Warden (Elemental Paladins Book 1) (21 page)

Max’s blue-green eyes swirled ominously with colour briefly before she responded coolly, “But you’re not my friend … are you?”

Ouch!
Okay that one hurt and so did the looks of sympathy on the other paladin’s faces. He was saved from trying to pick up his run away dignity from under the table when his mobile phone rang. Walking from the room he answered curtly and was promptly swearing two minutes later after listening to the speaker. He was about to get well and truly fucked again … and not in the extraordinary way of the day before.

****

Max was super proud for holding herself together in front of the knights this morning. It hadn’t been easy to get up and walk into a room filled with people she respected and who knew she had screwed their Captain’s brains out the day before. Shit, Cali said she had even heard them! Thankfully everyone was acting normally and Max was able to relax somewhat as she ate her breakfast. It hadn’t even been that awkward talking to Ryker. Seeing him all big and pretty outlined by the rising sun hadn’t helped her hormones any – she knew what he was packing now – but she was pleasantly surprised by how mature he was being. She was a firm believer that there was no issue unless you made one. Looks like neither of them were going to make an issue. She supposed they each already had enough of them without adding ‘the morning after’ drama into the mix.

But the dawning of a new day had brought with it the glaringly obvious matter of where to next. Max couldn’t continue to stay here, it just wouldn’t be right. And after her chocolate-filled bitch session with the girls the night before, she had come to the conclusion that she could not continue to disrupt their lives. She needed to find her place in this new society and sadly it wasn’t going to be here with these wonderful people. She was going to ask them to take her back to the Lodge and this time she was going to be on her best behaviour. Before she could speak however Ryker stalked back in, his ever present scowl pulling his scar tight. An image of her licking that scar and Ryker’s answering moan had Max licking her lips. Damn the man was potent.

“That was Magda from the Local Warden Council. They have
requested
that Max be presented to them.” He threw the phone on the dining table where it skidded until coming to a stop under Lark’s plate.

Lark raised his eyebrows, “We already knew that. The next meeting isn’t for another three weeks, at the end of the month.”

“It’s been rescheduled – for today. Seems they’ve heard about Max’s little display at the Lodge yesterday.” Ryker said.

Max narrowed her eyes dangerously. “What display?”

“The incident involving Ignatius. His mother is a member of the Local Warden Council and his grandmother is on the International Council. He is a very powerful, very well respected warden.” He looked at her sternly. “You made a mistake there.”

“Did I just? Well, seems yesterday was the day for mistake-making.” She stood up, placing her plate in the sink. She then sauntered slowly out of the room, pausing on the threshold, “But don’t worry, I always learn from my mistakes. They won’t happen again. I think it’s a good thing they want to meet with me early.”

“It’s not a good thing when the six members have invited themselves to
my
camp.”

That made Max pause. She knew Ryker’s aversion to wardens and she also knew this ‘camp’ was his home. “I’m sorry. This is all completely unnecessary. Tell them I’ll meet them at the Lodge or something.”

Ryker snorted, “You still don’t get it do you? I can’t
tell
the wardens anything. They give orders, we follow. That is how it works.” Max could feel a whole lot of rage and resentment funnelling from Ryker. She wanted to apologise again but knew it wouldn’t be accepted so instead she just walked away. He had been doing that to her since the moment they met. It was her turn. Let the wardens come.

TWENTY-THREE

Come they did, and not four hours later. Max was peering out the library window, eyeing the newcomers with equal parts curiosity and trepidation. Lark had insisted they meet in the library as it was the largest room in the house and opened directly onto a small, perfect garden off to the side of the house. She also thought Lark knew this room would relax her the most. She smiled as she looked to the bookshelf on her left; her graphic novels were sitting pride of place on the middle shelf right next to her favourite crime fiction author, TJ Spade. Max had been tickled pink when she learned the earth paladin was a true fan and owned all of her works.

“Nervous?”

Max swivelled as all seven paladins walked in. Cripes, they were a compelling bunch all lined up like that. “Should I be?”

Axel shrugged, “You were last time.”

“Yeah, well, kind of a lot has happened since then. Don’t cha reckon?”

Beyden smiled, “You’ll be fine.”

“So who’s coming again?” She asked. She should probably try and learn everyone’s name.

“There are six wardens that make up the LWC. Magda, Fire Warden, is the superior; Slate, Earth Warden; Lake, Water Warden; Fawn, Beast Warden; Hades, Death Warden; and Ray is also a Fire Warden.”

“No Life?”

“No. There are only a dozen left and they move from location to location on a rotational basis around the world, trying to maintain the balance as best they can.” Lark explained.

Max frowned, “Twelve is not many for seven billion people.”

“Well, there are thirteen now.” Axel bumped her shoulder.

“Hazah! The world is saved!” Max mocked herself. She was saved from another ‘you are uber important speech’ by the slamming of several car doors. Looking out the window again Max counted over twenty people descending like ants, spreading out in different directions, about half of them making their way to the front door. Her stupefied look must have said it all for Ryker grunted;

“They have to bring their paladins with them of course. Now do you see why I don’t want them in my home?” Apparently it was a rhetorical question for he spun and marched from the room before she could form an intelligent response.

“Don’t worry about him. He’ll get over it.” Diana assured her, “Just brace yourself. Most wardens are very … un-you.”

Un-me?
Whatever that meant, Max thought just as twelve people walked in. Half of them were in the same plain cargos and tees she had seen the others wearing and the other half were dressed in formal suits or dresses. Max spared a glance at her faded jeans, shoeless feet and Cali’s tee shirt that she had tied at the waist. Perhaps she was a little underdressed.

“Thank you. We won’t be requiring your assistance.” The brown haired woman in front stated. It was clearly a dismissal and the woman was obviously used to being obeyed. Too bad for her the paladins in the room were not used to taking orders.

“She is entitled to a knight to serve her.” Ryker was using his ‘Captain’ voice and Max felt herself melt a little.

“She has no knights. That is why we are all here in the middle of nowhere, after all.” She bet this was Magda.

Squaring her shoulders, Max walked forward. “I’ll be fine, thanks guys.” She smiled and held out her right hand, “I’m Max.”

The woman practically cringed at the offered palm before offering a brittle smile and a weak shake. “Magda, Fire Warden of the Order Blaze. It is very exciting to meet you and most intriguing to learn of your mysterious appearance.”

She perched herself on the edge of a lounge chair daintily and gestured for the others to likewise sit. Max raised her eyebrows as the paladins were forced out of the library in their own home. No wonder Ryker was so unimpressed. Once the door was closed and the personal paladins arranged like sentries throughout the room, Magda spoke again, introducing the other wardens in turn. Max smiled politely and nodded.

“Have you recently lost weight?”

“I’m sorry?” As far as her first conversation with the famed wardens went, this one was unexpected.

“Your clothes, dear. They are far too big on you.” Magda extrapolated.

“She must have recently shrunk too, because they are also too long.” Slate, the earth warden, laughed at his own joke. It wasn’t a pleasant laugh.

“I didn’t have much with me when Darius and the boys found me.” She explained, “Cali has been kind enough to lend me some of hers.”

An older gentleman with hair greying at his temples leaned forward. “Yes. We heard about your tragic circumstances; no paladins, no wardens and no clue as to what you were. I’m sure your life has been horrendous.” His name was Lake, Max recalled, and thought that he sounded entirely too gleeful for the sympathetic words.

“I’ve managed.” She replied curtly. She wasn’t giving the old vulture any gory details.

“Never mind, that is easily fixed. So is your hair.” Magda waved away the water warden’s fake concern.

“What’s wrong with my hair?” Max fingered the dark red tresses. They were a little wild but Max kind of liked that about them.

Her laugh was condescending, “Oh, you are just too sweet. We’re going to have to do something about your name too.”

“My name? What do you mean?” Max was beginning to lose her composure. This woman was the queen of veiled insults and if she wasn’t so fascinated by the odd, entitled woman she would have bitch-slapped her by now.

“Well, although I’m sure Max has served its purpose in your old life, it simply won’t be acceptable now.”

“It’s my name. Not an old car. I can’t just get a new one.”

“Nonsense, my child. You must select a name more befitting of your station.” Lake chimed in once again.

“My station? What station?” She asked.

“You are a Warden my dear. A Warden of Life – as well as a female. An extremely rare combination. Max is a decidedly
masculine
name and certainly not in line with our ethos.”

Max glanced around the room to see four of the other wardens nodding enthusiastically. The only ones who seemed just as uncomfortable with the whole situation was the Beast Warden, the only other female in the room, Fawn, and the other Fire Warden, Ray. Although, not outspoken they were both glaring at Magda and rolling their eyes. Perhaps the room at large wasn’t a lost cause, Max thought, but so far these wardens were not a shining example of humanity. “Masculine or not, Max
is
my name and I am
not
changing it.” She responded firmly.

“Perhaps Angel? Or something similar. We want her to create the right impression.” Magda continued on as if Max hadn’t even spoken.

Perhaps sensing Max’s eminent detonation, Fawn spoke up; “Perhaps Max would like to learn a little about what it is we do.”

Max smiled in thanks at the pretty blonde. “I would love to hear it from a warden’s perspective. The paladins here have been wonderfully helpful but I have so many questions. I mean, what do you do every day?” At the various blank stares and furrowed brows, Max continued, “It’s not like you just sit around, looking pretty and patting yourselves on your backs for being wardens …” She finished with a snort. Her joke fell flat because obviously that is exactly what they probably did.
Oh boy!
Max was
so
going to love being an empty figure head!

Hades leaned forward, eyes intent. “I don’t think you really understand what it is we do. What our purpose is … you’re very misguided, understandably so of course. We will guide you to your true purpose.”

“Hades is correct. We must be circumspect. If we were to go around actively using our abilities extravagantly, people are going to notice.” Magda said. “You have to understand Max – that would be a very bad thing. People as a whole are prejudiced, dangerous beings. They fear what they don’t understand. And trust me, they wouldn’t understand us.”

“I get that a person is smart but people are dumb. I appreciate the need for secrecy. I just meant, what are our jobs?”

“Jobs?” Slate gasped in outrage, “We are Wardens. That is our jobs. Our very lives ensure that nature continues to exist! I know you aren’t implying that what we do is unimportant?”

“No, I’m not implying that. I acknowledge that everyone here is born with tremendous responsibility and it is a heavy task to perform. But that doesn’t mean it’s all you have to be. I mean, with your affinity for animals Fawn can you imagine how much good you could do with lost and abused animals? Or your affinity with the earth Slate, you could create such beauty to the damaged lands here. Or –”

“Stop! Just stop! You have no idea what you’re talking about! Working as a vet, a gardener?! We are not blue collar workers in need of ways to fill our days with mindless drivel! Now, you can be forgiven for your ignorance on this occasion given your obvious clueless background. But from this point forward, there will be no more talk of such nonsense. Wardens have a big enough burden to bear without adding in
manual labour
!”

Far from being cowed, Max was just getting started on her own soapbox, “I agree with you, it is a burden. But it is also a gift. A gift to share with the world. If you’re not out there actually experiencing life and seeing the people and the animals and the world that you help maintain, then what’s the point?”

“The wardens must be protected!” Lake yelled. “There are so few left and even fewer being born …”

“Probably because you’ve secluded yourselves away like hermits!” Max yelled right back.

“Who are you to judge us? What have you been doing to help the ‘people’, hmm?” Lake patronised her.

“I’ve been on the run, moving from place to place for over twenty years. It’s a little hard to set up shop somewhere when you’ve got chades breathing down your neck, trying to suck the life force out of you. But I help out when and where I can. I actually can’t seem to prevent it. Surely you all must feel it too? It’s like an itch or a burn just below the surface … it’s a compulsion. I could no more ignore the need to interact directly with my domain, than I could resist the urge to shit!”

There were lots of shocked gasps and rumblings and curses from the wardens and the surrounding paladins, but she was sure there was also a snicker or two as well. “Perhaps it is you who needs a re-education, hmm? Perhaps you have forgotten your purpose in your isolation.” Max whipped out her very own snotty tone.