Chapter Seven #2
Gedeon marked the water dripping from her hair. The water that was falling without splashing on his floor.
She was not really here. It was a projection. Though how she was doing it was unexplainable. Unless she’d been in his rooms before, the probability of which was extremely low, it was impossible.
But he consented to her demand and leaned forward, just as she in turn shuffled closer and whispered dramatically, ‘I’m the Earth Warden.’
Gedeon pulled back slightly. ‘You lie.’
‘Am not.’
‘There is no Earth Warden,’ Gedeon said coldly. ‘Roheia never chose another after the last died. That line was ended.’
‘I have no reason to lie,’ the female slurred with a shrug as she sat back on her heels. ‘Believe me or not, I don’t give a fuck. It won’t matter when I’m dead anyway.’
If the female really was fated to die, it would be easy for the bold deception to rise on her lips. Any lie to save herself from death. And yet…
He knew it to be true. Against his better judgement, he knew it as well as he knew himself as he searched her grassy eyes for a hint of dishonesty.
The truth was unmistakably staring back at him.
A sudden rush of heat coursed through his blood.
It was a nod, a confirmation from the Fire Mother that the girl spoke true. She was the Earth Warden.
It changed everything.
‘Where are you?’ Gedeon said in a level voice, though his mind raced. The Empress would need to know as soon as possible. He would have to tell her, and possibly even be the one to carry out the task of ensuring the female met her end, for his mother would surely want her dead-
The earthling scoffed. ‘What sort of a question is that?’
So, she was completely unaware she was projecting.
Was it the fact they were both Wardens that made it possible to project without first knowing the place?
Surely he would have known, would have been able to project to Naal Westerra, or the lost Water Warden whose name always slipped his mind, to find their whereabouts, if that bond existed?
A question for another time, perhaps, but one not to be ignored.
‘You’re fae,’ the female abruptly remarked, as though she’d only just noticed. She frowned, eyes narrowing. ‘Who are you? Are you a prisoner of the Union too? And where are your clothes? Not that I’m complaining.’
Gedeon almost laughed, despite his concern. She certainly had a playful mouth, though there was a sadness beneath it. Subtle, and well masked with sarcasm, but clearly there. ‘What is your name, Earth Warden?’
Her head started to sag a little then as whatever sedative her captor had given her began to take hold. ‘Your name,’ he repeated a little louder, but she was fading fast, and appeared not to have heard him before slumping to the side, her physical body collapsing to unconsciousness.
Then she disappeared entirely, the projection of her spirit-self ending as swiftly as it had begun, leaving no trace she had been there at all.
???
The revelation of the Earth Warden kept Gedeon awake through the night. He rose with the sun feeling more fatigued than he had done in quite some time, unable to rid her beaten face from his mind. Those green, hopeless eyes were burned into his memory.
It would be a kindness to take her from life.
The prestige of the Warden title was not what it had once been, and Vrethian had followed Zarynth’s footsteps at the Empress’ intervention in the Great Earthling War, in no longer following the faith of the Four.
The Earth Warden would find no friend in the faces of those who governed Vrethian’s capital, and he almost pitied her misfortune.
Yes, death would be the kindest thing.
Gedeon approached his mother’s chambers at first light.
It was likely she would still be sleeping, but his eagerness to share the burdening news with her was too great to ignore any longer.
‘Please inform my mother that I wish to speak with her,’ he ordered the sentry guarding the large, gold encrusted doors to the Empress’ rooms. ‘And do apologise for the early rise… it cannot wait.’
The sentry nodded without question and went to fetch the Empress’ handmaiden.
A flustered, mousy woman returned a few minutes later with the guard, looking as though she had been roughly awoken as she fussed with a braid in her hair before entering the room to awaken her mistress.
She cracked the door open after a few moments and timidly invited him inside.
He did not like to make a habit of entering his mother’s chambers, for the same reason he did not like anyone else entering his. Once she heard what he had to say, she would not care what hour of day the news reached her ears. It was the plan of action to follow that would be important.
She stood with her back to him by the four-poster bed that was much too large for one person but equally fit for an Empress, and let her handmaiden fasten the clasps to her heavy robe.
She lifted a lithe, ring-covered hand and the handmaiden stepped away with a bow and departed the chambers, dismissed.
‘There are very few I would allow to wake me at this hour,’ Empress Azar said, slowly turning, her tumble of golden waves swaying with the movement. ‘My handmaiden barely escaped with her life.’
Gedeon smirked. ‘I suppose she told you very quickly it was I who was calling?’
The Empress glided to the black velvet chaise lounge in the corner and sat down, the many folds of her robe floating to the floor. ‘She did. Though I cannot pretend it has not irked me, Gedeon.’
‘I apologise, Empress,’ he said with a small bow of his head, hands still clasped behind his back. ‘I would not have disturbed you were it not important.’
‘Then sit, and tell me what could not have waited until a more suitable time,’ his mother said dryly, motioning to the spot next to her.
He’d expected such a reaction, though her annoyance had an air of jest to it. He sat at her invitation and dove straight to the point of the meeting. ‘I was visited in the night by someone I did not believe was alive.’
His queen’s face was impassive, but she said bluntly, ‘Are the bedroom antics of my son something I ought to be privy to, Gedeon?’
‘You misunderstand me,’ he said quickly. ‘It was a projection, mother. From none other than the Earth Warden. A grown female earthling. It appears Roheia has chosen another.’
To his surprise, the Empress was not astounded by the news. In fact, he could have sworn a controlled sort of excitement gleamed in her teal eyes as she drummed her fingernails on the chaise lounge arm and murmured, ‘So it begins.’
‘This is not news to you?’ Gedeon said with a frown.
Her gaze flickered to him, as though she had forgotten he was there.
‘For when the Earth cracks and the Sun hides behind the moon, then shall she of light and land be born. Rage will blind and tear down what is known, for her power to come forth to take its throne.’ It sounded prophetic.
The words slid easily from her tongue, as though embedded in her brain.
‘I have known of the girl’s existence since her birth. ’
‘I see,’ he replied stiffly, struggling to keep the disappointment from his voice. ‘And you thought not to share it with me?’
‘Do not brood, Gedeon. There are many things I do not share with you or your brother. Rest assured, you will always be informed when you need to know.’
He nodded once, despite his disagreement.
‘If you have known of her, why have you not acted? Why does she still live? Would it not have been easier to dispatch her as an infant and not the full grown adult she is now? The threat of another Warden is surely a hindrance to your cause? If Naal Westerra takes her under her wing-’
‘Do you trust me, Gedeon?’ The Empress inquired in a quiet voice. She had moved to the windows that overlooked her smog covered city, appearing even more so through the grey stain on the glass.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Gedeon replied, ‘Unconditionally.’
She turned back to him with a small smile. ‘Good. Do not let it waver. I need your loyalty now more than ever.’
Cryptic. So very cryptic. Still, Gedeon bowed his head and said, ‘You have it. I swear to you.’
The Empress nodded with satisfaction. ‘Where is the earthling girl?’
‘She is a prisoner of the Union, bound for death.’
Alarm flashed over his mother’s face. ‘She is to be hung?’
‘That is as much as I deduced during the short projection.’ Gedeon hesitated. ‘Is this not a good thing? The earthlings are working for you without even realising.’
‘Fools,’ she hissed through her teeth, dark swirling wisps suddenly seeping from her fingertips. She turned, and her voice lowered as though she spoke to herself and not him, ‘She must be kept alive. The execution must be stopped-’
‘I do not understand,’ Gedeon interrupted. ‘Every previous Earth Warden has fallen at your hand because you did not want to see them revolt against you. Why not let the earthling lords kill her-’
‘Did I not ask you to trust me, Gedeon?’ She whirled around, her wisps expanding menacingly.
He was no stranger to her flippant temper, and immediately fell silent.
She glared at him, daring him to make a noise, but then her expression softened and she moved to him, her shadows disappearing as a gentle hand came up to his face.
‘I need you, my son. Though you are not my heir, you are more important to me than you could ever imagine. Have faith in me. Have faith in the Gods’ plan. ’
It was as affectionate as his mother knew how to be. Those displays of fondness for him were few and far between, often following an outburst of anger, but Gedeon was grateful for them nonetheless. He bowed his head in obedience.
Her cold hand dropped from his face. ‘The girl must live. She must be brought to me, unharmed, before Naal Westerra can get her meddling hands on her.’
Gedeon lifted his chin and squared his shoulders. ‘If the task is as important as you say it is, I will fulfil it myself.’
‘No,’ she swiftly replied, a strange look befalling her features.
‘No… I will make the necessary arrangements for her capture and safe passage to Zarynth. There are those in Avaldale still loyal to me. I have something else in mind for you, Gedeon, but you will not be doing it alone. It is time you and your brother put aside your differences and worked together.’
It took all his willpower not to grimace at the thought, but he asked with perfect control, ‘What are we to do?’