REJECTION

22

I left after I don't know how many minutes, he was the only one who managed to notice me. I climbed up a tree and looked at the building where I left. There seems to be a small gathering inside. Is it another meeting?

I waited and waited that I considered sleeping in this tree until someone came out from the same door. This time it was Artemis. Now, that's not exactly unexpected but why is she siding with them?

"Hey." I called out as he walked by the tree. She looked around, maybe thinking she misheard it.

"Up here." She finally saw me.

"You? What are you doing there?" I'm getting tired of this question.

"Same as you." Spying. She furrowed her brows for a bit before heaving a sigh.

"If you want to know something, I can't tell you much."

"Of course, you're back on business. Or maybe you haven't left." I still sat at the tree. In afar, it may appear that she is talking to a tree.

"It's not what you thought but maybe yes."

"You know, if you side with them, I can't guarantee your safety."

"Do not mind my own safety. I can take care of my own. You should take care of someone else's. Soon, it will be chaos." She did not impart any more information. Is that a warning? I headed back to the office and waited impatiently. Something feels odd.

I paced back and forth constantly glancing at the clock. It's been a couple hours and they haven't returned yet. Do meetings last this long?

"Miss Laine." Alicia barged in with a concerned look. "Eros called, they asked you to meet them at the Silver House. I think it's about My Lord (the King).

"Stay here, we need to keep an eye on the council. If somebody asks, tell them that the King hasn't returned yet."

"Yes, Miss Laine. Please take care."

I took in the essence of the place. The Silver House is where we used to secretly plan our moves to avoid detection of the rebel party. As soon as I had the image of the destination, I teleported and appeared just outside the small cabin. 

"What happened?" I asked the guard but continued to head inside, I can feel their presence.

"Wha– Wait."

As I stepped inside, I stopped seeing how he lies weak on the bed, always catching his breath, his sweat are beads streaking down all over. He is in pain. I rushed to his side and held his trembling hand.

"Lai..ne..." He called out, eyes still closed.

"I'm here."

He shakily opened his mouth wanting to say something.

"It's ok."

Why can't I do anything? A guardian must protect. But what can I do?

"Hey, wait!" The door suddenly opened.

"Please refrain from touching me." A small kid said to avoid the guard from outside. Wait, this kid is...

"Dela?"

"Oh, it appears that you have not forgotten me. You haven't visited me for centuries."

"It's ok. I know her." The others easen.

"Why are you here?" I asked as she walked towards me.

"I felt a strange yet familiar presence and looked at what I found. Isn't it the guardian and the king? May I?" I let her examine him. She knows more about healing than anybody else.

"Who is that?" Eros asked.

"Her name is Dela, the guardian of the fairies." She often takes the form of a young girl when heading out.

"What happened?" I asked him.

"He started coughing blood while we're on our way back. But he was well when we left Sicilia."

I told him not to push himself. I noticed his bandaged arm, there were also bloodied pieces of clothes on the table. The two guards with them have a few scratches too.

"The king is sick but why are you bloodied?"

He couldn't look at me.

"It's that southern coven?" My hand balled up into fists. Are they really crossing the line?

"I don't know, they just appear out of nowhere. We had to defend the King so we couldn't fight back."

"Is that all?" Dela is the best in healing and curing, however, I can sense that this will be difficult even for her.

"They had an argument." The other guard with us said.

"Sierra." Eros cut in.

"What happened?" I repeated, asking Sierra.

"They were arguing over something before the vampire guardian left. There were threats in their tones. Maybe they really want to attack us."

I know Duke has a tendency to break the treaty but he will not use others to attack them, he will do it himself.

"It is still too early to jump to conclusions. And we don't know if they are acting independently, there's a chance that Lord Alexander overlooked them." Eros also knows Duke, we often meet together before.

"If a coven tried to hurt the King of wolves, they must be ready for war." Dela commented as she stood up.

"Do you know about this coven?"

"Nope. But this sounds too serious. A guardian level serious." She knows that I left. But she also did.

"Anyways about your king, his lifeforce is dwindling every second. I may be able to relieve his pain momentarily but... that's all I can do."

"There will be a weekly meeting tomorrow. If the King does not attend, they will suspect something has happened and may expedite the process of ascending their own King."

"A new King, huh?" It was Dela. "If that happens won't they blame the other guardian?" She means Duke. They will really have a reason to break the treaty. Is this what they are really after? Is this what Artemis means?

"Deary, can we talk privately?"

"Go, I'll keep an eye on him."

Dela and I went outside.

"Do you know that meteors burn bright as they fall? Yet. slowly... they turn to dust." She turned towards me. "My dear friend, aren't you more powerful now? Your curse has been fulfilled and soon you will be gone, turn to dust as you should be."

"Fulfilled or not, I still have to be a guardian."

"It sucks to be a guardian. But what can we do? We are cursed because we sought revenge. Yet, revenge is something we most suffered from. Once a guardian turns to dust, a new one shall be cursed."

"I do not intend for someone to inherit my curse. That's why I tried to let the wolves govern their own. However, it seems that my judgment is impaired. So with my last breath, I will protect them from their own selves."