Celestial Guardians: Uniting Dimensions (Celestial Guardians Series, #1)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Nel's POV

The air was tense as I paced back and forth in the small dorm room. Kevin sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his hands like they held all the answers we were desperately searching for. Jamaica leaned against the wall, her expression a mixture of determination and worry.

"We're running out of time," I said, breaking the silence. "The shapeshifter is still out there, and now we know Kevin's the target. We can't afford to sit around and hope the answers fall into our laps."

Kevin looked up, his eyes filled with uncertainty. "You think I don't know that? I just found out there's a freaking artifact inside me, Nel. What am I supposed to do? Cut myself open and hand it over?"

"That's not what I'm saying," I snapped, though guilt twisted in my gut. "I just—" I stopped, exhaling sharply to calm the storm brewing inside me. "We need a plan."

Jamaica stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "And we'll figure it out. But arguing isn't going to help. Right now, we need answers. Nel, you mentioned earlier that Kevin's mother might have left more clues. Have you found anything yet?"

I hesitated, glancing at my backpack in the corner of the room. "I found something," I admitted. "When we were searching Kevin's house, I found a box. It was hidden in the attic, buried under old blankets. I didn't have time to go through it before we left."

Jamaica's eyes lit up with interest. "What's in it?"

"I don't know," I admitted, walking over to the bag and pulling out the small, dusty box. It was heavier than it looked, and the metal latch was rusted but still functional. "I figured we'd go through it together."

Kevin stood, his hesitation giving way to curiosity. "Let's open it. If my mom hid it, it has to mean something."

I placed the box on the desk and carefully lifted the latch. It creaked open, revealing a collection of mundane items—old photographs, a necklace with a strange symbol, and a small, leather-bound notebook.

Jamaica picked up the necklace, turning it over in her hands. "This symbol... it's celestial. I've seen it before, but I can't remember where."

Kevin reached for the notebook, flipping it open to the first page. His mother's handwriting filled the paper neatly but hurriedly as if she had been racing against time.

"She knew," Kevin whispered, his voice trembling. "She knew what was inside me. Look at this." He turned the notebook around to show us a diagram. It depicted a glowing heart with an intricate artifact nestled inside, radiating energy.

I leaned closer, studying the page. "It's a containment spell," I realized. "Your mother must have used it to hide the artifact inside you. That's why no one could detect it until now. The spell must be weakening."

Jamaica frowned, her brows knitting together. "If the spell fails, the Destroyer and his forces will sense the artifact soon—if they haven't already. We need to find a way to reinforce it."

Kevin looked up, panic flashing across his face. "And how do we do that? None of us are spellcasters."

"We don't need to be," I said, flipping through the notebook. "Your mom left instructions. She must have known this day would come."

As I read, a chill ran down my spine. The spell could be reinforced, but it required celestial energy—more than any of us could channel.

"We need help," I said finally. "There's no way we can do this alone. Kevin, do you know who else your mom might have trusted with this secret?"