Guardians of the Akasha by Celia Stander Page A

my mom is—was—well,” Justin stammered as his bright smile disappeared. He looked on the verge of tears.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” Keira said with concern.
    “It’s okay,” he whispered. “My mom was Marco and Rafael’s sister. She and my dad died in a car crash.”
    “I am so sorry,” Keira repeated and put her arm around the boy’s narrow shoulders.
    “It’s okay,” he said again. “Marco is really cool. He’s been looking after me. We stay on this awesome ranch in Argentina, when we’re not here, of course, and it’s such fun when everyone is there. I have a horse and we go riding…” and Justin was off again, telling Keira about his animals at the ranch.
    Keira smiled and nodded at the right places but her heart was breaking for the young boy. She wondered if she might not have misjudged Marco.
    Justin eventually left after she promised to go see the pups at the first available opportunity.
    Alone, Keira stood in front of the lead-paned windows of her room and looked out over the inner courtyard. She could see the tops of the trees waving beyond the castle’s battlements. Her hands rubbed up and down her upper arms, trying to get some warmth back into her body.
    What am I doing here?
    It was only her love for Victoria which kept her from grabbing a phone and calling somebody, anybody, to come and fetch her from this place.
    Keira groaned in frustration. Alison and Sammy were both with their parents, having wonderful, blissfully ignorant family holidays. And even if she did call her parents, or Richard and Mary, what would she tell them? That the world as they knew it was about to be annihilated by a power-crazy megalomaniac who wanted to be God?
    Keira turned away from the window and paced restlessly past the antique dresser and big, four-poster bed. She glanced at her suitcase which lay open on the royal-blue bedcover and thought about unpacking her things, but nervous energy refused to let her stand still for more than a moment.
    A soft knock at the door interrupted her pacing and she called, “It’s open!”
    A blond head peeked into the room and soft brown eyes gave Keira a head-to-toe scan, before their owner stepped inside.
    “Hallo, my name is Chloe. I wanted to make sure you were comfortable. Do you have everything you need?” the young woman asked.
    “Yes, thanks, that’s very kind of you,” Keira said, mesmerized by the woman in front of her. Chloe seemed about a year or two older than Keira. Her skin was translucently pale and her hair was long, straight and silver-blonde, shimmering with a light of its own. Her eyes were almost hypnotic in the way that they assessed Keira.
    “Yes, Victoria was right, as usual,” Chloe said.
    “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Keira asked, confused by Chloe’s comment.
    “You are The One,” Chloe said with unwavering certainty and not a trace of irony.
    “Yes, well, that sounds great and all, but I have no idea what that means,” Keira couldn’t keep the irritation out of her voice.
    “Oh dear, this has been hard for you, hasn’t it?” Chloe walked over to Keira. She took her hand as they sat down on a wine-red velvet-covered settee. “It wasn’t meant to happen like this you know. Victoria had planned to ease you into this life gradually. But even so, I am really happy to meet you at last. Welcome.”
    Chloe’s kindness broke the last bit of control Keira had over her emotions and she burst into tears. “I am—so—sorry!” she cried, trying to wipe her eyes on her sleeve.
    “It’s all right, you let it all out,” Chloe cooed while softly patting Keira’s back.
    This just made Keira sob even louder. She was so used to hiding her feelings that she never needed to be comforted by anyone. Even her friends would have been shocked to see her like this, a complete blubbering wreck.
    “It’s—I—I’ve always been so afraid!” Keira wailed. “Now—I don’t have to be. So I am really happy!” and she