By the time the town gates came into view, my legs felt like they were full of sand. Every step rattled through my ribs. Keagan walked at my side with his hand on my shoulder, holding on as if I would slip off the direlion's back.

  Kaimoer led us through the afternoon. Marrin walked on the other side. His pipe had returned to sit behind his ear. His face was a wall.

  Nana brought up the rear. Her eyes were red but dry.

  Nobody even thought to stop us. One look at the state I was in, and they just waved us through. Someone ran off to the Association ahead of us.

  Lily was walking outside of the guild hall when we arrived. Her hair was let down this time, her posture stiff in a way I hadn’t seen before. When she spotted us, her usual polite smile dropped. “Oh, gods above…” She rushed forward. “You’re all alive.”

  “Barely,” I muttered.

  Marrin crossed his arms with a grunt. “Lang ren attack. A few stragglers that escaped the nest.”

  Lily’s face went pale. “No one’s reported…”

  “Because they’ve been dealt with,” he said. “Lucia handled them. But as you can see, she's in need of healing.”

  All eyes shifted to me. I looked away. I didn’t want the attention, not for that. Not for what I’d done.

  Lily turned sharply. “The healer. Get him. He's at the inn.” One of the gawking pedestrians ran off without argument.

  Nana stepped forward, her voice thin but steady. “I’ll make my report after. My priority is ensuring that any others are brought to the town while we make sure they are all dealt with.”

  Lily’s head tilted. She looked around, as if counting us. “Where's Noma?”

  “She didn't make it,” I whispered.

  “That's horrible,” Lily gasped. Then she put a hand on Nana's shoulder. “I'm sorry.”

  Nana pulled the hand off but held it. “Thank you.”

  Marrin cleared his throat. “We still have the problem that we don't know how many more are still out there. Kiamoer killed the largest ones, but a bunch fled.”

  Lily pressed her lips together. “Then we’ll have to notify the region. The Association won’t like that we missed something this close to a town.”

  “They never do,” Nana murmured.

  The doctor arrived in a hurry. He was the same man who had treated me before the attack. He didn’t waste time with greetings. He unwrapped his pack, pulled out the crystalline focus, and placed a hand against my chest.

  “Same as last time,” he said quietly. “Breathe normally. Don’t resist.”

  I obeyed. Warmth spread through me, light at first, then sharp. The crystal glowed a soft blue-white as the ache throughout my body dulled to a throb.

  “She’s lucky.” The healer's breaths came in labored heaves when he finished. “Another round of injuries and I wouldn't be able to heal her.”

  Lily grimaced. “We’ll handle your fee.”

  The doctor wiped his hands and gave an exhausted smile as he hobbled towards the inn again. “Association rates, I assume? If it's all the same to you, I'll collect tomorrow. I'm mostly dead on my feet now.”

  “Yes, of course. Rest well, and thank you.” She gave the man a polite wave.

  I slid off the lion under my own power. I still felt weak and exhausted, but at least I could stand. “Why is the Association paying? Trying to bribe me?

  “Actually, it's an apology,” Lily corrected, then looked at me. “For what it’s worth, we’re sorry, Lucia. You were never supposed to face something like that out there.”

  I couldn’t help the bitter edge that slipped into my voice. “That's twice you've said that in one week. Sorry never rebuilds a house. Sorry never brings back the dead.”

  Lily hesitated like she wanted to say something, then just nodded and turned back to Marrin and Kiamoer. “Everyone needs to be brought to the inn. You two need to go out to the farms and escort everyone here. I'll commission Braxton to help.”

  Marrin nodded. “Understood. We'll take the north; he can take the south.”

  Without another word, he took off on Kiamoer’s back.

  I flattened my ears. “So, now you take it seriously? Where was this earlier today?”

  Lily didn't flinch. “Until now, there was no confirmed threat. The whole point of guardians is to disrupt people's everyday lives as little as possible.”

  “So it's not a confirmed threat until someone dies?” I raised my voice.

  Keagan tugged at my side. “Lucia, calm down. She's just trying her best.”

  Her best isn't good enough.

  “I was going to phrase it more delicately,” Lily said, “but yes. Marrin and Kiamoer have handled problems like that in the past, and nobody's been any the wiser. If we cause a panic at every little issue that comes up, people will become desensitized.”

  Nana brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her movements slow. “We’re Guardians of this town. We alternate every five years. When threats exceed the standard rank structure, one of us intervenes. People have enough in their lives that they don't have to know about everything that could happen.”

  Keagan frowned. “So you’re saying, like… the town’s protectors?”

  “Exactly that,” Nana said. “Most of the time it’s nothing. A runaway D-rank. A flood beast from the river. Sometimes worse. This time, it was much worse.”

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  Nana’s tone softened. “I was training Noma to take over eventually. She… had the heart for it.” Her voice cracked on the last word.

  Keagan reached out and put a hand on her sleeve. “She did.”

  For a moment, none of us spoke.

  Lily broke the silence. “The Association will likely assign you compensation for the loss, but I doubt it’ll be enough.”

  I snorted in disgust. Compensate for the loss? She's dead. There's no compensation for losing a life.

  I wanted to say those words. They almost shot out of me. The boy asked me to calm down. So I bit my tongue.

  “It won’t be,” Nana said flatly. “And it won’t matter. She was irreplaceable.”

  Lily looked to her. “You should take a break. Marrin can manage with Kaimoer for a while longer."

  Nana replied with a small, brittle smile. She turned to me. “Maybe it's time to retire. Let the younger generation step up.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Seriously? Have you lost your mind?”

  Despite everything, she almost laughed. “Maybe I have.”

  Lily looked between us, her expression softening. “The town’s lucky to have had you protect it for so long.” Then her gaze drifted to me and Keagan. “And the same goes for you two. You two could be excellent guardians.”

  I met her eyes and said quietly, “You don't want me; you want the boy. He has the heart and the drive to want to protect everyone.”

  Keagan stepped closer. “Lucia…”

  I looked away. “I can't be trusted with that kind of responsibility. If I have to choose, I will choose one over a hundred. I will choose you every time. Just like with Noma.”

  “I…” Nana began.

  “Don't!” I growled, then continued much softer. “Just don't.”

  Our group fell silent again as the town’s evening bells began to toll in the distance—long, low notes that rolled over the rooftops like waves.

  Lily leaned forward and put a hand on Keagan's head. “Keagan, why don't you take Lucia to get some rest? Tell Maxine to be ready for everyone. She will understand. You've done more than should be asked of you. Let us handle the rest.”

  Keagan glanced at me for a moment. “What then? How long are we staying?”

  “However long it takes me to kill every last lang ren.” My wrath stirred again. I will not let them near him again.

  “No.” Keagan's voice was firm, but he didn't shout.

  I growled at him. “How are you going to stop me?”

  He sat down. “By staying right here.”

  “That just means I know where to find you when I'm done.”

  The boy waved his hand to the area around him. “Out here I'm defenseless. If you're gone, who will protect me?”

  Lily moved to pick him up. “Keagan, don't be ridiculous. Go to the inn. It's safe there.”

  Keagan pushed her arms away. “Don't. Let me handle this.”

  He's right. I can't be everywhere at once. I stepped to pick him up by his coat with my teeth. “Then I will put you in the inn myself.”

  “Then I'll just come back out.” He turned himself to keep looking at me. “If you want to protect me, you have to stay right here with me. You can't leave.”

  I froze, teeth still gripping the collar of his coat. His hands were balled into fists, and his eyes didn’t waver. He isn’t bluffing. He knows me well enough by now to know that if I left, nothing could stop me. And he also knows exactly how to keep me tethered.

  I released him, and I exhaled hard through my nose. “You’re using me against myself.”

  Keagan’s voice wavered, but he didn’t back down. “I’m keeping you from doing something that could get you hurt, or worse. Remember what you told Luther.”

  I sat back on my haunches. “You had to go there. If this goes wrong, only I will pay.”

  “You’re wrong,” he said. “I would lose you, and that’s not a price I’m willing to pay.”

  The words stung like salt in an open wound. I looked away. “You’re right.”

  “I heard you,” he whispered. “So if you meant it, prove it. Stay here; recover.”

  That one landed harder than anything the lang ren managed. I could feel the anger draining out of me, replaced by a hollow ache. The kind that came after a fight you shouldn’t have survived.

  “You’re making a dangerous habit of talking me down, you know that?”

  He managed a grin. “Somebody has to.”

  I sighed, tail flicking the dirt. “Fine. You win. We’ll stay.”

  Lily smirked. She was watching the boy with an appraising look. I got the impression she was grading his performance just now. “You might almost be ready.”

  “Ready for what?” he asked.

  She held up a hand. “I did say almost. First off: you’re young. Thirty is still the floor for guardians; you’re a decade and a half shy.. Also, you haven’t won an A-rank tournament. But if you can prove yourself with Lucia, handling such a demanding monster, the age restriction can be lowered.”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked.

  Nana waved her hand to herself. “Those are requirements to become a guardian for this town.”

  The boy’s eyes went wide. “I… I can become a guardian?”

  Nana nodded. “You can. Seeing what I just saw proves that you have the heart and morals for it. If you were to replace me, I’d know this town was in good care.”

  I slowly lowered my head to look the boy in the eyes. “Is that what you want, kid? Do you want to be a Guardian someday?”

  Keagan bit his lip. “I still want to be a master monster trainer.” He paused. “But I can do both. I can help protect this town from dangers and become the best trainer ever.”

  “Then you’re going to need more than heart,” I said.

  Keagan straightened a little, brushing dust off his coat. “Then that’s what we’ll work on. My next goal is to qualify you for the D-rank rank-up tournament. I know we’re not ready yet, but if I can prove we can win, the Association will have to take us seriously.”

  “Tournaments?” I asked. “You think fighting in a ring is a good idea right now?”

  “I think it’s the best idea,” he said. “You can’t fix what happened. I can’t either. But if we train—if we get stronger—then next time something like this happens, we’ll be ready. That’s what the Guardians do, right? They prepare.”

  His words hung there, stubborn and certain. I want to tell him no. Strength isn’t always enough. But sometimes, living with the guilt is all you can do. But maybe he isn’t wrong.

  I sighed. “You never stop thinking ahead, do you?”

  His voice stayed steady. “I have to. That’s how we get stronger. Guardians, the lang ren, and whatever caused them—they’re way above us right now. If we’re ever going to protect anyone, we need experience, money, and strength. The tournaments give all three.”

  He wasn’t wrong. And worse, it made my chest ache with pride for the boy. He’s growing up. Now he’s found his reason for living. His ability to keep walking forward is a good quality to have. Starvation, burning down his home, nothing short of killing him will stop him now. And I will make sure that doesn’t happen.

  I stood while lowering my head to his height. “Then we train. But if any more lang ren step foot in this town any time soon, I won’t hold back. Like I promised before, any threat to you will be dealt with, my way.”

  Keagan’s lips curved. “I’d expect nothing less from you.”

  I turned toward the road leading back into town. The sun shimmered faintly over the horizon in the cooling dusk air, flickering across the cobblestones. “Then we rest for the night. Heal. After that, you can start making plans for your little tournament dream.”

  Keagan turned to Lily. “Will we even have tournaments with all of this going on?”

  She waved her hand. “Marrin does know what he’s doing, and this will be over by the end of the day tomorrow. This is just a precaution. But if any of them do come into the town, you’ll be the first I come find. You’re one of the strongest monsters here right now.”

  I bared my fangs. “Just don’t expect a body when I’m done with them.”

  Noma, you were meant to defend this town. So for now, I will do what I can.

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