Guardian (Book Two of the Spirits' War Trilogy)

by K. V. Wilson

  I watch in horror as Elspeth’s teeth grow to sharp points and her long, bony nose sprouts even longer. Her eyes blaze with rage and her nostrils begin to emit a strong smoke that drifts overhead.

  “Elspeth!” Ramsey warns, glancing at the smoke detector. After a few seconds, it begins to buzz, and Ramsey stumbles off to find the switch. But that’s the least of me worries.

  “Ma’am. I did what I believed was right.”

  “You let an entire race die because of yer insolence!” the dragon roars, her voice coarse with reptilian rage.

  Elspeth’s skin transforms into the snug outline of ruby scales and her body lengthens so she towers above me. Ebony horns poke out the top of her head and I gasp as the rugged points make contact with the lighting fixture overhead. The chandelier bursts and shards of glass rain down around me as I feel a sharp claw dig into my chest, knocking me aside an’ pinning me body to the carpet. I can hear the surprised exclamations of Flint and MacLarty.

  “Elspeth!” Ramsey’s voice calls out frantically. “Calm yourself!”

  ‘Tis a little too late fer that, don’t ye think, Ramsey?

  “GET OUT OF ME HOUSSSE!” Elspeth roars, sending my heart into overdrive. Her claws tear maliciously through my tunic and into me skin, drawing blood. Elspeth sniffs at the air, a terrible smile stretching across her face. “How fragile we are when threatened, Mac Tíre. How very fragile indeed.” Her reptilian voice sends shivers down my spine.

  Get a hold of yerself, Mac Tíre. Ye can take her. Shift to bear form. Use the elements. Anythin’!

  I close me eyes, trying to drown out the sounds of crashing glass and the heat of Elspeth’s voice as she roars into me ear. I send a surge of electricity down through me fingertips as I press them to the dragon’s feet. Elspeth gasps as the lightning flows through her veins, and she relinquishes her hold upon me chest.

  Ye can’t fight fire with fire. But lightning is a sure substitute.

  “Elspeth!” Ramsey calls out again.

  The great scarlet dragon turns her head towards her husband with blinding speed. I use this moment to leap up from the floor and prepare meself to Shift. But something stops me in my tracks.

  Approaching spirits. Not one, but many.

  Me heart grows cold and I glance around the room for potential escape routes.

  “What?” the great she-dragon roars at her lover. Ramsey stands stone-cold in the corner. His eyes are on the door; he’s already sensed them.

  “We have company,” I tell Elspeth, nodding at the foyer. “An’ ye’d best be stayin’ in bestial form.”

  18

  UNEXPECTED GUESTS

  Aelshen

  “Get behind me!” I growl. “Elspeth, conceal yerself until we know who these blokes are.”

  “Like hell!” Ace cries. “We’re better off escaping through the back.”

  “They’ll have it guarded. Do as he says,” Flint hisses. Good lad.

  The giant crimson beast attempts to shove her body behind the love seat, eyes glistening as she regards the door with interest.

  “This is what we’re up againssst!” the dragon hisses. Her forked tongue tastes the air. “We stand no chance against their weaponsss.”

  I frown, not taking me eyes off the door. “What weapons?”

  Me question is soon answered as the door is burnt to a crisp before me very eyes. I plant my feet firmly on the carpet as the barrels of two monstrous guns cut through the haze, followed by two enormous men in black armoured suits. They wear heavy-lookin’ helmets with what look to be glass visors, but are probably a lot stronger than that.

  They’re dressed fer battle against dragons.

  “One more step,” I yell, stifling a cough as smoke billows down my airway, “and yer dead!”

  A chill encases me heart as the taller of the two men begins to laugh. “Are we, now?” He pays no heed to me warning, lifting his heavy boots as he steps over the carnage of the broken door.

  “Ye better be payin’ for that, intruders!” Elspeth roars from behind the love seat. The couch doesn’t aid her at all in concealing her vast bulk. But it’s no use – they already know who they’re up against.

  “Stand down and you may live.” The tall man’s promise is empty.

  We all know that’s not going to happen.

  “Who are you?” I narrow me eyes, hoping that their glow is enough to intimidate the soldiers at least a little bit. I take a deep breath, reaching for the earth’s energy to aid me.

  The man only smiles in response, lifting the barrel of his gun so it aims directly between me eyes.

  “Get the others to sssafety, Lycan,” Elspeth says.

  “Nay,” I tell her firmly. I turn to Ramsey, motioning for him to help the two boys escape. He nods in understanding, grabbin’ hold of their arms and pullin’ them into the kitchen.

  “I have to admit,” the tallest man says matter-of-factly, peering up into the fiery eyes of Elspeth, “I appreciate the care you’ve put into keeping your kind hidden.”

  He holds up a newspaper clipping – the same article that had led us here in the first place. Dragon-Ramsey’s scaled shape swims peacefully on the horizon of the Loch, oblivious to the fact that he’s led a whole SWAT team of dragon hunters right to his bloody doorstep.

  “Bet you thought you’d never see us again,” the soldier says in a gut-wrenching singsong voice. “Mac Tíre.”

  I raise me eyebrows in question. Who? Have I seen these men afore now? How do they know me title?

  As if he’s reading me flippin’ mind, the soldier smiles widely, quoting a passage I hadn’t heard in centuries.

  “‘The earth, opening his mouth after a most strange manner, devoured the magitian, who descended alive downe to Hell.’”

  Me stomach turns with the purest of terrors. Saint Patrick. He’s referencing Patercius, killer of the Druids.

  That thrice-cursed son of a goat.

  I release a charge of electricity towards the men, wincing as I hear the deafening shots ring out. The tall man’s bullet hits what’s left of the chandelier. I dodge the last shards of glass that rain down upon me, Elspeth, and our intruders. The shorter of the two soldiers manages to dodge my blast of lightning, but the tall one flops to the ground, his muscles spasming with electricity.

  Elspeth rears up on her haunches, swinging her claws at the soldiers. I grit me teeth as she grabs the smaller of the two, biting down upon the man’s helmet and sendin’ forth a surge of white-hot flames from her fiery core. The man’s arms are still wrapped tightly around his gun and he somehow manages to fire it. The force of impact makes Elspeth scream out in pain and she drops the soldier. To me utter astonishment, the man picks himself up and keeps shooting despite the flames that had engulfed his vulnerable body mere seconds ago. His armour is now tarnished with blackened soot from the encounter.

  “Mac Tíre!” Elspeth gasps, glancin’ around. I follow suit, noting that the other three have left the premises.

  I turn on the tall soldier just as he’s recovered from the shock of me lightning. I prepare to send another bout of energy towards him, but I instead dodge as he shoots at me. The bullets buzz as they bounce off the walls. My heart speeds up as I realize that more men have entered the room. The house is surrounded by angry spirits and ye can bet all of them are wearin’ fireproof armour.

  “Elspeth!” I spit as I stumble over the broken glass, sending out bursts of lightning and fire towards the new soldiers. I crouch down behind the she-dragon’s old crimson armchair, now torn to shreds by gunfire. “We need to go!”

  “We can take ‘em!” She roars, sending out a jet of flames at the soldiers. They fall back for a few seconds but leap up into the fight with fresh energy.

  “We…can’t!” I gasp.

  “For the Earth’s Covenant!” somebody cries in a rather cliché manner. “For the Saint!”

  As I glance back at the tall soldier, I can see his eyes shining through the glass of his mask. With a malicious half-
smile, he lifts up a new device – a two-pronged object of torture – and buries it deep into me arm before I have time to call upon the earth’s energy.

  “Mac…” Elspeth’s words fade into the fray as she struggles to leap on top of the soldiers. The great beast raises her head to the ceiling and expels a series of fireballs at the wood. It catches fire, rapidly reducing the room to ashes. “Get on!” she cries, jutting her chin at her scaly back.

  “Go! I can Shift meself!”

  I roar in pain, clenching me fists and preparing to take the man down once and fer all afore I make my getaway.

  But the energy won’t cooperate.

  “Dealanaich!” I gasp, calling to the lightning. “Mo chreach!”

  I curse as I realize the weapon the soldier has just stuck into me skin has reduced my power to that of a mortal. Blood spurts from me arm.

  “Get on!” Elspeth hisses again through the clang of bullets. I cry out as one of them hits my leg, rendering it useless.

  The dragon releases more jets of flame, swinging her head in an arc so as to blind the soldiers. She crouches down and I hoist meself onto her back, gritting me teeth through the pain and clinging on fer dear life as the old woman beats down with her wings.

  Elspeth’s body surges up and through the broken ceiling, crashing through the roof of the attic beyond. A multitude of angry gunfire follows, sending the quiet Scottish lakeside into a cacophonous fray.

  The Knights of Saint Patrick have returned after all those centuries. They’ve come fer me.

  An’ this time they have the Covenant to back them up.

  PART TWO

  DISCIPLINE

  Ní bhíonn an rath ach mar a mbíonn an smacht.

  There is no luck except where there is discipline.

  ~ Irish Proverb

  19

  RUNT

  Skye

  I ran my fingers over the rope, admiring my handiwork. The reeds had been strong, but not strong enough to withstand the deer – or whatever it was – that had collided with the line.

  I fastened the rope around the tree branch, draping the soggy garments back over its length. I ignored the patches of mud on the skins. It wasn’t my fault they had fallen. At this rate, they would never be dry, especially because the clouds overhead had begun to drizzle. I was almost tempted to summon a small flame to do the work for me, but that would not do. Someone might see it. I grunted with annoyance, whispering a curse.

  “Eynaang animals!”

  And more importantly, eynaang Sehwen. If it weren’t for him, I would not have to hide my true nature like this. I would have to have a word with Father; I was an ancient spirit, a Guardian of my people. I was meant to help them, not hide from them.

  The sudden sensation of a spirit in close proximity made me glance up. I felt my cheeks grow hot as I recognized the soul it belonged to.

  “Ru-Sejka. I thought I would find you here.”

  I nodded, unable to form the words. How was it that a being who knew fifty languages could become so speechless?

  “I didn’t see you on the hunt, so I thought I should make sure you were all right.”

  “I am fine,” I mumbled as I adjusted one of the skins, biting my tongue.

  “Sejka...” Xunnu gave me a sideways look.

  I gazed at him out of the corner of my eye. “You should not be here. Go find your brother and mine. They will be missing you. Your father—”

  Xunnu let out an exasperated sigh. “If I could change my heritage, I would.”

  I gave him a small smile. He reached down, grasping the corner of one of the muddy skins.

  “There has got to be a better way to do this,” the young man told me, wrinkling his nose.

  “There is always a better way. Trust me,” I said through gritted teeth.

  “You will have to wash these again.” He grinned. “They’re covered in dirt.”

  “I noticed.”

  “Yes—” Xunnu’s words were suddenly drowned out – literally – as a jet of cold water appeared out of thin air, splashing him across the face. He gasped in surprise, peeling the hair out of his eyes. I lunged forward, grabbing the skin from his soaked fingers. I bit my lip, rubbing the mud out of the hide while eyeing him warily.

  “Squeaky clean.”

  The young man tilted his head in confusion; he was unfamiliar with that saying. Then he took a step towards me, eyes smiling. “Oh, you better run!”

  I burst into laughter as Xunnu reached for my arm. I dropped the skin and started jogging into the forest.

  “Be careful, Xunnu!” I gasped. “I have fire and I am not afraid to use it!”

  “You wouldn’t dare!”

  I turned my head, sticking my tongue out. “Try me!”

  But Xunnu was no longer behind me. I slowed my steps, scanning the trees for any sign of my friend. The breath was suddenly knocked out from my chest as a huge weight descended upon me.

  “Oof!”

  I winced as my body was pressed against a nearby tree in a flash of movement and colour. I stumbled upon the roots, nearly slipping on the moss below. A hand grasped mine tightly, pulling me to my full height. Xunnu’s eyes glinted with mischief as they met mine. Though he was trying to hide it, he was breathing as heavily as I was.

  “Did you mean it?” he asked.

  I struggled to keep my heart from surging into my throat. I was suddenly aware that my palm had become sodden with sweat, still fully ensconced within Xunnu’s strong grip. I hoped he would not notice.

  “Mean what?”

  His gaze became distant as he searched my eyes for answers. When a Spiritborne felt a strong connection to the natural world or to another living being, the earth’s energy made her eyes shine with the light of the universe itself. I was certain that Xunnu knew this by now. My eyes were betraying me; they were showing Xunnu what he had hoped to see.

  The shapeshifter glanced down at his hand, still wrapped tightly around mine. “Did you mean what you said before? That you cannot risk it?”

  I trained my gaze upon the moss below. He wanted to know if I wanted to risk loving him. But the truth was, I already did.

  “I...”

  “It is alright, Sejka.” He met my eyes once again, and I felt my heart surge. “But one word from you, and I will do it. You know I would.”

  He meant that he would leave his family to be with me. We would venture out into the unknown together, where no one would be there to tell us what we could and could not do.

  “My...my father,” I stumbled on my words. “And Koyah. I don’t want to leave them.”

  He smiled. “We are shapeshifters. We can sneak back in and see them whenever we like.”

  I turned away, pulling my hand from his grasp. “What about your destiny as chieftain? What about Xáan? You cannot leave your brother with—”

  “Sehwen may be a terrible father, but Xáan loves him and admires him like a god,” Xunnu stated, his eyes growing dark. “And Xáan grows strong. He is valued by the tribe. My father knows this. He would not harm my brother.”

  I shut my eyes and played with the leathers that held my braids in place. I felt a tear break free and I focused on it as it trailed down my cheek. The harmless drizzle of rain turned into a steady release, and soon more drops joined the tear on my face. I didn't bother to wipe them away.

  I whispered, “Life is cruel.”

  He nodded brusquely, taking a step back. “If you change your mind, I will always be here for you,” he said quietly, brushing the hair out of his face and over his shoulder.

  He suddenly looked so much like his father. He looked like the arrogant leader who had made this life between us impossible. I gulped and took a deep breath. And then I took hold of the shapeshifter’s hand again, taking a step towards him and skimming his cheek with my lips. A wave of emotion passed between us, but it was short-lived.

  “Xunnu!” an angry voice cut through the silence, making us jump.

  “Father,” Xunnu mumbled, bowin
g his head. I did the same, tension rocketing through my limbs as the chieftain stumbled through the underbrush. If Sehwen had seen it all, if he had heard what we said…

  “What are you doing with this low-life?” Sehwen snarled. His piercing gaze bored into my soul.

  “Don’t,” Xunnu breathed, and I glanced up as the young man met his father’s gaze. “Do not call her that.”

  “It is fine,” I whispered to Xunnu, but he paid no heed.

  “Get away from here!” Sehwen spat at me. I clenched my fists, feeling fire rising in my heart.

  Keep it inside. For the love of the First Guardian, do not let out that fire.

  Xunnu gulped. “Father…”

  Sehwen whirled upon his eldest son. “And you! You knew to keep away from this freak of nature! This pathetic girl. Infused with the Sickness just like her mother!”

  I glared at the elder shapeshifter, the glorious leader of our tribe. Of course, by ‘Sickness’ he meant that my mother had gone feral. It had been the death of her. And who better to demonstrate such an affinity for the wild than her very own daughter, the Guardian herself?

  “No wonder poor Koyah has become distant from you,” Sehwen snarled, facing me once more. “All you have brought upon your family is hardship!”

  My ears prick at the sound of more footsteps. “It’s true,” Xáan sneered, appearing beside his father. “Koyah tires of your company, runt.”

  I felt a growl rising in my throat, but I did my best to suppress it.

  Koyah.

  My brother was spending more and more time in bear form. More and more time with Xunnu’s younger brother. He would not talk to me anymore, for what was there to talk about? He did not understand what I was going through. He never would.

  “Xáan, Xunnu,” Sehwen began, his voice chiding but not harsh, “you are to stay far away from this family. Even Koyah. They are riddled with weakness and sickness.”

  Xáan’s jaw dropped. “But…”

  “Sejka,” Xunnu whispered, “do you want to show my father?”