The Prophecy (The Guardians) - By Wendy Owens Page 0,43
Dina offered in a comforting voice.
“No— I can’t,” Gabe replied, shaking his head.
“I promise I’ll compel her if she freaks out.” Dina attempted to reassure her friend.
“No! She hates magic being used on her. Fine, I’ll go, if you promise we’ll hurry.” Gabe relented.
“Scouts honor.” Uri said with a cheesy grin, and lifting a pointless salute with his fingers.
“You’re such an idiot.” Gabe added with a chuckle. “And Dina, if she wakes, swear you’ll come get me right away, and no magic, right?”
“Of course, whatever you say.” Dina answered.
Gabe leaned in close, taking in a deep breath of Rachel’s scent, and brushing her chestnut hair away from her face, he gently kissed her on her forehead before whispering, “I’ll be right back, I’m leaving you with one of my closest friends. She will take good care of you.”
“You do realize she can’t hear you, right?” Uri asked, making a face of disbelief at what he was witnessing.
“Shut up, let’s go already.” Gabe replied turning and walking past Uri, slapping him in the chest with the back of his hand as he did so.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Walking the down path, following in the steps of Uri, the hundreds of unfamiliar faces they passed haunted Gabe. So many strangers, displaced by a demonic horror that was thrust upon them, somehow had all found their way here, to Iron Gate. He wondered if they thought they had found salvation in this place, a piece of hope to latch onto. Gabe couldn’t help but feel sorry for them.
Tucked away in his tiny cabin, the safety of the copper rich mountains all around him, Gabe forgot what it was like to be afraid. But now he was no different than any of them, without the security of his fortress, he might as well be one of the faceless numbers that surrounded him.
Gabe spent the first four years after he left Rampart hiding in various places around the underworld as well as the earthly realm. As he searched for a place rich enough in copper to hide him, as well as secluded, he started to discover just how dark the world had grown. The more seedy and dangerous the place was, the less people there were who noticed him and therefore he began to surround himself with many less desirable folks for a time. When he went into hiding he knew Baal was growing in strength and numbers, but nothing could have prepared him for what he was now seeing.
The sheer number of people injured, or sent into hiding, or worse, dead by Baal’s reach were staggering. Gabe felt guilty for living in what now seemed like a fairytale state with Rachel over the past six months. Surrounded by all the desperation, Gabe wondered, would he be able to keep the darkness from enveloping him again.
The last thing Gabe wanted to think about were all the monsters of the world that were hunting them, he wanted to focus on the start of a new life with his soon to be wife. Instead, the future that awaited them was one that filled him with dread. How would he keep her safe from the army sought to find them? None of these random souls that filled the halls of Iron Gate were able to avoid the wrath of Baal and his army. Would he ever be able to provide her with a peaceful night's sleep again? How could he possibly protect her?
Gabe sighed, careful to avoid coming too close to the people perched on the blankets tossed along stone corridors. He shook his head, moving in closer to Uri’s heals, avoiding eye contact with the refugees. He would not allow Rachel to live like this, huddled in hallways, all her hope in some army of do-gooders who were frightfully ill-equipped for the battle they faced. He didn’t care what it took; he would find a way to be her hero, to keep her safe.
“These people are sleeping on the ground?” Gabe asked pitifully.
Uri shook his head as if dumbfounded by the question. “There are only so many beds; the cots are saved for the infirmary and the sick. Hey, don’t feel bad for these people; if you ask most of them, they are just happy to have a place to go.”
“How do you explain all of the supernatural stuff to them?”
“Huh? Oh, all of the refugees are from the underworld, that or they have some sort of super natural background. There’re actually no pure humans here, well, except for your