Guardians: Away Mission Book 2 of the Guardians Saga COMPLETED except for edits

Just When You Think The Battle's Over... Ch. 10.2

The former palace males lined up at the carriages waiting at the edge of the massive flagstone paved entrance to the palace. The stones were coarse and jagged, chipped and gouged by time and weather.

The carriages' heavy wood slatted sides were not smooth and painted, but grained and scaled like a fish. The scent of the wood was pungent like sandalwood incense on a summer day.

Before each male entered, each one stroked his muzzle along Alex's cheek. At Razz's insistence, she handed each several opals and a star sapphire.

She noted that many were holding large bags and discovered they were their eggs packed in warm sands

Trac was last because Razz refused to enter the carriage, although he packed his babies back in Trac's sling. Trac wiped the tears off her face before nuzzling her.

"Tears? You are sad?" Trac asked.

"No, very happy," Alex said.

He pressed into her. "Tears mean sadness, rage, and happiness? That's very confusing."

Alex stroked the silky smooth leather of his back and thought he smelled of warm earth and treasure. "You don't know the half of it."

Trac stepped back to smile up at her before he hugged Razz one last time and then swung up into the lead carriage and Alex poked her head in.

"Name a baby after me," she said.

"We will!" several voices called out cheerfully.

The wheels crunched through gravel and the cobblestones and the horses' hooves pounded in tandem.

"Where will you go now?" Zilik walked up as the carriages rumbled off. He put his hand on Alex's shoulder.

"I don't know. I assumed that when we were done, the portal back home would open," Alex said.

"Will you consider staying with me until it does?" Zilik squeezed her shoulder ever so slightly.

"Us," Razz corrected.

They looked so much like wistful kids that Alex laughed and hugged them. "I'd love to. It's my choice to stay here. But I don't know if I have a choice. It's complicated."

"Will I ever see you again if you leave?" Zilik asked.

"No." Gabe walked up behind Alex. "That's not how it works."

Zilik's color faded to gray and Alex's shoulders slumped.

"Now do you understand?" Gabe asked, none too kindly.

"Yes." Alex turned to gaze up into his face. "I do."

Zilik waited until Gabe walked away before he asked, "What was that about?"

"He was telling me goodbye." Alex thought a moment, "As well as a snotty 'I told you so' about relationships."

Jerk. I just saved his ungrateful reptilian rear.

"He's not coming back with you?" Zilik asked.

Alex considered, tapping her chin. "That's a better question than you know, Zilik. I assumed we'd all go back together, but he's not from my world. They were sent as Guardians to my world. I suppose they could return to their own home without me." Coldness clenched her stomach, all but clawing at her insides.

I never thought of returning alone.

"You're afraid." Zilik squeezed her hand. "Why?"

"My world would be a terrible place to return to alone." The cold in her stomach spread through her core.