The Prophecy (The Guardians) - By Wendy Owens Page 0,53
confessed she still had feelings for him. There was also no denying that she was exquisite, her wild beauty still captivated him.
“You’re right.” Gabe answered.
“Huh? What do you mean I’m right?” Uri looked concerned by Gabe’s confession.
“I do still have feelings for Sophie. I think, if I’m honest with myself, I always will.”
“What are you going to do?” Uri asked, his mouth hanging open in shock.
“Nothing. What I feel for Sophie will always be part of my past. It can’t compare to what I feel for Rachel. I was alone for so long out there, part of me was ready for it all to be over. I think I even wanted Baal to find me in a way, to put an end to my misery. But then I met Rachel, and no matter how hard I tried to fight her, she somehow managed to pull me back from the ledge.”
“Are you saying you wanted to die out there?”
“I don’t know what I felt. I know I was miserable and then Rachel opened my eyes to the joy life still had in it. She makes me want to be more, does that make sense? When I’m not with her she is all I can think about. When I thought of a life without Sophie, I found a way to go on. It was hard, but I did it. I can’t even bring myself to imagine a life without Rachel in it. Just talking about it makes me feel like there’s a vice tightening around my heart. She’s my everything, man.”
“Then I’m happy for you, and Sophie will understand.”
“Yeah, I think you might be wrong about that part.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Pacing the length of the room, dodging pieces of furniture as he did so, Gabe studied the squares in the stone floor. Anxiety over the wellbeing of Rachel’s brother consumed him. Haim had been gone for several hours on a mission to retrieve the boy. Too frightened things would not turn out as he hoped, Gabe kept the plan a secret from Rachel. She already felt like she had lost him once, he did not want to give her hope, only to then take it away.
The scenarios ran through his mind, the countless possibilities, perhaps the boy was home, visiting his aunt when the attack occurred. What if Baal already knew he was away at college? If that was the case, what if they beat Haim there? Was is a trap, would it be an ambush? Gabe squeezed his eyes tightly shut, attempting to push the questions aside. As hard as he tried though, he couldn’t quit thinking of Haim and wishing he was there, watching his friend’s back.
That wasn’t an option for Gabe, not anymore. His only priority now was protecting Rachel; he was not willing to leave her side, to leave her safety in anyone else’s hands. Being here however, made him feel helpless.
Much to his relief, earlier in the evening when Gabe had returned to the room where Sophie had confessed her feelings, he found it empty. He now had a sanctuary, a place where he could examine maps, plan out a route for him and Rachel as they attempted to hide from Baal and his armies. A place where he didn’t have innumerable eyes peering at him, wondering how he could have run years ago, abandoning his calling, and leaving his friends to fight for themselves.
His thoughts darted briefly to Sophie, his skin growing hot in the moment. The confident and snide way she had blurted out that his wedding with Rachel would never happen left him reeling. He could understand her still having lingering feelings for him, but to just assume they would still be together, even after knowing he was to marry another, nearly made him blind with anger.
Gabe did take a measure of comfort in knowing that Uri finally seemed to get it. He understood what he had with Rachel, that she made him whole, made him find a contentment that had always escaped him.
Meeting Rachel was almost like waking up for Gabe. All the fuzziness and insecurities of his place in the world fell away. The clouds parted and the dark fields were now filled with yellow blossoms. He found himself more willing to put himself out there, no longer afraid of being hurt.
He didn’t give putting his life on the line to protect Rachel a second thought. Even though he knew he might perhaps be bringing about his own end by marrying the very woman