Chapter 10

Miran couldn't remember how he got back to the residence, he didn't even remember sleeping in the first place. It was almost dawn but still dark outside. He sat up on the bed and looked around the room he had only been in once before since they came to the mortal realm. So much had happened but still time moved on.

In the dark, he heard silent even breaths that came from the foot of his bed. He sensed Reyna's energy before he saw her. She had fallen asleep on the floor with only her head on the bed. He wasn't aware of the smile on his lips as he moved slowly to where she was. Afraid of waking her, he gently placed the few strands of her hair behind her ear. Her face was still guarded even as she slept and her eyebrows twitched at the contact.

He had heard everything while he was unconscious and could only sympathise with this lady who had been through so much. Miran reminded himself to thank her when she woke up, she had not only found a way for him to be with his mother but was the first person to overcome her Fire-born pride. In the Isle, it was no secret that the Fires were a proud lot. Never once did they let anyone see the disadvantaged and their tempers burned as bright as the flames from which they were birthed.

True to her nature, Carina would never have allowed him to know her true identity in the sorry state she thought she was in. She must have thought that it was better for him to live with an image of her regal self rather than the weak person she had been in. Miran could still remember the warmth of her embrace and her scent of cinnamon and brown sugar.

A distant memory of the same scent and his mother's laugh invaded his thoughts and silent tears fell from his eyes. She had faded before he had the chance of telling her what he had held in his heart throughout the centuries. He had felt her energy, after they had left her house. The darkness in front of his eyes had been edged with lilac and he had felt her presence and the kiss she placed on his cheek. The sense of loss when she was finally gone settled in his chest and refused to move.

Miran wasn't used to grief, Guardians didn't mourn for the lost because they knew that everything was a cycle. Those who faded would be formed again even though all their memories and abilities learned were wiped away. That was the reason for coming to the mortal realm for most Guardians. They were tired, of living or their duties, only they knew.

When a Guardian spent time in the human world without going back to the Isle, they slowly cut off their ties with their energies and as they went on they could no longer summon their powers. Their bodies aged due to energy starvation until finally they faded away painlessly. The raw energy that formed their physical form returned to the core of the Isle and many years later the Guardian was reborn without any knowledge of their past selves.

The time it took for a Guardian to fade varied depending on the person. Still his mother had been alive for for many centuries. The most he had ever heard of was a normal human lifespan, so how could have his mother survived for all those years without a trip back to the Isle?

He carried Reyna up to her room and placed on the bed. Miran checked his energy and found it at maximum levels. Maybe he was wrong in thinking that holding Reyna could drain his powers.

"Miran, where were you? Do you know how worried I was?"

Serena, he had a tendency of forgetting her ever since they came. She rarely let her anger surface but he could see it now in her frost eyes. There, he found concern too that made him feel guilty for the lies he was about to tell.

"Why did you leave without telling me and you took Reyna with you? How could you be so reckless? We still don't know how dangerous she is and if anything happened out there how could I have saved you? You even had the guts to tamper with the security wards and don't tell me you didn't do it because your signature is written all over it."

She wasn't even giving him a chance to slip a word in between her lecture and he didn't feel like talking about it.

"Serena, can we discuss this later, please?"

She stared at his face for a few heartbeats and he couldn't help but look away not wanting her to see the emotions were visible there.

"Miran, what happened?"

Serena stepped closer but he moved to the side and headed straight for the door. He didn't want her to see how raw the loss of his mother had left him.

"Please see to it that the Sage comes to see Reyna as soon as possible."

He closed the door behind him and went back to his room. As he slammed the door shut, a piece of paper fell from the pocket of his jacket. Miran lowered himself to pick it up.

Written inside was the neat cursive he had come to associate with Carina. It was a letter from his mother.

________________________

My son I can finally say that I am happy. I was able to hold you in my arms for the last time and it's wonderful how well you've grown. I can't say I know what really happened but I know Azara and I know you. She has taught you well and even from your speech I can tell that she has been grooming you to be the next Leader. There is no problem with that, just don't let her bully you too much. Live, have fun. If there is anything worthwhile I have gotten from my stay in this realm, it is that life is meant to be enjoyed.

I want you to be free, something not most Guardians understand. Life does not start and end with duty neither does making a mistake mean life is over. We all get our second chances. The reason I couldn't tell you the truth was because I didn't want you to feel that you had lost me just after you had found me. I have been content all these years just knowing that you were safe and I know that an adventure awaits you in the future, so I am not too sad that I will miss it.

It's no coincidence that you brought to me Reyna, a child I had also come to consider as my own. You two share a destiny and just because I said it doesn't mean you start looking for it, let things take their own course. Miran, please protect that child for me. I wasn't given a chance but it was handed over to you. She has obviously been through a lot but that is in the past. Help her and be her friend because that is what she needs right now.

PS: If anything happens to that girl, please consider yourself a disgrace to my legacy and if you make her cry I will come to you from the core and make you pay.

with all my love

your mom.