The Dance of the Keepers

Chapter 23 The Graveyard Shift

"Do we tell time differently?"
Kyle asked sarcastically.

"Sorry."
I grumbled, still thinking about what Glass had said.

I stepped back into the simulator without having to be told to do so, picking my sword up from the sand. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then at that moment I embraced my guilt, embraced what I had done. I couldn't change the past and the unreasonable fear that clutched at me wasn't doing anyone any good. I could only strive to make the best choices in the future. To kill only when necessary and to show compassion when possible. As I breathed out, I felt oddly refreshed, like a weight was off my shoulders. My eyes fluttered open and a holographic warrior appeared in front of me again, but this time I knew I could win.

****

"The whole night? Seriously?"
I complained.

"Just get dressed before you make me late for my shift."
Kyle ordered.

I grumbled under my breath but made quick work of changing into my Keeper uniform. The two of us strode side by side out of the building, the sun having just slipped its last rays behind the Topaz Mountain Range. We were on our way to the Winter Palace to relieve Keeper Evangeline of her shift watching his royal Majesty. Kyle was demanding I watch for both his shift and my own, to learn the best methods of surveillance and how to secretly get in and out of the palace. I groaned loudly when I saw that stupid motorcycle parked by the curb.

"You're going to learn to like this thing."
Kyle predicted.

"I sincerely doubt that."

He tossed me a helmet which I strapped on grudgingly. A moment later the engine roared to life and we tore off down the road. We parked a few blocks away from the gated grounds and Kyle led me around the side where we found a hidden entrance.

"And we aren't going through the front door why exactly?"
I whispered as we trampled through a pile of weeds to be burned that were sticking to my clothing.

"We don't want to alert anyone that there may be a threat to the King. No need to cause undue alarm. It's better if the information stays amongst the Keepers."

"Hmm. Who really holds the power around here, the Keepers or the King?"
I asked almost rhetorically.

"It's a bit more complicated than you might think."
Kyle replied.

I rolled my eyes.

"Isn't it always?"

We stoll across the palace grounds like two shadows in the night. When we reached the edge of the beautiful structure, Kyle began climbing up a garden trellis that was attached to a balcony higher up. I crossed my arms and watched him heft himself all the way up, turning around with his hands on hips at the top.

"Well, are you coming?"
He asked.

With a light burst of wind, I floated up and joined him on the balcony.

"Erm, right. Wind Wielder."
He muttered.

I smirked at him, not that it could be seen under the mask. He carefully unlatched the glass doors and we slipped inside onto plush velvet carpet. Bookshelves lined the walls and a fireplace was the centerpiece of the room, with cozy leather chairs positioned to face the empty hearth.

I wasn't much of a reader, mostly because I'd never had access to a great supply of books, the library in Bel Rea hadn't been all that impressive and was all the way across town. I'd always had better things to do, like get into trouble with my big sister Leah. Even I, however, thought this personal library looked the perfect place to curl up with a good book.