Hello everyone! I’m here with a brand new snippet for y’all. I have not had the time to write anything new, so I decided to post the next snippet of the My Guardian Angel series. I wrote it a while ago, but haven’t been able to post it. I hope you all enjoy it!

If you need to catch up on the previous snippets, you can find them here.

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I looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was well past midnight, and I couldn’t sleep. The pain wasn’t the problem. That had worn off about an hour ago. Now I was just stiff. My muscles ached from the attack and lying in bed for so long. I needed to move, but I didn’t know if I had the strength to get up. 

Molly slept soundlessly beside me, her head cradled in her arms. She looked so peaceful, so calm. I envied her ability to fall asleep so quickly. My mind would never shut up long enough Especially right now. 

I kept thinking about my conversation with Liam. I still wasn’t sure what to believe. I was too confused. 

I can’t lay here anymore. My lungs were screaming for fresh air. Besides, it will help me think 

Trying to be quiet, I threw off the blankets and sat up. The pain in my chest was dull, but still there. Like a string wrapped around my chest, pulling just enough to make me uncomfortable. Molly said I had a bruised rib, but it felt like I might have broken one. My muscles screamed in protest as I moved and soon my legs were hanging off the edge of the bed. Taking a deep breath, I clutched the side table and started to stand. My legs seemed a little wobbly at first, but they supported my weight. I took a step forward, pausing to regain my balance. Slowly, I made my way to the balcony door and outside. Once outside, I let the sounds of the city engulf me. Leaning against the railing, I looked down at the busy street below. 

It may be late, but this city never sleeps. The street was crowded with car lights and street lamps. Car horns blared and a few people were shouting. To most it would seem aggravating. But I grew up here. This is the world I know. The world I’m used to. Closing my eyes, I let the sounds of the city wash over me. I started thinking about the conversation with Liam. 

It was so bizarre. For years, I had been told that what I saw was fake. I was just seeing things. Not even the best shrinks on the east coast could figure out what was wrong with me. Then Liam shows up, saying that there is a world of mythical creatures and people and I was connected to it. Not only that, but apparently my father had lied to me through all those years. It was hard to believe. 

But how could I not believe him? Had I not seen the evidence of his words for years? Had I not felt the very magic he spoke of coursing through my veins? A part of me wanted not to believe him. To forget all of this and run far away. Go back to pretending I was just seeing things. But I knew that I couldn’t go back to that. Not now. Not after everything that happened. I don’t know what to think. What to believe. 

“You really shouldn’t be out here alone.”

My shoulders slumped at the voice. Liam. 

I looked over my shoulder to find Liam standing in the doorway that led into the living room. He looked more relaxed than he had earlier, but his sword still hung from his belt. Relaxed but ready in case something happens. 

“You really shouldn’t be up either.” 

“I feel fine. I needed the fresh air.” I turned back to the city. 

Liam joined me at the railing, keeping his distance as he leaned against it. He looked up at the sky. I let my gaze drift upward, but there wasn’t much to see. The lights from the city drowned out the stars. 

We stood in silence for a few moments. 

“Liam, can I ask you something?” 

He turned to face me. “Go for it.” 

“Back in the woods, when I stopped the dragon with my magic, why did Gael fall back? He had the upper hand.” 

“Gael didn’t know that was your first time weidling magic. And he thought you had the Key.” He explained. 

“What does the stone have to do with it?” 

“You’re stronger with it than without it. And it’s less draining.” 

That made sense. “Was that why I blacked out?” 

“Yes. You used a lot of power with what you did. It was too much for your body to handle.” Liam turned back to the city. 

It was all starting to make sense, at least a little bit. But there were some things that just didn’t add up. 

“If I’m supposed to be so powerful, why do I need a Guardian?” I finally met his gaze. 

“Every keeper has a Guardian to protect them while they protect the Key. While our magic is similar, yours being the more powerful of the two, Guardians have a few abilities that Keepers do not. They help us with our job.” 

Interesting. “What kind of abilities?” 

Liam smiled at my curiosity. “We can travel between the two worlds and teleport from one place to another. We can carry one person while doing so, usually our keeper. We have heightened abilities– strength, speed, hearing and sight. WE can sense the presence of our Keeper and when they are in danger. And each Guardian has a special ability only they possess. Ethyn can feel a magic wielder’s presence, while I can sense emotions to tell a person’s intentions.” 

My eyebrows raised. “Sensing emotions? That’s a pretty strange ability.” 

Liam nodded, a smile on his lips. “You’d be surprised how often it’s come in handy.” 

I shifted so I was facing him, my arm leaning against the railing. “What am I feeling?” 

Liam turned to face me and his eyes met mine with the same captivating stare from earlier. His eyes searched mine, and I once again felt like he was seeing right through me. He started listing the emotions inside me. With each one he listed, my jumbled thoughts came together. 

“Confusion.” 

About literally everything. 

“Uncertainty.” 

About what to do. What to believe. 

“Worry.” 

For Molly’s safety and from mine. 

“Anger.” 

At my father for keeping this from me. 

“And fear.”

Of this path I had been thrown upon. 

I stared at Liam long after he fell silent. Every word he said had been true. But the reality behind those emotions and the thoughts that came with them were startling. Turning away from his gaze, I looked back at the busy street below. I didn’t like how easily he could read me. 

“I understand why you’re feeling these things, Stella. You’ve just been thrust into the deep end. You’re struggling to understand what you’ve been told. Trying to decide whether or not you believe it isn’t going to help you. You’ve seen the evidence with your own eyes. The question is, what are you going to do about it? Walk on the path before your feet? Or stand and do nothing?” 

“I didn’t ask for this.” My voice came out in a whisper. 

“None of us did,” Liam looked back up at the sky. “But we don’t choose what path we walk. We only choose whether we walk that path or not.” 

When I didn’t respond, Liam sighed and pushed off the railing. 

“We’ll talk more in the morning. Don’t stay out here too long.” 

He walked across the balcony and back inside. The door closed behind him. 

I let out a shuddering breath, and closed my eyes, trying to wrestle with my thoughts. This really was too much for me. All I wanted was to go back to pretending none of this was real. I was just seeing things. None of this is real. 

But I knew that I would never go back to before. Back to pretending. Once, I had longed for all of this to be real. But now that it was real, I wanted it all to be a dream.