Free The Guardians: Book One of the Restoration Series by Christopher Williams Page B

protected by the guardians and I want to be one of them.” It was not quite true that the guardians served the world, they had at one time, but now the guardians were completely in the service of Telur.
    The king nodded his head and considered Flare's words. “A noble intention.”
    Flare's hopes surged at the King's words, and once again he felt weak in the knees. He hoped he wasn't swaying.
    The king took a deep breath. “Unfortunately, I cannot grant you access to the guardians.”
    King Darion’s words hit him like a kick to the stomach, and he felt queasy again. He could feel the panic began to build. “Access to the guardians is not granted, it is earned. People compete against each other for the right to enter, and my recommendation means nothing if the person can not pass the physical part of the tests. There is a very good reason for this, and it is because the guardians have to be the best warriors and magicians possible.”
    Flare had never heard any of this in the stories, and he felt his hopes sinking. What was he to do? He could not go back to Solistine in disgrace. No, he would rather die than to face the smug looks of the elven court. If he couldn't join the guardians, then he couldn't stay in Telur either. In all the many different ways he had imagined this, being rejected had not seriously occurred to him.
    King Darion noticed the dejected look on Flare's face, “Now, I cannot grant you access to the guardians, but I can allow you to compete in the entrance tests, and as a matter of fact, quite a few foreign royalty serve in the guardians.”
    At his words, hope blossomed anew in Flare.
    The king smiled, reading Flare's every emotion, “The problem I see for you Flare, is that your elven blood, while increasing your speed, will probably make you weaker than some of those competing. If you like, I could have someone to assist you in preparing for the tests.”
    Flare was beginning to feel better, but he was still nervous about having to compete. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate you helping prepare me.”
    “I hope that we can help you. But tell me Flare, how did you convince the king to allow you to come here? Did the princess help, or did you do it on your own?”
    Once again the king's bored into him, almost daring him to lie. Flare was a loss on how to answer the king. He did not want to lie to him, but he also did not want to admit to disobeying his grandfather. “I, uh, convinced him myself,” was all he could manage. He immediately saw suspicion in the eyes of King Darion, and he decided that it was time to tell him the truth. “Henotairin, may I have a moment alone with the king, please?”
    Henotairin seemed a little surprised, and looked from the king to Flare and then back to the king again. At the king's nod, he rose to his feet and excused himself from the room.
    Flare turned back to the king, who was regarding him with a calculating stare. “Flare, I'm beginning to suspect that you are not telling me everything. What are you holding back?”
    Flare took a deep breath, fighting back the rising panic. “Well sir, elven youth are allowed to choose their own way in life,” he started slowly, but the words came out faster and faster. “However, I was told that I would not be allowed to pursue my chosen path, and so I sort of ran from my grandfather’s wishes. Sir, I am not full-blooded elven, and therefore I have no place in elven society. I am begging you to please allow me to stay here.”
    The king was still smiling, “You're going to cause me a lot of trouble. Undoubtedly, the elves will demand that I return you, and my own nobles will not like the idea of a royal elf in the guardians.” The king sighed again. “Tell me, did your mother agree to your leaving and joining the guardians?”
    A brief surge of hope coursed through Flare, “She was scared at the very idea, sir, but she did give me her blessing.”
    The king laid his head back against the top of the chair, thinking