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

inseparable since we met. Together, we make a pretty explosive pair, no matter what we’re fighting against.”
Luna smiled at that, her anger slowly disappearing.
I turned back to Aaron, who continued to stare at us. “As for you, we have to do something about your necklace before it destroys us all.”
“What does the necklace have to do with it?” Luna asked.
So she hadn’t overheard our conversation.
“Luna, you told me you saw it glow. Right?” I asked, and she nodded. “Well, I saw it in my vision, too. It has a bit of Dark Magic in it. We have to get rid of it somehow.”
I took both my twin’s hand and Aaron’s with each of my own. “Together, as a team. Understood?”
They looked at each other, then at me. We hugged, with them chorusing. “Yes, my Young Guardian.”
I groaned and rolled my eyes. Their spirits were returning to normal, slowly but surely.

II

I’d sent both Luna and Aaron home soon afterward, to calm down and think of a plan of attack for whatever the Dark Magic had in store. My Earthbound life was exciting, there was no question about that, and the PTA meetings became a more on-going thing. People were more generous with their pleasant thoughts of “The Woods.”
Derrick and I headed out the door with our children to attend a special gathering of all residents of Hill View Schools. Mr. Farthay, my Psychology teacher, told me about the annual bash usually called “Getting-To-Know-You Dinner.” All parents and their children attending Hill View’s new schools would gather to acquaint themselves with the rest of the city’s parents. There would be fun, games, dancing, and a special dinner.
It was more than that for me. For me, it would signal a very special turnaround in one of Hill View’s own young mothers. I wanted to show them I was harmless. I would hopefully become an advisor in the end, helping them no matter what troubles they may have.
“Are you sure you want to do this, Love?” Derrick asked, grabbing both our coats. Kelly helped her brothers with theirs.
I nodded. “Derrick, I have to show them I’m harmless, despite empty rumors. I want to be accepted by the city of Hill View, so I’d better stick up for myself.”
He sighed. “Come on then, let’s go. We don’t want to be late.”
He picked up his sons and we were on our way, as a family. It was time to show the city just who Ariana Moon Sister-Woods-Reading truly was.
I held the hand of both my daughter and husband as we entered the Hill View Elementary Auditorium. The commotion of people talking and laughing ended when they saw us.
“Why does everyone stare at us, Momma?” Kelly was brave enough to ask.
How to answer her?
“They don’t understand us yet, Kelly.” I told her, receiving a hand squeeze from Derrick. “That’s all.”
I snuck a look at my husband, who was smiling with his younger son under his other arm. I had Andrew in a carrier on my chest. The boys were quiet, fortunately.
“They don’t know our secret, do they?” Kelly asked.
Who knew a child of eight would have so many questions?
“In a way, yes, and no.” I told her. She looked at me strangely. Before she could open her mouth to ask anything else, I spoke up. “Let’s find a place to sit. I have a feeling it’s going to be a very exciting night.”
Derrick laughed.
We saw his parents in the crowd and headed over to sit by them.
Evelyn grinned as she took Andrew and hugged me, kissing my cheek. “How are you feeling? I heard you weren’t feeling well.”
I looked to my husband, who wore an innocent grin. His brother Jake took Mark-Antony, playing with his nephew. I noticed Kelly had found her aunt Kendra and uncle Alex.
I looked back to my mother-in-law. “I’m feeling better now, thank you.”
“That’s good.” She replied.
“No fair getting sick on us.” Kendra teased, giggling. Kelly jumped off her lap to rush to mine, and I hugged her.
I rolled my eyes, laughing softly. As we sat, I heard a voice over the intercom.
“Attention parents!” Mr. Anderson got the attention of every parent and child in the auditorium. He was the principal of the school, so when he spoke, we listened. I respected him, as did everyone else in Hill View. He waited until it was silent before continuing.
It would take a while with this crowd, I reflected.
“Welcome to the first-annual Hill View Elementary ‘Getting-To-Know-You’ Dinner. In the past, we’ve had this for the Academy, but since the building is now the official elementary school for the city, we’ve changed the name.” Mr. Anderson snickered.
The crowd laughed. I groaned, knowing immediately he was a charmer.
“Now, there are five new families adding to the Hill View curriculum.” He announced. “When I call your names, please come up to the podium and introduce yourselves.” Mr. Anderson looked down at the note cards in his hands. “First up are the DeRose’s. Delilah and Weston; please come up with your children, and tell us about yourselves.”
I clapped with the rest of the parents, watching as Delilah held onto her children’s hands. There were three girls and two boys. Weston held his infant son in his arms. I could tell the baby was special, for he had Downs’ Syndrome. As I was growing up, I’d known children that had that, and had nothing against them.
Good luck, I sent to Delilah when we met eyes.
She smiled, nodding at me. Thank you, my Young Guardian.
Mr. Anderson went alphabetically, so he added us Readings toward the end.
“We are proud to present the newest family to our community, the newlywed Readings. Derrick and Ariana, come on up and tell us about yourselves.”
We stood, but didn’t get applause as the rest had. We didn’t get admiration. All we got were stares.
“Everybody knows our son.” Evelyn hoped to lighten up the room.
“Yeah. Let’s hear about the little lady.” I heard Father Reading’s voice peep after her.
I smiled. My in-laws were something else.
Now was my chance to tell them about me, minus the Magic and the System. Time to tell them about where I came from, and why they didn’t have to be afraid of me anymore.
I stepped up to the podium, my eyes searching the crowd for smiling faces. I recognized those of Aimee, Aaron, Luna, Shane (who was holding Caleb), Bradley Allen, my parents and siblings, Derrick’s family, with Kendra holding Andrew and Jake holding Mark-Antony. Alicia and Cory Edwards and their three children, who were quiet. Stan and Christina Farthay grinned at me with their four children, Rick, Alexander, Kirsten and baby Joseph. I noticed Kelly’s friends and their parents, the Wests, Stevensons, and Richardsons. A wave of a hand caught my eye and I glanced to see Cindy “Cool Cat” Carmichael herself, with her son Richard and husband beside her. Caroline Parker was sitting behind her with two little girls I didn’t know the names of then. Way in the back, hiding from view, was Great-Aunt Dorianne Jacobs. I could see her eyes sparkling as she smiled proudly at me.
I frowned when my eyes hit those of a very smug Adrienne Whitehead, who was sitting in the back row, glaring at me with her arms crossed. Her daughter Veronica sat beside her, looking bored.
Guess what, Adrienne. You’re not going to intimidate me this time. You may have disrupted my life when you barged into my house, claiming your daughter was Derrick’s, but you’re not getting away with that. I’ll show you all right.
I felt a bubble of Dark Magic begin to grow from my hatred of her. I took a deep breath and began to think positive thoughts to rid myself of it before something bad happened.
Kelly tapped my arm and I shook my head, getting back to reality.
No time for petty thoughts. This was the time for understanding and kindness.
I noticed my daughter was beside me, kneeling on a chair she’d pushed up to me. Derrick placed his arm around my shoulder, reassuring me. He smiled, sending me a telepathic message as our eyes met.
You can do it, Love. Tell ‘em who you are.
I grinned back, turning to the crowd. I cleared my throat, reminding myself of my purpose.
I wasn’t only doing this for my own honor, or even that of my family. I was doing this for my twin sister Luna.
I tapped the microphone, making it sure it was still on and working. With a shriek, I found it did, and winced.
It seemed to lighten the mood.
“My name is Ariana Moon Woods-Reading.” I began, and then told them my story, in short. “I originally grew up in an orphanage in Shore Point, California. My only friends were a pair of twins who are here tonight with their son, Bradley Allen. Aaron and Aimee Schmidt helped me when no one else would. We stuck together like glue, calling ourselves the Three Musketeers. When I turned thirteen, I ran away from the orphanage, soon having Aaron’s daughter Kelly.”
I placed an arm around her shoulder.
I told them all I could, without letting on about the System or the Mystic Magic.
“In conclusion,” I continued at the end. “I wish for you not to judge me until you get to know me. I’m harmless, and would like for all of you to know me by heart. I would like to do the same for you. The Farthays, Parkers, Wests, Richardsons, Readings, DeRoses, Stevensons, and Edwards’ have already opened their homes and hearts to my family.” I thought of Adrienne, and people like her who hated others the way she did. “Please, disregard all rumors spread by whoever hates anyone different from themselves. Follow your own hearts, and show yourselves I’m not a bad influence on the rest of Hill View. Thank you.”
There was a tense silence, then a surprise.
“Yeah, listen to my Momma.” Kelly spoke up. “She’s smart.”
A few parents laughed at that.
Feeling happy, I hugged her.
Finally, I heard somebody clap. One by one, the parents of Hill View, Michigan clapped for me. I scanned the auditorium and saw Evelyn and Alexander Reading Senior smiling proudly at me.
I accomplished what I’d come to do. Now it was up to the rest of the city to find it in their hearts to talk to my family and myself again.
Everything was okay with the PTA now, as I had hoped, but there was still that twinge of Dark Magic in my mind, bubbling inside me. There was still a long life ahead of me, and it would only prove to get harder as the days rolled on.
Lord Guardian O’Dell had known something that day he gave me the Amulet. It was up to me to find out what that was by living my adventurous life.
Story: #3
Clairvoyant Visions

When I opened the door to the house a week later, I was greeted by Derrick and Kelly.
“Momma! Momma!” Kelly took my hand and pulled me away.
“Hold on a minute honey! I just walked in the door.”
“Have we got a surprise for you?” Derrick took my coat and portfolio, setting them in the foyer closet. “Come on, hurry up!”
I laughed. “What’s the big surprise?”
He gave me a goofy grin, his brown eyes twinkling with delight. “You’ll see.”
Reluctant, but interested, I followed my daughter and husband into the living-room.
“The twins are learning to walk.” Luna was there, with Caleb and Shane. “So is Caleb.”
I saw she still looked a little bruised, yet fine.
“Mama,” Andrew