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

best friend.” Luna told him. “Not only that, but their bracelets are identical to Ariana’s.”
“What bracelets?” Christopher asked.
“Haven’t you noticed?” Luna commented. He shook his head. “Each Schmidt twin has a bracelet around their right wrists. I can never get close enough to see them, but I know something’s familiar about them.”
“Magic-familiar?” Christopher responded. He shrugged.
Luna nodded. “You got it.”
Christopher thought for a moment before announcing. “Maybe Ariana is their orphanage best friend?”
Luna smiled at her brother, kissing his cheek. “Brilliant! Another piece to the puzzle.” She stood and headed back into the house. “Thanks, Christopher!”
Christopher Woods didn’t know what to think as he shook his head at her. He stood and glanced over to the Schmidt’s house.
Aaron stormed out of the house, walking away from his still-yelling sister.
Christopher shrugged, following Luna inside.
Maybe someday all these mysteries behind his older sisters won’t be secret anymore. Until then, he’d just have to guess and hope for the best.

IV

Aaron Schmidt walked around the store, thinking about his twin, Aimee.
Was she right in telling him to stop being depressed over their orphanage best friend, Ariana? They argued for nearly an hour before he stormed out of the house. He didn't know how, but he found himself at the party store nearby.
His thoughts returned to the latest image of his best friend, Ariana Moon. Soft red-blond hair, silver-blue eyes, and the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen. His mind came up with a portrait of the three of them: Ariana, his twin Aimee, and himself. They called themselves the Three Musketeers. All for one, and one for all. Whatever hell Mrs. Gertrude put them through, they stood together.
He was bored, depressed, and sad. He missed his best friend Ariana Moon. Would he ever see her again? What was she doing right now? Did she remember him? How was she doing?
Aaron sighed, leafing through a magazine. Ten minutes later, he heard a familiar voice.
"Aaron!"
Could it really be her? He took the chance by turning.
Aaron turned and looked into the eyes of Ariana Moon herself. "Ariana Moon?" He ran to greet her with a hug. "Is that you?"
She nodded. "It's good to see you again, Aaron Theodore."
"Actually, the name is Schmidt." Aaron told her, kissing her lips. As he remembered, they were soft and tasted sweet. "What's yours?"
"In truth, Sister." She blushed as their hands linked. "According to my new so-called home, I'm now a Parker. Bonnie Marie Parker to be exact."
He laughed. "You always could make me smile, my Ari." He used the favorite nick-name of hers.
"Oh, boy." She laughed. "I haven't heard that name in years! In fact, I haven't seen you in years!"
Aaron nodded. "Too long. So, tell me about yourself."
Ariana told him about her new family and the story of how she got there.
"Why don't we go to your place and talk more?" Aaron asked, hoping she'd say yes.
"Why not yours? I would love to see Aimee again." Ariana asked.
"We’re not exactly on speaking terms right now." He stammered, wanting to avoid the subject.
"I understand." Ariana said. She walked up to the counter and paid for the book she'd picked up.
"It's been too long since I've seen you, my Ariana Moon." Aaron said softly, touching her hair and caressing her cheek.
"Well, a lot has changed in five years, my Aaron Theodore." Ariana replied. "You also didn't know that all those pretend futures I told were real did you?"
Aaron shook his head and followed her to her car. It was a Jeep Cherokee, and it looked brand new. "Nice car." He commented, whistling.
She blushed. "Thanks. Hop in and I'll take you for a spin."
Aaron continued to stare at her as she told him her misadventures with a beast who called himself the Dominionite Master. She explained that she was an Ancient Mystic, and had met her twin sister at a place called the System.
He was shocked. "You mean to tell me there's another one of you around here?" Aaron teased.
Ariana giggled, showing him the Locket and ring. "You don't find this kind of stuff strange, do you, Aaron?" Ariana asked, interrupting her own story.
Aaron shook his head. "Of course not, Ariana. You’re talking to me, the one you practically grew up with."
She pulled into the most beautiful mansion Aaron had ever seen in his life.
"Wow!"
Ariana laughed, stepping out of the car. "I'm glad you like it."
"This is your pad?" Aaron asked, following her inside through the back way.
"Nope, it's the Parker's." Ariana replied. "As the story goes, I'm supposed to be their long-lost daughter. In my so-called sister's deranged mind, she wished I would've stayed lost."
Aaron laughed as he followed her to her own bedroom.
A butler came to take his coat, and Aaron gave it to him eagerly.
Before he could comment, Ariana kidded, "We've got butlers, and maids, and chauffeurs, oh my!"
Aaron laughed again. Boy, it was good to see her again! He needed her to keep him out of his depression. "From all you've told me about your family, you've failed to mention one important person."
"Who?" Ariana asked, stopping at the closed bedroom door.
"You." He pointed to her heart. "How have you been?"
"Pretty exhausted, but otherwise unharmed." Ariana giggled.
She opened the door and proceeded to tell him of her gifts, the System, and her destiny. He understood perfectly and gave her a gentle, friendly kiss on the lips.

"I've missed you, Ariana." Aaron supplied, staring into her eyes.
The room was silent while Ariana gathered her thoughts. "I've missed you too, Aaron. A lot."
"You know, I've never had this problem before."
"What's that?" She asked, wiping the tear from her eye as she thought of them together.
"Not knowing what to say to you next." Aaron laughed softly. "Silly, isn't it?"
Ariana smiled, saying. "Not really." She thought about that night, almost six years ago, and spoke up. "I had a girl, Aaron."
"Really? What did you name her?" He asked.
"Kelina Erin."
"I bet our Kelina Erin is a beautiful as her mother." Aaron tweaked her nose.
Ariana turned away. "I wouldn't know. I had to give her up for adoption the day she was born." Ariana faced him again. "And yes, she was very beautiful."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Aaron replied, giving her shoulders a hug. "I'm sure she'll be okay in the long run."
"How do you know?"
"Look what her mother had to survive for so many years." Aaron explained. He hated to be reminded of it, but it was all a part of their past together.
"That's true," Ariana said, drying her eyes.
That moment, there came a knock on the door.
"Come in, Mark." Ariana cried, and in popped her adopted brother's black-haired head.
When Mark spotted Aaron, he frowned. "Who's that?"
"Mark Grey, I'd like you to meet the young man I grew up with in California, Aaron Theodore Schmidt."
Aaron held his hand out for Mark to shake, but Mark stared at it. Aaron cleared his throat. "Nice to meet you, Mark. I've heard a lot about you."
"That's nice." Mark replied nastily.
Mark Samuel Grey! Don't be rude to Aaron; he's only being polite! Ariana's angered thoughts came to him, making him look down at the floor, ashamed.
His eyes calmed down, as did his tone. "Sorry." He apologized aloud.
"That's okay." Ariana replied. "Just don't do it again, please?"
"Okay." Mark agreed.
"Now, what did you want?" Ariana asked.
"Just you, nothing more." Mark replied softly. "But I see you have company, so I'll leave you alone."
"Don't go, just because Aaron's here. Please stay." Ariana pleaded.
"No, I'm afraid I must go. I'll just have to talk to you later, no problem." Mark left then, closing the door behind him.
Ariana sighed, looking at Aaron.
"He's jealous of you being with me, isn't he?" Aaron asked.
"How can you tell?" She challenged him.
"I know you, Ari." Aaron teased, kissing her nose. "Your reputation regarding men has far preceded you."
Ariana laughed. "That's not nice."
"I never said it was." Aaron replied.
Yes, Ariana thought. It Felt great to have such a perfect friend in Aaron.
For three hours, the two talked about old times.
Ariana watched as he fingered the scar on his right wrist. She put her hand on it and asked. “Does it hurt?”
Aaron shook his head. “Not really. Not much anymore.” He supplied. “Do you remember when you bound us to you through blood?” She nodded and he continued. “You gave us something that day.”
“I gave you a link to myself, should we be separated.”
“That’s not all you gave us.” Aaron supplied. “Did you know it also gave us some of your magic? Lord Guardian called it Unicorn Magic, the power over the element of Earth.”
Ariana was interested and awed. “Tell me more.”
“Not only can Aimee and I communicate telepathically to you, but also empathically.” Aaron responded. “I can Feel your emotions and Sense your thoughts from miles away. I know you have nightmares, and that they still haunt you. I also know how you’re helping Dreamers with their own nightmares and fears as the Young Guardian. I’ve even Seen the future, somewhat.”
“How so?” Ariana wondered. If he was telling the truth, which she was sure he was, it meant he was part-Mystic, thanks to her. “How could you See the future?”
“In dreams, the way you used to.” Aaron supplied. “Shortly after you left, I had my first Vision of you. I Saw when you were thinking about me in the hospital a few years back. It was like I was there with you again.”
He paused to look into her eyes and caress her cheek. “It felt good to know you were still thinking about me, my Ariana Moon.” With that statement, he kissed her lips.
She didn’t know what to say or do. Her thoughts loomed from Aaron to her true love of Derrick. It was true; she missed them both dearly. Even when she met Mark at the Parkers, she thought of Aaron and Derrick.
Where is my Romeo Reading now? She thought to herself.
She enjoyed the kiss from her best friend and former lover. Her heart went to him now, because he was here, and Derrick was not.
Aaron broke the kiss to see the single tear trickle down her cheek. “Hey, none of that, Ari. I’m here now, there’s no need to cry.”
“I just missed you so much, my Aaron Theodore.” Ariana whispered. “A lot has changed since I left.”
“By all means, tell me about it.” Aaron supplied with a smile. “That way, I can be there to help you.”
The two talked until sundown, when she drove him home.
"You know, Aaron." She started. "One twin doesn't stay mad at another for long. Apologize, and I'm sure Aimee will forgive you."
"Thanks for the advice, Ariana." Aaron hopped out when the car stopped. He went over to her side and gave her lips a friendly good-bye kiss. "I'll see you later."
"Promise?" Ariana replied with a grin.
"Cross my heart and hope to die." He started. She joined pinkies with him and they both cried. "Pinky swear!"
Ariana drove home, recalling the good times with Aaron and his twin Amethyst (Aimee, for short). She had fun back then, when they got away with it.
Ariana smiled.
Later that night, as Ariana was getting