by Ali Winters
His responsibilities grated against her heart. Perhaps because they were so far from her own. Yeva gave him a strained smile. How had she fallen for him, this man who was the shadow to her light, the cold to her warmth? He fascinated her nonetheless.
“Must you be in Mophar to create it?” she asked.
Silas tilted his head to the side, thoughtfully. “Would you like me here instead?” he offered.
Yeva nodded. She had watched him work on occasion. It was a different process than her own.
Silas took her hand in his and walked silently through the forest. Yeva trailed a step behind, studying his stern features.
His strong, sharp jawline, the cut of his cheekbones, the angle of his nose, and the fullness of his lips, which were too often pressed into a tight line. She took pleasure in being able to draw out a smile from him from time to time.
Her face warmed as she thought about what his lips made her feel. He was cool, dark… and yet he could nearly make her catch fire with a touch or the barest kiss.
Silas stopped abruptly in a small clearing. The trees leaned inward, making the canopy above at least three times as thick as the rest of the forest and letting no light through the spaces between their branches. The only thing allowing her to see was the soft glow of the light filtering from the small holes on the outer edges.
Yeva stopped just outside the reaches of darkness, leaning against a tree trunk. It vibrated with life as if to say, “I know you, life bringer…” It was the same way all living things responded to her touch.
Silas paused in the center of the shadow and removed his cloak, letting it fall to the forest floor at his feet, then he pushed his sleeves up to his elbows.
Deathly, pale skin stood out against the dark. She would have thought he would look sickly, but Gaia had gifted him and his creations with that quality of life, despite what their purpose was.
Golden hair spilled over his shoulders and down his back. Silas spread out his arms at his sides, fingers splayed, and rallied his power to him.
It awed her to see the dark glow. Midnight blue with whorls of deepest purple and flecks of blood red.
The ground beneath her feet groaned followed by the trees as they trembled and shuddered from the roots all the way up to their uppermost leaves.
Silas drew his hands into his core, his fingers weaving in deft motions from the countless times he had done this before. From where Yeva stood, it looked as though he were doing nothing more than weaving a ball of dark mist. For a long while, he continued, unwavering.
Nothing seemed to happen. Yeva shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her fingers taping lightly against the tree trunk. Then slowly, the life of the world began to pull toward him as if he were sucking its very essence away. The grasses and leaves on the ground changed to ash gray then black. It spread out in a perfect circle, increasing its diameter with every second.
Though, even knowing exactly where it would stop, Yeva still took an involuntary step back.
Black fog formed at Silas’s feet, spreading and growing, billowing out until it swallowed up all that lay within the small thicket. Closer and higher it moved, stopping its advance only inches from where she’d originally stood. Though it couldn’t harm her, she still feared the cold touch of the power as it created yet another agent of death.
The haze hit a barrier, invisible to the eye, and the tension that had wrapped around her spine, eased. The tree she had leaned against darkened to black as if charred by a long ago fire.
Silas was in the nucleus of that power. It seemed he needed to make more and more of his Guardians as of late, while her need for Watchers had become stagnant. A strange emotion bit at the center of her chest. It flickered and took root, tying her stomach into knots.
Then, in a blink, Silas’s dark power cleared, and the barrier fell with an icy whoosh of air. Silas was no longer alone. Before him kneeled the newest Dark Guardian.
“Rise, Evander,” Silas commanded.
Yeva took one step closer, ready for Silas to remember her presence. The smile she wore felt strained, but she was happy… wasn’t she? This creation meant the balance was once again on a more even keel.
“Yeva?” a female voice called before she could approach Silas. “Yeva?”
At the sound of her name, Yeva’s smile faded. She cut a glance in the direction of the Watcher’s voice. When she looked back to Silas, he was looking at her, his head cocked to the side and a look of amusement across his features. He left the Guardian where he stood and closed the distance between them.
“Are you needed elsewhere?” he asked.
Her frown deepened. “It’s just a Watcher,” she said with a pout.
Silas raised a brow at her tone. Then, half laughing, he wrapped his arms around her, nudging her cheek with his nose playfully. “Is it important?”
No, she wanted to say, but before she could answer, Nivian broke through the trees and into view. Yeva heaved a tired sigh and stepped out of Silas’s embrace to face the girl.
She eyed Nivian from head to toe. She was a strange one. Quiet. A bit of a loner. She would be alone all the time if it weren’t for her family and—
“Yeva?” Kain’s voice echoed not far behind. The hint of a smile returned, easing her irritation at being interrupted.
Yeva turned to Silas to take her leave, but he was no longer looking at her. Instead, he studied Nivian as she drew closer. Shadows darkened his eyes. Perhaps he recognized the strength of her powers, so much stronger than the average Watcher. Or maybe it was the oddness of them. It didn’t quite fit as it should have, much like a tunic two sizes too big.
While Yeva had expected her to go rogue long ago, she never did. Her personality was as steady as a quiet stream.
Kain’s voice called out again. Why Nivian couldn’t be more like him, she didn’t know.
Briefly, Yeva pondered if she could alter Nivian somehow, until whatever peculiarity hovered inside her was rightened.
It was odd, the connection she shared with Kain, and he’d always had a soft spot for her, compelling him to act protective of her. Almost as if he belonged near her.
“I will leave you to your duties. I must begin the induction process,” Silas murmured, letting her go. Then he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. That familiar tingling shock lingered even after he had left.
Yeva stared after him into that now empty space he’d occupied only a moment ago, then she turned and walked toward her Watchers.
NIVIAN
NIVIAN PRESSED HER back against the rough bark of the tree that grew near the Mezzanine river. The long branches stretched out wide, creating the perfect shield against the harsh afternoon sun. She had been unable to focus during the meeting after finding Yeva in the forest. Her lack of attention to the topics discussed had led to several irritated glances.
It hardly mattered now. It was over and by the morning, Nivian had no doubt she’d be herself again.
She rubbed her forehead, unable to chase the events from the disaster of her last patrol in the mortal city from her mind.
She had heard of rogue Guardians… but that one she had followed had seemed to be an extreme example. She had thought for sure she would have had to destroy herself just to stop him.
Of course, it was her clan’s duty to keep them in check. How had the rouge become so far gone as to threaten, not just one human who had not been marked, but several? It was unfathomable. There had been the occasional rogue Watcher in the distant past. They were easy enough to spot, never living as part of a clan.
Though it was nothing like what she had seen in the market.
Unlike the Watchers who were bound to Yeva’s every command, the Dark Guardians’ minds and wants were their own. They could choose to obey, or not, if that was their wish. Had the rogue been after something else… someone else? Could he be the one who had killed her brother, Eli, all those months ago?
Nivian chewed her bottom lip. Even with the river to cool th
e air, it was near stifling this time of day. She jerked a hand through her dark hair, pushing it roughly away from her face. It was beyond frustrating not understanding what had happened in the market.
Some would always fall outside the lines. Such was the price of existence. It was up to those who were dedicated to their duty, dedicated to the balance, to risk everything to keep it all in check. For the sake of the world, and of life as they all knew it. The balance must be protected at all costs.
She hadn’t reported the incident, knowing Yeva would have been furious with her. Of course, she would also be furious if she’d found out Nivian had failed to report it.
Then there was the matter of the other Dark Guardian, the one who had stopped the rogue.
Guardians never policed their own. At first, he’d followed her, in what she could only assume was an effort to track her down in order to destroy her… but to her surprise, he had saved her instead.
She groaned aloud and sat, nestling into the inward curve of the tree and pulling her knees into her chest. Nothing about it made sense. Nivian thumped the root at her side with her fist and dropped her chin.
Could she consider her patrol a success even when she hadn’t been the one to stop the rogue? She poured over every detail again and again.
It was then that she remembered the thing she had bought. She hadn’t even looked at it yet. Nivian reached into her pocket, only to come away empty handed. It must have fallen out while she’d chased the Guardian.
She gave a dismissive shrug. It was hard to care about a thing she’d never even seen. Though that wasn’t why she’d bought it. She could have returned the item before moving on, but the desperation in the old man’s voice was clear. He’d needed the money. She didn’t. Watchers took care of each other. The same could not be said for humans.
How long had she been dwelling over what had happened? The days seemed to blend together. The uncertainty of it making sleep difficult. If she let this continue as it was, she would end up in the hands of a rogue Guardian, or Yeva would destroy her for causing more harm to the balance than good. She needed to let it go.
Nivian inhaled a slow, deep breath and let it out, and with it, her worry over that strange day.
After all, what good would continuing to worry do her? No one had come for her, and it was unlikely at this point that anyone would.
Nivian leaned her head back and sighed, coming to peace with the events—even if the unanswered questions still threatened to drive her mad.
The warmth of the day, the sweet rush of water, and the lack of sleep over too many days finally caught up to her. She let her eyes slide closed and the heavy weight of sleep settled upon her bones.
Nivian woke with a gasp and looked around, confused. The sun had moved a fair distance across the sky. At least several hours had passed while she slept. The shadows of the forest to her back had grown longer. She reached up and rubbed her face with her hands, wiping away the lingering blur of sleep.
Despite the humidity of the day, she felt a shiver crawl its way up her spine.
She was on her feet in an instant, sweeping the area with a sharp glare. She stilled as her gaze settled on a stark figure across the river, the edges of his black cloak dancing along the wind.
The Dark Guardian who had hunted her, as she had hunted one of theirs... the same one who had stopped the unsanctioned reaping. Nivian’s pulse kicked into high gear, pounding like a dozen drums in her ears.
He had found her. He had come for revenge. He had come to destroy her.
There was no other explanation for his presence. But why? Why now, when he could have come for her? She hadn’t even destroyed the other Dark Guardian, and even if she’d had, it was because she was doing her duty. It was no secret to their kind. They all knew the consequences of going rogue. Besides, there was a chance she would have destroyed herself in the process.
This man, this dark force watching her from where he stood… he’d saved them both in time. She had only been doing what she was created to do. Surely he understood that much.
Every muscle in her body tensed until her bones ached. Small tremors worked their way up her muscles, and she hoped the Dark Guardian couldn’t see the fear rattling her.
“What do you want?” she demanded. Her voice was steady and smooth as it carried to his side of the river, but the fear that had every inch of her body trembling now slithered up her spine, sending a visible shudder over her as goosebumps raced across her skin. Her legs threatened to give as she took three steps forward, balling her fists at her sides.
She blinked, and then he was on her side of the river, leaving nothing but a few yards of space between them. Nivian took several retreating steps until the heel of her book hit a root sticking up from the ground.
Again, she wondered if this was the one who had hunted Eli down and had slain him. Could it be that he was now hunting her entire family for a reason or slight unknown to her? Her brother had been one of the best Watchers, it was impossible for her to think he might have done something so grievous to this Dark Guardian that he would seek revenge even after Eli’s death.
He didn’t speak but advanced slowly, closer and closer. A predator stalking prey, though perhaps a little uncertain of how he would make his move to descend upon her. He studied her every minute movement with each step he took.
She called to her magic, rallying what she could. White sparks formed across her knuckles and wrist, leaping and flickering as it grew, dancing along her fingers. Small, and so much weaker than she was actually capable of. Better he underestimate her than know her full strength.
Midnight eyes stared out at her from under his hood, flicking to the power growing within each hand, warning him. He halted his steps. Unlike her, he was not afraid of the confrontation about to happen. Though, if he were, he hid it far better than she ever could.
Nivian’s breathing sped up. It was suffocating in this blasted heat. A trickle of sweat slid down the side of her face.
He raised his hands and she flinched, bracing for the impact she knew would come.
Instead, to her surprise, he pushed back his hood and kept his hands out in front of him, not even the smallest flicker of power in sight, as if he were the powerless one expecting a blow.
“What do you want?” she demanded again.
“I am not here to hurt you,” he said. His voice smooth and calm… so calm that it grated on her nerves that he could act as if there was nothing wrong. “I only wish to speak with you for a while.”
A derisive laugh ripped from her chest, mocking. “Nice try, Reaper, but don’t think me stupid enough to believe that for even a second.”
His expression flinched at her use of the word, the insult, rather than her calling him what he was—a Dark Guardian. It was a low blow and she knew it.
He lowered his hands, careful not to make any sudden movements. Those dark eyes lowered to the power swirling in her hands.
“I swear it, that I am not here for your life energy. I give you my word.”
Nivian narrowed her eyes. He could claim she had nothing to fear from him until the end of time, but she knew her face reflected the doubt she held at his promise. “Why should I take your word?”
He was quiet for a long time, until she thought he might not have heard her.
“I—I wanted to talk.” He looked down. The insecurity looked wrong on him. As if he’d never felt it before, or anything similar in his long existence.
“Talk? What business do you have that would concern me?” It felt like a trap. Watchers did not associate with Dark Guardians. No one did. No one in their right mind would want to, not unless they wished to die. They were too willful, too unpredictable.
Her eyes scanned the area, assessing her immediate surroundings and looking for any possible escape, any sign of help. But no one else was in sight. It was a fact that led her to that very spot on a regular basis, though now it worked against her. It was even doubtful anyone would hear her if she called out
.
“I am not here on business.”
“Then why come?” she asked through gritted teeth.
“As I have already said, I simply wish to talk with you.” He motioned to where she had been sitting, but she didn’t move. He was insane if he thought she would make herself more vulnerable in order to make it easier on him. He must think her truly stupid to give up like that without a fight.
Nivian only shook her head. “I have nothing to say to you.”
It might have been her imagination or the way the light reflected off the plains of his face, but he almost looked hurt by her words.
“I have seen you work. I know you are as dedicated to keeping the balance in check as I am. Attacking you would only break the fragile truce between both our people.”
Nivian eyed him for a long moment before she let her power fizzle out, but only in one hand. She motioned to the ground as he had a moment ago, offering him the more vulnerable position.
Without hesitation, he did the one thing she hadn’t expected. He took a few steps closer, eyes wide.
Then she called her magic back, a little stronger than before—though, he didn’t seem to notice or care. He only moved until he was covered by the shade of the tree, then he took a seat.
He’d left enough space between them and taken up her offer, making himself willingly vulnerable. She could easily destroy him within seconds and he wouldn’t have enough time to call to his own power to defend himself. Nivian couldn’t make heads or tails of this Guardian, or his motives.
She let her magic fizzle out. Still, it hummed through her nerves, ready to bring it back at the first sign of trickery. Nivian shook her head. This was foolish. She was being utterly foolish to let her guard down around him no matter how slight. Still, she took a seat, folding her legs beneath her and inching a little farther away from him.
The strange Guardian watched her carefully as she settled. Strange as it was, his stare didn’t make her afraid anymore. It felt strangely intimate, almost as if she could feel the tips of his fingers caress her arm, her shoulder, her neck… Nivian couldn’t pin point why, but she recognized the prickling heat spreading across her face.
