arms folded across his chest.
“You don’t have feelings,” I said. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Does it bother you that you can’t get your way? Because I’m not going anywhere,” Alfred said while sneering at me.
Caleb wrapped his hand around my upper arm and pulled me down the steps. “You’re going to be late.”
“We’ll talk soon, Sarah,” Alfred called.
Once inside the garden, I pulled away from Caleb. I had to find a way to get rid of Alfred. There had to be a way.
“I won’t let him hurt you,” Caleb said behind me.
I spun and faced him. “Teach me to fight.”
His brows furrowed. “What?”
“Teach me to fight. Or at least how to protect myself if he catches me alone,” I said. “Nick refused to teach me, but he’s not here. Alfred won’t stop until he accomplishes whatever plan he has.”
“Then I’ll just have to stay by your side,” he said.
I groaned and dropped my head back to look up at the sky. “Why are you all so damn stubborn? You won’t always be with me.”
“We can be if you don’t run away from us,” he said.
“Forget it. I’ll just learn some spells to defend myself.” I walked deeper into the garden until I found my ghostly teacher.
She nodded at me. “You’re finally ready.”
Caleb sat nearby, and Chelle hopped into his lap, letting him pet her.
“Shouldn’t he leave?” I grumbled.
She smirked. “No, he should stay.”
Why did I get the feeling I wasn’t going to get a choice and Caleb was my newest Guardian?
“Barrier,” she said.
“Huh?”
She sighed. “I’m going to teach you how to make a barrier. That way if someone tries to touch you and you don’t want them to, you can keep them from doing so.”
I envisioned using it against Caleb.
“Not for use against him,” Chelle barked.
Ignoring her, I directed my attention to Clara.
It took a full hour for me to finally create a barrier, but I beamed joyously at the shimmering shell around me.
“Good,” Clara said. “Tomorrow, I will teach you how to reinforce it.”
Caleb stood and escorted me to my next class.
Outside the doors, I turned and said, “You can leave now.”
He shrugged and turned away. “See you at lunch.”
“You really have it bad for him, don’t you?” Chelle asked.
I rolled my eyes. “You are ridiculous.”
While I learned history, Chelle napped.
Was she right that I should add Caleb? If I added him it would be okay, as long as he wasn’t replacing anyone. Right?
I stepped outside of the classroom and Gary dropped an arm around my shoulders. “How was class?”
I shrugged and leaned into him a bit. “Fine.”
Instead of asking about Nick, I focused on the students around us. Would it really be better to get to know them?
If I took all new Guardians, it would mean Gary and Tom would stay safe. The vampires and Alfred wouldn’t have any reason to hurt my friends if I left the pack and took on new people.
Why hadn’t I thought of that before?
“What are you thinking about?” Gary asked as he pulled open the dining-room door.
“That I need to start meeting the other guys here,” I admitted.
He scowled. “Why?”
This was going to hurt. “You haven’t gone through the change either,” I whispered. “I think it might be better if I started meeting the other guys here so I’m better prepared to choose my Guardians at the end.”
Gary’s eyes widened. “You can’t be serious.”
I hugged him and kissed his cheek. “If something happened to you, I don’t think I could ever forgive myself. I’m sorry, but I think I understand the Triune’s reasons for bringing us all together. I need to pick Guardians who can best protect me. Guardians I don’t have such a strong attachment to.”
As I pulled away, he whispered, “You’ll grow attached to them, too. That’s who you are. I’ll give you your space, but you’ll see. And when you do, I’ll be waiting for you. I’m not giving up on you.”
Instead of going to the table I usually shared with Gary and the other two, I went to a nearby table full of guys and sat in a tiny opening between two Fae. “Hey,” I said, smiling as I looked around at the guys seated around me.
They all returned my smile and introduced themselves. I had no hope of remembering even half of their names no matter how much I wanted to.
Chelle whispered, “It’s too crowded for me here. I’ll meet you after you’re done eating.”
I leaned back and watched her trot over to Caleb and lay on the