They walked through the forest hand in hand like lovers, with Ky leading. He never held a woman's hand in escort, or anytime. But this felt natural. Her skin was soft and warm. He wondered if she could feel his through his gloves.

No, he wondered what she was thinking . . .of him, what was going to happen to her. He could feel some resistance but he didn't have to drag her. Was she starting to trust him? He hoped she did, otherwise it would make it more difficult. He didn't want another enemy, especially her. She proved to be a powerful Gear.

She announced herself as Dizzy. She was a mystery to herself as well to him, which didn't help him much. She told the tale of the village and a blind girl. A friendship with the girl made her feel human . . .like the human girl he saw before him. She explained it all as they walked.

The girl, Josephine, had wandered into the forest and grove when they first met, and with her blindness she couldn't see what people feared. She called her an angel when Dizzy found the poor girl, lost and scared. She called her an angel, sent by God. She never found out what brought her back, not then. And she didn't care. Maybe he was blind, too.

The two found a friendship, the only friendship she had at that time. The two explored and played. Dizzy said they tried to catch fish and picked fruit when they were together.

But their friendship ended about a year ago and the departure wasn't pleasant. It happened when the girl finally gained sight after many surgeries, and when she finally saw her— Josephine discovered what she really was. That friend betrayed her and hated her just like every other human.

She and the rest of the village saw the Gear in her. They called her a demon and cast her out through fire and rage. And now he was taking her back, back to the past. But she would be in safer hands now. She was with a knight. She was a girl, not a Gear.

What a world this had become.

But the last thing she explained was the last of her story. It sounded more like a reminder. She spoke of the Gear he met before the grove. Testament, she called him; a self-proclaimed protector of the she-Gear. He knew if he told her about their incident, she would be upset, so he kept his mouth shut and pretended he never heard of him. But it wasn't going to be so simple.

His grip on Dizzy's hand tightened when he heard something in the forest with them, something he let his guard down on. He had been too busy talking with Dizzy to notice. He was rammed across the side and thrown into the ground. He landed hard on his back.

He looked up at the tree shade and sky, the wind knocked out of him while he heard, "Testament, no!" He turned his head to see Dizzy's protector armed with his eyes locked on him. The only thing keeping him at bay was Dizzy. She stood in front of him with her wings and arms spread.

"Testament, leave him alone."

"Dizzy, get out of the way. He's a Gear killer!"

Slowly, she looked over her wing and went silent. Her eyes no longer held their red trust. "Ky?" she said. "Are you lying to me?"

He sat up. "Dizzy . . ."

Testament pointed at him. "He attacked me to get into the grove. To get to you, Dizzy, and now look. He's lured you out. Like an animal. He'll kill you. He'll try to kill both of us if I don't do anything about it." He stepped forward and past Dizzy. Ky quickly got up.

"Dizzy!" he said. "Stop him! I don't want to hurt anyone here."

The Gear laughed and lunged for him. He went past Dizzy as if she didn't exist, and swung his scythe. Ky jumped back and held the blade of his sword up.

They struck. They slashed their blades over and over with neither getting through each other's defenses. Their blades clashed and chimed. Nearby, Dizzy watched. She looked horrified, with her eyes wide and her hands bunched together below her chin. Ky saw her at the corner of his eye as he fought the other Gear. He spun, losing sight of her time to time. There were moments where he saw nothing but black as she came closer to the fight. And then, she grabbed a hold of Testament's arm. The two were in mid-swing. Ky had to pull back quickly.

Once safe, Dizzy pulled Testament aside, pulling on him hard. "Stop it," she said. "Stop it!" She stood between the two again.

Testament obeyed and Ky backed down, too, but kept on his guard.

"Dizzy," Testament said, "Get away."

She tugged on his arm. "No. Don't hurt him. He just wants to help me."

"Why do you think this human would want to help you?"

She stared at him with those soft red eyes. "He won't hurt me," she said. "If he wanted to he would have done it when he came into the grove." She lowered her head and licked her lips. "I attacked him."

"I'm sure you had reason," Testament said.

She shook her head. " came to tell me people are coming here. He wants to take me somewhere safe."

Testament stamped his scythe into the ground beside him like a flag pole and looked at Ky with fiery eyes. "This human cannot replace the promise I gave to you. You are to stay in the grove where it is truly safe."

"That won't be enough," Ky said. "I was given a letter stating bounty hunters will be coming in search of a Gear. Her. I, too, came here for that reason. But now that I see her, I cannot bring myself to take upon that bounty. So I decided to get her out of here before someone else finds her."

"No," Testament said. "She will not leave here. People like you—"

"That's unnecessary," Ky said.

"Please stop arguing," Dizzy said then, holding her ears. "You're almost as bad as these two." She raised her shoulders, and as she did, her wings took their forms and pointed at each other in silent threats. The green hooded wing had its fist bunched while the white one flipped its middle finger at the other.

"I'm sorry," Ky said after looking at them, then let his eyes fall on Testament. "How can I convince you she will be safe with me."

"By leaving," he said, and twitched his scythe.

"Stop it," Dizzy stepped up to the other Gear and took his arm. She shook it lightly like a child. "Testament, I want to go."

He put a hand on her head. "I cannot let you. The grove is where you belong. It's your home, isn't it?"

She put a finger to her mouth, looked at Ky, then to Testament again. "Let me go. I want to see the outside again. It will be different. Won't it, Ky?"

"She shouldn't live her life in solitude," Ky said "It's no way to live. Hiding isn't the answer."

Testament glowered. "Keep talking."

"Maybe she should." He gestured to Dizzy.

Being the center of attention, Dizzy looked between them. "Umm, I think . . . I think I would like to go. I trust him. He's nice."

Such a thing coming from a Gear made him smile lightly.

No! A girl!

"Dizzy," Testament began.

She released his arm and tottered to Ky. She grabbed a hold of his arm instead. She held close to him as if he were her new protector. "See?"

The whole thing was starting to get awkward. Very awkward.

There was a long moment of silence; then Testament pointed at Ky's Thunderseal. "Then what do you think of that sword in his hand, Dizzy?"

She looked down on it. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it," she said. "It's kind of pretty."

"That sword is dangerous, Dizzy. It may look pleasant, but it will cut you."

"I assure you, Thunderseal will never touch her flesh," Ky said. He unconsciously put his free hand against Dizzy beside him. When he noticed what he was doing, Testament was sneering and he felt Dizzy's warm flesh against his hand. He quickly let go and took one small step away from her. "Sorry."

Testament kept that hateful look on his face, with it more stronger after he had put his hand on her. "Either way, you cannot convince me, human, no matter how you—"

"Testament," Dizzy said, "Please let me go." She then turned her head to Ky with her soft red eyes melting into him. As he looked back at them, he believed he could never hate her, even if she was a terrible Gear like Justice in hiding. They were so startling, so beautiful . . .

He swallowed hard before he said, "As a knight, as a man of his word, and honor to God—"

"A knight, exactly!" Testament said.

"Now you listen," Ky began, but before he could finish, Dizzy put her hands over her ears.

"Not again," she muttered.

Ky quickly silenced himself. The other Gear meanwhile was staring at him an unapproving father. Ky said nothing to him, although, he had a mouthful to say. He took Dizzy by the shoulder, feeling her flesh again while he looked across at Testament. He apologized at the air between them.

All three of them went silent while Dizzy concentrated on her attached wings who remained in their forms over her. She slowly came out of her invisible corner and looked at Testament first.

"Necro says the grove is the safest place," she slowly began.

"Then Necro is correct."

The white wing waggled an unapproving finger at Testament. "But you don't have to run my life," she continued, then looked at Ky with those beautiful eyes. "I'm going with Ky."

"Dizzy."

"I'm going with Ky," she repeated.

Testament's face dropped. "I don't see why you have decided this. But . . .but I will make sure you will be all right. No matter where you are." He raised an arm level to his chest and stood there. When he did, a black object, a crow-like bird, descended from the shadows and perched on his naked forearm. It picked under its wing after settling.

"I'd like that." She turned her attention to Ky and took his arm again. She glanced at Testament before she got her new guardian going down the path with a tug. As they moved, Ky felt Testament's eyes heavy on him.