Ascended (29 page)

The
vial shattered, Carter’s soul was freed, and Dimorte vanished.

Just like that, it was over. The Tower stood tall, fully erect in its perfect, original, rock-like formation. Everything was completely still, but it was what came next that had everyone’s undivided attention. There was no other way to describe it, other than an absolute miracle; none of them could believe what they were seeing or feeling.

T
iny particles floated up above them, like a million brilliant diamonds shining down upon them. The pain in Vie’s chest was dissipating, replaced by an indescribable sensation. Her keen senses kicked in immediately, allowing her to take it all in.

She could see the sparkle of
Carter’s eyes in the diamond particles above her; she could smell his scent all around her; she could feel his touch caressing her skin; and she could hear his voice in the wind. She relished the wondrous moment, twirling around and absorbing every bit of him in the air. She reached her hand up into the glittery particles that floated above her and touched them. They tingled on her skin, and she knew it was Carter.

A warm smile flashed over her face
, sunshine on a flower.
I can feel you,
she spoke silently from her soul.

Initially observing Vie, Gabriel was alarmed. The complete turnabout of emotions displayed by
her gave him reason to worry. He started to walk over to her and she saw the confusion on his face.

Vie looked
at him and said “Can you feel him, Gabe?”

He stopped, unsure how to respond to her
, and then suddenly he felt it, too. It was Carter! Vie was right; he could feel Carter Stone all around him just as Vie could.

The
y smiled happily at each other, each of them reaching their hands into the sky, allowing Carter to feel them, to feel their love for him.

T
he particles gathered together, creating a single brilliant mass before streaming down toward Carter’s lifeless body. A bright light flashed, blinding the Guardians and causing them to turn away.

A
nd then, like a dream, it was gone. Everything was gone except Carter.

There he stood, magnificent
. His eyes blazed like the deep green of the forests. He was perfection, pure and utter perfection, and Vie’s eyes were glimmering, star-like, in her pale face as she looked at him.

Then she bolted, running as fast as she could, hoping he wouldn’t disappear before she got to him. “Carter!” she screamed
, and jumped into his arms. She held on to him with everything she had. She didn’t want to let him go.

“It was you
, Vie; you saved me,” Carter said, his tone absolute.

“Just like you saved me once.
I guess that makes us even,” she teased. Although she tried to make light of the moment, Carter could see a whole host of emotions raging behind the beautiful smile.

“Vie, are you okay?”
he asked, holding her still-trembling hands.

“I thought I’d lost you
, Carter,” she said, giving way to her tears.

“You could never lose me
, Vie. I’m yours forever,” he said, holding her face in his hands and wiping her tears with his thumb.

“Promise
me?” she said, looking deep into his eyes.

“I promise Vie,”
he replied, then sealed his promise with a long-awaited kiss.

The Guardian
s watched as the two star-crossed lovers reunited. Emotions were running high.

Camulus walked over to Gabriel
, shaking his head, and said, “Humans! —Oh, and Gabe, you’ve got a little something in your eye.”

Gabriel quickly wiped the tear from his eye and looked around to make sure no one
had seen the emotion he’d just expressed.

Camulus laughed out loud and walked toward Vie and Carter.

“Kind of hits you, doesn’t it, Gabe?” Fallon said with tear-filled eyes.

“Yeah, it kind of does,” he replied. He looked into Fallon’s eyes and could see the
tears beginning to spill over. “Come here,” he pulled Fallon in. “It’s okay, kiddo, just let it out.”

“Let what out? I’m
—”

Gabe
just held her. He knew she was fighting hard to hold back her emotions. Only in his arms was Fallon able to have a brief and much-needed moment. The truth was, he needed to have one himself, but he held it in as he always did, because he was a leader, a Guardian.

After a few minutes passed and everyone managed to compose themselves, they joined Vie and Carter
, who were still intertwined in a passionate embrace.

Camulus pulled Gabriel aside and said, “Are you going to tell them
, or should I?”

Gabe knew someone had to interrupt the happy reunion and break the news to Carter that Vie would have to return with them to the
Gates. It wasn’t a choice. It was an order from the Council. She’d broken her vows when she decided to fall and leave the Gates on her own, without permission, and there were consequences to her actions.

“Vie,” Gabriel said. “We need to go now.”

“What? Go where?” Carter questioned.

“Carter,
it’s okay,” Vie replied. “Just give me a minute, okay, Gabe?”

“What is he talking about? You’re not leaving…she’s not going anywhere!” he shouted
at Gabriel where he waited only steps away from them.

“Carter, stop. It won’t do any good to be angry with Gabriel. It isn’t his fault
, it’s mine,” she confessed. “I knew I’d have to answer for what I did. I broke the law, and now I have to return.”

She
understood this was something she couldn’t run from; and the truth of the matter was, she didn’t want to. The only thing Vie cared about was that Carter was alive and safe, and that gave her great peace. Imagining an existence without him was painful, but it was nothing compared to imagining a world in which he didn’t exist. Thanks to the Guardians, she didn’t have to.

She
could see the worry in Carter’s eyes. She put her hand on his cheek and looked into his grief-stricken eyes and said, “Don’t worry about me, it’ll be okay. Forever remember? I promise.”

She
rested her head on his shoulder and then kissed him softly. Carter felt her breath upon his cheek like perfumed air, and then her fingers slipped away from his hand as she walked toward Gabe.

“I’m ready,” she said.

“Hold on,” Gabriel said as he walked back to Carter. “I won’t let anything happen to her. You have my word,” he vowed.

Carter was angry
, but he believed Gabriel would see to it that Vie was protected at all costs.

Gabe put his hand out as if to secure his vow with a trusted handshake. Carter grabbed his hand and shook it firmly, sealing their deal.

Gabriel gathered up his men, telling Fallon, “I need you to stay behind with Carter. I’ll call for you when the hearing is over.”

“What? Now I’m a babysitter?” she replied defiantly to his request.

Gabriel winced in disapproval, and she quickly recanted with a reluctant, “Fine.”

L
ike a dream, they all vanished.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Justice for All

Vie waited outside the
Council chambers, anxious to get the hearing underway. She thought about what she would say to them and how she would explain the reasons behind her decision to leave the Gates, to fall. She feared nothing she could say would justify her actions to them, but she held out hope, despite her fears. Violet believed she was prepared, armed with something she believed to be a very powerful weapon for her defense: the truth.

These were the first waves of thought that crossed Vie’s mind as she waited to be called into the hearing. She felt confident in her story and
the reasons for her fall.

But then came the second wave, the insecurity
; the what-ifs slowly crept into her head. Now Vie was uncertain about the mercy she hoped her story would bring her. Suddenly, there seemed to be no explanation she could come up with that would warrant what could only be perceived as her defiant actions.

She started to practice
out loud what she might say to them. “Camulus, members of the Council, while there is no excuse for my insubordination, I feel I need to… No, no, no!” Vie started her speech again. “Camulus, members of the Council,” she repeated her words, desperately trying to find a way to defend her actions, but she knew she couldn’t. There were no magic words that would suffice and no wise deliverance speech that would change the fact that she’d betrayed them. She’d broken the rules and there would be atonement for her depravities.

“Violet, the
Council will see you now,” Raphael informed her. He had just finished testifying and he didn’t look good. In fact, he couldn’t even look her in the face when he addressed her.

Vie stopped him by grabbing his hand as he passed by. “
Raph, it’s okay,” she said with empathy. It was clear that whatever had happened in there had him really upset. He was a good friend to her and to Carter, and she trusted that whatever had gone on inside that room had bothered Raphael a great deal.

He kissed her on the cheek
, “Good luck kiddo,” he said, before he walked away. Raphael had hated being grilled about Vie’s supposed betrayal. It wasn’t the way he saw it at all, but unfortunately for Vie, he didn’t seem to be able to convince the Council to see things the way he did.

She walked slowly down the long hall
way, getting more and more nervous with each step she took. Her stomach was in knots, her hands felt cold and clammy, and she started to sweat. She thought it strange that everything she was feeling seemed to emulate the distinguishing qualities of humans, not Guardians.
Okay, this is weird
, she thought, trying to shake it off.

Relax
, Vie, everything will be all right
, she told herself, but she couldn’t seem to ease her anxiety. Carter and Gabriel were the only two people in the world who could bring calm to her panics and neither of them was there. So she improvised by redirecting her thoughts to Carter.

She closed her eyes and imagined being in his arms. Almost immediately, the nervous flutters in her stomach dissipated and a wide smile returned to her face. Just thinking about Carter turned her chaos to calm.

Carter was thinking about her
, too; more like worrying, actually. His anxiety shot through the roof at the mere thought of losing her again. Nothing made any sense to him about the world in which the Guardians lived. He thought Fallon could shed some light on a few questions he had regarding things up at the Gates. Plus, he needed the distraction from the worry he had for Vie.

“So, the
Gates…what’s it like up there?” he asked.

“Busy,” she replied
, seemingly annoyed.

“Look, I wasn’t the one who asked you to stay here
, but since we’re both stuck where neither of us wants to be, why don’t we try to make the best of it?”

“Do you always do that?” Fallon asked.

“Do what?”

“That thing… you know
, where you try act all like, ‘gee, why can’t we all just get along,’” she mocked his sentiment.

“Do you always do
that
?” he asked, and Fallon shot an exasperated look his way.

Okay I’ll play
, she thought. “Do what?”

“You know
, where you act all like, unpleasant, to dodge getting close to people. I mean, forget about me, let’s talk about you. What makes Fallon tick? Perhaps we could chat about the tall, dark, and handsome Guardian named Gabriel, hmmm?” Carter teased, hoping to get the factious Guardian to lighten up.

Fallon just stared at him and said nothing.

He could see the sadness in her eyes and he could feel the pain emanating from within her soul. “Fallon, I’m sorry. I was just—”

She didn’t let him finish.
She abruptly got up and walked away.

Carter
had hit a nerve; although he wasn’t trying, he had apparently touched on something Fallon didn’t know he could see. His comment had obviously taken her by surprise and he could tell she hated that, but he guessed what she hated most was having her vulnerability exposed. Truthfully, Fallon’s reaction really threw Carter; she was fully equipped with a quick wit and a razor sharp tongue, and could have really let him have it. He watched her as she stood at the edge of the Tower with her arms folded, looking out across the plains as if she were a million miles away.

Carter felt terrible.

“Hey,” he said, walking over to her and resting his hand on her arm, “I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just trying to distract myself, you know, from things with Vie,” he confessed. “I’m sorry, Fallon, really.”

Fallon lifted her eyes to look at Carter
; she could see his sincerity. She replied in a softer, gentler voice, “It’s all right, Carter. It’s not you, anyway; it’s me.”

“Do you want to talk about it? I mean
, we do have some time to kill.” He tried joking with her. “And I promise whatever you say to me right here and now will stay between us. Come on, Fallon, talk to me,” he pleaded.

“There’s really not much to say. I love Gabriel, Gabriel loves Vie, Vie loves you, end of story,” she said.

Carter burst into laughter. “Is that what’s bothering you? You think that because Gabe loves Vie he can’t possibly love you?

“So you know he loves her? And you’re not bothered by it?”
She sounded puzzled.

“Of course I do
, and of course I’m not,” he said. “Fallon, love isn’t exclusive to one being.”

“Then why are you sitting here pining away over someone you know you can’t possibly be with? I mean, if love isn’t exclusive
, then why not go find someone else?” Fallon asked.

“Well
, for starters, since you so eloquently pointed out my current dilemma, I happen to believe that Vie and I will be together. But even if I didn’t, it wouldn’t change what I feel for her. I know I was created to be with Vie. We were destined to exist together and I know we will.

“
Yes, Gabriel loves her. I saw it in his eyes the very first day I met him. But those two, they were destined to meet, too, to befriend each other and to bond to one another as they have. As soul mates—friendship mates,” he clarified. “A soul mate is simply a person with whom you feel a deep connection, a connection that sometimes defies all logic. So yes, Gabriel and Vie do love each other, very much. But no, it isn’t the kind of love that should cause you to feel threatened.”

“Who says I’m threatened?” she replied defensively.

“Well, I’m just guessing here now,” Carter put his hands up, ready to block the fist that would probably come flying at his face if he continued with his thought. “Wasn’t this—let’s just call it jealousy for lack of better word—jealousy thing you had for Vie the whole reason you went to Lucian in the first place?”

Carter
backed up quickly and put his hands in front of his face, pretending to cringe in fear as he finished his sentence.

“Oh stop!” she said
, not amused by his childish play. “If I wanted to hit you, I’d give you fair warning, you know, so you could run. And by the way, you should know I’m really close!”

Carter laughed at her
, and finally, the Ice Princess flashed him a subtle hint of a smile.

“I knew it
! You like me!” Carter continued to tease her.

“You confuse affection with tolerance
, my friend. Chosen One… Ha!” she smirked.

“That’s right. I’m the Chosen
One; if I command, then they shall listen,” he said in a deep, regal voice, mocking himself.

“You wish!” Fallon shouted back
at the arrogant warrior.

“I know
. Just ask Vie,” he said.

“Ask Vie what?”

“How I commanded her to return and she did,” he said nonchalantly.

“You what?”

“Fallon, I’m kidding. We all know I couldn’t make Vie do anything she didn’t want to do. I mean, even you should know by now that Vie—”

“Would
you stop talking for one minute?” Fallon interrupted, shouting over him. “Carter, this is very important. Did you really command Vie to return to you? And if you did, when?” she asked.

“It was the night her sister, Vivian, died. I came here
, to this very spot. I was furious and I remember shouting up to the sky. I asked HIM to return her, then I begged, and then I commanded Him to return Vie to me. I guess Vie and I were thinking the same thing at the same moment, because a few seconds later, there she was.”

Carter pointed to the very spot where Vie
had stood. His eyes glassed over just looking at the spot where she’d come back to him. It was as if he could see her there, right in front of him.

“Carter, take my hand,”
Fallon said, her voice edgy, every muscle in her body tense. 

“Why? What’s going on?” he asked.

“I’ll explain on the way. Let’s go!”

Carter took her hand and they vanished from the top of
Devils Tower.

Vie, meanwhile, was standing outside the door to the Council’s chambers. She nodded her head to the guard, letting him know she was ready to enter. He opened the door and announced her presence.

The setting was very much different than the last time she
’d appeared before them. This was not a briefing, it was a trial. They were not here to welcome her. Their only purpose now was to impose judgment. Their eyes fell cold upon her as if they were looking at a traitor. She could see their dubious judgments being made as they whispered amongst themselves. It made her feel not only uncomfortable but extremely insecure.

“Violet,” Marcus addressed her
formally as the head of the proceedings. Since Camulus had been part of the mission, he was not allowed to head the Council in this particular case. Although he would have a vote in deciding Vie’s fate, his seat as Head of Council would be taken over temporarily by Marcus.

“You have been charged with the crime of treason against the
Gates. How do you plead?” he asked.

Vie looked at Gabriel immediately after hearing Marcus’ opening statement. It was something she
’d never believed she would be capable of, and yet here she stood, guilty of the charge being set before her.

Gabriel gave her a nod, letting her know it was okay to admit her guilt and make her confession.

“Guilty,” she said. The members of the Council glared at her.

“Well then, I believe we can move on to sentencing
—” Marcus began.

“
—Not so fast,” Camulus interjected. “I believe Violet is allowed to defend her said guilt.”

“Camulus, if you believe there is a defense for treason
, then perhaps we should be reconsidering your position on the Council,” Marcus stated.

“You may be in charge of this meeting
, but you are not in charge of the Gates,” Camulus thundered back to him.

The entire room was silenced by the words exchanged between two monarchs having a territorial battle.

This cannot be good
, Vie thought as she watched them challenge one another.

Marcus didn’t back down. He was an ambitious member of the
Council, one who wanted nothing more than to be the sole ruler of the Gates. He believed, as in the situation with Reese, too many Guardians were able to have the freedoms to do as they pleased, and he saw that as a dangerous thing. He thought the Council had gone soft, and that someone needed to pull back the reins and rule with an iron fist to restore order to the Gates. Camulus didn’t agree, but Marcus was clever; he was using Vie as a ‘case in point’ tactic and Camulus was not happy.

Gabriel decided he needed to break the tension and redirect the focus back to Vie.

“Gentlemen, this is not the time. I believe we all want the same thing, and that is the truth. Violet has the right to defend and explain her actions, and we are duty-bound to listen. You do remember how things work up here at the Gates, don’t you, Marcus?” Gabriel said, a gentle reminder to the leader that he was not the sole ruler. “I live by a code, as most of you know, and it is one of morality and honor. I felt as you all did when I learned Violet had fallen. But not everything is black and white; sometimes there are shades of grey. I implore you to listen to what Violet has to say, because every person has the right to risk his or her own life in order to preserve it. That’s all Violet is guilty of.”