The Song of the Keepers

Chapter 34 How to Say Goodbye

At some point, the two of us must have dozed off because I awoke a good while later, to Jasper's solemn face hanging over us as he shook us awake.

I groaned and rubbed my eyes, disoriented for a moment.

"Did you find her?"
Vienna asked in a groggy tone.

Jasper brow furrowed as he shook his head no.

"I kept them searching as long as I could. Kris even had us return to Revara and threaten a few children in hopes someone would tell us what had happened to her. Not even I could tell them where else to look, it's as though she vanished."

I could tell it was killing my genius friend to have finally come across a problem he was unable to solve.

"Just because you couldn't find her doesn't mean she isn't still out there."
Vienna insisted vehemently.

"Of course."
Jasper told her, but I saw in his eyes the truth.

No one could survive in this weather out in the wild. Her only chance had been going back to the village, and if she hadn't ended up there, then there was no telling what had happened to her. Her body was likely a frozen corpse by now, perhaps at the bottom of some ravine or buried under a deep drift of snow. We would never know what happened, never have closure.

"Kairos is smart, a survivor."
Vienna told us.

But Kairos had grown up on the coast, where the climate was mild and snow was rare. A few months with the Keepers had not prepared her to have the survival skills necessary to survive subzero temperatures in a desolate mountain range. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to swallow my emotion.

"Don't say it, I know you're thinking it."
Vienna glared at me.

But it didn't take words for Vienna to realize the truth. Her hard stare slowly melted and turned into a waterfall of tears. Jasper knelt down beside us and placed his hand on Vienna's knee. She leaned back against the wall, as her sobs wracked her small frame. She grabbed Jasper's hand, in her own, and then mine as well.

"One by one I'm losing you."
She whispered.

"That's not true, we may have lost Kairos but you will have the both of us."
Jasper replied stoutly.

I cleared my throat. His eyes met mine and he faltered.

"What don't I know?"

With resignation, I informed him of Ranen's successful business with the council.

"How long will it take before you leave me too?"
Vienna tearfully asked Jasper.

"Never. I won't let that happen."
Came his quick answer.

"You may not have a choice. Kairos didn't, Astrid doesn't."
Vienna pointed out.

"I don't care, I'll find a way around anything that would separate us."

It was uncharacteristic of Jasper to be so set against reason, I supposed he had finally learned what love was. Love defies logic, even for the Brainiac with the highest IQ around. He had come a long way from the boy who needed conversation starter cards to make friends.

We stayed there in companionable silence until the first rays of sunlight peaked in through the windowpane down the hall.

"I'm supposed to meet Mya before breakfast this morning, something to do with further training."
Vienna finally broke the magic of the spell that seemed to hold the stillness intact.

Up the hall, a door opened and another Keeper exited their chambers without a glance in our direction.

"You should probably get ready then."
I encouraged, despite my heavy heart.