Guardians of the Akasha by Celia Stander Read Free Book Online

Our girl deserves some time off after twelve years of school,” he rumbled.
    “Hmm,” Cylvia said with arched eyebrows. “As long as that time off is spent productively.”
    Keira’s father drew her further into the room with his arm hooked through hers. “Come say hallo to Victoria. She’s made it very clear she hasn’t seen you in months.”
    “Now Steven, don’t monopolise her. We still have to discuss college!” Cylvia called after her husband’s retreating back.
    “Yes, dear,” he winked at Keira. “Don’t worry about that now, Princess. Today is for family. We’ll talk about it later.”
    Smiling together like two conspirators, they walked to the other side of the room and joined a circle standing by the marble fireplace. On the chaise lounge, more regal than any queen in Europe, sat Aunt Victoria. Keira couldn’t help but grin at the sight of her beloved aunt. She was holding court, as usual, and directed the minions around her to fetch and carry champagne and canapés. She sat with a ramrod straight back, her silver-grey hair immaculately done in a chignon, her face expertly made up, and wearing a classic, powder-blue Chanel suit.
    “Well, well, if it isn’t the prodigal daughter returned to the fold,” Aunt Victoria said sternly, her twinkling eyes belying the tone of her voice. Keira bent down and gave her a hug. “Come, sit,” Victoria demanded and patted the seat next to her.
    The older woman dismissed her admirers with a regal wave. When they were alone, she took Keira’s hand in her own. “So, what is this I hear about college?”
    Keira cleared her throat. She didn’t know what Aunt Victoria would think of her desire to travel the world, and she didn’t want to get into a long discussion about it right now.
    “Well?” Victoria asked.
    “I don’t want to go,” Keira blurted out, then held her breath, waiting for the fall-out to come. Her aunt sat patiently, waiting for her to continue.
    “I mean, it’s not as if I’m never gonna go, it’s just not the right time. I want to travel—see the world. Maybe take some photos and write some articles along the way.”
    Victoria gave a small smile. “You have some adventurer’s blood in you, my dear.”
    “Yeah, well—a big, fat lot of good that’s doing me right now. Being an adventurer is not exactly encouraged in this family. It’s all about going to college, getting that job—”
    Victoria patted Keira’s knee. “Let’s talk about this a bit later, my dear. You might be surprised at the opportunities available to you and the things which are expected of young people in this family.”
    Ignoring Keira’s questioning look, Victoria changed the subject. “No young man on the horizon, then? You know, when I was your age,” and she rattled on into the long speech that Keira knew so well.
    Aunt Vic (as only a few favourite family members were allowed to call her) inherited a sizeable fortune from her first husband when he died tragically young. She never remarried, invested shrewdly, and today she was fabulously wealthy and didn’t let anyone forget it. Which was, no doubt, why so many of the younger cousins grouped around her, taking her orders with patient smiles, hoping to inherit from the old lady who never had children of her own. They might have a long wait; she looked more energetic than all of them put together.
    While listening with one ear, Keira took the opportunity to look around the room. She noticed relatives she hadn’t seen in years and there were many new faces, probably the partners of cousins who had gotten married. But she couldn’t be sure. She had missed so many family weddings and christenings while she was away at boarding school, she had no idea who belonged with whom. A few small children played tag among the grown-ups’ legs and more people arrived all the time.
    Outside, a magnificent white marquee waited in the back garden and soft music drifted from it, in through the open windows.
    “Ah,