Chapter Twenty-Nine #2
All the sounds of the forest disappeared, the crash of the water just a few feet away also became a dull roar as they explored their connection, gave into the tension that had been building from the first moment they laid eyes on each other.
They didn’t feel the shockwave that went through the Garden but everyone else did.
Birds took flight from their perch in the trees, all the animals including the familiars momentarily panicked as the ground beneath them shook.
Every soul in the Garden; Sentinels, Elders, Soul Keepers, Record Keepers, Magic Keepers, Lumenfae, animal, familiar; everyone looked towards the area of the woods the shock had come from.
Killian and Jaxx’s team without saying a word, headed to where they knew Killian and Bréagha had gone.
“Um hello?” They both broke apart suddenly as Sperwa interrupted their moment.
They both looked over at the disgruntled phoenix who was now standing on the rocks that surrounded the pool they were in.
Her head was cocked, and if a bird could look disgusted that would be the emotion that was on her face.
They looked back at each other and burst out laughing. Bréagha laid her forehead against his and giggled, her hands going around his neck, his lifted to rest against her back softly.
“Sorry Sperwa, forgot you were there for a minute.”
“Clearly. I mean it’s about time, and I’m fully in support of this, just not while I’m right here.” Killian chuckled and helped Bréagha move off his lap and settle back down beside him.
Suddenly the clearing went still, not a whisper of sound and all three felt the energy building around them.
Killian and Bréagha stood up out of the water and climbed onto the bank, looking around as they tried to see what was happening.
Bréagha swept her wand out and replaced their bathing suits with their regular leathers, also pulling both their hair back, his in a simple low pony, hers into a braid.
“That is awfully convenient,” murmured Killian as he stepped towards the waterfall where he thought he saw a flicker of movement behind the rush of water.
He motioned for Sperwa and Bréagha to walk around the small pool to the other side, so they could approach it from both sides.
He waited until they were on the other side before slowly approaching the shelf behind the waterfall.
They slowly edged closer. Bréagha created a fire whip as Killian brought his sword up, ready to strike whatever was back there.
Petralyn jumped out with a few other Flower Keepers. “Hello again Guardian and her Sentinel!”
“Petralyn? What are you doing here?” asked Bréagha as she shook her hand and got rid of the fire whip. Killian put his sword back into its scabbard on his back before crossing his arms against his chest, assuming the strong Sentinel pose he favored.
“I’m here to show you what you’ve been looking for! We had to wait for the moment you two didn’t just choose to trust each other but to give in to each other.” Bréagha looked over at Killian who looked back at her. He grinned when he saw the light blush across her cheeks.
“You two have a connection that had to be acknowledged, to be recognized, and allowed before the rest of the secrets the Garden has, could be found. This journey that you all must go on will take more than any of you can comprehend. It’ll ask more than some of you will be willing to give, but it’ll also give more than you knew you needed.
Trust is the first stone. Add love, and the foundation cannot be broken. ”
“Love?!? We shared a kiss,” protested Bréagha.
“That’s not love, that’s lust, that’s I want to feel his muscles under my fingers and soak in the pleasure for a moment.
” Killian shifted to face her fully as she had a mini crash out.
He raised his eyebrow at her, lifting a hand to hide his smile when she glared at him. She pointed in his direction.
“And it was a moment of weakness for him; I was a warm body and somewhat attractive. It was the mesmerizing words and music of Solomon Burke.” She frowned over at Petralyn and the other Flower Keepers who were giggling at her protests. She looked desperately over at Sperwa who just shrugged at her.
“I felt it. That wasn’t just a kiss, Soul-bonded. That sent a shockwave,” she insisted. Petralyn and the other Flower Keepers nodded their heads frantically.
“Exactly! So here you go.” Petralyn waved her hand to the wall behind the waterfall, behind the naturally formed shelf. The solid wall behind the waterfall shook as a portion of it swung inwards to reveal a passage, and stone steps.
“What…” Bréagha turned to ask Petralyn what they were about to walk into, but she and the other Flower Keepers had already disappeared. “I’m nailing that fairy’s feet to the floor next time,” she mumbled and Killian chuckled.
Before either of them could take a step forward or say another word, a pink portal caught their eye as it popped into existence right outside the wall of water.
Killian walked forward to meet the other Sentinels as they stormed through, all of them dripping and still dressed in their swim trunks but each of them armed with swords, guns, and miscellaneous weapons.
The familiars stormed out next, all ready to attack whatever may be endangering their Guardian and her Sentinel.
“Bréagha!” Aiden called as he pushed through the other bodies.
“Soul-bonded!!!” They all looked up as Kaedryn and Vyranthos touched down on the far edge of the hot springs, the dragons barely having sufficient room to land. “Are you okay?”
In their panic both the Sentinels and all the familiars forgot that they could’ve checked in very easily with their mind speak ability. Killian sighed as he stepped fully out from behind the waterfall so Kaedryn could see him. “We’re both fine!” He called.
Bréagha joined him, stepping slightly in front so everyone could see her as well.
“What happened?” asked Rozengwyn as she stepped closer. She hugged her friend and heaved a huge sigh of relief knowing she didn’t seem to have come to any harm. She did seem a little different.
Bréagha gestured for them to follow her as she led them back to the opening that Petralyn had shown them.
“Oh great, a dark passage and staircase. Can’t wait to see what creepy crawlies are in there,” muttered Cathal with Bracken nodding beside him.
“Um, Bréagha could you do the trick you did for us,” Killian asked and then pointed to the others. “On them?”
Bréagha noticed for the first time they were all barefoot and in their swim trunks, still dripping wet from their interrupted hot springs time. She giggled and waved her wand towards them all, giving them all tactical pants, boots, and henleys.
“Thank Marcus none of them broke out their banana hammocks,” she said, getting a fist bump from Roz, who understood that reference and a groan, then a face palm from Aiden.
“What?” Bracken looked away from the door and towards where Bréagha and Roz were giggling. “Do I want to know?”
This question was aimed at Aiden who shook his head.
“Are we going into this black hole, going to who knows where, or are we all going to stand here discussing proper swim attire?” Killian asked, knowing he better take control of this conversation as Bréagha opened her mouth to explain.
She stuck her tongue out at him, and he just grinned back before reaching out and bopping her nose.
There was a collective gasp behind him and Bréagha saw the glint in his eyes but didn’t understand what it meant, until he had tangled one hand in her hair, and the other around her waist to bring her closer to him then slammed his mouth onto hers.
She gasped and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, forgetting for the moment it was supposed to be a quick kiss for the other Sentinels.
As soon as she softened into his arms nothing else mattered until the cheering and jeering coming from the others broke through.
“What?!?” gasped Bracken.
“I knew it! Liam you owe me,” yelled Mason, making Bréagha laugh.
Killian groaned as she pulled back. He kept her close enough to lay his forehead on hers as the others continued to make a fuss.
She grinned up at him, lifting her chin again to give him a quick kiss before she stepped back and turned to the opening.
She waved her wand, the passageway as well as the staircase, lit up with torches placed just a few feet apart. She turned back to her friends, grinned widely, her face lit with excitement.
“Let’s go!”