The Emerald Staff (11 page)

“Vivianna hates me so much, and I can’t
understand why. I have never done anything to her. For goodness
sake, I didn’t even know her or any of this until a few months ago,
yet she seems intent on destroying my family…and me.” Faedra’s
voice faltered a little. “She kidnapped my father last night and
has given me seven days to hand over the amulet or she’ll kill
him.”

The king sucked in a breath and hung his head
in shame.

“She keeps calling me
samtero
kruwos.
”

At the mention of those words, the king
brought his focus back to meet Faedra’s gaze and his features
softened a little.

“I know what it means,” she continued,
sensing the king’s hesitation.

“And?” the king asked after a short pause,
interested to see what conclusions the Custodian may have come
to.

“I need to know why Vivianna hates me so
much. Why does she keep calling me half-blood?”

The king hissed out a sigh and closed his
eyes.

“Tell me who I am. I have a right to know!”
her voice was rising again, frustration getting the better of
her.

The king sat down behind his desk, and Faedra
could see the indecision clouding his features.

“Sit down, Faedra.”

“I’m perfectly alright standing, thank
you.”

The king looked at the young woman and saw
the determination burning with ferocity in her eyes.

“Very well,” he conceded, as he steepled his
fingers in front of his face, masking his features just a
little.

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”
Faedra accused, after a moment passed and the king remained silent.
“I’ll find out, you mark my words. I’ll find out why you people
want to destroy everything I love!” She turned on her heel to leave
but only got a stride forward.

“She is your sister,” the king blurted the
statement, his voice sounded laden with guilt.

Faedra stopped in her tracks. She felt her
knees buckle as the impact of what she just heard reached her
brain. It took all of her willpower to remain standing. She turned
with a hesitant step to face the king, a look of disbelief creeping
across her features. She opened her mouth to speak but no words
came.

Her questioning eyes met the king’s intense
gaze and he held them captive.

“Who are you? You… are my daughter,” he
stated, his expression neutral.

He waited for a response but when the only
one he got was a look of shocked disbelief and silence he felt
compelled to explain.

“My wife, Vivianna’s mother, died many years
ago by human measure. I met your mother when she made the rather
unusual request to seek an audience with me. I fell in love with
her almost instantly, and to my delight she fell in love with me,
too. I was completely enraptured and broke a number of our laws
when she fell pregnant with you. We decided it would be safer for
you to be brought up in a normal human environment and we ended our
relationship when Henry walked into her life.

When you were just a baby she brought you
here to show me. Vivianna walked in on us and found out about you
and our prior relationship. She was angry beyond belief and swore
vengeance in the name of her mother’s memory. That is why you were
warded until you turned of age; you could not have your Guardian at
school with you. I was hoping that Vivianna’s anger would dissipate
over the years, but it just seems to fester and grow, instead.”

Faedra couldn’t take another bombshell, not
today. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the imposing man
sitting behind his desk looking at her with a mixture of pride and
remorse. She stood rooted to the spot and stared at the king, her
real father. After a moment she dropped her head, closed her eyes,
and massaged her forehead, unable to think.

“This can’t be happening,” she mumbled to the
floor.

She heard a rustle to her left, then a hand
rested on her shoulder. When she looked up, it was into the eyes of
the king who was now standing in front of her, his face full of
compassion.

“I am sorry, Faedra. On so many levels.”

A feeling of suffocation crept around her
like tendrils. The walls seemed to be closing in on her and she
could feel her focus dwindling. If she didn’t get out of there she
was at major risk of losing control again, and pride would not let
her do that in front of anyone. She certainly didn’t want to injure
anyone that may be within her presence, however accidental it would
be.

She couldn’t hide the look of betrayal she
felt. Carefully moving her shoulder away from the king’s touch, she
backed up a few steps.

“I - I…” No words came. The young Custodian
turned and ran out of the library.

The king looked at one of the guards. “Do not
let her leave the castle. She is far too upset and could do much
damage if her power gets away from her.”

The guard nodded and turned to leave.

“And for the love of Kernunnos, someone find
her Guardian!” the king bellowed to no one in particular as he
turned to his desk, made a fist and hesitated a second before
slamming it down. Various objects bounced off the surface with the
force of his frustration. The guards ran out of the door, gave each
other a fleeting glance and headed in opposite directions.

Faen took a seat in one of the garden chairs
surrounding an oak table and accepted the mug of brew his mother
poured and offered him. She poured one for herself and took the
chair next to her husband, who covered her hand with his. Faen did
not miss the loving gesture between his parents and yearned to
experience it with someone one day. He knew with whom, he just
didn’t know if it would be possible.

“Where is the Custodian, Faen? Should she not
be with you?” Janessa asked, snapping Faen from his thoughts. He
brought his gaze up from his parent’s entwined fingers to meet his
mother’s eyes.

Faen took a deep breath before responding.
“She is at home.”

“But, Son, you should not leave a Custodian,
you know that.” His father’s brow wrinkled with concern.

“She is sleeping. I will be back before she
awakes; she is quite safe in the cottage, it is warded.”

“Nevertheless…” Faen’s father continued.

“Father, I need your help.” Faen cut in
before his father could continue.

Faen recognized the ‘go ahead’ look in his
father’s eyes and carried on.

“Vivianna kidnapped her father last
evening.”

Janessa gasped. “She did what? Why?”

“She wants the amulet.”

“But the amulet is of no use to her now that
the book has been recovered.” Faen’s father stated.

“I know but she insists that Faedra has seven
days to give up the amulet or her father dies.” Faen dropped his
gaze to the table. The hurt on Faedra’s face burning into his
soul.

“Do you have any idea where she has taken
him?” his father asked.

“That is why I am here, Father. You see, she
has the ruby staff.”

Janessa put her hand to her mouth in shock,
her eyes widened with horror. He could see his father’s features
flicker with surprise before resuming back to his usual neutral
expression.

Janessa turned to her husband. “But, Rowan, I
thought the ruby staff had been destroyed along with Savu.”

Rowan said nothing.

“Father, I remembered the stories you used to
tell me when I was a child, that is why I am here…”

“Excuse me, Master Faen,” the housekeeper
interrupted.

All three turned towards where she was
standing in the archway to the garden.

“What is it, Forbes?”

“There is a Messenger from the castle to see
you. He says it is most urgent.”

“Thank you, Forbes, please send him in.”

She inclined her head and stepped aside to
let the Messenger pass.

The thin gangly looking fae with huge
outstretched wings scuttled passed the housekeeper, causing her to
duck around his wing as he did. She gave him a reproving look
before turning and heading back towards the kitchen.

The Messenger scuttled up to Faen unable to
conceal the relieved look on his face. He was still out of breath
when he started talking. “Oh, Mr. Faen, thank Kernunnos, I found
you.” His speech was rushed and breathy.

“Sit down, Messenger. You look exhausted.”
Janessa said, gesturing with her hand to the empty chair next to
her son.

“Thank you, Madam.” The Messenger inclined
his head and took the last empty chair around the table. He took a
couple more deep breaths before continuing.

“It is the Custodian,” he said after catching
his breath.

Faen stood up, sending his chair crashing
backwards to the floor.

“What has happened? Is she alright?” Faen
could feel his brows pinch together and a knot formed in his
stomach.

“She is quite safe, Mr. Faen. She is at the
castle. The king demanded we find you.”

“The castle? What is she doing at the
castle?” Faen questioned, trying to disguise the hint of panic in
his voice.

The Messenger shrugged his shoulders. “I know
nothing more. I was just sent to find you and send you back
there.”

Faen looked at his mother and father who were
trying, but failing, to hide their concern.

“I must go,” Faen said before running through
the archway and taking to the sky.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Faedra sat with her back against the wall of
one of the castle’s many turrets. Her backpack had become a burden
and was now propped up against the wall beside her. She dare not
take a sip of the sugar water held within it. She was having a hard
enough job reining in her energy, as it was, and didn’t need to add
to it. Her throat was parched, though, and she found herself
wishing she’d packed some plain drinking water, too.

The cold stone wall was unforgiving against
her back and she shifted a little to try and ease the discomfort.
Her knees were drawn up to her chest and she was resting her head
on them. Her arms hugged around her shins and she held herself
tightly together, fearing that if she didn’t, she might just fall
apart.

After leaving the king’s library she had run
with no direction until she found somewhere quiet and secluded
where she could think. Only once she found a place, no helpful
thoughts had presented themselves so far.

Her energy crackled within her; and using all
of her concentration to control the power surging with her emotions
was at least keeping her mind somewhat occupied. What she wanted to
do was blow something up, but that wasn’t going to help her father
and it might just get her thrown in the dungeons, king’s daughter
or not.

She was trying to digest all the information
she’d been bombarded with over the past day or so, and was at a
complete loss where to go next. She rifled the time-pebble out of
her pocket and looked at it. The area of red was expanding and she
didn’t have the first clue how to find her father and bring him
back safely. Had she ever felt this helpless before? No, she didn’t
think she had. With a sigh, she tucked the pebble back into her
pocket and dropped her head to her knees again. A sense of
desperation welling from the pit of her stomach.

Faedra wasn’t quite sure how long she had
been literally holding herself together when she felt a breeze
ruffle the hair around her face, and heard the soft beat of
wings.

“Faedra?” The smooth familiar voice caressed
her ears.

She lifted her head from her knees to see
Faen standing a few feet away on the other side of the turret, his
face awash with concern upon seeing the desperation in her eyes.
She held her breath for a heartbeat, waiting for the anger to surge
forward, but was relieved when her heart filled with relief and
happiness upon seeing her Guardian. She thought she had pushed him
away, that he had actually left her when she told him to go. But
here he was, and she told herself she didn’t deserve him. She
wouldn’t have blamed him if he never came near her again after the
way she’d treated him. A weak smile crept across her lips and made
its way up to her eyes.

“You’re here,” she breathed, barely a
whisper, as if he would disappear if she said it any louder.

Faen smiled at her remark. “Where else would
I be?”

“I thought you left when I told you to go. I
wouldn’t blame you, I was so mean… I’m sorry.” She hung her head
and stared at her knees, shame rising to the surface.

Faen took a step forward and kneeled in front
of her. “It would take more than you being angry to get rid of me.”
His soothing voice acted like a balm on an inflamed sore. “I
followed you home and watched until you fell asleep.”

She looked up at him again. “But you weren’t
there when I left this morning.” There was no accusation in her
tone, just a stated fact.

Faen blew out a sigh of regret. “No, I was
not. I made an error in judgment. I expected you would be sleeping
for a while and I needed to see someone, I thought I would be back
by the time you awoke. I did not imagine that you would wake so
early and journey into Azran.” He leaned in and reached his hand
towards her face.

“Don’t touch me!” Faedra shouted and jerked
her head away from his hand.

Faen withdrew his hand with a sharp movement,
surprised at her outburst. Faedra couldn’t mistake the look of hurt
on his face that he quickly tried to mask.

“I’m not safe,” she said, her voice cracking
with emotion.

Faen pinched his brows together in an
unspoken question.

“It’s hopeless,” Faedra cried, “I have no
idea how to get my dad back, and I’m so upset I can’t control my
energy. I’m so charged up right now, I’m scared I’ll hurt anyone
who touches me.” A solitary tear escaped and trickled down her
cheek.

Faen’s heart wrenched as he took in the look
of desperation on his charge’s face. He had to calm her down to the
point that she could control her power. He sat down on the hard
stone floor beside her, resting his back against the wall of the
turret, making sure to leave a little space between them. He didn’t
doubt that she could do him some damage, the energy in the air
surrounding her was almost palpable. He turned his head to the side
and watched her.