Chapter 1

“Woods” by @Doug88888 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

P.O.V Melody Lockhart

18 Years ago…

Running was never the plan. I should not be running through the woods to protect my daughter. The Celestial Knights were never supposed to find out that we were working against them. How did they find out?

 “Apollo come on! Hurry! We need to get Emerie safe” I yell to my husband as we rush through the trees. “Go!… Go!” he yells staying close behind me. I hear the tree rustling; they are getting closer.

We reach the beach where there is a boat waiting for us. I place Emerie in the boat wrapped in her baby blanket. My husband helps me into the boat and says “Take Emerie and meet up with Ethan, he will make sure you guys are hidden and safe. I will meet up with you as soon as possible, but I am going to lead them away.” I look at him with fear in my eyes and say, “we shouldn’t split up, please we can’t.” He pulls me close and kisses my forehead then whispers “I need to know you guys are safe. I love you Melody. I will see you soon.”

His hand slips from mine and I quickly pull away from shore. I turn to see him rushing back into the woods. “I love you too” I whisper.

The Celestial’s appear on the beach. They look around and rush in the same direction as Apollo. I hear gun shots, and a tear slips down my cheek. I brush it away and look forward, I will keep Emerie safe if it is the last thing I do.

I reach the beach a couple miles away from where we took off. There is a car waiting for us in the parking lot. I place Emerie in her car seat and drive us as far away from them as I possibly can.

I drive to a small motel a couple town over to meet up with Ethan. He arrives and gives me a big hug and looks at me with sympathy. “I’m so sorry you and Apollo had to split up” I just nod my head to stop myself from crying and start getting my bags from my car to put in the back of his SUV.

We load his vehicle with all our stuff, and we put Emerie in her car seat then head to a private airstrip owned by our family. There is a pilot waiting to fly us out of here. We pack all our things into the plane and get ready to take off for Los Angeles.

Tears slip down my cheek as we take off. I place my hand on the window and whisper “My Apollo,” as the airstrip disappears, and we are on our way to a new life.  

We arrive in Los Angeles and Ethan and his family help us move into our new home, right next to their home. Ethan has a wife named Eloise, and two sons named Noah who is 8 and Atlus who is a baby.

Once we are settled, I call up an old friend who is a witch and I asked her to place a block around Emerie, so the Celestial Knights and The Guard cannot find her. I must hide this world and life from her. It is the only way to protect her.

It was a couple weeks later when I heard from Ethan that The Guard never recovered Apollo’s body. They labeled him killed in action, I cut ties with my warrior life, and I never saw my husband again.