“Alex, did you really think I didn’t notice all of the things that have been going on with you. Did you really think I was that oblivious?” he said. She thought about denying it but he didn’t seem upset, just resigned. She nodded her head slowly because it still hurt to move it. “I knew the truth about you before we moved. The Guardianship approached me and told me that you were in danger.”

  “The Guardianship approached you? With the truth about me? And you didn’t think they were crazy?” Alex found this hard to believe. Her father didn’t even believe in God, and now she was expected to believe that he had accepted without question her destiny to be a demon hunter. Not likely.

  “I definitely thought they were crazy.” Her dad laughed, the first laugh she had heard from him in a very long time. “I still do. But part of me also knew that they were right.”

  “You knew about Mom, didn’t you?” It all made sense now. The folder he kept on her death was proof that he knew she wasn’t just a random victim. She had told him the truth about herself, and maybe even the truth about Alex. After she had died, her dad had tried to protect her, and when the time came that he couldn’t protect her anymore, he let the Guardianship take over and move them to Provenance.

  “I knew from the very beginning. I didn’t believe her at first, of course,” her dad said with a sad smile. “But your mother could be very persuasive.”

  “They killed her because they were looking for me.” Alex fought against a wave of guilt and she felt her lower lip quivering slightly.

  “Yes.” Her dad leaned over and spoke urgently. “But it wasn’t your fault. She died keeping her family safe, like any mother would do.”

  Alex knew that what he said was true but it didn’t stop her from feeling responsible for her death. And now that she had allowed the barrier to be weakened, Alex was probably going to die anyway and her mother’s death would be in vain.

  “I have to leave now to pick up your brother. You’ll be okay?” Dad was looking at her with concern.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine, Dad.” She wasn’t just trying to convince him, she was trying to convince herself. He planted a kiss on her forehead before he left and she relished the quiet after he was gone.

  She had a lot to think about: she had inadvertently allowed demons to cross over to Earth; those demons were likely hunting Alex; her very existence could endanger everyone she loved; her blood could be used to open the gates of hell; her mother had also been a Warrior and she was killed protecting Alex. And now on top of all of that, her father had known the truth from the very beginning.

  She was still in deep pondering mode when Josh stopped by an hour later. He walked with a discernible limp and he had a black eye and a busted lip but that didn’t stop him from smiling.

  “You look like crap, Garretty,” he said as he pulled up a chair next to her bed.

  “No thanks to you,” she snapped. Josh probably had good reasons for not telling her that he knew she was a Paladin but she was still mad he had kept it from her.

  Josh at least had the good sense to look remorseful. “Yeah… sorry about that.”

  She crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest and pretended to ignore him. She was beginning to realize that no matter how angry Josh made her, she couldn’t stop herself from being glad to see him.

  “Alex, stop pouting,” Josh said with a sigh. “You know you love having me around.”

  “Get over yourself,” she said, annoyed at herself for being so transparent. “But seriously, Josh, if you are going to be a part of my life you’ve got to stop lying to me. By withholding the truth about me, you almost got me killed.”

  Josh sat up straight in his chair. “You’re right. I should have told you. I thought I was protecting you but instead I left you vulnerable to attack. It won’t happen again.”

  Alex surveyed him carefully. His eyes lacked their usual mirth and she could tell that he meant what he said. She said, “Okay. Good.”

  “Friends?” he asked.

  “Friends.” They shook on it and Josh seemed relieved that she had let him off the hook so easily.

  Daniel arrived a little later, bogged down with schoolbooks and presents. “Oh wonderful. Josh is here,” he said as he sat the books next to her on the bed. The look he gave Josh was pure hostility. “Thought you might want these so you don’t fall too far behind.”

  “Wow, homework. Just what I need to feel better.” She took the books and tossed them onto the table and out of sight. Daniel took it as an invitation to sit next to her on the bed.

  “I also brought you this,” he said as he handed her a small gift bag. She eyed him skeptically and peered into the bag.

  “Much better,” she told him. Inside the bag was a collection of candy that even Willy Wonka would envy. Daniel said nothing and she realized that he was still staring down Josh. On the other side of her, Josh was holding Daniel’s gaze and she could feel the tension in the room growing.

  “At ease, soldiers,” she ordered them and Daniel finally turned his gaze to her. “We’re all on the same side, remember?”

  “What I remember is how he almost got you killed,” Daniel said and Alex saw that his hands were clenched tightly.

  “I’d say that’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Josh said, equally angry. “If you had been doing your job, she never would have made it to that church alone.”

  “She never would have gone at all if it wasn’t for you,” Daniel countered. “Her life is in danger now, because of you.”

  Josh scoffed and he raised his voice, “You blame me for all of this. I didn’t make her a Warrior, and I didn’t make her a Paladin. But I have helped her and made her stronger. You know that, and it bugs you because you want to be her protector. You think that if you keep her close to you, you can save her.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Daniel said but his voice quavered.

  “Yeah, I do. Because I used to be you.” Josh stood up. “I used to think that I could protect her but I was wrong. She doesn’t need to be protected from her destiny; she needs to be prepared for it.”

  Josh left the room in a hurry. Daniel and Alex sat in silence for a while, Josh’s words still echoing in their heads. Alex could feel a pounding beginning deep inside her brain and she rubbed her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut.

  “You should get some rest,” Daniel said quietly. He hadn’t looked in her direction since Josh’s departure. “I should go.”

  “No!” Instinctively she reached out and grabbed Daniel’s arm just as he was about to stand up. “Please, stay. Just for a little while.”

  She scooted over further on the bed, giving him more room. He paused for a second and then settled in more comfortably next to her. “Okay. Just for a while.”

  “Talk to me,” she instructed him. The sound of his voice was soothing.

  “About what?”

  “Anything.” He began talking about his day at school and Alex closed her eyes and leaned her head on his shoulder. He stopped talking briefly, but then started again. She was still confused about their relationship and she had no idea what Daniel thought about their make out session in his bedroom, but just being with him was enough for now.

  She could feel sleep pulling her down and she gave into it. It wasn’t long before the nightmares came. She was being bled over an altar and the demons were marching through the barrier. Her family was there and the demons slaughtered them as she looked on helplessly. Josh and Daniel were there, too, fighting the demons but they were losing. Just as one of the demons was turning Daniel’s sword against him, Alex woke up with a scream. Her heart was racing and she felt a cold sweat on her forehead.

  “It’s okay, Alex. You’re okay. I’m right here.” Daniel was still next to her on the bed and he wrapped his arms around her. She breathed deeply to calm her heart and buried her face in Daniel’s chest. The dream had felt so real, more like one of her visions than a nightmare. She had been powerless, unable to save the people she loved.

  She could hear Daniel’s strong heart beat, and his chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Alex, on the other hand, was a sweaty, panting mess after a silly nightmare. Some Warrior she had turned out to be. If a demon found her in this state, she would be dead before she could raise a hand to fight it.

  Josh might not have been right about Daniel’s true intentions, but she realized that she had been depending too much on Daniel to protect her. And Josh was right when he said that she didn’t need to be protected, she needed to be prepared. Prepared to fight and prepared to die.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Alex spent two more days in the hospital recovering from her injuries. She spent another week recovering at home. In all that time, she was hardly ever alone. Her dad took a few days off of work to stay with her and when he had to go back, Josh volunteered his services. Her dad hadn’t exactly been thrilled that Alex had broken the rules and contacted Josh but he didn’t mind having another person looking out for his daughter. He even found a way to explain Josh’s presence to Madelyn and Sam in a way that invited minimal questioning from them.

  Daniel came over every day after school and Lily stopped by almost as often. The school was told that Alex had suffered serious injuries and was at risk for infection so Cadence and Baxter kept their distance but made daily phone calls to check in. It was all getting to be a little too much for Alex.

  “There’s no way. It’s just not possible to simultaneously kill six people,” Josh said in disbelief while munching on a handful of chips. Alex was wedged between him and Daniel on the couch watching a poorly made kung fu movie. The two of them were currently playing a game where neither of them would leave as long as the other one stayed. They were on their third movie of the night.

  “It’s a movie. It’s not real.” Daniel sighed loudly and Alex yawned for at least the twentieth time. “And anyway, I have no doubt that move is possible.”

  “Oh, really? Would you like to prove it?” Josh put down the bag of chips.

  “Boys. Really?” She was growing more annoyed with both of them with each passing minute. “First, that was a string of shots put together to make it look like a seamless maneuver. Second, that move can be done, but not by either of you. And third, you guys really need to leave or I’m going to show you just how possible that move is by using it on you.”

  Josh and Daniel exchanged a look. “Alright. Point taken.” Daniel said. He got to his feet and Josh quickly followed. She walked them both to the door and almost slammed it in their faces as they left. She waited until she heard their cars start and then she shuffled down the hallway toward the stairs. Just as she had climbed the first step she heard a soft knock at the door. Alex opened it wearily and found Josh standing on the porch with a goofy grin on his face.

  “What now?” she asked, unable to hide her lack of enthusiasm.

  “I need to talk to you about something,” Josh said seriously. He glanced over her shoulder. “Can you come out here?”

  “Fine.” She stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind her. Her family was upstairs in bed, where she wished she was. Alex took a seat on the questionable porch swing and pulled her legs up to her chin. “What’s up?”

  Josh leaned on the railing across from her with his hands in his pockets. “I’m leaving town.”

  “What? Why?” Even though he had been driving her crazy lately she didn’t relish the thought of him leaving.

  “There are some things I need to take care of back in New York. I’ve been putting it off for too long, and now’s a good time for me to go.”

  “Why now?” She could feel a tightness building in her chest. She hadn’t realized how attached she had gotten to him in his short time in Provenance.

  “Alex, you’ve got this whole life here. This life that doesn’t include me anymore.” He looked at her with sad eyes.

  “That’s not true.”

  “Yes, it is.” Josh came and sat next to her on the swing. “You have school to finish and you’ve got your friends. The Guardianship needs you and so does your family. And whether I like it or not, you have Daniel. Your life is full and you don’t need me hanging around, taking up space.”

  “Josh, no. It’s not like that at all. I need you here.” She grabbed one of his hands and squeezed it tightly in hers.

  “No, you don’t. You think you do, but you don’t.” Josh gave her a sad smile. “You were doing just fine without me. I’m not sorry I came. It was so good to see you again and spend time with you. But now it’s time for both of us to get back to our lives.”

  She wanted to protest but she knew that he was right. On Monday, Alex would be going back to school and she wouldn’t have much time for him. She also knew that he had obligations back in New York and it wasn’t right for her to make him stay. “I’m going to miss the crap out of you, you know that right?”

  “Ditto.” Josh laughed and messed up her hair. “I’ll come back and visit. I promise. And you know if you ever need me, for anything, all you have to do is call.”

  They hugged then, and Alex gripped him with all of her strength. Josh held on gently so as not to hurt her already fragile body.

  “Promise me one thing,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Anything,” she said.

  “Don’t ever forget who you are. You are a strong, smart, capable, loving and perfect human being. You are Alex Garretty, and don’t ever forget that.”

  “I won’t,” she promised him, even though she wasn’t quite sure what he meant. When he finally let go, neither of them said goodbye. They looked at one another meaningfully and he tossed her one last toothy smile. She stayed on the swing long after his car had disappeared down the road.

  She slept poorly that night and woke up in a bad mood. She missed Josh already and hated the thought of not seeing him for months. Alex also knew that she had to find a way to keep her promise to him. She headed out to take care of some errands and it felt good to rejoin the rest of society. She spent the rest of the day pouting in her room. Daniel called a few times but Alex ignored him. Sometimes misery just isn’t in the mood for company.

  A knock on her door pulled her from her depressed stupor. “What are you doing here?” she asked Cadence in surprise. Cadence was weighed down by various bundles and bags. She marched into Alex’s room and dumped everything on her bed.

  “Your dad let me in,” she said, as if that explained everything. She started emptying the bags.

  “Is that a dress?” Alex was suddenly very suspicious.

  “Look, Ally. You’ve been avoiding your life ever since the accident. Daniel called me earlier and he’s really worried about you.” Cadence dug into one of the smaller bags and brandished a curling iron. “He mentioned that you are healed and will be back in school on Monday so I don’t see any reason why you can’t go to the dance tonight.”

  “Crap. Is tonight prom?” Alex had completely forgotten that normal teenage life had continued while she was recovering at home.

  “It is.” Cadence produced a pair of shoes with alarmingly tall heels.

  “Are you still going with Bax?” Alex hadn’t been surprised a couple of weeks earlier when Cadence had admitted that she and Bax were becoming more than just friends. “I’m not tagging along to prom as a third wheel.”

  “You won’t be a third wheel. I found you a date.” Cadence grinned. “One I think you will like.”

  “You and Bax are my only friends at school so I have no idea-” But suddenly Alex knew exactly who Cadence meant. “You said you talked to Daniel this morning?”

  Cadence’s cheeks flushed pink. “Okay, so this was all his idea. Like I said, he’s worried about you and he was afraid if he asked you himself you would say no.” Cadence glanced at Alex shyly. “Is everything okay with you two?”

  “Sure.” Alex wasn’t sure if that was a lie. She and Daniel had spent zero time alone together since she had left the hospital so they hadn’t exactly had a lot of time to discuss their relationship. “I don’t think this is a good idea, Cade.”

  “Well too bad because I’m not giving you a choice.” Cadence held up a dress and danced it in front of Alex. “Perfect for you, yes?”

  Alex had to agree that Cadence had picked the perfect dress. It was long and sleek, a brilliant sapphire shade of blue that looked great against her skin tone and dark hair. Once Alex saw her reflection in the mirror, she stopped protesting. “Fine, I will go for a little while but I’m still not fully recovered so I might need to come home early.”

  “Whatever you say,” Cadence said with a knowing smile. She finished perfecting Alex’s look with hair and makeup before getting ready herself. Alex watched Cadence float around the room and wondered what she had done to deserve such a good friend.

  When the doorbell rang, Alex actually felt a flutter in her stomach. Her dad let the guys in while Cadence and Alex attempted to get down the stairs without tripping. Bax looked like his usual self in a gray suit with a light pink shirt and bright pink tie with his hair sticking out in every direction. On anyone else the look would have been comical, but Bax pulled it off.

  “Looking good, Ally,” Baxter said after he had provided the requisite compliments to his date. Alex grinned but her smile started to falter as she looked around the room.

  “Bax, where’s Daniel?” Cadence looked worried.

  Baxter busied himself with picking imaginary lint off his suit jacket. “He texted me about an hour ago and said something came up so he’s going to meet us at the dance.”

  Alex tried not to panic. Daniel wouldn’t flake on her, she was sure of that. But if something had come up with the Guardianship, he wouldn’t be able to flake on them either. When it came to Daniel she wasn’t sure what version of him got priority- Daniel the guy or Daniel the Guardian.

  The dance was being held in the ballroom of the nicest hotel in town and when they pulled into the parking lot it was a sea of sharply dressed teens but Daniel was nowhere to be seen. Alex’s inner teenage girl wondered if everyone was staring at her and judging her for getting stood up; Alex’s inner Warrior was plotting what Karate move to use on Daniel next time she saw him.

 

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