Page 62 of The Hidden Guardian

“I agree with him, my parents are the only other people I know who can speak telepathically through the bond.”

“Oh, I didn’t know they had that ability.”

“Sometimes I wish they didn’t, believe me.” Onai’s eyes widen as she shakes her head. “But I can only hope to have a bond like my parents one day whether it be with Trefaun or someone else.”

“I’m glad I stayed then. I thought Renall would be able to mate with another Guardian if I had left, but I see how ridiculous that sounds now.”

Onai scoffs, picking at a string on her yellow dress. “We were all really surprised he got a new Guardian.”

“Why?”

“Well, most wolves think he doesn’t deserve a Guardian after what he did,” she mindlessly states, ripping at the string.

“What did he do?” I ask tentatively.

“Oh my,” she pauses, blinking many times and realizing she made a mistake. “I said too much, it’s not my place.”

“Please, Onai, I’m sleeping in his bed—if there is something I should know about him–”

She looks at me for a long moment. I think she will deny me again, but she lowers her eyes and says, “It was just a rumor, but it’s been mentioned a lot … especially now with the trial bringing it back up …”

“Yes …”

“The rumor is that …”

“Yes, spit it out.”

“The rumor is that he killed his last Guardian,” Onai confesses, covering her mouth afterward.

“What?” I gasp. “I think I heard you wrong, murder? I’m Guardian to a Guardian murderer? Aren’t there laws about that—I mean, Guardians are precious to you guys, right?”

“It’s never been proven; a private trial was inconclusive, but word around the cave is it’s been silenced because Renall and father are close friends. It’s another mark of contention, that’s why this trial had to be public, father got a lot of backlash for the last private trial for Renall. His power is being questioned.”

“I see.” I’m questioning a lot more than Zev’s power. Renall has never been anything but nice to me, and yet everyone believes he was responsible for the death of his previous Guardian. Did he kill her to get a new more powerful one? If so, is he going to do that to me?

No, we can't possibly be talking about the same man. The man who risked his life to save me and guide me here.

“How …” I swallow. “How did Cora die?”

“She fell off the cliff outside, the one where the wolves gather on a full moon.”

“Fell? How is that a murder?”

“Her affinity was earth. She had to be incapacitated not to save herself.”

“Oh.” Unconscious and being thrown off the cliff to her death does sound like murder to me. Is that something Renall is capable of? If not, why hasn’t he brought this up before? You would think he would be worried this would come out.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to be the one to tell you. It’s just a rumor. I mean, something else could have happened. No one knows for sure.”

“No, no, I’m glad you told me.” I’d rather know the truth, ugly bits and all.

“After all, I don’t know what was said in the trial with my parents. I don’t know all the details,” she continues.

“It’s okay, Onai, I needed to know. I have a lot of thinking to do, and I’m going to need all the facts.”

“I just hate seeing you like this.” She places a hand on my arm. “You were just so happy, and now I ruined it with my big mouth. I should have just kept it shut like my Mother told me to do.”

“This is not your fault.” I place my hand over hers. “Hush now, we both know I would have found this out sooner or later.”

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