“Lenora told me.”
“Lenora?” Daniel’s eyes bugged and Quinn gave a start of surprise. Isaiah had said that he never told anyone of his love for Lenora.
“You know her?” Quinn asked.
“Yes,” Daniel explained “She was a Guardian sympathiser over five hundred years ago. She fed us information regarding the Quest until one day she simply disappeared. We assumed she had been caught and executed.” He turned back to Isaiah questioningly and Quinn realised that while he knew of her, Daniel had no idea of the true nature of Lenora and Isaiah’s relationship.
“She’s not dead.” Isaiah’s own astonishment at the fact was apparent, and Daniel accepted it.
“If Lenora is the source, we have to assume that the threat is legitimate,” he stated.
“Hold on a minute,” Quinn interrupted furiously. “Why have we never been told of all this Guardian-vampire alliance? We have been taught that they are the enemy, that they are monsters who can’t be trusted! Now you’re telling me that you trust this vampire’s word without hesitation?” Isaiah understood her question far better than Daniel.
“There are good vampires among them,” he replied gently, “but they are few and far between, and even the good ones are still cruel at heart. Their allegiance could shift at any time. It was simply safer to assume the worst of them.”
Which is exactly what she had done, Quinn thought despairingly. She had assumed the worst of Drake and it had pushed him away. Isaiah saw the regret in her eyes and came to a decision.
“There is another sympathiser with Lenora,” he addressed Daniel. “He has befriended Quinn and I think he could be of great use to us.”
“No,” Quinn shook her head. “He won’t help us now. I pushed him too far.” There was no point blaming them for her own actions. “We’re on our own.”
She no longer needed Isaiah to speak for her, so she continued, her voice growing stronger.
“It works both ways,” she announced suddenly. “Vampires help us, but now a Guardian is helping them. There is a traitor amongst us,” she told Daniel. “A Guardian is working with them.”
“That’s impossible!” Daniel’s outraged cry echoed through the hall.
“It’s true,” Isaiah confirmed, “or at least, we have to assume that it is. There is no other way they could have found the City. Ever since Avery’s death I have suspected something terrible was coming, and now it seems I was right.”
“Who is it?” Daniel asked. “Who has betrayed us?”
“We have no idea, save for the fact that the traitor is not at this table.”
Quinn couldn’t bear the helpless feeling that had come over her, and desperate for action, she got to her feet, pacing the great hall.
“We have to find the Hawkstone,” she announced, the sudden change of subject startling them from their musings. “If they do attack and we fail, it will be the only chance we have to restore order.”
“That’s true,” Isaiah agreed, “but as I’ve told you before, I have no idea where it is.”
“There must be something in the Book… some clue we’ve missed. King Eldon would have wanted us to find it.”
“I have read every passage of the book a hundred times. It says only that the child will retrieve the Hawkstone, but mentions nothing of its actual location. I believe that the stone will reveal itself if the City falls.”
“How?”
“I have no idea. Possibly a charm, or some sort of magic, similar to our tattoos.”
Quinn mulled this over. Guardians were only branded at the time of their predecessor’s death. What if Eldon had used a similar magic when he had hidden the Hawkstone? If that was true they had no hope of finding it – not until it allowed them to do so.
“So basically you’re saying we’ll only find it when all hell breaks loose?”
“I’m not saying anything. This is merely my personal opinion.”
“I’m inclined to agree,” Daniel said. “Which means searching for it would be futile and a waste of what precious time we may have left. I suggest we turn our attention to what we do best… protecting the City. I will instruct the Hunters that no-one is to leave town, not until this threat is contained.”
“How will we contain an army of vampires?” Quinn snapped, exasperated. Daniel turned to Isaiah.
“Is there any way we can move the wards out? Get them to safety?” he asked.
“No. Man’s realm is the last resort. The wards will be exposed and far more vulnerable if we take them outside of the enchantments. Besides… there are too many of them. How could we possibly protect them and keep them all together? The vampires will only find them that much quicker.”
“If they do get through our defenses,” Quinn forced herself to ask, “what will happen?”
Both Isaiah and Daniel considered this. It was a strategic question.
“The enchantments serve only to conceal,” Isaiah spoke slowly and deliberately. “If vampires were to enter Summerfeld, the charms would be broken, exposing the City. It would be visible to every single living creature that roams this earth, mankind included.” Quinn sat forward in her chair.
“But Summerfeld isn’t part of man’s realm.”
“It exists on earth,” he corrected. “We are standing in the City’s centre right now, we just cannot see it, or feel it, just as when we are inside Summerfeld we can no longer see this Cathedral, or man’s realm.” Moving toward the altar, he placed a hand on its stone surface. “Think of the Gateway as a locked door, and we are the key. If the door is destroyed, what lies beyond it is no longer safe.”
“They won’t get through the Gateway. We will die before we let that happen.”
“Therein lies the beauty of Eldon’s magic. We are the Gateway and they cannot pass through us, unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless your friend was right,” Daniel interjected. “It only takes one Guardian to unlock this door.”
In the silence that followed, Quinn brought the subject back to the matter at hand.
“So, if they do manage to expose the City, what then?” Isaiah turned to Daniel, who was more inclined to strategic thinking. He remained silent for some time, focusing his attention on the most logical sequence of events. Eventually, he lifted his head and raised his eyes to the enormous statue of King Eldon as though looking for guidance.
“They’ll target the Fae first… then the werewolves, unicorns, gryphons, firebirds. Their habitats are easily accessible and they stick together which makes them a softer target. Sadly, Zol will also not put up much of a fight. As the last of the trolls, his loss, while tragic, is the least significant. He has no mate and his species is destined to die out eventually.” Quinn felt a heart-wrenching sadness at the thought of the last remaining troll’s death, but she pushed her emotion aside to listen as Daniel continued. “The giants are harder to kill, given their thick skin. They are immune to vampire bites, and their incredible strength will make it difficult for the vampires to kill them. Their limited mental capacity also counts in their favour. They never actually sided with the Fae during the Blood war. The vampires may well leave them alone for this reason, rather than risk trying to attack them. The dwarves are craftier, and will probably be able to hide for an extended period.” Isaiah glanced up at the windows lining the vast apse, which depicted the surviving ten species, as if he were ticking them off a list. “The merfolk will be safe, at least for a while. The water will protect them and they have the underground caves.”
“What about the dragons?” Quinn asked after the one species he had not yet mentioned.
“The dragons served the Fae directly during the war. They will be targeted, but they’re harder to kill and harder to reach. Their habitat and their ability to fly could save their lives.”
“And their fire? Will it kill a vampire?” This question moved back into the area of the wards, and Isaiah answered, knowing them best.
“Only if breathed directly at one. A fu
lly-focused fire attack will burn a vampire to ash, but lesser burns will only incapacitate, not kill.”
“It’s better than nothing,” Daniel murmured. Quinn could see why the Fae had used the dragons in the Blood War – they were a natural weapon. The only problem was that the dragons needed a few moments to recharge after a fire-breath, and those moments could be the difference between life and death. She was especially worried about the Chumana hatchlings, who could neither fly nor breathe fire.
Quinn didn’t want to consider what would happen if every creature within the City finally succumbed to the vampire’s vengeance, but she forced herself to ask the tough question.
“What will happen if all the wards are destroyed?”
“The Guardians will cease to exist,” Isaiah replied simply. “We were created to protect the wards, and, if there are no wards left, the Guardian charm will be broken. We will become human again and will live and die as all men do.” Quinn’s heart constricted at the words, not because she feared an ordinary life, but because that life would come at such a high price.
“We need to find the traitor,” Daniel announced suddenly. “Whoever it is will know that we are on to them soon enough and we need to be one step ahead. Do you have any idea who it might be?” he asked Isaiah.
“I’m not sure,” Isaiah admitted, casting a wary glance at Quinn, “but we have learned that the werewolf Caleb was planted inside the City. His allegiance lay with the vampires.” Daniel’s look of understanding sent a shock of pain through Quinn.
“And it was my father who found him,” she intoned hollowly.
“We cannot assume the worst of Braddon,” Isaiah murmured, “he may well be a pawn in someone else’s game.”
“My father may be many things, but he’s no fool.”
“We’ll need to do some digging before we can be sure,” Daniel pressed on. “In the meantime what do we do about the wards?”
“We need to warn them,” Isaiah answered. “The humanoids,” he added, referring to the Fae, werewolves and merfolk; all of whom could understand and communicate. “I do not want to cause a panic, but forewarned is forearmed, and they need to be prepared for the worst.”
“Okay,” Quinn agreed, getting to her feet. She was grateful to have something to do that would occupy her mind.
“Tomorrow,” Isaiah said, as she turned toward the altar. “It’s late and they need their rest. It could be the last decent night’s sleep any one of us gets for a while. We’ll tell them tomorrow.”
Chapter 41
Early the following morning Daniel sent Blair to relieve Isaiah so that he could join Quinn in warning the City’s inhabitants. Quinn wasn’t sure what Daniel was up to, but she was confident he was taking preventative measures of his own. They had agreed that they would ask the wards to keep their warning a secret from the other Guardians, knowing that, despite the outrageousness of this request, they would comply.
To Quinn’s dismay, Tristan caught up with her and Isaiah just as they reached Kellan and Freya’s.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he muttered, casting a curious glance at Isaiah.
“I’ll give you a minute,” Isaiah told them as Kellan opened the door.
Quinn nodded. “I’ll meet you inside.”
“What’s going on?” Tristan pleaded as they moved away from the house, coming to stand in the riot of colour that was Kellan’s front garden.
“Nothing.”
“You’re lying.” He looked pained. “Something is going on. Isaiah had Jack and Ava moved out of the City.” His desperation fueled Quinn’s guilt at keeping his own children from him. Tristan, however, noticed her lack of surprise upon hearing that the twins were no longer inside Summerfeld.
“You know why, don’t you?” he gasped, disbelievingly. “Quinn, you have to tell me what’s going on. I have a right to know!”
“You do,” she agreed, “but I can’t tell you anything, not yet anyway.”
“I want to help you. Please, let me help you.”
She gazed into his blue eyes - eyes that were filled with concern, and her heart broke for him. She was keeping so many secrets – Avery’s death, the Guardian betrayal, the attack that was coming. Secrets that were, like poison, festering inside her and making her doubt everything and everyone she had ever been sure of.
Tristan saw the sorrow in her eyes and reacted instinctively. He grabbed her face, roughly.
“Don’t do this… please. Don’t pull away from me. I love you.” Cupping her face in his hands, he brought his mouth down on hers. All the old fire between them ignited, the chemistry between them crackling off them like fire. Quinn’s mouth opened automatically and she lost herself for a moment in the heat of their embrace. Tristan’s strong hands held her face with infinite tenderness, making her feel loved and protected.
And then reality reasserted itself. She was drawn to him, as she always had been, and her attraction was genuine, but Quinn didn’t feel consumed by Tristan, as she did by Drake. It was ironic that, only in the arms of another man, could she finally see the truth, and realise how she truly felt about Drake. She had been a fool to think she could deny it, to believe that she could manipulate her own heart.
Pulling away she took Tristan’s hands in her own and lowered them from her face.
“I can’t do this,” she murmured, “I’m sorry, Tristan, but I have to go.”
“No.” His warm breath on her face and the desolate look in his eyes was torture. He had lost Avery and now he was losing her. Resolutely, Quinn turned away and into Kellan’s house.
As she closed the door, the last sight she had was of Tristan standing alone, his hands hanging empty at his sides, and his face contorted with the pain of losing her.
“Quinn?” Isaiah came to stand beside her. She had not moved, standing with her hand still clutching the door handle and her head bowed. “Are you all right?”
“No,” she admitted. Her chest was tightening and she was acutely aware that Tristan had not moved, even though she could no longer see him.
The sound of the baby crying was what finally roused her. Lifting her head, she turned to find Kellan and Isaiah watching her apprehensively. Freya’s eyes, however, were filled with kindness and compassion. She held baby Sage in her arms and the sight of the child reminded Quinn why they were here.
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “Let’s get on with it.”
Freya hugged Sage more tightly as Isaiah explained what was coming.
“Eldon have mercy on us,” she murmured, tears pricking her eyelids. She was not concerned with her own safety, but with that of her child. “We should make a run for it before they get here.”
“It may already be too late for that,” Quinn murmured.
“Besides, there is nowhere as safe as Summerfeld,” Kellan added, but Quinn saw a burning question in his eyes. He was hoping that the Guardians would correct him – that perhaps there was a sanctuary waiting for them all, but neither Quinn nor Isaiah could grant his wish. There was nowhere to run.
“We will not let them through the Gateway,” Quinn promised. Without a Guardian to let them through, the vampires would only get as far as the Cathedral.
“We will not ask you to die for us,” Kellan said.
“You don’t need to,” Isaiah smiled sadly. “That’s kind of the point of our existence.” Every loyal Guardian would die before allowing a vampire into the City. It was their most sacred vow.
“We can help,” Kellan offered. “This was a Fae war to begin with, the least we can do is fight alongside you.” Isaiah smiled sadly.
“That was when the Fae had their magic. Without it, you cannot possibly stand against the vampire’s strength. Even with your bows,” he added, as Kellan opened his mouth to speak. “We appreciate your offer but to involve you would only make matters worse. The Guardians need to be focused and, having members of the Fae join the fray, would only distract us. The vampires would use you as leverage in a heartbeat.”
<
br /> “So long as we do not allow them through, you’ll be safe,” Quinn added. “If we fail, more Guardians will come.” She didn’t add that, in the event of the vampires defeating eleven trained Guardians, it was unlikely that any new recruits would be able to stand against them. The truth was that if they failed, all hope was lost.
“Untrained Guardians, you mean?” Kellan saw straight through her words. They all knew that if the Guardians here fell, it would be over.
“I ask that you warn your people,” Isaiah changed the subject. “But do not speak of this to anyone, particularly the other Guardians. Only Quinn, Daniel and myself.”
“Do you want to tell me the reason I shouldn’t trust the others?” Kellan knew that they were keeping something from him.
“I think you already know the answer to that question.” It was as good as an admission, and Kellan’s eyes widened in horror. “Please,” Isaiah continued, “trust us.” Kellan nodded, too overwhelmed to speak and Quinn gave Freya and Sage a quick reassuring hug before they departed to carry their message to the wolves.
Channon and Rafe were not so easily persuaded to stay out of harm’s way.
“We will not stand by and do nothing,” Channon snarled, “the pack can help.” Quinn noticed once again the Alpha pride that radiated from her. Rafe nodded his agreement. Even in human form the wolves were incredibly strong and were natural fighters. Of all the wards, only the wolves and the dragons would be useful in combat. Quinn could tell immediately that Channon would not take no for an answer, so instead, she offered a compromise.
“If things go awry, I will send someone back into the City to fetch you,” she promised “and of course, if the fight does enter Summerfeld, there is not much we can do to stop you.”
Isaiah said nothing, but she could tell by the set of his jaw that he didn’t like it. Channon held her gaze, trying to establish if she was lying, but Quinn didn’t flinch. She meant what she said. If she thought that the wolves could help, she would do just about anything to protect the City, even if it meant putting them in danger.
Guardians of Summerfeld: Full Series: Books 1-4 Page 54
