Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Eight

By two weeks' time, Iris's training schedule had all but become habitual. Every day, she would do seemingly the same damn rotation: wake up, eat breakfast, receive hours of ass-beating --courtesy of Hench, go get lunch, practice meditating, eat dinner, go over combat techniques on her own, read at the library, and then go to bed.

And just like every day for the past nine days, she was tired and sore. And what was worse? She didn't really have anyone to talk to for the past six of them. Kayde had left on an escort mission, much to Iris's disdain. Which left Hench. Given, Iris definitely didn't mind the woman. She was about as kind as she was large, and to this moment, she had never boasted about her abilities, even with all the bruises she'd left on the rogue's skin.

Yet, they didn't know each other --at least, not well. Iris felt as if she were walking on eggshells sometimes as they spoke. As if she could tread easily onto forbidden territory --territory that she'd already breached a couple times without meaning to, actually. She shivered as she thought about that dark look that Hench could conjure right from thin air.

Iris shoved the thought from her mind entirely as meditation hour was finally drawn to a close by the sweet toll of the dinner bells. Gods, had she already learned to love that sound. She would take getting smacked around with a pole all day, every day if it meant she didn't have to sit down quietly for two hours and think.

All the other guardians looked so refreshed coming up from meditation, like they'd just taken a serene nap or danced in the rain or some shite. But Iris? Left alone to her thoughts, she was insufferably bored. Unlike them, she didn't believe in some profound inner peace and she had no god to pray to anymore.

And if worse came to worse? She'd reminisce. About her mother, about her aunt, about Zayn... about her father. All of those memories she bore in her head were too damn painful. Before Iris knew it, meditation would suck her into a hollow, black hole. She would despair without power to stop it. Emptiness would fill her up to the very brim.

At any rate, Iris was up faster than any of them and barreling out of the room with the force of a wild horse.

As per usual, she was one of the first to the dining quarters. And just like always, she got her plate, thanked Cook, and went to eat alone. Or so she thought. Iris was able to take only a couple bites into her food and a familiar face came right through the door. At the sight of Kayde, she wanted to jump up and go see him. Gods, she had missed him a lot more than she originally assumed. The stability of a truly familiar person in a hall of strangers drew her itch to go stand with them.

But she didn't.

Even though he was about her only friend here... he had other friends. He was talking to them too and she decided it was probably best not to interrupt. Iris watched as Kayde laughed with them. An action she used to do a lot --gods, it looked so easy for him. It used to be easy for her as well. The laugh fit his face well over the somber expression she'd seen him wear a great deal of times.

As she chewed another portion of her meal, she observed him as he carried on with his business. He seemed so free. It looked as if he had not a care in the world. Even from over here, something about the way he carried himself eased her --relieved something inside of her. For so many months, her life had been naught but a downward spiral that was so hard to endure. She had almost forgotten that life could be simple... unhampered... happy.

Zayn had tried so hard to help... to break her sadness. But Iris could see it. The stress of his job and their situation laden his shoulders with heavy weights, just about dragging him down with her. And for some time, the spirit had left his eyes too.