Back Home (Edited) Book 4 of the Guardians Saga

CH 9.1 Synchronization

Alex's health improved after Rile's 'treatment', though she seemed to need as much sun as any of them. They could tell she was getting cold whenever she rubbed the blue spot on her chest, trying to warm that deep, icy wound.

The next morning, Rile was curled around Alex as best he could manage while they lay on a flat sunning rock near the infirmary tent. Alex was cushioned on pillows, but Rile found no need for them. She opened her eyes and stroked down his shoulders and wings until he sighed happily.

She said, "Don't be angry with the Portal Guardian."

"Who says I am?"

"Cale, but don't be angry with him, either. I pulled the 'I'm dying' card to make him tell me."

Rile snorted deeply, his breath escaping his nostrils with the force of an angry dragon about to flame a knight. Alex swiftly stroked his wings to soothe him.

She looked into his eyes. "You shouldn't be angry because the only reason the Portal Guardian could strike a blow at The Adversary is because I opened the doors for him."

Rile sprang up with such speed that Alex almost crashed her head against the rock, but he quickly grabbed her and steadied her. "What do you mean? What did you do?"

Alex's body curled around itself as she sat up, her arms wrapping protectively around her legs and drawing them close to her chest. She tucked her head in the crook of her arm, her breaths coming out shallow. "When I saw those females touching you, I didn't want to scream at them or slap them. I wanted to kill them: as in chop off their hands and puncture their beating hearts with my sword, kind of kill them. It was the perfect invitation to The Adversary and I couldn't resist the urge to kill. When he answered my desire, I speed-burst up because I couldn't think of anything else to do except call the Portal Guardian to incinerate me. I thought at least she could strike at the Adversary that way."

Rile sucked in a breath. "Incinerate? Oh, Alex."

"Did you think I've changed? My life is still short and I'm still just as damaged as ever. Honestly, more-so I think. You would think I'd be better by now. I'm hopeless."

Rile shushed her gently, thumb tracing her lips. "You are better."

She looked at him, wide-eyed. "What in creation is your definition of better?"

He chuckled, placed his arm around her, and squeezed until she was forced to uncurl and lean against him. "Better as in look at how much it took to push you over the edge. You had to relive Gabe dumping you both as a Guardian and lover on the Anolis home world, the trauma of saving, then losing his son, Galen, of telling Perfect Clan Heir that he had sons, that one son was murdered, of withstanding his self-righteous rage, of remembering losing your paradise...need I go on?"

Alex exhaled slowly and rested a hand on his thigh, letting sparks flicker from her fingertips in an unconscious expression of emotion. "As long as you think I'm better," she murmured, "I'll take it."

He kissed up her neck and nibbled her ear. "No, that's not good enough. Do you want me to call Cale for a long lecture?"

Alex giggled as his tongue flicked in her ear. "No, not the long lecture! I yield to your superior debate skills." She pulled him down and cuddled on his chest.

**

Alex was fast asleep when Gabe, the priest, the head healer, and the elders came for Rile. The priest's eyes glinted with a mix of sorrow and determination, while the elder's expressions were hard to read.