“Here,” she passed the bear back to Freya, who immediately set about repairing the damage.
Quinn gazed down at the crystal with mixed emotions. Avery’s crystal was as beautiful as Avery herself had been. A stunning aquamarine, it was smaller than Quinn’s amber crystal, only slightly bigger than a quail’s egg. Unlike Quinn’s own crystal, it did not feel warm in her grasp, probably because it did not belong to her.
Quinn remembered the day that she and Avery had found their crystals, the gems calling to them, as they had to their predecessors. When a new Guardian was branded, they instinctively knew where to locate their crystals – it was yet another inexplicable part of Eldon’s magic. Quinn had retrieved hers first, in an abandoned building not far from its previous owner’s family home, but Avery’s crystal had been hidden deep in a forest over three hundred miles from the place where her predecessor had fallen to the vampires. Quinn had followed Avery through the trees, the dry autumn leaves crunching underfoot. Avery had smiled as she slipped her hand inside a small circular hollow in an Elm tree, withdrawing the aquamarine stone.
“It’s prettier than yours,” she had teased, turning it over in her hand in reverent wonder. Quinn’s own amber crystal had weighed heavily in her pocket, a symbol of the life she was leaving behind. “Where are you going to hide yours?” Avery continued.
“I can’t tell you that!” Quinn scolded. It didn’t matter that they were sisters – twins even – every Guardian had a duty to protect the location of his or her crystal. It was known only to the Guardian to whom it belonged.
They had gone their separate ways then, stowing their crystals in private, but had reconvened in Summerfeld a week later to begin their Guardian training. Quinn never did discover the first hiding place that Avery had chosen, but she had obviously moved it around, even wearing it around her neck at times when they were alone – although Quinn was fairly certain the Guardians would have had something to say about that had they known - and then she had, at some point, hidden it inside the soft toy that her daughter cherished.
Why Avery had even left a clue, Quinn could not understand. She didn’t know if Avery had written the note years before, or if she had scrawled it hurriedly when she realised she would not survive her attack. If it had been the latter, did Avery know something – realise that no new Guardian would come for it? Her crystal should, by all accounts, have been found by her replacement – but no replacement had ever come forward. It was as if Avery had known. Was her note simply a safeguard in case the crystal was not retrieved, or was it an omen that something was changing within the Guardianship?
“Quinn?” Freya’s voice pulled Quinn from her own thoughts and she glanced up to find Camille and Freya regarding her with mutual concern. “Is this all right?” Freya asked gently, passing Beebee over. The Faery’s needlework was impressive - there was no sign at all that the bear had undergone any “surgery”.
“It’s perfect,” Quinn smiled, stowing the crystal in the pocket of her black pants.
Invariably the twins cried when Quinn and Tristan left, clinging to Quinn's legs like barnacles. They were, after all, not yet three, and despite her best efforts to explain things, they didn’t understand.
“Just go,” Camille ordered calmly. “They’ll settle down after you leave.”
“You’re sure?” Quinn wavered.
“Monique was exactly the same – her first two weeks at kindergarten it took three teachers to pull her off me,” she smiled, lifting Ava in one practised movement and gesturing to Monique to follow suit with Jack. “They are very young, Quinn, they will adjust far more quickly than you think,” she added, compassion shining in her kind eyes. If it were anyone but Camille, Quinn would never have been able to leave, but leave she did.
She stopped only once they had turned the corner at the end of the cobbled street, coming to a halt and letting the tears flow.
“Quinn?” Tristan stepped forward, concerned.
“I’m fine,” she sniffed, visibly pulling herself together.
“They’re here,” he said, placing an arm around her shoulder, offering his support. “You did it. They’re safe now.”
“They are,” she smiled sadly, “but at what cost?”
Tristan didn’t have any words to comfort her, so instead he pulled her against him, his chin resting on the top of her head. Quinn let herself relax into his embrace, allowing his gentle stroking of her back to soothe her. She did not know how she felt about him or how far she was willing to go to find out. Tristan had admitted things to her that she could scarcely believe possible. Whether he loved her or not, Quinn couldn’t be sure, but he had confessed that he might have made a mistake choosing Avery. A part of her wished that they could just pick up where they had left off, but a larger part of her knew that that was simply not possible. Or was it? She had certainly felt no guilt being in his arms – it had only seemed natural and right.
Tristan’s lips brushed against her temple and Quinn stepped out of his arms, not trusting herself to be so near to him when her defences were this low.
“I better get this crystal to the others,” she said, as a way to explain her sudden withdrawal.
“You got it?” Tristan’s eyes widened incredulously.
“I got it,” she beamed, pulling it from her pocket. Tristan’s eyes were drawn to the pale blue crystal like a moth to a flame.
“It’s so beautiful,” he murmured, surprising Quinn.
“You’ve never seen it?”
“No,” he shook his head. Quinn suspected that Avery had stopped wearing it. The last time she had seen it around Avery’s neck was when the photograph had been snapped at the bed and breakfast, all those years ago. When they had returned to Summerfeld to discover one of their friends had been killed, the guilt had plagued them. Avery had taken a long-term assignment, and Quinn had remained behind to train the replacement Guardian. The man who stood before her now.
“It’s the colour of your eyes, you know,” Quinn murmured. Tristan didn’t respond, his eyes still fixed on the gem in her hand. “You want to come with me?” she asked, returning it to her pocket.
He nodded.
Chapter 2
Most of the Guardians were milling around the Cathedral, save for Piper, who Quinn assumed was still inside the City, mourning the loss of Vivienne, the old Omega female werewolf. Piper was the closest Guardian friend Quinn had; a kind, compassionate soul who felt things very deeply. Quinn was still seething over the decision to send Rafe and Channon, two wolves who had been cast out of the pack, back inside the City, where certain death awaited. Quinn couldn’t worry about that right now, though. She had come to deliver Avery’s crystal into safe hands. This had been the trade she had bargained with; Avery’s lost crystal in return for the twins being allowed to stay within the City. Glancing around for Daniel, Quinn noticed her father was also absent, and was surprised to learn he was visiting with Rafe and Channon. Quinn had never had an easy relationship with Braddon – Avery had gotten along with him far better than she had. Avery had claimed that their turbulent relationship was due to the fact that they were too alike, which irked Quinn, who didn’t like being compared to someone she could barely tolerate.
“Daniel,” Quinn made her way straight to where Daniel sat at a table with Blair beside him. “A deal’s a deal,” Quinn said, dropping the crystal into his open palm.
“Not so fast, Quinn,” Daniel’s deep voice boomed as she turned to leave.
“What now?” she sighed. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Isaiah standing close by, his arms crossed over his chest, a thoughtful expression on his wise face.
“You have fulfilled your end of the bargain,” Daniel began, “I am sure I don’t need to remind you how valuable this crystal is.”
“You don’t,” Quinn agreed. The twelve crystals were the single most important relics of the entire Guardianship. Without them, the Rose Gate could not be opened and the Temple housing Eldon’s heirs, and the powerful magic
of the Fae, would remain sealed for all eternity. The crystals were Summerfeld’s last defence against attack.
“You found your sister’s crystal,” Daniel continued as though she hadn’t spoken. “I believe there’s a reason for that. It is yours to possess until its new owner lays claim to it.”
“The new owner who hasn’t emerged in over two years?” Quinn quipped, shaking her head. She had half-expected this, but she did not want to bear this responsibility. If anything were to happen to Avery’s crystal, she didn’t want to be the one held responsible. “Surely you are better equipped to protect it, Daniel? Or you, Isaiah?” she inclined her head at him.
“No,” Isaiah stepped forward, out of the shadows. “Daniel is right. You alone knew where it was hidden. I don’t think that should change.”
“Then why did you have me find it?” Quinn asked irritably. “Why didn’t you just let me leave it where it was?”
“We had to be sure,” Daniel answered, an edge to his voice.
“You thought I would lie? That I would pretend to know where it was?” Her voice rose indignantly.
“I thought you would do just about anything to find your sister’s children,” Daniel retorted, “even if it meant lying to the rest of us, yes.”
“Point taken,” Quinn grumbled. She could hardly deny it.
“Make sure you hide it well, Quinn,” Isaiah smiled.
A commotion at the altar distracted them all and they turned to find Piper, red-faced and flustered, gasping for breath, still holding onto Kellan’s hand. The Fae never left the City, and a gasp of shock ran through the Guardians. Quinn, however, suspected there was only one reason Kellan would come through the portal. Freya must be in labour!
“Quinn!” Kellan’s worried face creased into a relieved, euphoric smile. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“It’s time?” Quinn asked, already moving forward.
“It’s time,” he confirmed.
“Quinn!” She turned towards Daniel’s voice and instinctively caught the crystal as he tossed it over to her. He said nothing more – the wards came first and if Kellan needed Quinn then everything else would have to wait.
They raced towards Kellan’s house, Quinn arriving first and then hesitating at the front door. Hopping from foot to foot, she urged Kellan to hurry, not wanting to enter their home unannounced.
“She’s here!” Kellan called through towards the bedroom as he opened the front door and Quinn tumbled inside. “Go on,” he nodded, “she’s waiting for you.” Quinn dashed through the living-room into Freya’s bedroom, skidding to a halt just inside the door.
Two Fae women were already in the room with Freya, assisting with the delivery. One sat at her bedside, wiping her forehead with a cool, damp cloth, and the other sat at the base of the bed, between Freya’s widespread legs. Averting her eyes, Quinn skirted the edge of the room to come and sit on Freya’s other side.
“Here,” the Fae woman, who Quinn recognised as Anaise – one of the Faery healers, handed her the cloth and then obediently stepped back to allow Kellan to sit beside his wife.
“How are you feeling?” Quinn asked, as she wiped Freya’s damp hair off her face. There were dark circles under Freya’s eyes and she had the dull, glazed look of someone in extreme pain.
“I’ll be okay,” Freya replied, her voice barely more than a whisper. Quinn took hold of her hand and squeezed it, wishing she could take the pain away. Kellan, holding onto Freya’s other hand so tightly that it was going slightly blue, looked as though he was about to be sick.
“It’s time,” Anaise called, from the edge of the bed. She stood beside the midwife, who looked up and nodded.
“You ready to push, Freya?” she asked. Freya nodded with a grim determination.
Quinn had never witnessed childbirth before. She had been away on a mission when Jack and Ava had been born. They had been born a few weeks prematurely and Quinn had been at once devastated to miss their birth, and relieved that she had not had to witness such an intimate moment between Avery and Tristan. Now she kept her eyes on Freya’s face. It was beautiful, even contorted in agony as it was now, and Quinn whispered words of encouragement, a surge of fierce pride for her friend and honour that she had been asked to be present flowing through her.
A few seconds later a tiny cry echoed around the room and Quinn could not restrain herself any longer. The tiny baby being thrust into Kellan’s arms was perfect in every way. Slightly blue, and more wrinkled than Quinn had expected, the child’s delicate features were unmistakeably Fae-like, down to the slight point at the top of the still-folded ears.
“Oh Freya,” Quinn smiled down at the exhausted new mother, tears pricking at her eyelids.
“It’s a girl,” Kellan declared, beaming with pride.
“Sage,” Freya spoke knowingly, as if they had already discussed it. Gently, Kellan passed the still-screaming baby into Freya’s arms and she immediately pushed down the light sheet covering her upper body. The baby latched onto her breast and the wailing stopped instantly, replaced by the soft sounds of suckling. Freya pulled the sheet back, covering herself up so that only the crown of white-blonde hair was visible.
“It’s a beautiful name,” Quinn approved. “A beautiful name, for a beautiful child.”
“Thank you,” Freya smiled, sighing. She blinked and her eyes closed for a long moment before she opened them again.
“You need to rest,” Quinn smiled. The sound of Sage’s suckling had stopped too. “And so does she, apparently. I’ll go.”
“Wait,” Freya took a small cream blanket from Kellan and wrapped the sleeping child tightly. “You have to hold her first.”
Quinn cradled Sage for over an hour, not even realising how much time had passed. She didn’t notice the steady darkening of the windows or that Kellan had lit the lamps. She didn’t hear Anaise and the other healer leave, and she didn’t even drink the cup of sweet tea that Kellan had placed in front of her. Only when someone stood right before her, shadowing the light so that she could barely make out Sage’s face, did she finally look up.
“It suits you,” Tristan smiled down at her. Quinn blinked shyly as he dropped to his haunches before her, moving the blanket down below Sage’s tiny chin so he could see her properly. Quinn noticed the same look in his eyes that she had seen when she had first looked upon him as a father after returning from her mission and paying her first visit to Avery and the twins in hospital.
“She’s gorgeous,” Tristan murmured, stroking Sage’s cheek. The child stirred, heaved an enormous baby sigh, and started moving her lips in a sucking motion.
“She’s dreaming,” Kellan mused, coming to stand beside them and gazing down at his child lovingly.
“I think her mother is probably desperate to see her,” Quinn mused, “I’ve been selfish. Sorry,” she added, grinning apologetically.
“No need to be,” Kellan soothed. “We want you to be a big part of her life, that’s why we asked you here.” Tristan moved aside so that Quinn could hand Sage back to Kellan. She followed him through to the bedroom where Freya was also waking.
“I’ve taken up enough of your precious time,” Quinn told her. “I’m going to be heading out... I’ll be gone a few days.”
“You’re going to hide Avery’s crystal?” Freya murmured huskily.
“Yes,” Quinn nodded. Freya had seen the crystal and she was incredibly perceptive.
“Come and see us when you get back.”
“You just try and keep me away from that little one,” Quinn smiled, stroking Sage’s hair one last time. “And thank you,” she added, trying to instil as much meaning into those two little words as possible. “Thank you for allowing me to share this with you. It means more than I could ever say.”
Tristan said his own goodbye and then Kellan walked them both to the door. Standing outside in the dark street after being snug and cosy with Sage on the sofa for so long, Quinn shivered.
“Here,” Tristan pulled
off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. It smelt of him – a combination of soap and the scent that he had worn since they had first met.
Quinn could barely make out his face, cast in shadow as it was, but his nearness affected her nonetheless. He stared down at her, his eyes hooded, and then he stretched out both arms and took hold of the lapels of his coat, drawing her slowly forward. His eyes never left her face and Quinn allowed herself to be drawn in, getting closer and closer, until he simply dropped his head and kissed her. Like a match to kindling, the feel of his lips was all it took. Passion ignited in Quinn, flaring up faster than she had believed possible.
It took all of her resolve not to reach for him, but she kept her arms pinned at her sides, opening her mouth instead to allow him more access. Tristan groaned at the invitation and his tongue slipped between her teeth, more determined than before, when he had kissed her at the house. The kiss deepened and Quinn gasped against his mouth, needing to breathe, but enjoying the headiness that being consumed by him ignited.
When he pulled back, Quinn stepped forward desperately. She could not resist him, not when they had crossed the line between thought and touch. Tristan’s hands moved up the lapels of the coat, skimming her skin beneath it, and pressed against her shoulders, restraining her. His eyes glittered as he gazed upon her and slowly, Quinn’s breathing came under control and her thoughts cleared. Only when they had both returned to normal, did Tristan speak.
“You better get some rest. You have a long day tomorrow.” Cocking his head to the side, he seemed to come to a decision. “I’m coming with you,” he announced.
“No,” Quinn shook her head, crestfallen. “You can’t.” It was true for two reasons. One, Tristan could not know where she hid Avery’s crystal. And second, Quinn did not trust herself around him, especially after what had just happened. She needed time to think, space to figure things out. The last thing she wanted was to do something that she would regret.
Guardians of Summerfeld: Full Series: Books 1-4 Page 29
