The Keeper Exams

Prologue

Christian Alexander = Thomas / Alexandra Chando = Kate

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"Kate, you can do this." Garrett encourages, his green eyes twinkling as he places the midnight black medallion in my palms. It begins to glow, streaks of red swirling in intricate patterns along the surface of the metal. The crimson tendrils creep along my flesh, climbing tediously up my arms and wrapping themselves around my neck and torso.

"No, I'm not made for this." My voice quivers with anxiety, Garrett chuckles, though it sounds forced, and covers my shaking hands with his. When I look up at his face, my heart skitters. Only moments before he'd been young and ageless, just like the day he became Keeper fifty years ago. But now, his skin was gray and wrinkly and his eyes were dimmer than before.

"You wouldn't have survived if you weren't made for this moment; to become this person. Kate, you are the Keeper now. It's all up to you now, I'm sorry I won't be able to help you." Garrett cringes, his eyes closing in pain.

"Garrett?" I ask anxiously, worry clouding my mind.

"It's happening." He whispers, I barely have enough time to be confused before a surge of power electrocutes my body. My muscles turn stiff, my back arches, and the medallion tumbles from my still fingers. I jerk my head back, my lips parted in an ear splitting scream. Red hot fingers travel along my body, running up and down like little pins along my flesh, igniting my being in flames of excruciating agony.

"Katelyn Summers, you have been chosen by the magick of the Keeper to become protector, friend, and leader to the Hybrids. From this moment forward, Katelyn Summers no longer exists. You are the Hybrid Keeper." A deep voice bellows from nowhere and everywhere all at once. I grit my teeth together and suck in a deep breath of air as the fire lacing through my body appears behind my eyelids, burning brilliantly in the form of the medallion as it sears itself into my soul.

Then, it suddenly stops and my body is released from its paralyzing clutches. I gasp and fall forward on my hands and knees with my head down, breathing as hard as I can. The medallion lays on the ground a few feet before me, its red glow fading slowly.

"Garrett?" I voice shakily, slowly lifting my head in search of the only person who can tell me what to do now. But the sight before my eyes causes my heart to clench tightly in fear. Garrett lies on the ground, face up with his eyes open, staring up at nothing.

"Garrett?" I ask again, a crippling numbness spreading through me. "Garrett! No! Wake up!" I scream, crawling over to his side and shaking his shoulder. "Garrett, I need you. I can't be Keeper! Garrett, wake up!" Huge tears run down my cheeks as trembling sobs wrack my body.

I was all alone now.

"No, you're not alone Kate. You have your Guarde, and me." I jump, my head snapping up to see Thomas standing over me. My best friend.

"Thomas, Garrett―" He bends down and pulls me against his chest.

"I know, but you're not alone Kate. And we will figure this out together. I promise you."

"Kate," Someone shakes my shoulder, "Kate, hello? Kate!" A voice shouts. I jerk back, staring up at them with wide eyes.

"What Thomas?" He looks at me curiously.

"You zoned out, thinking about..." Thomas runs off as he tries to piece together what's wrong by digging through my thoughts. I scowl and slam my mental shield up in his face, shutting him out of my head. Sometimes it was frustrating being connected to the Guarde so intimately. We were bonded through the Keeper magick, giving us all access to each other's minds yet also tying our fates intricately together in ways we couldn't even begin to comprehend.