Page 287 of Sokâr

Zarrek’s gaze flickered—just for a fraction of a second, but Kailorien caught it. A man once struck always knew the blade before it landed.

"It’s not the same," Zarrek said, lower now. "What you have…that Bond of yours. That’s something else entirely."

Kailorien exhaled, the edge in him softening.

"No," he agreed. "It isn't the same."

He paused, then added, "But itstartsthe same."

Zarrek stilled, and Kailorien’s voice dropped, quiet enough that it belonged only to them.

"One moment. One person you can't quite forget." He squeezed Zarrek's shoulder. "And then you wake up one day and realize you've built your entire war around finding them again."

Zarrek let out a short, humorless laugh. "You make it sound like a sickness."

Kailorien’s lips curved faintly.

"It is."

A beat.

"And you'll fight it," he went on. "Convince yourself it's nothing. That you're in control." His gaze sharpened again. "Until the day you aren't."

Zarrek looked away first.

That, more than anything, was answer enough.

Kailorien clapped Zarrek on the back.

"If you find her," he said, voice returning to command, "you tell me."

Zarrek scoffed, but it lacked its earlier bite. "Why? So you can lecture me again?"

"No." Kailorien’s grip tightened, just slightly. "So I can make sure you don’t hold the line too long. So you don’t lose what matters.”

Zarrek glanced back at him, something unreadable flickering behind his eyes.

"You're one to talk."

Kailorien’s expression didn’t change.

"My mistakes shouldn't be yours. Learn from them, like you've learned all the years you've been at my side."

In the distant yard, a horn blared, signaling a change in shift. Kailorien exhaled. Now, finally, there was time to speak truth.

“You know why I called you back. Reinstated you,” Kailorien said.

“To guard her.” Zarrek’s gaze didn’t waver.

“Yes. And more.” Kailorien studied the man who had served him longer than any, who had watched the city rot behind polished walls. “While I am gone, you'll be one of the few people she can lean on. Thrassus is coming with me as my Second, but I never would have trusted him to protect Auryn. Not like you."

"Sure you want him with you? He's blind to everything but Doctrine…"

"No choice. No time to train another."

"I'll watch her back," Zarrek said.

"The Solutus are targeting her. I don't know why, but we need to find out. The rebellion has always been a resistance against the Flaeme. Never against the Holy Blood."