Guardian of Honor Page 31

  Then words echoed hollowly, words she'd heard the first night on Lladrana and many times since. "Choose, Alexa."

  Alexa choked, struggled, came back to herself. Bastien cradled her in his arms. His face was pale under the golden hue, his eyes dilated and dark. Her own face was wet with tears...and something else.

  "Just pure rainwater to wake you." Luthan bent down and wiped her face again with a soft, damp cloth, and Alexa figuredout that Bastien sat on the stone bench against the wall of the Temple and she lay across his lap, her legs stretched out on the bench. The Singer stood beyond Luthan, her expression serene, her hands folded at her waist, out of reach. Which was good, because little old lady or not, Alexa wanted to smack her.

  "Are you finished tricking and manipulating me?" Alexa asked the Singer.

  "Thee was working thineself into a state," the Singer answered in English, and repeated it in Lladranan. "It was best for thee, this way."

  "Huh. I'm very tired of people deciding what is best for me without consulting me." She struggled against Bastien's hold and he reluctantly let her sit up, but one of his hands smoothed her hair, pressed her head against his chest. His heart beat rapidly beneath her ear.

  "The greatest decision of all will be thine alone, Alexa," said the Singer.

  Alexa wanted to bury her face in Bastien's chest, inhale the comforting scent of him, but she met the Singer's cool gaze instead. "I'll do what's right."

  "What is right for Lladrana or what is right for thee?"

  Alexa thought of the horror of the battlefields, the comfort of the picnic in Colorado. Her beautiful estate here, and Bastien, the man she'd cared for, and children. "The decision is mine."

  "That's right," said Bastien. "Leave her be." His muscles tensed under her. "I shared her Song Quest. Do I need to do one of my own?" he asked.

  The Singer stared at them thoughtfully. "No. The Song Quest is done. You have seen and heard." She placed her hand on Luthan's arm. "Shall we go sup?"

  "You go on now. We'll follow in a bit," Bastien said, continuing to stroke Alexa's hair, cuddle her.

  After they left, his eyes met hers. "I should have had my own Song Quest, but I'm glad she spared me. I can imagine what it would show—the same as it did last time, me and Reynardus. Him looming, me rebelling."

  Narrowing her eyes, Alexa said, "You're avoiding the topic of my Song Quest."

  His arms tightened around her. "I can guess at the first part—that was the Exotique Terre. Lladrana did not seem to compare well." He grimaced, then his eyes gleamed, lit with sensuality. He placed his hand on her breast, and it felt fabulous. "But I can try my best to convince you to stay." He lowered his head, slowly, and his mouth brushed hers, his tongue sweeping across her lips in a sweet caress that made her heart ache, her body quicken.

  She opened her mouth and let him in. Letting her tongue dance with his, treasuring his taste, reveling in the comfort of his arms around her, his strength, his warmth, his hardening body.

  His fingers undid the first frog-fastening of her golden gown, the second, and slipped inside to touch her through the thin silk of her chemise. The slide of silk against her nipples made her arch, gasp and take his breath into her, surrender. Feeling was so much more delightful than thinking.

  And when he entered her a few moments later and they fell into ecstasy together, it was the very best delight in two worlds.

  That night it was given information and ordered back to the Castle. To kill the Exotique and drain her of magic. It would be unbeatable, then.

  Slowly it coalesced from a huge spiderweb in a crumbling square tower along the city wall. It had feasted well on its travels, growing strong, substantive. It could be a nearly solid man-shape.

  It had liked the Tower, had been able to call victims to itself and feed. Some of those had good magic. The city was safe. It dimlyrecalled being hurt by the Exotique. Pain enough that it lingered in the city instead of following her to the Castle.

  But more Power flowed to it from the Master and the pain was forgotten. Only the exquisite taste of the Exotique's magic stayed in its memory.

  The next morning they rose a half hour before the chimes for the Marshalls' meeting, kissed, dressed, and Bastien put the atomball into a special box that would contain it.

  Bastien was checking on the volarans and horses when Umilla handed Alexa a message. Marwey wanted to meet Alexa in the tiny, wild garden with the brithenwood, to speak with her about a matter of great importance.

  Alexa smiled. She remembered being a teenager and how vital and significant her emotions had made every decision, every action. And maybe after she spoke with Marwey, Alexa could grab a minute to herself in the garden.

  She needed time alone, and the brithenwood tree always provided solace. Homesickness wasn't too bad, but now and then the press of an alien culture, of being a stranger in a strange land, weighed on her. She had the Song Quest to think of—two futures, one on Earth, one here in Lladrana. Which should she choose? The easy or the difficult? Which would be the most rewarding? Which would fulfill her spirit?

  Before she reached the outside door she met Marwey, who shrieked with glee and flung herself at Alexa, hugging her tight.

  "Pascal has asked me to Pair with him! He received his volaran reins yesterday from Mace, like you wanted. Pascal asked me to Pair with him after that. We can make a future together on your land. Pascal said you gave him the volaran. He asked me to Pair with him!"

  "I got that," Alexa said when she could breathe again.

  "I am so glad." Marwey looked around the empty corridor, lowered her voice. "He will make a good Chevalier. I'm not a Chevalier, but I think I could be a Marshall, a Shield," she whispered, stunning Alexa.

  She couldn't imagine Marwey on a battlefield.

  "I will take defensive magical training. I have a dowry of two volarans that I will give to Pascal. He will Test first, perhaps later this year. If he passes, I will Test. I think I could call some wild volarans to work with me, three who will say they'll stay with me for five years, and I can Test for Marshall."

  "You've got it all planned," Alexa said weakly. Surely as soon as she knew all the ins and outs of the society, she would be able to strategize as well as the teenager.

  Marwey lifted her chin, eyes sparkling. "My plan will succeed, I know it!"

  "Ayes."

  "Pascal and I will be a great Marshall Pair. Well, maybe not as great as you and Bastien, but very good all the same!" Marwey hugged Alexa again, waved, and whirled down the corridor.

  In the direction of the guards' quarters, Alexa noted. She exited through the Keep door, through the maze and continued to the garden.

  Pascal and Marwey. Not unexpected, but Alexa would have a new employee soon, Marwey.

  She wanted to think of that happy future today. Didn't want to think of death and destruction, of choices that would have to be made. Usually she'd analyze events, experiences, emotions. She'd planned on using time under the brithenwood to do that. But not now. Now she felt too cheerful. Right this minute, life was good.

  The small walled garden welcomed her. Lush, deep green grass several inches high carpeted the area between the one door and the lovely brithenwood tree with a bench around it. That it wasa single tree was uncommon, and it was found mostly near the magical borders.

  The tree was in full bloom, and its fragrance drifted in the air, along with scents from other gardens, a mixture of herbs and spring flowers and blossoming trees. A heady combination. The blood sang in her veins. She chuckled at the thought. If anyone would have such a saying, the Lladranans would. Perhaps it had come from them to Earth.

  She glanced up at the blue, blue sky, as blue as on a winter day in Colorado. The sight of her tower spearing into the sky made her smile. Today the sun shone and the Castle's gray stone turned a warmer color, almost golden. She narrowed her eyes. Did the bricks glow a little, like they were absorbing and storing the energy? Maybe they did. She'd had so many questions, mostly about monsters a
nd failing magical borders and bonds and stuff, that she hadn't asked any about the Castle. She'd find out later.

  But she was simply joyful. The day was beautiful. She was alive and had purpose. The raw grief at losing her friend-sister Sophie was gone, and Alexa could remember her with love and echoing tenderness. She'd made new friends. The Marshalls were becoming like a family to her; Thealia, an aunt with a stern exterior; Partis, a marshmallow surface and steel core. She grinned. Whatever else her time in Lladrana had been, it was...interesting.

  A bird trilled a rippling song that reminded Alexa of the tune cycling between her and Bastien. Studying it, hearing it in her head, she found it carried a few of the same notes. A joyful, mating song. She grinned then. Their lovemaking the night before had been spectacular. So intense, so orgasmic she hadn't been able to flutter an eyelash for some time after. The man was a fabulous lover. And he was hers. Too early to think about the "L" word, butshe'd let it float in her mind. He had become a Marshall, to protect her. He was her Shield.

  She couldn't restrain herself, she did a little jig. Giggled. A big, pink butterfly streamed over the wall and danced in the air. Sinafin.

  The bluebird sings songs good for dancing, Sinafin said.

  Alexa threw out her arms and laughed, spun. The image of Sophie dancing like this from pure pleasure rose in her mind. Alexa hadn't understood then, hadn't felt the same. Now she did. What had Sophie done after that?

  She'd run. Alexa eyed the garden. Not much room to run here, and dancing alone paled. But it might be fun to dart through the greenery of the hedge maze. That could be a challenge. She glanced up at Sinafin, who looked to be delicately sipping brithenwood blossoms. Probably pure magic, brithenwood blossom nectar. It smelled like it should be.

  "Want to race?" asked Alexa.

  Sinafin mentally slurped the last from a blossom, then waved an antenna. Not in this body. This body does not go fast. You might kick the little dog accidentally. I will be my warhawk. Give you a real challenge, she said slyly.

  "Fine, but in the maze, not over it."

  Alexa had no intention of losing. By the time she had passed through the door, and shut it behind her, Sinafin was settling into her feathers atop the wall.

  "Ready?" asked Alexa.

  Ready, said Sinafin. Go!

  Alexa took off, entered the maze, skidded left into a passage and dodged through the first several turns—and straight into the web.

  It was huge, bigger than she was. This time it wrapped her face, her arms, tangled her, took her down and started sucking the magic from her. It hurt—a ripping, tearing pain.

  Finally she figured it out. This horror was the web at the inn, the thing that had shadowed her, draining magic and leaving heaps of dust behind.

  Sharing its mind, she saw its birth from the frinks. She saw her death.

  She'd burned it before. With her baton. But her mind grayed as air and magic left her. She couldn't reach her baton. Not with her hands tight at her sides. She didn't know if she had the magic to set the baton afire in its sheath, knew she had no control to keep herself from burning, but a fiery death would be cleansing after this hideous thing slipping oily fingers on her, caressing her as it suctioned her magic away, bloating, gloating.

  Its mind battered hers, hissing. So sweet your essence. So pale you look. I, black, you, white and still. I love sucking you dry, so sweet. I was sent especially for you, to suck your sweetness. You have not succeeded in restoring the posts. Soon we amass an army and invade, you will miss the battle, the invasion and I will find...

  Burn! Alexa flung all her strength into the word. A small spark lit near the bottom of the baton sheath. Not enough. She was dying. She was failing. She wouldn't allow that. No need to save any of her strength.

  Burn!

  The last thing she sensed was a tiny spark inching around the sheath bottom.

  Bastien! The cry knocked him back from the volaran he curried. The image that followed, Alexa down, under a sticky black substance that slowly formed into a man lying atop her, shocked him.

  Come now, Bastien, Shield her! It's the monster that's been stalking her! Sinafin screamed, and the warhawk's screech hit his ears at the same time. He dropped the comb, ran shouting his war cry at thetop of his lungs, flung all the protective Power he had at the evil thing and had it slide off the monster. The thing raised its head, turned it, and red eyes burned. Fangs dripped sparkling drops of Power. Alexa's Power.

  Bastien ran faster than he ever had. He yelled anger to the skies, at the Marshalls' refusal to act earlier, saying it was a minor monster, a town monster. No threat.

  Fury ignited wild magic inside him. He zoomed to the maze, twisted, turned, bolted through it. Seeing Alexa from Sinafin's eyes. His woman lived, but was unconscious. He whirled around a corner, bumping into the hedge. There it was.

  The thing ripped Alexa's clothes down the front of her body. Lifted itself like a man about to rape a woman.

  Sinafin dove at it, slid away from a shield surrounding it. Her claws grew and grew, far larger and sharper than a hawk's. A roc's claws.

  Bastien's baton was hot in his hand. Spell words tore from his throat, silver energy hit the thing. It shivered a little, raised a hand.

  Sinafin caught the hand, snagged all the fingers with her claws, backed upward, flapping hard, stretching the monster's substance into weblike thinness.

  The evil hissed, but Sinafin began to grow, changing, enlarging. A roc. The largest bird in two worlds.

  He was on it now, slicing at it with hot-silver Power, cutting bits of it off—an ear, a foot, two. They fell into dirt. The monster went shapeless, filmed over Alexa's still, still body. He gathered Power in his baton, lightning power that would sizzle over her. Wild magic Power he'd only used once before, had never seen anyone else attempt.

  Shouts and sounds of running came from the opening of the maze. His lip curled. The Marshalls, late as ever.

  He raised his baton. The roc rose above the maze, angled tothe tower wall, still holding the thing. Sinafin's mind touched Bastien's. She was draining the energy the monster had harvested from Alexa. Sinafin wanted it all, to hold the magic, cleanse it so they could return it to Alexa. The feycoocu was desperate to keep Alexa alive.

  No more desperate than he.

  Bastien crouched in the maze near his Pairling. In an agony of impatience, he listened to Sinafin's instructions. More waiting...until the feycoocu had the last drop of juice from the horror. Then fry it. She'd tell Bastien the right moment.

  The wild Power pulsed in him; he packed it into his wand. Holding back was the hardest thing he'd ever done. Alexa lookedtoo quiet, too white, too fragile. The Song between them was thready. He sent energy into it, strengthening their tie, strengthening her life.

  Whoosh! A lick of flame caught the thin edge of the thing. It shrieked, shriveled, contracted into a ball, tore from the roc's claws, pelleted away.

  Bastien jumped to Alexa, lifted her into his arms. Her heart beat slowly, sluggishly. He hummed a healing spell, simple and powerful.

  The Marshalls rushed to them. He stopped them with his gaze. "Don't come near me. Don't...come...near...us, you useless sacks of merde. I'll kill the one who touches her. Did you see what sort of monster had her?"

  "A tournpench," Faith murmured, bowing her head. "The Lorebook said it was minor."

  "That's right, a horror that drained her Power, was about to rape her. The horror you said was minor would have killed our precious Exotique! The horror you all agreed was the Town's problem."

  "We were wrong," Thealia croaked.

  He sneered. "You have often been wrong. Now you know your Lorebook can be wrong too."

  They bunched near the hedges. Partis pushed through, his carved healing staff in his hand.

  Bastien bared his teeth. "There is nothing you can say, nothing you can sing that will make me allow you to put a fingertip on her."

  Sinafin set claws into Bastien's shoulder. He stiffened with pain, felt
his blood pool under her.

  Now, she said. We will send back her Power, her magic. It will be the stronger for coming from me, flowing through you. It will contain some of my feycoocu magic, some of your wild Power. It will be good for her. Let me do this. Let me use you. You two are the future of the world.

  He braced himself, his eyes mere slits. Do it.

  Magic gushed through him. Fast, huge, unstoppable. It swirled through every pocket of his body, every kink of his nerves, every twist of his mind, then poured into Alexa. A little sparkle of the pure magic of the feycoocu lingered in his bones, and always would.

  His hair lifted; he felt the silver streaks heat as if they glowed. His skin tingled. He felt great. He moved away from the hedge wall. Alexa trembled in his arms. Her eyes opened, lambent green; a touch of Sinafin's sparkle was in them too. Her lips turned the color of a blushing rose.

  She wriggled, and he reluctantly set her on her feet. She blinked, looked around the passageway.

  "What happened?"

  Sinafin sent them all quick images of events. The Marshalls shuddered backward in a lump. When Alexa "saw" the attempted rape, she flinched, swayed. Bastien caught her around the waist. Her lips whitened.

  "So the fire worked," she murmured. "But even if it hadn't, myfriend and my Pair mate would have saved me. Did save me by slowing the creature." Tremors ran through her. "I want a bath. Now. A bath."

  Hysteria lurked under her surface.

  "Of course," he said. He stared at the Marshalls. "We are going to the private bathing pool off the regular baths. We don't want company. We may never want your company again." He swept her up into his arms once more and strode away to the baths.