Free Here Shines the Sun by M. David White Page B

buried somewhere, and that somehow she might bring her back. But Hadraniel knew better. Nuriel was lost. In fact, Nuriel frightened him, more than he would ever let Karinael know.
    “Hadi, what’s wrong?” asked Karinael, still holding his hand.
    Hadraniel puffed out a breath, blowing his silver hair from his eyes. “You’re not the least bit concerned about what Gatima wants with us? Or if Nuriel is here?”
    Karinael smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “Not really, no.”
    Hadraniel exhaled deeply and shook his head. Times like this made him long for the days when he took Evanescence. It was a drug most Saints out in the field used. Hadraniel had certainly used his fair share of it. Karinael, however, would have nothing to do with it and refused to let him use it. Hadraniel supposed he was thankful for her having gotten him off the stuff. Still, at times like this it would certainly take the edge off things. He sighed.
    “All right, out with it.” said Karinael. “What’s eating at you?”
    He sighed again. “There’s something wrong,” he said, chancing a glance up at the towers. He could not immediately see any watching eyes from the darkened, barred windows, but somehow he knew they were there. “I can feel it. Gatima has not summoned us to the castle in over a year, and the last time we met with him I saw a knowing in his eyes. They’re all on to us, I think. And I think Nuriel even knows. We haven’t been careful enough. They all know what we’ve been doing. I just have a bad feeling about this.”
    “We’ll get through this, don’t worry.” said Karinael. “And if they knew, Sanctuary would have dealt with Erygion first. And I haven’t heard any rumors of anything going on back home. Gatima just likes to keep tabs on his people. It’s nothing. Besides, we have our Sanguinastrums.”
    “We should leave.” said Hadraniel, grabbing her gently before she could turn. He placed his hand upon the back of her neck, tracing the scar tissue of her stellaglyph with his finger. Upon receiving their Call to Guard, all Saints were bound to their Star-Armor in a special ritual performed by the Oracles and Sin Eaters. The Oracles would draw their stellaglyph in silver ink upon the back of their neck, and during the ritual a small amount of blood would be collected as the ink was permanently scarred into their flesh. The collected blood was placed into a small, crystal orb known as a Sanguinastrum, or Blood Star, and a breastplate of star-metal was merged to their body.
    Once bound to their Star-Armor, the breastplate became a permanent fixture. Only the elite chosen for the Order of the Saints Caliber underwent this ritual, and if the Saint were to die in battle he or she would be consumed into their armor. The same fate awaited any Saints Caliber who ran afoul of Sanctuary. That Saint would be recalled; their Sanguinastrum broken. Upon breaking of the Sanguinastrum, the Saint would be immediately consumed into their armor. It was a gruesome fate that Hadraniel had witnessed a couple times when somebody fell in battle.
    Although it was true that he and Karin were secretly given their Sanguinastrums by Erygion the Standard Bearer, the keeper of all Sanguinastrums back at Sanctuary, it did not mean they were completely free. Keeping up the charade of being loyal to Sanctuary and King Gatima was wearing on Hadraniel as of late, and he had seen just how powerful some of Gatima’s Exalteds were. Having their own Sanguinastrums did not protect them from the likes of Leviathan Hydra or Titan Mammoth.
    Hadraniel spoke softly, “Let’s just go. Me and you could find a place together and get away from all of this. Just me and you.”
    “Erygion needs us.” said Karinael. “These people need us. If we’re truly loyal to the Sleeping Goddess, we have to stay the course with Erygion. There’s only one star left in the sky now. Time is short, and Erygion needs us now more than ever. We can’t abandon