Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Thirty Eight

A/N -- HEY, THERE'S A SONG! Listen if you will!

Zayn was able to spark the lantern back to life not too long later, and when he did, everyone jolted back into action. Hench and Kayde were both immediately on Iris, checking her to see if she was unhurt. Kayde used to a gentle touch to sway her chin back and forth as he checked for cuts while Hench drilled Iris with a quick and rising voice.

"Are you alright, girl?" she asked, "Did he cut you? Is anything broken?"

Everyone was listening for Iris's answer, but she didn't give one. All Iris could focus on was the shadowy presence that was likely lingering just outside of the camp. "We're not alone," she whispered. She could feel it deep in her bones. Now, Iris jolted back into their situation, and brought her eyes to look at all the concerned faces. "I'm fine."

And once that was confirmed, everyone's eyes turned back to where the arrow had come from --where they'd saw the shadow. No one could distinguish anything from the darkness. One of the archers spoke. "We need to blow the lanterns out. Whoever is out there has got a bow," he warned. "We're sitting ducks with that light on us."

"They didn't shoot me, " Iris pointed out.

"From that distance?" the soldier responded. "In this storm? It's a toss up whether they were intending to hit him or you. We need to be cautious. They could have been aiming for one of us and missed."

Iris looked at the arrow sticking out of the man's eye. She opened her mouth to say something about it, but something --someone-- interrupted her.

From beyond the makeshift camp, a small voice came. "I never miss."

Immediately, everyone turned to face the source of the sound. Zayn's light cast itself onto a woman. Iris stared at what was quite possibly the dirtiest person she'd ever seen in her life. Long, wet hair escaped everywhere from a thick braid. Dirt and leaves caked the girl from head to toe in what was now a soggy slosh, and a bloody hand gripped a longbow. Even through the haze of mud, Iris recognized her immediately and was terribly relieved.

"Who are you?" Zayn was the first to ask.

"Azabela Stryder," she said, and dipped into a mock bow. "At your service." Her head snapped backwards for a second, and her mirth disappeared. "But we don't have time for questions. They're chasing me --have been for days. They'll be here soon."

Iris looked over at her mentor, who was seemingly in a state of disbelief. Her jaw hung open on a hinge, and silent tears welled in her eyes. Hench stammered for a moment, not able to make out a coherent thought. "Azabela?" The question was a whisper.

Now, the huntress walked over to stand directly in front of Hench. "I'm here. I'm here. " She assured her. "But so are they. Get ready to fight. We'll talk after it's over, okay?" Iris watched as both Hench and Azabela shared a smile. For a second, the mighty woman used a hand to wipe some of the caked mud off her beloved's face. Hench nodded.

"I will kill them all," she gave a silent vow. "I promise."

Azabela nocked an arrow and gave her a mischievous grin. "You can try. I'll help from the trees. There's a lot of them --they got reinforcements today."

The huntress darted off then, and the soldiers watched as her small body scaled the nearest tree. No one got a chance to say anything else. Azabela hadn't been wrong. Not a few seconds later, the sound of footsteps permeated the air. The moon came back out to reveal an entire brigade of the baron's militia approaching the camp. Iris unsheathed her daggers, ready for a fight. Everyone did the same, all except for Hench.