Guardians of Rhea Read Online Free PDF Page A

put more of what she’d learned to use. She spun the
equinox in a disorienting fashion, hoping to throw Leon off guard,
and she belted him with a hard kick to the midsection.
    Most humans, or even most Vesuvians, would
have keeled over in agony. Leon skipped back several steps and
paused.
    The look on Bekal’s face was that of complete
anger. He ran at Sara, repeatedly swiping at her from all
directions. His frustration only grew as his attacks met with no
success.
    With every attack, Sara desperately looked
for a way to end the fight, thinking that at any moment Leon was
going to stab her in the back.
    Keeping most of her focus on the immediate
threat, Sara swung the equinox up to block Bekal's knife and
stabbed him in the heart with her talon.
    Several Guardians burst through the door as
Bekal fizzled away into a heap of ember and ash.
    Sara spun around just in time to see Leon
make an incredible leap through the broken windowpane.
    One Guardian turned to the others. “Go back
out and track him!” he ordered, before running to Sara’s side.
“Were you just fighting with two Vesuvians?”
    Sara stood motionless. She could feel her
heart beating like it was going a hundred miles an hour.
    “Hey!” the Guardian said, patting her on the
shoulder. “Are you okay?”
    Like waking up from a daydream, Sara turned
to him. “Yes, I’m fine.”
    “This is incredible!” the Guardian laughed.
“Man, you sure paid attention in class, didn’t you!”
     
     
     

CHAPTER SIX
     
    It was early next morning. Arthur found
himself walking with Sara through the halls of the Citadel. “We
lost track of the Vesuvian you fought in the chapel,” he said.
    “I’m not even sure he was Vesuvian,” Sara
replied.
    “What makes you say that?”
    “For one, he was completely covered from
head-to-toe, so I didn’t get that good a look at him. Second, it
seemed as if he was there for the other Vesuvian, the one I
killed.”
    Arthur scratched his beard. “Hmm… I don’t
know what to tell you.”
    “Why would two Vesuvians be running around
the city trying to kill each other?”
    “Could he have been a Hegiran or a Khothu?”
Arthur asked.
    “No, he dressed like a Vesuvian and moved
like one. Hegirans and Khothu are too slow to dodge like that.”
    “He must have been a Vesuvian then. If he
were a Fenrir, you’d know it. Besides that, only a Vesuvian or
Fenrir could have made that leap through the window.”
    Sara shook her head. “I don't know.”
    “Maybe there’s a lot of infighting between
the Vesuvians. Don’t forget about their thirst for blood. If your
fellow Guardians hadn’t shown up when they did, the one that got
away might have made a meal out of you.”
    “Good point,” Sara said with a look of
concern.
    After a moment, Arthur noticed that Sara was
dwelling on the thought a little too much. “What’s wrong?”
    “You don’t understand what this is like for
me. I couldn’t get any sleep last night. Everyone keeps asking all
these questions. You said no one had seen a Rhean within the city
for years…”
    “Which is true, or was true.”
    “And I have a fight with two Vesuvians,
inside the chapel of all places, on my first day on the job.”
    Arthur chuckled. “Weren’t you the one who was
so excited about being a Guardian?”
    Sara ran her hands through her hair. “You’re
right,” she said. “I should just be glad I’m alive.”
    A Guardian suddenly appeared from around the
corner. “Sir Arthur, the Consular is having a meeting with the
Marshal, Elites and Preceptors. They’re gathering right now in the
Great Hall.”
    Arthur looked to Sara. “We don’t have too
many meetings like this. It must be important.”
    “I’m going to get some sleep,” Sara said,
then yawning out loud.
    “Make sure you get enough rest and don’t
forget about the ball tonight.”
    “That’s tonight? Oh no! I forgot!”
    “Don’t worry,” Arthur said. “I’m sure you’ll
do just fine.”
    Sara slumped.