Blood of the Guardian (8 page)

“You don’t understand,” Maska said, his voice nearly a whisper, “my very presence may bring about war.”

Chapter Seven

THEY’D STAYED WITH MASKA for a while, discussing what to do about the Talasians. He shared with them some customs and what they might expect. He didn’t share his involvement with them, nor why they had banished him. As they talked, the sounds of sparring in the field ended. The sun dropped, and a brave servant finally entered to make a fire.

Nolan and Emery left with more questions than when they first arrived. No matter how much they’d pried into his mind, Maska kept his emotions tightly closed. It was impressive really. Years of hiding his emotions served Maska well.

As they walked down the hall, Emery exuded annoyance from his emotions. Nolan remembered his Guardian power and tapped into his newly discovered ability. Emery cursed in his mind.

Nolan smiled. “Such foul words aren’t appropriate for a king.”

Emery turned his head, curiosity spiking his emotions.

“It’s my Guardian side,” Nolan explained. “I guess I can read minds.”

“Read minds? More than reading emotions?”

“It’s similar to when we speak with our Shays, when we both use Empathy. But I can use it on everyone.”

Emery slowed his steps. “Fascinating. And you did this, just now?”

“Yes,” Nolan answered. “Couldn’t you tell?”

“No. I felt nothing.”

Nolan nodded slowly. Apparently, he could use his Guardian Empathy without others knowing. Very interesting, indeed.

Emery cleared his throat. “You wouldn’t have happened to find any—”

“Nothing,” Nolan said. “Maska’s mind is fortified like a prison cell.”

“So this mind reading thing,” Emery continued, “is this something the Guardians share with you?”

“Greer told me about it.”

Emery snorted. “Explains quite a bit. He always brought me exactly what I wanted before I’d said anything. Even before I knew he was a Guardian, I swore he had some sort of premonition. I even joked that he could read minds.” He smiled. “Of course, I hadn’t actually
believed
he could do it.”

They continued down the hallway and stopped in front of Megan’s room. Two soldiers, both adorned in orange tunics and capes of the Perception Rol’dan, bowed as they approached.

“Report, soldier,” Emery said.

“Lieutenant Connelly entered a short while ago. I heard them speaking, but all is silent now. By the sound of Lady Megan’s breathing, I believe she is now sleeping.”

“Very good,” Emery replied. “You are both dismissed for the remainder of the night.”

The men eyed Emery but said nothing. They bowed once and did as they were told.

Nolan waited until they were gone, and then he summoned his Shay of Empathy, speaking directly to Emery’s mind.
“You know what they’re thinking, don’t you?”

Emery frowned.
“They’re suspicious.”

“They believe you and Megan are …”
He paused.
“… intimate.”

Emery’s eyes widened briefly before he scowled. He spoke out loud, irritation in his voice. “Don’t be absurd.”

Nolan pointed to his temple. “Remember? I read their minds.”

Emery cursed under his breath. Then Nolan heard jumbled thoughts with words such as “dungeon” and “horse mucking” pass through Emery’s mind.

“Can you blame them?” Nolan said. “After having Alcandor, what else would they expect? You’re the king, and you’re visiting a young woman’s chamber at night.”

Emery clenched his teeth. “They are Perception Rol’dan. All they need to do is listen; they’d hear that nothing is going on.”

“Eavesdrop on their king?” Nolan said. “They’ve been in the Rol’dan long enough not to be
that
stupid. Besides, you probably told them to mind their own business.”

Emery sighed, and his shoulders relaxed slightly. “Yes, of course. They were only following my instructions.”

As Emery reached for the latch, Nolan caught his arm. “Why
are
you going to Megan’s room?” he asked.

Emery hesitated. “Let me show you instead.”

He slowly pushed open the door into Megan’s darkened chambers. The only light flickered from the hearth, the fire chasing away the coolness of the corridor outside the room. Nolan rubbed his arms, allowing the heat to soak into his flesh. Emery brought a finger to his lips.

Kat sat next to the bed, her head drooped on her chest in sleep. Nolan motioned toward Kat and summoned his Empathy.
“What is she doing here?”
he asked Emery with his mind.

Emery pursed his lips and answered,
“More than likely, Megan didn’t want to be alone. Her dreams have been terrible.”

“What is she dreaming about?”

“Don’t know. She doesn’t tell anyone. However, I’ve been coming here after dark and using my Empathy to calm her.”

“And she’s okay with this?”

Guilt oozed from Emery before he spoke.
“She doesn’t know.”

Nolan held back a snort of amusement. Megan wouldn’t want to be dependent on any man. No wonder Emery had kept it from her.

“What else could I do?”
Emery added.
“She wakes screaming and can’t eat. In the evening, she calms enough to take a bite or two, then it happens all over again.”

“So how long have you been doing this?”

“Three days now.”

“And it’s helping?”

Emery sighed.
“To an extent. She’s more rested, but she still isn’t eating well.”

Nolan eyed Emery, noting the dark circles under his eyes.
“You can’t keep this up,”
he said. “
You have a kingdom to run. Let
me have a try. You need sleep.”

Nolan felt Emery’s conflicting emotions; Emery thought he needed to be the one protecting Megan, not Nolan. However, he was exhausted, and the idea of sleep appealed to him.

“All right,”
Emery said.
“I’ll be by the fire, in case you need me.”

Emery would rest better in his own bed, but Nolan wouldn’t fight him on where he should sleep. Emery’s tension relaxed as he collapsed into a plush chair. His eyes pulled closed, and he covered a yawn. “Thanks, friend,” he whispered.

Nolan waited until Emery slept before he situated himself on a wooden chair next to Megan’s bed. She lay on her side with her eyes closed. A subtle furrow between her brows was the only indication of her nightmare.

Nolan took a deep breath, preparing for what would be a long night. He summoned his Shay of Empathy and dipped into Megan’s mind. Right away her apprehension met him. He pushed against it, telling her with his mind that “all was well.” Her emotions relaxed, but then the apprehension grew again. This would be a battle.

As the night progressed with the war between fear and contentment, Nolan wondered if he was helping at all. Starting to feel his travels, his healing of Maska, and the long day, his muscles ached—and he still hadn’t showered and changed.

He rolled his shoulders, reminding himself that Emery needed sleep more. He focused on Megan. Whatever her dreams were, he couldn’t take them away, only soothe the emotions they evoked. It made him wonder: What exactly was she dreaming?

He withdrew his Shay and glanced over at Emery. His breathing had slowed in deep sleep. Kat adjusted in the nearby chair, sleeping as well. Megan’s frown lines increased.

Could he read her thoughts? Did he dare? If he knew more, he could better direct her emotions. He searched his powers, once again grasping the Guardian side. He focused on Megan and slowly, gently, dipped into her mind. This time, instead of her emotions, a scene opened; he peered through her eyes.

He lay on a bed, but not the one Megan currently slept on. Ornate tapestries and paintings hung on the walls. He pushed into a soft blanket—silk maybe, and the sound of his own fear-tainted breathing filled his ears. He tugged with his arm, but it wouldn’t move. His wrist—Megan’s wrist—pulled against a rope. He followed the binding to an ornate post of a four-poster bed and wrenched against it. Her secured limbs ached. It was then he noticed she was unclothed.

Nolan drew back from the vision, mortified he’d witnessed this part of her dream. But a movement from the corner of Megan’s eyes made him hesitate. King Alcandor strode toward her and climbed onto the bed.

Nolan yanked out of her mind abruptly. The shame enwrapping her still lingered in his emotions. The fire snapped and popped with its gentle serenade in Megan’s room. Both Emery and Kat still slept. No one else, apart from Nolan, realized the torment Megan faced: memories of her night with King Alcandor.

Megan whimpered and shifted on the bed, tossing her head to one side.

Nolan strengthened his resolve, but this time only entered her mind with his Empathy Shay. He would soothe her, not enter her mind. Instead of covering her emotions and bandaging them like wounds, Nolan wished he could take them away. However, Empathy didn’t work that way.

Then an idea came to him. What if he absorbed her emotions? His Healing absorbed wounds; why couldn’t he do the same for emotions? He continued to calm with his Empathy, then he brought up his Healing at the same time.

Abruptly her emotions intensified inside him. Nolan’s hands trembled as fear leeched into him. He wanted to pull away, but as she relaxed into her mattress, it encouraged him to continue. Then her emotions changed; the fear mutated into something else. Not until it was too late did he realize Alcandor had taken over her mind.

Desire transferred to Nolan and sensations invaded his body. It only took a moment for him to absorb her emotions completely. He yanked away, but the orchestra in his body remained.

He closed his eyes and gripped the sides of the chair; the wood cracked in his iron hold. He leaned his head back, and as he tried to control it, a long moan escaped his lips.

A hand touched his shoulder.

Nolan’s eyes snapped open.

Kat looked at him, confusion and concern in her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she whispered.

Without thinking, Nolan jumped up, grabbed her face, and kissed her hard and deep. She backed up, butting against the wall.

Something fell off the side table with a crash. He didn’t care. He needed to sate this desire. He dug his fingers into her hair and down her neck; he pushed her shirt off her shoulders, caressing her smooth, silk-like skin. With a quick yank, he ripped open the front of her tunic and, all at once, the lust left him, and the reality of the moment came into view.

Megan and Emery were awake, gawking.

Kat eyed him, both confusion and excitement emanating from her. Her ripped tunic hung open, only half covering her heaving chest. The white scar shone visibly between her breasts, the same place where he’d stabbed her a few short months before.

“What are you doing?” Megan asked. Her eyes went to Emery, then to the strange scene before her.

Nolan took a step away from Kat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

The door burst open, and the two guards lunged in, swords drawn. Confusion washed across them with the scene. Kat pulled the ruined tunic together and held it with her fist.

“Get
out
!” Megan yelled.

The guards gawked at Emery. He nodded.

Megan hugged the blanket to her chin as the guards departed, and then, with a trembling voice, asked, “Anyone want to explain what’s going on in here?”

“I’d like an explanation myself,” Emery said, eyeing Nolan.

“I’d like to know why Nolan and Kat found my room, of all places, to hold their rendezvous. But I really want to know why
you
are here.” She stared at Emery expectantly.

Emery opened his mouth to protest, but stopped, resignation spilling from him. “I’ve been coming here to soothe your dreams.”

Megan stared, then her brows furrowed. “How many nights?”

“This would be the fourth.”

“That would explain …” Realization washed over her face. Then her jaw hardened, and she jabbed her thumb in Nolan’s direction. “And what about him?”

“Nolan came to help.” Emery crossed his arms. “Or he was supposed to.”

“I-I … ” Nolan stammered. “Was just trying something different.” He choked. That hadn’t come out so well.

“He wasn’t himself,” Kat cut in.

All eyes—except for Kat’s—locked on him. But what could he say without embarrassing Megan? He dipped into portions of her memory he shouldn’t have. “I’m sorry,” Nolan said. “I told Emery I’d take over for him, but the darkness and seeing Kat sleeping there … I lost control.”

Kat’s gaze snapped up, meeting his.

Emery scowled. “Nolan, if I might speak to you privately.”

He motioned for the door, and Nolan followed, leaving the girls alone. As soon as they were outside the room, Emery’s mind prodded his.

“Well?” Emery said. “What happened?”

Nolan hesitated. “I used my Guardian powers and dipped into Megan’s head. I saw her dream.”