Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Eighty One

"I'm sorry, girl," he whispered. He felt the bile rise in his throat as he thought of the man who'd killed his father. "I'm so sorry, girl."

The panther stalked over where Dyran lay and fell beside him, resting her head inches from him. A large breath came from the animal's nose. The world went still. It stayed until finally a voice broke the moment. It was a guardian. Two others stood behind him. "We can carry him back to camp," the one in front offered, voice laden with emotion. "The battles in our favor for now. But we have to be quick."

Kayde nodded and watched as they quickly picked up his father's body. Kayde only let them walk away once he placed the guisarme in Dyran's hands. They apologized softly before running him away from the scene. Kayde turned to see Iris.

Iris had just dispatched an attacker. When she met his eyes, she was faced with someone she didn't know. The usually serene, almost musing look was gone, buried under emotion. With a heavy heart and water-stained eyes, all she could say was, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Kayde."

His eyes spoke of an abyss rifted of heartbreak and a fury wrought of hellfire all at the same time. His jaw unclenched and all he said was, "Where did he go?" The voice was almost a snarl, and Iris knew who he referred to. The captain. The murderer.

Before she could answer, Kayde turned away, pulling out his sword. He headed straight for the thick of it. The proud, black beast got to its feet too. On instinct, Nightingale followed after the closest thing to Master Dyran, bellowing a war cry of its own. It was a fearsome sight, yet Iris worried. Kayde's head was not in the right place. She followed him. And as she did it, Zayn caught up to her. He said nothing, but Iris knew he was there to fight with her.

Kayde no longer moved with calculated grace, but with terrifying ferocity ahead. He'd nearly gone primal with rage. He swung his sword with both hands now. Iris and Zayn watched as the man who usually preferred to poke his enemies full of holes now just used his blade to tear into them. There was no stance anymore. No perfect focus. The next enemy he stormed up and swung his blade directly for the neck, taking a head from a set of shoulders. The panther ripped into another, disemboweling him.

Iris fought behind him, as did Zayn.

They worked together to dispatch two others. When their gaze was free to watch the guardian again, he was further away, hunkering over and bashing some man's nose in with his sword pommel.

"We gotta get him off the field," Zayn finally spoke. "He's not thinking straight. Shit, he's gonna get himself killed."

Iris remembered earlier in the year, when she'd fought Hench and let herself go feral. "I have to get him now."

"I'll grab him. You coax," Zayn said, and took off. For a moment he looked like the knight in shining armor. A one-armed cape of scarlet flowed back from a bright silver pauldron. The bright shield slammed into enemy after enemy, clearing a path for Iris. In that moment, Iris realized that there were honest-to-gods, real-life angels in the world. People that were so good --so kind-- it was impossible for them to be anything less. The war general was one of them.

There was no jealousy. Zayn, who had loved Iris as a bride, charged with everything he had to help save the man she loved. More than that, he'd been watching over Kayde Vorantis, full of genuine concern. Iris couldn't help but feel that deserved neither Kayde nor Zayn. Now wasn't the time for that, though. She shoved the thought away for later.

Kayde went further in --both literally and figuratively. He was lost in the crowd and in mindless rage. Iris remembered how he'd brought her back from the edge when her father had "died". She would do the same for him. She would be his strength. They were about ten feet away when they came under attack. Zayn set his feet, ready to face the threat. Without a moment's pause, Iris stood back-to-back with him. "I've got your flank," she said.