Page 8 of Rose and Shadows
No doubt due in large part to Victor Halrow guiding him away.
He had been mentored by the Commander of The Shadowed himself after all, so his ability to essentially disappear was no real surprise.
Not only had Vorzyr been unable to tail them, but Lucian Black had arrived shortly thereafter panicking concerning Ryker’s involvement in the awful situation that had occurred here barely an hour ago, and even he had been unable to pick up the scent. Given his supreme tracking abilities, that was certainly saying a great deal.
I shuddered for the umpteenth time as I felt the intensity of Velra’s struggle through the Soul Brand. She was feigning stability and calm, not wanting to project what she worried was weakness and ineptitude, something that her survival mode mechanisms had taught her were a threat to her wellbeing. That was compounded by the fact that she now included Lazriel, Sylas, and myself within the parameters of her survival mode, which made it all the heavier for her. Nowsurvivalmeant fourof us, not only herself—an impossible weight to carry with these horrific external factors at play.
But as she tried to transcend her entire trauma response to what had happened, to downplay the severity to her personally, while not doing that to others who had suffered here tonight, fractures kept occurring, which were resulting in these surges of pain, panic, and hopelessness.
I kept looking back at her as she remained where I’d left her with Lazriel.
She was leaning against the concrete wall of the evacuated building with him stroking her hair with one hand, while she was gliding her fingers over the green gem bracelet she’d made him months ago.
Ariana had flown in and she was now seeing to Ketheron.
Their connection, his imprint upon her, made her the ideal person to soothe him. Even over me, or any of our foursome. I suppose that did bother me to some extent, but currently what mattered most was that he had comfort and if she could provide him that, it was all that should be focused on.
She was sitting across from him now on one of the wrought iron patio tables holding his hand, while with the other she drew illustrations in the air as they talked, and he followed—her special brand of shadow weaving, which he’d learned well since the three of us had been working together at Haven Initiative. Her golden hair blew wildly in the wind, lifting off the shoulders of her brown suede jacket.
When she’d first arrived, Kai had gotten a slap—a rather restrained one given her power set, more of making a point than anything else and ensuring he took proper notice—followed by an overcome hug. She had not been happy that Kai had ordered Nyx and Vorzyr to leave the area rather than help him. In truth, there was nothing they could have done, due to the nature of the predicament we’d found ourselves in at the hands of Morien.But as I understood it, their spat had been about their foursome needing to work as one, not Kai heading off on his own and acting alone.
A similar issue he shared with Sylas.
However, not as pronounced. And they also operated like that for different reasons.
No less infuriating, however, and I could relate to Ariana’s stance on it.
Kai was standing in a circle with Vorzyr and Nyx, the three of them close by to Ariana and Ketheron, giving them space, yet clearly not wanting to be too far away either.
I understood that sentiment so very deeply now.
Even moving away from Velra and Lazriel currently, knowing it would just be for a few moments, was not sitting well with me. The need to be close was intensified to a barely manageable degree by the horrific nature of what had happened so recently. With Sylas being unable to be a part of that, to even be in the same vicinity as us, it was unsettling beyond belief.
He needed to be here. We needed him here.
Alas, I also understood that could not be.
At least, not yet.
I wouldn’t let it stay that way.
He was in the wind now, but it wouldn’t remain so.
He belonged with us.
It was an indisputable fact at this point. And nothing else would suffice.
I sucked in a breath as I neared Ryker and Lucian, the latter whom had his hands on Ryker’s hips, fondling the black leather as he held him close while they talked. The rest of us had been moved away from the bodies of the fallen, but the two of them were just twenty feet away from the scene as Guardian members saw to the sanitization of the area.
Lucian had looked very similarly agitated with Ryker as Ariana had been with Kai. He had experienced many situations with Ryker that had involved the Head of the Guardian Movement staring down death, and nearly being stolen away by it—even before he’d been in the position of power that he was now. All these years later, and so deep into their relationship, Lucian, Mia and Jaxon were still dealing with that from him. Ryker would forever be in the line of fire, I supposed. How did they reconcile it? Because, honestly, even when this war was over, when our enemies were vanquished, I feared Sylas would follow in similar footsteps. Being who and what he was, danger was a part of him—oftentimes whether he liked it or not.
I scrubbed my hand over my jaw.
Earlier… it had been… a lot.
So much power between us, so much knowledge, and we’d almost been wiped out in a single battle, in a single moment, at the tainted hands of a single being.
An utter madman corrupted by megalomania and horrendous psychopathy.
