The Immortal Guardians: Book III

Chapter 17

I did not sleep well. I ended up tossing and turning all night. Ares had slept peacefully next to me. In the morning, I did not go to breakfast mostly because I did not want to see Byron. Luckily, the boys brought breakfast to me.
"We figured you and Byron wouldn't be in friendly terms" Thomas handed me some food. I took it from him but set it down. I pointed at my bag. Thomas pulled out the ring.
"Holy-" Ezra exclaimed. "Is that?" He took it from Thomas.
"Don't even say it" I grumbled. "He ended up sealing the deal with that ring last night."
I told them what happened. I also told him about Taron visiting. They didn't think anything of it.
"What are you going to do about the ring?" Ezra was holding it up against the light.
"Nothing, I don't want it. He can have it back" I crossed my arms across my chest. "I am not getting married."
"What?" Thomas glanced at Ezra with a confused face.
"I mean I agree with you" Ezra was squinting at the stone. "Who wants to get married in the situation we are in? That should be at the bottom of our priorities."
"That ring has just completely finished breaking whatever chance to get together we had. He thinks some stupid ring is going to convince me to forget and want to get married. He is dead wrong." I grumbled grumpily.
"Marriage is not for you because?"
I gave Thomas a dirty look.
"I'm a Guardian" I answered. Ezra nodded. He understood on the other hand, Thomas was confused.
"Don't take this the wrong way but aren't most girls hoping I get married. They want the wedding of their dreams with the man of their dreams"
Ezra chucked.
"No" I scoffed. "From the looks of it, Byron and I will be fighting every few days. That sounds miserable. Marriage sounds too.... It sounds like commitment that I don't want to make."
"But-" Thomas looked so lost.
"It is different for her than it is for us." Ezra knew what i meant. "She will have to give up more than we will. We can happily go back and forth, but things will change." Ezra put the ring down on my bed. "For you. In my opinion, Byron or any guy will say they are delighted to be married with a Guardian but could you imagine how much of a toll it will be. I can understand it, if I were married to you, I would hate taking the backseat to everything you did."
"But-"
"It isn't something i have ever wanted" I stared down at the ring. "I do want to be in love and give everything I have to him" my face started to turn red. They knew what I was referring to. "But I don't know if I can do that. I'm scared I'll admit. With Byron things have ways been difficult and I'm getting sick of it" i lifted the ring up. "He is everything I want and he is the man of my dreams and that is the worst feeling especially after what Anika said." I put the ring back in my bag. "I don't know what to think or do about him."
"Henri?"
"Ugh, he's a friend. He will come around." I shrugged, he wasn't a worry to me. "Right now, we should worry about that" I pointed at the note in Ezra's hand. He was reading it.

"It is instructions from the here to some place" Ezra lifted a step by step letter. "Does he not trust us?"

"Probably as much as we don't trust him." I answered.

Within a couple of hours we were at the meeting. Since we weren't official members of the Guard or named Guardians we were going to stand to the side. The Minister acknowledged us briefly. Byron got to sit at the table and so did Vino and Drake. To my surprise, the three 13th Guardians were present.

"We are representing the Old Queen" one of them answered. They looked over at us but didn't introduce themselves. Thomas didn't know their names.

"Let's get started, we have a lot to cover." The Minister answered. There were other members filing in, they were taking their seats. Mr. Henri and Henri were seated on the right side of the table with the Minister. Claire was seated on his other side.

"Let me start by introducing the 15th Guardians" he got to his feet. "Ezra Miller, Thomas Joel and Iris Burke" he pointed at each of us. "I don't need to remind any of you that identification of them for another six months is punishable by the Immortal laws"