Guardian: Protectors of Light by Melanie Houtman Page B

speak when she
was told to, so Akilah would never have to look at her and tell her
to say something). “Please,” she said to the black-haired girl. “Go
ahead.”
    Madeleine nodded at her mentor and took a humble step
forward. “Allow me to explain to you how this works,” she said. “I
will cast a spell, which will be able to conjure one loved one you
have in your thoughts at that current moment. They won’t really be here, but you will be able to see,
speak to and touch them as if they are. The same thing goes to
them; they’ll just see you appear in front of them. They will be
temporarily transported to someplace between reality and dreams, so
they can see you as well as the other people you’ve
conjured.”
    “ I don’t mean
to sound rude,” Bella said, “...but why only one
person?”
    Madeleine’s expression
didn’t change. “Of course you’re not being rude for asking,” she
said. “The spell is only able to conjure a single image, as it
can’t take people to Lunaria in reality. That’d be too dangerous,
as they might not be able to go back home.”
    “ ...So...”
Antonio said slowly. “Is there anything we need to do in order for
this “spell” to work?”
    Madeleine obviously
didn’t understand the concept of air quotes, otherwise she probably
would’ve called him out for being sceptical, but she didn’t. “Not
really,” she said. “All you’ll have to do is to think about the
particular person you’d like to say goodbye to. The only
requirements are that they are alive and know you.”
    Everyone nodded,
expressing that Madeleine’s explanation had been clear and simple.
James did too, before turning aside to look at his sister. “Can you
think of Mum for me?” he asked. “There’s someone I’d like to see
before we go.”
    Samira didn’t completely
understand what he meant, but agreed with him anyway. “Of course,”
she said. “Only one of us needs to think of Mum, anyway. I don’t
think it’d work if we both did.”
    “ Is everybody ready?” Madeleine said. After receiving
approval, she started muttering a few Latin phrases, one of which
James recognized as dicere
vale diligentis, which
meant to say goodbye to a
loved one. She repeated this
same phrase a few times, while James and his friends thought of
that one last friend or relative they wanted to say their goodbyes
to. The person who’d have to share the bizarre news with their
families. Who had to explain everything.
    Who had to tell their
families that the five teenagers that were now missing from their
lives might never be coming home.
    The teenagers waited in
anticipating silence for something to happen. And then it
did.
    “ James?”
    James, who’d shut his
eyes to be able to concentrate better, opened his eyes to see who’d
said his name.
    He couldn’t believe his
eyes. “Anna,” he gasped. She looked as if she’d just got out of a
bad storm; she was dressed, but her dark brown curls were a
complete mess.
    And yet, James thought
that her messy, frizzy, afro-like hair made her look even more
beautiful.
    “ James?
What’s going on?” Anna asked. “And what are you wearing?” she said,
commenting on his clothes.
    “ I don’t have
much time to explain everything,” James said, as he stepped closer
to her. “But I’ll try.”
    Anna looked up at him,
straight into his eyes. “I was right, wasn’t I?” she said silently,
already knowing what answer awaited her, yet not wanting to hear
it, wanting to deny it.
    James swallowed.
“Yes.”
    Anna clasped a hand in
front of her mouth. James noticed the tears in her eyes, which
shimmered like diamonds. “Do you believe now?” she
uttered.
    “ Yes,” James
said. “I always have. Because of you.”
    Anna chuckled. “Don’t say
that,” she said. “You’ve always believed on your own. And all
you’ll need to make it through and save that world is by believing
in yourself and your friends.”
    James smiled. “Won’t be a
problem, right?” he