Chapter 6

It had only been a few hours in realm time. It was hard to keep up with time changes through different planes. Meridian and Kieren had made themselves at home in the small chambers that Selena had prepared for them.

Kieren came into the realm as the new toy and he was steadily growing as a favorite. Meridian continued her gaze on him, not paying any mind to being caught staring.

“Are you, all right?” Kieren asked.

Meridian snapped out of her gaze and blinked her eyes rapidly.

“Yes, I am. Sorry. It has been quite the day, and I am just so overwhelmed.”

Meridian perked up, trying to shake the embarrassment of her stare, she walked to the setting area where there were a couple of chairs and took a seat.

Meridian looked back toward and smiled.

“Why did you come here with all of this? You have not been a guide very long, in fact just a few short days. You don’t understand how things work here, the people in charge, or what they are like,” Meridian insisted.

Kieren moved closer to Meridian, standing next to her while she remained seated. He leaned in closely, resting his elbow on the back of her chair.

“Ya know, you should give me more credit than that. Relic has told me a lot and so has Slaten. I knew what I was risking when I came here with you, and I guess I do not care. I have wanted to get to know you more.”

Meridian’s face lit up with surprise.

“Get to know me? The few times I see you...well...you do not really seem to want to talk to me. In fact, I didn’t even think you noticed me at all,” Meridian said.

Despite how he was feeling, Kieren could not get Relic’s words out of his head, and even as brave as he was in some ways, he still had a bit of ego that snuck in from time to time.

As Meridian sat there and looked into his eyes with curiosity and excitement, his old ways and the fear of Relic’s last words just would not leave him.

“Well, yeah, I want to get to know you. I do not know what would have ever made you think otherwise. I notice all kinds of girls,” Kieren spouted off.

Meridian slouched from her upright posture and looked puzzled.

“Oh, yeah, I guess so. Especially with being in a band and all. I am sure it is easy for you to get a girlfriend or a girl’s interest. So, can you remember anything from your life before?” Meridian asked.

“Not really. I can remember how to play things I liked. I cannot remember people or places I have been or what happened to me. I can’t even remember coming here,” Kieren said questionably.

“Hmm, that is what I hear. Seems when guides get here they cannot remember anything at all. They just melt right into everything here and knowing what to do to guide their humans almost comes second nature as though they have been doing it all along. Relic said when he first came, when he was taking care of one of his humans on Earth, he got the distinct feeling he had been at that place before and felt like he knew the person, but he could not remember how. He started spending increasingly more time in that place. It was some small town in Colorado. He said he loved the mountains and the atmosphere there. My dad told me a lot of that is old memories. Like maybe Relic lived in Colorado at one time in one of his lives, and even though he can’t remember it exactly, he still has that connection,” Meridian explained.

“When will I get a human to look after? How does that work?” Kieren asked.

“Well, when you go is up to Warrick. Who you look after is who you choose.”

“How long does a guide typically wait?”

Kieren was excited to hear more and to know what was in store for him. “Like you, Meridian, who are your humans? When did you start?” Kieren’s voice was lighter, quicker and his face carried a big smile.

Meridian’s feeling of importance dwindled.

“Well, really, I am not like you totally. I have never lived a human’s life. My parents never did either. We were born here in the realm. In a way, it has its perks, and we have certain gifts that other guides that were humans before do not possess, or if they do take many years to acquire. I have a mark here on my wrist that my parents have too.”

Meridian showed Kieren the small silver infinity mark that ran the long side of her wrist, almost like a tattoo. Kieren peered over her wrist for several moments looking at the strange mark.

“So, you aren’t like most guides here?” he asked.

“No, not really. I mean we watch over humans, and being I am coming of age, the council is allowing me to go out and work with my parents. I recently went with my parents to help a boy who had been injured in an accident. I did have the chance to see the newborn. I was not in the room for his birth, but I was able to get away for a short while to see him in the nursery. I have never seen a newborn or a baby for that matter.” Meridian looked into Kieren’s eyes as he hung on every word she said, then she continued her explanation. “The only things I know in our realm are souls who are older...or have lived their lives. I have seen some live hundreds of lives, and then they come here or get chosen to come here for their knowledge. So, I have never really had any friends except for Warrick’s daughter Pramlee.” Meridian explained.

Kieren listened to Meridian’s words with delight and was mesmerized by how she talked of her life in the realm. As she spoke of the baby boy in the hospital that she was so taken with, he stared at her eyes. Even as her eyes glanced around the room as she spoke...he could not help but stare. “Kieren, are you even listening to me?” Meridian interrupted Kieren’s trance.

“OH! Yes! Sorry.... I was paying attention; I promise.... I just couldn’t help but notice how pretty your eyes are and that you have a nice smile,” Kieren honestly explained.

“What? Whoa, now you sound like Relic. You can tell you two hang out a lot. If you were bored, you could have told me,” Meridian snapped.

Kieren paused, and his face was puzzled. He was a player, and, to a degree, he was playing Meridian a bit, but not for just his own purposes. He was concerned with Relic and what he had said. He wasn’t quite sure how to take Meridian.

“No, really, I mean it. I will let this one slide because I think that one thing you haven’t learned by being here is how to take a compliment,” Kieren smugly spouted; he was trying to be playful with her.

He reached over to her side and gave her a squeeze hoping to tickle Meridian into lightening up with him. She squealed with laughter and bent over in an attempt to get away from Kieren’s grasp. As Meridian pulled away more, he continued to tickle her. Meridian threw herself on the floor to get away from Kieren’s grasp. He was not going to give up that easily and jumped down and straddled her sitting on top of her holding her down with his hands. Meridian’s giggles simmered as her face turned red. She had a soft smile on her face despite her mild discomfort. She had never had anyone touch her that way before, and it was just as exciting as it was uncomfortable. Feeling embarrassed as Kieren’s eyes were deadlocked on her, she turned away while keeping her grin. Kieren’s grasp on her wrists softened as he leaned forward to kiss Meridian. She turned her head to meet his lips...then paused.

“I have never...kissed anyone...not like that,” Meridian whispered.

She looked away in embarrassment. Kieren leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

“Neither have I. Not in this life.”

He wanted to comfort her, make her feel that she was no different from anyone else at any point in time. What was becoming clear to Kieren in only the fleeting time he had spent with Meridian was that he was falling for her.

She turned and met his lips with hers. They were still, and all that could be heard was the shallow breaths they exhaled at the moment their lips touched.

“Can you understand me, Kieren? As we lay here, I can’t bring to words what I feel at this moment.... Do you hear me?”

Before Kieren had a chance to respond to the traveling thoughts, a loud bang startled them both. In a flash, Kieren pulled away from Meridian. Startled, Meridian sat up looking around. There, standing beside Kieren, holding him, was Relic, whom she had never seen act in this manner before now. Arianna ran up behind Relic. Being the busybodies, they were, Cora and Janus could not help but run up to see what the fuss was. Cora was right there beside an angry Relic, and Janus stood behind Cora with her arms crossed. Arianna wasn’t going to be silent on this one.

“What are you doing, Meridian? Here it is; your father and I are going through a nightmare, and you are laying on the floor with some boy you barely know!”

Kieren jerked away out of Relic’s grasp and looked up at Arianna. Kieren wanted to help Meridian up as she came to her feet, but he was unsure how her mother would react to any further contact. Relic took his hand and shoved it into Kieren’s chest.

“I told you to keep your hands off her!” Relic screamed.

Kieren was not going to have any other. He shoved Relic back and said nothing. Everyone in the room scattered. Arianna grabbed Meridian and pulled her into the bedroom. Cora and Janus got out of the way of the fight that was taking place and quickly escalating. Out of nowhere, Ridge and Slaten appeared but could not get to the suitors. Before Slaten or Ridge could get to the suitors, Kieren had already taken a swing and punched Relic in the nose.... Blood was running down his face. Relic ducked and tackled Kieren right into the wall, shattering the fairy decorations and a lamp in their path. Rolling around on the floor, Ridge grabbed Relic, and Slaten quickly grabbed Kieren.

Cora jumped in the middle.

“Both of you stop it!”

Relic and Kieren stood stiff with anger and in sync, they jerked away from Ridge and Slaten who held the fighting ones apart. Out of breath and bleeding, they both took a minute to regain composure while their narrowed eyes remained locked on one another.

Kieren was the first to break his stare and he abruptly left the room looking for Meridian and abruptly ran into Arianna.

“No way; you are to stay away from her. I think we have all had quite the time with everything going on. She isn’t coming out anytime soon, and I suggest you find somewhere to get away from Relic.”

“I am sorry. I wasn’t trying to do anything to your daughter that she wasn’t okay with—I promise. Can’t I just see if she is all right? Please?” Kieren insisted.

Before Arianna could answer, Relic fount the two of them and interrupted.

“Kieren, I need to talk to you now.”