Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Twenty Two

He paused what he was doing for a second. "I am sorry, I should've asked you that earlier. Tell me what you need, dear girl."

"Do you have to make all day preparations for your journey tomorrow with Hench?" she asked.

"No, I do not. I didn't have to do much aside from pack a satchel," he told her. "And truthfully, I doubt Hench herself is doing more than that. I'll bet she gave you the day off because she either feels bad about not telling you about Zayn, or because she didn't want you to pry into her orders and find out on your own where she was going. Maybe even both."

Iris heaved a deep sigh. "I imagined that much." She offered a smile. "But for the reason I'm here --I know you don't have a mission until tomorrow. I am off my training for today. So spend the day with me."

Kayde just raised a brow. "The whole day?"

Iris nodded. "Yes. No fighting... no army... no bruises... no swords. Just... when I met your father and found out he was the master here, I realized that I actually really don't know a lot about you, Kayde. I know you're a remarkably kind and generous person; I know you can kick some ass and make some jokes and give inspirational pep talks." She paused for a second. "And I know that you saved my life, too." And he did --she knew it too, from the bottom of her heart. "But you know what I don't know? I don't know if you like to read. I don't know if you've ever had a pet. I don't know about the first time you picked up a sword or any funny story you have from your childhood. I don't know you. During the war, I didn't have time to know you. But today, I do."

Kayde chuckled. "You know more than you think. But very well, if that is your wish... I will spend the day with you, dear girl."

"Well, then how about we start with a walk? The woods are nice around here and it's cool outside," she asked, already headed for the door. Kayde followed after her obediently. They moved through the sanctuary, catching the attention of a few guardians as they walked from the front door.

A quiet breeze floated by as they took their first steps outside. They headed off the path for a minute or more and into the trees. There were only hints of sun today under the overcast clouds and Kayde found that the leaves around them were starting to change colors and fall around the sanctuary. After several hundred yards, Iris looked back to her friend to make sure he still followed along. Iris's curls blew softly around her face as she stared backwards in his direction. Her eyes were vivid and excited and she wore a soft smile on her lips. There was no sound to be heard but footsteps and the crooning of the birds --no clanging of metal, no boisterous guardians. There was only peace as the wind hit his face --as he met her gaze with a secretive grin of his own.

That moment right there.

If Kayde Vorantis could ever stop time and relive a moment, it would have been that one. He knew it without a shadow of a doubt. Perfect seconds in life were few and far between, and even fewer came surreal seconds --yet this had been one.

The moment ended. Iris whipped her head back around and began whistling innocently as she walked. Kayde shut his eyes for a second, letting the gravity of the instant take its toll. A clarifying realization always came with those types of moments, and Kayde had gotten his.

He still loved her.

As he grasped again what he thought he had shoved away so many months ago, he was overwhelmed. There was a happiness to be found in love --a sea of hopefulness and longing that defied all else, flooding the dam of the heart and spilling to the mind, giving it faith that things would work out in the end... and then there was the opposite. There was the bitter knowing --the memories of the pain and loneliness he had felt coming back to this sanctuary after the war.