Page 44 of The Hidden Guardian

“Oh, spunky, I like that.” Cressida nods.

“To be fair, Renall might like that too. Knowing him, knife play might be foreplay.” Onai starts laughing before she even finishes her sentence.

The floor around the firepit is warm as we roll around in another fit of giggles. The door slams against the wall, breaking us out of our jovial mood, and we sit straight up. Renall walks in. He pauses slightly when he notices we have an extra person before he stalks toward the bathroom as the cave then echoes with running water. There’s a dark cloud following him, and blood was dripping from his chin.

Onai and Cressida get to their feet. Onai mouths, ‘We’ll leave you two alone.’ They slip out the open door and close it behind them.

Running water continues to echo in the silent cave between us. I pause, biting my lip, debating on what to say. Renall comes home each day with blood all over him. We don’t talk about it. He just comes home and washes it off. The trial is draining on him. I’m not sure if he is being attacked, or provoked, or possibly blowing off some steam afterward. The trial must not be going well in either scenario, but I have no words, charades, or stick figures to express that to Renall. Instead, I stew in my worry.

My feet automatically take me to the back wall. My fingers linger on an orchid petal. True to her word, Onai has taught me many things, including how to create these little planters along the wall. They extend into little square ledges from the cavern, and I’ve sprouted several flowers and herbs all within them. It was easy once she showed me how. I water them and they grow when I pay them attention, no sun needed.

The water turns off. My mind goes back to Renall. Onai and I have decided to stop eavesdropping on the trial. We’ve been more focused on honing my affinities. I have learned to summon the earth at will. Water, it seems, still eludes me, and Onai is at a loss since her affinity is different. I only manipulate air when I’m in trouble. Once the trial is over, she said she can connect me with someone who might be able to help.

A tingle runs down my back, the hairs on my neck stand at attention. Renall is behind me. He eyes my new additions to the planters and mumbles an appreciative growl. His breath is warm on my neck, I turn to him.

“Is there anything I can do?”

He just looks at me, his green eyes scanning me. His mouth wants to say something, but both of us understand it’s useless. I don’t comprehend anything, and sometimes a symbol in a notebook won’t do. Over the past few weeks, it’s also been getting harder and harder to resist this bond between us. From the passing looks to the muffled growls. The longer I spend in his proximity, the closer I am to losing myself. I’ve never felt like this before. Even though I can’t understand what he’s saying, I can almostfeelit in my soul. In fact, I feel him all the time. Looking for me, watching me, listening to me, knowing where my body is in a room. It’s intoxicating.

He collapses on the couch and leans back, propping a foot up and lazily placing an arm over his eyes. Renall wants to go to bed and pretend this day never happened. It must have been really bad. When Onai and I peeked out last time, she said they were questioning his moves on the battlefield a few centuries ago. I guess Onai was right, you don’t make friends being one of their ancient Warrior Clan.

Walking over to him, I kneel beside him in front of the couch. “I’m sorry, Renall.” I sigh, “I wish there was something I could do to help.”

His arm shifts behind his head and he meets my gaze. My arm is gently placed against the side of his chest. His serene emerald eyes watch me, silently.

I hold his gaze as the heat between us rises, our heartbeats quickening in tune to the other. Of course, there is always something I can do to relieve the stress, if only for a moment. Give into this growing lust between us. But, no, I can’t do that. Not when I don’t know where this is headed, or if there is even a future to worry about. There is still so much of our fates up in the air.

After a moment, the side of his lip quirks up. He’s reading me through the bond again. He swings his arm around to pull my neck closer. Renall kisses my forehead before releasing me and rolling over to face the back of the couch.

I spent the rest of the night sitting in bed, pretending there was a window beside it that I could watch the rain fall. The smell of petrichor lingering in the air lulls me into slumber with thoughts of taking things further with Renall.

* * *

Warm hands swipe across my forehead, tucking hair behind my ear. “Rawe-tum.”

“Mmm,” I growl, swiping his hand away and shoving the covers above my face.

“Crome.”

“Five more minutes,” I groan.

“No, Rawe-tum, Crome now.”

“Huh?” Attempting to understand him is slowly waking me from my slumber. He’s motioning with his hand to follow him.

“You want me to … come? Follow you? Is something wrong?”

He shoots me a thumbs up.

If nothing is wrong, why is he waking me up before the sun? “Gods, what time is it? I feel like I haven’t slept a wink.”

“Crome.” Man of few words.

“I’m coming, I’m coming. Calm down.” I tug my sneakers on and slip pants under the t-shirt I usually sleep in.

Hiding a yawn, I follow Renall into the dark cave. It must be the middle of the night because all fires have been extinguished and no one is around. He guides me back the way we entered the cave. Surprisingly, we encounter no one on the journey.

By the time we reach the waterfall, my curiosity has piqued and I’m wide awake. Why did he drag me out here in the middle of the night?

---