Reflections Beyond (Book 1) now published so sample only

Chapter 13

A soft knock at the door startled me awake. I was instantly on alert thinking back to Candice. I crept to the door and peeped out. To my surprise, Mesa stood quietly waiting patiently. When she saw me she smiled brightly at me.

"Hello Miss, I was sent to wake you. Mistress Dalia will be ready within the hour to leave." She stated and I couldn't help but feel a weird sense of coincidence.

"Mesa, what are you doing here? Were you sent to bring us back?" I said a little panicked.

"No Miss, I am your guardian. Every Ambassador is assigned a guardian at birth. I was assigned to you long before we even met and I have followed you assisting whenever necessary. Wherever you go I am it is as simple as that." She explained.

"So you will be joining us? "

"Yes and no Miss. I will not be physically joining you as I have no physical body. But I will be there when called for."

"What do you mean no physical body?" I asked confused.

"I am a Sprite; I may seem to have a solid form when in fact I do not. Pass your hand through me and you will see what I mean."

I cautiously stuck my hand out to poke her on the shoulder but my finger went through nothing but air. I jumped back, a little freaked out but still curious. She smiled at me reassuringly.

"But you helped me up the stairs that night when I was exhausted."

"I may not have a body but my strength is that of ten mortal men." She said proudly.

"Wow that's pretty awesome." I was astonished that someone so petite and stunning could be such a curious character.

"So Miss whenever you call me I come."

"But I didn't call you." I furrowed my brow trying to remember.

"Last night you said and I repeat 'Why does this place have no damn alarm clocks. How am I going to know when to get up?' I am your alarm clock." I laughed at that, she had sounded so indignant just like I had last night.

"Well then thank you. I guess I had better try and wake Caden now."

"Good luck with that Miss." She grinned cheekily at me and disappeared. I blinked a few times and looked around the door but she was definitely gone.

I glanced over at Caden, not looking forward to waking him. Our evening had not been the best. After Candice's expulsion from our quarters, Stefan, as the Duke is known insisted on talking to us long into the night. At first I was worried that he may feel obliged to pass on information to Ben or Dad, but he could see our urgency and promised us his silence.

He managed to give us detailed maps and helped us devise the best route to get to where Markus land began as quickly as we could. With Dalia's help we would be able to figure what way would lead through the least dangerous lands.

No one seemed to know exactly where Markus was situated, so a lot of it was rough guessing, but at least now we had a plan. We had agreed to leave before sunrise to not waste any more hours than absolutely necessary.

I sat on the edge of the bed closest to Caden to devise my strategy but he instinctively reached for me. He pulled me in tight against him and snuggled up to me. I revelled in the feeling of being pressed against him so intimately for a bit.

Then I sighed, this would be truly unpleasant. I pulled myself away from him reached over and grabbed his nose closing my hand over it. Within seconds he spluttered into a sitting position.

"Your a Meany." He said huskily as he wiped his eyes

"It worked didn't it?"

"There are many other ways to wake me that are much more pleasant." His husky voice sent shivers down my spine.