The Guardian (The Gifted Book 1) Read Free Page A

getting through. He raised his index finger, hoping they would understand. Slowly, he untied the sword that hung at his hip and then the one across his back and laid them on the ground in front of him before stepping back.
    "See?” Randell exclaimed. “He isn't going to hurt us. Can he stay? Please?"
    Randell knew if he didn’t convince his parents to invite Daen to stay, for at least a little while, he’d never find out who this strange man really was. Randell felt like he was living his own real-life fairy tale adventure. He thought to himself, "The man glowed, what else could he be but fey?"
    Randell knew his imagination was getting the better of him but a little voice in his head asked, "Can he do magic?"
    Daen motioned for Ander to pick up the swords, trying to show that he meant them no harm. Daen knew he could make such a grand gesture because he had a weapon they couldn't see.
    Ander hesitated before stepping closer to retrieve the swords. He knew picking them up would mean he was inviting Daen to stay. He glanced over his shoulder at Randell and Pam. Pam looked skeptical , whereas Randell looked like he about to ride the king of all roller coasters. He took a longer look at the man, studying his aura for any sign of danger, but there was none.
    With a deep breath, Ander committed to the invitation and picked up the swords.
     
     
     

 
    3
Duty
     
    The sounds of night creatures sang as Daen looked out upon the field in which he'd found himself just hours before. The voices of the three people he'd met upon arrival competed with the symphony the crickets and frogs tried to create. He couldn't understand what they were saying but he didn't need to right now. He could tell by the tension in their voices that he was the subject of their discussion.
    They'd been kind enough to invite him to their evening meal , served at a table on the porch, something he'd not seen done before, especially when there was a house in which to take shelter. The table had been there before he arrived, but he wasn't fooled about what had prompted the outside meal.
    As Daen stood at the edge of the porch , staring into the darkness, the sounds around him started to fade as he remembered the words he'd read in Raisal's journal. He'd scanned the pages quickly but the message was clear. He knew where he was. He'd heard the stories as a child and knew that some still told the tales but he'd never given them much credence. Children's stories didn't have a place in the life of a guardian in Luxatra. Now he was wishing he'd spent more time with the elders and the histories. Maybe then he would have known what to expect.
    Raisal's journal had liberated him from the momentary madness that had threatened to overwhelm him when he first arrived. The questions in his mind now centered around who these people were, why they had Raisal's journal, and where she was now. One of her entries had talked about a family that had taken her in and helped her to survive until she acclimated. Were these the people? If so, where was she now?
    The last words he'd heard in his mind before waking in the field in front of him were, "You must help her." There had been more instructions, more details about his mission , but that's all he could recall.
    He'd been told by the Seer that he needed to prepare for a long journey. Daen had prepared himself, donning weapons and packing coin, bedroll, journal, and some provisions. He had planned to eat off the land or in taverns as they were available.
    Once he was ready, Daen had stood at one of the cave entrances and watched the light dance and sparkle across the snow that blanketed the top of Kinling Mountain s. It was one of his favorite sights, and if he had to be away from it for a while, he wanted to soak in as much of its beauty as possible before leaving.
    What had happened next was not what he'd been expecting. He had thought a fellow guardian would retrieve him when it was time to leave, but that was not the case. His