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

back, yawning. “Famous last words.”
I was stopped as I walked away.
“Oh, Ariana?”
“Yeah, Aim?”
“Thanks for last night, healing Aaron and all.” Her voice turned timid, suddenly very shy. “I’m glad Bradley wasn’t paying attention. I don’t know what I’d do if he had.”
I hugged her. “No problem.” I told her. I thought of the three of us, and grinned. “Once a Musketeer, always a Musketeer.”
“You’re right.” She said. “If we can survive years of orphanage hell, we can handle anything.”
I laughed. “You’d better believe it, Amethyst Theresa.” I pulled away. “For now, I’m about to take a nice, hot shower. I should be back down soon.”
The steam of the shower was enough to lift my spirits. It made my muscles relax, and the fragrance of the jasmine-scented soap made my mind relax. It felt heavenly, but something egged at my thoughts.
When I closed my eyes to enjoy it, I saw Derrick and Shane fighting against each other. Though my husband’s eyes, I could see Shane pointing a gun and pointing directly at my chest. The last sound I heard was the familiar pop of Shane pulling the trigger, and the bullet heading toward me.
I snapped out of it, feeling my heart pumping hard.
I climbed out of the shower, grabbing a towel to dry myself. My hands and body were shaking from the vision, and I was scared.
Was Derrick in trouble? Why did I nearly become him in the vision? What was going on, and why were the boys against each other?
Something else was going to happen to us before the day was through, and I didn’t like it one bit. I cried for Aimee, wanting the Over-Seer of the Crusaders to help me. I hoped she would understand. She was more like a sister to me, closer than Luna was.
I heard rumbling up the stairs before the bathroom door flew open.
“What’s wrong?”
I shook my head, my mind rushing through the violent image again.
I had to sit down, so I headed to the bedroom. Before answering her, I changed my clothes with Magic. I heard the faint whisper of “Mama,” turning to see Aimee held Andrew James on her hip.
“Where’s Mark?”
“In bed. He got sleepy.” She told me. “That’s not important. What’s important is what’s wrong with you?”
I saw my husband’s face in my mind as I looked at my son. Horror filled my head and heart.
What if my sons lost their father? I thought to myself. Where would we be?
I looked away from Andrew’s sad eyes, shaking my head.
“You know, Aimee. I sometimes wish I weren’t empathic.” I groaned.
“Stop that,” She scolded me, shifting my son to her other hip. “Why did you scream for me?”
I told her what I’d seen in the shower.
She gasped, and then said. “Hold that thought. I’ll put Andrew down for a nap.”
“Mama! No!” Andrew screamed, pulling away from her. She put him down and he ran to me, arms outstretched.
When I picked him up, he wrapped his little arms around my neck tightly.
Daddy’s in trouble, Andrew’s little thoughts came into my mind. Mark Antony does not want to accept it.
I know, my Andrew James. I thought back to him. I can sense it, too.
Aloud, I told him, “Let Aunt Aimee put you to bed, okay? Go to the Dream Realm and dream of wonderful things.”
Andrew did let go, kissing my cheek first. “Okay, Mama.”
He turned to Aimee, holding his hand out for her to take.
“I’ll wait for you.” I told her. Somehow, I didn’t want to move.
My attention was again diverted to the Mirror.
“What made you change into that?” Aimee asked me.
I looked. Without thinking, I’d ‘transformed’ into the same dress I’d imagined myself in with Katherine. I felt more determined, ready to take on the world.
Or the Dream Realm, that is.
“No clue, but look at the reflection.” I pointed to the image.
She did, seeing the same thing I did.
Instead of my own mirror image, whatever I’d seen earlier was back. This time, it seemed to be tempting my curiosity.
I had to jump through it. Someone needed my help.
“I think it wants you to find out what’s going on with the boys.” Aimee whispered, awed.
I looked to her, who nodded. “Go. I’ll be watching and waiting for you.”
I hugged her. “Thanks.”
With that, I was on my way through the Mirror.

I landed somewhere that looked like Parker Commons, the meadow that was near the Parker Mansion. It looked as it was a different season, with the withering leaves surrounding me.
I touched the Dream Amulet on my chest, closing my eyes.
Right away, I was taken back to where the search began yesterday.
Opening my eyes, I felt the ring on my finger grow warm. The color was blue, but I didn’t remember what that meant. What was going on?
Ahead of me, I thought I saw Kelly.
“Kelly!” I cried, running to her. The emotion almost overwhelmed me.
The image turned, and I could see the eyes.
Silver-blue, just like mine.
“Kelly!” I repeated, hugging her.
“Momma!” She cried, holding on tighter. “I’m so scared.”
“How did you get here?” I asked.
“Don’t you recognize my Dream Realm, Momma?” She looked at me.
“How did I get here without Crusading?” I asked.
“I brought you here with my powers, Momma.” She hugged me again after pulling back. “I missed you so much!”
“I miss you, too, sweetheart.” I could feel the tears running down my cheeks. “Goddess Bless, where are you in our world?”
“I don’t know, but it’s scaring me.” Kelly sniffed. “Miss Whitehead isn’t hurting me, but the house I’m in is.”
“House?” I asked. “What house, and how is it hurting you?”
“I don’t know, but it’s giving me the creeps.” She said. “It’s haunted, and the ghosts came from here.” She hugged me again. “Please come and find me, Momma. I miss you, and Aunt Aimee, Daddy, Daddy Derrick, Andrew James, Mark Antony, Aunt Luna, Uncle Shane and especially Bradley.”
“I can only rescue you if you can tell me where in Hill View you are.”
Kelly pulled away from me, shaking her little head. “No, Momma.” She told me. “I’m afraid of the ghosts getting you.”
“Honey, please, can’t you tell me anything?” I asked her, a lone tear wandering down my cheek.
She was silent for a moment, and then spoke up.
“Follow your Empathy, Momma.”
With that, she disappeared.
I stood, thinking. She’d brought me here with her wild Magic power? To warn me of Adrienne Whitehead, queen of all creeps. A plea for help.
The scenery changed around me and I was back in the park, where the search began. Why were the images around me giving me a feeling of Aaron?
I saw him coming up to me.
Goddess, this was starting to get to me – big time.
I sat on a nearby bench and began rubbing my temples.
The thoughts of he and my daughter ran through my mind. It nearly brought me to tears.
The image of Aaron came up to the bench, sitting next to me. “Hey, are you okay?” He asked.
I stared at him. “I’ll be fine once Kelly’s back in my arms for good.”
He hugged me, and I hugged him back, bursting out in tears. He’d always been the one to comfort me in the orphanage.
“It’s gonna be alright.” Aaron whispered in my ear. He kissed my head.
I snuggled in his warm embrace. All my worries were gone once I began to relax and enjoy his company. That’s how it’s always been between us; even Aimee noticed that.
Something didn’t feel right. I looked at him again. It was his image all right. Thing was, how did he get where I was now? Aimee told me she’d taken the necklace back home for safe keeping.
The necklace. I looked at the image of Aaron, who blankly stared back.
“What’s up?”
I stared at his eyes, whispering. “How did you get here?”
His answer was the same as Kelly’s.
“This is my Dream Realm.”
With Empathy, I could tell he still held a lot of sexual, romantic feelings for me.
It was sadder than Mark Grey. At least Mark eventually found his true-love of Marie. Too bad it was in a world he knew nothing about.
“What are you thinking about?” He asked, breaking my thoughts.
I looked at him. “You’re still in love with me, aren’t you? Is that why you let the Dark Magic take over you that day?”
Aaron looked at his lap, then up at me. He took my hands. “Yes. More than you’ll ever know.”
How could I tell him of my own desire for his companionship?
I squeezed his hands tight before looking in his eyes. “You have your reasons for loving me, don’t you?”
He nodded. “Yes. From the start, I knew you were something special. I just had to have you in my arms.”
His eyes were now brimming with loving tears.
“From the moment I lay eyes on you, I knew something was going to be special between us.” I told him. “I was only five when we met, remember?”
He grinned. “I remember it clearly. You walked in with a social worker on your arm. To me, you were the prettiest girl I ever met.” He stopped to kiss me, saying. “You still are, my Ariana Moon.”
I blushed away, thinking of that day, way back when.
“I knew we, along with Aimee, would stick together like glue.” He began softly. “We were the Three Musketeers.”
“One for all, and all for one.” I said, now snuggling in his embrace.
It was so comforting. I still didn’t know why I was here with him.
“Do you know the reason I’m here?”
I pulled away to meet the sad look on his face.
“I put the necklace back on, thinking of you. Next thing I knew, you were here, sitting on the park bench. I thought I was imagining things so I decided to sit beside you.” He explained. “This isn’t anything having to do with the Dark Magic, is it?”
“What’s the last thing you remember about it?” I asked him, hoping to get the answers I so dearly needed.
He was silent, leaning toward me to whisper in my ear. “You healed me.”
Those words sent me out of the Mystic Mirror, landing on my soft bed.

I felt a little dizzy, but otherwise, I was fine.
The thoughts of my visions and trips to their Dream Realms rumbled in my mind.
I tried to sit up, but ended getting a splitting headache.
I groaned, standing with ease. The room began to spin around me. That in itself was normal. Enchantra and Challandra had each told me it had to do with the vortex – gate – between the worlds almost literally kicking me in the butt. They assured me, as a Mystic, I’d get used to it in no time.
“Aimee,” I called for her.
She came running up the stairs. As she walked through the door, I blacked out, right in her arms.
I was tired, so I took a nice, long nap.

II

I woke up to the door slamming open downstairs. The feelings I’d had before concerning my husband came back in a flash. Feeling panicked, I sped down the stairs. I noticed Aimee was gone, which bothered me.
I saw my husband and Shane Morehouse with bruises and cuts all over their bodies. I raced to their rescues.
“What happened to you guys?” I asked, beginning to think of the Healing Magic to help Derrick’s wounds.