Guiding Reason (Guardian & Conduit #3)

1. COLDIS

1

COLDIS

This is ChannelPulse. We advise viewers that some of the footage is quite graphic. What you see here is the Battle of Starlit Stage and how it started. The attackers were well-organized Guardian insurrectionists, and here they can be seen turning their power against regulars, who were simply there to make the day memorable for everyone.

These are some of the scenes that played out during the battle. We don’t know when the insurrectionists killed our Op-AI, but we assume around this time.

Here, highlighted, is the illusion work done by Guardian Vin of Argentea’s Team Three. He hid the ice slides Champion Shoda used to bring in these brave protectors, and—

There! Guardian Senlas catches his Conduit. The ChannelPulse Conduits agree that Conduit Orrey looks like he is exhausted from channeling a powerful S-classer like Guardian Senlas, and maybe that’s true, but as you can see, the Guardian’s power is immense with his imprinted near.

The insurrectionists never stood a chance from the moment these two touched.

(Footage streamed by ChannelPulse shortly after the Battle of Starlit Stage.)

The clinic bed was comfortable, and yet comfort was no help to Col at all. Even though he had nothing left in it, his stomach was misbehaving, potentially betraying him again every moment now. The brightly lit room in the clinic didn’t help. It’s only afternoon. Who needs their rooms lit in the afternoon?

Col tucked in his chin, feeling less like gagging that way, and focused on a spot on the ceiling near the corner of the room. I’m fine. The dizziness is all in my head.

“Should I get you anything? Something to drink? Or would you like to brush your teeth?” Hyran asked.

The corner Col had chosen was the one closest to where Hyran made a turn in his constant pacing. Even if it hadn’t been, there was no way of ignoring the Guardian.

At some point he’d sat in the chair by the window, but then the physician had come in and set a nurse to bandage Col’s head while she hooked Col up to the IV with the acute concussion medication, of which she had determined he needed a high dose. From the moment the needle had gone into Col’s arm, Hyran had been pacing.

“Are you saying my breath stinks, Guardian Hyran?” Col put as much attitude into the words as he could, which wasn’t much. He wasn’t even sure Hyran deserved any. He wasn’t sure he didn’t.

“No, of course not. But having thrown up myself, I remember I’d wanted a toothbrush after.”

And fuck him, but Col couldn’t argue with that logic. The taste of bile still lingered on his tongue. I threw up everything. Was the fight still raging then, or was Senny already flying with my little brother and impressing everyone with his power?

Col closed his eyes, found that it made the dizziness worse. He looked at Hyran, who was at least less bright than the walls. “Well, since you’re kind enough to offer.”

Hyran nodded. “I’ll…I’ll hurry back.”

The Guardian looked at Col as if he wanted to say more. He didn’t. Moving fast, though not as fast as he could, he left, sliding the door shut behind himself with a quiet thud.

He imprinted on me , Col thought. He really fucking imprinted on me. I am no longer the Conduit I was. I have been imprinted on.

He was feeling sick, his throat constricting, but then remembered he needed to breathe, so he tried that. It helped somewhat.

With the Ferrean Op-AI dead as of earlier that day during the attack on Starlit Stage, the imprinting wasn’t an immediate concern. Still, there was no way the Municipal AI had missed it when the lot of them, following Orrey’s crazy plan, had teamed up with the protectors outside the Ferrean Grounds. And Col knew the Municipal AI would pass the information on to the Argentean Op-AI, who had decided it would take over some of the functions the dead Op-AI had filled for the time being, with Col as the main liaison.

Cold crept up Col’s chest and settled around his heart. He can make me stay here. I’ll have to. There is no way I can go home if my Guardian won’t come with me.

A memory of snowflakes caught in long black hair grabbed Col out of nowhere. He shivered, bunched the clean sheets Hyran had straightened about half a dozen times in his fists.

The door slid open, but it wasn’t Hyran who entered. Instead, Orrey walked in, still wearing his torn dress. He’d washed the soot and dirt off his face at least, though the makeup still lingered around his eyes. Senlas had given Orrey his jacket, and Orrey vanished in it, being Conduit-sized. The simple gesture made Col smile. They are good for one another. They are what every Conduit wants.

“How’re you feeling?” Orrey asked and went to sit on Col’s bed.

“Like I partied with Taros for a week straight. Do I look terrible?”

Orrey smiled and shook his head. “You look like you went on a mission and completed it well, which you did.” He pointed at the bandage around Col’s head. “Are you not getting stem cell treatment for the cut?”

“They can’t. There’s some reason, basically the stem cell treatment and the concussion meds don’t work well together, and this”—Col lifted his arm with the IV—“took priority.”

“Oh. Well, I don’t think it hurts your looks. But”—He leaned in—“about Hyran.”

Col sighed. “He saved me. I believe the imprinting was an accident. In a way, all imprintings are.”

Orrey gnawed on his bottom lip before speaking. “Yes. I suppose that’s correct.” He glanced at the door. “Assuming they are accidents, wouldn’t it be beneficial to have the option to reverse an accident?”

Col couldn’t follow that. It was too wordy. He could tell it was important though. “Speak like I partied with Taros for a week, little brother.”

“Right, sorry. When we were with Anandas and Rose, well, Anandas, when he heard I was bound—”

“You are imprinted upon, little brother. That is the word we use here.”

Orrey’s brow furrowed at the slight reprimand. “Right. Sorry. When I said Senlas had imprinted upon me, Anandas took me aside and offered to break the imprinting for me. He says it’s something he can do, and that it doesn’t hurt either of you, and that he will do it if you want. Do you understand?”

Despite the concussion, Col did. All too well. Orrey, however, didn’t.

Col had been on his feet for what felt like too long this day, but still, Orrey was family. And he’s still new. Wanting to do the right thing, but new.

Col reached out and took Orrey’s hand. Oddly, he thought he felt something like an afterimage of channeling there, but it might have been his drugged-up brain playing tricks, or something to do with the syncing Orrey and Senlas had achieved.

Col said, “Let’s imagine the situation. I go out there and ask a Hound to undo the imprinting, something that every regular knows is a thing to be happy about. Then I go back, no longer imprinted, something that we all know isn’t a thing that can happen. What then, little brother? How would that help?”

“But…we saw. What happened with Linar and Durgo. I don’t want you to end up like that, Col. Think of what seeing you that unhappy would do to Senlas and the others.”

His little brother’s protector training hit the mark dead center every now and then. Right now, he’d touched on one of Col’s exact fears.

The door to the room slid open and Hyran walked back inside, bags in both hands.

“Conduit Orrey. I passed your Guardian outside. He said you were keeping Col company. Thank you.”

Hyran didn’t sound confrontational, not overly polite either. Col felt the Guardian’s eyes on him, on Orrey.

Orrey nodded. “I asked Sen to wait. I know that it’s very rude to have a Guardian walk into the room of a Conduit who has been imprinted on by another.”

Huh, to think you had a sharp tongue and kept it hidden away all this time. You have much to learn, little brother, but you are learning fast. It will serve you and our team.

Hyran lowered his head. “I…I apologize for that. I don’t mean to be impolite, but Coldis should rest. He’s on very strong medication on account of his concussion.”

Col made himself smile. “My little brother was just telling me the same thing, Guardian Hyran. He has a reasonable streak I’ve been trying to correct. I’d like to think I helped him break the rules of the Grounds, although I’m sure the Municipal AI approved when he decided to rally the protectors for his rule breaking.”

Hyran’s green eyes snapped to Orrey. “Don’t listen to him. I didn’t get a chance to tell you, but you helped save people today, and your actions prevented worse things from happening. Ferrea is in your debt.”

Col felt his eyebrows creep up his forehead. It hurt for some reason. “You’re undoing all my work.”

“That’s too kind, Guardian,” Orrey said. “But I believe my big brother was complimenting me in his own way.”

“Oh. And please, it’s Hyran. If Coldis says you’re his little brother, then you are family to me.” He put the bags he’d been holding all this time on the round table across from Col’s bed. “I know the situation is unexpected, but…to be honest, that’s really everything it is. Unexpected. I’m just…I’ll do what I can.” He said it to Orrey, but his eyes flicked to Col. For approval? Forgiveness? Col couldn’t tell.

And I’m not sure I care anymore. My head hurts too much, and I want to be sick.

Orrey nodded. Col knew he should be saying something, probably, but he was starting to become drowsy on top of everything else. He craned his head to look at the medication dripping into his veins, silently blaming it.

“When can he leave?” Orrey asked. “I know the Champions’ Tower isn’t home, but I’m sure my big brother would be more comfortable there.”

Even through the drowsiness, Col admired Orrey. From the tight look Hyran returned, he didn’t share that admiration.

“He should be staying for the night. The physician said so. The first few hours after a head injury can be critical.”

Critical. The single word triggered something in Col’s mushy brain. Things that needed doing. Things he’d almost forgotten about because of those stupid drugs.

“I have a lot of work to do,” Col said. He reached for Orrey’s hand. “I need to make sure you get awarded a proper rank, and we need—fuck. We need security for the Grounds. The city.”

“We still have the protectors,” Orrey said, squeezing Col’s hand back. Out of the corner of his eye, Col saw what watching the exchange did to Hyran. His nostril’s flared and his brow furrowed. Col pulled his hand free.

“They don’t know what to do. They are protectors.”

“Exactly. They’ll manage. And they have help. Look, how about you rest for the night, and then in the morning, you’ll have more energy to tackle everything. There is nothing for you to do right now anyway, so take the rest.”

Col narrowed his eyes at Orrey. “Did Senny make you say that?”

“Well—”

“Tell him…I can’t think of anything. I should have something. Make up something that sounds like I said it and tell him that.”

Col settled back against the pillows. He was so tired, but he was also thirsty now, and maybe even hungry. Not that he was going to eat, but if someone had offered to get something from Hasterian’s…

“I’ll do that. Taros is going to stay here for now, and then we’ll take shifts, okay?” Orrey was saying.

Col hummed. “We’ve been spending too much time in the clinic lately.”

Hyran cleared his throat. “Orrey, I will stay with my Conduit, of course. I know you found him alone, but that was just so I could fetch a few things for him. For his comfort. I’ll watch over him.”

Col could only observe as Orrey slid off the bed and stood, back straight. He shouldn’t have looked impressive in his ruined clothes and borrowed jacket, but in that moment, even the last vestiges of doubt Col had about Orrey were washed away. He can lead them if I can’t anymore. If I’m forced to stay here. They’ll be fine. He’ll make sure of it.

“Of course, Hyran. But we aren’t just a team, we are family, which Col likes to remind me of. One of us will be here as well. It will make the watch less lonely for you.”

Hyran was tense. Col could see and feel it radiate off him, and if he could, so could Orrey. Still, Orrey ignored it, walked past Hyran and toward the door.

“Thank you, Orrey,” Hyran said. “I’m glad that Coldis has you.”

“He has us all,” Orrey said and left them alone.

When Orrey was gone, Hyran stood there, eyes locking with Col’s.

“I got you a few things,” he began, but by that point, Col’s eyes had started to feel weighted, and keeping focus was too hard.

“Yes, show me in a moment. Just a moment.”

Col was going to take a short break, and he wasn’t going to spend the night in the clinic either. He’d sort that out. In a moment.