Page 124 of Guiding Desire
“It’s the truth, pretty Rose.”
A branch broke,snap, the sound echoing from the wall of green against which the cleared fields sat.
Anandas tensed, whispered something in his language.
Orrey’s heart nearly beat out of his chest when rocks that formed the borders of the fields rose to head level. He dropped the cup and ran, ran toward the wall of green.
“Senlas!”
The Guardian came out to meet him, but instead of hugging Orrey the way he wanted to be hugged, Senlas snatched him up, threw him over his shoulder roughly.
“Don’t move,” Senlas said. “We don’t want to fight.”
Orrey smelled blood. Then saw Senlas’s back. He wasn’t wearing his armored vest, just the shirt, and it was torn, bloody edges looking like angry, hungry mouths.
Rustling leaves made Orrey look at the foliage and creepers at Senlas’s back. They were moving, and Orrey remembered how Rose had kept the Hounds at bay, back where the attack had happened.
“Put me down! Put me down right now!
Orrey felt silly for screaming, but it got him what he wanted: ground under his feet.
“Retreat, Orrey,” Senlas said. “We aren’t looking for trouble,” he said louder, aimed toward Anandas and Rose.
“Nor we,” Anandas said. “But there is another here, undergoing healing. You look like you could use healing too.”
Which was when Orrey got a good look at Senlas’s front, which looked a lot like his back.
“He’s right,” Orrey said. “And I’m not leaving Loquin here. What happened? Where is everyone?”
“Here,” Col said, stepping out from the brush. He looked a little worse for wear, one side of his face coloring in the shades of an angry bruise already. He came up next to Orrey. “Next time, you don’t fucking run away from me. You stay the fuck with me, or so I swear, I will lock you in Senny’s very nice apartment for the rest of your days.”
“You pissed him off,” Senlas said, his words without heat, his hands roaming over Orrey’s body as if he wanted to make sure all of him was really there.
Col looked at Rose, who was still lounging on the bench, and Anandas, who looked less tense.
Col said, “Do you offer succor to those who seek it and offer peace in return?”
“That’s unusual for a city dweller to say,” Rose said. Anandas grumbled at him.
Col lowered his head. “I am a city dweller but wasn’t born one. I know to ask strangers for kindness and offer no threat, just my empty hands.” He stretched his palms out toward Rose.
“He means yes, we will offer you succor,” Anandas said.
Col nodded. “Thank you. Come out. Senny, put those rocks back where you found them. We are guests here.”
“Are you sure about this?” Senlas asked.
“Yes.” The Conduit took a step toward Anandas and Rose.
The rocks that had, from this perspective, been aimed at Rose’s and Anandas’s heads, went back to being border stones, and from behind them came first Vin, then Taros, half carrying Karmine.
Karmine groaned, barely managed to lift his head or move his feet. Orrey could smell him.
“Oh fuck,” he said, running to him. Karmine’s left side was red and blistered, his clothing partially melted into the skin. Some of his hair had burned away, but worse were the areas where the blisters had opened, where the skin was gone.
Senlas grabbed Orrey by the hand. “Don’t touch him. He got burned.”
Anandas hissed. “Bring him inside, quick. Rose, help me.”
