“What do we do now?” Galen asked as the video clicked off and back to our parents.
“We need to discuss what we need to do,” Derrik added.
“We could take shifts and patrol around each world along with sending out soldiers with special abilities,” Bryden said, so far that sounded like the best idea.
“I agree with Bryden, and it doesn’t always have to be as couples. What if Galen and Bryden take tonight’s watch and my mother and me tomorrow.” I said.
“And Kristana and I tomorrow night,” Derrik said.
“Then we continue to switch around, so we are not always with the same people. It might confuse this group.” Galen added, “Maybe even get Kieran and Cedrick in on this patrolling with us.”
Bryden looked nervous about this part of the conversation, so I asked, “Does anyone know what ability Cedrick has?”
“We never thought to ask, but I thought I heard Kieran mention he can manipulate fire and create fireballs.” My mother said after being quiet while we all were talking. “How did this group know we were practicing?” She added in thought.
We all looked at each other and began to wonder the same thing. “Does this mean we have a spy among us?” I asked, and Bryden added.
“I don’t believe so; I feel they just could be figuring we have our military doing training maneuvers for war. As for Cedrick, if he does have that ability, then he can be a benefit to helping our cause. I will speak to him about it.” Bryden said.
“Good seems we may have a plan in place. Bryden, Galen you two ready for tonight's watch?” Derrik asked.
“Yes, we both will be ready for our shift. Shannon, you and Rayna, get rested for tomorrows watch. It is going to be long, but we need to protect the people.” Bryden said looking at my mom as she nodded.
The call ended, and Galen and Bryden set up a time when they will begin their night watch. Galen and I decided to take the time and do some training before he had to go and meet up with Bryden. Since we conquered the darkness and Lucas, we discovered we only need to be together to control the light, not the flaming swords, so we have been practicing more control with the flames. We are becoming stronger and more powerful. It is amazing.
14 the watch
The next morning as I was eating breakfast in my armor, Galen walked in and sat down. He looked tired, my poor husband. “How did the watch go?” I asked him as a servant set a plate of food down in front of him.
He took a sip of his coffee before answering, “We flew over all three worlds and only a few incidents, but nothing life-threatening and it was among our people.”
I got up and walked behind my tired husband and wrapped my arms around him and kissed his cheek. “I am about to leave to meet my mother. You finish your breakfast and get some rest.” He took my arm and swung me around and pulled me onto his lap.
“You’re not leaving without a proper bye.” He said smiling and pulled me towards his lips and kissed me. “Now that is a proper farewell.” He smiled as he released me. I gave him one last kiss and walked out to the stable to get Selest.
My mother met me at the portal, and together we began our watch. She was wearing her armor as well, in case we need to engage in battle we will be ready.
“Galen told me it was quite slow last night.” I was telling my mother as we flew.
“Yeah, Bryden said the same thing. He also mentioned he spoke with Cedrick and he plans to show us what he can do and train with us. According to Kieran, he is all excited that we have included him.”
I smiled, “They do make a cute couple. I am happy for her.”
“Yeah, so am I. I remembered to bring us sandwiches for lunch as well as a few cookies and fruit.” She indicated her saddle bag. “I also in the other bag have water. I know we will want to keep flying without stopping.”
“You have that right.” I smiled at my mother, and she smiled back.
A few hours later we ran into many out riding their tayrens and families picnicking by the lakes. As we flew, they would wave a greeting to us, and we would smile and wave back. So far we saw no one or nothing threatening. We have stopped and questioned a few who looked suspicious, but they were innocent. We had just finished eating a sandwich as we sat on the shore of Crystal Lake on Kaihu and talked about patrolling Cainya next.
We climbed aboard our tayrens and headed towards the portal to Cainya. Even though we are keeping watch, I am enjoying this time with my mother. As we entered Cainya, we began watching for anything suspicious. So far all was quiet, and a few people were enjoying the day. About halfway through we noticed a group of people hurrying away from the woods.
We watched them jump on tayrens and took off quickly. They had not noticed us coming behind them. “Hey!” My mother shouted at them. There were about ten or so of them. They looked back at us and turned. “What are you all doing here?” my mother asked innocently.
I noticed they were all dressed normal and most were quite young. “Uh, we are just messing around.” One of them said.
“Uh, yeah, we are only having some fun.” Another said just as a small explosion went off in the place they ran away from. My mother drew her sword, and I drew mine. The group all drew their weapons and began advancing towards us. I overheard one say. “That went off too early. I hope the others don’t.”
So, there are more hidden. “Mom there are more explosives.”
Just then the first man advanced, and my mom took him out with one swing. Then another and I got him. The others were furious and became more aggressive as they headed our way. They took out what looked like cell phones and one aimed at me. I moved just as a laser light went past me and hit a tall tree exploding it into nothing.
“We need help.” My mother said as she turned to fly away. “Come on Rayna.”
I began following her as they continued to fire the devices at us to stop us. But we were fast and knew how to maneuver our tayrens. A blast came way too close to me, and my mother turned her tayren. I could tell my mother was angry now.
“Mom what are you doing?” I screamed at her.
“Just keep going. Get help.” She did something I never saw her do before. “Go now, Rayna!”
As I continued, she stood up on the back of Mystique her tayren and began warding off the laser blasts with her sword. I kept looking back as I flew watching. Then a few of them with their swords came up, and my mother on the back of her tayren battled them and killing them one by one. I saw her reach her hand out and worked her shield to surround the last few as they shot their lasers and due to the shield surrounding them entirely, the blasts vaporized them and the tayrens. I stopped at that moment and turned to watch. As my mom released the shield, there was a shockwave my mother wasn’t prepared for, and it knocked her off her tayren.
“Mom!!!” I screamed as I watched her fall. I flew down towards where she fell, and when I got off my tayren, I ran where I last saw her and stopped short. She was standing and completely fine. “How, what, I mean how did you survive that?” I asked her.
“Believe me I am just as surprised as you are. I lifted my arms and hands bracing for impact only it never came. The shield caught me. My shield saved my life.” She said almost laughing in complete surprise.
I ran over to her and hugged her. “I thought I had lost you this time.”
As she hugged me back, she spoke. “Even as I was falling I felt it would be alright.”
“I never seen you use your shield like that…You were quick with timing.” I said smiling.
“Yeah, killed by their own weapons.”
“And standing on your tayren like that. How did you do that?” I asked her.
“When I was a young girl I was taught gymnastics and balancing it was a part of my training. That was the first time I was able to balance on a moving object. I just never counted on a shock wave to knock me off.” She smiled. “I will have to be more careful next time.”
“Mom they said there were more explosives. How are we going to find them?
”
“We need to head home and wake the men and tell them. Then we need to contact Derrik and Kristana to let them know. From what I understood that one said I hope the other’s don’t go off too soon. So they must be all on timers set to go off at different times.” She began walking towards her tayren that had landed, and I got on mine. We headed off to Valaisha and the Palace.
After we landed at the stable, my mom ran in and up the stairs to wake Bryden. It was not even thirty minutes later when they both came downstairs with Bryden in his armor. “Okay, we need to move fast if we are going to find the explosives.” Bryden began, “Rayna, I need you to teleport us to Kaihu and get Galen.”
“I have a faster way. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before. Hang on,” I stood there. ‘Galen?’ I began telepathically. ‘Galen wake up.’
‘I am awake what is wrong?’
‘My mother and I ran into trouble. Can you bring your tayren and teleport over here fast? We are at the Palace on Valaisha. Wear your armor we will explain when you get here.’ I said.
‘I am on my way.’ And with that, I explained to my mother and Bryden that he is on his way.
“That still amazes me how you two can communicate that way.” My mother said as she walked towards her study as we followed her. “As soon as he gets here we need to contact his parents.”
Not ten minutes later I heard. ‘I am here, where are you?’
‘My mother’s study. We need to talk to your parents.’ Then out loud I said. “Galen is here. He is heading to the study now.”
“Alright, let me get his parents on the line,” Bryden said as my mother sat down next to him. Galen walked in and came over to stand next to me. I reached over and took his hand.
Once Galen’s parents were on the screen, my mother explained what had happened on our watch minus how she just about single handily took out the gang of ten plus men. I feel they need to know about the other ability she was able to do with her shield and how it saved her life. So I took over interrupting her. “Excuse me mother; I believe they need to know how you took out the last of the men and how your shield saved you when the shock wave knocked you off of mystique.”
“What?” Bryden said looking at my mother with concern.
“It was nothing. I am alright.”
“Mom you could have died. You took a big chance doing that.” I persisted.
“I was angry, that laser blast was way too close to you. It was more instinctive than anything, and it paid off.”
Galen looked at me with what my mother said and frowned squeezing my hand.
“Woe, wait. What exactly happened?” Bryden said looking at my mother taking her hand in his.
So I explained how she stood and balanced on her tayren and using her sword to kill the closest men. Then warded off the laser blasts with her sword, and how she used her shield at the exact right moment, to surround the rest of the men and they disintegrated themselves with their own weapons. “It was scary but amazing at the same time. Then as she released her shield the shockwave from their blasts knocked mom off her tayren and as she fell her shield saved her from completely falling.” I ended and saw how Bryden kept watching my mom as she looked down slowly nodding.
“It was nothing more than a mother’s instinct to protect her child.” She said as she glanced up at Bryden.
“Okay, but now we have the situation of finding the other explosives,” Derrik added as he was sitting listening to everything.
“King Derrik, the night of my birthday when my mother was injured from the blast, you said there was a technology that can detect explosives. That is true right?” I asked facing the screen.
“Yes, but the military has it.”
“Well we know we found the men on Cainya. How about getting the military a good work out and have them go and use this device to find the explosives?”
He looked at me, and I could tell he was thinking. “You know there is more than one device we could inform all military to go out and search. Shannon, where about was that first explosion?”
“It was in the center of the Golden Woods.” She replied.
He nodded, “Okay then I know we need to get men out there quickly before any more explosions go off. I think we all need to sit tight and let the military take this one.”
“Agreed,” Bryden said looking at my mother again as she looked up at him as well. He sure loves her, and that makes me very happy.
We were in the sitting room now discussing things. Kieran and Cedrick were with us. I was sitting next to Galen with his arm around me, with Bryden sitting next to my mother holding her protectively now. “Really hun, I am alright.” She said looking up at the man she loves.
He smiled at her, “Just let me hold you will you?”
She laughed as she realized he was using it as an excuse to hold her. “You know you don’t need an excuse to hold me.” My mother said snuggling closer to him.
I noticed Cedrick watching the banter and smiled. He leaned over and whispered something in Kieran’s ear, and she laughed softly. I looked at her, and she looked my way and smiled. Then I noticed she mouthing me, ‘Tell you later.’ I nodded slowly and smiled at her. We are all to have dinner here as it was getting late. It was also Bryden’s idea to have an explosion sweep on Valaisha and Kaihu as well. That group could have planted on all three worlds. I stood up and asked Kieran to accompany me to freshen up and together we walked chatting and laughing. Once out of earshot she began. “He whispered how like a normal family we all are. I think he feels as Royals we are supposed to be different.” She said with a small laugh, and I laughed with her.
“Well, I hope to see us as normal people, he can now relax,” I said walking into the guest room to freshen up. I picked up the hairbrush undid my braid and began to get the tangles out.
“I keep trying to tell him we are not formal and to relax. I feel in time he will. He just never grew up around Royalty as I have.”
“And you are now.” I reminded her.
“Yeah, that does take getting used to.”
“You are preaching to the choir now. Remember I was slowly getting used to being a princess when I get married and crowned Queen.” I reminded her as I put my hair up in a high ponytail.
“I hadn’t thought of that. I only see you now like my sister and your mom as my mom now.” She said as she picked up the brush to brush her long curly brown hair.
“My mom likes it when you call her mom,” I said smiling at her.
“How come you don’t call my dad, dad?” She asked braiding her hair and looking at me.
I had not realized, and to be honest, I have no idea why I don’t. She looked at me waiting for my reply. “I don’t know why.” I frowned. “It could be because I never had a father growing up and it is different for me.” I was feeling sad about that because now I do have a dad and if I was honest with myself, Bryden had always treated me with love as a father to a daughter. I felt tears sting my eyes as I realized this. We walked out, and everyone was standing getting ready to step into the dining room. I walked straight over to Bryden and hugged him, taking him by surprise.
He hugged me back. “What is this all about?” he asked me as I sniffled a little. “Hey, Rayna, Why the tears?”
“Because I never appreciated you.” I looked up and smiled. “Dad.” He stood there looking at me and hugged me tightly.
“You have always been more like a daughter to me,” he said, and it was then I vowed always to call him dad. For in my heart that is what he is.
I looked over at my mother, and she was dabbing her eyes with her hanky smiling. Then Galen walked up and extended his arm for me to take, and we all went in for dinner.
“Tell me, Cedrick, is it true that your ability is controlling fire?” My dad asked him as he took a bite of his meat.
“Uh, yes sir, that is true I can.”
“Call me Bryden, not sir. Can you give us a small demonstration with the candle?”
Cedrick almost c
hoked and took a sip of his drink. “Yes, sir…I mean Bryden.” He took his hand and placed it over the flame and suddenly took his hand away with the flame in his hand and he took his other hand and rounded it over the fire creating a fireball within his hand. My dad sat there nodding his head in approval then Cedrick with both hands shrunk the flame back and set it back on the candle wick.
“Impressive. Are you able to create fire bombs? And do you have to be near the fire to create it?” My dad asked still curious.
Cedrick snapped his fingers, and a flame appeared showing he does not need to be near the fire to create fire. “And yes si… Bryden, I can create a firebomb and much more.”
“Would you care to join us in our training?” dad took another bite of meat.
Cedrick smiled, “I would be very honored.”
Dad smiled. “Okay then be here in the morning at eight AM. I look forward to seeing what all you can do.”
I looked over at Kieran, and she was beaming from ear to ear all excited that dad was including her boyfriend.
After dinner, we sat in the sitting room, and it was planned that we are to stay the night in Valaisha for a full training session with Cedrick and Kieran. “So it is agreed then,” Dad said not taking a no for an answer.
My mother came back from her study. “They found three explosives in the forest and was able to disarm them. I invited Derrik and Kristana to train with us, and they are in for that.”
“Great so we should be able to get a good nights sleep.” And as if on cue Poor Galen let out a big yawn. “As I said,” Dad said and started to laugh, and we joined him even Cedrick.
He stood. “I should be going now. I will be here at eight o’clock sharp.”
Dad stood and shook his hand. “Glad to have you on board, son.”
Cedrick smiled. “Glad to be on board.”
Once in bed, Galen and I cuddled, and poor Galen was so tired he fell fast asleep. It seemed I just barely closed my eyes when a loud explosion shook the palace and everyone awake. We sat straight up and looked at each other. We got up and put on our bathrobes and ran out and met up with mom and dad up the stairs we opened the balcony doors and went out to look around.
Valaisha Defenders: An Incredible Fantasy (Gateway Trilogy Book 2) Page 13
