Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Seventy Seven

A/N -- Only mildly proofread, guys. Enjoy!

The first retreat came two hours before dawn, where the baron's men and his allies funneled backwards behind the protection of their walls. Iris was tired and covered in dirt, sweat, and the blood of various people. Both sides had sustained losses, but it was very far from over. After watching Baron Riasion's men take up station back inside the fortress, the rank relaxed and she sought out her sister. They'd gotten separated at some point during the night. Luckily for Iris, Rhalla was easy to spot among the crowd due to her height.

"Thank gods," Iris whispered when she found her sister alright. She walked right up to Hench and asked. "Are you okay?"

Rhalla looked her over with genuine concern, surveying her for wear as well before saying. "I'm fine. Yourself?"

Iris nodded, dazed from the lack of sleep. "I need rest. Otherwise, I'm okay." The rogue looked at their force. "But you should find Azabela now... make sure she made it."

Hench nodded. "As I imagine you should do with Kayde. The front lines got the worst of it." She cursed. "We weren't as prepared as we should've been. If General Rothstead hadn't acted so quickly against the riders, we might have fared a million times worse. I'm to blame for that. I --we should have set up our defensive stakes directly upon arrival. I shouldn't have distracted the Master with... my issues."

Iris swallowed a hard lump in her throat. "You couldn't have known they'd attack us. And plus, they had your son. They had Dane. They had our parents. That's serious. You reacted as any human --any mother, would."

"Even still. You were a military captain, Iris," Hench said. "So you know as well as I that you have to prepare for everything. Even if he'd killed Dane right then and there in front of everyone, I should have still made that defensive call. Lives are in my hands as much as they are in the Master's. And too many were lost tonight. Baron Riasion meant to distract us, and he did. I could have gotten you killed, girl. I'm sorry."

Iris threw up a hand. "It's not so easy to kill me. Now go. Find Azabela. Check on Dane and our parents. Then, get some rest. Tomorrow will be long."

Rhalla nodded and whooshed past her. As she went through, she called out, "Mount the stakes!"

That was when Kayde found Iris. He all but ran up to her. He looked as worn as Iris felt. Like her, he was coated in grime. His sleek ponytail was no longer perfect. Strands everywhere escaped around his face, and there were dark circles contrasting his bright eyes from underneath.

"Iris," he whispered, and grabbed her cheeks in his hands. "Oh, Iris. Thank gods."

"I'm alive," she said. "How are you?"

"The same." Suddenly, Kayde looked very mournful, and his hands fell to the sides. His head shook from left to right, almost in disbelief, and he spoke again. His voice came louder, but incredibly hoarse. "I... At least you made it. I've already lost a very good friend tonight."

"Who?" Iris asked, horror struck.

"I --we lost Sprite." A tear escaped over the path of muck on Kayde's cheek, and his voice broke in fragments. "My trainee. By the time I saw him take the hit... it was too late. I killed the man who did it... but it couldn't save him. I couldn't save him. If I would have paid more attention." Kayde was overcome for a moment. "He was dead immediately. His throat was open and... he was gone. There wasn't even a single moment left for a goodbye --not one that... not one that he could hear." Kayde's fist clenched and unclenched. "Please don't die, Iris. Please stay alive. Please."