Page 133 of Taming the Kraken

I’ll be by your side soon. I’ll find Mikah. Lex, I can feel him. I’ll keep searching until I find him. We’re close.

You can feel him? How?

Through your connection to him. There’s a lot to talk about. I’ll explain later. But right now, I need to concentrate.

Please bring him back to me … Mikah is important to me.

I know, my love. I will find him. I love you. Stay inside Elysia and be safe. If you need me, call out for me.

Alexa felt him close off the link before she could respond. He must really need to focus, which meant he must really be close. She silently pleaded they find him soon. Mikah had always been part of her. She was so young when he became her guardian that she didn’t remember what it was like to not have his light. But now she felt incomplete. Like something was missing, and it was uncomfortable.

They heard a soft knock at the door, and everyone lifted their gazes. Lita walked in, smiling. A woman with black hair tightly pulled up in a high ponytail walked in behind her. She was tall, toned, with a tan complexion. Her brown eyes looked at Alexa and she slightly bowed her head.

“I heard you were awake.” Lita watched Alexa’s eyes narrowing at her, a look she wasn’t shocked to get, given the circumstances. “Alexa, this is Nita. Nita will be taking over as your guardian⁠—”

“No,” Alexa said firmly.

“Lex—” Reiya began, trying to reason with her daughter.

“I SAID NO!” Alexa yelled angrily. “I have a guardian. He cut the link to protect me. Not because he doesn’t want to be my guardian. He. Is. My. Guardian.”

Lita nodded her head. “Be that as it may, Nita will be taking over his duties for now.”

“I don’t accept you,” Alexa said firmly, glaring at Nita.

“I understand, princess. It is still my job to protect you no matter what,” Nita said in a clear voice.

“This is the next guardian?” Justice quirked his brow and stared at the woman.

“Yes, Justice. She is the guard guardian of Elysia. Nita, this is Justice, Lucie’s guardian.” Lita watched as Nita nodded respectfully.

“I know who the fairy guardians are. Even if they don’t take the time to learn who the guard guardian is,” Nita said, glancing sharply at Justice. There was a hint of hostility in that remark that didn’t go unnoticed.

“It’s harder to keep up with all the guardians now. Back when I was the fairy princess, there were only three guardians. That was the standard. There were never more than three at a time. But that has changed now. We have evolved. We now have several guardians and some of them have taken mates.” Lita looked over at Justice with a small smile. “Though I think my grandson should have introduced himself to you a long time ago.”

“Oh, wait. You’re Captain Try Hard, right? I remember now.” Justice said innocently, but Nita’s gaze sharpened as she glared at him. “I mean, we were never formally introduced, but I remember seeing you train. Grayson said you live and breathe being a guardian.”

“As a real guardian should,” Nita said indifferently.

“And what is that supposed to mean?!” Justice growled, standing up defensively.

The two guardians’ auras swirled in the air, clashing against the other. Lita smiled as she remembered when Grayson met the guard guardian of Elysia. They’d had an intense stare down. Then, when Dylan and Grayson first met, there was a lack of trust between them. It was a guardian’s nature. To be suspicious first and overly protective.

“Nita has trained hard and has really stepped into the role after the last guard guardian stepped down.” Lita listened as Justice chuckled.

“Funny how that works. Live and breathe being a guardian, but it isn’t forever for the guard guardians. They can step down. Of course, not the ones who guard the royals. We’re with them for life. We don’t take the easy road when we get older.” Justice put his little jab in, but Nita completely ignored him. Instead, she was looking at Alexa.

“It’s nothing against you, but I have a guardian. And he risked everything to protect me. I can’t and I won’t accept anyone else as my guardian but him,” Alexa said, her voice firm yet kind. She had nothing against Nita, but she wasn’t her guardian. That spot could only belong to Mikah.

“Alexa, Nita will be following you around for now. Even if you won’t accept the guardian bond, it will be her job to protect you.” Lita looked at Alexa, speaking in her usual no-nonsense voice.

Alexa sighed. She wasn’t going to win this one.

“Fine,” she said, her tone resigned. “But I won’t accept another guardian bond.” She then looked at Nita. “I can tell you take your job very seriously. However, I don’t like to feel smothered. And …” Alexa shook her head. “It just feels wrong. Because Mikah …” she trailed off quietly.

“I’m not trying to take your guardian’s place. You are bonded. I understand that. I’m just here to protect you until you get him back.” Nita smiled at Alexa, reassuring her. “I understand the situation. I just want to keep you safe.”

“Thank you,” Alexa said sincerely. Alexa knew Nita meant well. But she had a guardian. She didn’t need another one.