Perilous Light (The Afterglow Trilogy #2)(35)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

I looked around and right into Liam’s eyes.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” Liam smiled as he stood up. “When you feel strong enough, your mom is over there.” Liam pointed behind him.

I got my first sight of my mother, and a wave of emotion hit me. She looked older and weaker, but otherwise she looked like Mom. I wriggled out of Calvin’s arms. He resisted at first, but when he realized where I wanted to go, he loosened his hold.

I walked over to my mother, looking at Monty briefly to make sure it was okay. He nodded. “Mom?” I touched the side of her face with my palm, afraid I would somehow break her if I wasn’t careful. She looked as though she were sleeping, but I knew it was something more. I hoped my touch would cure her, as it had helped Ruth, but my touch did nothing. Mom needed more energy. I closed my eyes and tried to picture my energy flowing into her. I began to feel lightheaded and weak, as though I might faint, but Calvin’s familiar arms steadied me from behind.

“Charlotte?” Mom’s blue eyes fluttered open, and she looked at me with confusion. She tried to sit up, but after struggling for a moment gave up and remained lying down.

“Relax, Emma. Take it slow.” Monty’s face glowed.

“Monty? What’s going on?” Mom struggled again, so Monty helped her sit up. She looked around her nervously.

“Where are we? Are we…? Wait, but how…?” My mom put her palms to the side of my face. “Charlotte? But you are all grown up. And your eyes…”

“Emma, you have been out for a long time.”

Mom dropped her hands at Monty’s words. “How long? How can Charlotte be the Essence? It is too soon. And is that your Gerard? My little Charlotte has a Gerard?” Mom looked as if she might pass out.

James ambled over to us. “My father kidnapped you and had you in a coma for about four years. You were held captive at Icentris. I brought Charlotte into Energo a year ago and helped her find you.”

“Your father?” Mom blinked. “So you are Blake’s son?”

“I know what you are thinking. Let me explain. I helped Charlotte escape. I am one of her Guardians, and I am loyal to my job.”

My mother considered Lawson quizzically. “Are you another Guardian?”

“No. My younger brother is, though. He is with your son.”

“My son? Kevin? Where is Kevin?” Mom frantically looked around again, as though she expected to find him in the cave.

“Theodore sent Kevin to meet with the Pact council to get support for the resistance against Blake,” Monty said.

“Defeat Blake? Why would we need the Pact?” Mom looked over my head at Calvin. “Are you not in charge now?”

“Unfortunately, I did not put enough faith in my Essence and allowed Blake to maintain control.” I could tell how hard it was for Calvin to tell my mother that.

“Blake has become so powerful that we have no chance of defeating him without the Pact?” Mom asked alarmed.“But why are you here to begin with? How did Charlotte and Kevin even get involved?”

“I met James when we moved back home—”

She interrupted, “Back home? When did you leave home?”

“We spent three years in Alaska,” I said quietly.

Her brow wrinkled in confusion. “Why Alaska?”

“Stan took the kids there to do research after you… went missing.” Monty fidgeted uncomfortably.

“Did you not realize where I went? I mean, Stan knew that I did not…” Panic crossed Mom’s face. It was just like her to worry more about the effect something had on everyone else rather than on what she went through herself.

“We assumed. The kids thought you…” Monty started.

“That I what?” she asked.

“We thought you died.” It was easier to say it while sitting next to her, but thinking about it still brought back the painful memories of loss.

“Oh, my goodness.” Mom pulled me toward her, and I relaxed into her embrace. Calvin backed up, giving us the space we needed. It felt so good to be held by her again. Tears started to slide down my face, but I didn’t try to stop them. “I am so sorry, Charlotte. That must have been so hard for you. I never warned you. We never thought… we were only trying to protect you.”

“I know, Mom.” Being with my mom again was amazing, and I didn’t want to ruin it.

Mom noticed Liam. “Liam? What are you doing here?”

“Well, that’s an interesting story—” Liam started.

Monty interrupted, “Liam is another one of Charlotte’s Guardians.” He grinned.

“What? How?” My mother and I spoke simultaneously, our voices almost identical. In the seconds it took for Liam to respond, I convinced myself that I had misheard Monty.

Liam answered, “I don’t really know. I just found out myself when I picked up a Guardian sword. But to answer your first question, I’m here to protect Charlotte and help in any way I can.” Liam watched me as he spoke, and I was sure my mouth was hanging open. Liam, a Guardian? It didn’t make any sense. He wasn’t from Energo, nor was his family, as far as I knew.

“Monty, how is this possible?” Mom sounded as lost as I was. That didn’t seem like a good sign.

“I am not sure, but I have a hunch.”

“Let’s hear it,” Liam said.

“Did you two ever… well, did you two ever have any physical contact?” Monty looked from Liam to me.

“Physical contact?” Oh, my gosh. I peered at Liam and could tell he was thinking the same thing I was—the kiss. Blushing, I looked down at the ground. Calvin’s arms tightened around me.

“Yes, do I really need to elaborate?” Monty asked.

Without looking up, I answered, “Well, we kissed once. Or really, I kissed him right before we left for Alaska. I don’t know what came over me; it was supernatural or something.” I heard James laugh somewhere behind me.

“Well, that explains it.” Monty said almost to himself.

“Care to enlighten us?” Liam asked.

“Nothing to worry about right now.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but after one glance at my mother’s tired eyes, I decided to let it go for the time being.

***

Hours later, I still hadn’t gotten used to all of the new information. I was shocked to discover that Liam was a Guardian, but on some level, it made perfect sense. Liam had already protected me fiercely before finding out he was a member of my Guard. I didn’t think anyone would have guessed that the last Guardian had been with us all along. All I knew was that there was no one I wanted on my Guard more.