Guardian by Heather Burch Page B

didn’t, Nikki might pay for the mistake with her life.
    He might have been willing to gamble with his eternity—no matter how stupid that was—but he could never gamble with Nikki’s safety, especially now. Her fate could affect … well, the world as they all knew it. He’d never been surer of anything, and in his entire life nothing had ever frightened him more.
    When the wind grabbed her hair and thrust it at him, he pulled in her scent and tried to remember his commitment.
    “Mace,” she said.
    “What?”
    “I’m … really scared.”
    His hands instinctively found their way to her upper arms. “You’re trembling, Nikki. What’s wrong?” He searched her face. Her eyes were liquid honey, but so haunted in their depths it seemed the very color might drain from them.
    “I don’t know.” Her words were small. “I don’t know. I feel … wrong inside. Like something awful is going to happen.” Her gaze darted around the boat but focused on nothing. “And I don’t feel like myself. I can’t sleep at night, but I’m not really tired the next day. My ears are so sensitive to everything, sometimes I just want to clamp my hands over my head so I won’t hear it all.”
    He gently rubbed her arms to soothe her. “Has Will been working with you on your ability as a Seer?”
    “Yes.”
    “Maybe you’re tapping into that power.”
    “Maybe. But whenever he instructs me to draw, there’s nothing except this burning urgency to master it. I’ve tried to sketch, but nothing happens. It doesn’t feel the same as when I drew the hell hounds in the woods or the laboratory on fire.”
    “What did it feel like then?”
    “Electric. Almost living. Like the pencil was alive in my hand. I just connected and the drawing happened.”
    He raised a hand to her cheek. “Don’t worry. When you need to see, you will.”
    “I hope you’re right. Because if you’re wrong, I’m no good to anyone here.”
    “I’m not wrong, Nikki.” He dropped his lips to her forehead and pressed a gentle kiss onto her skin. And that was close to tempting fate. “Come on. Let’s go swimming.”

    It was the second time Ocean deemed it safe enough to stop the boat for them.
    Nikki could barely believe the sight around her—Halflings flying, swooping, then crashing into the water. Were they always such daredevils? Probably. Even the girls flew to the crest of the mast and swan-dived into the ocean. She reached a conclusion: Halflings were fearless.
    But Nikki couldn’t seem to concentrate, no matter the glorious display. All day long she’d felt as though tiny fingernails were clawing her insides. As the day dragged on, the sensation increased until she was forced to climb out of the water and remain on deck, watching the winged creatures float around her, and occasionally rubbing her hands over the goose bumps on her bare arms.
    Raven’s dark gray wings blocked the sun and created a V-formation shadow on the deck. She’d been aware of his gaze going to her whenever he performed some death-defying feat. The other boys mimicked him—excluding Mace—each one trying to outdo the last.
    He was dripping wet when he stepped onto the deck beside her. Tipping one wing, he shook water onto her skin. “You look hot,” he said with a mischievous grin.
    She caught the double meaning. “Thanks for cooling me off.”
    “Anytime.” He flipped his hair from his face, but strands of it clung to his wet cheeks. “Swim with me,” he said.
    She shook her head. “No, Raven. I just want to sit out here on the deck for a while.”
    He tipped his head to the sun for a moment. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
    She pinned him with her eyes.
    “I’m serious. You’re gonna love this.” His dark blue eyes glistened and a tiny dimple in one cheek became visible. “Listen.”
    At first, she only heard the sounds of the others: wings fluttering, laughter, the boys taunting each other. Beyond that, she could hear water and wind, and