Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (read aloud .txt) 📕

Claw Hawk; call me Kit. I am a Dream Realm Companion, Banished to you. Uncle Orthos sent me to the Outer Realm as a part of his deceitful plan to rule our world. I need your help to get back. Kit’s voice turned sad, and Luna felt for her Companion friend.
I know of him. Luna sent. You wouldn’t be Katherine Hawk’s twin, would you?
The very same. Kit told her. Now, will you help me get back home? I want to see my sister again.
Luna sighed, sad. She knew how it felt almost losing her twin, so she agreed.
Sure, I’ll help you, Kit.
By that time, Luna had reached Fourth-Floor. She punched in the codes and walked inside once the door opened.
“Ariana, are you here?” She cried into the air.
“In the kitchenette, Luna.” Luna heard her sister sniff and headed to meet her.
Luna decided to forget about Kit for a moment when she saw her sister’s drying tears. “Are you okay?”
Ariana smiled, despite her reddened eyes. “Not really, Lu. It’s nothing I can’t handle, don’t worry about me.” She sniffed again.
“Okay,” Luna replied. She hugged her, easing her sister’s troubles. “If you need me, I’ll be there for you.”
“Thanks a lot, Luna.” Ariana replied, heading out the door. She turned around before leaving. “You’re the best.”
The door shut and Luna sighed.
What about me? Kit spoke up gently. Are you not going to help me get home?
How can I help you? Luna asked, lying down.
Meet me in the Garden, in the Dream Realm’s Dominion. Kitten's Claw commanded. You do remember how to get there, do you not?
Sure. I’m a daughter of an Ancient Mystic Sister. My power helps me go back and forth between here and there. Luna told her.
She closed her eyes.

In no time, she had arrived at the Garden. She saw Katherine there, talking with Wolf, but saw no one else.
“That’s strange.” Luna muttered to herself. She called to the couple. “Katherine!”
Katherine spotted and ran to hug Luna. Wolf followed. “Grand Magus, always a pleasure.” She smiled.
Luna took a deep breath and said. “I think I found your sister.”
“How? Where is she?” Katherine replied, excited.
“She was with me, as you were with Ariana. Only, I thought I was going nuts. I believed I was hearing voices, only to find out it was your twin, Kitten's Claw. She told me to meet her here, so she could tell me how I could help her return home – for good. Have you seen her?” Luna rushed, trying to stay calm.
Wolf laughed; glad Luna had found his love’s sister. “Slow down, Grand Magus. What happened, now? Nice and slow.”
Luna allowed very few people to call her by her Dream Realm title. It wasn’t official yet, but the Companions were slowly getting used to it. When she was alone with them, she had no problem. When she was with the other Crusaders, for instance, it was uncomfortable.
Luna took her time and repeated what she had rushed to say before.
“I have one question if you haven’t seen her lately.” Luna commented when she finished. “What does she look like?”
“Like myself, of course, with shorter hair.” Katherine told her. “Have you told Young Guardian, yet?”
Luna shook her head. “I’m afraid to sound foolish.”
“I am positive you will be fine.” Katherine reassured her. “Remember who you will be telling. Ariana is quite understanding, you know.”
“She will be more than willing to help out.” Wolf continued. He put an arm around Katherine’s shoulders. “She was the one to reunite me with my Katherine.”
Luna was preoccupied. “That’s great, you two. If I don’t find Kit, I’ll never be able to help her return.” Luna cried, turning to leave. She searched the entire Garden, only to come up with bugs up her nose.
Luna decided to give up and go home, telling Wolf and Katherine she’d be back later to look again.

She opened her eyes to find her sister coming in the door.
“Ariana, hi.” Luna replied, trying to grab her attention.
Ariana looked up. “I’m sorry, Lu. Did I wake you?”
Luna shook her head. This was the perfect time to tell her about Kit. “Can I talk to you?”
“Sure,” Ariana sat on Luna’s bed. “What is it?”
“I have something to tell you.” She said.
Ariana smiled, and Luna was glad her sister was in such a good mood. “I found Kitten's Claw Hawk."
Luna was expecting laughter, but got only silence. Finally, her sister spoke up.
“Where? Have you told Katherine, yet?”
“I’ve had her in my head, but it was only today she decided to introduce herself.” Luna replied. “For years, she’d been this annoying and sarcastic voice.”
“Well, that answers my next question.” Ariana replied with a grin. "Why hadn't you known about her sooner?"
“She wanted me to meet her in the Garden, but when I got there, she wasn’t.” Luna told her. “I did see Katherine, though, and told her and Wolf.”
Ariana was happy for her. “How’d she react? Excited?” She asked, smiling.
“Belated, and so was Wolf.” Luna replied. “I told them I’d go back later and search.”
Ariana shook her head. “That’s all fine and dandy Lu, but you’re forgetting one thing.”
“What?”
“Kit won’t be there. She’s inside you, remember?” Ariana replied, and Luna looked to her lap. “The only reason Kat can be in me and live in the Dream Realm at the same time is because the Sisters allowed it. Now that you’ve found Kit, you should go to them and ask their permission.”
“Oh,” She replied. She looked at her sister. “Do you really think they’ll let me do that?”
Ariana shrugged. She didn’t want to promise anything she couldn’t deliver. “Never hurts to ask, dear sister.”
Luna stood. “You’re right. I’ll ask the Sisters when I go to sleep tonight.” Luna nodded. “For now, I have to get ready to see Shane. Au Revoir!”

Ariana giggled as she watched her sister disappear into the bathroom.
She answered the door when she heard someone knock. She hoped it wasn’t Mark, and was glad when it was Derrick. They hugged when she let him in.
“It feels funny knocking. I’ve never had to do that before.” Derrick laughed.
Ariana was nervous around him. Did he know about Mark?
When he looked in her eyes, she realized the love he had for her and relaxed once again, smiling. “I know. What’s up?”
“I’ll only tell if you join me at the Café.” Derrick teased. He kissed her nose. “Hungry?”
“Famished.” Ariana smiled. She quickly wrote her sister a note before leaving.
“Shall we?” Derrick asked, holding out his arm. She took it and they were on their way.
They sat side by side at a booth, ordering when the waitress came.
“So, how’s your training coming?” Ariana asked.
“Great,” Derrick said. “I just need to take a few more tests in order to formally be a Senior Detective Ranked Officer.”
Ariana groaned. “Did you have to say tests?”
Derrick smiled, tweaking her nose. “That’s right; you had tests of your own.”
Not to mention, choices to make! Ariana thought to herself.
“How’d they go?” Derrick asked, ignoring her silence.
“Pretty good. A few are kind of hard, though.” Ariana replied. Silently, she sarcastically quipped. Like the choice between you and Mark. . . Did I mention he was here? “The ESISA Tests are wearing me out. I don’t think I can do it much longer, and be expected to pass them all.”
“I’m sure you’ll do just fine.” Derrick took her hand and squeezed it. “I have faith in you.”
“Thanks. I need all the help I can get.” Ariana responded, as the meals were set before them.
They ate the rest of the meal in silence.

II

Meanwhile, Shannon Ryan was furious. She paced her office, frowning at Mark. "I thought I told you to keep yourself secret?"
Mark looked down at the floor, fiddling with the cuff of his sweater. "I'm sorry, Shannon, really I am."
Shannon sighed, slumping in her chair. "What am I going to do with you?"
"You can send me home if you want to." Mark said softly. "You were right. I'm only complicating things for both you and Ariana."
Shannon had to meet his eyes. "Grey Wolf."
He looked up.
"I'm not going to send you home." Shannon said softly. "You can stay, as we discussed. I just want you to keep yourself busy, that's all."
"I shouldn't have come, Shannon." Mark cried.
"I know how you feel right now, believe me." Shannon said, softening her tone. "Just be sure you stay away from the twins, okay?"
"Why?"
"I told you. They've got a lot to learn still." She explained. "Especially Ariana."
"Oh. Okay." Mark was depressed now.
Shannon could sense it, and spoke up. "Mark, I believed in you the first moment I laid eyes on you. You are a great Crusader, a great Junior Detective, and a great guy. In my eyes, you have potential to be something great."
He smiled. "I'm that great, huh?"
Shannon laughed, realizing her wording. "Yeah, you are." She shook her head. "Seriously, Mark, I have faith in you. If you keep to your studies with Big Guy, she'll teach you everything you need to know about Crusading and the Dream Realm."
"Does that mean I can stay?" Mark brightened up.
"I just said you could, didn't I?" Shannon grinned. "You are a trip, Mark Grey, I'll give you that."
He smiled. "So, am I still with Big Guy?"
"You bet. I have to warn you, though." Shannon said.
He didn't like the word 'warn,' and frowned.
"Her brother can be a little overprotective." Shannon explained, brown eyes sparkling. "I should know. I'm her best friend."
Mark laughed. "Can I go now?"
"Sure. Get out of here." She joked, getting back to her paperwork.
He left, closing the door behind him.
Shannon looked over his folder, which was still sitting on her desk in plain view. The picture of his face stared back at her. "I just hope I'm doing the right thing, Aunt Dixie." She whispered to herself.
She knew her aunt couldn’t really hear her, she died shortly after the Dream Realm’s Wars for Power; also known as the first Crusade. Shannon was only eighteen when Dixilynne died, leaving her in charge of everything in the System Agency.
Shannon was glad she had her best friends by her side. Right now, she had a job to do. Alone.
"Well," Shannon whispered to herself as she put the folder away. "Back to work."

Chapter Thirty-Seven:
The Dreams

After their dinner date, Ariana headed to bed without changing into her night clothes. She was so mentally exhausted, not to mention stressed. She closed her eyes, instantly drifting asleep in her private Dream Realm.
Thoughts raced before her as she dreamed of her past.

She saw a little girl ahead of her. It isn’t herself, but someone vaguely familiar.
The little girl’s back was turned toward Ariana, and her dark reddish-brown curls were to the middle of her back.
How pretty she is! Ariana remarked to herself. She called a “hello!” to the little girl, who turned.
“Hello.” The girl said back happily. “Do you want to play with me?”
“Sure,” The little girl grabbed her hand and led her to a small kid’s table. “What’s your name?”
The girl looked into Ariana’s eyes and smiled.
She has the same exotic eye color I do! Ariana thought.
“Silly, Momma.” The girl giggled. “Don’t you know me by now?”
Ariana gasped. Could it be true? Her long-lost daughter knew of her real mother? “How do you know