Free Guardians of the Akasha by Celia Stander Page A

a gate between the two entities. It is guarded by the Gatekeeper. This history is recorded in the Book of Knowledge. If Daemon gains possession of the Knowledge, he could banish his enemies into the Void, and invite other beings out. He would be unstoppable.”
    Keira’s mouth had gone dry. “But surely that’s not possible?”
    Victoria merely looked at her. “The Guardians will make sure it doesn’t happen, whether possible or not.”
    “Aunt Vic, I mean no offence, but why wasn’t this book destroyed a long time ago? If it is so dangerous, why leave it lying around for Daemon to find?”
    “First of all, it is not ‘lying around.’ It is in the most protected place I know of. Secondly, it contains our knowledge and our history. I think it is James Burke that said: ‘If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you are.’”
    Victoria sighed in frustration. “If only I had more time with you—but I will give you what I can. Besides, the Draaken will be there as well. They will all help and protect you.”
    Keira’s mind whirled with a million unanswered questions. Doomsday scenarios raced like movies on fast forward behind her eyes; faces of family, Alison and Sammy, appeared and disappeared. Images of Nagwa and the woods folk wavered and vanished.
    He would change time , she thought. How many times did she wish she’d never been born? Would she be born if Daemon changed time? The thought of non-existence suddenly seemed less appealing.
    “This is too much,” she shook her head.
    Victoria leaned forward and took Keira’s hand in her own. “The one thing that I will regret for the rest of my life is that I didn’t come for you sooner. Please forgive me—”
    She was interrupted when the pilot announced, “Ladies, we will be landing in fifteen minutes. Please stow away any bags or loose items and fasten your seatbelts. Thank you.”
    “Keira, there is one more thing,” Victoria said. “You couldn’t have known, but every time someone uses magick, it causes a ripple in the Akasha. We call this a signature. Each Guardian’s signature is unique. Some of us—especially trained magickae—can identify individuals by their signatures. The other night, when you defended yourself against attack, I sensed your signature, which means Daemon did as well.”
    “So he knows who I am?” Keira asked.
    “He didn’t at first. You haven’t used your magick in many years, so your signature is relatively new. But judging by the strength of it, you are the only one alive today who equals Daemon in raw ability. He wouldn’t have failed to notice that.”
    Victoria hesitated. “The attack in front of Harrods—”
    “What?”
    “Yes, his Watchers tried to attack you. Marco intervened.”
    “Marco was following me?”
    “Yes, on my orders.”
    “Isn’t that grand,” Keira cried. “A few days ago I was stressing about hiding what I am from my friends and whether or not to go to college. Now, the greatest known evil of the modern world views me as a threat. That is just fabulous!”
    “Don’t sulk, dearest,” Victoria smiled. “We’ve got time to prepare you, yet.”
    The plane landed with a soft bump on a small, private airstrip, taxied for a short distance and came to a stop in front of a large, corrugated-iron aeroplane hangar. A silver Audi Q7 awaited them with its doors open. Simone got in the front passenger seat, while Keira and Victoria sat in the back. The driver politely closed their doors and soon they were winding their way through miles of uninterrupted forest. Dark trees were the only witness to their passing.

Chapter 10
    Keira stared unseeingly out of the window. As strange as her childhood had been, nothing could have prepared her for this. She felt equal measures of resentment and gratitude to Victoria. Resentment for her not telling her the truth much, much earlier, and gratitude for knowing that she was not alone anymore, that there were other people like