Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (the lemonade war series .TXT) 📖

did I do?”
“You helped reacquaint the Crusaders.” I told him. “You put your feelings for me aside to get Derrick and I back together again. If it weren’t for you, we may still be trapped in time.”
He didn’t say anything, playing with the necklace.
“Look at me.”
He continued to look away.
“As your Young Guardian, I order you to look at me.” I told him sternly.
He did so, and frowned at me.
“Panther Grey, you were a special guy in my life while you were alive, and you are an even more special Companion now.” I told him.
“I’m not special, Ariana, and you know it.” Panther began. “I’m just a guy looking out for his Young Guardian. That’s it.”
“No, that’s not it.” I showed him the dream-catcher he had given me shortly before I’d left to meet my family. “Do you remember this?”
He stared at it, taking it in his hands. “Not really.”
Of all the things he’d done for me in his life, he’d forgotten one of the most important things.
I had to do it. I took his hand with my free one, and the necklace in the other. Closing my eyes, I put the scene in his mind of when he gave it to me. I made sure to include all of the things he’d felt when he gave it to me.
He gasped and pulled his hand away angrily. “Never do that to me again.” He growled, hissing. His gray eyes turned a very vicious yellow, and I stepped back.
“I had no choice, Panther. You know that.” I told him. “I had to make you remember.”
He scowled at me. “Why now? Why remind me of my horrible Earthbound existence?”
I didn’t know why, but I quickly came up with something.
“To help you grow.” I said simply.
“What?” He asked.
“When I first reunited with Kelly, I was made to remember all the horrid things I’d gone through in my own childhood.” I told him. “I had to learn to forgive myself for things I could not control. You couldn’t control the fact you were adopted. You couldn’t control the fact Caroline and Bonnie Marie fought.”
He was silent, listening.
“As much as you think, you couldn’t have stopped both Marie and Father Parker from dying.” I said softly. “It was destiny. Bonnie Marie had to die, Mark.” I used his Earthbound name, to get him to remember the times. “If she hadn’t died, none of this would be happening right now.”
“I just wish I could’ve done something.” Panther whispered.
What amazed me was his black panther exterior was changing. His fur turned and he was human once again. Black hair, black eyes, pale skin. Mark Samuel Grey had returned, even if for a short while.
Panther-Mark looked at me with tears in his eyes. “I loved her when I wasn’t supposed to.”
I felt for him, and hugged him while I let his tears flow. Tears clouded my eyes, too.
I was making a difference in a new Companion’s life, just as I have been doing with my own three children.
His tears died down, with him changing back once again. I don’t think he noticed the change, though, and I wasn’t about to say anything to him until he brought it up first.
Panther looked at me once the tears disappeared. He hugged me tight. “Thank you, Young Guardian.”
I shrugged, sniffing back my own tears. “I didn’t do anything.”
He nodded his head, insistent. “Yes, you did.”
“What did I do?” I asked him.
He smiled a smile I would never forget. It was loving, caring and compassionate at the same time.
“You helped me grow.” Panther whispered, a tiny smile sneaking on his lips.

III
I returned home to my cozy, warm bed next to Derrick. I felt echoes of tears slip off my nose and on to my pillow.
Derrick stirred beside me. Through the Pendant, he felt my arousal.
“What’s wrong, Love?” He whispered into my ear.
I turned to him and tried to grin. “Nothing, darling. Go back to sleep.”
Without arguing, he kissed me and turned around once again.
I got out of bed and slipped my glasses on my face.
First, I headed to Kelly’s room, where she was sound asleep. Or, at least, I thought she was. I heard her talking aloud, and understood her words.
“I love you, Momma.”
It may have been a grumble, but I’d heard it loud and clear. “I love you, too.” I whispered, sending her the telepathic message as I closed the door behind me.
The house was quiet, and all that could be heard was the ticking of the old Grandfather Clock downstairs in the hallway.
I tiptoed to the twins’ room, barely making a sound as I walked in to check on them.
Mark-Antony, who never really slept well anyway, was fast asleep. At last.
Andrew, once he heard the door click open, snapped his eyes awake. He sat up, not making a sound in order not to disturb his brother.
He looked at me with his silver-blue eyes. I picked him up. “What’s up, my Andrew James?” I whispered, taking him out and sitting on the rocker with him.
To my surprise, I heard his little voice in my mind.
So many things, Mother.
So, my first son was telepathic too?
“Where did you learn to do that?” I asked him softly.
From you. I have your Magic.
“Of course, you’re part Mystic yourself.” I whispered. “How long have you known?”
Since I was born. Mark doesn’t like it, but I find it fun.
I grinned, kissing him on the cheek and hugging him. “Andrew James, we both have a lot to learn.”
Good night, Mother. He sent as he closed his eyes and began to suck his thumb.
I held him close to my chest and shut my own eyes.
In moments, I was asleep with Andrew in my arms. It felt good to know I was somebody’s mother.
Story #3
New Friends and Magic

An entire month goes by, and life begins to return to normal. Each night, O’Dell beckoned me to his Castle for my own Guardianship training. There was a lot more to learn than I ever imagined. Being the Young Guardian was only going to get harder, but it was worth it. I cared a lot for the Young Dreamers of the world, and the Dream Realm’s Companions were slowly getting used to me being in charge, at times when O’Dell couldn’t. I was beginning to gain the respect of all Dream Realm Companions, whether old Dominionites, or Provincials, or from Lord Maximaniac’s domain, the Grey Area.
In the Outer Realm, the real world, I was getting into the routine of being a mother, housewife, night school student, sister, aunt, and best friend. My life had always been full of ups and downs, but marriage had definitely taught me a few things more. Kelly and Bradley stuck together like glue, once adding Kelly’s new best friend, Cara Richardson, in on her little secret. She was never alone, and that made me happy. Derrick was now a full-fledged Police Cadet-in-training with Shane at the Hill View Police Academy, taking part-time positions as officers with the city’s own department. Knowing what detecting and policing was all about, I wondered about my husband sometimes. I knew he could take care of himself, because he’d often done some excruciating things to take care of me so long ago.
Aaron was offered a position with my father at Reading Industries. Father would teach him all he needed to know about electrical repair, and the best part of it all, Aaron really enjoyed working with the computers! When I saw what he was doing at the plant in Raleigh, a town near Hill View, I couldn’t believe my eyes. All the technology was enough to make Chips and Jamie at the System faint! They’d be in heaven!
So far, the only neighbors that had really come over were my own sister and the twins, Aimee and Aaron. I didn’t mind, but was terribly lonely. I wanted to meet new people, do exciting new things, go places and learn lots of cool stuff. The only thing I had to keep me sane, besides my own children, were the nightly classes at the University. I was majoring in Teaching with a minor in Human Psychology. The textbooks alone were enough to make my head spin, but I loved learning it all. My photographic-memory was improving, and I no longer had to use it to remember things. Instead, I studied how the human mind worked in its many mysterious ways, just by studying late at night.
One night in particular, I had just begun my Psychology homework when I heard the doorbell ring. My head was hurting anyway from studying it so hard, I decided to take a break and answer it.
When I opened the door, I saw a couple, standing with their three children.
I blinked my eyes, just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.
“Hello, may I help you?” I asked them.
The light-brown-haired woman spoke up. The air about her reminded me of a younger Evelyn Reading. Style and sophistication. I got a quick empathic sense, telling me she was harmless, and sweet to boot. “I’m sorry we never got a chance to introduce ourselves when you first moved in.” She held her hand out to me, and I took it. “I’m Alicia Edwards. This is my husband Corwin, and our children,” she pointed to the older girl, with big brown eyes and curly chocolate-brown hair. “Our oldest, Cassandra,” she tapped the two younger children. To me, they looked like Aaron and Aimee, except their hair was darker. “And our twins, Steven and Elizabeth.”
“Come in, Mrs. Edwards.” I replied, nervous already. “I’m Ariana Reading. My husband Derrick and daughter Kelly aren’t home right now. My one-year-old twin boys are sleeping in the nursery.” I escorted them in, shutting the door behind me.
Nothing about them told me they had anything against me, or my family. That, in itself, was odd.
I cleared my throat. “Would you like something to drink?”
Mr. Edwards looked at his wife, then back at me. “No thanks. I have but one request.”
I stared at him, his green eyes covered by eyeglasses, auburn-sun-shone-hair thinning and graying in some areas. “Yes, sir?”
To my surprise, he smiled. “Call me Cory, and my wife, Alicia. I find it hard to greet new neighbors by our surnames alone.”
I smiled. “No problem.” I began to relax, and turned to the children. “How old are you?”
Cassandra, with her curly hair in a ponytail, snapped her gum at me, and then smiled. “I’m eleven.”
Little Steven stared at me, amazed for some reason. “Lizzie and I are eight.”
Eight? “Do either of you know my daughter, Kelly Reading?”
Steven smiled, nodding. “She’s weird, but funny.”
“She’s amazing, and pretty.” Elizabeth repeated after her brother. “So are you.”
I laughed with my hand on my chest. “Why, thank you. You’re a pretty girl yourself.”
Elizabeth blushed, and curtseyed. “Thank you, Ma’am.”
Alicia laughed. “That’s enough, Elizabeth.” She looked at me with the kindest of eyes. Her whole face lit up with joy. “We would have come over bearing gifts of one of my famous casseroles, but I hadn’t had the time.”
“That’s okay.” I told her. “Mother left me plenty of recipes to work with. Besides that, I have a whole cookbook of ideas in my head, just waiting to come out.”
“Wouldn’t that be messy, Momma?” I heard Kelly’s voice from behind the Edwards’.
I looked up and smiled. “No, Kelly. Come here, please.”
She obeyed, and saw the younger twins. As usual, Bradley was with her. “Hey, Steve, Lizzie.” She supplied. “Wanna play in my room