by Sarah Ripley
Kian put his arm around me and drew me close. We watched as they put Sobek into the back of a black SUV. Through the open door I could see Anique restrained in the backseat. She was alert, a little dazed perhaps, but she was finally captured. There wouldn’t be any more surprise visits from her.
“We’ll take care of them,” Rafferty said. “No killing, I keep my promises. And we’ll spread the word that you’ve been spotted someplace far away. Maybe Russia or Hong Kong. That ought to keep them busy for a while. I’ve got people on the council. When I’m done they won’t come close. We’ll do our best to keep her location secret.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Seito asked.
Rafferty gave him a long stare as if he couldn’t believe someone as insignificant as Seito was addressing him. Ignoring him, he turned to me.
“I’ll extend my offer again. I would like you to come with me. I can give you the kind of protection you’ll never receive from this lot.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“I didn’t think so.” Rafferty turned away from us and watched his bodyguards for a bit before continuing. “I suppose living here isn’t the worst choice,” he finally said. “It’s isolated enough. You have a certain amount of support.” He turned directly to me. “If you can learn to keep that power of yours under control I can’t imagine that any Unfaded would need a reason to come searching for you here. Think you can manage that?”
I nodded.
“You’re not staying.” It wasn’t a question. Kian gave Rafferty a hard look.
“No, I’m not,” Rafferty said. “There are other matters at hand. I’ve got another daughter to search for. But I’m not leaving Mai alone either. I’ve all ready asked Lina to stay.” He glanced over at Lina’s better half. “Am I to assume you will be here too?”
Seito nodded.
“Then we shall take our leave,” Rafferty said.
There were no parting words of wisdom or tearful farewells. As we watched the black SUV drive off I wondered if I’d see him again and decided I didn’t really care to know the answer.
“That was really awkward,” Seito said. “I’m glad they’re gone. It was starting to get a little crowded.”
“Too many Unfaded spoil the soup,” I said with a grin.
“Speaking of which, I guess I’ll take human boy home,” Seito said. “Since you’ve still got the keys to my bike, you might as well use it to bring Mai.” He came over to me and I threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly.
“I’m glad you’re sticking around,” I said. “But it doesn’t mean you get to date my friends. Hands off.”
Seito chuckled. “I’m not responsible for my actions if they throw themselves at me. My will power is only so strong.”
“Come on,” I said. Untangling myself from Kian’s grip, I walked with Seito over to the car where Connor waited. I had to tap on the window twice before he finally opened the door and got out. “Seito’s going to take you home. This is important, Connor. What you’ve seen tonight, it can’t get out.”
Connor turned to me, face bright red, arms crossed over his chest. “Is that all you care about? Keeping your secret? Well, don’t worry about it. Who’d believe me anyway?”
“It doesn’t have to be like this.”
“You’ve made it very clear how you want this to end.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
I sighed.
I watched them drive off before returning back to the bench where Kian waited. After a while I touched his hand, determined to know what he was thinking without having to ask. There were a lot of emotions in his touch but the guilt was gone. He seemed lighter; a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. I looked at him quizzically.
“You don’t need to do that,” he said, reading my mind. “I’m fine. In fact, I think my days of being your guardian are coming to an end. I don’t think you’ll need me anymore.”
“I still need you.”
“You’re strong and that makes me happy. It makes me confident. No matter what happens now I know you’ll be able to fight.”
“I still need you to protect me,” I said. “There’s so much I don’t know. Most of what I did was fluke. I’d never have beat Sobek if it hadn’t been for you.”
“I’ll teach you everything I know.”
“You make it sound like you’re planning on leaving me.”
Kian turned to me, his eyes sparking with intensity. “I’ll never leave you as long as you still want me. But I need to accept that I might not always be there to save you.”
“You saved me today,” I said. “You brought me back. I was back in the cave with Dialexa. You helped me come back from that.” I reached out and touched his face, trying to smooth out the worried lines from his brow. “What happened in the past is best left in the past. Let’s focus on being here now."
“Can you do that? There are still a lot of memories you haven’t touched.”
“I’ll deal with them. At least I have you here to help me understand them.”
“And when the others come? Don’t let Rafferty fool you. There will be others. You can’t stay isolated and safe for the rest of your life. Someone will eventually find you and they’ll inform the council.”
“We’ll fight.”
Who knows, you might end up saving me in the end.”
I smiled. “No endings, no more beginnings. All I want is to have things stay the way they are.”
“I can work with that.”
“It’s a beautiful morning.”
It was. The mountains loomed over us, covered in millions of snowy trees. The sun was bright. It was really beginning to feel like spring was in the air. The wind blew through my hair, sending whispers to my ears.
I'm coming for you, sister. Wait for me.
I nodded at nothing. My sister had found me. She'd be coming soon. I was looking forward to meeting her. But I was no longer Apani. I wouldn't let her bully me again.
The sun was warm on my face. It felt so good.
“Do you mind if we stay here for a while?" I asked Kian. "I don’t want to go home just yet.”
“I was just thinking the same thing.”
I snuggled up against him, covering the blanket around the both of us, drawing him closer.
Kian brought his lips down and pressed against mine.
It was a good day to be alive.