Guardians (Seers Trilogy) (51 page)

Peter took my hand with a smile, his glasses lit with the sheen of colored lights. “Congratulations, Kate. Patrick.” They shook hands, and then Jeanette excused herself to go help out in the kitchen.

Peter took a step back to include Sean in his next words. “I spoke with Clyde the other day, and he wanted to let me know that Pierre heard something about—”

“Peter, please,” Lee interrupted. “It’s Christmas. The Demon hunting can wait for a day.”

“Well, yes I know, but—”

She started humming “Jingle Bells” and he got the point.

Claire poked her head into the room, her brow furrowing when she saw Lee. “Kellee, didn’t Rapunzel have long hair?”

Lee pouted in my direction. “Really? I thought the ears were obvious! I knew I should have ordered them in men’s small.”

Toni stepped back into the room, another cookie in hand. “Grandma’s calling us all to the table,” he said.

We could all hear Grandma grunt from the kitchen. “I’m not your grandmother, Toni!”

Toni grinned at us. “She loves me.”

Lee fondly rolled her eyes at him, stepping forward to grab his elbow so she could pull him back into the kitchen. “You’re going to get crumbs all over the place, idiot.”

“You love me too,” he said, just before they disappeared.

“Jenna! Josie!” Grandma called. “Come on, you can finish the game later!”

The twins came pounding into the kitchen, arguing loudly about who would get to sit by Sean for dinner.

Sean smiled at their words, then extended his arm to Claire. “May I escort you?” he asked her softly.

“Of course,” Claire said, latching onto his elbow at once. He stooped toward her, planting a light kiss on her forehead before he led her from the room.

Patrick squeezed my hand, drawing me back before I could follow the others. He gave me one of his most disarming smiles. “Did you get everything you wanted?”

I couldn’t hold back a wide smile. “I’ve had you for a while now, so, yes, I’d say I’ve got everything I could ever want.”

He took a step closer, placing my palm against his chest so I could feel the comforting rise and fall of his breath. His hand remained on top of mine, holding me in place.

His voice was low. “Would you mind very much if I kissed you right now?”

I felt my heart warm with happiness at the mere thought, and I let my eyes wander his perfect face, hardly believing he was mine. “You never have to ask.”

He grinned, gently tilting my chin up to meet his eager lips.

T
he Seers Trilogy
has been an incredible adventure for me, unlike anything I’ve done in my life. Coming to the end of such a journey has left me with a myriad of emotions; closing the door on this life-altering chapter of my life is bittersweet, though new doors continue to open, beckoning me to new adventures. Overall, I feel overwhelming gratitude for my wonderful characters, my loving family, supportive friends, and, of course, for my devoted readers. None of this would have been possible without you, so thank you, everyone!

While there are so many individuals I want to thank personally, I need to begin with my Heavenly Father; He has given me so many blessings and opportunities that I will always be grateful for. I also need to express love and gratitude to my parents, Melvyn and Marlene Frost—your unwavering support has helped me in more ways than you know.

I’ve been so lucky to have such wonderful brothers and sisters to grow up with (well, grow older with, anyway): Richard, Kevin, Kimberly, Joseph, Emma, Samuel, Lilly, Matthew, and Jacob—just thanks.

A gigantic thank-you must go to my phenomenal beta readers—I’m sure you can each find a place in the book you influenced, and just know that I can too: Crystal Frost, Jill Asay, Laura Hardman, Katelin Gines, Anna Brown, Amber Bowden, Alyssa Quinn, Mindy Holt, Ashley Hansen, Rebecca McKinnon, and Yvonne Manning. I appreciate all the long hours you spent reading, rereading, and discussing things with me.

Special thanks also needs to go to Emily Sinex, for unyielding friendship, and Landen Sinex, for being such a bright spot in my life; Brian Nay, for the amazing work you do for the website; Krista Whitaker, for the endless help you give me with the Facebook fanpage—and everything else you do for me; the Leonard Wells’ family, especially Alex; thanks for your courage, faith, and for letting me name a character after you. And thanks must go to the continued support of my first unofficial fan club: James Miller, Rex Davis, Kent Hyer, and Rich Jones! (The final draft is so much better, right?) Also, the awesome librarians at the Garland Library, whose tireless support is greatly appreciated. And thanks to all my wonderful friends who are not only enthusiastic about my writing, but understanding when I become a bit of a hermit. Finally, a big thank-you to Cedar Fort, and all the wonderful people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Thanks for making such a dream become reality.

About the Author

H
eather Frost was
born in Sandy, Utah, and raised in a small Northern Utah town. She is the second oldest of ten children, and she has always been an avid reader and writer. She’s a graduate of Snow College, and, more recently, Utah State University. She enjoys playing the flute, listening to all types of music, and watching a wide variety of movies. Ever since she wrote her first short story—at the age of four—she has dreamed of one day becoming an author.
Guardians
is her third published novel; her second book,
Demons
, is a Whitney Award Finalist. To learn more about Heather and the Seers trilogy, or to send her a message, visit www.HeatherFrost.com.