Awakened: Prequel GL Series

Chapter 5

5. A DEMON SCOUT

Grampa was standing by the sink when I walked in, the sweet aroma of home-cooking heavy in the air. “Hey, sweetheart.”

I dropped my backpack on the floor by the door and walked to his side for a hug. Now that I knew what he did for a living, watching him do something as mundane as cooking seemed so weird. “Hmm, smells good.”

“Roast and potatoes.”

“Yummy. I’m starving.” I picked up one of the cherry tomatoes he was cleaning and popped it in my mouth.

He chuckled. “Aren’t you always?”

My voracious appetite was a family joke, since I could pack it in and still maintain a healthy weight. I wrinkled my nose at Grampa, and we shared an easy smile, like we’d done so many times before this Guardian mess started. All of a sudden, I felt guilty. I wasn’t supposed to let Bran come near me, yet I’d ignored Grampa’s warning and done just that. Would he be disappointed?

I reached inside the cupboard for a box of Cheerios and a bowl then got a bottle of milk from the fridge. I felt Grampa’s eyes on me. Was he reading me now? I tried to focus on his thoughts but heard nothing.

“How does telepathy work?” I asked as I settled on the kitchenette chair and poured milk in my cereal. “Sometimes I hear you and the others; other times I don’t. What am I doing wrong?”

When Grampa finished washing the vegetables, he leaned against the kitchen sink, crossed his arms, and studied me. “It’s all about focusing, and that comes with training. The address and the hours of the dojo are on the fridge door. The instructors will teach you how to control and maximize your powers.”

Just as I’d expected, he wasn’t going to let me decide for myself. It wasn’t fair. “Why can’t you train me?”

“Because I’ve got a job to do. Besides, Cardinal Guardians train together. That’s how it is with us, teamwork.”

Yeah, right. Kim didn’t seem eager to be on a team with me earlier today. Even the thought of her left a weird feeling in my gut. “So I can’t know the big secret until I join the program?”

Grampa shook his head. “What big secret?”

“I heard the stakes are high in what you do.”

He shrugged as though he had no idea what I was talking about, which meant he did. Fine. I didn’t need to know. “How was your meeting?”

He smiled at my smooth change of topic. “We’re still talking. The Circle, you’ll come to learn, is made up of a bunch of cantankerous old fools. I’m always amazed we accomplish anything when they’re involved.”

The meeting with Bran flashed in my head. Would Grampa be angry I hadn’t listened to him? I’d never disobeyed him before. “Why did you need to consult them anyway?”

He wiped his hands on his jeans and took the seat opposite me. “As much as I don’t trust Bran Llyr, we think his message might have come from one of our own. Coronis took Tariel fifty years ago. He was the Cardinal Water Guardian. If he’s alive, we must save him.” He paused and pinned me with a steady gaze. “If this is not about Tariel, then this boy is a demon scout. Using you to reach me only makes him more suspicious.”

I shook my head. “He’s not a demon, Grampa.”

“You’re new to your powers. How would you know what he is or is not?”