Perilous Light (The Afterglow Trilogy #2)(32)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

“Please, Calvin. You must trust me.” He sounded pitiful.

“Trust you? All I have ever done is trust you, and look at what you have done behind my back.”

“What do you mean to do with me?”

He was far too dangerous to let free, and it would be too risky to take him as a prisoner. Before I could fully comprehend what I needed to do, a blur passed before my eyes. James appeared out of nowhere and sank his sword into William’s chest, twisting it as William cried out. I looked at James and was surprised by his stone-faced expression.

“We have no time for this,” James said calmly as William’s body fell to the floor. I found myself transfixed by the blood of the traitor I had once considered my closest friend.

“What are you looking at?” James asked the Bravado men, who immediately released Charlotte.

“What should we do with them?” Talen asked.

“We cannot let them go back to Blake. Can you and your pack take care of them?” James asked.

“Not a problem.” Talen grinned. I sensed that he and James would get along well.

As soon as I calmed down enough, I took Charlotte back into my arms. The effect of her touch helped clear my mind. Still nearly unconscious, Charlotte had missed the incident with William, and I was glad for it. As we headed toward the cave-like entrance, I looked back at William’s bloody body, and noticed his sword lying next to it.

“Liam, would you pick that up?” I could not leave a Guardian’s sword in that place.

“Sure.” Liam picked up the sword. As he came back to his full height, the sword blade glowed. An incandescent aura briefly engulfed him as he stood holding the radiant green sword. I blinked several times. A Guardian sword would only glow for a true Guardian. Liam’s eyes widened as he looked down at his hands with astonishment.

“But how?” Lawson sputtered.

“I have no idea what just happened.” Liam looked around as if to find an answer.

“How can a man not of Energo become a Guardian?” Lawson asked.

“It must be a fluke.” Liam still had the dumbstruck expression on his face. He placed the sword back on the ground long enough for the radiance to abate. When he grasped it again, the glow returned.

“Are you sure you do not have some connection? Maybe you are from a family we have lost track of?” Lawson suggested. I sensed that his interest came from his own disappointment at not being on Charlotte’s Guard. I could not imagine being passed over for one of my younger brothers.

Monty did not hide a grin that spread across his face before it faded back into concern as he looked down at Emma. He held her tightly against his chest. “Get the sheath.” Monty did not appear as surprised by the turn of events as the rest of us.

James stood curiously quiet. He studied Liam, then smiled. “I guess you have been even friendlier with Charlotte than I previously thought.” I temporarily ignored the implication, even though his words gnawed at me.

Our boots crunched the snow as we left Icentris, but the sound did little to drown out the screaming coming from behind us. The wolves had not waited long to deal with the Bravado. I did not condone the violence, but I could not risk tipping Blake’s hand further. Warning bells went off in my head about the small number of Bravado soldiers. Blake should have sent more, and I wondered if we could be walking into an ambush. With nowhere else to go, I settled for staying alert. Holding Charlotte as close to me as possible, I tried to keep her warm. We had to get Charlotte and Emma to shelter.

James was the only one of the group with knowledge of the geography of the area, so he went ahead to scout out a place to stay the night. Just as I began to worry that he had run into trouble, he returned with news that he found a cave. I would have preferred to have put more distance between us and Icentris, but we needed to get Charlotte and her mother out of the cold.

Lawson and James entered the cave first, ensuring that it was still empty. I followed behind, throwing off my pack while still holding Charlotte. Sitting down, I leaned against the cave wall with Charlotte’s head in my lap. I took comfort in the even breaths that moved her chest. I willed her eyes to open, but my words did nothing. I glanced around at the other figures in the dimly lit cave. Liam sat directly in front of me, watching Charlotte intently. I admit his close relationship with her made me uncomfortable, but he had taken good care of her when I could not, and his concern was understandable.

I extended my hand. “I am honored to have you as a member of the Guard.”

“Thanks, but how is it possible?” Liam asked. “I mean I’m glad it happened, but I don’t get it.”

I did not understand it either. As far as I knew, there had never been a Guardian with no tie to Energo. Having an Essence and Guardian who were born somewhere other than Energo was strange enough, but Charlotte and Kevin were born of a mother from Energo; Liam was not.

“Does it matter?” Monty looked as though years of weight had been lifted off him as he cradled Emma. Although she was still unconscious, her breathing had become more pronounced, and she had more color.

I wondered how Charlotte would react to the news that Liam was a Guardian. I expected she would be happy considering how close the two had grown. Liam and I would need to continue the conversation another time, but for the moment, we focused on how grateful we were to have secured Emma and to have made it out alive. James and Lawson set to work preparing a fire. Liam, Monty, and I didn’t help, as none of us were willing to leave our vigil.

Finally, Charlotte stirred. “You are still here.” Her beautiful blue eyes looked up at me, and she reached up to touch my face.

I leaned into her hand as she caressed my cheek, enjoying the warmth and comfort. “Yes, I am with you now and always.” I smiled down at her and allowed myself to enjoy holding her.

Chapter Eighteen

Kevin

The people of Alak seemed to hang out at the same places all the time. After securing support at the meeting, we sat around a table at the same hole-in-the-wall pub. I was finally becoming more relaxed with my surroundings, but felt stressed about how I was supposed to lead an army of nations back to Energo. As great as the meeting had gone, the added support didn’t guarantee success. I thought about asking for advice but figured everyone would be just as unhelpful as before. Even after talking to the tree, I still didn’t really get what I was supposed to do. It also didn’t help that the support wasn’t unanimous. The Nordicos, Alexander’s people, announced they would be abstaining. Bry had told me that for a nation to refuse to follow a Pact decision was unheard of.