Determinant -Guardians of Vesturon [3] by A.M. Hargrove Page A

bound by some unknown force. I shook my head and all I wanted to do was comfort this poor creature.
    I heard her whisper, “You can’t comfort me. No one can. My life isn’t even worth comforting. When will I be able to leave here?” She bowed her head and stared at her twisting fingers.
    “January, please, let me help you,” I beseeched. My heart felt like it was being crushed.
    “You. Can’t. Help! You could have helped if you had left me in the stupid forest!” she yelled.
    “I could not leave you in the forest. I am a Guardian. It goes against everything in my blood…everything I stand for.” My voice matched hers in pitch.
    “You don’t understand!”
    “Then tell me. I cannot help you if you do not tell me!” My voice was charged with emotion.
    She shook her head and dropped it into her hands.
    Please talk to me January. Tell me what pains your heart and mind so. I only want to help you. Please…
    “Just leave me alone. Please.”
    My heart was splintering. This ghost of a female was quickly becoming my undoing. I turned and strode from the terrace.

 

Chapter 5
    I was standing in the den, preparing to go down to the Command Center when Maddie appeared, surprising me with her unexpected visit.
    “Why didn’t you tell me?” she accused.
    “I do not know what…” before I could finish, she continued verbally accosting me.
    “January. Why didn’t you tell me it was January?” she demanded.
    I flashed her a bewildered look. “I don’t understand.”
    “January. Upstairs. Sick!” she exclaimed.
    I continued shaking my head, baffled.
    “Rykerian, January was my roommate in college! Why didn’t you tell me?” she persisted.
    “I was unaware there was a connection between the two of you.” My surprise at her revelation could not have been more apparent.
    “I must see her!”
    “No, you cannot.”
    Maddie shot me an incredulous look. “Excuse me!”
    “You cannot see her. She is of a fragile mind. I am in charge here and I will not allow it.”
    “If you don’t get your bloody arse out of my way, I’ll move it for you!”
    “Arse?”
    “Yes! I didn’t want to call you an ass, but I will!”
    “Um, I think you just did Maddie.”
    Maddie had always been impetuous and used to getting her way, but she had never acted like this toward me. In fact, her heart had always softened with regard to me because at one time I had fancied myself in love with her. I had been terribly mistaken, of course, but since then, she had always treated me with great care. To hear her threats now left me quite speechless.
    “I am not kidding Rykerian!”
    “But you must listen Maddie. Her mind is very fragile right now.”
    “Rykerian, you clearly are not listening. I am not asking permission. I am telling you. Now, out of my way.”
    “I will not allow…” but before I could utter another word, she extended her hand and I found myself plastered to the ceiling. Maddie’s Power of Telekinesis was incredibly impressive. I was currently imprisoned by it.
    “Maddie!” I yelled. “Put me down, immediately!”
    As she turned away, I saw Rayn appearing. “Maddie, release him this instant.”
    She looked at Rayn and it was evident there was mental sparring occurring between them. Suddenly, I found myself lying in a heap on the floor. I leaped up, intending to intercept her before she could go upstairs when I heard, and then felt, “I Command you to be still!”
    The pain was immediate and excruciating. Every cell in my body screamed in agony. I was in Command’s clutches and incapable of movement of any kind—my muscles rebelling but in complete and total lockdown. It had been some time since I had been under anyone’s Power of Command and Rayn’s ability was quite significant. I fought to draw air into my lungs. I knew it was futile to fight against this, but every fiber of my being bellowed at me to do exactly that. It was getting me nowhere, except into deeper pain.
    I heard rather than saw my