Guardians Of The Zodiac

Chapter 17

When we reached the end of the beach we found ourselves face to face with a stone wall that lead up to a steep cliff and down to sharp rocks where the waves threw themselves against relentlessly. Our only option was to make our way up to a landing that seemed to lead right back into the woods. So we started climbing up and over a few boulders and ledges that jetted out of the side of the cliff and made our way into a denser part of the island where awkward leaning trees and shrubs made our footing a bit more difficult. Iris was on constant alert, flying ahead of us to clear the way while also keeping an eye on the surrounding area to make sure we weren't being followed or watched.

Ryder jumped up onto the next boulder and turned to offer his hand to me. I took it and he helped me up with ease.

"You good?"

"I should be asking you that, shouldn't I?" I countered as we continued to make our way up. "I've been used to being powerless a lot longer than all of you. Are you okay not being able to use your fire?" I grunted as I used all the strength I had to pull myself up onto the ledge in front of me.

"You may not know this about me but I have other skills too, Ace," he tried to joke as he followed my lead.

He made it look so easy.

We continued to trudge uphill, through the thicket, and I couldn't ignore the intense silence that stood between us. There was more I wanted to say, more I wanted him to tell me, but I didn't know how to bring any of it up. He and I both knew that our dynamic had changed the past couple weeks, but we never talked about how it changed or why. I blamed it on his Handler Title. I didn't blame him because I knew being a Handler was hard work, but that's also why I didn't want him taking the job in the first place. It's too much for one person especially if there's no experience involved. He was the one who brought me to Nexus and who swore to give me a better life, but that was a lot of pressure to begin with and with him being my Handler it was just turning into what my life was like at the Estate. Same treatment, just a different environment.

I wasn't sure what I hated more: Ryder changing himself in order to fit my Guardian needs or me putting too much pressure on him to live up to every promise he made me.

"Did you know that I had a life before I became a Guardian?" I suddenly found myself filling the void.

When we made it onto the landing we took a second to catch our breath and he glanced over at me as we walked side by side and the ground began to level out as we trekked further away from the cliff and boulders behind us.

"No, I didn't. Most Guardians are born as Guardians, right?" He kept it civil.

"Yeah, usually. Normally, Guardians are chosen through their bloodline, but for the 13th Guardian a new one is chosen every time the Stars change."

"What do you mean by change?"

"My brother says that it's as if the whole universe shifts. As if the constellations were forming a new path made by destiny and they chose me to help guide them and everyone else who lives under them."

"That's a lot of pressure for the Stars to put on you." There was a playful tone in his voice which made me relax even more.

"Yeah. I don't remember a lot about my life before the Dodeca found me, but I will always remember the day I found out I was a Guardian. It was also the day I met Iris, Serena and Trinkette."

"You've never told me how you guys met."

"Well, it's kind of bittersweet to talk about. We didn't exactly meet under the best of conditions."

I liked how we were just talking so casually with one another as friends and not as Guardian and Handler, and I didn't want to ruin it, but I wanted to know more about him as well. He was always letting me talk about myself and never revealing anything about himself in return.