Magic of Worlds (The Guardians Series Book 3)

by Lexi Ostrow

  “I ascertained as much when I realized we were being attacked by a fucking Word Speaker and her Guardian. What I want to know is why. Oh, and how?” He could feel the barbed words sliding off his tongue. He knew his place, but he wasn’t taking half answers any longer. Not after he and Kellie had been in danger.

  Secrets had no place in a war.

  The man across from him said nothing. Alcott could see the subtle twitch in his lip— the only outward sign that he’d pissed him off. Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time. He would not back down, no matter how long they played a staring game with each other. A commander had a duty to his warriors, and Ryce would not be skirting away from it.

  Finally, after what felt like moments of nothing but hearing Kellie struggle with what she had done, the brother spoke.

  “The how is simple. Demus sent them. The why is also simple. To start the war he’s tired of waiting for. Why he chose you two is beyond me. My best guess is that, since you were once paired with Ciara, he worries that you having been paired with another Word Speaker that has tremendous power.” He inclined his head toward Kellie, who was presently curled into a small bawl on his bed, sobbing. “She did it you know. She wielded your powers. I didn’t doubt she could, since almost all Word Speakers can. I am impressed she seemed to figure out how to do it without any help from you.”

  He was dumbstruck. “She threw witch fire?”

  The man smiled, a genuine one and not the condescending smirk that was typically in place. “She did. She also caused quite a little earthquake if I’m not mistaken. Though it was the witch fire that saved her.”

  Alcott tried not to puff up with pride and failed. Kellie had not only accessed his powers, but she’d wield them efficiently on her own without realizing they were controlled by thought, he knew that was never mentioned in his books because Ciara had never known.

  “How did you find us?” Alcott asked, trying to focus on what was important.

  “When I returned from warning Dale, the man Ciara gave her powers too, the viewing window happened to be open. A careless act on my part, though it saved both of your lives. Well, at least yours. I’m fairly certain Kellie could have killed the vampire just as she killed his Word Speaker.”

  Kellie cried out again as if hearing the words was more than she could bear. He ached to go to her, to comfort her and tell her that she wasn’t a bad person. She was his to protect, and his brother wouldn’t catch him off guard again. No one would because he understood what they were up against. He would protect her later, comfort her later. He had to focus on gaining all the information he could. He had spent years with Ryce, and he knew how tight lipped the man could be.

  “What of Dale and his Word Speaker?” He had peered in once or twice while Dale had struggled to choose a side. Thankfully, when the time had come, he’d made the choice Ciara would have been proud of. It made him feel slightly protective of the guy, knowing he had a piece of Ciara inside of him.

  “They are fine. While you were recovering, we lost two others, both Word Speakers who had already released their Guardians. It will be a rough time for them as they are now without a partner and still committed to the war.”

  Alcott couldn’t imagine how painful it would be to lose Kellie to death. Personal feelings aside, the connection that bound them as Word Speaker and Guardian was strong enough that he didn’t wish it on any pair, regardless of the side of the war they would one day fight on. No one deserved that kind of pain. To have been released it would have been worse, they would have been in love in some fashion. To lose anyone loved as dearly as a family member or lover would cause irreparable damage.

  “I am sorry for them. Were any successful?”

  “Six pairs fended off attacks. Four resulted in the death of the warriors on my brother’s side. I do not think he will strike again. He understands a loss. Like when we hunted for our tribe as boys, he is not foolish, just hot headed. However, I want you and Kellie to be protected. All the other pairs he attacked made sense, they were either powerful Word Speakers or those over twenty-seven. Kellie has power within her. I told you as much. But not nearly enough that she should have drawn his attention, which means you did.”

  His stomach dropped out from under him at the news that he had endangered them. “So what you’re saying is you’re going to take me away from her, leave her unprotected and send me back to my book?”

  The man’s eyes flashed with ire. “What I said was I was going to get you both protected. Unlike you, your Word Speaker suffered little more than a few bruises. That is not to say you failed to do your duty, simply that she is strong, with or without you. You are well matched. I would not have sent you and forced you to remain with her for two years if I thought you couldn’t take care of her.”

  “Then why the protection?” His voice bordered on a deep growl.

  “Because I need to know why the fuck you were targeted, which means I need to track my brother and Huracan down to get answers. I’ve paired the others that were attacked up as well. It is not permanent, just a temporary solution.”

  Alcott felt his anger calm at the confirmation that they were all being paired. However, there was some place they could go where no one could reach them. A place only Ryce could access, or so he believed.

  “Send us to Ciara.”

  He quickly turned to look behind him to see if Kellie was wounded by his words. She did not appear to be. Her lips were moving with whispers of regret, but her eyes were dry, and she was sitting upright again.

  “That is not an option.”

  Alcott knew that tone of voice and didn’t care. “Why not? If she was the most powerful and was paired with a demon of equal caliber, then we would be safe despite her no longer having gifts. I would get the closure I deserve, and no one would have to worry about us.”

  Sparks seemed to flash from the silver depths of Ryce’s eyes as they glowed brightly. “Your Word Speaker is not to enter stories. That is not her gift. We also do not know how long she will be gone for. She has family and friends. Kellie cannot fall off the map the way Ciara did.”

  Sucking in a deep breath through his nose, he pushed it out slowly. The logic was correct. In a selfish moment, he’d thought only of his desire to truly check on Ciara. As if seeing she was perfect and happy would give him approval to give into what was occurring between Kellie and himself.

  “Then where will we go?”

  “To Dale. He is capable of opening doorways, both into stories and in his world. He and Breena are capable of great things on their own. But seeing as how he has a piece of your powers, he would be a perfect match for Kellie. He also knew Ciara, has visited her and stood in her wedding. He will be the peace you need as well.”

  It took everything in him not to repeat that Ciara had married her Guardian. Of course she had. She’d given up life in her world to be with him. The news pleased and shocked him, but he didn’t think Kellie would benefit from hearing him refer to his past Word Speaker a second time, not after his admission of love for Ciara and sleeping with Kellie damn near right after.

  “Do you think it’s humanly possible for you to not make plans for me as if I’m not here?” Kellie’s pissed off words cut through everything around them.

  “You will grow to understand that I care for those that fight for me. If that fucks with your independence, too bad.” Ryce’s words were an angry growl.

  Alcott stepped in front of Kellie without hesitating. “She’s learning. She didn’t mean anything by it.”

  Kellie stepped out from behind him and gave him an incredulous stare before turning the same gaze onto the man she should have feared. “She is not learning anything. She is a human being with fucking free will and will absolutely have a say in what fucking happens to me and my life.”

  No one so much as breathed as her words rolled through the room.

  Kellie could feel her breath coming out in short pants. She also realized the moment she’d fucked up. She wouldn’t apologize, not whe
n she was sticking up for herself. Later, when she was alone with Alcott, she would make certain he knew she didn’t think that he had fewer rights because of who or what he was. That hadn’t been her intention. She was just so damn tired of things being utterly out of her control for the past week.

  Not to mention it’s only been just over a fucking week!

  The tension felt as if it doubled after her comment, and the following silence was serving only to make her uncomfortable. She resisted the urge to shift side to side in her discomfort. If she was going to talk big, she needed her actions to match.

  Kellie wasn’t certain what she had expected to occur after her borderline temper tantrum. She knew very little of the man that was supposedly her leader, including what she could call him. Alcott hadn’t moved from behind her, and it didn’t sound as if he was going to come to her defense — not after her accidental insult.

  So she continued to stare into a pair of violently glowing silver eyes until the man spoke.

  “Very well then. If you wish to be in control of your own life, how about I give you a choice?”

  Kellie didn’t like the condescending nature of his voice, and she wondered if she hadn’t made a terrible mistake. Crossing her arms over her chest she narrowed her eyes. “I think that would be perfect.”

  “So, I can offer you two choices. The first is that you decide what I have in mind is the best course. You and Alcott will take a small vacation to Seattle. You’ll have the opportunity you shouldn’t have and be able to interact with another Word Speaker. One who happens to be the most powerful of you all, and who has some of Alcott’s powers due to a slight switch in my line up.”

  He took a step closer to her, lips peeling back to reveal a set of fangs. “Or you can choose to remain in New Orleans where my brother knows where you are at. Where there are currently no others that can protect you. You can continue your life while I track my brother down and see that this is not truly the start of the war. Clearly, that means I will not be able to help you two again. By all means, the choice is yours.”

  Kellie didn’t like the way the choices leveled out. She didn’t want to be carted off somewhere, even if she was intrigued that Dale and Alcott were somehow connected. But she didn’t want to risk losing Alcott, or dying herself for that matter. For the first time, she looked over her shoulder. Alcott looked unfazed by the conversation, almost mentally checked out. Which irked her.

  “Do you seriously have nothing to say in this?”

  He shrugged rather apathetically. “Why would I? You just made it clear you have free will, and I don’t. So it looks like I’ll just plod along like a good little Guardian and do as I’m told. Since, even though I am free from my story, it would appear I have a master.”

  There was no bitterness in his tone, it was deadpan, but it made her flinch anyway. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Well, you said it like that. And now is not the time to have a discussion like this. Never will be really. I’m a character, you’re not. I get it. I’ve always gotten it. Just like I’m pretty damn sure every other Guardian in the history of our kind has gotten it. You’ll grow to see otherwise in time. There’s nothing I plan to do to make you see otherwise. You want my opinion? We go to Dale. I don’t know what other tricks my brother will have up his sleeve. First demonic help, and now other warriors. I’d much rather let this guy do all the work while you’re safe.”

  His words slammed into her with the force of a truck. Everything he’d said made her feel terrible, just as he’d no doubt intended. Balling her fists, she turned back to the other man. “Fine, send us to Dale.”

  The man nodded, his eyes slowly darkening and his fangs slipping away. She would have to ask about those fangs another time. There was something strange about the brother, something that made it seem like he wielded every possible power in the world. Maybe he did.

  “I’m glad to see you understand the value of your life. I promise you, this does not mitigate your freedom. Should you wish to leave, you may. I only ask that you allow me to help protect you. Alcott might disagree, but you are all something to me. Some more than others of course, but you all matter. You have all agreed to a war that you could easily walk away from. I owe you as much protection as I can give you. Even if it seems like I’m being an asshole. I can promise you, I’ve been slapped, punched and tackled by a good deal of Guardians.”

  She couldn’t help the slight lift of her lips at the exasperation in his voice. She didn’t know him, he was correct, but she could sense the truth in his words. She’d overreacted, but she understood what he was doing it for her.

  The space around them shimmered, and the seemingly empty air gave way to a bedroom. She gasped, still shocked at what the man could do. Leaning forward, she saw a man with strikingly red hair and glasses perched on a computer chair, and a woman beautiful enough to be a super model bending over his shoulder, pointing at something on the screen.

  “Is that them?” she asked, knowing that of course it was.

  “It is. I have spoken to them prior to speaking to you. Dale is quite wealthy from his past day job, they have more than enough space in his condo for you both, assuming you do not mind sharing a bed.”

  She flushed and looked at the ground, but nodded.

  “I had thought as much.” Amusement danced in the words. “All you need to do is step through. There will be nothing disorienting about it. You will simply go from this in between place to Seattle. I will not be coming. I have a brother to find.”

  Turning to Alcott, she offered her hand, unsure if he would take it. She felt a surge of warmth, of happiness even, when he slipped his fingers around hers. He looked into her eyes, and she knew, without a doubt, that she could fall in love with the man opposite her.

  Suddenly, the woman looked up and beamed at them. “Dale, look!”

  Dale lifted his head, a smile quickly growing on his face as well. “You know, unlike normal doorways anything the brother creates has sound.” He waved at them. “Nice to meet you both. Coming for a visit?”

  Kellie laughed, already enjoying that the man was clearly a friend. “Can I make a quick call? I mean, will it go through?”

  The brother shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. Try it.”

  Reaching into her back pocket, she pulled out her phone, trying not to be surprised that it somehow hadn’t died since they’d arrived. She’d texted Lana a few times and told her she was playing hooky with a hot guy the day before. But if she was going to vanish from New Orleans completely, she needed to tell Hayley because her cousin would likely stop by one day looking for her to grab beignets.

  “You’ve reached Hayley. I’m currently unable to come to the phone. Please leave your name and number, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks, bye!”

  Kellie sighed. “Hails, don’t freak, but I’m heading to Seattle. I thought a little ocean air could do me some good. A friend is out there. I’ll see if he doesn’t mind if I get you his number. I’ll be back soon! Love you.” Ending the call, she replaced the phone in her pocket. “God do I hope they have time to take me shopping. Three days in this outfit is making my skin fucking crawl.”

  Alcott laughed as he tugged the hand he held and turned to the brother. “Thank you.” Without another word, he stepped through the doorway and gently tugged Kellie behind him.

  She had used a doorway before, but she still squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she stepped through it. Only opening them when she heard someone, either Dale or Alcott, clear their throat.

  “Welcome to Casa Evanhart. Shall we get introductions out of the way?” Dale asked.

  Kellie turned as if to make certain the other man wasn’t coming and was shocked to see the doorway had already closed.

  “He’s very quick like that,” Alcott said against her ear. “I’m Alcott.”

  Dale grinned widely before enthusiastically taking Alcott’s hand. “Man, you have some fucking wicked powers. I mean, I can’t even imagine how some
one could have been stronger than you.” Dale whistled low. “Sorry, touchy subject I’m sure. Stryder is good for her though. I promise. Dude scares the fuck out of me on a good day, but he loves her.”

  Alcott looked uncomfortable but nodded and gestured toward her. “This is my Word Speaker, Kellie. We’re still new to this as a team, but we’re grateful you’re hosting us.”

  Dale smiled again and pushed his fingers through his hair. “This is Breena. She’s a little bit of a handful at first, but I promise you’ll grow to like her.”

  “You are so lucky I can’t wield anything but a sword at you. You’d be a dead man.”

  A laugh slipped out, and Kellie placed her hand over her mouth. “Sorry. It’s nice to meet you both. Thanks for helping us. I don’t know too much about why you did, but I appreciate it.”

  “Let’s just say a special girl helped me when I needed it most. If it means I can grant someone else protection, I couldn’t say no.” He paused and looked around. “No bags?”

  Kellie groaned. “No. We were attacked, and I’ve been living in these clothes for three days. At least, I think it’s only been three.”

  Breena laughed at that. “I can relate to the whirlwind feeling. The good news is Dale is way older, and I’m a free woman.” She grinned playfully. “We can grab some things from Target or the mall if you prefer. I’d say you could borrow mine, but you seem to have a lot more up top . . . and are considerably shorter.”

  Kellie stared at the other woman, taking in her leggy figure and perfectly ombre-colored hair. “You could say that again.”

  “So you were attacked then? Demus sent warriors after you both as well?” Dale asked as he motioned for them to follow him out the room.

  Kellie couldn’t help but notice the modern look of the condo and the appliances as they passed the kitchen. Dale certainly did have enough money from whatever he had done before retiring.

  “We were. Ryce didn’t mention that you had been.”

  “Ryce?” Dale asked confused as he led them down a short hall and pointed at a large room with a king sized bed.