Page 49 of Rising Out of the Darkness (Divine Guardians Duology #1)

Elena

S till reeling from the earlier events inside the library, I made my way down the stairs to meet everyone for tonight.

After making myself glow in training, I’d dashed up to my room to ease my turbulent emotions and change out of my hideous dress.

Nothing could have prepared me for the secret of our dynamis that Declan had revealed today, or the way I’d felt when he’d helped me control my dynamis for the first time.

Control had evaded me my entire life. It slipped like grains of sand through my fingertips, no matter how hard I tried to grasp it. Today had empowered me in a way I never thought possible, and I owed Declan for guiding me through it.

The crisp night air nipped at my bare skin as I trudged down the hill towards the four somber figures awaiting below.

Each of them wilted under the weight of the task we were about to embark on.

The mood was as heavy as the baskets of food that hung from each of their arms. They dipped their heads in silent welcome.

We turned and began our journey over the stone bridge to the far edge of the city.

“It’s good to see you again, Elena.” Nayla joined her arm with mine as we walked down the hillside and over the stone bridge into town. “I hear we’re to be training next week while Declan is away?”

“Yes, I believe so.”

“I’m looking forward to spending more time getting to know you, oh great Light Phoenix.” Her ruby lips twitched up ever so slightly, a welcome attempt at levity given the anxiousness that churned within me.

We were walking further into the city than I had gone last evening. Each street was vacant of the warmth and liveliness of the prior night. Doors were closed tightly, no merchants were out on the streets, and even the lights seemed to have lost a little of their luster.

Liam must have noticed my observations, because he scooted over to the other side of me and hooked his arm in mine. A low grumble arose from Declan behind us, which Liam shrugged off. “We ordered a temporary curfew until we get these attacks under control.”

That made sense. A curfew would ensure no one else would get hurt by these beasts that had somehow managed to breach the city’s walls.

As we walked towards the farthest edge of the city, only the sounds of our heavy footsteps over the cobblestone streets rattled in my ears.

Declan and Killian had taken up walking in front of us, until they came to a stop in front of a door painted a vibrant shade of blue.

Declan knocked on the door. The window curtains next to the door parted a smidge before we heard rustling behind the door.

“Go away!” A snarl rang from inside.

“Please, I understand your feelings, but we wish to offer our condolences.”

“You’ve never apologized for any of your atrocities before. Why start now?” the voice grumbled from within.

Declan’s stoic mask melted as he pushed away from the door and paced in the street behind.

Liam walked over towards him, placed a hand behind his neck and brought their temples together. Whatever he whispered seemed to release the stress from Declan’s body.

I made my way towards the door. “It takes a great amount of courage to try to change and admit your mistakes. Sometimes it can be expressed within words, and other times it’s shown through action, like we’re doing tonight. The question is, do you all have the courage to forgive?”

Silence loomed over the space, and when it appeared the door would remain shut, Declan told us all to leave the baskets by the door so we could return to the castle.

As we turned to leave, a frail woman appeared in the doorway. Redness lined her swollen eyes. I let my newly constructed ward down and was rushed with the despair in her soul. She opened the door a little wider, extending her arm, ushering all of us inside.

Once inside, I observed other families huddled in the middle of the living room.

There was not one dry eye in the room. Faces were pale and sadness hovered above the room like heavy rain clouds.

Nayla grabbed the basket out of my hand and joined Declan and Killian as they handed them to the parents of each of the lost children.

I felt outside of my body as I watched them hug and console the families. Declan’s glossy eyes met my own, and he extended his hand for me to join him.

I hugged, cried, and consoled each person inside the house.

Tears saturated my cheeks as we sat and listened to stories and memories the families had of their children.

I had known letting my ward down when I entered would be overwhelming, but I wanted to feel.

It made me experience everything right along with them.

It helped me to find the right words to say and know when to be silent.

Everyone shared stories well into the evening until the others started to yawn and eyelids began to droop. We gave them all one last embrace before leaving, and as the door closed behind us, I could feel that some of the weight of their sorrow had lifted.

Our hearts were heavy, yet full, as we walked down the cobblestone street back to the castle.

Tonight was a reminder of the strength that was still left in this kingdom.

Even after such a tragedy, these people’s resilience was truly admirable.

Even with all the darkness surrounding them, they had chosen to let the light in.

Declan slowed his pace, falling into step beside me. Fingertips brushed against my own as if silently asking for permission. I folded my hand into his and he gave it a squeeze.

Pausing, I took in the group of people around me.

Even in the silence of the night, you could see the strong bond that they all shared with each other.

I wanted to be a part of that bond. I was beginning to let myself believe that this was truly all in the gods’ plans.

My fate had set me on this path to a dynamis that could help so many, meeting this amazing group of people, and finding this inner strength in myself that I’d never believed I could obtain.

Declan turned my chin up to face him, eyes wide with concern. I met his gaze.

“Thank you for taking me with you all tonight. Being around those families…comforting them in their times of need”—I swallowed back my emotions— “it made me feel like I had a purpose again. Helping others has always made me feel whole.”

Declan brushed the back of his fingers along the side of my chin. His touch always elicited delicious shivers throughout my body, but something felt more alive tonight. As his touch cascaded down my arm, my dynamis thrummed against my skin, trailing a fiery path where his flesh touched my own.

His hand whipped back, like my skin had bitten him. I’d only felt my dynamis react to him a few times before, but he had never once reacted to it until tonight. My dynamis seemed to have been calling out to him, and he had finally answered.

“Did you feel that?” I whispered.

He nodded. “Every time I’ve touched you tonight, it’s as though your dynamis is trying to reach out to touch mine. I can feel my shadows rippling against my skin as well.”

He lifted my hand so that my palm was now flat against his. He nodded towards my left hand to do the same. We stood close together in the dimly lit street as goosebumps rippled over my skin. The other three had strolled a few yards away, giving the two of us some space.

“Can we try something?” His voice was low and soothing.

“Dec—”

“I know you’re worried about your dynamis, but something inside me is telling me that we won’t hurt each other.”

I dug my heels in to maintain my newfound courage. “I trust you.”

Declan intertwined our fingers. Already, I could feel my dynamis rippling up and down my arms and crashing like waves into my palms. A shiver ran down my back.

“Breathe, Wildfire,” he whispered.

I nodded, exhaling the breath I’d been holding.

“I’m going to count to three, and then we slowly push out our power, alright?”

My nerves twisted like thorny vines inside my stomach.

“Reach down deep, Elena, find the light within you, and call to it. Remember, our dynamis bends to our will. If you don’t want it to hurt someone it’ll listen.” He squeezed my hands. “You are in control. You are its captain, it just awaits your command.”

Biting my lip, I stared into his eyes. They glistened with hope and wonderment.

“On three, we do this together.”

I nodded.

“One …”

I dug down deep, reaching for the warmth hidden within.

“Two …”

When I called to it, the dynamis dancing underneath my skin became even more alive. It flooded my entire system, and my hands became heavy as stone. Power waited to be unleashed; all I needed to do was to open the gates.

Please, don’t harm him.

“Three …”

Closing my eyes tight, I released it.

The feeling was unlike anything I had ever felt. Warmth enveloped me. My body felt entirely at peace, as if nothing in the world could ever harm me. Strength flowed through every muscle as my soul hummed.

Wild and all-consuming. It made me feel… invincible.

“Open your eyes,” he breathed. We were standing so close together now that I could feel his warm breath tickle my forehead.

Violet tendrils of light shimmered between us, wrapping around our palms and rippling along our arms.

“Wh-what is this?”

“This is us.”

His grin ripped down every wall I had been trying to build. Everything else melted away. Every fear. Every worry. Time stood still, and in that moment nothing else mattered.

Our eyes collided, his vibrant green eyes aflame with an intensity that stole my breath. Declan raised our right hands up towards the night sky, then released my palm while motioning for me to the same.

“Push your dynamis, Elena. Let it flow and release it into the night.”

I did as he said and let the warmth cascade through my fingertips. A beacon of violet light flashed into the sky, launching all the way to the stars. Laughter tumbled out of me, my grin so large it was hurting my cheeks.

Our display had caught the attention of the three captains. All of them made their way back to us, eyes wide and mouths hanging open.

“By the gods…” Nayla whispered.

“How is this possible, Declan?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but maybe you were right.”

“Right about what?”

“Maybe we really are the perfect balance of light and dark,” he said. “You are my guiding light in my realm of darkness, Elena.”

My heart stumbled, colliding right into the man right in front of me.

I let down my ward to let the feeling in and pushed mine out towards him.

It felt warm, like the rays of the sun that danced across my face on a sunny day.

Or like the cool lick of water as it rippled over your skin.

It was like the sting of the thorn of a rose; though it hurt, you couldn’t help but be entranced by the beauty it had created.

Everything about this man was so familiar. I felt as if I needed him just to breathe, as if our souls were so connected that our hearts even shared a beat. I feared that I was falling in love with Declan Stallard.

Collecting myself, I mustered the courage to say the words on my lips. “Together, we shine the brightest,” I breathed as he reverently stroked his fingers though my hair and cupped the back of my neck.

“Indeed, we do, love.”

Before I could respond, the air around us became numbing cold. The eerie feeling made every hair on my neck stand at attention. Something wasn’t right.

A guttural growl came from behind us.

Declan’s faced blanched. My teeth sank straight into my bottom lip. Only one thing could make a sound that horrifying.

“Hells…a beast!” Liam shouted.