Free The Guardians by Katie Ashley

shyness. Incapable of speaking, I bobbed my head in response.
    “Didn’t I see you at church on Sunday?” she asked. She smiled when I only jerked my head again. “Your brother is our new Youth Minister.” Before I could nod, she pressed me with a question which I had to answer. “What’s his name again?”
    Silently, I screamed my response in my head. For the life of me, my brain and throat refused to connect. It was like they were on some cosmic conspiracy to make me look like a fool. And deep down, I knew I didn’t need any help.
    Finally, I cleared my throat several times of what felt like a wad of sawdust before I could respond. “Gabriel,” I replied.
    “And what’s yours?”
    “Elijah.”
    “It’s nice to meet you, Elijah. I’m Abby Thomas.”
    “Nice to meet you, too,” I mumbled.
    When we reached the house, Abby held the backdoor open for me. I quickly ushered Atticus inside. In our absence, her father, David, had arrived home with Hannah. He and Chaz looked expectantly at the two of us while Hannah rushed to my side. She glanced up at me, her face etched with worry. I smiled down at her, trying to reassure her.
    “What happened?” David asked.
    “Atticus got out of his leash, and he was hit by a car,” Abby cried.
    David frowned. “We better take him to the Emergency Vet clinic.” He looked at me. “You’re Gabriel’s brother, aren’t you?”
    Ducking my head, I mumbled, “Yes sir.”
    “Well thank you so much for helping,” David said.
    “You’re welcome,” I replied, keeping my eyes on the floor. David brushed against me as he took Atticus into his arms and headed into the garage. Hannah followed close at his side, and Abby and Chaz went behind them.
    After Abby got into the SUV and buckled her seatbelt, she waved as the car backed out of the driveway. I waved back and then blushed.
    I didn’t go straight home. I already anticipated Gabriel’s fury. It pulsed through me, causing a stinging twinge in my chest. When I finally walked through the door an hour later, Sophie was sitting on the landing of the stairs waiting for me.
    “Where have you been? Gabriel is going crazy!”
    At the sound of Sophie’s voice, Gabriel whirled out of the living room and into the foyer. “What were you thinking, Elijah!” he growled.
    Sophie quickly stepped between us. “How could he not help her, Gabriel? Can you begin to imagine how Hannah would have dealt with Atticus’s death? It would have sent her completely over the edge.”
    Gabriel shook his head. “But he’s compromised the mission. Abby knew the dog was probably dying. What if she thinks something isn’t right with what he did? What if she starts thinking Elijah healed the dog? That could mean big problems for all of us.”
    “I’m sorry, Gabriel. I really am!” I cried. Unable to meet Gabriel’s furious gaze, I stared down at my hands. “I had to do it. I mean, it was my fault Atticus got hurt. I had to make it right.”
    “You’re going back,” Gabriel said.
    I jerked my head up. “What?”
    “I’ll have the Dominion send someone else.”
    Panic crashed over me like an electrical current, tingling from my head to my toes. “But I don’t want to go back! I’ve connected with Abby, and I want to help her!”
    Sophie stared at Gabriel. “And would you begin to explain such a thing? The Thomas’s have seen Elijah. What excuse would you give them for his absence?”
    “I’ll have the Dominion send someone else in his form. We can’t have someone who might constantly compromise our missions with the Thomas’s!” Gabriel snapped.
    No, this couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t leave Abby. I already cared about her too much to let someone else take my place. I grabbed Gabriel by the arm. “Please, please, don’t do this!”
    Cassie and Rafe appeared on the landing of the stairs with forlorn expressions.
    Out of nowhere, the doorbell rang. Sophie gasped, and we all exchanged frantic looks with each other. Finally,