Page 12 of Rising Out of the Darkness (Divine Guardians Duology #1)

Elena

“ T ime to go, my lady.” Killian tugged me along the narrow gravel path towards the front of the temple.

I shuffled along, trying to keep up as we rounded the side of the street and the temple came into view in front of us.

Horses chuffed as their riders saddled them for the long journey ahead.

Much to my dismay, a small crowd had also gathered.

My eyes roamed over the faces until they locked on my father’s, and I dug my feet into the ground causing both Killian and me to come to an abrupt stop.

“What the—” Killian looked down to meet my eyes.

“Please, it’s my father. Can you just”—a sob threatened to escape, but I forced it back down— “let me say goodbye? Please, he’s all I have left. I don’t know when I’ll ever see him again.”

Killian let out a heavy sigh and lifted his gaze toward Liam who nodded with approval.

Words could never convey the feelings bottled up inside of me.

So instead, I just leaned into my father the best I could, my shackled hands hanging between us.

Both guards took a step back, turning their heads to allow us privacy.

My father enveloped me in his arms, making me never want to leave the safety of them.

Tears burst free, despite my hold over them, and I sobbed into his chest.

“Love you,” I whispered, my voice hoarse from all the crying.

“I love you too, Lena.” He placed a kiss on the top of my head. “I’m not giving up on you. I’ll find a way to bring you back, that’s a promise.”

Just as I stepped away, Bri’s voice rang out beside us.

“Wait!” she gasped, pushing her way through the small crowd.

As she caught her breath, she placed a satchel over my shoulder.

“There’s another change of clothes, your favorite book, and”—briefly looking over my shoulder, she raised a finger over her lips as she silently mouthed— “this.”

My dagger appeared in her palm, and she slipped it inside the satchel as well. Before I could speak, her arms wrapped around me and a sob broke free from her lips.

“Love you,” she sniffled. “Stay strong, sweet girl.”

More tears began to flow down my cheeks as I leaned into her. “I’ll try my best.” My father pulled Bri away from me as I walked back towards my two guards.

When we approached the horses, Will was already mounted on top of one, a guard in front of him on the saddle. Noticing the riderless horse next to his, I started towards it. Before I took another step, a muscled arm extended in front of me blocking my path.

“And just where do you think you’re going?” Killian folded both arms over his chest.

“To mount this horse, sir .” My tone was full of disdain. “Is that okay with you?”

“My lady, how do you suppose you’ll mount the horse, much less ride it, with those shackles?”

Hells.

How had I forgotten about these wretched things? Hanging my head low, I silently screamed, because he was right, which meant I would have to ride with someone.

“Well, then I’ll ride with that guard.” I tossed my thumb over my shoulder towards a random guard behind me.

“Nice try, but you’ll be riding with me.” He scoffed.

“I’d rather walk.”

“You’re going to walk for five days?”

“Watch me.”

Both of us were locked in a glare, silently tempting each other to be the next to add kindling to the fire of our fury. To my surprise, he mounted his horse. Over his shoulder, he looked down at me with a mischievous grin.

“Enjoy your walk, my lady.”

A smile tugged at my lips. If they were going to drag me from my home, they had better believe I would be putting up a fight the entire way.

Will’s eyes widened as he looked behind me. Before I could even turn around, strong hands grabbed me by the waist and lifted me from the ground.

“Hells!” I shrieked, trying to kick my feet. “Put me down at once!”

Arms swooped underneath my thighs, flinging me onto the horse in front of Killian.

The sound of snickering spewed from behind me, and now Liam rode up beside us.

I elbowed Killian in the gut, causing him to grunt alongside a few curses under his breath.

A stern voice boomed next to me, making me very aware of a firm grip still squeezing my thigh.

“You will sit, and you will stop acting like a babe throwing a tantrum! Believe me, my lady, the last thing you want to do is make me angry.” The snarl was so deep, it made goosebumps erupt over my arms. “Sit and stay put. There will be no more outbursts from you. Do you understand?”

My eyes widened and my breath hitched as I took in the Shadow Lord standing below me. There was no mistaking that this was the prince, as his appearance and demeanor were everything the ladies in town had described, and so much more.

His olive-toned, sun-kissed body hovered next to me.

Defined muscles rippled in his arm as he gripped my thigh, his shoulders broad.

Outlining his chiseled jawline was a well-trimmed short beard.

Wavy, hazelnut locks flowed over his head.

A few strands fell into his face. Hints of black tattooed ink peeked along the side of his neck and over his breastplate.

More ink peeked through this rolled up sleeves, exposing swirls that curled around his arms, like waves of smoke.

Prince Declan’s striking emerald eyes bore into me, his thick lips pushed together in a line. There was a coldness about him that made goosebumps ripple up my arms. The man was devastatingly handsome, with just enough malevolence in his presence to remind me this was a man I should fear.

He crossed his arms in front of his chest. I realized that keeping this man waiting would not end well for me.

“My apologies, Your Highness.” With some reluctance, I bowed my head, biting my bottom lip to force myself to not say more. For a mere moment, his glare softened as it roamed over my face before hovering on my mouth.

Heat blossomed up the sides of my neck and onto my cheeks. My traitorous body was reacting in ways it shouldn’t. I shifted in the saddle, unsuccessfully trying to avoid the searing sensation as they continued to hold his gaze on me for longer than felt comfortable.

It felt as though he could see right through me, exposing me all the way down to my soul itself. All the way down to the darkest parts of me, parts that I kept hidden from everyone else in my life.

A sharp ache bloomed inside my chest, and I rubbed my palm against it in soothing circles.

Thankfully, the prince averted his eyes before I melted into a puddled mess on top of the horse.

He cleared his throat. “That goes for you as well, Captain Ashford.” Prince Declan spoke, raising an eyebrow towards Killian.

“Yes, General, my apologies.” Killian shifted in his saddle a bit, obviously flustered. Will shook his head and turned back around in his saddle.

“Good. Now that we are all in agreement, let’s get on the road. We’ve wasted enough daylight already. We have a long journey ahead of us.”

The prince stalked over to his massive black stallion and in one leap he had gracefully mounted his steed.

Straightening my back, I positioned myself as close to the front of the saddle as I could.

The more space between me and the guard behind me the better.

Breathing deeply, I exhaled as Killian nudged our horse into motion.

Dread coiled inside my stomach as my bottom lip began to tremble. Glancing over my shoulder, I took one last look. An uneasy feeling stirred within me, whispering into my mind the thoughts I feared the most.

This might be the last time I ever laid eyes on my home.

O utside of the town was eerily quiet, with just the clicking of hooves as our horses trotted over the valley floor. I was lost in my thoughts, which was never a good place for me to be. Shaking my head, I desperately searched for something to distract myself.

Everywhere my eyes drifted appeared so peaceful, quite the opposite of the chaos I’d experienced the past two days. The sun spread over the meadow’s luscious foliage. Wildflowers blossomed in endless colors, sprinkled as far as the eye could see.

All this beauty that I was no longer free to roam in. My freedom had become as fleeting as the breeze that now tossed strands of my hair about my face.

Will was still ignoring me, just as he had done the entire way thus far.

Every time Killian and I closed the gap beside him, Will’s guard nudged his horse to gallop ahead.

In all the years we’d known each other, I didn’t think we had ever been upset with one another. He’d also never been this silent.

Guilt clouded my peaceful view. It was because of me that he was on this journey. I’d turned his entire life upside down, but he must know that mine had been as well. If he’d just speak to me, he would realize that we didn’t have to battle this alone.

Leaning forward with a sigh, I massaged my forehead. When I looked back up toward Will, he was gone. Panic slammed against my chest. Frantically, I whipped my head around, leaning around both sides of Killian in search of Will.

That was when my eyes landed on him paused at the back of the group, alongside the prince and a small handful of guards. My heart pounded, my neck straining as the prince nodded and all at once the group set off to the east, towards the City of Ash.

“No wait! Stop!” I cried out, gripping Killian’s shoulder so tightly, my knuckles turned white. “Please…Will! Don’t you dare leave me without saying a damn word!”

I waited with bated breath for any response from him. Any hint that he might still care. Nothing came. Fury burned through my eyes as I glared at the back of his head until I could no longer make him out in the distance.

Crestfallen, I slumped into the saddle. The leather horn squeaked beneath my twisting hands as I battled between sadness and rage.

All the years we’d known each other, everything we’d been through, every moment we’d shared, apparently it all mattered little to him.

Perhaps I’d just been a burden to him this entire time.

Could he so easily ignore what had happened between us only yesterday? My fist kneaded against my chest. I tried to tame the storm of emotions that thundered within my heart, from the gaping hole that had been torn into it. Both of us left wanting more than we had been given.

The gods really did have a sense of humor. They’d told me that what was coming next wouldn’t be easy, but since I had awakened my life had been nothing short of cataclysmic. I didn’t care how strong they claimed I was, I wasn’t immune to pain.

Something else was brewing underneath my skin as well, that same fiery feeling I’d felt ripple under my skin the night after I awoke from my Ascension.

It felt as though every part of my body was reacting to my emotions as my muscles tensed.

This must be my dynamis trying to course its way out of my body.

With every fiber of my being, I clawed for restraint. Crying in front of these men would only prove how weak I truly was. I wouldn’t give them that satisfaction.

Clinging to that restraint, I shoved down the emotions that felt as though they were flowing beneath my skin and imagined locking them away into the depths where I’d hid all the darkness in my life. Running a palm over my face, I tried my best to regulate my breaths.

A warm hand gripped my shoulder, jarring me so unexpectedly that I nearly slid off the saddle. Killian tightened his hold, pulling me back to my spot.

“It will be okay, my lady.” His words were calm and steady, just like the hand resting on my shoulder.

Placing it back on his own thigh, he continued riding. Silence fell between us. Liam was now trotting alongside us, his eyes also on me. I wanted to bury myself inside a hole. If I thought crying in front of them was unbearable, the feeling of pity was far more unsettling.

Clearing his throat, he asked “If I may be so bold, my lady, who was he to you?”

Numbly, I shifted my eyes forward, taking note that the prince had slowed down to a trot in front of us, likely in earshot of whatever I was about to say.

Doubt filled my mind about my ability to even voice an answer.

Also, I wasn’t sure these men needed to know any personal details about me.

However, the heaviness of being alone weighed on my soul.

I was probably trotting towards my imminent demise, so I supposed it no longer mattered.

With a deep exhale, I turned to face him.

“Honestly Captain, I’m not so sure what he is to me anymore.” My shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Will and I grew up together. He was my best friend, and yesterday maybe even something more.” I scoffed at the thought. “Fate sure has horrible timing.”

Liam nodded, as if he understood entirely too well. Killian chimed in from behind me. “I’m sorry about the way that it all ended. If he was that much to you, he should have at least bidden you farewell.”

Agreed.

Fighting back the anger, I opted for a different response than the one that growled inside my head. “He was probably just as overwhelmed as I am.” The words slipped through my lips, my heart unsure why my mind felt the need to defend Will.

I could sense that Killian was being genuine, but something in his words cut deep into my heart. There was so much finality to the word ended .

Was that what had truly just occurred?