The Sentinel by Holly Martin Page A

noticed Mason was missing, but judging by the huge hole in the back window he had obviously bailed out as soon as we had hit the water. Suddenly, like a film played in reverse, the car slid upwards out of the water as unseen forces pushed it from below. I looked round as a heavy weight suddenly latched itself onto the bumper. Mason was at the back of the car, standing on the bank pulling it out of the water and with the help of Alexandria who was pushing the car from the front the car was soon safely back on the bank again.
    I looked around in shock at Seth and Quinn who had sat calmly by my side throughout as if we were at a trip to the movies. I wasn’t even wet.
    ‘They really do have everything under control don’t they?’
    Seth grinned as he got out. ‘Always.’
    I got out. My Guardians didn’t even have a scratch on them, though Alexandria was soaking wet. Though I was sure if I had just climbed out of a canal I would look like a bedraggled sea monster, Alexandria looked like a beautiful mermaid. I shrugged out of my coat to wrap around her, she must be freezing, though to my surprise Eli beat me to it.
    ‘I’m fine,’ Alexandria protested with embarrassment but at a glare from Eli she wrapped herself into his coat.
    Eli looked at his car. It was no longer gleaming white, it was covered in a thick layer of brown and green slime. He looked back up onto the road and his face changed to one of pure anger as he marched up to Abe who was standing in shock by the side of his car. He looked very young all of a sudden and I wondered how old he actually was.
    Abe held his hands up defensively. ‘Eli, I’m so sorry, I just lost control on the ice.’
    Eli grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and slammed him up against the car.
    I didn’t want this, it was an accident and Abe was going to get beaten to a pulp because of it.
    Eli suddenly seemed to change his mind and he released him, though he flashed me a glare of annoyance and I realised he had stopped because I’d wanted him to.
    ‘Take Alexandria home to get a change of clothes and take the BMW to get checked out. We’re taking your car,’ Eli said to Abe as he marched round to the driver’s seat.
    Seth ushered me forwards and I was quickly bundled into Abe’s car with my Guardians and Quinn surrounding me. Eli slammed the car into gear and took off up the road, leaving Abe and Alexandria standing on the roadside.
    *
    We got to the church and Quinn was despatched to pick up the sisters. We were already two Guardians down and Eli didn’t want to lose another one to pick up Persia.
    ‘Can I practice my powers while I wait?’
    ‘No.’ Eli clearly wasn’t in a good mood. Though apart from his brief lapse yesterday when he had smiled during the snowball fight, I hadn’t seen him in a good mood since we had met.
    I wasn’t going to be put off. ‘How about something with the weather? I didn’t harm anyone yesterday doing that.’
    ‘You blacked out,’ he said, pointedly.
    ‘That wasn’t calling the snow, that was using my shield.’
    ‘Regardless, we should wait for Persia.’
    I sighed and as I turned back to face Seth I saw him step forward to take up the mantle.
    ‘Eli, Persia won’t be here all the time. It would be a good idea if Eve can get a handle on some of her powers by herself.’
    Eli scowled but Seth pressed on.
    ‘We’re here to protect her if it goes wrong.’
    ‘I think the more we know what she is capable of, the better equipped we will be at protecting her,’ said Mason and I was surprised by the subtle wink he gave me.
    I looked down to hide my smirk.
    Under duress, Eli nodded. ‘Very well, but something small.’
    I closed my eyes and thought about the wind. I visualized it blowing through the church, causing the discarded autumn leaves to dance and swirl.
    My hair blowing gently made me open my eyes, I had certainly done something. The trees outside rustled, the leaves fluttering frantically. The trees bowed, fighting to