“No,” Quinn shook her head lightly. “I just saw Camille and she asked me to fetch her.”
“Let me get her,” Isaiah offered.
“No need, I’ll do it.” Quinn smiled.
It took her only a few minutes to track Monique down. Oblivious of her tail, Monique didn’t try to conceal the sound of her footsteps as she trampled through the fallen leaves littering the forest floor. When she finally stopped, Quinn took cover behind the trunk of an old oak tree. What she saw next shocked her to the very core.
“What took you so long?” Jonas appeared as if from nowhere. He must have been hiding behind another tree.
“Sorry, it took longer than I thought.”
“Did you find anywhere suitable?”
“We did. It’s the best we can do, I guess, but I’m still dreading leaving him.”
“Like I keep telling you,” Jonas teased, “he’s a dragon. He will be fine.” Monique smiled up at him, and Jonas leaned forward to kiss her when a movement caught his attention over her shoulder. Jonas froze, all the blood draining from his face. The look on Quinn’s face confirmed that she had heard everything and filled Jonas with fear.
“What in God’s name are you doing?” Quinn yelled, the sound sending birds soaring from the trees around them.
“Quinn!” Monique stepped away from Jonas as though he had burned her, filled with dread. “What are you doing here?”
“I followed you,” Quinn strode toward them, a blazing expression marring her pretty face. “What have you done Monique? What have you done?”
“Please,” Monique backed away. She had always liked Quinn, but she had never understood how truly intimidating she could be until this moment. Gone was the kind, compassionate woman Monique had come to know, and in her place stood an unyielding warrior. “I’m sorry,” Monique stammered, her fear for Jonas’s safety growing by the second. “This is my fault…I did this; Jonas had nothing to do with it.”
“What the hell were you thinking? Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve put the life of every single creature inside there in danger!” she pointed back at the Cathedral.
“It’s not her fault!” Jonas had finally found his tongue. “She didn’t bring me in here… my father did.” As the words left his mouth he knew he had made a terrible mistake. Quinn’s features morphed from outrage, to shock and then horror.
“Balthazar has been here?”
“Yes,” there was no going back now, “but I swear, he doesn’t know I’m here. I haven’t told him anything he didn’t already know. I wouldn’t betray you,” he added desperately to Monique.
“He wouldn’t,” Monique agreed hastily.
“He didn’t have to,” Quinn spat at her. “You have betrayed us all. Isaiah was wrong about you,” she added disdainfully, snatching at Monique’s wrist. “You’re not worthy of this tattoo.”
Jonas stepped forward. He would not allow her to manhandle Monique, no matter how provoked. But as he lifted his arms to separate them, Quinn made her move. Jonas felt only a flash of blinding pain in his neck and then everything went black.
Chapter 30
Isaiah took one look at the figure walking through the doors carrying the unconscious body, and he knew immediately what had happened. Quinn had held true to her promise and carried out her threat, just as he had known she would. Isaiah had always known Quinn was exceptional, but for the first time he could see that she was beginning to believe it too, and she was growing in courage and conviction by the day.
“I found them both in the woods,” Quinn ground out through gritted teeth as she laid Jonas down on the council table. Monique sobbed pitifully in her wake, whether tears of remorse for what she had done, or concern for her friend, Isaiah did not know. He hoped it was both.
“They know,” Quinn announced, and Isaiah cursed. The gypsies had finally discovered Summerfeld’s exact location.
“I’m sorry,” Monique looked to him for the forgiveness that Quinn had denied her but Isaiah’s face was a mask, giving nothing away.
“Go home, Monique,” he answered curtly. “I will send for you shortly.”
“What about Jonas? Will he be okay?”
“He’ll live, if that’s what you’re asking,” Quinn replied.
“What are you going to do with him?”
“Monique!” Isaiah would stand no more questions. “Get out of here!” With renewed sobbing, she raced across the stone floor and vanished through the Gateway.
“What did you do to him?” Isaiah asked when she was gone.
“I just knocked him out.”
“You’re sure they all know? Perhaps it’s just him…?”
“His father brought him here initially, through the enchantments. To her credit, Monique wasn’t the one who showed him the way.”
“Well, there’s something in that, I suppose.”
“What will happen to her?” What Monique had done was unprecedented, but as furious as Quinn was, she felt sorry for her. “Will she be punished?”
“I am inclined to believe that she is being punished enough, already,” Isaiah murmured, gazing down at Jonas. Quinn thought back to her guilt over her friendship with Drake, and felt inclined to agree.
“The real question is what will we do with him?” Isaiah mused.
“He’s not getting out of here,” Quinn answered. “I gave Balthazar a chance and he chose not to listen. They will not leave New Haven, but having Jonas ensures that they will not put one foot inside the City.”
Isaiah watched her closely, struck once again by the passion with which she spoke of Summerfeld. Caleb’s death had been proof of the lengths she would go to to protect the wards. Quinn would take that extra step, cross the line between the acceptable and the necessary. The Guardianship had never been more fragile and tough decisions needed to be made. If she was indeed the woman King Eldon had prophesised, it was time to set her free and let fate take its course.
“As you wish,” Isaiah said simply.
“You can’t do this!” Monique wailed, as Quinn carried Jonas’s still sleeping form towards the cornflower field. Monique had ignored Isaiah’s instruction to return home and been waiting at the fountain when Quinn came through the Gateway.
“You did this,” Quinn reminded her coldly.
“Then punish me!”
“Monique?” Camille rushed toward them. “I was just coming to look for you…what’s going…?” she trailed off as she caught sight of Jonas.
“Monique has been meeting him secretly in the woods,” Quinn explained. “I need you to take her home now.”
“Monique?” Camille turned to her daughter in disbelief. Not being a Guardian herself, she might not appreciate the gravity of Monique’s crime, but the thought of her fifteen-year-old daughter sneaking off to meet a boy alone in the woods, was something no mother would be happy to hear.
“Mom… it’s not like that! We were just talking!”
“You can talk in public,” Camille’s low tone was seething and full of mistrust. Leaving them to it, Quinn continued on.
She dumped Jonas unceremoniously down on the soft grass and waited. It wasn’t long before he stirred. Quinn sat perfectly still, waiting for him to recover. When he did, he rose to a sitting position, eying her warily before taking in their surroundings. The instant that his eyes left Quinn’s face, Jonas all but forgot she was there. He could barely believe what he was seeing. He knew immediately that he had finally entered the City of Summerfeld, and, despite the fact that he should be terrified, there was something so breathtakingly beautiful about it that he was not afraid. The air seemed to thrum with a magical energy, and the spectrum of colour was too vivid to exist in any one place.
“I am sure you know where you are,” Quinn murmured, He was so entranced with the majestic splendour of his surroundings that it took a moment for her words to sink in, but when they did all of Jonas’s misgivings crept stealthily back, settling into a cold ache within the very base of his spine... So
mehow, Quinn’s icy calm was even more terrifying than her previous fury. “I hope it was worth it, because now that you are here you will never be allowed to leave.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“You can’t keep me here,” Jonas said, but Quinn simply smiled knowingly. “It’s not your decision,” he stammered, wracking his brain. “The Guardian council has to vote.” He knew the instant he spoke the words that it was the wrong thing to say. Quinn’s lips pressed together in an ugly line as he revealed just how much he knew of their secrets.
“The council will agree with me,” she spat, “all except for Monique, of course, and as I am sure you know, one vote holds no power against the rest. Particularly,” she added cruelly, “when that vote comes from someone who has betrayed the council.”
“Please,” Jonas changed tactics, “don’t punish Monique. I’m sorry I snuck in, it was stupid. My father doesn’t even know I’ve been coming here… it’s my mistake. I won’t do it again.”
“It’s too late for that.” Quinn got to her feet. “You’re free to explore and get to know the City, but I would strongly suggest you stick to the town. Summerfeld is beautiful but it can be deadly if you don’t belong here, and you, Jonas, definitely don’t belong here.”
She left him then to mull over her words, knowing Monique would find him before he got himself into any real trouble. On her way back to the Cathedral she stopped by Kellan’s shed to see Velkan.
“If you happen to see Piper, could you tell her Isaiah needs her in the Cathedral as soon as possible?” she asked politely. “Isaiah and I are heading out to the Unicorn Glade for a bit.”
“Sure,” Velkan nodded.
“Thanks,” Quinn smiled. She made her way slowly back to the fountain and into the Cathedral itself.
“How long do you think it will take them?” Isaiah asked pleasantly as she joined him at the council table. Quinn watched the steam rising from his teacup.
“Not long,” she smiled.
“Would you like to do a bit of training while we wait?” he asked and Quinn grinned, getting to her feet and facing him head-on in the centre of the vast room.
“It’s been three hours,” Isaiah panted much later. “Aren’t you worried something might happen to him?”
“No,” Quinn replied, “and I’m done,” she added, falling back into her seat. She and Isaiah were fairly evenly matched, and it was hard to say who had won the most combats during their grueling session. She suspected he had, but only by a small margin. She wondered idly how much longer it would take, and, as if on cue, two people appeared at the altar.
“It took you long enough,” Quinn announced pleasantly. They had known Monique would try and sneak Jonas out of the City. He needed a Guardian to bring him through the Gateway and Monique was the only one who would. They had laid a false trail to test this theory by telling Velkan that the Cathedral was empty. It was a measure of how enchanted Velkan was with Monique that he had relayed the information to her.
Monique trembled under their scrutiny. Quinn expected Jonas to make a run for the open doors, but he stood his ground, refusing to leave Monique’s side.
“Would you like to take him back, or should I?” Quinn asked Monique, and her shoulders stooped.
“We can’t keep him here,” she implored.
“We can,” Isaiah said, “and we will. I’m sorry, son, but we cannot let you go.”
“My father will come for me.” Strangely, Jonas didn’t sound as though he relished the thought. He dreaded a fight between his and Monique’s people, knowing that one way or another, it would destroy them both.
“On the contrary, your father will stay away because of you,” Quinn said, “and Monique, you should be happier about this. Now you get to spend as much time with Jonas as your heart desires. Show him around, introduce him to Lucky. He’s your responsibility.”
“Do not try this again, Jonas,” Isaiah added. “As Monique is now aware, I do not leave the Cathedral. There is no escape.”
“Well that went better than I expected,” he mused when they were gone.
“I’m going to see Balthazar.” As Quinn reached for the doors, Isaiah stopped her.
“Quinn, wait. You can’t go alone. I sent for someone to accompany you.”
“Who?” Her question was answered a moment later as the doors opened, revealing her father standing beside her car. Quinn groaned. Of all the Guardians, her father was the last person she would have chosen to help with this mission. Isaiah followed her down the Cathedral steps.
True to his nature her father’s first words were to question her judgment.
“How did you allow this to happen?” Braddon demanded. “The child was your responsibility; you were charged with chaperoning her visits to the gypsy camp.”
“Which I did perfectly well. The gypsies found their way here without my help, Braddon.”
“Quinn is right. In fact, if it wasn’t for her we would be blissfully unaware of their discovery,” Isaiah pointed out. Braddon was silent for a long moment and then a simple “I’ll drive” was all the apology she got.
“Your faith in me is inspiring,” Quinn remarked as they drove toward the gypsy camp. “You know, I have, at the very least, earned your respect. Granted, I will never be anywhere near Avery’s standard in your eyes, but I am sick to death of your constant disappointment.”
“Is that what you think? That I favoured your sister?”
“Don’t sound so shocked. Discretion was never your strong point. It’s okay, it doesn’t bother me,” she added, “it’s just getting a little old.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he snapped.
“Park here,” she indicated the shoulder of the road. “We’re close enough. And do me one favour; let me handle this. I know these people.”
Wordlessly, he followed her through the trees.
They found the camp a hive of activity. At first, nobody even noticed them, but then the man who Drake had attacked spotted Quinn and he gave a yell of recognition.
“Quinn!” Balthazar pummeled his way toward her.
“Hello Balthazar.”
“Where is my son?”
“Jonas? Is he missing?”
“Don’t you dare,” he hissed. “Don’t you dare make light of this! What have you done with my son?”
“Your son ventured somewhere he shouldn’t have,” she murmured meaningfully and Balthazar’s eyes widened in understanding.
“Leave us!” he roared and the crowd dispersed.
“I guess you haven’t shared your discovery with your friends yet,” Quinn mused as Rowena joined them. Frantic with worry, she wrung her hands incessantly, twisting a small silver ring on her left pinkie finger.
“You have him,” Balthazar’s eyes were wild. “I knew it. Where is he?”
“He’s safe… for now.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I’m simply stating the facts. Jonas says you showed him the way in, so I’m guessing you know where he is.”
“I want him back. You bring him back right now.”
“I’m not going to do that. You know you could have avoided this, if you had just listened to me and got as far away from here as you could. But you didn’t,” she sighed. “And now I have your son.”
“Give him back, please,” Rowena begged. “We’ll go. We’ll leave this place and never come back.”
“It’s too late for that.”
“He’s our son,” Rowena’s voice broke.
“His life is nothing in comparison to the treasures we protect.”
“And who do you think protected those treasures before your kind were even created?” Balthazar thundered.
“Balthazar,” Rowena cautioned.
“No!” Balthazar shook his head. “I’m sick of you Guardians and your holier-than-thou attitude. Who do you think guarded our magical brethren before the Guardians even existed? Not even Eldon himself knew of the oath we
took, to stand silent vigil over our most precious species. And we watched as entire lines were destroyed, trying desperately to stop the slaughter! Eldon started a war he could not finish and then he handed the mantle over to you! It was our charge – our birthright – not yours!”
Quinn gaped at him. She had never known the real reason the gypsies searched for the City, but even by the wildest stretch of her imagination she would never have guessed this.
“We were chosen,” Braddon interjected firmly, unmoved by Balthazar’s confession, “whether you like it or not.” Quinn could sense the fierce pride radiating off him as he spoke, and for the first time in her life, she felt connected to her father. They were united in their steadfast belief and passion for their purpose.
“Give me back my son,” Balthazar croaked helplessly. All the fight had gone out of him. Quinn’s violet eyes flashed.
“No. You have my word he will not be harmed, but so help me, if you set one foot inside that Cathedral I’ll send him back to you in pieces.”
Chapter 31
“Rafe?” Channon called as she heard the front door slam.
“It’s me,” he called back, and a moment later he entered the kitchen.
“Where have you been?”
“I went out to get some stuff.” He deposited a laden basket on the table. Channon lifted the cloth and eyed its contents – a bottle of milk, a loaf of freshly baked bread and a few other staples.
“I could’ve done that,” she scolded.
“It’s fine. I’m going to take a shower.”
He had only just stepped inside the small cubicle when the bathroom door burst open.
“Okay, spit it out,” Channon snapped. Rafe made no attempt to cover himself.
“Spit what out?”
“Whatever it is that’s got you so wound up. You’ve been acting strange ever since…”
“Since you became the Alpha?” he sneered. “I’m just trying to play my part.”
“Your part? What are you talking about? I don’t expect you to run around fetching groceries and cleaning the floors.”
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