The Guardian Queen

Chapter Three

~ Phoenix

*

Throughout my upbringing, Grand-père repeatedly asserted that I’d been blessed with unrivaled dedication and courage. From the night of the fire, when he came to me during a time of great vulnerability, Leon Moreau remained the only person who’d never questioned my account of what happened. Nor, months later, did he dismiss my claim to have been granted a glimpse of fate in the form of a vision. Because of this, I’d always believed that he understood my path in a way nobody, perhaps even myself, ever did. Over the years, my courage wavered many times, but not once did my faith in him. That is… until the day I was forced to watch my destined companion stand, alone and exposed, on the edge of Spiritus Caeli.

*

How could fate have led us there? Had Grand-père known, given his power of premonition, the danger and sacrifices destiny would ask of my soulmate, daughter of the very man I’d failed to save all those years ago. If he had forseen it, would he have warned me? These questions plagued me while I watched, with terror, rage, and helplessness, Ember insert herself directly in the line of fire. I never expected our path to be an easy one. Still, I would forever look back on that day as the darkest of my life. The only solace came from the realization that Ember’s resilience, bravery, and faith had vastly exceeded my own.

*

“Well…” Phyneas said, recapturing my attention, “what now?” Inside Eden’s regal palace, in the gaudy red and green study, I slouched, weary but content, in an overstuffed lounge chair across from my oldest friend. “You’re the royal advisor,” I replied, “you tell me.” He softly scoffed and, with a crooked grin, said, “You make it sound like you actually heed my advice.”

“Who knows? Maybe this time I will.”

*

Struck with sudden optimism, Phyneas sat up straighter in his seat and said, “Alright, Majesty. Firstly, I recommend you get no less than six hours of uninterrupted sleep.” The mere mention of rest made my weary bones ache. I rubbed the fatigue from my face and reassured Phyneas, “It’s at the top of my list, following our return home.”

“Really?”

“Really. Next?”

*

Phyneas contemplated his next piece of advice before he leaned forward and said, “ Next, I advise you to unburden yourself and entrust your secrets to your second.” I stared at him impassively and asked, “What sort of secrets do you suspect me of keeping?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know.” When I didn’t respond, he continued, “The prison compound?” Again, I offered no response. Having just narrowly avoided chatastrophe with Ember, I was in no hurry to trigger a great upheaval within my inner cirlce. Unsurprisingly, Phyn would not relinquish the matter with so little deterance as my silence.

*

“Phoenix,” he said lowly, seizing my full attention with the rare use of my full name. “Do you really expect me to disregard the distraught state you were in that day?”

“I was not distraught,” I countered dishonestly.

“What would you call it then?” I had no answer. “Whatever it was,” he went on, “would you ignore it… if it were me? Could you?” I answered with a somber shake of my head.

*

“Neither of us remembers a time before knowing the other,” Phyneas continued. “We’re brothers. Yet, in all our years together, I’ve never seen you … like that.” I stroked my beard— which had gotten a bit out of hand due to recent self neglect— as Phyneas urged, “What happened, Nic?”

*

Phyneas was right. I hardly remembered life before Phyneas. This was the major drawback of having him as my advisor— the strain it put on our friendship. With anyone else, I would have demanded they drop the issue and rebuked them for questioning me in the first place. With Phyn, it wasn’t that simple. Since becoming king, I often struggled to walk the line between friends and subjects.

*

Minutes passed until I looked at Phyneas and said, “Now’s not the time.”

“Not the time for what?” The female voice drew our attention to the entrance as Gemma glided into the room. She retrieved a chair from the chess table in the corner and brought it into our circle, tossing her glossy black hair over her shoulder as she sat down.

*

Gemma met my gaze and asked again, “Now’s not the time for what?” Phyneas answered for me, saying, “I was just asking His Majesty about his most recent visit to the prison compound. And he was brushing me off… again.” Expecting her to take his side, my eyes widened with surprsie when she replied, “Phyn, we promised Em we’d let it go.” My head snapped back to Phynaes. “You’ve spoken with Ember about this?”

“Briefly,” he muttered. He scowled at Gemma, adding, “And I didn’t promise her. You did.”

*

My chest burned faintly with anger, and I was thrown by the disproportional reaction to Phyneas’ menial offense. Despite Phyneas’ impudent interference, I knew he had greater reason to be angry with me than I him. When he’d accepted the position as my advisor, we swore not to keep secrets from one another that pertained to ruling the kingdom. He’d acurately surmised that I’d learned something of great importance at the compound and he was well within his rights to press me about it. Yet, for some reason hostility brewed within me.

*

Gone was my relaxed demeanor, irritation taking its place. After a deep breath, which did little to calm my flaring temper, I leaned forward in my seat and said, “Phyn, you need to trust me on this. The truth will come to light. But with all that’s happened lately, I’ve yet to determine what to do with the information.”

“If you clue me in, I could help,” he pointed out. “Isn’t that my job?”

*

Unable to remain calm, I stood and circled around the vacant chair. I fought to rein in my emotions, all the while growing more confused over why my temper seemed to be on a hair trigger. When I faced them again, I gripped the back of the chair and said, “I just need a little time to sort this out on my own.” Oblivious to my unsteady composure, Phyneas pushed back, “You’re the one who’s always insisted that you couldn’t reign without us.”

“Phyn, stop,” Gemma chided. “Nic’s right. Now is not the time for this. Ember’s only just come through a stressful ordeal. It’s time we regrouped.”

*

Regardless of my publicist’s voice of reason, the well of rage within me grew. “How can we regroup with walls between us?” Phyneas argued. “What hope do we have of moving forward when we don’t have all the facts?” Facing me, he continued, “You can’t tell me that whatever happened at the compound doesn’t have anything to do with the current state of things.” Suddenly, my inexplicable rage became multifaceted, merging with pain, disappointment, and sorrow, bringing even more confusion.

*

Ever the astute empath, Gemma gauged me with concern, asking, “Nic?… Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I replied automatically, staring mindlessly at the floor, unsure how to put what I was feeling into words.

“Nic,” Phyneas said, his earlier irritation gone, causing me to look up. They’d both abandoned their seats. When I looked questioningly at Gemma, she pointed to the chair in front of me. I jerked my hands away in alarm and examined the two blackened marks left behind as a result of my unchecked power.

*

“Something’s wrong with me,” I muttered, staring at my hands. “I can’t control my abilities.”

“It’s not your abilities, it’s your emotions,” Gemma corrected. She stepped closer and regarded me with intense scrutiny, then reported, “This doesn’t feel like you.” Her implication was clear yet I grew more puzzled. “This doesn’t make any sense,” I replied, shaking my head. “I left Ember with Beth. I know she’s overprotective but I can’t imagine her upsetting Em to this extent.”

*

Gemma’s eyes widened as something occured to her. “Oh crap,” she squeaked.

“Gemma?” I urged. “What don’t I know?” With a heavy sigh, she said, “I’m sorry, I should have mentioned it sooner.”

“Mentioned what?” I snapped impatiently.

“Ember’s extended family arrived this morning, requesting a meeting. Aunt Beth went with her.”

*

With the information Gemma provided, I instantly reached two conclusions— the irrational emotions wreaking havoc within me were Ember’s. And, more importantly, she needed me.

*

I rushed out of the king’s study and charged down the hall with my friends following close behind. Given that I was entirely attuned to Ember’s feelings to the point they drowned out my own, zeroing in on her precise location within the expansive castle was hardly a challenge.

*

When I reached the ground floor, the swell of unstable emotions reached epic proportions. My chest burned intensely, causing me to pick up my pace. When a set of doors blocked my path, I didn’t hesitate. With a wave of my hand, they flew open.

*

Stepping into the doorway, I surveyed the scene inside the parlor. I recognized Ulysses Craddock and his mother from the trial. The two of them clung to each other, their masks of resilience failing to conceal their fear. My gaze shifted to Beth who seemed more worried than anything. While Ember— Ember practically vibrated with fury.

*

Flanked by Phyneas and Gemma, I stalked into the room. Right away I pinpointed the cause of Beth’s worry and the Craddock’s fear. There was an unnatural feeling in the air somewhat similar to a lack of oxygen, but different, more cold and threatening. Before I could puzzle it out, my attention honed in on my companion. Ember’s disposition seemed stuck between attack and retreat, like an enraged wounded animal forced to defend itself.

*

Everyone looked at me with anticipation as I came to a stop at the perimeter of the sitting area. Everyone except Ember, who avoided my gaze in a vain attempt to hide the extent of her anger. Seeking to offset chaos with calm, I supressed the impulse to demand atonement from those who’d upset her. Rather, I turned my focus on Ulysses and cordially said, “I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced.” Extending my hand, I added, “You must be Ember’s grandfather.”

“Y-y-yes, Your Majesty,” he timidly answered. When he accepted my handshake, I clenched his hand, making him wince as I pulled him closer, placed my other hand firmly on his shoulder, and said, “It would seem my companion has had enough of your company for today.”

“Well, I…” he began before reconsidering the wisdom of contradicting the king. “I suppose you’re right.”

*

The old woman, however, would not be dissuaded so easily. “You cannot keep us from our granddaughter,” she bravely asserted. I released my hold on her son, revealed my most congenial grin, and replied, “I wouldn’t dream of it, Mrs. Craddock. You can expect an invitation to Ilia any time Ember wishes it. At the very least, I’m sure we shall welcome your attendance at her upcoming coronation.” I chose my words with intent, taking care to remind them that they were not only dealing with their kin but with the future guardian queen. They looked at one another and nodded in concession before silently departing.

*

Despite removing the main source of friction, Ember’s emotions continued to escalate. I paid no mind to the unusual silence from those around us as I swiftly crossed the parlor to reach my companion. Even as my hands softly gripped her shoulders, Ember’s eyes remained unable to meet my own, and I concluded that it was no longer intentional. She’d followed her spiraling emotions so far downward, she was trapped in a loop of rage, distress, and sorrow.

*

“How…” Ember’s fragile voice gutted me. “How could I come from such a family?”

“Ember—” In an instant, she shoved my hands away and yelled, “You don’t understand!” She sidestepped my reach, distanced herself from me, and continued ranting. “All this time… all this time I blamed him. I blamed him while they HATED him! For no other reason than for loving her.”

*

I looked to Beth for an explanation but she had dropped to the couch, her head hung low. Gemma knelt beside her looking unnaturally pale, while Phyneas sat on the opposite couch, bracing his upper body on his knees. Their subdued behavior baffled me until I reevaluated the atmosphere. The air in the room hadn’t normalized after the Craddocks’ departure. Rather, it grew more dense and smothering alongside Ember’s rising fury. Then realization hit me. The disturbance wan’t due to a lack of oxygen but a lack of power.

*

My head whipped back toward Ember in astonishment at what she was doing with zero comprehension of it. Enthralled by wrath, she paced between the furniture, mumbling furiously to herself. Soley immune to the strange phenomenon triggered by Ember’s fury, I urgently sought to soothe her.

*

I quickly closed the distance between us and attempted to block Ember’s frantic pacing when I caught a fragment of her enraged rambling. “…insane for thinking for one second that I would actually consider living with them… after they drove Mom away… after being so hateful to my father! Leave my companion?… completely insane. No… THEY’RE DESPICABLE!”

*

My fists clenched and I bit back fresh rage upon hearing about Ulysses’ traitorous attempt to come between me and my companion. After a steadying breath, I managed to quiet my anger and refocus on helping Ember work through hers.

*

I seized my companion by the arms and calmed, “Shh, hey, hey, easy, Em.” She immediately stilled at my touch, and I urged, “Look at me.” Broken free of her rage induced trance, Ember’s breathing slowed and she heeded my words. However, when her eyes finally met mine, I froze and all thought of what I’d intended to say fell away as I was transported back to Spritus Caeli and the moment I saw heavenly light shine within her before it began to fade. Ember’s brilliant blue irises were once again transformed into two shimmery pools of gold.

*

One look at the raw power in Ember’s eyes and the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. The Craddock’s fear, Beth’s worry, their acute weakness, even the drop in air pressure could all be explained by a displacement of spiritual energy. Never had I witnessed such a display of an unchecked ability sparked by rogue emotions. Although, neither had I, nor any guardian, witnessed anyone abosrb true and pure heavenly light. And not since the beginning of time had the guardians known anyone who possessed the ability reffered to as heavenly light. It seemed Ember’s unique ability came with an equally unique trait in that it would manifest during times of great vulnerablity; in this case, my incredible companion had inadvertantly siphoned all the power in the room.

*

Pulling Ember close, I wrapped my arms around her body and, acting on pure instinct, began whispering soothing words to her in French. “My angel, listen to me, there’s no need for you to carry the burden of your grandparents’ grudge for your father’s sake. He wouldn’t want that for you. Whatever secrets the past holds, let them be. Instead, hold fast to the knowledge that your parents loved you beyond measure. Be calm, my darling. I’m with you. Nothing will separate us. No force can keep us apart. Breathe, little dove. I’m here.”

*

As I stroked her lustrous hair, Ember’s body relaxed in my arms and her inner turmoil abated, driven away by truth and love. I gently moved her toward the couch where we sat together. In my embrace, I stroked her opposite arm, letting the moments pass without speaking until she noticed our audience.

*

Straightening with attention, Ember gauged the other’s weakened conditions, looked at me in confusion, and asked, “What happened?” Before I could offer an explanation, I looked over to my best friend and inquired, “Phyn? How you feeling?”

“Like I need an IV of vita latare,” he answered weakly.

“Same,” Gemma agreed. “I’ve never felt such concentrated emotions from a single person.” After a deep breath, Beth asked, “Ember, sweetheart, are you alright?”

“I’m fine… I think.” Gazing up at me she added, “But I still don’t understand what happened.” I gingerly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and replied, “It seems your grandparents upset you to such a degree that you unintentionally tapped into heavenly light and used it to suppress all the nearby power.” Her eyes widen in alarm. “I did? B-but how? I didn’t touch anybody.”

“I think it’s a defense mechanism. You subconsciously viewed them as a threat and therefore took measures to protect yourself. Which explains why I, as your soulmate, remained unaffected.”

“But… no. That can’t be true,” she assserted.

“Why not?”

“Because! Because…” Ember wrung her hands together, desperate to come up with an alternative explanation, one that bore no resemblance to her unchecked ability. “Because I’m not able to manipulate spiritual energy!” she exclaimed with rising panic. “It’s not like this is the first time I’ve felt threatened, not even since my awakening, but I’ve never done anything like THIS before.” I sent her a sympathetic look and softly said, “A lot has changed in the past forty-eight hours, little dove.”

*

“No.” Ember jumped to her feet. “No. This can’t be possible.”

“It’ll be alright, Ember,” Beth consoled weakly.

“We’ll help you figure this out,” Gemma offered reassuringly.

“I don’t want to figure this out!” Ember shouted. I stood beside my companion and said to the others, “Can you give us the room, please?” Simultaneously, they all nodded and quietly vacated the parlor.

*

With her back to me and arms wrapped tightly around herself, Ember muttered, “I thought I’d finally reached a place of acceptance… but this? It’s… it’s too much.” I pulled her against my chest as she added, “The Council was right about me; I am a threat to the guardians.”

“No,” I argued sharply, turning her to face me. “They were wrong. And after seeing you on Spritus Caeli, annointed by the Creator Himself, they now know precisely how wrong they were.”

“But—”

“No, Em. I will not let you retreat into self-doubt. I won’t.”

*

Watching the gold in her eyes recede, I understood the profound impact of my words on her. I thought back to the night she’d banished my monsters and talked me down from the ledge of self-pity. I’d been in awe of what she’d managed to do for me, never thinking that I’d be able to do the same. After exuding such strength and resilience during the trial and the ritual, she was now in freefall and it was my turn to catch her.

*

I let out a deep sigh and pulled Ember back to the sofa’s seat. Beside her, I took her slender hands in mine, grazing my thumbs over them as I said, “I know it’s hard, mon ange, but try to set aside everything you’re feeling right now and look at the entire picture. Look at what you’ve accomplished since June. Look at what you’ve overcome since the day I found you…” my voice dropped to a whisper, “…after you were beaten.” The memory of that night forced me to take a steadying breath. Recollecting my companion’s fragile condition the first time I set eyes on her would forever send a pang through my heart.

*

I cleared my throat and continued, “Before you even stepped foot into this world you had your trust shattered and no one to help you repair it. Not long afterward, your life was turned inside out with everything you ever knew called into question. Despite all this, not to mention numerous opposing forces, you’ve discovered yourself, reestablished trust, learned to love, and are now known as the one true queen. If that doesn’t show you that there’s nothing you can’t handle, then trust ME.” Squeezing her hands, I concluded, “This bond is your assurance that you will never fight alone again.”

*

Ember said nothing in response but I sensed her nerves settle as she nodded and leaned toward me. I reflexively welcomed her against my side and she nestled her head comfortably on my chest. I stroked her arm, and for a long while we simply sat together, savoring the pleasant hum of energy passing between us. It would have come as no surprise if she’d fallen asleep right there. Yet, regardless of her outward stillness, I knew her mind raced.

*

When Ember eventually relinquished a heavy sigh, I softly said, “Tell me what you need, ma cherie. What can I do?” As though it were already on her mind before I’d even asked, she promptly answered, “Take me home.” I kissed her head and declared, “Nothing would please me more.”

***

~ Third person POV

*

In the east wing of Eden’s ancient palace, Kierkan Argyros followed the head steward down a long deserted corridor. Outwardly, Kierkan strolled along, the picture of composure apart from the way his jaw was set in annoyance. Ordinarily, he did the summoning, not the other way around.

*

The old steward traveled the full length of the hallway before coming to a stop outside a partly opened dark-stained door. Without a word, he issued a bow to Lord Argyros and retreated. With the gold tip of his ebony cane, Kierkan nudged the door further open with a resounding creak.

*

Inside the private smoking lounge, Soren Lamond turned at the noise and locked eyes with the man responsible for securing his reign. Neither said a word until Kierkan entered and shut the door behind him. “The guardian world may see you as my superior, Soren, but we both know that is not the case. Let this be the last time I remind you of where you would be without me. And let this be the one and only time you dare to summon me.” A mixture of distaste and fear passed over Soren’s round face. He slicked his faded red hair back as he collected himself and replied, “Of course, Lord Argyros.”

*

Kierkan moved further into the room and sat casually in the nearest brown leather chair. “As I’ve repeatdly reminded you in the past,” he began while casually examining his cane’s intracate golden handle, “being seen too frequently in one another’s company draws unwanted attention and could have unforseen reprocusions.”

“You think I care about our association right now?” Kierkan’s eyes shifted to Soren’s as he warned, “You should.”

“What about the s**t show that went down yesterday morning?”

“A minor setback, my friend,” Kierkan replied as he went back to complacently admiring his walking accessory; an inessential accessory aquired soley for appearance.

*

“A minor setback?” Soren hissed in disbelief. He moved to the chair opposite Kierkan, lowering himself to the very edge as though too agitated to make himself comfortable. “Is that what you call it when all of our meticulous planning is entirely unraveled?”

“Calm yourself, Soren,” Kierkan said with an air of boredom. “Nothing has been unraveled, merely… delayed.”

“What are we going to do now?”

“Refrain from falling to peices would be a good start.”

“We must do something. Now!”

“Acting impetuously could prove fatal to our objective.”

“You can’t really mean to sit back and do nothing.”

“I didn’t say that.”

*

Soren jumped to his feet and demanded, “Damn it, Kierkan. The time for being passive is over!” Lord Argyros’ eyes narrowed as he warned, “Watch yourself.”

“Phoenix has succeeded in bringing back the true guardian queen—”

“She is NOT queen yet.”

“If we fail to act swiftly, it is merely a matter of time, and not much of it at that.”

*

Kierkan balanced his cane over his knees and leaned back in the chair. He casually twirled the large red stone ring around his boney finger as he said, “Try to think critically, Soren. The public are currently overjoyed by the promise of the first guardian queen in a millenia. Any act against the monarchy right now would only draw them more support.”

“There’ll be no one to support if they are DEAD.” Kierkan rolled his eyes at Soren’s suggestion.

*

Lord Argyros vacated the chair and smoothed the front of his elegant green tunic. Balancing both hands on the knob of his cane, he leered at Soren and said, “I will be returning to my estate. I suggest you do the same— no, actually, I am insisting on it.” The former king opened his mouth for rebuttal but Kierkan cut him off. “Our naive rulers will soon grant us another opportunity to see them deposed. In the meantime, I expect you to exercise a modicum of patience and, as difficult as it may be for you, a smidgen of wit.” He strolled toward the door, not bothering to look over his shoulder as he gave his final word, “Wait to hear from me.”

*

Soren was left glaring at the door left open by his master’s unceremonious exit. Stewing in displeasure and spite, he marched to the drink cabinet and poured himself a large serving of solani. He knocked back every last drop of the strong, guardian-made liquor before refilling the glass and walking to the window.

*

A new presence noislessly approached Soren from behind as he sipped his drink and stared through the pane. “You’d better be here to offer some kind of explanation.” he said before facing his asset. “You assured me the substance you gave the maid would weaken the king’s companion.”

*

When his asset remained silent, Soren barked, “Well? Have you nothing to say in your defense?”

“Devine intervention?” the mole suggested, disinterested. Soren huffed angrily in repsonse and drained the remainder of his drink. Once the glass was empty he said, “I have a new task for you.”

“Name it.”

“I’m relying on you to finish what I started.” Soren returned to staring aimlessly out the window as he muttered, “The Ellison line should have ended twenty-five years ago.”

*

Many quiet moments passed while Soren thought out a new strategy. Resolved with what must be done, he placed the empty solani glass on the sideboard and headed for the door, his asset following close behind. “Since Phoenix loves playing with fire,” Soren sneered, “… let him burn.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~