Saving Grace: The Guardian Chronicles Book 2

Chapter 27.

Chapter 27.

Xavier, Marie and Marco turned in surprise when Nathan appeared noisily in their midst.

"Shh! You'll wake Grace," Marie hissed.

Nathan nodded and came to sit down quietly between the pair and Marco. Each of them watched him with curiosity evident on their faces.

"Did she bite?" Xavier asked with a grin, noting the youth's round eyes and the fresh blood still upon his lip.

"Huh? Wh--? No!" he said quickly. "I only took what I needed. I swear!"

"Okay, okay, easy kiddo. What happened?" Xavier asked.

"Nothing," he replied too quickly.

"Really?"

"I said 'nothing'! Drop it," Nathan said and turned his back on the trio.

Marco raised his eyebrows at Xavier, who simply shrugged. He began once more where he was interrupted by Nathan's sudden arrival, saying, "So, you decided it was better for Marie to believe she had parents than to let her know who her mother was, and why she died?"

Nathan's head cocked slightly to the side in interest, but not so much as to make him turn around.

Marco said unabashedly, "I did what I thought was best. I knew I did not have the skills to teach her the magic inside her. I watched Beatrice grow up without ever being able to harness the spirits and magic my mother gave her. It drove her mad. I found one who could bind her magic until we found a suitable teacher for her."

"So you bound her magic? You tied all that makes Marie who she is up somewhere she cannot access it?" Xavier asked in outrage. "Did you try to find her a suitable teacher?"

Again, Marco seemed lacking of regret. "I could not leave my people," he muttered lamely.

Marie's words to Nathan were the only she had uttered since Marco's revelation. She was clinging to Xavier's arms, which held her tightly. Now she said, "You couldn't leave your people. But I left our people, my...parents...whoever they are, they left our people. You were okay with that. What the heck, Marco? I don't even know who you are, do I?"

His expression hardened. "I am who I have always been to you, Marie."

"Who am I?" she cried. "I don't even know who I am!"

At this point, Nathan turned around quietly, trying to be unobtrusive.

"Is her father still alive?" Xavier asked, hoping to offer some comfort in the confusion which had become Marie's life.

Marco had the decency to look away when he answered, "Yes."

"My biological father is still alive?" Marie said under her breath. She broke from Xavier's arms and launched herself at Marco, who took her attack without fighting back. Just when Xavier thought she would back down, there was a deafening snarl and Marie phased fully into her jaguar form. Marco followed suit a second later.

Xavier leapt up and rushed to whisk Grace from harm's way as he said, "Nathan, come here. Looks to be a family spat, but the last thing I want to do is risk you and Grace being harmed. Werecats could easily kill one of us if they tried. Go to Aiden and let him know..."

"Let me know what?" Aiden said as he appeared beside them, still zipping his pants.

"Actually, there is too much to say right now," Xavier said sadly. "Can you take Nathan and Grace to the other shelter? I'll stay and make sure these two don't kill each other."

The screams of large cats resounded in the small shelter, as black fur flew through the air. The sound of gnashing teeth and ripping flesh sickened Xavier. Aiden nodded and physically removed both Nathan and Grace.