Seven Brothers, One Guardian

Magic Mirror

“What? No, that’s impossible. Sybil can’t be with Sarafina.” I bellow, my brows creasing my forehead as my mind ran through the possibilities of Sybil actually getting a hold of Sarafina before I could. Darius shook his own head, his eyes connecting with mine.

“You know that’s not true, Xavier. Sybil interrupted the Cast while you were trying to send Sarafina to the safe house. More than likely, she manipulated it so much that there is a possibility that Sarafina is no longer alive.”

“No,” I responded curtly. “Sarafina is alive. I know it. Kristina had given me the responsibility of keeping her safe, and I’ll die an immortal death before I see that little girl endangered by Sybil again.” Hadrian and Octavious gave each other skeptical looks, before their matching eyes met mine. Each twin had one blue eye and one black eye, a mirror image of the other. A sign of strength between brothers connected in the closest way. “What?” I snapped in their direction. Octavious spoke first as usual, 

“Well it’s just that…”

“It’s been eighteen years, Xavier…” Hadrian continued,

“Do you really think that ‘little girl’ would even accept your help if you offered it?” Octavious finished. “She grew up alone, no mother, no father, and definitely not a vampire guardian the mother she never knew entrusted to keep her safe her whole life.” Brutus nodded from the other side of the room.

“They have a point, Xavier.” He said, and Dominic agreed. 

“Sarafina is most likely over the age of sixteen years by now -”

“Her eighteenth birthday is tomorrow.” I interrupted, as if it meant something important. But it didn’t, that slight detail was meaningless, as was trying to find the child still, but I’d spent eighteen years trying and I won’t stop now. “Lucifer,” I turned to my older brother as I addressed him, “Track the realm and try to open a Portal into it. Even if Sarafina isn’t there…we must get to the bottom of the unacceptable power levels coming from it.” Lucifer nodded and left the room to do as I asked, and I knew he was only cooperating with me because he knew the results of my anger getting the best of me when I got too high-strung trying to find the missing Princess.

“Darius,” I called out to my eldest brother, my tone softer and less harsh now, as I turned to see him perched on my cedar wood desk. Darius must have seen the exhaustion through my stone mask, turning to our younger brothers and dismissing them from my study. Brutus, Dominic, Hadrian, and Octavious all filed out of the room without another word. Darius stood from my desk and crossed the room, relaxing into the cushion of authentic leather, the blood red coloring fighting against the darkness of his black attire.

“Come, sit, brother, what is troubling you?” I allowed my head to cast downward as I trudged to the sofa opposite of him. I sat slowly and forced my tense muscles to relax as easily as Darius had.

“I cannot be certain,” I told my eldest brother, “For nearly two suns I’ve felt…different.”

“Different, how?” He questioned, leaning his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands.

“I have no idea, brother, it’s hard to explain. It feels like…a pull?” My voice revealed that I’d not only been telling Darius what I was feeling, but questioning myself whether or not it was true. “A pull, in my mind, and an aching feeling in my chest. It flares and tightens repeatedly, but in no certain time pattern. And sometimes…” I hesitated telling my brother what I believed was happening to me during Resting.

“Sometimes, what, Xavier?” Darius urged, his eyebrows quirking and becoming a frown on his ageless face.

“As we Rest,” I said, looking away from my brother before turning back to his gaze, “I hear voices. One voice. It’s mumbles, completely incoherent, but it almost sounds as if it’s in trouble.” Darius’s eyes widened in shock as I finished, his breath caught.