Page 5 of Guiding Desire

Orrey didn’t know the second rank, but he’d have to thank her. Especially if he still had a job after today.

The Guardian shook his head. “No. That’s not happening. Sorry about that. Col, nearest vehicle?”

“Well, they can be here in under thirty seconds if I hit the panic button,” the Conduit said.

“When’d you hit it?” Guardian Mirol asked.

The Conduit shrugged. “Maybe ten seconds ago? Why would you ask me that? It’s only you people who keep track of that sort of thing.”

“You people?” Guardian Mirol asked.

“Exactly,” the Conduit said brightly.

Unease was building in Orrey’s gut when he looked at the second rank protector who didn’t appear to know how to get him out of this. She was looking back at him with a perplexed expression that made Orrey’s gut tighten.

“Oh, you can’t fine us, we just wanted a photo with Karmine,” the two women with the parasol said.

Orrey looked over his shoulder, watching as two protectors issued the fine and probably sent a warning toward their IDs, if not an outright demerit. He should have done that, prevented it. He tried pulling his hand free once more, and this time around, the frowning Guardian actually pulled him closer, locking Orrey’s forearm in a tight grip.

“No. You’re staying,” he said.

“Guardian Warrak, I don’t think there’s any need for that. If my colleague offended you—” the second rank tried again.

“He didn’t fucking offend me, you idiot. He’s my Conduit,” the Guardian said.

That shut everyone up, except for parasol’s bubbly friend. “See, late awakeningsdohappen after all. Just not to me. Ah, if only I were a dormant Conduit!”

Dormant what now?Orrey thought.

An armored G&C auto-drive vehicle arrived behind them, and Orrey was pushed inside in a careful but firm manner.

3

SENLAS

How else but to build a city but around the Guardian and Conduit Grounds? The Grounds are a city’s heart, the Guardians its wide-reaching limbs, and the cherished Conduits the bloodstream.

Like a human heart, the Grounds are a place apart, special, and obeying their own rules. They are a city within the city, the ideal city that should make all regulars look inward and mirror what they see.

(From: Guardian Wilan: Writings.)

Thevehiclegottherewith minimal screeching of tires, and while the Conduit was reluctant to have himself maneuvered into the back seat, Senlas was determined. It took him less than five seconds to get the Conduit inside, but because Karmine and Coldis filed into the vehicle as well, taking the seats facing him and the Conduit, they still only sped away after about ten seconds.

The female protector who’d come to clear up the situation had tried one last time to get the Conduit away from Senlas, but he’d not let that happen, nor was he going to leave the Conduit out and exposed a moment longer than was necessary.

Senlas sighed. NottheConduit.HisConduit.

Col cleared his throat. “Senny, if you want to tell me you simply used this poor, scared protector to get out of a pleasant walk, I’ll forgive you. But you have to tell me now, so I can tell people you got hit in the head earlier.”

“Hmm, I don’t think he’s faking this, Col. Look at him. Look at how he’s staring at the protector.”

“F-faking?” the Conduit asked.

He was wide-eyed and red-faced. He had very short dark auburn hair and eyes of a warm copper brown. Senlas gravitated toward blond when he had a choice of Conduit, but the longer he looked at this one, the more he wondered why he’d ever chosen anything other than auburn. Anything other thanhim.

Above the Conduit’s left eye, a finger’s breadth away from the flick of his eyebrow, he had a perfectly round beauty mark.Just as if you were marked for me,Senlas thought.

“I’m not faking,” Senlas said.Definitely not faking this,he thought. The small whir of power he could still feel from holding the Conduit’s hand in his was more than enough proof.