Finding Grace: The Guardian Chronicles Book One

Chapter 63. Help Me*

Chapter 63. Help I'm Alive by Metric

     I skidded to a stop short of running into Steele as Aiden and Hawk came to stand on either side of me. Hannah stood behind me looking frantically for another way out. Knowing I needed both hands to fight, I placed Marie on her feet, but she clung to my side, tears streaming down her pale, drawn face.

Steele and Luther stood side-by-side; Steele staring me down as Luther fixed on Aiden.

The humans had begun to grow restless, realizing that all was not as it seemed. There were distressed cries mixed with demands that the music start again. I did not want to have a fight here in front of so many humans; our cover would be blown for sure.

"Let us pass," I said to Steele.

"Can't do that, Emil. Orders from above," he answered.

"Who is giving the orders here?" I asked.

"You'll find out soon enough," Steele replied.

During our conversation, I had pressed the button so that Jean and Malachi could hear what was going on. In my ear, Jean called out, "Emil! We'll come back to help! Hold them off!"

I answered, realizing it seemed we were trapped if I did not want to cause a spectacle. "Go home. Take care of my family."

"No, Emil!" I heard in my ear.

I pulled the earpiece out of my ear, needing to pay attention to those around me and hoping Jean would go home to take care of Evan. I resolved to not go without a fight in the end. At the moment, however, I needed to move us out of the public eye.

"Take me to the ones in charge," I demanded.

"You're going to go that easily?" Luther spoke up with surprise.

"This is not the time nor place to have it out. Too many humans will see," I stated.

Hawk and Aiden closed in around Hannah while Marie still clung to me.

Hawk said, "Luther, how could you do this? Don't you realize something is wrong here?"

Luther ignored Hawk's question, much to the redhead's consternation. Steele spoke up though, saying, "We know what Ari has told us. It seems you and Jean tried to take over the Enclave, but you failed. I didn't think you had it in you Emil."

"That is a lie!" I shouted.

At that moment the music came on louder than ever. Someone wanted to drown out what I had to say.

"Come on," Steele said. "You'll see who's calling the shots. I don't want to hear your excuses. I thought you were respectable Emil. I am having a really hard time believing you are capable of the things Ari and Benjamin are accusing you of. But the proof was in the way you did in the Enclave."

"Weren't you there?" I asked incredulously, wary of what the Guardians had been told.

"We got to the Enclave just as Ari came out. He told us how you and Jean had killed several of our brothers and were trying to take over. He said you were turning humans and wanted to make an army. Some of the creatures they saved are here. Ama...uh...the leader has made them obey him," Luther said, disgust barely concealed in his voice.

I was seething, wanting to proclaim our innocence, but knew it was likely pointless at the moment, because these two were doing what they'd always done...what all of the Guardians had always done: listening to our leaders. If I got the chance I would set them straight. Before I killed them.

"Emil, I don't want to go," Marie cried when I started to pull her with me. She was no match for my strength, but she put up a decent fight.

"I'm so sorry for bringing you into this, Marie. I never thought they would find out about you, or mistreat you," I told her regretfully. "But I'm so glad you're alive. I have to go with them if we have any hope of getting out of here."