Guardian (20 page)

Pike looked back at forth at both of us then turned to one of the guards.  He asked the guy if Grace and I kissed.  The guard told him we never moved.  He turned to Grace. 

“I never moved,” Her hands flew up in innocence. 

“What did you do?” He wailed angrily at her.

She sighed, “I made you think you were thinking one thing and then changed your thoughts to something else.  Somehow it makes you forget what you were doing or something.  Hmm, kind of like you did me.  And paybacks, as they say, are—

I knew he cut her off.  His power was stronger than even mine sometimes depending on the circumstance and amount of emotion involved.  His anger fueled his drive.  “I’m not your guinea pig. What were you thinking?  What did you put in my mind, you witch!”

“Name calling, big huge NO NO with me, mister!”

“That was uncalled for.” I defended her.

Pike pressed her on, “What did you put in my mind?” His face was solid red.

They went on for a while, back and forth.

“Fair.  I’ll show you fair.  You intentionally try to hurt Ian any moment you get.  Why?  Because you are a foul creature with no heart.  I refuse to believe that about you and so does Ian.  So maybe, just maybe you’ll get your priorities straight and we can work together instead of tearing each other part.  I would have never given you a second thought simply because of your bad boy evil attitude so quit using your good looks.  It’s not enough.”

I enjoyed this part, except when she started to cry and my anger flared.  I started to step in but Pike opened his mouth to respond to her lasted speech and ended up walking away. 

I tried to ease her but she wasn’t entirely receptive. “I think he heard you loud and clear.  I think you’re going to make a great queen.  And I think you need to get a little more control before we unleash you again.”   God, she made me crazy.  I wanted to smother her with myself, but that’s not what either of us needed right then.  After a life of holed-up emotion that I didn’t know existed until I found Grace that was understandable.  It’s just, she made me stupid sometimes.  I’d think only of her safety and it made me do things.  Things I shouldn’t.  She didn’t get that.

Angrily she said, “I didn’t use any persuasion to make him walk away, Ian.” 

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

I rested my chin on her shoulder and she whispered, “Either way, he knows I’m right.” 

The next episode in the daily comings and goings of dealing with a life including Grace, who was our queen, was Kinsler the horse’s ass.

When the meeting started and his face revealed, she was lit up like a cherry lollipop.

It’s you!
her body screamed.  Her accusing eyes fell on me.   

“I see he didn’t inform you well, my green eyed queen,” he told her and no doubt filling her mind as well. “Of course, my beauty.  Always.  And parting
is
such sweet sorrow when one hasn’t seen you in weeks.”

Yes on the mind junk.  He was filling her thoughts with poison.

Snap!  He made her see the freshman year debacle demonstration at the bench.  Pike let me see a glimpse, but I hadn’t seen the rest and didn’t really know why. 

“STOP it right now!  You will not manipulate me.  If you wish to keep your lands, trickery will not get you what you want.”      

I blew a gasket when she grabbed her head. Pike had taken care of it, interceding.

“Make a wish, GRACE!”  The dandelion weed dangled before him like it was a rose.  “All those wishes come true yet?”

He was such a moron.

“You may have bullied me and the rest around in the past, but I’ll warn you now, I’ll not stand and watch you bully your way in here.”

Apparently Pike and I both were locked out now.  Kinsler was irate. 

Suddenly my Grace said to him, “Your good, but I’ll be better, you’ll see.  Now, shall we get back to the niceties?”

“Well, well, well!  Seems like our little queen got some skills!”

“Stop!  Let’s talk.”

What was she doing?  I frantically looked to Pike.  She friggin’ glared at Pike for trying to help.

“Will you take our lands, or allow your previous queen to rule you too?” Kinsler asked only her.

“Why would I take your lands, are you using it for the wrong reasons?  Are you torturing any poor souls to gain land?  Give me a reason why it should be taken,
Kin
?” 

Seething, I felt myself almost explode.

“The Nyms have a right to what is theirs.  They can’t have taken what belongs to them already.”

“I agree,” she replied. “Why are you interested in the Nym legacy?”

That caught the idiot off guard. 

“If we draw a treaty we will agree to the boundaries and quit all the bickering,” she continued unaffected on the surface of it.    If she was anything else, I couldn’t tell.

“Your previous queen was trying to steal lands from us.” 

Grace didn’t know all the history, “She didn’t try to steal your lands.  Her guards were just surveying where the Fey were located, including your own homelands.  The court was just mapping what was there for furthering developments in the future, not taking what belongs to someone else.”

Kinsler looked at me landing his hand ready to fight. “Fine, but if this treaty is formed, we will expect some kind of warning message for surveyors to pass the next time.  After all, we all want to be
courteous
?”

Whoa!  She’d done it.  Double whoa!

“We will not take another’s land, nor will you.”  She stared a second at nothing, “So it is done, we will bring up the treaty tonight.  We will agree to stay on our own lands and ask permission before further intrusions occur.”

Man, she is good. I enjoyed another jump down debate class memory lane.  She was certainly quick on her feet. 

“Do we have a deal?” she asked coolly.

Kinsler took a step cramping the proximity between them as did the two of us.  Was he jacking her or was she winning? 

“I see your bodyguards haven’t left you,” Kinsler jeered at her.

“Will you treaty?” her voice quivered making it known she was not a hardened winter queen, but a soft gentle but firm summer one. 

“I will sign the treaty.”  Pike was faster than me at getting between them as I held her close to my side.  Kinsler reacted fast and retreated.  “I was just going to congratulate her on becoming queen.” 

“You can do that from where you stand now.  You understand, don’t you?” I said in a kindly way that sent fleas flying.

  She cried when he’d left, her body trembling much more than I’ve ever seen even if I wasn’t allowed to hold her till days ago.  Kinsler tried to grab her, but it didn’t work.  Pike staved him off.  I wished I could hold her forever and never let her go. 

Pike put his fork down, looked at me and asked, “Do you mind if I teach her something she has asked me to do?” 

I gathered what I’d obviously missed biting back the envy.  After, he explained quickly and I consented hating the pretentious nature Pike exhibited so clearly.

Sometimes she made me so angry.  She was afraid to tell me things.  I hated that.  I hated Pike even more for making her that way.  If I’d stop the stupid crap jealousy act sometimes I’d have her trust more.  Yeah, that was gonna happen with Pike
and
Kinsler around.  God, I just wanted to lock her away to a safe place.  Alone.

Pike started his
little
lesson with, “Concentrate.  Still your mind like you do with your mojo.”  He smiled at her using her own head lingo.  “Gather an image of me or whoever you’re trying to mind jab.  Zap!  And pull back.”

She followed.  I knew it worked when Pike shook his head.  It worked?

When the same “mojo" attacked my mind, I refocused and eventually could see her dancing around in triumph.  I threw my arms around her and spun as fast as possible as she laughed.

I heard her tell Pike through her thoughts. 
You are a great teacher, Pike.

Only with you it seems.

I don’t think so.  You’re an impatient, cocky, overbearing, have to be in charge man who sometimes lets his guard down to show that he’s really patient, humble, and great at ruling the people.  Just because your mother died doesn’t make you unworthy.  You could be a great man. 

“What was the mind reading thing all about with Kinsler?”   I cut off the garble.  I didn’t like it obviously.

“Kinsler poked into her brain and drew up a memory to make her weak and at his mercy, that’s all.”

“What was the memory?”  I had to ask because I couldn’t read her mind completely unless Pike relayed it and I was adamant on knowing. Pike was able to read Grace’s mind.  And now it was confirmed that Kinsler could read it too.  Everything was friggin’ mixed up since Grace arrived. 

I raised an eye at Grace grinning at Pike and wondered. She thankfully explained with, “Do you remember freshmen year when Kin was always trying to corner me into going out with him?”

She relayed the day well including the part where Pike offered to take her home.  Pike searched me for permission to speak.  The jerk actually felt sorry for me.  For Grace. 

I told her, “Because I was in the library helping Caylie web search for her report she had due the next day.  I should have been with you.  If Pike…hadn’t found you and saved you, we don’t know what Kinsler would have done.”

I guess my expectation for some kind of “hoorah” for Pike was as invalid as my worry for her purely liking Pike.  Instead of pouring out the thanks to him she said, “That’s the past.  He didn’t get me that day.  And I’m grateful that the both of you have been there all this time.  If I’d only known I needed saving, maybe I could’ve helped back then.  We can’t change anything but the future.” 

I checked with Pike to confirm Grace really felt that way.  Pike assured me she was as real as her parts.  I grimaced at his attempt at making me lash out at him. 

“Stop that!” She snapped to both of us.  “I want you to promise to stop looking in my mind so much or I’ll unleash my mind control mojo thingy that keeps happening.  I
will
get it under control, you know.”  Her kitten clawed attack affected us both. 

“Retract your claws, love!”

All three of us laughed unexpectedly.   Muchly needed.

Kinsler extended his hand to take the treaty at the meeting where Pike and I took extra precautions.

“What assurance do I have that you will keep your word?” Kinsler asked taking it from her.

“Touché!” 

“We will bind it,” he said very slowly to her like she hadn’t heard.

My voice rang out, “NO!  She will not.” 

“She will, or no treaty!” 

The longest string of threeway cussing went between us like a wall of filth, but I won.

“Keep her for now.  Her time will come for me.  When summer gets here, she’ll have but one purpose and then we’ll see what happens after.  The rest, she’ll end up being no different than the last queen after a time.  Her own stinking agenda.  I’m here for one purpose today. Now, bind it.” 

“NO!” I said. 

“YES!” growled Kinsler.  Slits for eyes, he stood over her and measured his timing. 

When she looked up at him, he roped himself around her arm.  Both Pike and I were on him just as fast, but he held on tight with Grace feeling every bit of his strength squeezing the blood out of her veins.  He twisted and locked his arm and pressed his wrist to hers then yelled out, “I bind thee!”

He jerked apart and watched her fall to the ground.  Hard.  A guard padded her fall as I turned her arm both ways to check her wrist searing at the angry marks that measured the size of a man’s fingers.  I cried out in sick, twisted terror,   “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” 

I busted one eye and went for his neck.  Pike was on me within a second.  I thought he was pulling me off, but after his hand connected to Kinsler’s face and I heard the crack, I continued on with my haste for a sudden death.

I gave a quick shout out for the sparring practice I’d had with the guards in the middle of last night.  Kinsler stumbled for the second time and hit the ground.  Pike had him locked in as we worked together to hold him down.  He wasn’t a one man opponent.  I knew this, but at the moment I just wanted him hurt.  Bad!  The choke caused Kinsler to spurt and gurgle. 

“What are you doing?” she yelled. 

I heard her yell for help thinking some other creature had attacked her.  Apparently, my two brawling partners thought the same because despite the compromising positions we were in, she was first priority. 

She
was trying to stop us so the second it all registered we yanked right back into the brawl.

“STOP!” she yelled again and we all three froze to find the location of her scream.  I threw the self-righteous P-O-S down and raced to her.

I stood in front her checking every inch. 

Hello honey, I’m home!

Whoa!  I heard her.  Why did she say that?  How did I hear her?

Pike was standing now brushing off his pants and grunting in our direction.  I turned to see if he was back on Kinsler or something.

Grace was checking me out.  And Pike. 

I reluctantly pushed her lust aside and left her with Pike and fronted Kinsler.  I told him a few choice words and what he could do with his piece of crap self. 

I yanked up Grace’s arm too rough and pulled her to the area where we spent time strategizing for this meet to go well.  The table is what I needed.  I felt her look back to see if anyone was following.   “Stop dragging me!” she said.
 
She dug her heals into the dirt. 

I turned to her realizing too late she shouldn’t see my face like this, but she wasn’t looking at my face.  The silver maple leaf amulet hung down in front of me and she stared. 

  “Does that guard your thoughts?” Her eyes glazed over.  Wasn’t she in pain?

I nodded a yes.  Then she finally unleashed.

“WHAT in this world was that all about, and what is on my arm?  What is a binding?  And…”

“Stop Grace!  Give me a second to calm down.” 

My friggin’ knuckles were killing me.  I would go insane if I didn’t get her away NOW!

While pacing I reviewed the circumstances, “He bound himself to you.  By binding the treaty to you he assures you can’t go back on your word or you die.  That’s how a binding works.”

“Well, that’s sounds extreme, but I can see where it comes with the territory.” 

I still paced.  I yelled at her, “You don’t understand, Grace.  All manner of things can happen to let the following bindings be forfeited.  You don’t take bindings lightly.  He didn’t have that right.  HE didn’t have the RIGHT!”

“It all makes sense.  But I don’t understand what made you so angry, you went nuts.  You and Pike attacked him.”

“Because Grace, your first binding has to be your marriage binding.  And I failed at that too.” I ran my hands through the hair.  Now, anger aside, I wanted my hands all over her, claiming her.

“And Kinsler knew this?”

“Of course he did.  That’s why he did it.  Your first binding is to your betrothed.”  I wouldn’t be able to keep away much longer.  I needed her now!

  “Well, we’ll just have to figure out a way around that then, right?” 

I looked incredulously at her.  She was the calm after a storm.   Yet, she was being impossibly stupid about this.

“Isn’t there something you should ask a girl anyway if there is a marriage in the picture?  I mean, as you pointed out, the events are all out of order, but I don’t intend to just live in sin with my prince.”

I was dumbstruck.  This wasn’t the time for this.  Anger and disappointment boiled inside me.  I was losing my perspective.

“I mean, we’ve known each other for well, all my life, and I know I love you, and I know I’m spending the rest of my life with you, and well, the two of us weren’t meant for “normal” in the first place, right?”  She watched me.

“So, something can be done.  No one can tell me who to be with.  I choose.  There has to be something we can do.  Al probably knows a good tattoo remover.”  I edged a smile.  For her.  “See, you agree.”

“I thought you couldn’t read my mind?” I said running on autopilot and trying hard to keep from telling her the sorry truth about what’s been done.

“I can’t, but your face speaks loads to me?” She came back with my own words.  I could only smile at her cleverness and ease though she was hinting she knew the situation was worse than even she thought it to be.

“So, is there anything you want to ask me?  Prepare me for later perhaps?  I’m saving you here.  You needed saving right?”

This wasn’t the time or the place I envisioned.  I didn’t want the binding to be possible and now it may be too late.  The burn looked nothing like the maple, but maybe something could be done.  My mother’s bindings were always quickly formed.  Either way, I’d claim her even more and gain the promise of her saying it was forever in her human way.  If that’s what she needed to get her to move on from Kinsler, I’d say anything.

I told myself just to do it.

I pulled her up from the bench and twirled her around, gently sat her back down and landed on my knee, “Grace, queen of the Seelie court, love of my life, will you please, allow me to give you my love and honor for the rest of your life and allow me to ask you to marry me when the time is right, but not here?”

“YES!  YES!  YES!   I will say yes when you do.”

I let her let go of the embrace long enough to whisper, “I guess we both need saving more than we like to admit.”

“I guess.”  She stared at my lips and back up knocking the amulet around my neck.  And
she
kissed me.  I pried her inviting mouth open with my tongue not able to wait any longer.  I was drowning in her a little more each day.