Elena, oh Elena," Stefan said, stroking her hair, feeling the urge to pull her to him and never, never let her leave his side again. "I was so afraid that I'd lost you. That I'd failed you."
As soon as Klaus had left the clearing, releasing the compelled stillness he'd held them all under, Stefan had raced to Elena, taking her in his arms. They were still on the battlefield, everyone nursing their wounds all around them, but he couldn't let go of her even for a moment.
"I'm okay," Elena said, grasping his hand and holding it against her cheek, letting him feel how warm and alive she was. She sounded bewildered. "How can I be okay, though? Klaus cut my throat."
"Do you know, Andres?" Stefan said, turning to the Guardian beside them. Behind him hovered Meredith, Alaric, and Bonnie. Bonnie was watching the werewolves across the clearing as they gathered around Chad's body, but she lingered with the other humans, giving them some space. A few steps away, Matt and Chloe stood half in the clearing, half below the trees, murmuring quietly to each other.
"I don't know for certain what protected her," Andres said slowly.
"You must have a pretty good idea," Stefan said sharply. "Tell us." He knew he should treat Andres more gently; he was, after all, the only one who could help Elena through her transition to Guardianship. But Stefan was still terrified, feeling sick and hollowed out from the moment when he had seen Klaus draw his dagger across Elena's throat. And he was sure that Andres knew more than he had told them.
"I have heard that, sometimes, Guardians who have very dangerous assignments are given special protections as well," Andres said. The full moon lit up the clearing and he looked pale and worn in its light. "Most commonly, they are safeguarded against death by paranormal means. The Power - the Guardian Powers - can't make them immortal, because they have to stay in tune with nature. Elena could be run over by a car or die of disease, but, if this is what's happened, she can't be killed by a vampire's bite or a spell, or" - he waved a hand in the direction that Klaus and his family had retreated - "by a magical dagger."
"If Klaus and his vampires can't kill her," Meredith said, starting to grin a wild, delighted grin, "then we have a weapon. Elena's safe."
Andres frowned. "Wait," he said. "They can't kill her by supernatural means. If Klaus figures that out, he could kill her with a rope or a kitchen knife." Stefan flinched, and Andres looked at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry," he said. "I know. It's hard to love someone as fragile as a human."
A long, drawn-out howl, echoing with misery and loss, rose from the foot of the tree where Chad had fallen. The wolves had, as a Pack, raced to Chad's side as soon as the Power holding them in place had lifted. They had been nosing at the fallen wolf's shaggy body, whimpering and growling, trying to confirm what Stefan had known since Chad hit the ground: Chad was dead.
Not just humans, Stefan thought bleakly. Anyone mortal is so vulnerable to death.
"We need to take a vow," he said, looking around at the humans' stricken faces. "No one can know about Elena's Powers, or about her being a Guardian. Not anyone. If Klaus finds out, he'll find a way to kill her." He felt sick and dizzy with panic. If Klaus found out Elena's secret . . . He looked wildly around. With the Pack here, there were so many now who might slip and give her away.
Meredith met his eyes challengingly. "I will never tell," she said. "On my honor as a hunter and a Sulez."
Matt nodded fervently. "I won't tell anyone," he promised, and Chloe, her eyes wide, nodded along with him.
Bonnie, Andres, and Alaric all promised, too. Stefan held Elena close to him and kissed her again before, with almost a physical wrench, letting go and walking across the clearing. Approaching the circle of mourning wolves, he called softly, "Zander." The huge white wolf had laid his head alongside Chad's and, at Stefan's approach, jerked his head up to snarl a warning.
"I'm sorry," Stefan said. "It's very important. I wouldn't interrupt you if it weren't."
Zander pressed his muzzle to the top of Chad's head for a moment, and then stood and left the circle of wolves. Shay moved automatically in to take his place, laying next to Chad's body as if she could comfort the dead wolf.