Blood of the Guardian (6 page)

“We can’t find—” He glared and crossed his arms over his chest. “I thought we had an agreement.”

“Ah, yes, quite the agreement,” she said. “You allow me to breathe if I don’t leave the inn. I kept my part of the bargain.”

“That doesn’t mean you disappear without telling me.”

“You act like I’m a villain. I promised I would go on the boat, silly boy.” She feigned an expression of innocence and wrapped her hands around Nolan’s arm. Her perfume was strong—an odd combination of lavender and cinnamon. “As you see, I’m in very good hands.”

Nolan shrugged her off. “Go with Alec.”

The flirtatious nature in her emotions plummeted. “It’s your loss, Emissary.” She strode across the room, turned, and whipped a braided lock over her shoulder.

Nolan remembered what Greer had shared, about Guardians being able to read minds. He didn’t trust this gypsy any more than Alcandor. She was hiding something, and doing an excellent job of it. Nolan searched in himself, focusing on his Guardian power.

A faint voice filled Nolan’s head.
“This isn’t over, freak. You will be mine.”

Chapter Six

NOLAN AND KATE TRAVELED IN SILENCE back to Faylinn. They had left Renfrew earlier that morning, sending Alec and Greer on the Talasian ship with the reluctant gypsy. Alec had stabbed Nolan with a full set of imaginary eye daggers as a trio of warriors rowed him toward the Talasian ship. Nolan would have to be careful the next time they met. Revenge clung to Alec’s emotions like a second skin.

The gypsy’s silent words from the night before kept taunting him.
“This isn’t over, freak. You will be mine.”
What had she meant, besides the obvious
freak
part? She was up to something, but he didn’t know what. At least he’d have time to figure it out before they arrived in Faylinn. He snorted. Time or space never helped him understand girls. Or worse yet, women.

“What’s wrong?” Kat asked.

Nolan pulled his attention from his empty plate. He’d long since finished his rations. He and Kat sat in a small clearing in the forest, at one of the many permanent encampments in Adamah. They’d stuck to the roads, though they didn’t need to. The Dor’Jan had disappeared three months ago; the soulless creatures were all but extinct. But still, running with Speed Shay was a lot safer on the paths. It kept them from tripping over random roots or stones.

“Nothing,” Nolan answered. “Just thinking about things.”

Their eyes met and unspoken questions passed between them. From their weeks of travel, he’d become good at reading her. And as each day passed, she’d held back her emotions less and less. The incident in her room the previous night made everything even more awkward. Today, she stared at him, her hazel eyes examining his face, expectant.

“Not those things,” he added.

Annoyance ticked from her emotions. “So when are we going to talk about
those things
, Lord Emissary?”

“When you start calling me Nolan.”

She opened her mouth to object, then closed it. A smiled crept to her face. “So if I call you Nolan, then we’ll talk about what’s happening between us?”

He stood and shoved things in his bag. He didn’t want to discuss it, especially not with her. “We need to get moving.”

Kat grabbed his arm. “You sense emotions. You know how I feel.”

Nolan paused and then nodded once.

“I don’t have Empathy,” she said, giving his arm a squeeze, “but I know you feel something too.”

She released him, but not before dragging her fingers down his bare arm as she stepped away. His skin warmed more than it should have with so little clothes on. He hadn’t found a shirt that could fit him, and he only wore the old, tattered breeches.

She started packing, glancing at him now and then.

Nolan cleared his throat. “It shouldn’t take us long to get to the castle.”

She flung the bag over her shoulder and winked. “We’ll just see who gets there first.” And with that, her eyes blazed yellow, and she was gone.

He kept up with her for a while but soon realized that she ran faster. At one point, she left the trail and went into the forest. Nolan followed, dodging branches and jumping over rocks. He focused his Precision so he wouldn’t slam into a tree. And as the race continued, she eventually lost him.

Finally, Nolan broke through the tree line next to the clearing in front of Faylinn. He inhaled deep gasps of air and waited for his racing heart to slow. The breeze, which had been blocked by trees, hit his body, cooling the layer of sweat coating his skin. He leaned on his knees as he caught his breath. After resting briefly, he stood, dislodging the fabric sticking to his thighs. He’d been grateful to have something to wear, but he couldn’t wait to get out of these pathetic breeches.

He turned and found Kat sitting against a tree as if she’d been waiting there all day. She studied him.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Enjoying the view.”

“What vie—” Realization smacked him. He gawked at her as his jaw dropped open.

She stood, and an evil grin spread across her face.

Nolan turned, his ears warming. The thin garment clung to him, but he wasn’t about to adjust them now, even if they wedged up his backside. He ran a hand over his chin.
What am I going to do with this girl?

His embarrassment slipped away as his eyes drifted to the walls of Faylinn. Normally, soldiers kept watch over the field, standing on the towering walls of Faylinn surrounding the castle and its keep. But the positions where the Perception Rol’dan typically stood were empty. A smattering of birds—a black raven and a few blue and brown tacsso birds—perched on the ledge.

“That’s odd,” Kat said as she came next to him.

It was odd. He’d never seen the wall deserted. Even during the reign of Alcandor, when no one dared attack, they never left their posts. Nolan summoned his Perception and focused inside the walls.

He could hear voices and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Is everything okay?” Kat asked.

“I think so. There’s a group at the practice field. Maybe a training exercise …” His words drifted away as he listened harder. It was no exercise. More like an argument. No. Definitely a fight … about boots.

“I choose not to wear them,” Maska’s low voice answered.

“And your shirt?” another voice growled.

“I do not have to—”

The sound of a fist impacting with bone interrupted him.

Nolan flared his Speed, and Kat followed at his heels.

The six manors, one for each power sect, encircled the large green expanse where the Shay Rol’dan trained. A thick air of hatred spewed from their emotions.

Nolan and Kat skidded to stop, both staring at the soldiers.

“Oh. It’s just a fight,” Kat said, her tense shoulders relaxing. Apparently, she’d seen her fair share of Rol’dan brawling during her years in their ranks.

However, Nolan knew it was different. Maska was involved.

“Lord Emissary,” Kat said. “What’s wrong?”

Nolan searched the crowd. Finally, he saw Maska in the center of the ring of bodies, his dark skin contrasting against the other soldiers. The bearded soldiers cheered the fighters on, their emotions radiating with cruelty, not just glee.

Maska was obviously outnumbered—because he was Talasian, he didn’t have many friends here in Faylinn. The Rol’dan soldiers
hated
him. Nolan went into the conflict, pushing past men too entranced by the fight to even notice him.

Kat trailed him. “Lord Emissary. It’s just a fight. These idiots do this stupid stuff all the time.”

Nolan shoved through them, his heart accelerating. He stopped, gawking at the sight of Maska.

Nolan awakened his Empathy, clenching his hands into fists as the power shook through his limbs. He threw it out in a visible wave of light, freezing them like stone.

Staggering, his eyesight blurred as he adjusted to the release of his power. He turned to Kat, but he’d frozen her as well.

With a touch on her arm, he released her.

She stumbled. “Stop doing …” Her words choked in her throat at the sight.

Maska lay on the ground, his cheek collapsed, his nose broken. One side of his face was crushed in. He too was frozen, but the blood continued to flow. Nolan knelt, searching for signs of life. A faint heartbeat met his Perception ears.

Nolan reached for him, then hesitated. He’d never healed this kind of injury before. Bracing himself, he touched Maska’s chest, and his Shay of Healing reacted instantly.

Sledgehammer pain struck Nolan’s face, and his cheekbone collapsed. As hard as he tried to hold it back, he screamed. He recovered briefly before a new wave of pain washed over him. His ribs broke, and his arm cracked with a loud pop. He absorbed every deep bruise and the internal damage inflicted by the stone-hard punches of the Strength Rol’dan. He collapsed to his knees, barely able to maintain contact, while Kat held his hand against Maska’s bloodied chest.

Finally, his pain closed over, healing the last injury. He collapsed onto shaking hands, feeling spent of Brim’s light.

As his breathing calmed, he opened his eyes to the concerned gaze of his brother, Kael Trividar, general of the Rol’dan army.

“What in the Darkness is going on here?” Kael growled.

Nolan smiled weakly. “Good to see you, brother.” He then noticed the soldiers around him. Somehow, he’d maintained their frozen state. With a pathetic wave of his arm, he released them, and the group jerked back to normal.

“Well?” Kael said, his eyes going from one guilty-looking face to another.

“They tried to kill Maska,” Kat answered.

“Certainly they aren’t that stupid.” Kael paced in front of the soldiers, stopping at a short, athletic man dressed in the red tunic and cape of the Strength Rol’dan. A thick brown and gray beard hung midway down his chest. Blood coated the soldier’s fist, and his face held a smug expression.

“Captain Ekon,” Kael said. “You will meet me in the throne room.”

“But I have responsibilities, General, sir.”

Kael’s eyes brightened with the golden-yellow light of Speed. He closed his hand over the hilt of his sword. “You will go to the throne room, dead or alive. Your choice.”

Ekon’s arrogant face fell flat. “As you wish, my general.”

Silence followed as Captain Ekon stomped away.

Maska lay on the grass, groaning.

Kael pointed at a pair of Strength Rol’dan. “You two. Take him to one of the second-floor rooms in the castle. If he doesn’t make it there safely, then I will know who to blame.”

Nolan stood, staggering. Kat grabbed his arm.

“I’m okay,” Nolan said.

Kat met his eyes and said, “That was … horrible.”

“Go with those soldiers.” Nolan motioned to the men lifting Maska. “If they lay one finger on him, run them through.”

Kat nodded, her face tinted a slight shade of green. “You’re okay?”

He forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

She hesitated, and then she followed the men inside.

“The rest of you get back to training.” Kael pointed at an upper-ranking lieutenant. “You’re in charge until the captain returns.”

The young man’s chest swelled, and he began barking orders.

Kael stepped toward the castle. Nolan staggered a few steps and then matched his brother’s pace.

“Welcome back,” Kael said. He eyed Nolan’s stained breeches, now streaked with blood. “I’d ask what in Brim’s light you’re wearing, but I imagine you won’t tell me.”

Nolan grinned. “Definitely not.”

***

Emery Cadogan stood tensely in the center of the large, stone throne room, overdressed in kingly purple clothes. The high-domed ceiling sprayed sunlight upon him, reflecting light in the gem-adorned circlet on his head. Megan stood with him, wearing her nightgown—which was odd, considering the hour. Her hair hung in tangles, and dark circles ringed her eyes. A floor-length purple cloak rested across her shoulders—most likely Emery’s doing.

They both jumped when Kael and Nolan appeared.

“For the love of … ” Emery grumbled. “General Trividar, how many times do I have to tell you to slow down before you … ” He paused. “Nolan? What happened to you?”

Megan gasped as she took in his appearance.

“Forgive me for interrupting, Your Majesty,” Kael said. “We have a problem. A fight broke out in the practice yard.”

“See!” Megan said. “I told you I saw them from my window. They were beating him.” She looked at Kael. “Is Maska—”

“He’s alive.” Kael motion to Nolan. “Thanks to him.”

Realization washed over Megan as her face paled. She was a Healer, too. If anyone could understand, it would be her.

Just then, Captain Ekon burst through the door. He hesitated, surprise pulsing from his emotions upon seeing Kael and Nolan. He apparently hadn’t expected them to arrive before him.

“Captain,” Emery said. “Lady Megan says she observed a disturbing scene. She claims you were trying to murder a man.”