Rachel Stanton and The Darkest Night

CHAPTER 10: QUARLES

10. QUARLES

“Quarles,” Augustus said suddenly. “You’ll be turning into your human form. You’ll be living with them for now. And you must protect Rachel’s mother whatever happens.”

“But where are we going to live?” Chris demanded before he could land on his feet and walked past behind me. “I think Rachel’s house might do it.”

“You can’t live inside Rachel’s house Chris,” Almirante told him. “Just stay close to her mother not much close.”

The other Quarles landed on their feet. Jason and Zac rolled their eyes both and went right behind me. Katie, who seemed to be the most excited, went to touch my hand.

“Can I live with you, Rachel?” she asked. “Daisy, can I?” She turned behind her to Daisy. There was a plain reaction in Daisy’s face then, slowly, she nodded to her once.

“You may,” Daisy said. “Besides you’re both girls and you can understand each other.”

“Thank you so much.” Katie turned her face to me again. Then she walked past behind me beside Chris, who was now making a little tornado in his palm. The tornado disappeared in a thin fog then it vanished into Chris’ palm when he blew.

“The three of you,” Augustus pointed the three guys behind me, “Discuss where’re you going to live.”

“Okay,” Jason said, rolling his eyes again.

“You must go home now, Rachel. It’s already getting late. We’ll show up soon. Daisy will inform you the happenings while we battle Matilda for a while.”

The five Protectors rose up in the air on their own colored, thick clouds. As they got farther above, all of them vanished behind the clouds into the night sky. Now, the stars emerged in the atmosphere and shone to the Earth. Moon was already visible.

“Now what are we going to do?” Jason demanded. “He didn’t tell us how to go to Rachel’s house.”

I remained quiet in my place, looking into the night sky.

“—it’s not that—”

“—yeah, definitely—”

“—ask Rachel about it, instead—”

Their voice murmured into my ears repeatedly. Then someone patted my shoulders. The hand was hot like there was a growing fire in it.

“Do you know how to get into your house?” Jason asked, and as I turned to look at the four, their glow from their robes vanished and the colors of it weren’t visible in the night’s darkness.

“I’m going to try,” I said flatly. “Augustus only told me how to get back but I’m not sure because I only know to get back myself and I don’t know how to get back with company.”

“How to do it then?” Zac’s voice came into my side.

“He told me to close my eyes and focus to my place. That’s it,” I explained shortly.

“Okay guys,” Katie said. “Why don’t we hold hands? Let’s try it maybe it will work.”

“Good idea, Katie,” Chris said. “Take my hand, Rachel.”

I took Chris’ hand. Katie walked beside me on the other hand and she held it tight.

“Zac! Jason!” she yelled, and the sound of breaking twigs echoed into the forest. “Will you stay quiet?”

“Sorry, Ma’am,” Jason said in a mocking tone. “Oops.” Another twig broke up again. “Sorry.”

Jason stopped and Zac walked to Chris and held his hand. Everyone seemed to be ready for the transport. But I reckoned this wouldn’t work and I didn’t know how to do it.