Betrayal: Book 3 of the Guardians Saga

Ch. 13.3 Called To Another World

As she flew, Alex rubbed her jaw. 

That jerk was a lot faster than he looked. 

She wiped the blood from her lip, but it was quickly replaced.  She hoped she wouldn't have to get stitches.  At least she had managed to duck that kick. 

Having another black eye is not a bodily alteration that I want to make at the moment. I prefer one at a time.

She looked up at the stars, glad the night was clear enough to see them.  A flash of blue light blinded her momentarily and when she blinked her eyes clear, the sky was different.

She looked in wonderment at the sun low in the sky over a forest of tall but spindly pine trees. The air was warm but not as humid as the sub-tropical zone New Orleans was in.

A soft wind sent the pine trees waving and Alex remembered there was a Camp Whispering Pines in her past.

Lock down any thoughts of the past. I've been Called somewhere. That's what's important.

Voices drifted over.  Without any better idea of what to do, she landed and followed them, keeping to the underbrush. 

She realized that they were children, but she stopped in shock when she saw what kind of children.

"Dad's gonna kill you if he finds out you borrowed his cars, Rafe."

"Stop being such a whiner, Caleb.  Watch this."

A radio control car crashed into the underbrush near her feet. She ducked down but was unable to remove her gaze from the sight.

"Who's the jerk now? I'll get it."

A little draconic child raced over and struggled to free the car from the tangled bushes. Their eyes met in astonishment.

No tail. This isn't Razz's child. This isn't any Anolis' child. Is it Gabe's?

"Who are you? Who beat you up? Does it hurt? Where did you come from? No one is supposed to live around here. I shouldn't talk to strangers."

Alex smiled at his rush of words and changed from crouching to kneeling on the ground so she was eye level with him.  "I'm no stranger.  I think I know your father. Which question do you want me to answer first?"

Alex looked at the landscape. Tall spindly pine trees whispered and waved in the gentle wind and their soft scent was soothing. The air was slightly humid and warm.

Not the Anolis world of scrub and semi-desert that I'm familiar with. Where am I? Is there a pine forest area of the Anolis world?

"Caleb! What's taking you so long?" The question was yelled from a figure walking closer.

"That's my brother Rafe. He's a pain. Oh great, he broke Dad's car.  We're gonna get it now."

"Maybe I can fix it." Alex held out her hand.

Reluctantly he handed over the car.  With a jolt, Alex recognized the car that she had bought Rile what seemed like an eternity ago.  A twig was jammed into the axle so she pulled it free.

"There.  The axle isn't bent, so it should be okay."  She handed it back.

The future? Time travel? That makes my head hurt.

"Thanks." He inspected the car.

"Caleb . . . hey!"  Rafe stopped a distance away, having spotted Alex.  He turned and raced away.

"Rafe, wait! Great, he's gonna get Mom. You better go. Thanks for fixing my Dad's car."

Caleb was wrong. His brother wasn't running for their mom.  Rafe went straight for the muscle: he ran to his dad and uncles.