No, it can’t be.
The car speeds away, the number plate coming into full view.
Taya’s car.
I look again at the broken body lying unmoving on the ground. A pool of crimson grows around it as blood pours from wounds unknown in number. But, that’s not what I focus on. No, it’s the mass of grey hair atop the victim’s head.
Juniper.
I wake with a start from my dream, my head heavy, and my heart in turmoil.
It was a dream; it had to be. I rub my hands over my eyes, trying to get rid of the vision, but it still lingers in my head, clinging to the tendrils of all I know.
When I eventually look up, I see the shadow. Its head hangs low.
I don’t need to ask. I already know the truth. It wasn’t a dream.
Without thinking or caring for the rules of keeping magic hidden, I focus on Juniper, on the pain she’s in, on the worry of her mother racing to be at her side, and on Emmie crying in a waiting room at a hospital desperate for news of her friend. There is another, though. Someone I can’t quite reach, because he’s hidden from me. He worries, but he won’t show it, and the reason he cares isn’t to do with love. It’s something else I can’t quite put my finger on. He holds the key to the secrets kept from Juniper. She extrudes so many different tangents from her soul, but she doesn't know anything about the truth of her life.
I have to focus on one thing, and it’s getting to the hospital as quickly as possible. After springing to my feet, I shut my eyes and teleport through the ether towards the woman I love. I feel her slipping away, her soul leaving me, but I won’t let it if it’s the last thing I do.
When I arrive, the private room is quiet, and no doctors or nurses are in it. Juniper is hooked up to a machine that’s breathing for her. She looks peaceful apart from the bruising to her face. I could believe she’s just sleeping, but the constant beeps from the equipment around her tell me otherwise.
“I’m sorry,” I apologise, stepping forwards, and reaching out to take her hand, I sit down in a chair beside the bed. I probably shouldn’t be in here. I’m filthy and could introduce infection to her, but I can’t draw myself away. “Please, come back to me.”
I lean over her in the bed, my mouth hovering over hers. I desperately want to press a kiss to her lips. I want to show her I’m here, and I’m sorry for running away. This is all my fault, I should have known Taya would keep her promise if I didn’t do what she asked. I can’t allow Juniper to be hurt again if she survives this. If…I can’t think like that.
“Damn it.” I get up from the chair and kick out at it in frustration.
I hold the key within me to help Juniper heal, but I can’t control a goddamn thing. I don’t even remember what I do. I could end up killing her. My fists clench, and I want to hit out at something, anything. How do I fix this?
I turn back to Juniper and I know there’s only one way. I have to take the greatest risk and trust what she said to me. I have to believe that when I become a monster I still have emotions, even though I shouldn’t have them.
The beeping on Juniper’s machines slow, her heart rate dropping. She’s leaving me. It’s now or never.
I crush my lips to hers. I don’t move as I weep onto her face, my tears falling and running down her cheek.
“Please work,” I recite over and over again, and then it begins.
The pain, my head starts to feel like it will explode, and the blue tendrils of magic emerge from my mouth. I transform into the Guardian I’m supposed to be, the monster I feel inside. Stepping back from Juniper, I look down at her. Her heart rate is still slowing, and any second now, the alarms will sound, and I’ll lose my chance. Reaching out, I place my hand over her heart and wait.
“I love you,” I tell her as the magic begins to work. “I’ll always love you.”
I don’t know whether I’m going to take her life or give her what she needs to survive her injuries, but I can’t sit by and do nothing.
Juniper’s body starts to glow blue as my magic fills it. I watch on, hoping I’ll remember all this tomorrow. Even if I fail, I want to know I tried.
“Please come back to me,” I whisper close to her ear as the machines fall silent for a moment.
It’s just the two of us in the room, no one else. I can feel her injuries in my own body: broken arms and legs, internal bleeding, swelling on the brain. There’s something else, a foreign object in a body so perfect. It’s a problem with her heart. I don’t understand what it is, but the surgical equipment surrounding it is no longer needed as I push my magic deep inside her and heal everything that’s wrong with her.
When I look back up at the machines, her heart’s beating healthily again. I watch as her blood pressure stabilises, and the bruising on her face vanishes.
It’s worked.
I’ve saved her.
“What the hell?” The door opens behind me, and Emmie’s shocked voice sounds out. I turn around to face her, and her eyes go wide when she recognises me. “Jacobi? What are you doing?”
“Saving her.” The words leave my mouth with an ethereal tone.
“You’ve got wings, and you’re blue?”
“Be grateful for it. She was about to die.”
I turn my attention back to Juniper and press a final kiss to her lips. Then, fluttering my wings, I disappear magically from the room before Emmie can ask any more questions. I’ve done what I came to the hospital to do. Now I need to ensure Juniper’s protection forevermore, and there’s only one way to do that. Give Taya what she wants, me.
The murmurings in the room rouse me, and I open one eye carefully. People often say that when you wake up in hospital, you don’t know where you are or how you got there. That certainly isn’t the case for me.
I remember.
I remember everything.
Oh, honey, you’re okay. My mum rushes over as I slowly open my eyes. She hugs me gently, but I don’t need her to be concerned about hurting me, physically I feel fine.
Physically.
Mentally I’m in agony.
“Mum, I’m fine.”
“Oh! But, baby, you were… you nearly died.” She chokes on her words as emotion engulfs her. “It’s a miracle. They’re saying that about you, you know? They’re saying an angel must have saved you.”
Emmie chokes then starts coughing to cover up. I frown at her over my mum’s shoulder, and she narrows her eyes at me. Weird.
Mum is still blubbering and saying how she’s amazed I’m alive.
“Shh, Mum. The doctors are probably already suspicious,” I warn her.
She pulls back, fishing a tissue out of her cardigan sleeve and blowing her nose. “Oh, it’s okay,” she waves my worry away, “your dad made sure you were seen to by a witch doctor.”
“Of course he did,” I grunt. “And where is Daddy dearest?” I question.
She pulls at the neckline of her top, a sure sign he hasn’t even asked about me. “He’s very busy, but he made sure you were in the best care with Dr Weatherstein.”
“Mum, I love you, I truly do,” a smile fills her face, “but don’t cover for him.”
The smile drops, and I feel guilty for making her sad, but I’m sick of her always sticking up for him.