The Guardian

by Quinn Arthurs

  “Great and noble?” I snorted. “I just want to make enough money to make sure my rent is paid on time and not have to eat ramen every day.”

  “Oh for —” Onyx cut off, tossing his hands in the air. “Stop beating around the issue. She’s as dense as a brick.” He turned to face me, his dark eyes alight with fury. “There’s only one child who fits your description, a child from prophecy. You’re the lost heir to the fae throne, and you need to save your people. The magic is wrong though. You have no ability to do this. We need a hero, not some whining, useless human.”

  4

  It felt as though I had had all the air knocked out of me, and I struggled to breathe, refusing to give in to the darkness that tickled at the edge of my vision. “You all think that I’m some kind of hero? Some prophesied princess?”

  Reed nodded, a smile on his lips. “Guardians have been training for centuries, hidden away in their groups, hoping to be called. We’re all told the story when we’re called to this life, told of the one who can reunite the land and free us from her rule. How the chosen one’s Guardians will be called to her, and when she claims them as her mates, they will unleash a power unlike anything either of our worlds have ever seen.”

  “Enough with this soulmate stuff.” I squeezed my eyes shut trying to block that section of his words from my brain. I glanced from a seething Onyx to a resigned Terran. “You can’t believe this, can you? I’m a no one. I’m not a warrior. There’s no such thing as soulmates.” The three of them winced.

  “It does fit.” Terran almost seemed pleading, his hands held out open in front of him.

  “Look, forget the prophecy,” I snapped at them. “Is there any other reason my spell would have called Guardians?”

  Reed seemed to consider my question for a moment. “You are untrained. You pushed pure magic out into your call, magic no doubt touched with fear, anger, and sorrow over the loss of your mother.” I was grateful that he at least was giving some thought into what I was saying.

  “So Guardians, that’s what you are.” I was trying to wrap my head around everything, to sort out any answer that didn’t include me being royalty. I knew enough from movies to know that being a hidden princess was a good way to end up on someone’s kill list.

  “We protect those in need.” Onyx’s voice was steely. “It is what we are called to do. It is an honor to be chosen by the magic as a Guardian. Many Guardians are called simply to teach the next generation, most will never have a charge in their lifetime.”

  “If the magic heard my need, isn’t it possible that it called you for that? Not because I have some great destiny?”

  The three were silent, considering what I’d asked. “The magic isn’t logical, not the way we are as beings.” Reed seemed to be debating with himself. “However, it doesn’t err either, not truly. Guardians are called to those in need, yes, there’s no question. Only those souls that match can answer the call. Its why charges are so rare.”

  "This is a seriously messed up system," I grumbled, rubbing at the ache the was pounding in my forehead. "I don't understand it. Why are Guardians only chosen to protect their soulmates?"

  "Guardians can only be specifically called by their soulmates," Terran explained, exasperation beginning to edge his voice. "As I said, this is going to be mountains of information for you. I'm more interested in knowing how you exist at all, and why your mother would have chosen to hide you away from your people."

  I hesitated, considering. "She was always afraid. So very afraid." My hands clenched into fists. "I assumed she was insane." I kept my chin up, refusing to back down from my own self-loathing at having been so cruel and closed-minded to the woman who raised me. "There was never any proof, only fear and sickness and stories."

  "This is getting us nowhere." Onyx's tone was clipped. "We must research, see if there's a way to remove our bond to her."

  "Bond to me?" The horrified words were a squeak.

  "It's how he could transport you. Close your eyes, Tori," Reed softly encouraged. "You'll be able to feel it inside you. The place where you feel your magic? The warmth, the sense of self that's there? It's tied now, to us."

  Panic scratched up my spine, and I fought the urge to run. I didn't want to be tied to anyone, for any reason. I had spent my entire life tied to another person. I just wanted a chance to find out who I was, to live a normal life. I couldn't resist the need to see if he was right though. I blew out a breath, sucked in another as I focused hard, letting myself feel. Dread pooled in my stomach when I realized he was right.

  "Undo this. Please." I wasn't one to beg, but I couldn't stand this. Everything at this point was simply too much.

  "We will figure this out. We'll speak to the Ancients." Terran's attempt to soothe me made me want to roll my eyes. It was as though he spoke an entirely different language than I did, and he had absolutely no idea how confused I really was.

  "I just need to go home." The words were soft, but they felt as though they were tugged from deep inside of me, the desperation clear.

  "I'm sorry, Tourmaline. You cannot return to the human world yet." Terran pushed to his feet and paced to where Onyx stood, and Reed joined them. "This room is warded. Rest. Read." Terran indicated the bookshelves on the far wall that nearly groaned under the weight of book after book stacked precariously on their surfaces.

  "There's a bath and a bedroom through there." Terran motioned toward doorways placed throughout the side of the room. "We will be back soon. If you have need of us in the meantime, you only need to say our names. One of us will be here." His eyes were soft, a direct contrast to his giant size and heavily muscled frame. "No harm will come to you here." Terran turned, motioning for Onyx and Reed to follow as he left the room.

  Reed paused, sending me a small smile. "We'll figure this out. I'll make sure of it. Think of this as a vacation, a way to get to know your ancestry." He nodded again to the bookcases, that soft smile playing over his full lips.

  I was too worn out after today to do more than stare vacantly as the latch clicked shut behind him. Though it had merely been hours since I had found my mother after my evening shift, gotten her to the hospital and handled her death, and then been kidnapped by faeries, it seemed to have lasted a year. My body -- and my mind -- were calling for a break. I was hesitant to sleep in an environment I wasn’t comfortable in, but they had assured me I was safe here. At the moment, I had to take their word for it.

  A basket near the chair caught my eye where a soft, purple blanket spilled out of it pooling slightly on the floor. Exhaustion tugged at me, and I couldn’t resist the lure of the blanket, snagging it from the basket and curling into a ball on the couch. I would just rest my eyes for a few minutes, and then I’d figure out what I was going to do with my life now.

  My mom’s face filled my dreams, her laughter still seeming to echo in the room as I pulled myself awake. I swiped at the tears streaming down my cheeks, the wall I had tried to put around my emotions breaking down in my dreams. I pushed from the couch, grabbing and folding the blanket to put back in the basket, before approaching the little table that still held the pieces of the ritual. I picked up my mother’s picture, tears still pricking at my eyes as I stroked a finger down her cheek, wishing I had something else of hers to hold onto.

  “Why didn’t you try harder to show me it was real, Mom?” I sniffled, wiping again at my overflowing eyes. “You let me think the worst of you. We could have had so much more together.” My voice cracked on the last word, and I shoved her picture away from me, unable to bear to look at it at the moment. I scooped the other pieces of the altar into the bag, setting it aside to deal with at another time. I wasn’t sure if one of the men would need it to help them figure things out, so I was hesitant to just dispose of the pieces.

  I squared my shoulders, breathing out deeply before turning back to face the room. Grief could be dealt with later. I needed to understand what I was dealing with here in the present. I’d have a lifetime to handle this reg
ret and mourn my mother. I couldn’t find answers or make a plan if I was crying and distracted. If I was able to work without sleep or food during bad days, I would deal with this as well. I wasn’t sure how long I had slept but I was a little more clear headed than I had been before I laid down.

  I stepped around the lushly appointed tables and chairs, nearly rolling my eyes at the waste that lay in front of me. I was sure that the shiny, incandescent pieces that edged the table and the graceful wooden arms of the chairs were actually jewels. I couldn't resist splaying my fingers over them, and shock nearly had me stumbling backward as they warmed to my touch. Definitely gemstones.

  My world had blown in up and I was left reeling, unable to find a grasp on anything. Part of me wanted to search for them, to continue demanding answers, but I got the feeling that they truly didn't have any. If that was the case, then I would need to try to find out on my own. One way or another, I was going home. I was finally going to live my life the way I had planned.

  I cast a quick glance toward the door, unsure if I wanted the three to see me exploring or testing my limits here. While they had been kind — well, except for Onyx — they had still taken me from my home and exposed me to a werewolf attack. Not exactly the best way to make a first impression on a girl. They were hot, though. The errant thought niggled at the back of my brain, and I swore. It didn't matter that they were hot. Hell, they weren't even human!

  My stomach tightened, mimicking the band of pain in my forehead, as I realized that there was a possibility that I wasn't truly human either. I stroked my fingers across the stones again, enjoying the warmth they cast, the way they helped to ease the tug of dread, fear, and doubt that was knotted deeply inside me.

  I flopped onto the chair, humming lightly to myself as I tried to name each of the stones that was embedded. Apparently not all of my mother's lessons had slid like water off of me, as I was able to recall one name after the next. Only a few had me stumped, and I was relieved to find that the exercise had left me calmer.

  They had said that I was welcome to explore and research, and that was exactly what I was going to do. I didn't need Guardians. I had taken care of myself for more years than I wanted to count, and I could continue taking care of myself without the interference of three pretty-boy magical beings. I perused the shelves, frustrated when I realized that the majority of the books were in languages I didn't know.

  I found one on crystals and happily tugged it out and hugged it to my chest. Working with my mother's crystals and stones had really been the one part of her “magic” I had connected with. I’d enjoyed the textures and colors, the sensation of the cool stone underneath my fingertips and the way they helped me to focus, my thoughts solely on their colors and my enjoyment of them.

  I pulled books aside, careful not to knock over the precarious stacks and towers that had been built. Someone either read quite a bit and felt no need to replace their works, or these shelves simply hadn't been utilized for much more than making sure the massive quantity of books didn't litter the floor.

  "Oh!" The click of a door and the single squeaked word was my only warning, and I whirled to face whomever was intruding on my prison. A slender young woman gaped at me from the wide frame, her hand pressed to her chest in what appeared to be shock, or even fear. Ash blonde hair fell in a messy tumble to nearly her waist, and her amethyst eyes were wide in her pale face. The tips of her ears poked through the cascade of blonde, indicating that she, too, must be a faerie.

  "Who are you?" I held the book in my hand tightly, my arm tensed should I need to use it to defend myself. The woman didn't look like a threat, but I had already realized I couldn't take anything here at face value.

  "River." She spoke so low it was nearly a whisper and I blinked, not quite sure if I had heard her correctly.

  "Uh, what are you doing here?" My bravado was rapidly failing me, uncertainty leaking in as I continued to inspect the fragile looking creature in front of me.

  "I work here. I am sorry, madam, Onyx has never brought guests to his chamber before. With he and his fellow Guardians still barricaded in the Ancient's study, I assumed I could clean." Her words bubbled over and around each other, and a niggling thought had me wondering if her way of speaking was part of the reason she had received her name.

  "Huh." Curiosity warred with indecision, and I kept my grip tight on my makeshift weapon. "So, you're a servant?"

  I softened slightly, taking a step away from her and hoping I didn't appear quite as frightening, though why a faerie would be intimidated by me I had no idea. I had cleaned enough office buildings and homes where people had tried to lord their power over me; glaring, watching my every move, using unsubtle looks or noises to ensure I knew that I wasn't of the same worth as them.

  "Well, if the room needs cleaning, I can attend to it. I'm not sure that Onyx..." I resisted the urge to sneer as I said his name. "...wanted anyone else in here."

  Air swirled around me, whipping my hair across my eyes, before Reed stepped from thin air, a blade of water held between his outstretched hands. I squeaked in shock and no little amount of fear, stumbling backward away from the weapon. Reed didn't spare me a glance, however, his only focus on the girl at the door.

  "River?" Confusion spread across his face, his sharp, green eyes assessing the situation before turning to me. "Why did you call?"

  I stared at him blankly. "Call?"

  "You called Onyx's name." Reed continued to brandish his water blade, his gaze jumping from one part of the room to the next as though searching for a foe. "We thought something had happened."

  "Oh, for the love of..." I trailed off, dropping my book onto the coffee table that looked as though it was made of a solid piece of oak. If the resounding thunk that sounded was any indication, I wasn't too far off. "I simply said his name when I was talking to her." I indicated the woman now shaking like a leaf, her face so pale it was nearly translucent. "I didn't call anyone."

  Considering Reed didn't seem to consider her a threat, I pushed around him, taking her hand and leading her to a seat before she could pass out. "Are you all right?" I rubbed at the girl's back, patting gently in the hopes of offering some semblance of calm. "Put that thing away, why don't you?" I snapped the words towards Reed, looking pointedly at the blade he still held. "You obviously don't plan on using it on her, and all you're succeeding in doing is frightening her and irritating me."

  All right, he was sort of frightening me too. I figured it was justified in this instance though. Not many people would be completely calm if they were suddenly face to face with a sword, let alone one made of water.

  "I am sorry, Reed." Her bubbling voice broke the silence, a quaver still running through it. "I was not aware I could not perform my chores today."

  "Why can't you do your chores?" The blade had disappeared, no trace of it or any stray droplets of water remaining. The girl glanced at me, and I clicked my tongue.

  "No one told her I would be in here. I startled her and told her she probably shouldn't clean without permission."

  "Do you not want company?" Reed still appeared confused, and I began to wonder exactly how much contact he had with anyone other than Onyx and Terran. He appeared to be perpetually confused by basic interactions.

  "You said I was protected here. I was shocked to see anyone enter the room, since none of you made it seem like there was anyone else here. I didn't mean to call for you, or anyone else." I stood straight, staring Reed down. I felt a little bad for it, he appeared more confused than anything, his brow wrinkled, strands of his soft red hair falling into his eyes, and my fingers itched to push them back behind his ears. "I think River and I can sort this out amongst ourselves." I sent her a soft smile as she sucked in a breath, and I squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

  "You aren't a prisoner here, Tourmaline," Reed murmured as he brushed past me, heading to the exit. "The room here is comfortable, and until we are able to show you around it seemed wisest to have you in one place where
you were easy to find and ward." He glanced at River, then back at me. "River can get you anything else you may need. Please try to be a little more careful with your words. I now have to go calm down Terran and Onyx, before they come charging in here themselves to ensure I was able to dispatch any threat." Reed strode from the room, letting the door slam shut behind him.

  "Men, huh?" I offered to River with a wry smile. "How would you feel about helping me continue my research?"

  5

  "I'd be happy to help, madam, with anything you need." River's color was coming back to her cheeks, which was a distinctive relief. I wasn't sure if I was able to perform CPR on a fae, and I wasn't quite sure I wanted to try, either.

  "First, let's drop the madam," I suggested, giving her a smile. If I had to guess, I would put her around my own age, in her early twenties. I had no idea how the fae aged; however, I was willing to hazard a guess that she was much older than she appeared. "You can call me Tori."

  "Tori." River surprised me with a sharp nod. I was relieved she at least wasn't going to give me hell about my name. "Are you a new Guardian?" She rose from the chair, heading to where I had tossed the large tome on crystals. "I hadn't heard that we had a new recruit in the building, but of course the maids aren't exactly informed of such things."

  "Don't I know it," I muttered, joining her. "I'm not exactly a Guardian. I'm just..." I trailed off, unsure of exactly how to phrase it. "Visiting."

  "An emissary!" She seemed to be quite excited, clapping her hands together, her laughter soft as bells pealing around us. I could only gape. No wonder humans told stories of the fae. Just her laughter was magical. I wondered why I had missed those qualities, if I was partially fae. It really didn't seem quite fair. "We haven't had a witch emissary in ages, not since before Terran and Reed were called to join Onyx. Oh, this is so exciting!"