Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Thirty Three

IMPORTANT A/N -- Hey guys, Fearless got nominated for the Fiction Awards, which is pretty neat! If you love my writing (and me)... head on over and vote at this link!

https://www.wattpad.com/295504121-the-fiction-awards-2016-voting-open

A week later, Iris and Hench rode through the forest together toward her cabin. A sort of excitement bubbled through Iris at the thought of having dinner with a friend. As she stared at the large woman, she realized that she might have just found her first, honest-to-gods female friend. Two, if she counted Azabela. For now, she did, even if they hadn't spoken altogether too much.

"I'm taking you out on another training exercise here in a few days, girl," Hench said from her horse. "We'll be heading out toward the baron's lands to... observe." By the excited look in her mentor's eyes, though, Iris figured that the word observed was putting what they were going to be doing mildly.

"Is that an understatement?" Iris asked.

"It might be," Hench conceded, her mouth curving up a corner. "If we're lucky." Now, she glanced over at Iris before turning her eyes back forward. "I do have a score to settle, I think. It's about damned time someone started throwing some punches and it might as well be me first."

"I thought trainees weren't supposed to fight," Iris reminded Hench.

Hench stopped her horse and shot a look at Iris. "If you'd rather meditate..." That was a definite threat.

Iris cringed at the thought of being left alone with her thoughts again.

"Uh huh." Hench grinned. "That's what I thought. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." The guardian's horse started moving again and she jested with Iris. "I suppose for once you should be glad you managed to snag the second-in-command at the sanctuary... you get perks." Hench shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, you know how to fight, so I might as well use you for something useful instead of let your talents go to waste on a training dummy. Just make sure you don't tell Master Dyran we're purposefully picking fights and we'll be golden."

Iris raised a brow. "Uh oh, Rhalla breaking the rules. You hardly seem like the type."

"What ever gave you that notion?" Hench's answering grin was a rebellious one. "Keep that big mouth of yours shut, girl, and kick some ass with me. Chalk it up to be a bonding experience if you want." Oh, Iris liked her even more now.

"Your wish is my command," Iris said with a salute. "Will we be alone?"

"For the most part," Hench answered. "I'm bringing Kayde Vorantis with us too."

Iris took a deep breath at the mention of his name. Tendrils of a rather insidious emotion wrapped her heart in a layer of pounding warmth. Ever since they'd had that discussion in the hall that one night --ever since she'd admitted to herself that she didn't miss Zayn as much as she'd thought she would, she couldn't shake the newfound sensation she'd gotten every time he was around. Oh, but it wasn't for lack of trying. She'd done her damndest to stay away from him these past few days and prayed to the gods whatever it was inside her would pass into nonexistence.

"Why him?" Iris asked, pressing herself into nonchalance. "Why don't we bring any number of other guardians?"

"Because I'm forcing confrontation." There was a dose of brutal honesty if Iris had ever heard one. Hench didn't look at Iris. "You've been avoiding him."

Iris choked. "I have not. Not intentionally, at least."

"Come off it. You can't bullshit me, girl," Hench said with a snort. "Just see all of this as a great big gift from yours truly. Make things right on the trip and sort out whatever is going on, girl. We can't afford to have two guardians that won't speak to each other. Makes things awkward for everybody."