Ranger (Elemental Paladins Book 4)

by Montana Ash

  Max’s blue-green eyes narrowed, “He knows all about chades? How? And does that mean he knows about paladins and wardens too? I thought we were a secret to humans.”

  “We are – for the most part. Of course there are some slips here and there and a few humans have been trusted with the information,” Darius rushed to assure her.

  “And Dave is one of them?” Max looked sceptical and Ivy couldn’t blame her.

  “Kind of. I met him here, at his bar over thirty years ago. He had just opened and I was living at the Lodge. I had finally agreed to become a trainer at the behest of the council. They’d been bugging me for a long time after Flint and my Order was killed,” Ryker explained.

  “But Dave isn’t that old,” Max protested.

  Ryker shared a look with his Order, “He’s older than he looks.”

  Max gasped, “He’s a paladin?”

  It was Darius who shook his head, “No. But he is the son of one. His mother was a normal human. He’s not ageing as slowly as a full paladin but it is more gradual than a full human.”

  “What? How come you never said anything before?” Max demanded.

  “Don’t go getting all sensitive, Max. It’s his business, not our secret to tell,” Cali said.

  Max clenched her jaw for a minute before exhaling and nodding her head, “You’re right. How do you know about him, then? Oh my god! Don’t tell me he’s your son!” Max gasped, pointing a finger at her lover.

  “What?! No! Don’t be ridiculous, woman. Your imagination …” Ryker shook his head before continuing, “Some chades popped up outside the bar one day when I was leaving. I was a little, um, intoxicated …”

  “You were completely wasted, drowning your sorrows and being a major bastard, as per usual in those days,” Diana jumped in.

  “I’m telling the story,” Ryker glared at Diana.

  She held up her hands, “Whatever you say, boss.”

  His scowl remained in place, a direct contrast to the grin on most everyone else’s, “Anyway, I’d decapitated two of them but a third caught me by surprise and I was flat on my back in the dirt when its head goes sailing off and it disintegrates into dust. I found myself staring up into the eyes of the hairy bar owner. To say I was surprised was an understatement.”

  “He could see the chades,” Max said.

  “Yeah. Anyway, we got to talking. He knew a little about who and what his father had been. Seems his father told his mother all about us. After putting in his twenty years in the military he came here, looking for his father. The man was already dead, unfortunately, but Dave decided to stay.”

  “That’s why you hang out there instead of Lonnie’s,” Max stated and Ryker nodded before she tilted her head at him, “Did you tell him who I am?”

  Ryker hesitated before nodding, “Yes. He knows.”

  Max slapped her hand hard on the tabletop, “That’s why he was so protective when I met Nikolai that night! You told him to watch out for me, didn’t you?”

  But Ryker shook his head, “I didn’t have to. He may not be fully entrenched in our society but he is a soldier and he has his own code. He understands duty. It’s in his blood.”

  Max crossed her arms over her chest and Ivy thought she may have been pouting a little, “You men and your duty.”

  Everyone ignored the sulking custodian, Dex turning to Ryker, “You really think he’ll allow the chades to stay there? It sounds like the perfect solution.”

  “I do.”

  But Max hesitated, “I don’t know, Ry. It’s a risk.”

  “I trust him. He wouldn’t betray our secret,” Ryker promised.

  Max waved an impatient hand, “Obviously. You would never entrust my safety to someone you didn’t trust implicitly. That’s not what I meant. It’s a risk for him – dangerous. The chades won’t be fully healed. Plus, if the council finds out or even the rangers, he could be in real trouble.”

  “We’ll discuss it with him. But like I said; it’s in his blood,” he said as if that was all that mattered. And in essence, it was.

  Being a paladin, a ranger, or a warden was a birthright. Their duty and sense of responsibility were like a compulsion within all of them. Even though Dave was only half paladin, Ivy had no doubt his sense of honour was just as deeply ingrained.

  “Okay, we have a location and we have sources of vitality,” Beyden stated, ignoring the twin grumbles from Ryker and Darius over the veiled mention of the triplets. “But what about monitoring them? We’re going to need someone – multiple someones – to make sure they stay in line.”

  “Well, obviously we have Caspian, Leo and Lawson as well. With how strong Cas is, he’ll be able to spank them if they need it. Leo and Lawson will ensure their liege’s safety. We also have Dex,” she turned her eyes to the man in question, “It’s closer to home, you’ll be able to keep an eye on Cali easily enough and be back here every day. What do you say?”

  Dex bowed his head in her direction, “I’m yours to command.”

  Max grinned, “Mm-mm-mm, just how I like my men.”

  “Behave devil-woman. If everyone’s in agreement …?” Ryker cast his eyes around the room, receiving unanimous nods. “Then we have a plan.”

  TWENTY

  “How come you didn’t go all executioner-ninja ranger on Dex when he went a little skitz yesterday?”

  The voice of her companion had her turning to him, only to find his eyes on the road and both hands responsibly on the steering wheel. As she watched, his hands flexed a little and she couldn’t help but wonder what they would feel like against her skin.

  Dammit! Not even one day in and I’m already picturing us naked together! She really wanted to bash her head against the window but opted for a vocal response that would at least prove she was listening; “Executioner-ninja?”

  He shrugged, “If the shoe fits …”

  “You know I don’t slaughter everything I see, right?” she asked. Her voice was laced with sarcasm but she genuinely cared about his answer. Did he really only see her as a killer?

  “I know that. After all, you haven’t taken my head off yet,” he teased her.

  “We’ve only been on the road ten minutes. Don’t get too comfortable,” she informed him.

  He chuckled, “Jokes, Ivy? Me likie. But you didn’t answer my question.”

  How to answer without coming across as soft or revealing too much about herself. “He wasn’t a threat,” she finally answered.

  He finally took his eyes off the road to look at her askance, “You’re kidding, right? The man made an upside-down tornado and was floating off the ground like some he-witch!”

  “Fine. Amendment: he wasn’t a threat to me,” she revised her response. He was silent for so long, she thought he was satisfied with her answer and she felt herself relax a little more into the seat.

  “Is it really so hard for you to admit you like him? That you trust him?”

  She tensed at his words and inquired quietly; “What?”

  “I know, I know – badass ranger. But are you honestly saying that you haven’t come to care for anyone in that house even a little over the past few weeks? And especially Dex. I mean, as a ranger I know you don’t share your vitality as freely as us general paladins do. But I know that under the right circumstances, that sharing creates a certain bond – a relationship. You have a relationship with Dex whether you’re willing to admit it or not.”

  His words annoyed her and she had to clench her teeth together to stop the immediate denial that sprang to her lips. But she knew it wouldn’t do any good – the annoying pest would be able to see her lie. If she was being honest with herself, she knew she had bonded with Dex to a certain degree and she was headed in the same direction with Knox too. Lark was right; you couldn’t share life-giving energy without a sense of trust – and even like. She liked Dex and she liked Knox. But she wasn’t about to admit that to anyone, let alone someone she wanted to see her as hard, aloof, dangerous, and professional at all times. In t
he end, she admitted to the other reason she had allowed Dex to vent;

  “I thought he was entitled to his temper tantrum. Someone threatened his baby. I would have done the same,” she added.

  He glanced at her, “You like babies?”

  She glared at him now, insulted by the shock she heard in his voice, “Yes, I like babies. What’s so strange about that?”

  “I’m sorry. I just didn’t picture you as the baby type …” his voice trailed off.

  “Well, you’re wrong. I like babies just fine,” she informed him, a little primly. And it was true. She had absolutely adored having a baby Beyden in the house. His amber orbs peering up at her with complete trust as he sucked on his bottle; his strong little grip on her fingers every time he grabbed them and dragged them to his mouth; and those pudgy little arms and legs that never seemed to stop moving. Hell, Beyden had the cutest little butt she had ever seen.

  “I stand corrected,” Lark soothed. “I bet Bey was a darn cute baby, huh?” he then asked as if he knew her thoughts were centred around her brother.

  “He was,” she confirmed.

  “I can’t wait to see what Cali and Dex’s baby looks like. Poor little guy is going to be royally screwed though. All those overprotective aunts and uncles, including the daughter of Mother Nature?” he ended with a chuckle, the happy sound filling up the whole car.

  Ivy only shrugged in response, her nerve endings tingling with warmth from the sound. Although, she wholeheartedly agreed with him. That little guy was going to be one of the most spoiled but also the luckiest baby in history. And she had a feeling Max was going to be the worst of the bunch. Thinking of Max had Ivy remembering their send-off.

  Lark had received multiple kisses to the cheeks, slaps to the back, and also the traditional man-hugs. Just before he had stepped into the vehicle Max had called him back. She had wrapped her arms around him and held him tight as she whispered into his ear. After listening intently, he had nodded sombrely and then kissed her square on the mouth. The action had brought a smile to his liege’s lips and a growl to his Captain’s.

  As for herself, she had been pleasantly surprised and more than a little embarrassed when every member of the household had gripped her arm in the way of the knights and wished her well. Beyden had of course, hugged her right off the ground and she had hissed in his ear about it being demoralising for a ranger like her to have her baby brother picking her up so easily. He had merely laughed, given her a good shake, and sternly told her to ‘not get killed’ or she’d be in trouble. She had then opened her own door, only to be called back by Max as well.

  Expecting to hear words of wisdom, or perhaps a glimpse into the future, the crazy red-head had instead looked into her eyes and said; “Can I hold your sickle before you go?” Ivy had shaken her head and responded with her customary one-word response; “No.” But somehow, the playful exchange had meant a lot to her – though she couldn’t figure out why.

  “What did Max say to you when we left?” she asked, abruptly.

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  He sounded surprised by the question and Ivy couldn’t blame him. Not being privy to her internal thought process, it would sound as if she was asking him something completely random. “Never mind,” she muttered, feeling foolish.

  “Hey, I don’t mind. Anything to keep you talking. I like the sound of your voice,” he added, aiming a charming smile in her direction. Before she could process the compliment, he continued, “It wasn’t any great words of wisdom or anything. She was giving me dating advice.”

  The answer floored her, “Dating advice? Why would she be giving you dating advice?”

  “Because I want to date,” he answered, easily.

  He wanted to date? Who? And where could she find the bitch? Her thoughts turned jealous and violent before she could stop herself and she felt her carefully erected brick wall beginning to crack. She was going to need to repair those cracks before the whole damn thing fell down around her ears and she was left with nothing to shield herself from the wiles of a baby-faced, green-eyed knight.

  “Why would you want to date?” she asked, stiffly. “Just because there’s something in the water at your house …”

  He barked out an appealing laugh, “I guess there is.”

  She turned to him, “And you’re not worried?”

  “Why would I be worried?”

  “Other than the commitment-heebie-jeebies? You really think the council is accepting of all these relationships? How many rules do you think they are willing to let you all break before they take action?”

  “Is that a warning, Ivy?” Lark’s voice held a coldness she had never heard him use before and she frowned for a moment, wondering what had caused it. But then she realised how her words could be taken in the wrong context.

  “No. It’s not. I haven’t heard any specific rumblings about all the love going on in the house. I was just suggesting …”

  “That the council are not as fine with the situation as we’ve come to believe?” Lark finished, his tone back to normal.

  She nodded once, “Yes.”

  He was frowning now, “Do you think we need to worry about this as well as the issues associated with Max’s appearance and power?”

  She thought about it for a moment and finally shook her head, “No. I think you’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

  He was silent for a moment as if considering his words, “Are you really a fan of the council? Considering everything we’re slowly piecing together, has your opinion changed?”

  The territory was beginning to get a little dicey but she decided to answer anyway, “I am a fan – of some of them. The establishment of a governing body is critical for a functioning society. It provides structure and order – integral for citizens to feel safe and secure.”

  He looked at her from the corner of his eye, looking impressed, “You like politics, huh?”

  She shrugged, saying nothing. But truth to be told – yes, she did. She enjoyed the intricacies of politics, as well as the law system. Perhaps in another life she would have aspired to be a lawyer. She was about to tell Lark that when she realised something – she was enjoying the conversation so much, she wanted to keep it going a little longer. Before she left, she was worried the atmosphere in the car would be tense and awkward and had prepared herself for an uncomfortable few weeks. But, turns out Lark’s steady and unobtrusive presence was easy to talk to. In fact, she was pretty sure she had spoken more in the past twenty minutes than she had in the past month.

  And therein lies the problem, she reminded herself. The guy was observant and perceptive enough at the best of times and yet here she was, providing him with insight into herself which she never allowed anyone to see. Relationships? Baby talk? Politics? It was getting too personal. And the worst thing? She was honestly enjoying herself. She had to shut down their budding dialogue before it was too late. Before she liked him even more than she already did.

  “We need to head north for one hour and then turn inland. Nikolai said there have been some chade sightings in that area.”

  “Changing the subject?” he enquired,

  “Didn’t realise we were playing twenty questions,” she snapped back.

  He threw her a startled glance, “It’s called conversation, Ivy. You know, getting to know each other.”

  “I know enough,” she assured him, turning her head to look out the window. She heard him sigh, the sound full of disappointment but he didn’t say anything and the rest of the trip was made in silence.

  She found she missed his voice after the first five minutes.

  TWENTY-ONE

  They arrived at their first scheduled destination in a little over ninety minutes. The first twenty minutes had been very pleasant and Lark had enjoyed talking with Ivy. The woman was bright and calm and had a healthy sense of humour buried beneath the stoicism. He had been happy to realise she was passionate and stood up for what she believed in. And it was obvious she was quite well-
read – another plus in her column. Too bad she was also as stubborn as the day was long.

  As soon as they had developed an easy dialogue, she had shut the conversation down. He knew she didn’t have a problem with him as a human being anymore but she still clearly wanted to have a problem with him. And that amounted to the same thing in his estimation because the end result was the same; Ivy acting like a cold, closed-off bitch.

  The car door opening and closing interrupted his ruminations and he looked over to see Ivy throwing her dark green ranger cloak on. By the time he joined her at the front of the vehicle she had the hood pulled up, obscuring her features. The damn cloak may as well have been a suit of armour, for it achieved the same purpose. Another car door shut and booted feet made their way over to them. Knox nodded at him but didn’t say anything as his dark grey eyes quickly scanned the wooded area they were in. Nikolai had told Ivy he had sent ranger units to this area three times in the past two months. For some reason, it seemed to be a popular location for chades. Although, Nikolai also reported the execution of all chades in the area the last time rangers were sent so Lark was unsure how many they would find.

  “Knox?” he questioned.

  Knox nodded, “Three.”

  That surprised Lark. Maybe this was going to be easier than he thought. “Are they on the Dark Side or do they follow the ways of the Jedi?” he asked, wondering if Knox even knew what Star Wars was.

  Knox looked directly at him and smiled and Lark could have sworn Ivy drew in a sharp breath. Because she hadn’t believed the guy could smile? Or because the man was undoubtedly good-looking? Even a straight guy like himself could recognise and appreciate male beauty when it slapped him in the face. Not that he appreciated Ivy doing the same right then.

  “One Jedi, two Dark Side,” was Knox’s response.

  “You sure?” Ivy asked.

  Knox nodded and before Lark could even blink let alone connect with Max and the others to give them an update, Ivy had her sickle out and was striding to the trees. Sure enough, three chades appeared from the darkness of the leaves just as the air cooled and the earth rumbled beneath his feet. Swearing, he palmed his own weapon and ran for the chades who were already in a battle with Ivy. All three of them engaged her at once and Lark couldn’t determine which one was redeemable. At that moment, he didn’t even care. All he cared about was saving Ivy’s butt so he could kick it later.