“He looks just like Kelton.”
Kayleigh laughed. “He’s his double.”
As they rounded the corner of the building, Kayleigh noticed more warriors shadowing them and nodded in their direction. Luckily, none of them were close enough to overhear their quiet conversation.
“How are things going with you and Jackson?”
“Same old, same old.” Ash laughed. Since that fateful night, they hadn’t really had much spare time to spend together, but they were in no rush. They were in this for the long haul. It was a difficult situation and they were both so busy with training, but they both knew that it would be worth it in the end.
“I would say that you need to make some time for each other, but with things how they are at the moment, I can’t imagine that would be very easy for you.”
“How do you and Kelton manage it?”
“It’s different. And years of practice. It takes a lot of time and patience.”
Aisline groaned. “Just when I thought we were getting somewhere, this mess happens.” Instantly she turned to Kayleigh, looking mortified. “I’m so sorry. That was so selfish of me.”
“Don’t even think about it. Everyone’s been affected by this in some way or another.”
“But we all suffered a great loss and here I am only thinking about myself.”
Kayleigh shook her head. “We’ve all suffered and we’ve all mourned. But, as they say life goes on. You need to keep looking to the future, and that’s what you’re doing. Looking forward to a future with Jackson.”
“But it feels so wrong with what happened, especially to Warrior Dixon. He hasn’t got a future.”
“But you have. And he’d want you to live it to the fullest.”
Ash fell silent for a moment. There was something she wanted to ask Kayleigh but wasn’t sure how to go about it.
Kayleigh smirked. “What’s on your mind? Spit it out.” They knew each other too well to be able to hide their feelings.
“I was just wondering if you’d spoken to the twins yet.”
Kayleigh tried not to bristle. She was slowly coming to terms with the situation, no matter how difficult it was, and it was getting easier now that she’d met one of them. “I’ve seen Cala. Kelton wanted to try with them, but Rhian wasn’t having any of it. Cala seems like a sweet girl, though.”
“She is.” Ash smiled with relief. “Once you get her away from her sister, she’s lovely. Rhian seems to drag her down and is like a bad smell hanging around. It’s difficult to get Cala away from her.”
“I haven’t met Rhian yet.” She was still trying to reserve judgement, but it wasn’t easy with all she was hearing about the girl.
“You don’t want to.”
“Is she really that bad?”
“I’m not going to say anything else because I know what you’re like. You’ll want to make up your own mind about her.” Ash was trying her hardest not to sound like a bitch, but her encounters with Rhian had left her bitter. “One thing I will say, they are nothing alike.”
“I’ve heard quite a few things about her. She hasn’t made any of this easy for Kelton.”
Ash held up her hands. “It’s no secret that I don’t get on with Rhian, but I like Cala. She’s really quite good fun when she’s out from her sisters shadow.”
“That’s pretty much what I’ve heard. I liked Cala a lot when I met her. More than I thought I would.”
“I’m glad you like her.”
“I do.” Kayleigh smiled. “She’s popped up to see Elias again. It was nice to see her taking that step.”
“She’s a lovely girl.” Ash would happily encourage Kayleigh to get to know her. Cala was a hard nut to crack as she was so shy, but they had the feeling it would be worth it in the end. “It can’t be easy for you, though.”
Kayleigh shook her head. “It’s not the greatest situation to be in, but we’re trying to make it work. That’s all we can do.”
Aisline didn’t know the full story, but the trainees had managed to piece together the puzzle when it was confirmed that Kelton was the twins’ father. Kayleigh had told her personally that there were extenuating circumstances so as not to blame Kelton too much. As long as Kayleigh was happy and Kelton didn’t hurt her in any way, Ash was satisfied.
“I hear you had a visit from Lana.” Kayleigh smiled. She was so pleased that the two girls were still close. There was a point at the beginning of Aisline’s time at the academy when she’d been too scared to contact her friend and Kayleigh had to force the situation. She was glad she had. Lana was a lovely girl and it was good for Ash to have a connection to her old life.
“It’s wasn’t just Lana. My father was with her.”
Kayleigh frowned a little. She knew Aisline’s father didn’t come to the academy very often and it usually wasn’t with good news. He kept in touch by phone, which was distant and safe. “Is everything okay?”
“No.” Ash shook her head and stared at the sky, not wanting the tears to fall. “My Granny Ivy died.”
“Oh, Ash. I’m so sorry.” Kayleigh put an arm around her shoulder as they walked. Ash had told her all about the grandmother and knew she’d be devastated by the loss.
“I’m not allowed to go to the funeral. My mother won’t allow it.”
Kayleigh had a few choice words to say about Aisline’s unsupportive family, but she kept her opinions to herself. “You’ve really had a hard time of it, haven’t you? Anytime you need to talk to someone, you can come and find me. We’re going to be staying here from now on.”
“That’s great news.” Ash smiled at her. She didn’t want to talk about it anymore, but she wanted Kayleigh to know. “How’s Elias adjusting to being here?”
The two of them talked about everything to do with babies and motherhood as they walked. It was just what Ash needed to take her mind off of her worries. Kayleigh knew she needed the distraction. They worked well together and that was part of the reason Kayleigh was so disappointed she couldn’t mentor the girl anymore. At least they could still be friends.
They walked the path around the mansion, talking easily as they went. It was just what they both needed, having missed each other. They’d always spent a lot of time together, talking about everything from the training and the academy to boys and general gossip. It gave them both a break from the norm.
When Elias began getting restless, Kayleigh regretfully said that it was time to be heading back inside. The baby would want feeding again soon. She knew that Ash would need to get back to training soon, but at least spending a few hours together had done them both good.
“You can set your clock by this little monkey.” Kayleigh smiled at Elias who was looking around him with wide eyes. He was such a good baby and had settled into a routine really quickly. It made motherhood so much easier and she was relishing in it.
“Motherhood really suits you.” Ash commented. She’d seen Kayleigh smiling at the baby. It was one of those special smiles that only a mother could give to her child. She was really pleased for them both. Elias was a lucky kid having them for parents.
They burst out laughing when Aisline’s stomach rumbled loudly. Glancing at her watch, she was surprised to see how much time had passed. “It’s feeding time at the zoo, I guess.”
Kayleigh laughed. “Go on in and meet up with the guys if you want. I’ll make sure we see each other again soon.”
Ash hugged her and bent down to kiss a wriggling Elias on his cheek. “I’m really glad we did this. It’s been so good to see you both.”
“Me too. It’s been good to get out.”
Ash waved as she left them in the reception area and walked over to the dining hall to find the boys, who were just walking in as she got there. They were a rowdy bunch and the instant noise made her smile. Even with all the bad happening in their world, some things were still the same.
“Hey! How was Kayleigh and the baby?” Jackson asked as soon as he spotted her. Putting a hand on her waist, they walked int
o the dining hall together.
“Really well, Elias is such a good baby.”
“You seem happy.” Jackson commented quietly as they waited in line for their food. He liked seeing her like this. After the news about her Grandmother, she’d been so down. Jackson hadn’t managed to put a smile on her face and he was glad someone else had done it.
“I am. It was great to catch up with her.”
Jackson smiled. “Any plans for tonight?” he asked hopefully.
“Not yet. What have you got in mind?”
“Do you fancy watching a film?”
Ash grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
It was a nearly perfect day. Training had gone well and Rhian had left her alone for the most part. She’d got to spend time with Kayleigh and the baby and she now had plans to spend time with her boyfriend. In a life as hectic as hers, could it get any better than that?
Chapter Fourteen
“You’ve got to come back to training.” Kelton scowled. He’d had enough of this.
“I’ve been training.” Caleb countered.
“He has. He’s been helping me, too.” Rees piped up. They’d been going down to the gym after everyone else had finished. It wasn’t the same and there was still an unfulfilled urge within them, but they were doing the best they could.
Kelton shook his head. “You need to train with the others.” He’d let the boys’ wallow for a couple of days, knowing that they needed to adjust to their new situation, but the time had come to step back up. The longer this went on, the harder they’d find it to come back. They had to bite the bullet.
“We’re doing just fine.”
“Training is not a solitary activity. You need to work with the others. It’s about team work.”
The boys’ stayed quiet. Rees looked awkward and Caleb looked angry.
“Look, it’s done. You need to get on with it. There’s no point in hiding out.”
“We’re not hiding.” Caleb snapped.
“Remember who you’re talking to.” Kelton knew that they were having a hard time of it, but he wouldn’t allow disrespect. “You’re back to training. Now.” He wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He’d come up here when he’d been informed that they’d not turned up for yet another training day.
When they made no move to get ready, Kelton started to get angry. “That wasn’t a request. It was an order.”
Caleb jumped off the chair and slammed his way into the bathroom, banging the door. Kelton turned to Rees. “What’s going on?”
Rees didn’t look like he wanted to talk, but he liked it there at the academy and wanted their future to work out. They’d lost so much and they had to work at what they had left. “He doesn’t want to be with the others.”
“Why?”
“He thinks they blame us.”
“For what?”
“Master Warrior Dixon’s death.”
Kelton closed his eyes. “That’s ridiculous.” He knew they were feeling that way and getting them back to training would be a way to help them get over it. They’d see that the others didn’t blame them and it would be good for them to see their friends.
Rees didn’t reply.
Kelton banged on the bathroom door. “Get out. Now.”
Caleb didn’t respond at first, but after a few moments, the door unlocked and he came out, looking angrier than ever. “You don’t understand.”
“I think I understand more than you think.” Kelton softened his voice. “This wasn’t your fault. No one thinks it’s your fault.”
“I think it.”
Kelton knew that he was going to have to bring some professional help in to speak to the boy. He could deal with the physical training, but the boy had a lot going on in his head and they’d need help to get him to work through it.
“I can’t do it.”
“Try.”
Rees looked a little more eager than Caleb, but they both seemed hesitant.
“I wouldn’t let anyone say a word to you. You know that.”
They didn’t seem very reassured, but grabbed their kit bags. This would be the first time they had trained since the attack. Neither of them were looking forward to facing the other trainees, but it was clear that Kelton wasn’t taking no for an answer.
As they walked into the training room, Kelton felt relieved. They’d stopped in to drop Rees off and he’d spoken with the warrior in charge to make sure to keep an eye on him. The rest of the group seemed pleased to have him back. It was a good sign.
It was Caleb he was worried about. The boy was as hard as nails and wouldn’t let anyone in. It would do him good to be with his friends, they may be able to bring him out of the guilt. As soon as Caleb entered, the guys rallied round him and Kelton knew he’d done the right thing in forcing them to return to training.
He spoke with Master Warrior Raine, knowing that if there was any trouble to be had, it would come from Denver and his cronies. The last thing he wanted was some mindless idiot making Caleb’s life a misery and he’d do all he could to avoid that.
Stepping out of the training room, he nodded reassuringly at Caleb. He still didn’t seem happy about being back with the others, but it’d do him good. He needed to get back into routine and focus on his future. It wasn’t going to be easy, but he knew that Caleb had the willpower to get through it.
“Damn, Kelton. Ever since we sent out that announcement about Master Warrior Dixon, our phones have been ringing off the hook.” Verynai had called down to see how things were holding up in the reception area. He and Kelton currently stood in a far corner, surveying the manic scene in front of them. They’d had to draft in several members of staff to help field the calls coming in from worried parents. There was still no way that Kelton could return to training the boys. There was too much work to be done elsewhere.
“People are going to be worried about their kids. It’s understandable. They were supposed to be safe here.”
“Yeah, I know. You’re right.” Verynai rubbed a hand over his face. “There’s a list on your desk, people have been leaving you a lot of messages.”
“The council?”
Verynai nodded. “And several more from a very worried Cassandra Feelan.”
Every one of the warriors knew who she was after Kelton had to explain to them that he was the father to the twins. “What the hell does she want now? I really can’t deal with her shit right now.”
“Well, they’re on your desk when you do want to deal with them.”
Kelton looked around the room again, noticing the tired and sad expressions on their faces. “We’ll need to rotate soon. Everyone is getting stressed and this kind of thing can be mentally exhausting.” He waved a hand towards the call handlers.
“I’ve already sorted it. There’s a shift change in the next five minutes.”
Kelton lifted his chin in acknowledgement. “You seem to have this all under control.”
“It keeps me busy.” Verynai shrugged.
“Can you keep an eye on things for a bit longer while I go and check those messages?”
“Sure thing.”
Kelton walked off and quickly closed the door to his office and sighed deeply. This was difficult for them all. He wanted to turn to Dixon for help, as he had always done in the past, but that was why they were in this godforsaken mess in the first place. Dixon wasn’t there.
He couldn’t believe that Dixon was gone. He’d been so busy there’d been little time to think about it, but the grief was always lurking in the back of his mind. Kelton knew he had to keep things going, but the pressure was getting too much. He’d lost his friend and had not had the time to mourn.
The family had already had a funeral. It was the tradition within the Matris. The body was laid to rest as soon as possible and the ceremony was a private affair. Kelton knew that Kayleigh was worried about Mira, but also that she felt she was in the way. Her family had descended and Kayleigh hadn’t wanted to outstay her welcome.
Kelton, Veryn
ai and Dixon were an unstoppable team. They’d been through it all together from the start of their training, to being out on the streets and teaching at the academy. He had been a brother and a friend. It was inevitable that they would lose men out on the streets, after all, this was an age old war and there were bound to be casualties, but he’d never expected it to happen on their doorstep. And especially not to a warrior like Dixon.
Kayleigh was still splitting her time between the academy and checking in with Mira. It was good for both of them. She hadn’t wanted to get in the way, but Mira insisted she wasn’t. Kayleigh found a happy medium by calling her often and promising to call in for coffee when the madness had settled.
In all fairness, Kelton would rather that Kayleigh and the baby weren’t at the academy, but he loved having them near. He hated being away from them. It just didn’t feel safe enough. Plus, Kayleigh didn’t want to impose on Mira. She hated to leave her at a time like this, but with all the other friends and family around her, she didn’t want to get in the way.
The two of them spoke regularly. Mira felt like it was only Kayleigh who really understood what she was going through, with having a warrior as a partner. The poor woman was broken and the only thing to bring a smile to her face was speaking about baby Elias.
Kelton had been in constant contact with Kayleigh, no matter how hectic things got at the academy. Over and over, he needed to check that they were all okay, but it wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to be there with them. He wanted to hold his son and his woman in his arms, keeping them forever safe. It was much easier with them staying at the academy.
The birth of his son had put everything into perspective. His entire life had consisted of being a warrior and protector. When Kayleigh entered into his life, his priorities shifted slightly to put her first. But that didn’t stop him from making his life revolve around the Sons of Satrina. Now? Everything had changed. His family came first. They were the ones he wanted to protect.
End of an Era: A Sons of Satrina Novel (The Sons of Satrina Book 4) Page 15
