The Guardian King

Chapter Seventeen

~ Ember

*

When the car pulled around to the front entrance of the castle, Phoenix smiled and said, “Welcome home, little dove.”

“Temporarily,” I added. He didn’t respond, but that single word from me triggered a subtle change in his golden eyes… a weight of some kind.

*

“I suppose you want me to meet your mother next?” I guessed.

“Ha!” He sarcastically laughed aloud as Knox opened the back door. “Absolutely not,” Phoenix said, before slipping out of the car.

*

Phoenix chivalrously offered me his hand, which I ignored, alighting from the backseat on my own. “Are you worried she won’t like me?” I asked.

“He’s worried you won’t like her,” Knox explained.

“Traitor,” the king muttered to his guard and placed his hand on my back, guiding me up the stone steps toward the castle’s entrance.

*

“Why does it matter whether or not I like your mother?” I wanted to know. When he didn’t respond, I asked, “How long do you plan to keep us from meeting?”

“Forever if I can manage it.” I stopped him directly outside the enormous front doors and looked into his face, before stating in observation, “You’re joking.”

“Am I?” he replied with a single raised brow.

“… Yes.”

“How do you know for certain?”

“I… I don’t know. I just do.” He smiled as the doors opened to us.

*

Phoenix gestured for me to enter ahead of him. Our footsteps echoed through the expansive entryway, though we were not alone in the least. Standing in a line at the base of the grand marble staircase we were greeted by the entire castle staff. I swallowed hard thinking Phoenix intended to present me to every single person employed at the royal estate.

*

“Relax, little dove,” came Phoenix’s deep velvety voice near my ear, sending chills down my spine. He seemed to have read my mind because he said, “They’re simply here to welcome you. I don’t expect you to meet them all at once. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get to know them at your own pace. They were just excited to see my new companion.”

“So they’re here of their own accord and not at your command?”

“That’s right.”

“Somehow I doubt that.”

“You have a truth ability. Do you detect deception in me?”

“I don’t know how to use my abilities yet. That’s why I’m here. And even if I did, you are the king. I’m sure you’re perfectly capable of deceiving when you wish to.”

“Not to you.”

“I wish I could believe that.” His eyes narrowed as though insulted. But he shook it off and led me to the woman standing at the front of the group. I recognized her from the ball the previous evening.

*

“Bonjour, Rosie. You look as beautiful as always.” She gave him an affectionate smile as he kissed her cheek. “That’s very sweet of you, bijou. Though not as lovely as your new companion, I’d say.”

“I’m inclined to agree with you.” He gave me a penetrating smile and said, “Ember, this is my beloved grandmother, Ambrosia.”

“Please, call me Rosie if you wish.” The king sent a sly look of surprise to his grandmother.

“Thank you, it’s nice to meet you,” I said politely.

“Welcome to the Jewel of Ilia, dear Ember.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s what we call this ancient place,” Phoenix clarified.

“Oh, forgive me,” I said. “There’s a lot I don’t know about the guardian world.”

“That is where I come in,” Ambrosia stated.

“How so?”

“I’ve asked my grandmother to be your teacher on guardian culture and history,” Phoenix explained. “There is no one better.”

“No one flatters me like me grandson, which is one of many reasons he’s my favorite.”

“I’m truly honored to learn from you,” I told her.

“The honor is mine, Ember.”

*

Ambrosia turned to her grandson, lowered her voice, and spoke to Phoenix in French. “Are you serious?” he responded in annoyance.

“I would not jest about such a thing.”

“Bon sang. Alright, I will confront her.”

“I’d be happy to show Ember to her suite.”

“Thank you,” he replied.

“Phoenix, make sure you remind Magnolia who is king.”

“Oui, Grand-mère.” After dropping a swift kiss to my hand, he walked away and disappeared down the nearest corridor.

*

Ambrosia turned and addressed the staff gathered at the base of the stairs. “Thank you all for taking time from your busy tasks to welcome the newest member of our household. Lady Ember I’m sure looks forward to meeting you all individually over time. In the meantime, I know you will make the king proud in treating his new companion with the utmost kindness and respect. Thank you, that is all.” At the completion of her speech they all bowed in unison and dispersed to all corners of the castle.

*

When the foyer was vacant but for myself and Ambrosia, I said, “Thank you for speaking to the staff on my behalf.”

“Not at all, my dear. My grandson mentioned you may not feel comfortable speaking to a crowd on your first day. Now lets get you to your room before you have a run in with his mother.” I walked alongside Ambrosia as we made our way up the ornate staircase.

*

Once we’d ventured into the heart of the luxurious castle, I voiced my curiosity. “Do you mind if I ask, does Phoenix have a … tense relationship with his mother?”

“I am certain he would prefer to tell you the details himself in his own time. I will simply say, unfortunately, my daughter never had much faith in her son over many things throughout his life. It’s led to a great deal of resentment on his part, none of which is altogether undeserving. I admit, though I love her, I harbor a great deal of disappointment in her as a parent. The doubt from his mother, who is meant to support and encourage, has caused Phoenix to lead a very lonely life.”

“Lonely? But he’s surrounded by people who are so loyal to him.”

“Yes, now he is. He wasn’t always.”

*

We reached a pair of beautifully carved, ivory doors and she placed a soft hand on my forearm. “I know this relationship is unconventional for you. But I believe you will come to see him as a worthy friend.” I could only nod my head in response and she continued, “He is a good man at his core despite the many challenges he’s had to overcome. As king, he is just as lonely as he was in childhood. Though many are loyal to him, he possess few true friends.”

*

Ambrosia reached for the golden handles of the room’s double doors and said. “Welcome home. I hope you will be very comfortable here.” After she unlocked the doors, she passed me the key. Feeling the weight of the antique metal in my hand I said, “Should I be concerned by the lock and key?”

“The staff who have clearance to access to your room, for cleaning and such, keep a key. But many guests come and go from the castle on royal business. Journalists have been known to sneak inside on occasion. A lock is merely a precaution to discourage snooping.”

“In that case, thank you.”

“I’ll let you get settled in. Any one of the staff will be happy to serve you, but you can always come to me should you need anything. Even just a chat. I’m on the northern side, one floor down.”

“I’m grateful, Rosie.”

*

I entered my new home expecting to see a small apartment similar to Gemma’s, but instead found a suite fit for a princess. The ceiling must have been twenty feet high, supported by arched, dark-mahogany beams. The stone hearth around the fireplace dominated the area and brought warmth to the room though it hadn’t even been lit. The windows let in plenty of brilliant natural light and pulled me toward the view. The grandeur of the space captivated me so entirely, I hadn’t noticed the person perched upon the cream suede sofa.

*

Startled by the occupant in my room, I stopped in my tracks. “Oh, hello. I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

“Which is why I thought it best for us to meet this way.” The woman, with a braided updo of pitch black hair, stood and approached me. Her gaze was neither friendly nor menacing.

*

“I felt you should be warned,” the older woman began, “in case you have any delusions about your role here.”

“Delusions?” I questioned.

“You are to offer Phoenix support and that is all. You are not to sway him to whatever backwards way of thinking you were brought up under in the human world.”

“Excuse me, but you don’t know me at all and I certainly don’t know you.”

“I don’t need to know you to know my son has absolutely no need of you. He will see the error of his ways soon enough and be rid of you. When that day comes you will leave without a fuss, do I make myself clear?”

“Perfectly. But you needn’t have ambushed me. You could have introduced yourself in a normal manner and made your concerns known in a kinder way. I have no wish no make any enemies.”

“Then you shouldn’t have made a claim on a position far beyond you. You present yourself as sweetly innocent to gain favor and it certainly worked with my son. He is caring to a fault, but I see through it. You are nothing but a cunning opportunist reaching for things that do not belong to you.”

“Wow, tell me how you really feel,” I replied facetiously. “You are entitled to your opinion, however wrong it may be.” I was no stranger to mean girls, but I never expected to find one in someone old enough to know better. “You’re awfully bold aren’t you?” she commented. “You should save yourself a lot of embarrassment by leaving now. My son deserves a more fitting companion than some unknown.”

*

My reply was interrupted when the door behind me swung open and banged against the wall, revealing the guardian king. His searing gaze immediately landed on his mother standing in the middle of my new living room. Phoenix spoke furious French at the woman as he approached her. He spoke so fast my college French education wasn’t enough to grasp anything he said. But it didn’t take a translator to know he was livid.

*

They shared a brief exchange in the foreign language, before Phoenix’s mother stepped closer to me and with a sweet smile said, “I don’t know what you’re so upset about, Phoenix. Ember and I were simply getting to know each other. I wanted to welcome her to her new home, isn’t that right, Ember?” When her eyes met mine, a thin silver glimmer illuminated her irises, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. Shaking off the strange experience, I said, “You were making your point I don’t belong here.”

“Why you little-”

“That’s enough, Maman!” Phoenix roared. “Leave the castle now before I have you banned permanently.” She looked as though she was choking on her suppressed opinions. Biting her tongue, she quietly left my room without anymore fuss.

*

Before I could process the turn of events, Phoenix took me firmly by the shoulders and peered into my eyes. “Are you alright, little dove?” The intensity of his golden eyes rendered me momentarily speechless. “Ember? Please, answer me.”

“Sorry, yes, I’m fine. Though I can see now why you wanted to put off introducing me to your mother. Charming is not the first word that comes to mind when describing her.” He chuckled lightly, but his hands remained comfortingly on my arms. My brain told me he was being too personal, but my heart wouldn’t let me step away.

*

“I’m very sorry if she upset you in any way. I told her I didn’t want to overwhelm you by meeting my entire family in one day. I suppose she couldn’t take no for an answer. I shouldn’t be surprised she showed up at the castle, but I never thought she’d be so intrusive as to trespass in your private chambers. Speaking of, do your accommodations please you?” The presence of the king’s mother had distracted me from fully appreciating my new surroundings.

*

I turned in place and Phoenix’s hands instantly returned to my upper arms from behind. The little girl in me, who had her heart set on being a princess, danced with glee over the sight of my new suite. Soft white curtains hung from the mahogany beams and sectioned off the area I’d yet to explore. I willed myself to move out of Phoenix’s hands. The floor rose two steps leading into the bedroom. When I passed beyond the gap in the curtains, I gasped at the gigantic bed that greeted me. Fabric hung high on the wall and crowned the headboard giving it an even more regal appearance.

*

“Do you like it?” the king was eager to know as he followed me through the curtains.

“It’s impossible not to. Phoenix, this is stunning and far more than necessary for me.”

“I disagree.” I ignored him and went on to tour the bathroom with its gold taps, small crystal chandelier, and light pink rug amidst the white marble tile. The walk-in closet, larger than my college dorm room, had been stocked with a blend of guardian and human attire. Something told me Gemma took on the task by the looks of things. Leaning casually in the doorframe Phoenix said, “Feel free to trade out anything that’s not to your liking.”

“It’s wonderful, Phoenix. Thank you.”

“You can thank me by calling me Nic. Not everyone has that privilege, you know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

*

After touring my suite, we returned to the den. Awkwardness overtook me from the knowledge we were completely alone in a private setting. I twisted my fingers together as I searched for something to say. Phoenix took my right hand out of my left’s contortion and brought it to his lips, grazing a kiss across the knuckles. My entire body instantly relaxed as if it were the most normal of gestures. “I’ll leave you to your solitude,” he said, “but I’ll see you at dinner.” Words caught in my throat so I merely nodded. With one final squeeze of my hand, he let go, gave me a bow, and left the room. That was a new experience for me, being bowed to by a king.

*****

~ Phoenix’s POV

Ember’s suite was located on the opposite side of the castle from my office. Yet, it took the entire walk across the enormous palace for my heart rate to return to normal. I needed to be more careful in future and avoid too much unnecessary contact. Ember needed the chance to catch up before I let myself get carried away by the pull of our connection.

*

With a deep breath, I turned the handle on my office door. Inside, Gemma and Phyneas awaited. “Gem, what’s the status on public opinion since last night?” I wanted to know.

“Not as good as you’d hoped, Your Majesty. The consensus seems to be that you’ve allowed yourself to be taken by a manipulative unknown female.”

“What do you recommend I do to counteract such opinions? I cannot have the public viewing Ember so wrongly.”

“Honestly, I think most will alleviate over time. The loudest voices are from those disappointed you didn’t select their daughters. As for the others, I have an idea, but you aren’t going to like it.”

“Tell me,” I said as I sat in my high-back desk chair.

“They think you are being duped. Make it known you made a calculated choice. One that has nothing to do with infatuation and everything to do with making her your student.”

“Basically, make the bullshit agreement I made with Ember known to everyone.”

“Yes.”

“That’s not what I want.”

“I know.”

*

I rubbed my chin in thought. The situation with my companion had me on a rickety rope bridge. One wrong move and I would undoubtedly fall into an abyss. I needed to take my time with her. She needed to feel at home here as well as get the chance to know herself as a guardian, before it would be a good idea for me to explain our bond. At the same time I had to gain public support on my relationship with her, which at the moment remained more fragile than a baby bird. I couldn’t sway my people to my side if I made it known we were moving forward as friends, instead of romantic partners. When it came time for the guardian world to know about the sacred bond between myself and Ember, I couldn’t give them any reason to doubt it. Otherwise, Ember and I would both be in danger, not to mention the fragility of the entire guardian race.

*

“Nic? How do you want to proceed?” Gemma asked.

“I need you to write up a press release,” I told her.

“Alright, what would you like it to convey?”

“Let it be known we are focusing on Ember’s training. Express the delight of all those within the royal palace to guide her into our world.”

“You’re buying time?”

“Yes.”

“Leave it to me. I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks, Gem.” My publicist bowed and promptly retreated, leaving me alone with my advisor.

*

Phyneas eyed me curiously and stated, “You’re on edge more than normal. What’s going on? Your email said everything went well with your father.”

“It did.”

“So what’s happened since?” I explained to him about my mother’s ambush.

*

“I still don’t understand what’s eating at you,” Phyneas said from the armchair by the fireplace. “Ember stood her ground against your mother, that is no easy fete. You should be proud.”

“Her abilities are growing at a faster rate than she realizes. My time is running out.”

“What makes you say that?”

“She brushed off my mother’s compulsion as if it were nothing.”

“Whoa.”

*

A swift knock came as my door swung open. Knox would not have interrupted for anything less than the utmost importance. “Your Majesty, forgive me, I bring sad news.”

“Tell me.”

“Roderick is dead.”

“Merde!” Instantly on my feet I brought my fists down on the surface of my desk so hard it would’ve surely broken had it not been a massive chunk of walnut. “Nic, this all but confirms your suspicions,” Phyneas stated.

“Yes. It seems we weren’t the only ones aware of Ember’s existence prior to her arrival. She’s being targeted. The question is, is she safe now that she’s here or have I just put her in an even more vulnerable position?”

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

Author’s Note:

* Bon sang is an phrase similar to good grief.

* Merde is a French swear similar to s**t.

-

Thanks for reading! All feedback is greatly welcomed and appreciated!

Chapter eighteen coming Sunday, February 26.

~ E. K.