Stone Keepers (Book #2 of The Keepers Series)

Prologue

Adrian

Eight months ago

"Where the hell is Niamh?" I yelled over my shoulder as I threw two black duffel bags into the back seat of the Jeep and turned to watch Malcolm, who was walking much too slow for my liking from the house. Dick was probably doing it on purpose.

"Would you hurry up!"

I got that he wasn't excited for this meeting with our father tonight, but that didn't mean he had to make us late. It was like he wanted dear old dad to get even more pissed at him than he already was.

"Have you tried ringing her again?" he said casually before climbing into the passenger seat. Great, so I guess that meant I had to drive.

I put some extra force into my arm when I slammed the back door shut, just to reiterate how pissed I was and climbed into the driver's side.

"Three times. She's not picking up."

Turning the key, the engine roared to life.

"Don't blame her," he crossed his arms like a bloody child.

"I thought you were supposed to be the older brother here so quit acting like a big baby."

I put my foot down and began driving down the driveway.

"Says the one slamming doors and stomping around in a big huff, I still don't think you realise how lucky you have it."

"How lucky I have it?"

"Your second born! If I wasn't the first, I wouldn't have our father screaming down my neck about dating Angela. Sure, he probably still wouldn't like it but at least he wouldn't be treating me the way he is."

"Come on, he hasn't been that bad."

He scoffed and turned to face me in his seat. "You do realise what this meeting is about right?"

I shrugged my shoulders, keeping my eyes on the road. Frankly I had no clue, but I wasn't counting on it to be anything good. Our father rarely visited and when he did, it was usually to give us some lecture about not keeping our profile low enough, or not keeping on top of the demons coming in and out of the little town we were situated in.

"He's going to offer you the gig, he's going to ask you to be king, after him."

"He wouldn't do that! That's not how it works." Well I sure as hell hope it wasn't. I couldn't think of anything worse.

"Yes, he would. He despises the fact that I'm dating a Guardian, let alone anyone who isn't a highborn like us and when I refused to leave her the last time he called in, he said I'd regret it. So, this is my punishment, he's going to stand me down."

"Well, if he does, I won't accept. He'd be stupid to offer anyone else the position," I wanted to say more, I wanted to tell him that he would make a great king. But instead I tightly pressed my lips together, giving compliments or praise wasn't my type of thing.

Feigning suprise he held a hand to his chest, "little brother, dare I say it but did you almost say something nice for once?"

"Shut up, dick," I let go of the steering wheel and punched him in the arm.

"Well that didn't last long," he laughed, and I couldn't help but smile along with him.

As much as I hated to admit it, Malcolm was made to be king. He was a natural born leader, strong, smart and he wasn't biased like our father. Which meant, people actually liked him.