The Lost Years (The Guardians Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

guys.”
    “That’s not what I’m saying,” Calysta said, walking through her front door and carefully taking a seat in an oversized wooden rocking chair. “The council isn’t evil, they’ve just lost their way. Even good men lose their way. Who knows, maybe with Michael there, they will find it again, but he too seems to have lost his way over the years.
    “I don’t agree. He takes care of us, he needs to come back and be here to help us. That’s why I’m here, you have to help figure out a way to have the council return Michael,” Dina demanded.
    “No.”
    “So, you won’t help?”
    “What I mean is, no, that’s not why you’re here. You’re really here because a friend needs you.”
    “No, you’re wrong; I came here because of Michael,” Dina insisted.
    “I understand what you think brought you here, but the truth is, there is something much bigger for you to take care of right now.”
    “Who are you talking about?”
    “A boy, fighting to become a man. He will fulfill his destiny, but first he has a journey ahead of him.”
    “Gabe? Are you talking about Gabe?”
    Calysta nodded, closing her eyes for a moment. “He’s lost. Poor thing, he was alone for so long, so much pain. Finding all of you, he needed that, but now you are all a crutch for him, something he’s not going to want to give up when the time comes. When he has to step up and fulfill his duties as protector, he won’t be willing to do it. He won’t want to lose this new and beautiful life.”
    “What beautiful life? You’re mistaken, Gabe is miserable right now. He’s lost Sophie and now he thinks his best friend has betrayed him. Gabe is far from happy.”
    “Sophie will remember, soon. Then he will have everything he has ever wanted, if he stays.”
    Dina shook her head, confused. “Then isn’t that a good thing? He’s our friend, why wouldn’t I want him to be happy?”
    Calysta smiled. “I guess it depends, do you want Gabe to be happy or do you want him to save the world?”
    Dina didn’t reply; she didn’t know her answer.
    “Life is full of hard choices. For Gabe, if he chooses happiness now, it will mean not fulfilling his destiny.”
    “You’re wrong!”
    “I might be, but you don’t think I am,” Calysta answered cooly. Dina frowned, saddened because she feared that the oracle was right.
    “What am I supposed to do?” Dina pleaded.
    Calysta winced as she shifted in her seat, the pain from the shock still too fresh for movement. “I’m not saying he needs to be gone forever, but he does need to go on a quest of discovery.”
    “I don’t understand, to discover what?”
    “Himself. Gabe has no idea who he is. He has never had anyone to tell him where he came from. He has a few memories of the family that once was, but no real sense of his history or what makes him tick. Now that he has all of you, he is making his circle of friends the definition of who he is. But to really become the man he is meant to be, he has to go out and experience life on his own. He has to answer those questions for himself. He has to know if he would choose the path of good or evil without any outside influences. Then, when he’s ready, he’ll return to you all.”
    “Are you telling me he’s going to leave us?” Dina asked, the despair heavy in her voice.
    “This very night. He will come to see you soon.”
    “Me?” Dina questioned.
    Calysta nodded in response.
    “Why me?”
    “You’re one of the few he trusts now.”
    “What do I do?” All mistrust of this woman fell away as Dina asked the question with great sincerity.
    “Even though Gabe needs this journey, he will need to find a way home. You have to give him a way for when he’s ready.” Calysta answered.
    “How do I do that?” Dina added.
    “You’ll figure it out.” Calysta said. “Now you better get, you don’t want to miss him.”
    Dina ran to the door, taking the handle tight in her hand. She hesitated, turning back. Taking one last look