The Guardian

by Quinn Arthurs

  "Magic killed her?" I was shaking now, though I pulled from Terran's warm embrace. I couldn't face this being held. If something had indeed happened to my mother, I would handle it. "How does that make it murder? I mean, you said she had magic; it was how she was able to keep me hidden."

  "Her own magic would not have harmed her," Reed explained, light shimmering around his hands. I wondered if he was doing it on purpose, using his magic for some function or another, or if it was an instinctual reaction to his irritation and the panic Onyx had incited by appearing in battle gear. "While magic can be blown back against you, as you have found out with Birch, your own magic is as much a part of you as your blood."

  "So, someone else used magic on her?" Fury roared through me and the heat inside of my chest built, battling against the ache there.

  "You need to remain calm." Onyx snapped the order, his eyes finally flying to mine. "Unless you would like me to finish my story at a later time or you intend to injure one of us, calm your thoughts."

  I glanced down to see my own hands wreathed in light, sparks flying from my fingertips to hiss and crackle, scorching the floor in front of me. My eyes widened as I stared at the magic dancing across my hands the way I had seen it dance on theirs, both frightening and powerful.

  I growled, wanting to scream at him, demand answers. I didn't want to be calm, I could be calm later. After I took apart whomever had dared to hurt my mother. Onyx stayed still, his stormy grey eyes holding mine. He would do it, I realized. Refuse to speak another word until I regained control of myself. I breathed in, trying to find where the power was flowing from me so that I could bring it back inside.

  "Focus on relaxing your muscles," Terran instructed behind me, his voice a low rumble in my ear. "Breathe the tension out; let it sink away from you. As you relax the muscles, breathe in, and breathe your light in with it." He pressed his hands into my shoulders, rubbing the stiff muscle. I tightened more on instinct and he withdrew his hand.

  A part of me was sorry for the loss of the warmth and the massage, but I wasn't comfortable yet with the idea of these men who were still essentially strangers touching me so intimately. I breathed in again, trying to mimic his suggestions. Slowly, the sparks began to fade, and though the glow remained, the color was pale, nearly a pastel, rather than the bright, aching neon it had been prior.

  "Good job," Terran praised. I merely nodded my thanks, focusing solely on Onyx and the answers only he held.

  "There. Your demands are met. Finish it." My tone was husky, my throat tight with fear and anger. It had been one thing to consider that my mother had been taken from me by an illness, something her body simply couldn't fight. She rarely took care of herself, so while shocking in its speed, I hadn't been exactly surprised. She had frequently been sick when I was growing up and taking care of her had been just one more duty on my list. The idea that someone had purposefully taken her from me, however, was something I wasn't equipped to handle.

  "Her body resisted me when I tried to move it. She had warding carved into her, warding against both fae and witch alike." Reed and Terran hissed at Onyx's announcement, so I figured this wasn't a common method. "Someone found her, though, even with the extensive wards. Her magic was corrupted; the echo of it still existed."

  "Will you try and at least speak in English?" Onyx bore the brunt of my frustration as I roared the words at him. I understood only half of what he said, and now was not the time for him to be messing with me. I wanted actual answers, not to listen in while he described it to the rest of the waiting room.

  "Someone poisoned her with magic." Terran's voice was hot with anger, matching the heat inside of me. "It corrupted her own magic, ate into her body like a cancer." I thought back to her dizzy spells, her constant aches, her shortness of breath. Could this have been the reason for her sicknesses all along?

  "Couldn't she have done something about it if it was magic though? I don't know, shielded or something?" I cast desperate eyes around the room, hoping maybe there was some other answer, an answer that didn't involve my mother dying at someone else's whim.

  "First rule of magic, Tori." Reed spoke up. "There is always someone out there with stronger magic than you. If you rely solely on your own strength, you will most likely fail. It is why Guardians are almost always in groups. We know the sole Guardians are far more likely to die, and it encourages us to think outside of ourselves."

  "Birch learned that lesson himself today," Terran pointed out. "As a sole Guardian, hubris has always been an issue for him. He never would have believed anyone who wasn't a Guardian stood a chance against him, that he was the ultimate warrior. Even the best warriors fall though."

  "Can you tell anything from the magic that remains?" Reed asked Onyx, tapping his fingers against his thigh in irritation.

  Onyx shook his head, grimacing his disgust. "I can tell you it's a mix of magics. It's improbable, though it looks as though both fae and witch magic infected her. I'm unable to tell whether it was done at the same time, or if she was simply the recipient of so many hexes and curses that both types of magics intertwined in her system."

  "Why?" Forcing out the question was nearly the same as swallowing broken glass. My throat was raw and sore; it hurt to simply breathe. "Why her?"

  "We will find out, Tourmaline." Terran's words were edged with steel, his convictions as sharp as the sword still resting in Onyx's hand. "We will do everything in our power to get answers for you."

  "For now, let us lay her to rest." Reed stepped forward, inclining his head. "I promise we will care for her."

  Onyx's sharp eyes turned to River. "See that she rests for now. Between magic usage and everything else that has occurred over the past two days, her body will give out shortly. I believe she's running solely on anger and willpower at the moment."

  He may have been right, but I wasn’t going to admit that to him. He turned steely eyes back to me, staring at me hard. "No more excursions for the moment. Stay in these rooms. We will put extra warding on the doors when we leave." Onyx paused, pursing his lips for a moment before continuing, as though he debated whether to continue speaking. "It is not a far stretch to believe if someone, or multiple someones, would be interested in harming your mother they would be interested in harming you as well. This only increases in possibility when we consider your untrained state and the fact that you have already been attacked once. Be smart. Stay where we can care for you."

  I wanted to object on principle, but even though he called me a fool, I didn't want to actually be one. I knew I was at the end of my rope, physically and emotionally. Even if for just a few hours, I needed to let them step up and fulfill their promise to keep me safe.

  "Be gentle with her?" I asked Reed, instinctively feeling that he'd understand. The last rites were done, I knew it was just her body being placed to rest in the earth and she couldn't feel anything, but I still had to ask. This was a final thing I could do for her, send her to the rest she wanted, with true peace.

  Terran and Onyx headed for the door, and I allowed River to guide me down the hall, maneuvering me gently into a large bedroom. At the click of the lock I sagged, nearly toppling over without River's quick reflexes and strong hands.

  "It is grating when one of the males is correct," River began, letting me lean on her as we made our way to the bed that looked velvety soft and thick as a cloud. "However, in this case, it is probably best not to fight them. Rest. Heal. There is plenty of time to figure this out.” I murmured my agreement, falling face-first into the silky duvet that smelled faintly of lavender. "Sleep, Tori. We're watching over you." Her words acted as a lullaby, sending me into sleep without more than a thought.

  The light, sweet notes of a flute woke me, and I blinked away the grit from my eyes. Surprisingly, I wasn't disoriented, instead I felt at home in this space, in a way that I had rarely experienced before. I wondered if it was a side effect of using my magic or if I was simply superficial enough to appreciate the beautiful rooms. It probab
ly didn't matter either way. I pulled myself free of the tangle of blankets, relieved that I no longer felt shaky or sore. Energy coursed through me, making me feel nearly as bubbly as River's voice. The shadows were long now, the sun mostly set. I assumed I had slept for several hours, at least.

  I made my way into the living room, pausing to watch Reed as he played the tiny flute he held in his hands. I was completely enthralled by the sweet, fluid sounds he seemed to be creating with ease. He was lost in the music, his fingers sliding confidently over the instrument as he played the haunting tune. His red hair fell in a tumble, as though he had been raking his fingers through it, and his eyes were closed preventing me from seeing the green of his eyes. No lines marred his face at the moment, he seemed to be completely at peace, enjoying the music that he created with his own kind of magic. The final tones echoed through the room as he pulled the flute from his lips and turned to face me.

  "We'll have to work on your ability to move silently." The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile and my mouth went dry. I bit my tongue, refusing to let myself focus on how cute he was — how cute they all were, really. I didn't need the distraction of a man, especially not one with magical powers. Human men were hard enough to deal with, I couldn't imagine one who could curse me if I pissed him off, though I assumed I'd be able to curse him in return. This was all so complicated, and I was going to end up giving myself a headache again trying to sort through the intricacies of this realm.

  "There's a lot of things we'll need to work on," I admitted, stretching slightly and balancing on my toes as I tried to work blood back into my muscles. "How long have I been out?"

  "About a day," Reed murmured as he slid the flute into a protective case before tucking it away into a pocket. I blinked, sure I had heard him incorrectly.

  "Did you say a day?" I had never slept that long, even if I had the flu. Between the amount of work always in front of me and my propensity for nightmares, sleep wasn't exactly an easy commodity for me to come by.

  "It isn't unusual for someone who used that much magic to need days to recover, especially if they're untrained." Reed sat back, sprawling an arm over the back of the couch and propping up his long legs in front of him with a sigh. "It's one of the reasons Guardians train as much as we do. We learn to utilize our powers without draining ourselves, to have a solid grasp on how much power will drain us, and to work our magic like a muscle so that it can put up with more."

  "That's a bit inconvenient and, well, dangerous though, isn't it? Having to sleep for so long? What if you're in the middle of a fight or something?"

  "Then you better have back up, or you die." Onyx's words were blunt, and I turned to where he was framed in the doorway.

  I cursed myself when my eyes strayed to the well-defined muscles of his abdomen clearly emphasized by the tight fit of his silken shirt and the way he leaned. I was sure he was doing it on purpose, especially when I caught the small smirk that graced his mouth when I purposefully dragged my eyes to his.

  "Enjoy your naptime?" The words were offered with a sneer, and I desperately wanted to flip him off.

  "Onyx." Terran appeared behind him, clamping a hand onto his shoulder, the word and gesture a clear warning. His face was pale under the tan of his skin, the lines were carved deeply into the corners of his eyes and his mouth and dark, sunken circles rimmed his brown eyes. "I'm glad to see you rested, Tori."

  "Thanks." I shifted, uncomfortable with so much attention on me at once. I had no idea where River had disappeared to, but I hoped she'd return sooner rather than later and help to present herself as a distraction to these guys.

  "If you are ready, we will begin your training." Terran phrased it as an offer, though I realized it was probably closer to a command. He seemed to always be in charge, though I hadn't quite worked out their group dynamics.

  "What's first?"

  "First, Terran's going to get some sleep," Onyx interrupted, shooting a glare at his fellow Guardian. "He has been up for days straight attempting to get answers." I winced at the idea that I had slept for so long while they had been studiously working. Terran arched a brow as though he wanted to object to Onyx's statement, but a yawn broke the silence before any words could.

  "Fine. Be careful, though," Terran muttered grudgingly. He performed a quick bow in my direction, much to my surprise, before he left for his rest.

  "So, what's on the agenda then? More crystal work?" I glanced at Reed, hoping that was where we were heading.

  "Oh, don't look at him, little one. For this, you're mine." Onyx made his reply with a grin, and I could only gulp in response.

  10

  My gaze shot back to Reed, unsure if Onyx was being serious. I felt guilty at the hot little thrill that ran through me at his commanding words, when I knew all I should want to do is slap him for the innuendo. Reed merely continued to laze on my couch, green eyes blinking slowly as though he was lost deep in thought.

  "Where's River?" I hedged, uncertain if I wanted to follow the imposing fae to whatever nefarious plans he had for me. From the smirk on his lips, I was fairly sure I wouldn't enjoy whatever those plans were.

  "River is not your Guardian. We are." Onyx gave an elegant shrug. "It is our job to train you. River may be useful in teaching you about the way we live here so that you can learn the differences between the magic community and humans. That is not the lessons you need to be currently concerned about. Your social life is not my concern right now. Keeping you alive is."

  Anger at his easy dismissal of both River and me rippled through my body, and I felt the magic swell inside. The heat drawing up within me warmed my hands, my magic itching for me to release it.

  "I think I showed in the dining area that I'm fairly capable of looking after myself." My stomach growled then, reminding me that it had been two days since my last meal. I was surprised I felt as together as I did after sleeping for that long. Maybe magic wasn't all bad if it meant intense power naps.

  "You handled one second-rate Guardian who severely underestimated you. While it is a role I suggest playing up, as most will not expect a female to have great power, it cannot be your only means of defense."

  "I'm sure there are plenty of kickass females here," I snapped at him.

  He merely arched a brow, unfazed by my outburst. "Females are not usually chosen to be Guardians. Some females you see will fall into the role of teacher or mentor, and many are extremely skilled in multiple branches of magic, but they are not Guardians."

  I snorted my disgust. "Great, so the Fae Realm is just as misogynist as the humans."

  "In some ways," Reed admitted from behind me. "There are fewer females born to magic-users, which of course greatly skews that data. Additionally, Guardians are chosen. We are picked by a combination of magic, skill, and simple fate."

  "You really believe that?" I wasn't sure whether to be skeptical of his statement or merely shocked at the innate faith in it. He shrugged in response, unwilling to delve deeper into the theoretical conversation at the moment.

  "Whatever your leanings," Onyx interjected, irritation beginning to creep into his voice, "they, again, are not my concern. You have proven to have incredibly strong magic. The Ancients say that you are chosen, that you will be a Guardian. I tried to sway their decision, yet they have the same belief that Reed does in fate and the control of magic."

  I cocked my head, musing over his words. Onyx seemed to be the only one who didn't believe in the magic, or fate, or whatever they were calling it. He had objected to me from the beginning, citing the magic had to be in error. He was evidence that it was possible to live in this world of magic and still object to it. I wondered if he objected to the lack of control that the belief in fate required; I knew that I would. I worked for everything in my life, and I wasn't about to let anyone else decide that they had more control over what I did with it than I did.

  "He will continue to complain," Reed said wearily, and I wondered for a moment if he had stayed here, awake, to watc
h over me while I slept. I warmed slightly at the idea before locking the thought away. I wasn't a girl prone to daydreams, and now definitely wasn't the time to start. "Go train. I will see you later for lessons on crystal usage and other magic types." His sharp, green eyes turned to Onyx. "Feed her first. You know well enough she needs it after the sleep." Reed’s eyes turned to me and a smile softened the harsh lines that had been digging into his mouth. "He's a grump, but he won't actually harm you. If you need me, call out, I will come."

  It seemed I wasn't going to get out of this mess, so I might as well just face it. I strode to Onyx, squaring my shoulders as I faced off with him. "Lead the way." I indicated the door with a wave. I promised them that I would try to learn from them, and I wasn't going to go back on my word.

  Onyx led me from the room, closing the door soundly behind us before we began winding our way down the twisting halls. I noticed some of the same windows and engravings that I had seen on my walk with River, and assumed he was taking me back toward the dining hall to grab food as he had promised Reed.

  I hesitated when he strode through the large, arched doorway. I was desperately hungry, but I could hear the low murmur of voices from inside and knew that I would be facing more of this world. I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting into. River had been a nice surprise and Birch a nasty one. I was withholding judgment on Terran, though Reed was slowly worming his way into the possible friendship category. I wouldn't show fear in front of Onyx, I decided, and that gave me enough strength to step through the doors rather than wait for him to come and find me himself.