Free Of Gaea by Victoria Escobar

guardian, Sasha, not with the
axe Ghita holds over the guild. They have no knowledge of what goes
on here. You must be both the guard and the teacher or I fear all
will be lost. We won’t just lose Sparta. You know that. So much
more rests on her.”
    “ I will
not force her hand. She’s very close. A few more days, just give
her a few more days.”
    “ Do not
leave her alone with either the light or the dark, Sasha. Her
decision must be hers and not influenced by any other.” The
apparition gestured to the Cayenne and faded.
    Sasha didn’t even look over his shoulder. He sat for a moment
longer before coming back to the car. He didn’t say anything as he
climbed in and buckled his seat belt or started the engine. He
still didn’t speak as he turned on the headlights. He looked in the
mirror, began to back out, and then suddenly put the SUV back in
park and shut the engine off. He swiveled in his seat and looked at
Ari. “Aren’t you going to ask?”
    Ari
shook her head. “I’ve had enough of weird for one day Sasha. I
don’t think I can handle anymore right now. Can you please take me
home?”
    He gaped
a moment and looked like he wanted to say something before he
finally nodded curtly and turned back properly in his seat. “You
know, if we keep walking on the road we’re on, it’s only going to
get weirder.”
    “ I
know.” Ari yawned against her will. “But I have a quota of weird.
Consider it a learning curve. I just can’t deal with anything else
today.”
    She
turned to the window and watched silently as the rolling fields
turning into blooming crops. In a few more miles they gave away to
the small suburban neighbor that surrounded Main Street. It was a
small comfort to see the familiar sights.
    The landmarks were prominent in all of her memories, but
instead of comforting it made her sad. This wasn’t supposed to be her home.
Everything she knew was a lie.
    What
would her life had looked like in Sparta? Would she have family she
didn’t have here? Would she still be who she was? Would she have
friends like Sasha at every turn?
    The doubt and pain was mind numbing. Ari’s reality may have been
crashing down but her face revealed none of the inner turmoil. She
didn’t want Sasha to see her weakness not when he’d carried the
burden far longer than she had. He had been so strong, so could
she.
    Ari
could see her house from the top of the street. Every available
light was on. She was thankful for it, but at the same time wary.
Ghita wouldn’t have left the lights on in the middle of the
afternoon when they had left for Darentown.
    “ I asked Nasya to walk over and turn the lights
on.” Sasha spoke quietly. “I thought you’d prefer that to a dark
house.”
    Ari
simply nodded at first. She shouldn’t still be surprised by the way
Sasha thought of her first, but it did. “Thank you.”
    She
stared at the house as they approached and leaned forward suddenly.
There was something in the light spilling from the windows.
Something impossible.
    “ What’s
wrong?” Sasha slowed the car.
    Ari glanced at
him and then back at the porch.
    Nasya stood in the porch light waiting patiently. Her hair was
unbound and flowed gently down her back. The old fashion dressing
gown surprised Ari briefly but it wasn’t outside of possibilities
for Nasya’s wardrobe.
    “ Nothing. Seeing things I guess. It’s been a long
day.”
    “ I hope
you don’t mind the liberties I took.” Nasya said sleepily when they
finally joined her on the porch. She gestured to the house with a
hand. “Sasha said it would be okay.”
    “It’s fine,
thank you.” Ari reassured her.
    “ If Sasha can bring you in, I’ll help you change
for resting while he gets your spare chair out of the
garage.” Nasya offered.
    “ That’s fine.” Sasha maneuvered through the door
Nasya held open. “Anything exciting happen while we were
away?”
    Nasya
shrugged in Ari’s peripheral vision. “There’s blood on the
moon.”
    “