Ascended (17 page)

This was an emotion that
Gabe would never acknowledge. He couldn’t. He’d been trained not to, by the best: Camulus. Regardless of the training to eliminate this emotion, it was still very present within him, and it was eating him alive. Gabriel was not weak. There was only one thing he feared, and that was being unable to protect Vie. Her safety was everything to him, and Camulus knew it; he realized Gabe’s fear was being unleashed in the form of anger. Camulus was their best chance of helping Gabriel see it, own it, and use it to protect what he held most dear: Vie.

“So it’s decided
, then?” Raphael spoke to cut the obvious tension among the group.

Gabriel continued to stare at Camulus
, waiting to see if he would challenge his authority, but he didn’t. He simply answered Raphael, “That’s up to Gabriel. He is our leader. Right, Gabriel?”

Even when he was relinquishing his command
, he still seemed to be in control. It was apparent to Gabriel in that moment that his title changed nothing. Camulus had control, no matter who was giving the orders.

U
nder different circumstances, Gabriel would have been honored to fight alongside his mentor, but so much had changed over the course of the past few weeks, Gabriel was unable to look at Camulus the way he once did. Truth was an important branch of Gabriel’s morality, and that branch had been broken. Trust was not something he was willing to give freely, and Camulus knew that about him.

At the same time, Camulus was thinking about Gabriel’s trust, and how he’d broken it. H
e had hope that this mission would teach Gabriel something he’d failed to teach him a long time ago: there is honor in forgiveness.

They left the chambers
, silent and uncertain about what lay ahead for each of them. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, for the five warriors to be so subdued.

Fallon wanted Gabe to say something
—anything—to her to restore some normalcy between them again. When he finally did, he told her to retrieve the blade. It wasn’t exactly what she was hoping for, but he spoke to her without contempt in his voice, and that was a start.

“On it,” Fallon replied
, and headed down the hall.

“
Raphael, Gideon, Eli, we need weapons…”

“
Say no more,” they replied, and headed to the weapons arsenal.

“And me
, Gabriel? What would you like me to do?” Camulus asked cautiously.

“You can start
by wiping that grin off of your face,” Gabriel replied snidely, and continued to walk down the hall.

Camulus laughed under his breath and followed the leader.
It’s going to be a long night
, he thought.

The Guardians we
re all organizing and preparing for battle in full throttle. Each platoon was being briefed about its assignment and how it was to be carried out.

Gabriel was preparing for his own battle, the way he always did
: by himself. He was sitting down by the rocks that overlooked the waterfall near the entrance of the Gates. It was his place, an awe-inspiring environment of stress-free serenity, full of wonder. He watched as the water cascaded down into the sparkling creek below.
So this is betrayal. It’s like being left alone in the desert at dusk without water or warmth. It leaves your mouth dry and your will broken. It saps your tears and makes you hollow
, he thought.

“I thought I’d find you here,”
a feminine voice spoke tenderly to him. Fallon knew this was a sacred place for Gabriel. It was where Camulus had trained him, and, in turn, where he had trained Vie. Typically, he would sit perched on his moss-covered rock before each mission to prepare, to rejuvenate, and to cleanse his soul. But Gabriel was unable to absorb any tranquility; even here in the remote stillness, Fallon could see he was a million miles away.

“What is it
, Fallon?” he asked without looking at her.

“I have the blade you asked for,” she replied
, reminding him that he’d asked her to retrieve it. Gabriel put out his hand, still not turning to look at her, and Fallon laid the blade down in his palm. She stood there for a moment, not knowing what she should do, but wanting so badly to do something.

“Is there something else?” he
asked, wondering why she was still standing behind him.

“No, I guess there isn’t,” Fallon said
, feeling angry and hurt that Gabriel had just dismissed her as if she were a servant. She started to walk away and then she stopped, deciding enough was enough. She was tired of being ignored, and worse than that, she was tired of the harsh treatment Gabriel was giving her. Her anger gave way and she marched back over to where he sat.

“
As a matter of fact, there is something else! I made a mistake and I’m tired of apologizing for it, Gabe. It happened. I can’t change it, and I need to move forward. Period!” she shouted at him.

“A mistake
, Fallon? Is that what you’re calling what you did? You didn’t make a mistake. You betrayed me. You betrayed all of us!” he shouted fiercely back at her.

“Yes, yes I did, and that betrayal was my mistake, one which I
’m paying for.”

“Really?
How so, Fallon? How are you paying for what you did?” he questioned.

Fallon was fighting back the tears as she replied, “
By losing the only person I care about at all in this world. By losing you, Gabe.”

Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment
, digesting her words. While he did believe Fallon was sorry for what she had done, her apology wasn’t enough; it just was too soon for Gabriel to let it go.

Again, he sat silent
, but Fallon felt softness in his silence; she could tell Gabriel was torn by her words. It was a very small step but nonetheless a step in the right direction. Suddenly, Fallon felt compelled to say something that would even shock her.

“And for the record
, Gabe, I don’t believe for one second that Violet betrayed you. Vie is fierce and righteous, just as you taught her to be. She didn’t fall to betray you; she fell to save her sister and to avenge her death. If you knew Vie at all like you say you do, then you should have seen it coming. Oh, and one more thing, Gabe. I believe you would have done the exact same thing.” She walked away.

Gabriel did hear her
, and of course he didn’t see it the way she did, but he felt her words resonating in his soul. What really affected him was Fallon’s defense of Vie. Everything that had happened was because of her jealousy, and to hear her defend Vie now really struck a chord with him. But Gabriel’s strong moral code was affecting his ability to see Fallon’s reasoning.

Fallon still saw it as
a victory: her message was definitely received.

A short time later Gabriel heard footsteps behind him
, and then a voice said, “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Gabriel turned to
find Camulus behind him. He knew the look on his face; it was the one that came just before he would deliver poignant words of wisdom. Usually Gabriel was receptive, but after having words with Fallon, he felt drained at the thought of more conversation.

“Not you
, too,” Gabriel muttered, believing he and Fallon were in cahoots.

Camulus lifted his brow
, wondering who else had paid him a visit.

“It’s wonderful to see you
, too, Gabriel,” he replied, sitting beside him. They were quiet for a few minutes and then Camulus opened his mouth as if to speak.

Gabriel rolled his eyes
, knowing a lecture was to follow. But as much as he wanted his silence, he was having a difficult time expressing any obvious disrespect toward Camulus. Although he was angry with him for covering for Fallon, he understood his mentor’s actions were not those of betrayal, but protection. And since he himself had asked Camulus to break the rules to see Lily, he was having an even harder time being cross with him.

“Please
, Camulus, just say what you have to say so I can savor these last few moments of peace before we leave,” Gabriel said.

“What makes you think I have something to say? I
, too, enjoy the peace and serenity of our secluded hideaway,” he said, reminding Gabriel that it was his special place, too. “You know I used to come here before battle, also. It’s calming, peaceful…it really allows me to put things into perspective, to see them in a different light. To gain clarity, one might say.”

“If this is about my relationship with Vie, don’t waste your breath,
” Gabriel said condescendingly. “I’m not interested in your feedback.”

Camulus laughed hard and loud at
that.

“You find humor in my words
?” Gabe asked, looking suspiciously at him.

“Oh
, Gabriel, what I find humorous is your lack of understanding regarding the infinite realms of one’s soul. You want to believe there is one relationship in your existence that’s beyond betrayal. A relationship that’s beyond that kind of hurt. And there isn’t. True, we don’t harbor all the emotions in our souls that humans do, but we’re not devoid of them, either.

“
You are one who tries to hold others to standards to which they cannot possibly measure up. The highest standards of honor and dignity—those are rare, even here in our world. Your expectations of greatness have left you disenchanted and bitter, Gabriel. You need to understand that Violet made a mistake—” Camulus stated.

“I would rather my enemy's sword pierce my heart
than my friend's dagger stab me in the back. Violet stabbed me in the back. She betrayed me! She did not make a mistake. Guardians don’t make mistakes—humans do!” he thundered in anger at Camulus.

“Yes, my son…
HUMANS make mistakes,” Camulus said, alerting him to Violet’s bloodline. “Anyone can be betrayed, but everyone deserves to be forgiven.” He put his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder.

“I’ll leave you to your thoughts,” he said
, and walked away.

Gabriel
had been unprepared for the thought-provoking lecture delivered by his friend. He had not considered Vie’s DNA; until now, he had only thought of her as a Guardian. Camulus’ challenging hypothesis gave Gabriel something to think about. He had to decide if her human inadequacies were enough of a reason to consider forgiveness, a notion that until now he could not have even conceived.

For the first time, Gabriel was torn
. He wasn’t convinced any longer that his anger was warranted, but he wasn’t willing to forgive, either. There was a battle brewing in his soul, a conflict between two very powerful emotions for Vie: anger and love.

Chapter Fifteen

Return of the Songbird

“Come on
, Vie, let’s get you home,” Carter said, taking her hand to lead the way.

Vie was amazed at how wonderfully comforting it felt to hear Carter say the word
‘home.’ She thought about it for a minute and was moved by its simplicity…
where we love is home
. Vie’s love was now and would always be with Carter Stone. She was happy to finally be where she belonged.

Her content
ment in the moment, however, was overshadowed by the realization of what she had done to Gabriel. She knew it was only a matter of time before he would discover she was gone and would come looking for her. Vie felt horrible for leaving the way she did, but she felt compelled to finish what she’d started: her mission with her sister.

“Where’s your gear?” Vie asked him.

“Don’t have any.”

“Then how are we going to get down
? Fly?” she asked, hopeful that Carter may have gotten his wings.

“Not exactly,” he replied
, somewhat evasive.

“Then how?” she said perplexed.

Carter took Vie by the hand and walked her to the other side of the Tower. To Vie’s surprise, there sat a massive brown grizzly bear, lying under a ridge of rimrock protruding over the top of the Tower.

The bear looked up at Vie with gentle eyes. There seemed to be some recognition between the two of them
, and Carter was perplexed by it, but he approached the bear, ready to mount.  Without warning, the bear rose on its hind legs, growling ferociously at him. He fell back, startled by the bear’s quick and very unexpected actions.

Vie
, on the other hand, was not at all frightened by the sudden movement of the bear; in fact, her reaction was quite the opposite. When it had stood, she saw a very distinctive marking: a large mass of white fur on the bear’s belly that she remembered well. This was the same bear she’d saved from being shot by the poachers that day at the ranch. It nuzzled up to Vie, lovingly rubbing its furry head against her leg.

“Boy,” Carter said
, “he didn’t take to me so quickly.”

“That’s because HE is a SHE and
we girls have to stick together,” Vie said with a smile while scratching the top of the bear’s head.

“Okay
, Pocahontas, tell your new friend we need to go. And see if he—I mean she—would be willing to get us down from here,” Carter said, smirking at the two of them cuddling up together.

“Well, I’ll ask her
, but first she needs a name. Hmmm, what should we call you?” Vie said, pondering with a finger on her chin.

“How about Grumpy Bear
?” he replied, laughing.

The bear looked at Carter and growled
fiercely again.

“I guess she
doesn’t like that name,” he said, backing away.

Vie just gave Carter
a look of disapproval. “Now is that any way to thank her for assisting you, Carter? And how on earth did the two of you manage to join forces?” Vie wondered, noticing the not-so-cohesive relationship between them.

“Not sure
, really, Carter thought about it for a moment. “Actually, I was at my wits’ end trying to climb the Tower. Just as I was about to give up, she appeared.”

Hmm
, Vie thought. Aloud, she said, “So I guess you could say she’s a gift?”

“I guess so.”

“She is, Carter! Gabriel was right: your abilities are limitless!”

“You got that from this?” Carter pointed to the bear.

“Yes, I did. Don’t you see, Carter? This gift of communing with nature you have is like showing you that you’ll always be taken care of…you’ll always be safe. He’s showing you His promise to you and He used her to do it.

“I have a name for her.
How about…Bella?” she said, knowing it meant “God’s promise” and feeling it was a perfect fit.

“Bella?
I like it!” Carter smiled at Vie’s enthusiasm.

The bear came down on all fours and rubbed her elongated nose against Vie.

“I think she likes it!” Vie said, laughing as Bella’s wet nose tickled her arm. “Come on, Bella, let’s go home!”

Vie climbed aboard first and signaled to Carter to mount behind her. Bella followed him with her eyes
, studying him carefully, looking out for Vie and protecting her as if she were her cub. The bear remembered how Vie had saved her and her cubs that day, not so long ago, and was forever in her debt. She considered Vie a part of her family now, another cub she would give her life to protect.

Carter couldn’t help but think that even the animals loved her. He laughed inside
, thinking perhaps she was more like Snow White than Pocahontas.

“Go
, Bella!” Carter shouted, but Bella didn’t move an inch.

Then Vie leaned into her giant head and said
, “Take us home, girl,” and Bella began her descent down the Tower.

Carter wrapped
an arm around Vie’s waist and gently swept her hair off her shoulder with his other hand. He put his warm, soft lips on the back of her neck, kissing it repeatedly. Then he whispered in her ear, his voice velvety, “You like being in charge, don’t you?”

She simply
gave a suggestive smile and a wink, “Not always.”

The remainder of the ride was mostly silent, the two of them simply enjoying being together.
They arrived safely back on the lower ground, and Vie thanked Bella with a warm hug and a rub on her nose before sending her away.

The bear
headed back to the forest, but not before turning around one last time to look at Carter. Her eyes narrowed as if she were warning him to take care of Vie or else she’d be back to take care of him.

“Did you see that?” Carter asked Vie. “That look?”
He pointed at Bella and her threatening glance.

Vie just laughed at his silly insinuations and they started their journey back to the reservation.

“So, tell me about Vivian. How did you know she was my sister?” Vie asked.

Carter started at the beginning
, leaving no detail out about how and when he discovered that she and Vivian were twins. As he explained how Tess had helped him get medical records from her father’s office, Vie stopped him mid-sentence.

“Tess? Why would you let that she-devil help you do anything?” she questioned, appearing a little jealous.

“I needed her,” Carter quickly noticed he was in hot water. “I mean, I needed the medical records,” he instantly corrected himself.

Vie crossed her arms,
drew her brows together and bit her lower lip. Not a happy look by anyone’s standards.

Uh oh
, Carter thought. He grabbed Vie by her waist and pulled her in close to him. With their bodies pressing tightly against one another, hip to hip, nose to nose, he looked at her, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Don’t you know by now, Vie? You’re the only girl I want,” he said before kissing her.

“I’m not jealous
. I just don’t trust her.” She clarified her position regarding Tess, trying to look as not-jealous as possible.

“I know, and
I don’t, either, but Tess was different for some reason. She was genuinely trying to help me and she didn’t want anything in return. Well,” he corrected himself, “that’s what I thought at first, but the day Vivian died, she was back to her old self. It didn’t make any sense. She acted like she had no memory of helping me at her dad’s office with the records. It was like she was someone else for a little while—very short-lived. Anyway, I didn’t have time to play games with her. I just wanted to get to the hospital to see Vivian.”

Vie was listening to Carter talk, but something didn’t feel right. Her instincts were telling her there was more to the Tess thing
, and she was stuck on it. Out of nowhere it came to her, and she shouted, “Oh my God, it wasn’t Tess!”

“What?” Carter asked
. “I have no clue what you’re talking about. What wasn’t Tess?”

“The person who helped you
: it wasn’t Tess!” she said with a smile, pleased that she had it all figured out.

“What are you talking about?” he asked
again, completely confused now.

“Remember the night of the dance?” Vie
began.

“I’d like to forget it
, actually,” Carter said.

“It was Tess who took me to the Tower that night. She told me you were there
, and that you wanted to talk to me. She said there was an entrance at the base, and pointed in the direction I should go. She said something like, ‘Carter’s waiting for you, so hurry,’ and then she sped off. And it was Tess who wanted you to find the truth…”

Vie was going somewhere with all of this, Carter could see it. She had that look on her face, the one where if she thought about it just a little harder the answers would come to her.

Vie thought back to Tess’ behavior, and the way she challenged Vie every chance she got, just like Fallon did back at the Gates. “Wait a minute,” she said, conjuring up a very clear image of Tess in her mind.

Suddenly it
must have clicked; even Carter could see the light bulb as it went on in Vie’s pretty little head.

“It was Fallon,” she announced in disbelief.

“I don’t understand. Who is Fallon?” Carter asked.

“Fallon is a Guardian.
A very smart, manipulative Guardian,” she said. Her voice was calm but her words were unsettling.

Vie continued to explain to Carter why she believed Fallon had merged into Tess. She said she
hadn’t realized until now just how angry Fallon had been when Vie took her place on the mission. Vie hadn’t thought Fallon would jeopardize everyone’s safety just to satisfy her own ego, but she was beginning to see just how very wrong she was about Fallon and the lengths she would go to get what she wanted. She told Carter that they’d never really gotten along and that Fallon was always competing with her, especially when Gabriel was around. It all started to make sense to both of them: Fallon was not to be trusted.

“Vie, do you think Fallon was the one who betrayed the Guardians?” Carter asked.

“I don’t know, Carter, but I wouldn’t rule it out,” she said with an ache in her gut.

All Vie wanted to do was to run to Gabriel with
the information about Fallon, but she couldn’t. It was then that she realized what she’d left behind at the Gates: her very best friend. A strange feeling came over her, almost like the one she’d felt when she was without Carter.

There was a special spot in her soul reserved only for Gabriel
, and now that spot was just an empty, aching void. Her decision to leave the Gates would undoubtedly have unforeseeable consequences of disastrous proportions for which neither of them could have prepared. Although Vie knew she would see him again, she knew it would be because he would come for her under very different circumstances. The decision she’d made would now send Gabriel out not as her friend, but as a warrior on a mission to stop her.

T
hey had to make a plan and make it fast if she wanted to save her sister.

Carter and Vie continued walking through the forest
, filling each other in on what they had both learned while they’d been separated. She asked him again to tell her how he’d discovered she and Vivian were twins.

He was surprised that
she had uncovered the same facts he had.
Or did she?
he wondered. As Vie continued to talk about meeting her mother, and how Lily had told her she had the power to save her sister, Carter realized Vie didn’t have the entire story.

How could he tell her that her mom believed she was
born evil? He watched her face glow as she spoke about having a mother, and about Henry being her father, and he knew he didn’t have the heart to tell her everything, at least not at the moment. If she asked, Carter wouldn’t be able to lie to her, but it didn’t mean he had to give full disclosure, either. He still wasn’t sure about many things regarding Vie’s life, but there was one thing of which he was sure: he knew he was born to be with her.

“So how did you find out about me and Vivian?” she asked.

“Believe it or not, from my mom,” he replied.

“Katherine? How?
When?” Her questions came in quick succession.

“My mom was there when you were born. She helped deliver you, with the
help of the Chief, on the reservation,” he said, hoping she wouldn’t ask for details.

Carter could see Vie
was deep in thought about it. Then she began to ask more of the hard questions, as he’d expected.

“So,
why was I left on the reservation? Did your mom tell you?” she asked.

“She said Lily was sick,
and she was seeing images—evil images—and was afraid of you,” he started, choosing his words carefully so as not to hurt her.

“Afraid? Well
, what about Henry? Was he afraid, too?” Vie questioned, trying to understand the complications of her mother’s situation.