"Standing on The Inn's balcony, a woman stood with a glass of tea in her hands. Her skin was as smooth as silk and as white as the pearls that rested upon her neck. Her lips were painted deep ruby red, her make up done to perfection for the night ahead of her. Her blonde hair was pulled into a loose braid that ran into a bun. Her pale blue eyes were transfixed upon the lightning as it clashed, the reflection of light twinkled in her eyes. She placed the rim of the cup against her lips, blowing on the scalding liquid before taking a sip. She could feel that someone else was making their way through her bedroom, and she didn't move." An excerpt from The Guardians II: The War, the second installment in the story of The Guardians, by Sue Harmeling.