Page 88 of Rising Out of the Darkness (Divine Guardians Duology #1)

Declan

T he sun started to set behind the mountains as we approached the opening to Oria.

Hidden between two of the largest mountains of the Umbra Peaks was a small crack, wide enough to fit the horses, but not the carts, so we unloaded those and left them behind.

I took Elena’s hand and guided her through the opening. A sting hummed over our bodies, and her nose crinkled before her eyes turned towards mine.

“What was that?” She shivered, rubbing her hands over her arms.

“A powerful ward. It glamours the entrance, and this next one blocks those without the Rebellion mark from passing through.” I paused and watched her brows furrow. “Give me your wrist.”

“You still haven’t learned.” She crossed her arms.

A breathy laugh escaped her lips when I rolled my eyes. “Give me your wrist, please .” I flipped her hand over to show the inside of her wrist and pulled my dynamis to the surface. “This is going to sting a little, Wildfire.”

Her eyebrows rose high, and I placed the mark on her wrist. She hissed from the burn of the mark. I removed my hand so that she could see.

The sight caused a sharp intake of her breath, and the sound tugged against the bond, making me ache to be closer.

“It’s a phoenix,” she breathed.

“You’ve been giving us all hope, even before you knew it, love.” I pressed a tender kiss against her temple and moved her forward through the final ward. “Welcome to the Rebellion, Light Phoenix.”

Elena

T he sky above was painted in warm hues as the sun set behind the mountain. Everywhere the setting sun touched was gilded by the glow.

Nothing could compare to the stillness of the space surrounding me. The hidden valley of Oria encompassed everything I had imagined the heavens to be.

Lush green foliage and acres of trees heavy with fruit spread across the valley slopes.

A waterfall cascaded into a glistening lake below.

Homes were carved into the stone walls of the mountain, and some stood tall on their own, probably created from the stone they’d carved away.

Lanterns lit each home, as well as the gravel paths.

Rows of crops covered a majority of the valley bottom, alongside the riot of wildflowers that lit up every vacant spot.

Nature was majestic, almost transcendent in the way it made me always feel so full of life and light—the soothing trickle of water, the sublime warmth of the sun as it melted across your skin, or the way the soil squished between your toes. A grin spread across Declan’s face as he caught my glance.

“Empaths always feel calmer in nature. Especially here.”

“It’s breathtaking.”

“Welcome to Oria,” a low, rich voice hummed beside us.

“Fallon.” Declan embraced the broad-chested, chocolate-haired man. Stepping aside, he held out an arm towards me. “This is Elena Morrigan, our Light Phoenix.”

The man stepped forward and lifted my palm to his lips, giving it a peck. “It’s a pleasure to meet the woman who tamed the brooding Lord of Shadows.”

A scowl grew over Declan’s lips as a deep, hearty laugh burst free beside him.

“I like him.” I followed Fallon down the hill to the valley.

“Of course you do,” Declan scoffed, lifting me over his shoulder and giving me a swat on my behind before careening down the hill like a wild babe.

When we reached the bottom, he placed me back on two feet and bent over laughing.

“What has gotten into you?” I placed my hand over his forehead to pretend to check for fever. “No fever, maybe it’s just the madness.”

As I removed my hand, he seized it, pulling me into him, then captured my lips with a mind-altering kiss. His hands threaded through my locks and cupped the back of my head as he devoured every inch of my lips. When he pulled back, my legs were weak and my body trembled with need.

“This place feels more alive with you here.” His thumb brushed the side of my of jaw as he held it.

“Everything feels more alive with you, love. You’ve made me see life through a whole different lens, one not clouded and tarnished by my past and my fears.

This lens is clear, bright and full of hope. ”

I leaned into his lips once more, needing him to feel what my words could not express on their own. I gripped his tunic, and we lost ourselves in each other once more.

“Whoa…perhaps we should come back later,” Liam said from beside us.

Breaking apart, we laid eyes on the rest of our family, all grinning. Clara whistled low, and I melted into Declan’s shoulders to hide the flush of my cheeks.

“Time for dinner, lover boy,” Liam jested, earning him a grunt from the man with his arms around me.

“Go get cleaned up, we’ll save you a spot at the table.” Killian wrapped his arm around Clara and kissed her the top of her head.

We parted ways, and Declan guided us down a gravel path to one of the many rooms carved into the rock. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to them being together. Every time I think about it, it’s like picturing my brother and sister together.” He cringed as I burst into laughter.

“Well, you’re just going to have to deal with it, because those two are madly in love.”

He shook his head and opened the large wooden door in front of us. The bond in my chest ached as I took in his room.

A whiskey bottle and an array of maps adorned the small table in the corner. Fur pelts covered the bed, and a stack of books lay on the side table, alongside a pair of spectacles.

“You wear glasses?”

A flush blossomed on his cheeks. “Sometimes when the light gets dim, I need them to read. You know”—he prowled towards me, causing the back of my legs to bump against the edge of the bed— “we still have some time before dinner.”

I placed a hand over his chest, but it took everything I had in me to push him back. “As much as I would like that, I’m exhausted, dirty, and absolutely ravenous, my love.”

He motioned towards a small basin and water pitcher on his desk. “You can use that for now to clean up, but later I’ll show you one of my favorite spots for a more … thorough cleansing.”

His words sent shivers down my spine, and it was all I could think about as I wiped off the grime and we made our way to dinner.

E ven after everything we’d been through the past few weeks, Oria had brought me a sense of peace.

Here, I was surrounded by everything I loved. Nature, family, Declan. For once, it felt like the dark haze that had haunted me for my entire life had been lifted. Even if it was just for this small moment, I was going to live it.

The hum of laughter skimmed over me as we approached the large wooden table where everyone was seated. Plates of meats, potatoes and vegetables were spread around the table, and everyone was helping each other fill their plates.

Sitting together with the stars as our lights was one of the most calming yet surreal moments of my life.

Everyone’s smiles wound around my heart like a protective shield, filling in all the cracks and tears that life had torn in it over the years.

Every one of them had given me a sense of strength when my own had faltered.

I would always be indebted to them for that.

They had all saved me in more ways than they would ever know.

Clara filled my cup with another long pour of wine. “Would you like to help me work on Lenora’s elixir tomorrow, and one for Declan as well?”

“Of course. Though, I’m just not sure how helpful I’ll be.”

“Pfft,” she scoffed into her cup. “Your father told me all about your brilliant brain and your knowledge of herbs and flowers.”

I looked up over my cup just in time to meet my father’s gaze. He raised his cup towards me, and I smiled in return.

“He also showed me the largest field of herbs and flowers I’ve ever seen. I felt like I woke up and stepped into the heavens.” She squeezed my biceps with glee. “I can’t wait for you to see!”

After dinner, we all helped clean the tables.

Declan, Killian and my father had been talking in the corner for a while, and anxiety had begun to curl inside my stomach from their stern expressions.

When Killian embraced Declan and their faces shifted to smiles, I finally was able to take a deep breath.

As I wiped down the table with a wet cloth, someone cleared their throat cleared behind me. When I turned, I was surprised to see it was Killian.

“Lena, can we talk?” He rocked nervously on his heels, awaiting my reply. I nodded, and his shoulders relaxed.

“Let’s take a seat over there.” Killian motioned me over to the center of the city, where the fire pits sat unlit. Lowering himself onto one of the giant logs, he patted the spot next to him. As I sat down, Killian extended his hand and the fire pit ignited in front of us.

“Showoff.” I smiled, and he gave me a sheepish grin.

“You looked a little cold.”

“Chivalry still exists out here in the Rebellion City.” I bumped my shoulder against him as he let out a breathy laugh. Silence lingered for a few moments as I let him gather the courage to say whatever he needed to say.

“Yesterday, your father told you about the Guardians, yes?”

I nodded.

“What he didn’t get a chance to tell you was that I was the one he was training to be the next Guardian. When you were born, I was meant to be your protector after Ascension. I’m so sorry I kept the fact that I was your Guardian secret from you. I—I never meant to?—”

Interrupting him, I placed my hand over his and squeezed.

“It’s okay, Killian, I know everything you all did was to protect me.

Your secret didn’t hurt me, and honestly, I’m glad to know that I had another pair of eyes watching over me in that damn castle.

Honestly, it makes sense now.” I laughed.

“I was beginning to feel like I couldn’t get away from you or Liam.

I was thankful when I started to zephyr because I could be stealthier. ”

A grin spread across his face as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, it is a part of my job. Though you didn’t make it easy.”

“Declan doesn’t call me Wildfire for nothing.”

Killian ran his hands through his hair. The muscle in my jaw clenched, and I prepared myself for the words that might come out of his mouth. After the past couple of days, I expected the unexpected. Nerves woke my slumbering dynamis, and it prickled like needles against my insides.

“You need to be careful, Lena,” he said, his gaze locking to mine.

“Now more than ever.” Fear rose up my throat, so I swallowed it back down.

“I’m serious. You’re the last of the bloodline, and the only one in several centuries to have the Light Phoenix dynamis.

Our kingdom has been waiting for you for a very long time. This is not the time to be reckless.”

I winced at the word “reckless”.

A deep sigh came from beside me, followed by a heavy hand on my shoulder. “You’re not the problem, Lena. It’s everyone else that I’m concerned about. You’ve had a target pinned on your back since they discovered your dynamis, and now that you’ve disappeared, they’ll be desperate to find you.”

Fidgeting uncomfortably, I tried to push down the increasingly sharp pinpricks of my dynamis. This would have been the perfect time to push out these emotions with my Tempest dynamis, but unfortunately, it only worked with others’ emotions…not my own.

“Killian, should I leave?” My teeth gnawed against my bottom lip. “Am I putting everyone in this city in danger?”

“We’ve always lived with the threat of danger, Lena.

” He winked and my shoulders relaxed a smidge.

“It comes with the title Rebellion. Promise me you’ll be careful.

We cannot lose you. You’ve become a part of our family.

” He smiled, then it fell. “Declan can’t lose you either, I fear—it would…

break him entirely.” His eyes misted over as he fought to remain stoic.

“At first, I was upset when Warren told me to remain at the castle until your Ascension ceremony. I couldn’t wrap my head around why he didn’t want me to come with his family to Lostburrow.

After a while, I realized he wanted Dec and Liam to rub off on me a little more.

” He laughed under his breath. “Liam and Declan grew to be like brothers to me, and it almost shattered me when we almost lost Dec the first time.”

A shiver ran down my spine at the thought, and I found myself reaching for Killian’s hand again. He held it tightly in mine.

“I haven’t seen him this optimistic in a very long time, and we have you to thank for helping him to find that hope again. Promise me you’ll be careful, Elena. We need you… he needs you.”

Now it was me holding back the tears that clouded my eyes.

“Will you promise me?”

“I promise,” I whispered.

“Just what exactly are you promising to another man, love?”

A familiar deep voice rumbled from behind me, as I peered over my shoulder to meet two blazing verdant eyes. Declan folded his arms across his chest, but his expression was full of mirth rather than malice.

Killian chuckled, then stood to pat Declan on the shoulder.

“I’m glad you two completed the bond.” Warmth spread across my cheeks as a gasp escaped my mouth.

“You were an insufferable, broody ass without it. A few days ago, this whole situation might have ended with me in the fire.” He left with a devious smile and headed back in the direction that Clara had gone earlier.

Declan wrapped his hand around my arm. With two quick tugs, I was off the log and squished up against his solid chest. Butterflies fluttered inside my stomach as his knuckles brushed their way up my arm. He cupped the back of my head, fingers intertwined within my hair.

I licked my lips with anticipation as he swept the hair behind my ear with his other hand. Dec leaned forward, his lips dusting over the sensitive flesh of my ear. Clearing my throat, I managed to whisper a few words. “What should we do now?”

He nipped at the lobe of my ear. “Hmmm,” he rumbled against my skin. “There are several things we could do.”

Before I could ask just what those things might be, he swung his arms underneath my legs and lifted me off the ground. Declan’s lips met mine with a searing kiss, and my entire body vibrated with need.

“Let’s get out of here, Wildfire. It’s time for me to show you my favorite place in Oria.

” He waggled his eyebrows, and laughter bubbled out of me.

Holding me close, he carried me down a long gravel pathway through a rich orchard of apple trees, until we reached the most enchanting sight I’d ever seen.