The Ice Diamond Cuff (Custodian Novel #4)

by Alison Pensy

  "Your Highness," Derian addressed Faedra. "I believe a wave such as this, but on a much larger scale, would be the best way to administer the salt water over the Alsian army."

  Faedra stared in admiration at the wall of water. "I think you may be right." She turned to Faen, Rowan and the dragons. "What do you think?" she asked.

  They, too, were staring at the wave roaring just feet away from them. Everyone agreed in the affirmative.

  "A wave it is then," Faedra said to Derian. "Thank you very much for the demonstration, but I think we better return it back to the ducks before the owners notice it's missing."

  Derian and his family turned and moved their hands to guide the water through the hole in the lawn and back to the duck pond a couple of miles away.

  Faedra turned to Etyran, her expression expectant. He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know. I have to go and retrieve the cypher wheel."

  Faedra smiled. "Thanks, Etyran."

  Etyran grumbled something more under his breath about dogs, before being engulfed in red laser lights and disappearing from view.

  The members of the group ambled back towards the cottage when all the water had been sent back through the portal. Todmus scooped up the cypher wheel and placed it back in its pouch. By this time, it was nearly time for lunch. Janessa put her team to work in the kitchen, while the others reconvened around the dining table and finished devouring the remaining cookies on a plate in the middle of the table.

  "We still have one problem to overcome," Rowan stated after everyone was settled.

  "And that would be?" Derian countered.

  Rowan looked around the table, considering everyone who was seated there. "The wave is a wonderful idea. I think it will work to great effect. But, to draw the volume of salt water we need through the small portal to create a big enough wave to be effective, is going to take time. The most advantageous place to hold this counter attack will be the valley, but there is nowhere to hide what we are doing. The Alsians will surely defeat us before we have a chance to make any difference.

  Faedra twiddled with the amulet while she soaked in everything her father-in-law was saying. He was right, of course. For this to work they would have to draw out most of the army from Azran City, but they could only risk doing that when their plan was ready to be deployed. It was going to take quite a long time to draw that much water through the portal and mold it into a wave.

  The metal of the amulet warmed as she rubbed it between her fingers, something she did subconsciously when she was deep in thought or anxious.

  "Does anyone have any ideas?" Rowan asked the table at large.

  Faedra cast her eyes around at all the blank faces. Some were chewing on their bottom lip, others were looking down at the table cloth, as if something in the pattern would give them inspiration. The room remained quiet, only the clanking of pots and chinking of crockery from the kitchen broke the stony silence.

  Faedra continued to rub the amulet between her fingers as she stared into space hoping for a jolt of enlightenment. She stilled as the wisp of an idea filtered through her psyche. Faen noticed.

  "What is it, Faedra?" he asked.

  The others around the table honed their attention on her. She looked down at the amulet that she still held between her thumb and forefinger. She brought her head up with a start and shot a look of determination around the table. "I need the book," she stated.

  Several sets of eyebrows creased at her declaration.

  "I may not have my powers anymore, but I can still control the weather."

  "Go on," Rowan encouraged.

  "If I can get my hands on the book, I can create a fog bank," Faedra explained, her voice bubbling with excitement. "It will mask everything we are doing. After a while, the Alsians will probably come to investigate, which will lure them out of the city. Then we can unleash the salt water over them before they even have a chance to know what's hit them."

  There was silence around the table as everyone stared at the queen, their expressions unreadable.

  Faedra looked around at the faces. Her shoulders slumped. "You don't think it will work." she said, her voice resigned.

  In the next heartbeat, she noticed Rowan's expression change. His usually stoic features softened. He looked at her with the admiration of a proud parent. "Actually, Your Highness. I think that is one ingenious idea." His lips curved to a warm smile. "Well done, young lady."

  Faedra felt her cheeks flush at his praise. Henry and Amy entered the dining room carrying trays with dishes of soup and plates of sandwiches. They placed them on the table.

  "You have raised one very clever daughter," Rowan said to Henry.

  Henry gave Faedra's shoulders a rub and shot a smile at the other man. "Oh, I know," he said. The others filed in from the kitchen with more trays and placed them on the table before seating themselves on every available chair and tucking into the refreshments.

  ***

  "Absolutely not!" Faen bellowed as he thrust his chair back from the table and stood up.

  Faedra looked up at her husband, who was visibly shaking, holding back his anger. "But, Faen. It's the only way."

  "I said, NO!" he slammed his fist on the table, avoiding Faedra's concerned gaze as the now empty plates around his hand bounced in protest.

  "Son, be reasonable. You are a Guardian. You know how this must work," Rowan said calmly from the end of the table.

  Faen cast his father a fleeting look before returning his eyes to the table.

  Faedra stood and coaxed her husband to look at her with a hand on either side of his flushed face. "I am the only one who can, now that the king is dead. We have no choice."

  "There is always a choice, Faedra," Faen said sternly. His expression determined.

  Faedra closed her eyes for a moment and let out a long breath. When she opened them, she hoped her husband would see reason when he looked in their depths. "Not this time, there isn't," she said. "If this is the only way I can save my people, then it's what I must do."

  "There has to be another way," Faen implored.

  "There isn't," Faedra said softly, caressing his cheek with her palm. She could see Faen's expression change to one of resignation.

  "We'll take the ruby staff and be in and out within a couple of minutes," Faedra continued.

  Faen drew in a heavy breath, gave his wife a considering look before letting it out again.

  "Very well. You win."

  Faedra's shoulders relaxed. "Thank you."

  The dining room door creaked open. Etyran walked in dripping wet once more. There was a tear in his coat. "I hate dogs," he mumbled again, handing the cypher wheel back to Todmus.

  Faedra stifled a grin. "Etyran, go get dried off and have something to eat, we need you and Jocelyn to come with us."

  Jocelyn's eyes lit up at the thought she was going on another mission.

  "What are we doing this time?" Etyran asked.

  "We need to go the library," Faedra answered.

  Etyran screwed up his face. "Huh?"

  "I'll explain after you've dried off and had something to eat."

  Etyran wandered past them, through the kitchen to the laundry and helped himself to a fluffy towel. A short while later, clothes dried, he wandered back into the dining room, pulling on his heavy trench coat, a sandwich hanging out of his mouth. "Okay, I'm ready. What's the plan?" he mumbled around the sandwich.

  "We're going to get the book," Faedra said, shrugging into a thick winter jacket.

  "What? The book?" he asked.

  "We'll, we're not going to check out Moby Dick," Faedra retorted. She held the ruby staff out in front of her. "Yes, The book. Come on, let's do this."

  Faen, Jocelyn and Etyran each wrapped a hand around the carved wood of the staff.

  "Be careful, darling," Henry said, as the red laser lights started to whiz around the group.

  "I will, Dad. We'll be back soon. Love you."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Faedra knew they were in t
he castle even before her eyes brought the room into focus. It was cold. Bone chilling cold. Her breath puffed out in a little cloud before her.

  Sadness filled her heart as she quickly scanned the room. Every surface was coated in ice, every surface that was, except for the glass-fronted cabinet that contained what they had come for. The magic that held the book safe also prevented other magic from having any effect on it. Faedra could see the book of Anohs nestled on a velvet cushion behind the glass doors.

  The group moved towards the cabinet. "It doesn't look like anyone has been able to get at the book," Faedra whispered. Thankfully, there wasn't anyone inside the room, but Faedra would bet some of Zaven's guards were posted beyond the closed door.

  "We have to be quick," Faen said as they got closer.

  Faedra stood in front of the cabinet and assessed it carefully. Her father had been the only one able to access it since he took the book over from Elvelynn. Her whole plan hinged on the hope that the magic would recognize her as the new ruler of Azran and allow her admission.

  "Here goes nothing," she whispered under her breath as she brought her hands up to the doors. There were no handles so she let her fingers glide gently over the beautiful carvings etched out along the wooden frame. The carvings glowed in their wake. Just as her fingers reached the bottom she heard a soft click, and the doors cracked open just a hair.

  Faedra puffed out a breath. "It worked." Opening the doors wider, she leaned in and eased her hands around the book, caressing it as if she were about to pick up a new born baby. "Let's get you out of here," she whispered to the book.

  The door to the room flew open and slammed against the wall behind them.

  "Going so soon?" an icy voice said. "But, you've only just got here?"

  Faedra pulled her hands from the book and left it on the cushion before whipping around to see the intruder. She didn't need a PHD to know who had just joined them. She'd recognize that voice anywhere. Instantly, Faen, Etyran, and Jocelyn stood in front of her, blocking her view from the Ambassador and his guards who burst in behind him.

  "Why the look of surprise?" Zaven continued as he sauntered further forward. "Did you seriously think I wouldn't be waiting for you? I knew you would come for the book, eventually. I only wonder that it took you this long."

  Faedra felt her anger spike. Powers or no powers, she wanted to tear Zaven's heart out for what he had done. She pushed her way through her fae protection detail.

  "Zaven, you evil son of a..."

  "Now, now," Zaven said, holding up a smooth opaque finger. "Name calling never got anyone anywhere." A sneer curled his icy lips.

  Faedra begged to differ, name calling had helped her defeat Savu, but now wasn't the time or the place to prove the Ambassador wrong.

  "Now, be a good girl and hand me the book." Zaven held his hand out and motioned with his fingers for her to bring him what he desired.

  "Over my dead body," Faedra retorted, cringing inwardly at what she'd just said. She had no powers. He could quite easily take the book over her dead body, and, probably, those of her friends if he was so inclined.

  The Ambassador gave a nonchalant shrug. "Oh, well. If you insist." He held his palms up, and in the next second, Faedra and her friends were being blasted with an icy wind. Shards of ice were starting to tear at their faces and Faedra wondered if this is what it would feel like to be sandblasted.

  "No!" Faedra screamed, throwing up her hands defensively to protect her face. As she did, Zaven and his two guards were hurled across the room and slammed into the opposite wall.

  Faedra's eyes widened as she watched the three bodies lay dazed and limp on the floor. Her three friends turned and stared at her, the shock in their expressions mirroring what must have been plastered all over her own face.

  "How did you do that?" Faen asked.

  "Do you have your powers back?" Jocelyn questioned. Hope evident in the young fairy's voice.

  Faedra looked down at her palms and tried to bring forth some energy balls, but there was nothing, she felt no power, whatsoever. Just as she was about to try something else, she was distracted by a groan from the other side of the room. Zaven was pushing himself up. He gave his head a shake before focusing on the Custodian. There was a flicker of confusion in his eyes as they slipped from hers to the diamond bracelet still around her wrist. When he returned his gaze to her, it had been replaced by a murderous glare.

  "I don't know how I did it," Faedra murmured. "But we don't have time to figure it out right now." She turned around, reached into the cabinet and grabbed the book of Anohs. With the book held tightly against her chest in one hand, she joined the others, wrapping her other hand around the ruby staff. "Get us out of here!"

  Etyran uttered their destination just as Zaven pushed himself off the floor and was stumbling towards them. As the red lights encircled the group of friends, Faedra squeezed her eyes shut as she watched the Ambassador's hand thrust forward. He was too late. The icy stream that shot forth hit the empty cabinet left in their wake, shattering the ornate wood into tiny splinters. His quarry was gone.

  Zaven's shriek of fury rang in Faedra's ears as they materialized back at the cottage.

  "Oh, my God! Did you see that?" Faedra cried, as she opened the door to the cottage and they all filed in. Her adrenaline was pumping, and it showed in her excited expression.

  "We did see it," Jocelyn said.

  "What was that, anyway?" asked Etyran. "Does this mean you are getting your powers back?"

  They pushed through the living room door, their impassioned conversation continued as they made their way into the living room.

  "I don't know," Faedra said. "I don't seem to be able to summon anything else. So, where did it come from?"

  "Maybe Todmus will be able to shed some light on it," Faen said.

  "Maybe Todmus will be able to shed some light on what?" Todmus asked, as the group filed into the dining room.

  The crowd gathered in the dining room fell silent as the excited chattering of the returning party continued. Faedra placed the book on the table and turned to her small statured friend.

  "Todmus, you should have seen me," Faedra continued. "Zaven burst in on us just as I was about to get my hands on the book. He was starting to attack. Shards of ice were flying at us, so I put my hands up to protect my face. Next thing I know, Zaven is being thrown against the wall along with his guards."

  Todmus rubbed his chin and eyed the Custodian with thoughtful consideration.

  "I don't seem to be able to use any of my other powers, though. Do you think they may be coming back?"

  Todmus gestured towards Faedra's wrist. "May I?"

  "Sure." Faedra held out her arm. Todmus took her hand and covered the ice diamond cuff with his other. The little man closed his eyes. After a moment, his lips pursed. He opened his eyes and looked up at the Custodian, his expression grave.

  "I am sorry, my child. Your powers are still trapped within the bracelet."

  Faedra's heart sank. "So where did that power come from?"

  Lady Allora pushed her pregnant self up from one of the dining chairs and waddled over to her husband. "If I may try something, Faedra?" she said.

  "Please, be my guest," Faedra replied.

  Allora waddled a bit closer, and, to Faedra's surprise, put her hands on the Custodian's stomach. Faedra cast a wary glance to Faen who gave her a barely discernible shrug before he turned to watch Allora intently.

  "Hmm," Allora mumbled, as she placed her hands on a different spot on Faedra's midriff. A moment later, the concentration on the diminutive Lady's face was gradually replaced by an all-consuming smile. Her eyes wandered up to meet Faedra's wary expression.

  "What is it?" Faedra asked.

  "It was not your power that saved you from Zaven," Allora stated, her expression serious once again.

  Faedra's brow creased. "But, who else’s could it be?"

  Allora paused for a heartbeat before allowing the smile to creep back across he
r lips. "Your baby's," she announced.

  Faedra's jaw dropped. She stared disbelieving at the Lady. "Are you sure?"

  Allora nodded. "You are with child, Your Majesty. I have no doubt."

  "But, I don't understand. I wasn't able to use my power until I was eighteen. How could my baby have a power?"

  "Faedra, your power would have manifested while you were developing in your mother's womb. Upon your birth, the power lay dormant until you were old enough to control it and responsible enough to use it," Allora explained.

  Faedra looked up at Faen, whose shell-shocked expression probably mirrored her own. She swallowed, then said. "I think I need to sit down."

  The entire room lit up with excited rumblings as Faen scooped his wife up and covered her face with kisses. "We're going to have a baby!" he cried, twirling her around in his arms. When he came to a stop, he looked at the gathered crowd. "We're going to have a baby," he repeated. More excited than Faedra had ever seen him. "I'm going to be a father!" The room erupted with cheers and congratulations.

  Faedra got caught up in his excitement and giggled. Jocelyn threw her arms around them both. "I am going to be Aunt Jocelyn," she squealed.

  Faen put Faedra down so she could accept the hugs her family and friends were anxious to bestow on her.

  "Congratulations, mate," Etyran said, shaking his best friend's hand.

  No sooner had Etyran let go of Faen's hand did his mother swoop on him. "Oh, my darling boy," Janessa cooed. "I am to be a grandmother at long last." She wrapped her arms around her son and squeezed him within an inch of his life. When she eventually let go, it was Rowan's turn. "Congratulations, Son," he said slapping Faen on the back.

  Faedra was surrounded by her family in a group hug. Her dad's eyes glistened, Amy and Zoe squealed with joy, and Nicki and Leo patted her on the back. Faedra looked over to where Faen was still being accosted by his family, and they smiled at each other.

  Several minutes later, after everyone had had a chance to congratulate the parents-to-be, Faedra had more questions.

  "I still don't understand," Faedra said to Todmus and Allora. "How am I able to use a power that doesn't belong to me?"