Guardians (Caretaker Chronicles Book 2) Read Free

Ethan
watched her careful steps as she crept along after the little lizard, calling, “Here
swimmer, here swimmer. Come have a sandwich.” She was a bold child, a brave
one, and he loved seeing her fascination with animals and people. Watching her
embrace the world was one of the great joys of his life.
    And Rigel—Rigel’s quiet thoughtfulness brought
him insurmountable peace. Still not talking at almost two, and deeply
empathetic, Ri spent most of his time watching others closely. He didn’t walk
yet, didn’t seem to need to move around and explore like Polara always had. The
pediatrician had been a little worried about Rigel’s lack of speech, but after
tests on his ears and cognition, had sent them home telling them not to worry,
he would soon be making a racket alongside his sister.
    Ethan felt a familiar need to check on his son.
Though he didn’t have the charge to look after 4000 sleeping passengers
anymore, he still heavily felt the responsibility to protect the people he
loved, and when he glanced toward the picnic blanket, he saw Rigel looking at
him and reaching for his bread. The nearly-two-year-old had knocked it just
beyond his own reach. Ethan rose and retrieved it for him.
    It was in that second, that small moment when his
back was turned, that Polara fell into the lake. He heard the splash, and
turned to the spot he’d last seen her. But she was far beyond that. How had she
moved so quickly? She was flailing now in the inlet where the tumbling river
flowed into the lake. He ran.
    Blindly, Ethan charged into the water, fighting
its pull against his legs. The river rocks were slick and round, but he barely
noticed as his ankles cracked into them. She was being swept by the current. He
had to get to her. Suddenly, the bottom dropped away, and Ethan felt his head
go under. He swam, hard, and broke the surface just in time to see Polara’s
small hand reaching horribly toward the sky.
    He lunged, grasping at whatever he could. He felt
her jumpsuit, soaked and slick, and clenched it, hauling her toward him and up,
up toward the air. He went under, but held her above him, relieved to feel her
squirming and fighting in his arms. Kicking, he rose above the surface again
and gasped, “Polara! It’s all right. I’ve got you. You’re all right.”
    His girl was crying, gasping. He got her to the
bank, where helpful hands of onlookers steadied him as he came out. He collapsed
on the stones, cradling her in his arms, curling his body protectively around
her, and speaking in a low, calming voice, though he didn’t feel calm himself.
    Her hysterical crying continued. Suddenly, he
found himself singing an old Earth lullaby, gentle and low, that had calmed
them both during long nights and tense moments. Slowly, he felt his heart rate
returning to normal and heard the child’s tears subside.
    Aria was suddenly beside them, her arms
encircling them both. She didn’t say anything, just held them, but he heard her
fear in her ragged breathing.
    Soaked, Ethan carried Polara back to the blanket.
He tried to still the trembling in his arms. He had watched over his family
across the stars, and even now his greatest fear was that something would
happen to them, something he couldn’t stop.
    Ethan pulled his eyes from Polara, who was now sipping
olona juice, to catch Aria’s gaze. His wife was holding Rigel tightly. Her
smile was shaky as she looked back at Ethan.
    “It’s okay,” she said. “I’m glad you were so
fast.”
    He nodded, trying to push away the growing dread
that had been sparked by Polara’s near miss. He tightened his arm around her.
She was strong and bright, but still so fragile. He was going to have to guard
her more carefully.
    Across the park, Ethan heard the chiming of
bells. Lucidus was reaching its perigee, the moment when it was closest to
Earth, and it hung bright and round in the sky above Tiger Mountain. He pointed
it out to Polara as Aria retrieved from their basket the four silver