The Broken Window Part 12

Peering around the emptying sanctuary, she replied, "Harken and Milo disappeared almost as soon as the concert ended. It's not like them not to visit with their friends and neighbors."

He inclined his head, saying, "They had messages to carry."

"I guess that is what they do," she said hesitantly.

"That is so."

Prissie still had an oddly off-kilter feeling. "And, if you don't mind my saying so, you seem less calm than usual. Are you worried about them?" she probed.

Kester exchanged a speaking glance with Koji, then said, "I care deeply about my teammates. There are times when it is difficult to stay behind and wait."

"Is this one of those times?" she asked nervously.

Small crinkles at the corners of his eyes accompanied a humorless smile. "Most a.s.suredly."

Koji shook her shoulder and whispered, "Prissie, please wake up."

"Hmm?" she murmured into her pillow, then lifted her head, squinting at him in the darkness. "Koji? What's wrong?"

"s.h.i.+eld your eyes," he quietly urged. "I am going to turn on your lamp."

With a soft grumble, she slapped her hand over her eyes, and she heard the soft click. Even though her bedside lamp wasn't very bright, it took several moments to adjust. "Koji," she complained, glaring at her clock. "Please tell me why you woke me up at three in the morning. You might not need sleep, but I... ."

"I apologize," he whispered. "But they are coming."

"What?" she asked. "Who?"

Koji simply pointed to the ceiling, which had begun to ripple. In a rush of green light, Jedrick dropped into the room and glanced her way. "Do not be afraid, Prissie," he said before turning his attention back to the ceiling. "Or perhaps I should have said, 'Do not be angry'?"

Fl.u.s.tered by the sudden arrival of the Flight captain in her bedroom, Prissie shook her head. "I'm not mad. Not really," she admitted. "Just confused."

Suddenly, another huge warrior dropped through her ceiling, and she squeaked in surprise. This angel's skin was dark as night, a striking contrast to his iridescent wings, and he had twin swords strapped to his back. Glancing her way, he smiled faintly. "Fear not, Prissie."

Though she couldn't imagine why, there was something familiar about this angel, and she tentatively asked, "Have we met?"

"In dreams," he replied simply.

"Who ...?"

"My name is Lucan, and that is enough for now."

"But ...!"

Lucan held a finger to his lips. "Hush, little daughter. Your own Guardian is our main concern at the moment."

Prissie gripped her quilt with white knuckles. "Tamaes?" she whispered, glancing fearfully at Koji.

The young Observer touched her arm comfortingly. "He is stubborn."

Meanwhile, Lucan and Jedrick moved into position, and Jedrick quietly called, "We are ready, Taweel. Lower him through."

A pair of boots dangled into view, followed by long legs, and the two waiting angels reached up to brace the limp form supported by Taweel's strong arms. The big Guardian leaned right through the ceiling and waited until Lucan said, "We have him," before relinquis.h.i.+ng his hold on Tamaes. Withdrawing momentarily, Taweel re-entered the room feet first, and suddenly, Prissie's tiny bedroom was jam-packed. She huddled closer to Koji, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Is he ...?" she choked out.

"Mending," Taweel quickly a.s.sured, holding out his arms and reclaiming his sagging apprentice.

Jedrick turned and knelt beside Prissie's bed. "Earlier this evening, the Deep was breached."

"Isn't that place full of demons?"

"Yes, and the moment the chains were ripped from the stone, those Fallen boiled up out of the pit," said the Protector. "When the enemy finds a toehold, a crack, a weakness, there is a rush to exploit it. Many fled into the tunnels, and many more scattered across the surrounding countryside. Because your family's farm is nearby ." With a grim shake of his head, Jedrick explained, "The Hedge was unequal to the onslaught because most of your Guardians followed your family into town for the concert."

Prissie's gaze swung from Taweel to Lucan, then back to Jedrick. "There are demons here?"

"They were," the captain clarified. "By the time everyone returned, many of the Fallen were already entrenched, but with the help of each Guardian's Flight, we have reestablished a boundary."

"That's been hours now!" she gasped.

"True," Jedrick replied. "And the struggle is far from ended."

Taweel a.s.sessed the small s.p.a.ce her bedroom offered, then sat in the same spot Tamaes had chosen the week before. With great care, he and Lucan arranged the unconscious Guardian so that he leaned back against his mentor's chest. Tamaes's head lolled to one side, and he looked strangely bare without any armor covering his raiment.

"How was he hurt?" Prissie asked, eyeing the s.h.i.+mmering bandages swathing his shoulder and neck.

"An enemy's arrow." Rolling his eyes upward, Taweel gruffly said, "You can let go now."

Omri raised his head and peered out from amidst the big Guardian's thicket of black hair. With a blink, the yahavim took in his surroundings and immediately flew to Lucan. Hovering for a moment in front of the silver-eyed warrior, he suddenly swooped through a series of somersaults. Light intensified around the little yahavim, and a large wafer of manna drifted onto Lucan's waiting palm. With a deep chuckle, the warrior said, "Thank you, sweetling. The refreshment is most welcome."

The little angel flew to Jedrick next, repeating the process. The captain gravely said, "Thank you, Omri."

Next, the tiny manna-maker zipped to Koji, landing on his shoulder and patting his cheek. The Observer whispered, "I am well, but Prissie is too pale."

Omri hopped over to her shoulder and gently petted her cheek, as well. "I'd feel better if you helped Tamaes for me," Prissie confided shakily.

With a flurry of wings, the yahavim launched himself at the injured Guardian. Producing another wafer of manna, Omri landed on Tamaes's chest, creeping up until he could press the food between his lips.

"Are the other injured in the barn?" Koji asked.

Jedrick nodded. "Tamaes was billeted there, but Abner finally begged us to ferry him over here. In his determination to reach Prissie, Tamaes was making a nuisance of himself."

"Not steady on his wings at the moment," Lucan remarked. "I caught him crawling across the yard."

Tamaes stirred and groaned, "Prissie."

Taweel's hold tightened on his apprentice. "She is here, safe and sound."

Lashes fluttered until reddish-brown eyes opened enough to search her out, and Prissie lifted her hand. "Here I am."

Tamaes's gaze wandered to the others in the room, then he reached up to grasp his mentor's arm. "All safe?" he asked.

Taweel grunted softly, and Tamaes took it as an affirmative. "May G.o.d be thanked," he murmured, and with a sigh, he sagged back into unconsciousness.

Jedrick shook his head. "The arrowhead was poisoned. He needs time."

"I will remain here," Taweel declared.

"So be it," Jedrick replied simply. "Padgett will check on him later."

Nodding curtly to Prissie, Jedrick leapt up through the ceiling with a short flick of s.h.i.+mmering wings. Taweel leaned forward, giving himself a little room, and awkwardly extended his wings in the confined s.p.a.ce. With a soft tutting, Lucan lent him a hand so the Guardian wouldn't b.u.mp anything off Prissie's bedside table. She watched in awe as he lifted them up, out, then forward, carefully draping their soft folds over Tamaes. Lucan briefly fussed at the edges before murmuring, "I will be on the roof. Rest easy." Then, in a flash of pearly white light, he whooshed upward and disappeared from view.

The room felt big and empty without the looming warriors, and when Koji jumped off the bed to hurry to Taweel's side, Prissie followed. "Is there anything I can do?" she whispered as she knelt on the braided rug.

Taweel shook his head. "Normally, our activities do not disturb our charges. Please, forgive the intrusion."

"Don't be silly! I want you here if it means you'll be safe!"

His lips quirked, and he pointed out, "Your safety is our charge, little one."

"Yours?" she asked in surprise. His thick brows drew together, and she clarified, "I thought it was your job to watch over Milo."

"Tamaes is my apprentice. If he cannot be by your side, I will be."

"Oh, I didn't realize!" she exclaimed softly. "So in a way, you're mine too!"

"In a way."

She stared pensively into this second Guardian's scarred face, noticing anew the faint lines that criss-crossed Taweel's dusky skin. Tipping her head to catch his bashful gaze, she said, "Thank you."

"Back to bed. You will only worry him if you catch cold."

Prissie obediently returned to her place, snapping off the light before wriggling down under her covers, but Koji climbed onto her windowseat. He lay at an angle across its cus.h.i.+ons, gazing down at his injured teammate. After a time, he dangled one hand, wiggling his fingers in a silent plea for Tamaes's attention, but the warrior was too far gone to respond. Instead, Taweel lifted one big hand and clasped Koji's in a gentle expression of shared concern.

Their closeness made Prissie feel a little lonely, but with a flutter of wings, Omri flew over. He landed with a soft plop on her quilt and skipped lightly to her pillow. A smile crept onto her face as the yahavim blinked at her with faceted eyes that glittered darkly against his luminous skin. "You're like a tiny drop of suns.h.i.+ne, aren't you?" she murmured.

He hummed, then clambered up onto her pillow and curled up where he could watch her.

"I haven't needed a nightlight since I was little," she said. "But I think tonight I want one, and you'll do nicely."

Omri's response was a funny little series of hums and clicks that made her look to Taweel for a translation. Both he and Koji were watching her with bemused expressions. "What?" she asked self-consciously.

The big warrior shook his head. "He is scolding you, little one."

Her face fell, but Koji interjected, "I have only ever heard Omri scold Taweel. I believe it means he likes you."

"He has taken to you," the Guardian agreed.

Prissie gazed at the glowing sprite as Koji quietly explained, "A yahavim always knows what is needed."

"And what do I need?"

Omri hummed insistently, and Taweel huffed. "You and Tamaes both need rest."

"Oh," Prissie breathed, carefully nestling down beside her tiny companion. She was sure it would take a miracle for her to get back to sleep after so much excitement, but miracles seemed so much more possible when you shared your pillow with a wee bit of heaven. Within minutes, she found her way into peaceful dreams.

11.

THE CLa.s.s.

PARTY.

Heavy chains slow his progress, but as you can imagine, he is difficult to pin down," the cherubim reported. "Do you remember him?"

"You bet," Baird replied, glancing up from his messages. "s.h.i.+mron should too."

"I have already conferred with him," Jedrick a.s.sured. "However, I wanted to check with you. You are somewhat removed from the situation, and that makes your perspective ... unique."

The redhead paused in the process of texting and remarked, "If I had a nickel for every time I was called unique, I'd have a pocketful of change!"

"Myron," his captain sighed, using the Wors.h.i.+per's first name.

Smile fading, Baird said, "Everyone's talking about the whacked out weather up your way. Goes without saying that he's the one stirring things up."

"Agreed ... though that is the least of our worries."

"The rest of the escapees?"

"They cannot hide for long."

Baird nodded. "Is Adin the one who planned that little jailbreak?"