Page 16 of Gates of Rapture (The Guardians of Ascension #6)

“You can use this space if you like. Nothing can touch you here, although I should warn you that there is a female, a Third ascender who has worked for me for the past century, making sure the gate isn’t tampered with.

She’ll show up from time to time. She serves as a Militia Warrior here on Third, so she’s very busy helping to keep the peace. ”

Casimir thought about the scent he’d smelled earlier. Maybe it was hers. If so, she wore a very strong perfume.

“As for how you manage your guardian job, I presume you have a voyeur window, right?”

“Of course.” What Fourth ascender didn’t? “Are you saying you expect me to spy on Leto?”

“Yes, to a degree. I can see that you’re a changed man, so I hope you’ll show some good sense where both Leto and Grace are concerned. And by good sense, I mean discretion.”

Casimir smiled, though his lips tugged up a little higher on one side of his mouth than the other. In earlier times, he would have kept the window open constantly and savored every naked ass, male or female, he could find, the more action the better.

But now he knew what remorse felt like, and he knew that Grace would be appalled if she even suspected he’d been tagging after her with a voyeur window hoping to catch a glimpse of her locked in a joining with Leto.

He couldn’t help repress a sigh. “A few months ago, this would have been a dream assignment.”

“Kind of sucks to be reformed, doesn’t it?” James offered.

Casimir met James’s gaze. He was short for an ascender, and all that gray hair led Caz to believe he wasn’t looking at James in his usual form. “You sound like you know where of you speak.”

James sighed. “I do. But I also know everything will work out just fine as long as I do what I need to do.”

“Are those words for the wise?”

James nodded.

“Fine. I’ll be respectful and stay focused on my mission.” He glanced around once more. “And I’ll make this area my home base.”

“It’s a good space. The door to your left leads to a comfortable suite with a bed, a kitchen, a living area, the usual.”

“Thanks.”

James gripped his arm suddenly. “Guard Leto. This is most important. Use your Fourth Earth hand-blast capability if you need to and don’t let him get killed. He’s critical for the future of Second Earth.”

“Understood.”

“And as soon as you can, present yourself to Madame Endelle as Leto’s guardian. Protocol demands that she accept your services.”

***

Leto held Grace’s arm pressed around his own as he led the group to the eastern side of the games where several sets of grandstands had been built.

Diallo, who oversaw all administrative aspects of the colony, had designated a box for Leto’s use throughout the three days.

Militia Warriors were posted at each end of the box as well.

As he walked, he kept glancing at Grace. She was so changed. She wore a crown of several small silver stars, and her hair was in a beautiful cloud that floated over her shoulders and down her back. She wore makeup and jewelry but it was her outfit that had his body in an uproar.

The top was sexy as hell and cut low enough to make his tongue tingle.

Her cleavage was exquisite. Her skirt rode low on her hips so that more than once, when he reached for her, his hand hit bare flesh.

He found himself grateful for a pair of snug briefs and a kilt. Both hid a multitude of sins, big sins.

He leaned forward and looked down to once more catch sight of the blue gem at her navel.

His tongue tingled again. The sensation this time sent a vibration streaking down his left leg.

He hissed softly, waiting for the mirror sensation to attack his other leg.

If it did, he had six minutes to get to his basement; Diallo would have to take over the opening of the warrior games.

Shit.

“What’s wrong?” Grace asked. She leaned close. He released her, but only to slide his arm around her. “Nothing. That is…” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then took a deep breath. “I’m okay.”

Your beast? she sent discreetly.

He met her gaze. Yes. I’m susceptible right now because you’re next to me.

She smiled, but in her eye was an unholy glint. I like your beast.

He guided her around a group of children. Your skirt and your blouse have my body desiring things I shouldn’t be thinking about right now.

She smiled again. Good.

Was this Grace?

He let go of her waist, because she felt too damn wonderful right now. He once more took her arm and was grateful to be distracted by all the well-wishers as he guided her toward the grandstands.

Several enormous screens, a PA system, and a number of cameras were set up to cover the events all up and down the valley as well as to send a secure live feed to the rest of the worldwide hidden colonies.

There were, however, no electric lights anywhere.

Though Diallo, the creator of the system of hidden colonies, had perfected over hundreds of years the mossy mist that covered and protected all the colonies around the world, electrical usage was kept as low as possible.

Dishes were washed by hand and clothes hung on lines to dry.

Gas stoves were used instead of electric.

Gas generators were the order of the day, and solar was gradually being implemented as the products improved.

But mostly it was the light signatures themselves that were avoided.

The grounds, therefore, were lit by torchlight.

That the games were filmed and sent overseas had required a team of advanced mist-makers to get the job done. But Diallo knew his stuff and so far, so good.

When he escorted Grace to the top of the grandstands, he led her first to the box on the left in which Diallo and his wife, Mei-Amadi, were seated.

Diallo rose and took Grace’s hand. “I remember you well from your visit a few months back, but I don’t think you met my wife.

” He placed his hand on Mei-Amadi’s back.

The woman bowed slightly. She had lovely Asian eyes that gave her brown skin an exotic look.

Overall, she was lighter-skinned than Diallo.

Her hair was piled high on top of her head. She looked regal.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” Grace said. “You both must be so pleased with the event tonight.”

“It is wonderful,” Mei-Amadi said, her hands spread wide. “To see competitors from all over the globe, from all the colonies. I never thought to see such a thing happen. But we have Leto to thank for this. He has unified our world here in a way neither Diallo nor I thought possible. Truly magical.”

The assistant with the headset interrupted. “Please forgive me, Warrior Leto, but it’s time.”

“Yes,” Diallo said. “Get the games started or we will have many unhappy warriors shaking fists at us in a minute or two.”

Leto nodded. “You’re right. The competitors’ nerves will be jumping right now.”

Once Grace was settled in his box, he approached the microphone. He took a long, slow breath. The entire fairgrounds had fallen silent. Crying babies were soothed by caregivers and children ordered to hush. Only a breeze set a few flags flapping here and there.

For a long moment, Leto was overcome by the respect he was being paid. Not long ago, he’d been a despised traitor, but all that had changed when Grace had brought him almost magically out of Moscow Two and away from Commander Greaves permanently.

Now he was a resident of the hidden colony and everyone waited to hear what he had to say.

He had taken great pains to prepare a speech with which to open the games, focusing on how proud he was of the contestants and the hidden colony Militia Warriors, on his gratitude for having a place in their lives. All good stuff.

But as he surveyed the crowd, his heart began to expand.

He saw the families he had come to know and love over the past five months, all those ascenders who had embraced him and forgiven him, who had helped him build his cabin.

He saw, lined up by colony, the hundreds of warriors, both male and female, who had trained hard under his leadership in preparation not only for the games over the next three days but for the ongoing war against Greaves as well.

He felt a strong need to say something different from his practiced praises.

Making use of his most powerful voice, he began, “We’re on the brink of war, my fellow ascenders.

” He heard a rippling murmur pass through the crowd but most remained silent.

“We all know it and we all know that this is the reason our warriors have trained as hard as they have, pushed themselves, male and female alike, gotten hurt in the process then pushed harder still.”

Several small cheers went up and down the narrow valley.

“But at heart, we are all warriors no matter what role we play in our society. Whether we raise our children to be well loved and strong or whether we teach in our schools or labor in the fields to put food on every table, or build a business to serve the community. This is the war we make, to care for those we love day in and day out. This is the true battlefield of life.”

More cheers went up, louder this time. He let his gaze ride the scene from the north where all colorful tents were laid out, all the way south across the event obstacles designed to test the mettle of the assembled competitors.

“Hold fast to the job you were designed for. Do that service to your community and to your world with every ounce of strength the Creator has given you. This is the note you sing in the choir of humanity. Hold that note so that the chorus we create together, backed by the angels of heaven, will prevail against the enemy, wherever evil is found. Tonight, we are all warriors.”

A great cheering rose into the dark night sky. Knowing that his words had hit the mark, he cried out very simply, “Let the games begin!”