Page 79 of The Last Guardian

“By the Ten, yes, please!” Nefeli exclaimed, taking the glass from Seth’s hand.

Dax moved over on the bench to make room and said, “Come sit, Alyana.” I slid next to the general, who offered me a glass of wine.

Seth found his place next to the commander, who was sipping from his glass. “So, who is this charming young lady?” Seth eyed me with a striking smile.

Zaidkiel’s eyes gleamed with the firelight as they met mine before I averted my gaze.

“Alyana,” I replied, drinking a sip of my wine.

Seth clinked glasses with mine and said, “Nice to meet you. I’m Seth, Lieutenant of Dorin’s camp.” With a smile, Seth elbowed the commander, adding, “Where did you find this creature, Zaid?”

His gaze fell on the fire, the flames dancing with the gleams in his eyes. “When are you returning to your camp anyway, Seth?”

“I think I’ll stay around a bit longer.” Seth beamed at me. “The company is rather interesting here.”

Zaidkiel groaned, clenching his jaw. “She will not be around long.” Gulping his drink in a single swallow, he added, “We’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

“What?” Nefeli’s voice broke with surprise. “Where are we⁠—”

“No, just us,” Zaidkiel clarified, pointing at him and me. “The princess will accompany me for an important matter regarding her training for the Rite.”

Nefeli and Zaidkiel exchanged a long, hard look; her brow furrowed. “You are doing the Rite with Alyana?” Zaidkiel nodded, and she asked, “Why? Does she have a⁠—”

“No.” Zaidkiel narrowed his eyes at her, like a warning, “And the why doesn’t concern you, Nef.” His voice was harsh.

Nefeli sat back, stunned. “You are crazy if you think you’re leaving me here with⁠—”

“I need you here, sister,” Zaidkiel interrupted her, his voice softening this time. “If the emperor comes here when we are not around, I need you to take the crew and go home.”

The moment the words escaped Zaidkiel, Nefeli’s eyes broke, shining with glinting tears.

Home. Their home—in Lys.

A silence fell around us as Nefeli and Zaidkiel stared at each other, unspoken words hanging in the air. The expression on her face shattered something deep inside me: there would be no home if he wasn’t here.

“I’m not leaving without you, Zaid!” Nefeli said at last. The words died in the back of her throat as she added, “I need you home too.”

Zaidkiel’s eyes softened as he said, “I will find my way back if I need to, I promise you.”

Nefeli hesitated for a moment. A battle played out in her eyes.

The corner of Zaidkiel’s lips twitched, a grin forming on his mouth. “Besides, it’s merely a precaution, sister. We will be back in a few days. I don’t want to indulge the princess with my presence for too long.”

I snorted, rolling my eyes. “You know I have a name, right?

Zaidkiel’s gaze glinted, a hint of amusement crossing his face as he smirked.

But Nefeli didn’t laugh, her face as hard as stone. “Be careful, alright?”

Zaidkiel nodded, his emerald eyes shone brightly. “Of course.”

Nefeli turned to me and said with all the seriousness of the world, “You can kick him in the balls if he acts too much like an asshole.”

I sneered, but before I could say anything, Dax said, “No! They promised I’d be there when she kicked his ass.”

Zaidkiel laughed, a real, genuine laugh that lit up his face and vibrated in his chest, a sound I could almost feel coursing through my skin. A peaceful beauty shone through him at that moment, without the tension he always seemed to carry inside.

Laughter burst around the fire as our focus drifted to the people dancing.