Young Guardian Trilogy, Lady Adellandra Dratianos [epub e ink reader txt] 📗

After a nightmare, she was sent to the hospital with appendicitis. He met Katherine, and she reunited with her canine love of Wolf. It was more than he could understand. In truth, he had little idea of what was going on.
Katherine had left an hour ago to return to Wolf's side at Stargazer Castle in the Canine Valley of the Dream Realm so they could search for their Young Guardian together. This left Ariana's body just lying silently in her bed.
He shook his head as he saw a Jeep coming from the opposite direction.
Was that Ariana he saw with that young man? He turned around to take the short-cut home.
"Master Mark," Amelia replied while he was taking his coat off in his room. "There are two people in the den, claiming to be Miss Ariana's twin sister and boyfriend. They are panicked for her safety."
"Thank you, Amelia. I'll be down in a minute." Mark sighed and walked quietly to Ariana's sleeping body. "I hope for your sake they're telling the truth."
He raced down the stairs after closing the door behind him. He stepped into the den, noticing the girl he'd seen while on his bike ride. He saw the young man close-up, noticing the dark brown hair, glasses and familiar necklace. The stone in it reminded him of the one in her strange ring.
"I'm Mark Grey, Ariana's adopted brother. How may I help you?" Mark announced.
The young man held out his hand. "I'm Derrick Reading, Ariana's boyfriend, and this is her twin sister Aluna." Derrick introduced. "Where is she now?"
"Upstairs, resting in her room." Mark told them.
He led Derrick and Luna to Ariana's bedroom.
“Can you sense her?” Derrick whispered to Luna.
Luna shook her head. “Nothing. Maybe Kat knows?”
Luna and Derrick each held one of Ariana's hands and closed their eyes.
Could Derrick be the reason she doesn't return my feelings? Mark shook his head. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to get a friend to help." Luna replied.
"Katherine?" Mark inquired. "Why not ask me? I can tell you as much as Katherine can. Maybe even more?"
"How do you know Katherine?" Derrick asked him, wary.
"I met her when Ariana was kidnapped." Mark told him. “I know she lives in the Dream Realm.”
"How much do you know of the Dream Realm?" Luna asked, suspicious.
Mark explained what he knew, and what he believed was happening to Ariana.
Derrick looked at Luna. "We still need to talk to Katherine."
"I agree." Luna replied. She turned to Mark. "Care to join us?"
Mark nodded and Luna took his hand, connecting the circle.
Luna began the chant.

"Ancient Mystic Sister, I am one;
Who needs a helping hand.
Take us, Young Guardian's power,
To the Dominion's Dark Tower,
For Katherine Hawk will understand."

The three of them appeared in front of the gates of the Garden, Katherine's secret place in the Dominion. This is where they met with Katherine and her beau, Wolf.
"Katherine." Mark replied, surprised to see her in the flesh. She was a Balinese cat with beautiful flowing black-and-white hair. He saw her as half-cat, half-female. Mark still felt funny being here. "This couple says they need to talk to you."
Katherine and Wolf turned to meet his eyes. Wolf immediately recognized his “Heart-Brother” Mark and Katherine recognized Derrick and Luna.
"Derrick! Luna!" Katherine ran to hug each of them. "Wonderful to see you again!" She saw the look on Luna's face and was worried. "Sister Luna, is something wrong?"
Luna's eyes watered. "My own twin is in danger, and we don't know where Sabrina took her."
"I am sorry to hear that." Wolf replied while Katherine gave Luna a sympathetic hug. "Any clues?"
"Does that mean you'll help?" Derrick asked hopefully.
Katherine and Wolf looked at each other and nodded.
"Aye," Wolf replied softly. "But not here."
"Meet us in front of the Palace of the Ancient Mystic Sisters. We'll be able to talk more secretly there." Katherine replied.
"Wonderful, darling." Wolf told her. Katherine blushed.
Mark, who had been quiet, followed the quartet. He didn't feel like he belonged. All he knew was that Ariana was in danger, and he wanted to join the group to rescue her.

III

When the group met in front of the Palace doors, there came a visual surprise. Who was ringing the doorbell but none other than Shannon Ryan!
"Shannon!" Derrick and Luna yelled.
The yelling caught her attention, making her turn. "Derrick! Luna!" Shannon cried, running to hug them. "What are you doing here?"
"We were about to ask you the same thing." Derrick replied.
"Well, I felt my ring grow hot and when I closed my eyes, I met up with Challandra. She told me I would meet my next recruit for the Dream Realm Crusader mission here." Shannon explained. "What about you?"
They alternated, telling Shannon of Ariana's demise.
"I knew something was wrong with her!" Shannon cried. She noticed Mark, Katherine, and Wolf. "I remember Katherine and vaguely remember Wolf, but who is this dark-haired stranger?"
"His name is Mark Grey." Derrick replied.
Mark heard his name and shook out of his daze. "I'm Ariana's adopted brother." Mark said. "I want to help rescue her from wherever Sabrina took her."
From behind the group, came Challandra's voice. "Luna and Derrick, welcome back." She saw Shannon and grinned. "I see you have met your new recruit, as promised Sister Shannon."
"Who? Katherine, Wolf, or Mark?"
"Mark. He is one of the keys to defeating Sabrina, as is Aaron Theodore." Challandra explained. "Aaron you will meet much later. For now, train him and return here for more information."
The group separated after Challandra told Katherine and Wolf they could stay at the Palace and be safe.
Derrick, Luna, and Mark opened their eyes and looked at each other. "Let's do it!"

IV

In the Dominion, Sabrina met her brother Damian and enemy in a secluded place west of Dark Tower. She saw Ariana in the glowing cage and laughed. "You told me to do better, so you only have yourself to blame." Sabrina crooned.
"I ought to zap you." Ariana grumbled.
"Do not even try using your precious powers against me. You will pay severely." Sabrina replied, her red eyes twinkling.
"Let me go, Sabrina!" Ariana demanded angrily.
"Out of my hands, dear Young Guardian." Sabrina raised her hands to the air. "You are now the servant and lover of my dear, lonely brother Damian." She laughed maliciously before saying. "Tah-tah, darling!"
With that, Sabrina left. Ariana glanced at Damian's smiling face and did the only thing she could think of to do. She started to cry angry, scared, and lonely tears.


Chapter Twenty-One:
Dark Tower Terror

"Hush now, Young Guardian." Damian snidely remarked. "There is nothing to cry about. Damian is here, my love."
"I'm not your love, I don't care who you say you are!" Ariana cried, tears draining down her cheeks.
"I am called the Merchant." Damian bowed, meeting her eyes. She turned away. "I will only let you free if you be my bride." He paused.
"I'd rather rot in this cage than become your bride!" Ariana screamed.
"Very well, Young Guardian." Damian replied with a sigh. He raised the cage just high enough for himself to steal a kiss. Ariana was frozen with fear. "I will be back with food and drink for you, then." He replied, pulling the cage back down carefully so she wouldn't escape. "Au Revoir, mon amour."
Ariana surprisingly liked the kiss, but remembered her real love of Derrick and spit it out. Oh Derrick, my love. If only you could hear my thoughts right now! I love you and need your help. She thought sadly, tears running down her cheek.
Damian came back a moment later, with Dominionite food and a bowl of water in his grubby hands. She looked at it and frowned. "Eat heartily, my darling." Damian replied.
"Earthbound don't eat this slop!" Ariana cried, throwing it in his face.
He cleaned himself off before replying. "Then will you love me?" Damian asked. "I can either make it heavenly or hellish for you. Take your pick."
Ariana felt that Damian had the same intentions as his younger sister Sabrina when it came to the opposite sex. He was a seducer, and she had no choice but to give herself to him. His spell had already begun to work on her, and in order to save her own soul, she would have to follow him wherever he went.
"Yes," She said softly, not looking at his face. "I will love you." Secretly, she wished for her beloved Derrick to rescue her from Damian's spell.
Damian smiled, and led her to his part of Dark Tower. Secretly, it was all part of Sabrina's plan to take over, and Ariana never knew what hit her.

II

Sabrina, on the other hand, hopped inside Ariana's body to begin the first step of her awful plan. She opened Ariana's eyes and sat up.
This is going to be perfect! I like being Earthbound already! Sabrina thought to herself.
She found a mirror in the bathroom and stuck her tongue out at the reflection.
How disgusting! She thought. Why does she not use my powers to change this ugly mess? If she will not, I will!
Hand pointing to the reflection, she chanted,

"Blond is bright, what a fright;
Make these locks as black as night!"

In no time, Sabrina changed her image from a blond to a raven-haired beauty, complete with black attire. She even managed to lose the eyeglasses. Her eyes turned from silver-blue to Sabrina's own blood-red, to complete the fiendish appearance.
"Are you going to be in there all day?" A voice asked from behind the door.
Sabrina turned around. "Patience is a virtue. Use it." She replied sarcastically to the voice.
"Why, I ought to!" The voice huffed angrily.
Sabrina loved confrontations. "Go ahead," She challenged. "I dare you."
"I'm warning you," Caroline Parker rudely barged in, stopped, and gasped. "What happened to you? You almost look cool!"
"Call me Sabrina." She replied nastily, bowing. She could tell just by looking at her Caroline was just like her: mean and rotten to the core! Just her style. There had to be a way to persuade her, Sabrina thought. What do Earthbound females do for fun?
In a moment, she had an idea. "I am going to the mall. Would you like to join me?"
Caroline scoffed, bored. "The last time Mother made us hang out together,” She replied sarcastically, rolling her brown eyes. “All you wanted to do was read books."
"I assure you, Caroline. It was all an act." Sabrina replied. "I may be in Ariana's body, but I surely have my own mind!"
"In that case, sure. Let me put on my make-up." Caroline said, glad to have a “sister” just like herself.
"Allow me." Sabrina waved a hand at her. "Just close your eyes and imagine how you would like your face to appear."
Caroline was confused, but obeyed.
Sabrina snapped her fingers in front of Caroline's face. In a split second, Sabrina had made both faces in all black -- her favorite color.
Caroline looked into the mirror and saw that Sabrina had her face done up. "How did you do that?"
"A little taste of Dark Magic." Sabrina said simply with a grin. "Come, you must show me the coolest places." She told Caroline, arms around her shoulders.
Caroline smiled. "Gladly."
Caroline never thought she'd actually like Ariana-Sabrina.
Sabrina knew in her blackened heart that Caroline was a key to her disastrous plan.

III

In Shore Point, California, Luna and Derrick paced the Computer