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promise me you’ll text me every single day.”
    We reach my house, and I step onto the bottom porch stair but don’t head in, not ready to say good-bye just yet.
    “Of course I will,” I say. “Just remember, though, when you get tired of me texting you at all sorts of crazy hours, that you were the one who gave me permission to do it.”
    “Sounds like a deal.” He gives me probably one of the saddest smiles I’ve ever seen then moves in to hug me.
    “Kick some ass for me, okay?” I say as he moves back. “But don’t work too hard. You look really tired right now.”
    He smashes his lips together as his gaze drops to his scratched arm. “Yeah, last night was pretty intense …” He looks back at me with a stiff smile on his face. “Be easy on yourself, okay? Don’t beat yourself up because you didn’t get your Keepers’ mark.” Hope fills his eyes. “And, hey, maybe the mark will eventually show up, and then you’ll get to come home.”
    “Maybe.” But the more it sinks in that I’m now a Guardian, the less likely it feels that I’ll ever get to be anything else.
    This is it for me. I can feel it in my bones. Whether I like it or not, my future has been chosen for me.
    ***
    A few hours later, I’ve packed most of my clothes and anything else I could stuff into the two suitcases I’m allowed to bring with me.
    “Do you have everything you need?” my mom asks. She’s been rocking the mascara-raccoon-eye look ever since I showed up from Jayse’s this morning and keeps hugging me every few minutes. “I don’t want you to forget anything.”
    I grasp the handle of my suitcase, taking one last final look at my purple walls covered with posters and photos, my bed, and the field just outside my window. “I think so.”
    She dabs her eyes with her fingertips. “We should get going. We’re supposed to meet your escort at the airport in an hour.”
    “I wish grandpa could just Foresee me there.” I want to look back at my room again as we step out, but I’m afraid I’ll start to cry. “I’ve never flown before.”
    “You’ll be fine,” my mom reassures me as we head for the stairway. “Guardians aren’t too fond of using Foreseer transportation or any transportation outside of the human world.”
    My expression plummets. “Human transportation? That sounds complicated.”
    “It’s not that bad.” She gathers her long, brown hair into a ponytail and secures it with an elastic as she starts down the stairway. “And it might be good for you to try more complicated stuff without the help of magic.”
    “That doesn’t sound very fun,” I say, dragging my suitcases down the stairs.
    My grandpa and dad are waiting for us in front of the door, whispering about something in low voices. When they notice my mom and me, though, they immediately grow quiet.
    “Life can’t always be fun.” She collects the car keys from the pocket of her jeans.
    “That’s not completely true.” My dad smiles at me. “Everything can be fun if you make it.”
    “Are you quoting one of Grandma’s inspirational blocks?” I tease, trying to lighten the mood.
    He chuckles, but his green eyes carry worry. “Okay, you caught me, but it’s true. If you think you’re going to have fun, then you will.” He puts a hand on my shoulder, giving me his best you’re-going-to-be-okay look. “Stay positive, Alana, and everything will be okay.”
    I sure hope he’s right, but right now, nothing seems like it’s going to be okay.
    “Where’s Grandma?” I ask my grandpa. “Wasn’t she supposed to get here last night?”
    “I’m sorry, but she got held up with something and isn’t going to be home for a couple of days.” He reaches into the pocket of his trench coat and digs out a small, silver dagger with a jagged blade. “She wanted me to give you this.”
    “Dad, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” my mom interrupts. “The Academy Rulebook stressed no weapons outside of one's pre-approved.”
    “I