Entranced (Guardian Academy 1)

He jerks back. “What?”

“The mark that appeared, it wasn’t the Keepers’.”

“Then what was it?”

Sighing, I show him the back of my neck.

He grows quiet for a second. “I know you don’t like the Guardians, but I’m sure it’s not going to be as bad as you think.”

“I have to move, Jayse … to Virginia to attend their Academy.” I wander to the window. “I’m going to be living clear across the country.”

“When do you have to leave?” he asks, moving up beside me.

I stare across the foggy field at the two-story home I grew up in. “Today.”

“You know I’ll visit you all the time, right? If I have to, I’ll ask to be put on all jobs on the East Coast.”

I smile at him, but it’s forced. Jayse knows as well as I do that he hasn’t been a Keeper long enough to request being put in certain locations.

“I’m going to miss you.” I glance around at the bedroom. Memories are everywhere: the first time Jayse and I stayed up all night watching horror movies, even though we weren’t supposed to: when we stole his mom’s spellbook and tried to perform a spell; when we promised to be best friends no matter what … “I won’t even know what to do with myself without my partner in crime.”

“We’ll still see each other all the time,” he tries to reassure me. “I’ll make sure of it.”

I hope he’s right—I really do—but I have an unsettling feeling that this might be the last time I see Jayse in a very long time.

Chapter 7

I spend the morning with Jayse and his family, eating breakfast and reminiscing. I wish I could stay longer, but eventually my mom texts me that it’s time to come home and pack.

I try not to cry as Jayse walks me across the field to my house, but a few tears escape. I can’t help thinking about all the times we’ve walked across this field to meet up and hang out or to sneak out to some club in the middle of the night. Now we may never get to do it again.

While I want to believe that things won’t change, that eventually I’ll return home and life will go back to normal, I know it won’t. Even before I got my Guardian mark, Jayse and I spent less time in the field.

“Are you sure you can’t stay longer?” I ask.

“I’m sorry. I wish I could, but I …” He presses his lips together, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

“You’re doing something for the Keepers today, aren’t you?” I make a guess based on how guilty he looks. “You don’t need to coddle me. You’ve been a Keeper for almost a year and have never held stuff back.”

“But I feel like such an asshole for even mentioning.”

“I’ll be okay... Sure I’m upset, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear what you’re up to.”

“It’s not just that … I’m …” He exhales audibly, staring at the trees surrounding the field. “Now that you have the Guardian mark, I’m not supposed to share certain info with you about my assignments.”

I suppress a sigh. And so it begins. I knew this was coming. I just didn’t imagine it would sting this badly.

“I’m sorry.” Jayse glances at me from the corner of his eye. “I wish I could tell you more, but—”

“It’s not your fault, so please stop worrying.” I give him a stern look. “In fact, promise me you’ll stay positive and be the most badass Keeper ever.”

He smiles through a chuckle. “Okay, but only if you promise me you’ll text me every single day.”

We reach my house, and I step onto the bottom porch stair but don’t head in, not ready to say good-bye just yet.

“Of course I will,” I say. “Just remember, though, when you get tired of me texting you at all sorts of crazy hours, that you were the one who gave me permission to do it.”

“Sounds like a deal.” He gives me probably one of the saddest smiles I’ve ever seen then moves in to hug me.

“Kick some ass for me, okay?” I say as he moves back. “But don’t work too hard. You look really tired right now.”

He smashes his lips together as his gaze drops to his scratched arm. “Yeah, last night was pretty intense …” He looks back at me with a stiff smile on his face. “Be easy on yourself, okay? Don’t beat yourself up because you didn’t get your Keepers’ mark.” Hope fills his eyes. “And, hey, maybe the mark will eventually show up, and then you’ll get to come home.”

“Maybe.” But the more it sinks in that I’m now a Guardian, the less likely it feels that I’ll ever get to be anything else.

This is it for me. I can feel it in my bones. Whether I like it or not, my future has been chosen for me.

***

A few hours later, I’ve packed most of my clothes and anything else I could stuff into the two suitcases I’m allowed to bring with me.

“Do you have everything you need?” my mom asks. She’s been rocking the mascara-raccoon-eye look ever since I showed up from Jayse’s this morning and keeps hugging me every few minutes. “I don’t want you to forget anything.”

I grasp the handle of my suitcase, taking one last final look at my purple walls covered with posters and photos, my bed, and the field just outside my window. “I think so.”

She dabs her eyes with her fingertips. “We should get going. We’re supposed to meet your escort at the airport in an hour.”

“I wish grandpa could just Foresee me there.” I want to look back at my room again as we step out, but I’m afraid I’ll start to cry. “I’ve never flown before.”

“You’ll be fine,” my mom reassures me as we head for the stairway. “Guardians aren’t too fond of using Foreseer transportation or any transportation outside of the human world.”

My expression plummets. “Human transportation? That sounds complicated.”

“It’s not that bad.” She gathers her long, brown hair into a ponytail and secures it with an elastic as she starts down the stairway. “And it might be good for you to try more complicated stuff without the help of magic.”

“That doesn’t sound very fun,” I say, dragging my suitcases down the stairs.

/>

My grandpa and dad are waiting for us in front of the door, whispering about something in low voices. When they notice my mom and me, though, they immediately grow quiet.

“Life can’t always be fun.” She collects the car keys from the pocket of her jeans.

“That’s not completely true.” My dad smiles at me. “Everything can be fun if you make it.”

“Are you quoting one of Grandma’s inspirational blocks?” I tease, trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckles, but his green eyes carry worry. “Okay, you caught me, but it’s true. If you think you’re going to have fun, then you will.” He puts a hand on my shoulder, giving me his best you’re-going-to-be-okay look. “Stay positive, Alana, and everything will be okay.”

I sure hope he’s right, but right now, nothing seems like it’s going to be okay.

“Where’s Grandma?” I ask my grandpa. “Wasn’t she supposed to get here last night?”

“I’m sorry, but she got held up with something and isn’t going to be home for a couple of days.” He reaches into the pocket of his trench coat and digs out a small, silver dagger with a jagged blade. “She wanted me to give you this.”

“Dad, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” my mom interrupts. “The Academy Rulebook stressed no weapons outside of one's pre-approved.”

“I don’t care what the rulebook says. I’m not going to send my granddaughter unarmed to someplace without Keepers nearby,” he says. “I’ve read the rulebook, Gemma. The Guardians don’t believe in protection inside the Academy’s walls, even when they allow vampires, werewolves, and fey inside.”

“Wait, what?” I blink in shock, unsure if I heard him correctly.

“It’s their form of protection,” my mom explains. “Each human attending there gets paired up with a vampire, wolf, fey, and a few other species so they can be protected. Plus, many of them have great tracking skills.”

“I’m strong,” I point out. “And I have great tracking skills.”

“But not everyone there comes from a family of Keepers.” My dad glances at my mom. “I think she should take the dagger.”