Free The Lost Years (The Guardians Book 4) by Wendy Owens Page B

me a reason to keep going. I can’t do this without you.”
    “I’m here, Dina, I won’t leave you.” Before she even said the words, Sophie knew they would offer little comfort to her friend.
    Dina didn’t shift her gaze from her sleeping prince, “It’s not right, you know.”
    “I know, it’s messed up. I wish I would have been there to help him.” Sophie offered.
    “No, it’s messed up that they aren’t doing more. They want to just let him die. It’s like they’ve just given up on him. He would never have given up on any of them, especially Michael,” Dina explained flatly, her voice lingering in a haunting way.
    “Sweetie, I don’t think they are giving up on him. They just don’t know what else to do.” Sophie suggested.
    “Did you know Calysta was imprisoned at Rampart?” Dina asked.
    Sophie pursed her lips outward, puzzled by the random subject change. “The oracle?”
    “Yes. She told me right before the attack. She can’t leave the caverns,” Dina added.
    “You know how she is, are you sure you can believe her?”
    “I believe her,” Dina didn’t offer further explanation.
    “Well, if that’s true, I’m sure it’s because she did something to deserve such a punishment,” Sophie reassured her friend.
    “Like Raimie deserves to have everyone give up on him? Like Gabe deserved to be expected to give up his life to save the world? I’m just as bad, I should have stopped him …” Dina’s voice trailed off, dripping with remorse.
    “What do you mean you should have stopped him?” Sophie pressed.
    “He came to me, just before he left Rampart. Calysta told me I would have a choice.”
    “Who came to you?” Sophie pushed her friend for answers in a panic.
    “Gabe.”
    “Wait, what kind of choice?” Sophie quickly followed up.
    Ignoring her question, Dina asked her own. “When did your memories come back?”
    “What?” Sophie gasped in shock.
    “When did they return?” Dina repeated.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sophie insisted.
    “I knew the moment you held me, it was my old friend,” Dina said.
    “Please don’t tell anyone,” Sophie pleaded.
    “I won’t. Although, I’m not really sure why you wouldn’t want everyone to know,” Dina replied.
    “I don’t know, I guess there’s enough going on. I don’t really want any of the attention right now. Plus, I’m not really sure what I want anyone knowing; once people know I have my memories back, they will expect me to handle things a certain way.”
    “You mean how people will expect you to deal with Gabe.”
    “Yeah, and honestly, I’m not sure what the hell I’m going to do yet,” Sophie began before inquiring. “What did you mean by Calysta said you would have a choice to make? Was she talking about Gabe?”
    “Yes.”
    Sophie waited for a moment for Dina to continue, but she was silent as she stared at Raimie. “Well? I mean, seriously? That’s it?”
    “Oh, sorry,” Dina replied. “I just can’t stand seeing him like this. I keep thinking he’s about to jump up. Umm— let me see, she was talking about what would happen if he stayed.”
    “At Rampart?”
    “Yes. She knew he was going to leave and told me that if he stayed, once you got your memories back, the two of you would get back together,” Dina answered.
    “I see— and that’s a bad thing, why?” Sophie laughed awkwardly in response.
    “It was more what it would lead to if the two of you were together.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    Dina glanced at her friend and then back to Raimie. “She said if the two of you were together, and he stayed with the Guardians, he would never fulfill his destiny as the protector. She said his happiness now would damn mankind.”
    “No, that’s not right— it can’t be,” Sophie said, almost pleading with herself.
    “I’m just telling you what she told me. That’s why when he came to me I let him go, but I was wrong, I should have begged him to stay. Maybe if he