“Just the dreams she used to have as a child. I know it’s not enough to sway you. Perhaps if you got to know her you could get an understanding of who she is.”
“I can’t get involved,” I said. What I didn’t say was the Council wasn’t the only reason I didn’t want to get too close. I didn’t think my soul could take another disappointment. “For now, all I can do is watch and wait. Until I see for certain that she is who you claim I can’t become involved. It would draw too much attention.”
“I understand,” he replied. “I’m just grateful for any help you’re willing to give me.”
Andrew and I left the cafe separately. I waited a good ten minutes before following him out the door. As I stepped out into the cold, I paused as I pulled my coat tighter around me for protection from the wind.
I turned to head to my car and walked straight into Shaylee. She’d been walking quickly so the force of the impact nearly caused her to fall over. I reached out and grabbed her arm, steadying her.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, staring up at me with wide vulnerable eyes.
“It’s my fault,” I replied. “I shouldn’t have been standing in the middle of the sidewalk.”
I released her arm and took in her red nose and cheeks.
“Perhaps you should take a break and go inside where it’s warm,” I suggested, suddenly fearing that she would get sick.
“No,” she replied, shaking her head. “I walked all the way here and I realized that I forgot my wallet, so I’m headed back to school.”
“You walked all the way here?” I asked, incredulously, completely ignoring the rational part of my brain that was screaming to maintain my distance and objectivity. “It’s fifteen degrees outside.”
“I don’t have a car,” she explained. “Usually we take my roommate Jaden’s, but she went home for the weekend.”
“Come on,” I said. “I’ll drive you back to school.”
“Are you sure?” she asked. “I don’t mind walking.”
I pulled out my keys and unlocked the plain-looking gray sedan that was parked a few spaces down.
“Get in,” I instructed.
Not needing to be told twice, Shaylee scurried over to the passenger side and got into the car. I got in and put the key in the ignition. The car started and I turned up the heat, wanting to warm her up as quickly as possible.
“Thanks,” she said, as I put the car in reverse.
The drive back to school was quiet. I spent the whole trip fuming that she’d walked all the way to town alone on such a cold day. Even though she had no idea what kind of danger she was facing if the Council discovered her existence, I would have thought that she would have a little more sense.
After parking in the student lot, I walked her back to her room. The level of concern I was feeling towards her shocked me. She was perfectly capable of getting to her room on her own. I’d already gotten far too involved just by driving her back to the school. For some reason logic didn’t seem to be enough for me to maintain my objectivity.
“Thanks for driving me back,” she said when we reached her door. “You didn’t have to and I really appreciate it.”
“You’re not going to walk back to town now are you?” I questioned.
“No,” she said. “I’ve had enough of outside for today.”
“Good,” I nodded and turned to leave.
As I walked away, I could feel her watching me. All the way back to my room I considered how lonely she must be. Surprisingly, that was something we had in common. I’d been so focused on my mission for so long that I had created my own loneliness. Shaylee had done nothing to deserve it other than go to a school humans didn’t attend.
Once again, I was gripped by the overwhelming desire to protect her. I could feel myself getting drawn into things when I should be maintaining my distance. There was no evidence to suggest Shaylee was anything other than a normal human girl. Perhaps there were signs if I looked close enough, but I wasn’t sure that was something I was prepared to do.
Chapter 3
Jaden
I walked slowly to my room. I was still having trouble comprehending the events of the last few days. My life was fundamentally changed forever. Even though I had known it was coming, it had never occurred to me that there were so many secrets I had yet to learn about. The fact that I was bound by laws and my own vow to my grandmother not to say anything to the unaware, including Shaylee, grated at me.
I opened the door to my room and saw that Shaylee was still asleep. I was grateful that I had some time to figure out how to keep my secret from her, since there were things I could now do that would be harder to hide. I hopped into the shower for some time to think.
I held tears back as the hot water washed over me. I was so overwhelmed by the whole thing and what made it worse was I knew I didn’t have the whole story. My grandmother was very clear that she only told me what I needed to know and the rest would have to wait until I graduated. I didn’t know what she could be leaving out, but what I did know changed my entire perception of the world I lived in.
I had always known I was a Warrior. That was why I’d been studying self-defense and martial arts my entire life. I’d always taken pride in that part of myself. What I hadn’t know was I was the last descendant of a long line of Warriors who could trace our lineage back before the Exodus and had once been the most powerful Warrior family in existence.
I was
