It was the same genuine smile from my vision. "Let's be friends, Daniel Moore," he exclaimed.
I opened my eyes to speak, to say how happy I was, but I choked as tears formed in my eyes. I had been praying for a friend for so many cycles. To have someone to rely on other than just my brother, and now my prayers had been answered.
Ryder reached up, softly stroking my hair. "Don't cry. Just say yes."
"Yes. I'll be your friend, Ryder Carter," I replied and he pulled me into a hug.
"I think we’ll be good friends, no, BEST friends! The Starlight gods are my witness," Ryder declared, which made me sob harder.
"In stars we trust," Ryder whispered.
"In stars we trust," I repeated, with the happiness of knowing I finally had a friend.
SOLACE ROTATION- VII, CYCLE 5018
"You’re gonna stay there permanently?" I asked, pulling off my glasses and placing them in my side pocket. After hearing his words, I knew I’d shed at least a tear or two; I wouldn’t be able to see anyway, so wearing my glasses was pointless.
Michael zipped up his backpack and turned to face me. "I think I've found what I want to do, which means I have to live there permanently. I already passed the written exam. Tomorrow will be my practical and I'll be set up with another shifter. If we do well, we’ll be accepted into one of the best criminal investigation organizations for the paranormal race on Earthala."
I could see the passion in his eyes and hear the excitement in his voice. Since I became a star knight, Michael had stayed in Heila, training here during the school months and would go to Earthala with Matthew whenever he could get a chance.
Now he'd finally found his niche, wanting to make a difference by hunting down shifters who committed terrible crimes on Earthala and attempted to commit crimes across the other realms.
I didn't want him to go, but I knew he had to. This was his calling, just like being a star knight was mine.
"My partner actually knows Marcus. I have no idea how since Marcus doesn't travel to Earthala a lot. He’s rather chill but knowledgeable. I think we’ll really do well and find the perfect team for us to excel at PINC," Michael acknowledged, stepping closer.
"You'll do amazing. I have no doubt about that," I complimented, staring my brother in the eye. We stood there in silence and I did my best not to say what was coursing through my mind.
I still need him. I don't want him to go. He's always been my rock. How will I be able to accomplish this mission destined for me when he won’t be there to give me advice? He wouldn't be ten minutes away, but two realms away. I'd miss him.
His hand reached out to ruffle my hair and I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall, looking down to stare at our matching brown dress shoes.
He lowered his head so his forehead pressed against mine. "Listen. You are way stronger than me. You have been my rock and the reason why I didn't kill myself that day, Daniel. A part of me doesn't want to go and miss watching my baby brother grow into the amazing man I already see blossoming every day. But I need to do this. Just as you had a pull to come to Heila to claim your destiny, I feel Earthala has mine waiting for me. I… I'll miss you. So damn much, but that doesn't mean we won't still talk. I'll be just a call away, dear brother. And no one can ruin our family bond. No one," he whispered the last part. A tear dropped onto his shoe, and I realized it wasn't mine but his. He pulled me into a hug and I held on tight, not wanting to let go.
"I'll miss you," I confessed.
"I’ll miss you more. I'll always have my phone on me. Just call. No matter how small the reason. I'll make sure to visit too. Don't get into too much trouble. And tell Azriel to stop getting into fights with Stryker," he scolded.
"If he'd stop bothering me, we wouldn't get into fights," Azriel grumbled.
I smirked, pulling out of the embrace. "He doesn't agree," I chuckled.
Michael sighed, shaking his head. "See, if Ezriel told him, he would."
"Would not," Azriel muttered.
"He said he wouldn't," I repeated.
Michael and I grinned, having the same thought run through our minds and I retreated, forcing Azriel to take my place.
~AZRIEL~
"I didn't ask to come out. Daniel? Daniel!" I grumbled out loud before rolling my eyes.
A deep chuckle entered the room and I turned to see Ezriel in control, his bright glowing eyes staring at me in utter amusement.
"So. I heard you won't stop getting into fights with Stryker? You won't try to stop if I ask you?" Ezriel questioned with a smirk.
I pouted, crossing my arms and glancing away. "It depends on a lot of factors."
"Just promise you'll be good when we're gone. I don't want to listen to Karen lecture us through the phone," Ezriel sighed.
"Fine."
"Are you gonna stop being cranky and give your amazing brother a hug?" Ezriel hummed.
I saw the sad smile on his face, and it made me realize how much I'd miss him. No matter how busy he and Michael were, he'd always come by before bed and chat with me. Even if it was only for five minutes, it meant the world to me. Now that I wouldn't enjoy such a privilege anymore, it made me sad.
I walked up to him and accepted his warm embrace, closing my eyes. "Protect Daniel for me and take care of yourself. Whatever challenges await you, I'm one-hundred percent confident that you'll conquer every single one. Just as Michael said, we're just a call away," he reassured me.
"What if you’re busy or on a case to catch bad guys?" I mumbled.
"No matter what. Even if I’m jumping out of a plane when you call, I’ll answer."
"Even if it's just for me to say goodnight?" I moved back to look into his glossy gold eyes.
"Even for just a good night, good morning or good afternoon," he confirmed.
"I love you, brother. Be safe for me," I whispered.
"I love you more and you too. Don't bother Stryker too much." His hand reached up and ruffled my hair again and I groaned.
"He pisses me off on purpose," I complained.
"Because you always fall for it. Not to mention you’re complete opposites with both your gift and spirits. I'm surprised you guys can function in the same room." Ezriel laughed.
"It's troublesome."
"Just admit you’re best buds already." Ezriel rolled his eyes.
"Hmph," I huffed but smiled anyway.
"You gonna see us off?" Ezriel inquired.
"Of course," I said confidently.
He nodded, patting my shoulder. "Whenever you need me," he began.
I smirked. "I'll call you. No matter how small," I promised.
We shared a final look before we both closed our eyes, allowing our hosts to return.
~DANIEL~
"Aren't they so loving?" Michael yawned.
"Very. I can feel the waves of brotherly lov—OW! Azriel! Don't go shocking me because you're embarrassed!" I shouted out loud and Michael laughed.
"Ezriel thinks it’s cute," Michael hummed, walking over to his yellow suitcase and extending the handle. He grabbed his backpack and slid it on his shoulders.
"If you get a girlfriend, I want to be first to know."
I rolled my eyes. "That goes both ways, now stop stalling. Don't go crying to me if you miss the transport ship. I won't feel pity for you."
"So mean," Michael said dramatically.
"Complain while moving," I encouraged, taking my glasses out and sliding them back on. I moved to the door, opening it up for Michael who reached my side.
"Let's go." He placed his hand on my shoulder, moving me out the door and began going down the hall.
"Wait! We didn't lock the door, dammit," I huffed and he laughed.
"No one will rob you. I'll smite them if they try," Michael announced.
"Totally reassuring." I laughed.
I knew that no matter what the future had in store for either of us, our bond would never be broken.
It was time to follow my destiny.
FOURTEEN
CYCLES LATER...
SOLACE ROTATION, V CYCLE 5032
"Make sure she's okay or—"
"Or you'll kill me yourself and hide my body in some bush or something," I guessed with a wide grin on my face.
"I was going to say flush your ashes down the toilet, but sure." Ryder shrugged casually.
"I know we're joking, but that's just scary. And I'm your best friend. At least put me in an urn or something," I huffed.
Ryder laughed. "Okay, okay. Urn for sure. Now go in there and watch our Princess. If Matthew has anything important that needs your acknowledgment, I'll share it through the bond," he reassured me.
I nodded. "Alright." I turned to open the door but paused. "Ryder?"
Ryder stopped mid-stride, turning his head to face me.
"I'm glad you didn't give up," I whispered, giving him a small smile. I didn't wait for a reply, closing the door behind me and pressing my back against its wooden surface.
"Me too." I heard Ryder from behind the door before his footsteps began to fade down the hall. I took a deep breath and walked over toward the Princess of Heila.
I couldn't believe after all the training, planning, and searching, we'd finally found her. To say I was upset at the life she had to endure for all these cycles would be a complete understatement; I was utterly furious.
I knew the others were just as mad, especially Ryder who'd known Rosalina before she was taken.
She called herself Makoto now, having been named by Blair Aspen, the culprit behind her kidnapping. She'd lived sixteen cycles in a hidden facility on Realm One, Latelia and was the lone survivor after we raided the entire place.
After she'd rested, we'd disclosed to her who she really was and that we were her star knights destined to protect her. She didn't believe us until we said the oath which she responded to without thinking, sealing our fates and bond.
I stared at the back of my hand where the fresh marking lay, reminding me that all of this was real and not just some fantasy.
Due to the energy consumption caused by the bond and the added shock of finding out she was a Princess, Makoto passed out. Afterwards, she was taken to Karen's private office to help stabilize her.
I stared down at her sleeping figure, reaching out to place my hand on her forehead. She was a little warm, but it wasn't anything that would lead to her getting really sick.
I was stunned at the fact she had four spirits and was still able to function well, just with a few quirks. Even if I didn't want to admit it in front of the other guys, I thought her speaking-out-loud moments were rather adorable.
I lifted my hand and brushed my thumb against her cheek. She looked a little better and wasn’t as pale as earlier.
She stirred at my touch, moving her head slightly before relaxing again, falling into a deep slumber once more. I smiled before I took a quick scan of her with my powers to ensure she was okay. Even with Karen's reassurance, I needed to see with my own eyes that she was okay.
After an hour, Karen returned and we moved Mako to a small private section in Knightwood. We'd taken a hidden path that teachers normally used to ensure no students would see Mako for her own safety.
Once Mako was hooked up to a vital monitor and Karen set up an IV to give her some extra fluids, Karen told me to keep watch while she went to talk with her father, who was the Headmaster of Knightwood.
Until the King and Queen of Heila were informed of Mako's rescue, we would have to play it quiet and continue to act like students.
I pulled a chair next to Mako's bed and sat down. I made a few notes about her health status and my overall assessment of her.
"Can I take a look?" Azriel questioned.
I'd sensed his curiosity from the moment we'd laid eyes upon Makoto and news of her having an angel spirit intrigued him. I didn't mind. A little break would be nice and he'd make sure she was okay.
Sure. I'm gonna retreat for a little while.
"You're tired," Azriel pointed out.
A little. I'll nap later. Healing was always a draining act unless you had cycles of experience. Karen was a perfect example. She could heal many shifters with no issue because of her training. I hoped one day I would be able to achieve the same level of endurance, or even better.
Just switch whenever you'd like. I took a deep breath and retreated.
~AZRIEL~
I stared at the checklist attached to the clipboard in my hand, my eyes looking from the Princess back to the white sheet of paper.
I'd been listening quietly to the knights’ conversation with Karen and was especially intrigued when Karen had revealed she had four spirits.
"Roseline and Hopefilinia are present. But there's two more," Karen announced.
"Hopefilinia," I whispered, wanting to hear how the name flowed off my tongue. Something inside me told me automatically that she was an angel spirit. My curiosity was centered on wondering what kind of individual she would be. The Princess was already unique without question, but it was something refreshing and gratifying, like taking a deep breath of fresh air.
If she grew up in the facility, did she ever interact with other angel shifters? Was she similar to the ones back home who were judgmental and unkind behind closed doors, but pretended to be on the holy path of justice when people were watching?
Thanks to all the bullying from back home, Daniel and I never experienced what it was like to date anyone. With our ongoing mission to locate the Princess and the extensive training, research, and planning involved in the process, having a relationship would have been too difficult to maintain.
We discovered quickly that many female shifters had very high expectations, especially when we were assigned to stay at Knightwood in Minato. Expectations such as weekly gifts, date nights twice a week, and sex seemed to be a big thing with those girls.
As tempting as it was to fall into some of these female shifters’ game of seducing us, I wouldn't want to have sex with someone I had no connection with. It was a personal preference, especially due to our angelic background, but I figured only about ten-percent of angel shifters waited for the right one. Of course, they wouldn't tell you up front and would work around the statement if questioned so as not to be portrayed as a liar.
Pulling Daniel's glasses off, I rose to my feet and walked around the bed to continue my own assessment. From my inspection, I could tell right away she'd endured some long-lasting effects due to vigorous labor.
We were knowledgeable about some of the activities that occurred in the facility, but I was unsure how extensive it got due to the fact the majority of shifters that had been in the facility for longer than a cycle were too mentally disturbed or died just days after being rescued.
Goosebumps crept along my skin at the thought and I quickly prayed that wouldn't happen to the Princess. Walking back to my seat, I carried on with my analysis.
I was midway through the final checklist when Mako moaned, stirring slightly. Her increased heart rate alerted me and indicated that she was on the verge of waking up.
“My head feels like I smashed it one hundred times. Do I have a bloody concussion? Dammit, Rose! You never told me it would hurt this much,” Mako complained.
Her voice was weak and cracked slightly when she talked. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut which I figured was likely because of the pain she was experiencing.
She groaned and I immediately pressed my hand to her forehead. I didn't want her to be in pain. She'd experienced enough at the facility and I wanted to help her transition to be as smooth as possible, no matter how energy taxing it was.
“Mako, what hurts? Let me help,” I pleaded, taking a quick glance with my gift to see where her pain was. When using my power it was like having a quick X-ray glance of the body and immediately being able to see which sections were contributing to a problem, normally flashing or glowing a bright red which alerted me of the primary issue.
My eyes immediately spotted the bright red section in Mako's head and I knew she must have a headache
of some sort.
“My head won’t stop pounding,” she whined, keeping her eyes closed.
I knew the lights would likely only have a negative effect on her and she didn't need her headache to get worse.
"If headaches could kill…this would do the job rather nicely," she announced and I smirked, knowing her speaking out loud was by accident.
“Thank goodness they don’t kill because I’d personally miss your talkative nature. Give me a second.” I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. My power flowed to my hands and surrounded her body like a cocoon, starting at her head which needed a larger amount of magical power than the rest of her. I didn't really need to do a full body healing session, but I would rather be safe than sorry.
She sighed and her previously tense body relaxed. I leaned over to look down at her and at that moment she opened her eyes; bright turquoise blue eyes met mine. I gave her a small smile, hoping it would help her relax and know she wasn't alone or kidnapped.
"Thank you,” she whispered, and I could sense how grateful she was for my help, which made my grin grow wider.
"Oh, Starlight gods, you outdid yourselves with the angel race. Their beauty has no ends," she mumbled.
I couldn't help but laugh. "You are truly amusing, Princess. I’m honored to be at your service. If you ever require my assistance, I’m only a call away,” I hummed, bowing our head and pressing our hand against our chest in a sign of respect.
I didn't want to take up any more time from Daniel getting to enjoy the Princess’ company. Something told me they would get along well, and I hoped that was true.
“Till we meet again,” I whispered, retreating back within Daniel.
~DANIEL~
I had to blink a few times, then used a pinch of magic to clear my vision before my gaze landed on Makoto, who was awake and staring up at me.
DANIEL (The Starlight Gods Series Book 6) Page 9