. I lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling. I was alone for the first time since we’d left our house. Just days ago I was excited at the possibility of a new car. I had no intention of going to sleep. I’d dozed off and on the whole way. Long trips in cars had that effect on me. I don’t know how long I’d been asleep but when I woke up Lucius was standing at the foot of my bed watching me. I was surprised, but not startled. Before I opened my eyes I knew he was there. Because he was there meant I couldn’t have been out for long. My mom would never have allowed Lucius in my room while I slept, or any other time for that matter. Lucius sat down near my feet. I ran my hands over my face and through my hair.

  Lucius gaze was both unnerving and calming. The mixed signals were getting a little out of hand or maybe it was all wishful thinking. Either way I was happy to be near him, so I didn’t comment on what I perceived to be his continued show of affection.

  “Did you rest well?”

  “Not long enough.” My heart was beating too fast in my chest. My mouth was dry and I could hardly catch my breath. I’d have to figure out how to be around him and not make a fool out of myself. Wishful thinking aside, he’d made it clear that there would be nothing romantic between us.

  “Ruth will be home soon. I think it best if I go home.” He looked like he wanted to say something else but didn’t.

  “Oh,” I mumble. I wanted to pout but didn’t.

  “I’ll be right next door.” Lucius said, getting up from the bed and walking out of the room. Leaving me breathless, confused and missing him already.

  Amara came in as I was getting off the bed. “Hey sleeping beauty.” She flopped down on the bed in the exact spot that Lucius had just left.

  “How long was I asleep?” I asked, heading for the bathroom to splash water on my face.

  “Only about thirty minutes, but you sleep like the dead… and you snore.”

  “I most certainly do not.” I almost screamed in embarrassment at the thought of it. Had Lucius stood there looking at me sleep; with my mouth hung open, snoring like a beast?

  “No, you don’t, but it was fun watching that look on your face,” Amara said from the bed. “It’s nice to have a sister again.”

  Her voice was somber and the expression on her face was forlorn. The combination of the two was enough to make anyone instantly sad.. Amara had started life with a mate. I didn’t pretend to know what she feeling.

  “I’m really sorry about Sveva and Emily.”

  We had been alone only once since we’d met and hadn’t really talked about Sveva or our family. The time in the car we spent filling each other in on our lives. Amara only talked about the time she’d been with Emily. Never about the time spent together as a family, when Sveva and Fredrick were a part of their lives.

  “Let’s surprise Ruth with dinner,” she said over her shoulder as she left the room.

  I quickly joined her and dinner was ready before Mom came home. Her trip to Sarah’s had taken longer than we thought and I was getting a little worried. Just as I was about to cross the yard, to ask Lucius to drive us to Sarah’s house, the front door opened. Three hours had passed since she’d left.

  “What took so long?” I asked from the table I was setting for dinner.

  “I think I was set up. When we arrived back at her house it was full,” she said laughing, throwing her purse on the couch. “You cooked?”

  “Amara cooked, I watched.” I said going over to the countertop to pick up the bowl of salad to put on the table.

  “Don’t be modest Wila, you chopped too,” Amara called from sink.

  “I’m so sorry girls but I’m stuffed. If I never see another pettifore or cheese straw again it will be too soon.”

  My mom told us how nice our new neighbors were. They had been looking forward to our arrival and were disappointed that we were not there. Sarah told them that we were resting from our long journey. We stayed up late into the night, the first day of our new life.

  Chapter 7: A Declaration of Love