The Guardian

by Quinn Arthurs

  19

  Opal’s sharp claws pricking at my skin and her screeching cry woke me. My neck was sore from the angle I had finally dozed off at, though I must have slept for at least several hours. I felt rested and revived, even as I rubbed the bleariness from my eyes. “Hungry again, girl?”

  “She wouldn’t eat for me.” Reed’s voice from empty air had me shrieking and nearly upending a hissing Opal onto the floor. Her claws dug into me, drawing droplets of blood from my skin.

  “Dammit, Reed!” I griped, swiping away the drops to wipe them against my pants. “What the hell are you doing?” I could see him now, sprawled on his stomach on the floor, his legs kicked up in the air.

  “Reading.” He answered dryly, indicating the book in front of him with a wave of his hand. I scowled at him in reply. “She’s been awake for a little bit. River sent me in a few hours ago with a breakfast tray, but we didn’t want to wake you. You need all of the energy you can get.” My stomach knotted slightly at the reminder, and I silenced the hissing dragon on my arm with a piece of sausage. “I tried to feed her when I noticed her eyeing the tray, but she refused. She hissed whenever I got too close to you.”

  I considered that for a moment before shrugging. “Maybe it’s a dragon thing.” This wasn’t going to be like raising a kitten. I wondered if you could litterbox train a dragon? “She seems to be an excellent guard though.”

  I couldn’t believe I had slept through them entering and exiting the room. I was normally a light sleeper, prone to wake at any noise. Since coming here, however, I seemed to sleep like the dead. I wondered if it had to do with the extra energy I was now expending or if it was merely something in being in this realm versus the human one.

  “Reed?” I asked quietly, shredding a piece of toast absently as I thought. The little dragon turned up her nose at the bread, preferring the meat on the platter.

  “Hm?” He seemed distracted, his attention back on his book. I was grateful he wasn’t staring at me while I ate, but I hoped he would be able to focus on my questions rather than the world he was lost in.

  “May I ask you something? Between just the two of us?” I picked my words carefully, taking a sip of juice to clear my suddenly dry throat.

  Reed froze, his eyes slowly tracking up so he could meet my gaze. He pushed the book away, sitting up to give me his full attention. “You may ask me anything you like.”

  “I know that...” I trailed off for a moment, hesitant to finish the thought that had crept into my mind. “I know that technically Birch isn’t allowed to kill me. I’m not naive enough to believe he wouldn’t try and claim it to be an accident. The warnings Rocky over there gave to me last night were very emphatic, and I’m beginning to doubt whether it was just injury he was worried about. So, between the two of us, what are the chances that Birch may actually kill me today?”

  I hadn’t realized I’d started nicknaming all the guys in my head, but it was easier than calling them accidentally into the room.

  Reed sighed, steepling his fingers together. “You’re very bright, Tori.” The words were said almost apologetically, and I knew I’d hit the nail on the head. “Death is technically forbidden, and anyone who kills another is punished for it by the Ancients. Those punishments aren’t lasting or fatal though, as the deaths are usually accidental, or at least made to look accidental.”

  “Flat out?” I asked quietly. “Just the odds.” I needed to know, no matter what the answer was, and a vague answer wasn’t what I was going for.

  “That he’ll try to kill you?” Reed’s words were as soft as my own, his green eyes empathetic as he watched me. “I’d say it’d be about 100 percent.” I waited for him to finish, to fill in the rest of the blanks and he sighed. “That he’ll succeed?” He seemed to weigh the question in his mind for a moment. “Considering all three of us will be with you, that my healing powers should be effective on most wounds as long as I can get to you within moments... about 40 percent.”

  I nodded slowly. He gave me better odds than I was giving myself, though I hadn’t been too far off, assuming a fifty-fifty chance at death today. “Can I...” I trailed off with a shake of my head.

  Seeing my mother’s grave before I died wouldn’t do me any good. She wasn’t there anymore, and it would only paint a larger target on my back if I were to leave the warding for any length of time before the training fields. Reed reached out to pat my leg. From the expression on his face I assumed he knew where my thoughts had gone.

  “Hopefully she’ll eat for River.” I tried out a chuckle at my dark humor, but Reed remained stubbornly silent, not even a twitch of his lips to show that he caught my joke.

  “We will do everything we can to protect you, do not doubt that,” Reed said fervently. “We swore our oaths, and we will stick by them. Trainee, charge...” He trailed off for a moment before finishing. “...friend. We will protect you.”

  I blew out the breath that felt stuck in my chest, trying my best for a smile. “Then let’s get this over with.”

  Reed led me back to my rooms, Opal perched contentedly on my arm. She chirped happily when she saw River sitting on the settee, though she seemed to blatantly ignore Onyx and Terran’s presence. I wondered idly if it was because they were male or because they hadn’t helped in her creation. River was pale and quiet, her foot tapping quickly against the floor despite her seated pose. Onyx and Terran were both silent sentries, grim faced and stoic.

  “Should we get this funeral over with?” I quipped. My dark humor didn’t gain me a reaction from the group either and I shrugged, letting the fake smile I had forced drop away. “Are we ready, then?” Energy tingled through me, anxiety and fear warring with anticipation. “What are we doing with Opal?” I directed the question to Reed at my side.

  “Do you think she’ll stay here by herself?” he asked, his tone skeptical as he studied the way she was twined around my arm.

  I attempted to coax her off to no avail. “Maybe she’d here stay with River?” I suggested. The little dragon moved reluctantly to River’s lap, though she continued to study me.

  “I’m going with you.” River’s voice was so quiet I nearly missed the words.

  “The rooms are warded.” Onyx’s voice was soft behind her. “You do not need to come with us, you would merely be another target.”

  “I’m not letting her do this alone.” River’s jaw set, though no color filled her cheeks. “I can use a bag or a scarf for Opal, keep her out of sight, but I will be there.”

  I sighed. “Let’s get this over with then.” River dashed to my bedroom for something to conceal Opal, who cheeped plaintively. “You guys will protect her, right?” I kept the words quiet, though I met each of their eyes, one after the next, to ensure I had their attention. They exchanged a silent look, assessing each other, before Terran nodded sharply.

  “We will protect her as well,” he stated, his words as stiff as his posture. I breathed out a sigh of relief, beginning to stretch my muscles out while I waited. River swept back into the room, a pink scarf tied around her like a sash. The knotted portion protruded slightly in fancy twirls and if I stared at it, I could see the slight twitch of Opal’s tail or wings.

  “That’s not conspicuous,” Onyx remarked dryly.

  “I think it’s cute,” I offered with a smile. “It’s a wonderful idea.”

  “She’s very open to suggestions,” River commented. “So smart. I asked her to be quiet and still and she complied fairly easily.”

  “I’d still suggest bringing jerky or something with you,” I advised. “She eats constantly and gets fairly vocal if you don’t feed her immediately.”

  River grabbed some jerky from the platter of snacks on the table, sliding it into her pocket with a nod before handing me the box of stones she had been sitting beside. I studied them for a moment, blindly staring at the swirl of colors, before picking out a handful for my pockets. I offered the waiting group a shaky smile, setting the box aside with a definitive nod. Reed l
ead the way, River beside me and Terran and Onyx bringing up the rear as we trailed through the winding corridors.

  “Remember what you’ve learned.” Reed tossed the words over his shoulder. “You have more knowledge than you give yourself credit for. You simply need to utilize it.” We turned down hallways I had yet to see, sunlight dancing through the windows and across the intricately carved walls.

  “Want it with everything you have,” Onyx’s said quietly, a mere whisper in the otherwise silent hallway. “Your will determines your actions and your success. You’ve proven you have it, do not falter now.”

  “We will be right here with you.” Terran spoke in a gentle tone, spreading a balm over my nerves. “You can do this, Tori. We know you can.”

  River slipped her hand into mine, squeezing reassuringly in silent support, and Opal chirped her own opinion, before we all drifted into silence. Reed pushed open the double doors at the end of the corridor, flooding the hallway with fresh, warm air before we stepped out into the sunshine.

  A wide, open courtyard was full of sparring partners and onlookers, all involved in their own activities. I was grateful no one noticed our entry, giving me a chance to get the lay of the land. The area was far bigger than I had anticipated, a park compared to the football field of my imagination.

  Row after row of sparring rings were marked by large circles of sand. Many were occupied, opponents throwing spells or trading physical blows. I saw swords and bows being wielded beside flashes of flame and tides of water. It appeared that several of the onlookers were betting on the matches, many rooting for their favorites with wild yells of appreciation or jeers towards their opponents.

  A short search showed me Birch standing to the side, a smirk marring his pretty face. He was surrounded by a crowd of sycophantic onlookers, some gazing on him with worshipful delight, others trying to gain his attention with displays of power. Males and females both angled themselves to give him better views of themselves, shooting teasing looks or fluttering their lashes. I snorted at the obvious display.

  “Ready?” Terran breathed into my ear and I nodded, unable to speak for fear I may hurl. I straightened my shoulders, breathing deeply the way I had been taught, clearing my fear from the front of my mind. This was the man — male — who had set out to hurt or even kill me and my new friends. He had attempted to injure me before and had managed to injure River who was innocent of anything besides not kissing his butt when he asked.

  I let the indignation and anger flow through me, hardening my resolve. The others had moved back, allowing me to approach Birch on my own. His crowd fell silent as I stepped up to them, and they analyzed me quietly. I could tell from their expressions that most knew who I was, though they had never seen me in person. Others considered me in confusion, surprised by a new face in their midst. Birch turned in my direction, the lack of fawning having drawn his attention. He froze for only a moment, I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t been looking, before he sneered.

  “Have you come to apologize?” He pitched his voice to carry across the courtyard, drawing the attention of those who hadn’t noticed our little drama unfolding. “I may accept it if you say it prettily enough — and take your punishment, of course.” His followers chuckled as though he had said something witty.

  “You want me to apologize for kicking your ass?” I drawled, baiting him. He glared at me, his hands clenched into fists.

  “For sleeping your way into our Hold, you owe me and everyone else in this courtyard an apology and your blood.” His words were still pitched to carry, the anger in them clear. “You paid off other Guardians...” His gaze trailed to Onyx, Terran, and Reed behind me, though he did not name them aloud. “In order to cause injury to me due to you being unable to do it yourself when I refused to take you as a mate to justify your position in this Hold.”

  “So you claim.” I shrugged a shoulder, dismissing his claims. “Interesting that you can offer no proof, of course.”

  “You want proof?” Birch snarled. “A match. Here and now.” His eyes lit with glee as he watched me, expecting me to withdraw.

  “As the challenged, I may set the rules.” I spoke the phrase that Reed had drilled into me. “Single match. No interference. Powers only, no physical weapons. By the Ancients.” I recited the ritual words, claiming a sanctioned match that could not end in death, exactly as I had been told. I could almost hear Reed’s hum of approval.

  “Agreed,” Birch snarled into the now silent air. All the matches had ceased, their participants watching our standoff. Birch led the way to an empty circle, taking his place on the far side. Many from the crowd joined him, calling encouragement to him and aiming belittling comments at me; others remained farther back, watching but not joining in the fray. I ignored them all, facing the only four who had remained on my side. If I listened, I could hear Opal’s quiet hissing, and I could tell River held her in the sash.

  I was unable to speak, not sure what words I would choose here where others might hear them. I offered a smile, meeting their eyes one by one. I didn’t want to die here, I had so much more I wanted to learn and do, but I was going to try my hardest to take this asshole down a peg and prevent him from hurting anyone else ever again.

  “When you’re ready, imposter,” Birch called snidely.

  I turned to face him, squaring my shoulders and stepping into the circle. It was time to take my first step as a Guardian.

  20

  I stared him down, ignoring the jeers of the crowd to analyze Birch. He maintained his smirk, though from the twitching of his fingers I assumed he was as nervous as I was. I knew the circles were warded to prevent all but the strongest of spells from passing through, so I hoped I wouldn’t accidentally maim one of the bystanders.

  “Last chance,” Birch taunted, bouncing slightly on his toes. “I won’t go easy on you despite the fact that you’re impersonating a Guardian.”

  “I think you’re the one impersonating a Guardian,” I threw back at him. “Guardians are supposed to protect those who may not be able to protect themselves. You get off on the power and the games, hurting those who are weaker than you. You hurt servants because it makes you feel better about your pathetic standing, and you plot against others, stabbing them in the back because you’re jealous or afraid. None of that defines a Guardian.”

  Birch was furious, his hands clenched into tight fists when I finished, and his supports ranged from anger to shock. Surprisingly, I saw more than a few nods of approval, and even a few smiles, from those who were ranged farther back.

  “You dare to insult —” Birch began, before I interrupted him.

  “You’re really going to go there again?” I drawled. “Look what it got you last time.” I could almost feel Onyx’s glare against my skin, pushing me to stop talking and act. I gripped the carnelian tightly, pulling up a spiraling flame from my palm, letting the embers lash and fly.

  “Fire magic.” Blaine snorted, though his eyes were wide. “You really think that will be enough to defeat a fae?”

  Onlookers were murmuring, and I assumed I had already dispelled at least one or two of Birch’s claims. I was no mere human, and no one had heard me speak a spell to create the fire in my hand. Orange light grew around his hands as he called on his powers, his eyes narrowing as he focused on me. I palmed the obsidian, letting its glow fill me as I pictured a solid wall in my head, hard as the stones I gripped like a lifeline.

  Blaine lashed out with his lightning whips and I grinned as they struck heedlessly against the wall I had created. Apparently he was a one-trick pony, not used to head-on confrontation rather than subterfuge. The lashes ached but did not break my wall. I let the flame in my palm drop, grasping the kyanite instead. The purple and yellow glows around me brightened as I pushed harder at the magic inside of me.

  Whip after whip landed against my wall, and I hesitated. I had kyanite at the edge of my hand, and I knew that I could use it in the same way as I had the tourmaline, though I was uncertain i
f I could send its knives through my wall, or if I would need to drop it for a moment to ensure that I hit him. I knew simply tiring him out was not going to be an option–it wouldn’t be enough of a humiliation. I held tightly to the stone, focusing my energy on Birch, imagining the daggers that scraped my palm digging deeply into him, marring him the same way his whips had marred River.

  “What?” Birch gasped and staggered, stripe after stripe appearing on him as my kyanite did its job. Using all three stones and being subjected to Birch’s blows had weakened me faster than I had anticipated with practice. I could feel my muscles trembling and, taking a gamble, I walked closer to Birch so I didn’t have to target my magic across such a long distance. Tear after tear appeared in his skin, his hands and arms glowing a brilliant orange now as he attempted to block my strikes. His eyes filled with panic as he heard the folks assembled behind him murmur at his damaged state.

  “There’s at least two of your lies broken down,” I taunted. “I do have powers, and I am strong enough to kick your ass.”

  He grimaced as another slice opened across his cheek, blood trailing down. “Liar.” He glanced around the circle, desperate to maintain his facade. His eyes widened when they lit on Onyx, Terran, and Reed behind me. “You’re simply channeling their powers, letting them attack me rather than you.”

  I scoffed, pushing my own powers harder. I was tiring faster than I would have liked, and I knew I would need to start lowering my shields if I wanted to have enough power to continue to strike Birch. Although none of his blows had landed, I still felt bruised and beaten, my body aching from the continual whiplash and the effort I was exerting.

  “Yeah, that makes perfect sense, it’s why I’m glowing. No one believes you. They know you’re weak.”

  Birch’s eyes went manic and he charged me, his whips sharpening to blades as he lashed out again and again, as we danced around the circle. “I’ll destroy you,” he snarled, his blows striking the shield, sending sparks of yellow and purple light flying into the air.