The Guardians (The Lost Realm Series #1)

The Guardians: Chapter One (The Lost Realm Series)

                                                                              Chapter One

                                                                                    Boston

   Evin LeFay hated Boston: the weather, the people, the politics. Everything he had ever known growing up in Louisiana was just a memory here.

            He wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for what happened to Emma. Not that he blamed her, of course, but the truth remained that they wouldn’t have had to move if their dad hadn’t insisted on her seeing a therapist. After all that had happened, a therapist was just the beginning of what Emma needed.

            Evin slammed his locker shut and slung his bag over his shoulder. He turned to go to his next class when someone shoved into him. He stumbled back a step and looked to see who it was, opening his mouth to apologize.

            “What, didn’t they teach you how to walk in the country?” It was one of the school’s sorry excuses for a football player. His name was Richard something. Of course, Evin preferred the alternative word for the name Richard, a much more apt description for this particular guy.

            “Watch where you’re going, hick,” Richard sneered. A couple of his football buddies behind him laughed.

Typical high school food chain.

Evin glared at him. “I’m sorry, for a moment there I thought you were talking to me, but surely not considering I grew up in Shreveport and not freakin’ Montgomery.”

Richard scowled at him, clearly unaccustomed to being spoken to in such harsh manner. “You sure do have balls for a hillbilly.”

“Once again,” Evin replied, rolling his eyes. “Shreveport, not Arkansas. Get your facts straight.”

Suddenly Richard flung his arm out to grab Evin by the front of his shirt. “Listen here, LeFag.”

Evin felt a muscle in his cheek twitch and his fist clench as Richard continued.

“I don’t know how they do things in ‘Shreveport,’ but here in Boston, we don’t go around smarting off to the football captain.”

Evin opened his mouth to tell Richard just where he could shove it, when he noticed his twin sister coming toward them. Emma’s brow furrowed questioningly she glanced at Richard’s fist, still holding the front of Evin’s shirt in a giant wad. 

“Evin?” she asked. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Evin said through gritted teeth. “Don’t worry about me. Just go to class, Em.”

Emma didn’t budge.

“You heard your brother,” Richard agreed. “Or, I’m sorry, is it boyfriend? I’m not really clear on the whole incest thing.”

Evin punched him.

Emma gasped, too stunned to say anything.

Richard yelped and fell to the floor, holding his face. “My nose!” he cried as blood seeped through his fingers. “You freak! You broke my nose!”

“You insulted my family,” Evin replied flatly.

Richard furiously clambered to his feet. “You’re gonna regret that, LeFag”

The two boys went at it, fists flying and kicks landing, all the while with Emma yelling for them to stop.

Evin had Richard flat on his back. He drew back his arm and clenched his fist when all of a sudden he was being yanked away by the back of his shirt. Evin instinctively turned to fend off whoever it was grabbing him, ready to swing, when a stern voice made him freeze.