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“The compliment is appreciated,” she said, “but flattery doesn’t sway my heart.”

Claps pounded against the air while Noah spoke, “Oh! A dog that barks, howexciting!”

Kaleb sneered as he stopped before the guardian, revealing the woman that had stood hidden in the gloom of the household. I could make out her golden, umber skin and deep ink-black hair that was pulled back into a braid that reached below her waist. She was a whole head shorter than my brother, her prominent, full features chiseling as she met his gaze.

Guardians needed to know my brother’s rules before entering the premises, and she had revealed herself— Kaleb’s attention quick to grasp it.

She was too honest, even by mistake.

“Dear, to be quick-witted in front of snakes is dangerous, especially ones with a thirst for blood. Even a dog knows when to yield before a stronger opponent.”

“Snakes that cower their opponents into submission aren’t stronger. They’re spineless,” she responded, her gaze unnerving against his.

Christopher slipped a chuckle while Noah burst into laughter, my teeth biting down against my tongue. Kaleb’s expression grew clouded as he rested his hands in his pockets, his eyes burning with anger.

“A pet should know when it’s time to declare defeat, especially before its owner.”

“But you’re not an owner, and I’m not a pet. I’m just a guardian, and you’re only a boy who needs my protection.”

“A half-humans protection holds no value to me.” Kaleb’s body grew closer, and once he closed the gap between them, he said, “Especially not from someone like you, Kat.”

An instance of speed ceased all movement, the woman’s hand wrapping around his neck. Her fingers dug into his skin as she lifted him from the ground, his weight in no way straining her short stature. My stomach loosened at the sight that had occurred at the speed of light before me, and it suddenly registered.

Christopher and Noah stiffened, Kaleb’s face flushing as he struggled to breathe underneath her grasp. The woman had lifted him in a single breath; as his feet dangled in the air, she displayed an authority that had no means of submission.

I didn’t need to sense her presence to know; her wide icy green eyes warned Kaleb —warned all of us— with its piercing stare.

She released her hold on Kaleb, his knees meeting the ground as his body collapsed. He choked as he gasped for air, Christopher and Noah by no means moving to help Kaleb. Just like them, I stood frozen with shock.

“Don’t youevercall me that.”

* * *

Shortly after the spectacle, I escaped into the garden before my presence could be noticed. I couldn’t entangle myself into the mess that Kaleb had created, a result he hadn’t considered. Kaleb’s actions were all calculations that led to an end matter that benefitted him. The guardian didn’t fall into his trap easily, and his anger was sure to last for hours.

The sky shifted from its pale blue hue to a blaze of oranges and yellows. A body blurred past me; Raphael, careful to not stand close to the irises I decided to visit again.

“How are you always so delicate?” He asked, his eyes wide with interest. “Every time I try to plant any of the seeds you’ve gifted me, they never sprout.”

“You need to place them in a spot that has enough sunlight and shade for their growth,” I said. “Remembering to water them also helps tremendously.”

Raphael grinned. “If you helped me, they’d grow. You’re the only one who has Mother’s green thumb.”

The mention of our mother always caused my body to instinctively flinch. It was rare to mention her; frankly, there was even a time when I thought her memory seemed to only live in my mind as none of my brothers acknowledged her existence after her death. When Raphael had confessed that exact regard to me, I realized that I wasn’t the only one who thought as such. It was what led Raphael and I to bond.

Now, Raphael was the only brother that clung to me, not for protection or power, but because we found comfort in each other’s company. Before our brothers, we kept our relationship distant, but in our own safe havens, we didn’t have to worry about them prying into our businesses.

“I’ve helped you countless times. By now, you should be familiar with how to care for a garden.”

Raphael shook his head as he took a few steps back. “If I touched your garden, I’d kill all your precious flowers!”

Short laughter slipped my lips. “Of course, I don’t meanmygarden; I’m referring to one of your own. There’s enough space on the grounds to have two, surely even three.”

“Sonia would rather murder us than touch the landscape,” he responded. “You’ve used up all three chances of expansion. She most definitely won’t allow a larger unmanageable garden.”

“The CEG doesn’t control us.” My tone grew firm, a hint of irritation seeping in.

“But That Man does,” he said with a sigh. “He controls usandthe CEG.”