Shayla, Kendall, Montgomery, and I were out in the front yard stretching, watching Campbell and Asher mock fight in the back yard.
“Cortland, are you up for a road trip?” Cael asked, the door swinging shut as he strode across the back porch. It was handily placed so that one could practice back flips off of it.
“Define road trip,” I said cautiously. Cael’s idea of light training had my muscles screaming most nights. I had been out of shape. Another plus about Seeker healing, sore muscles would be gone in a few hours at the most.
“You’re going with me to convince the person who could win this for us to join the club.”
“If he’s really that good, of course I’ll go with you to win him over.”
“With your sparkling eyes and charming wit?” Shayla said sarcastically. “Right.”
“Thank you, Shay, for volunteering to go along as Cortland’s back up.”
“And where are we going?” I asked, taking in Cael’s casual khaki shorts and faded t-shirt. I’d never seen him look this laid back.
“Just… dress like you’re going to an amusement park.”
Ten minutes later Shayla and I were trotting down the steps, being rushed by Cael. He paused in his pacing to look us over.
“Cort, is that really what you’d wear to an amusement park?”
I looked down at my cut off shorts and black tank top and red flowy vest that had no sleeves. “Yes.”
“You look like an assassin.”
“I don’t know why you keep saying that,” I said. “Who’s driving?”
“Well my car is blocked in by Kendall’s,” he said. “We need to work on the parking situation. We’d be screwed if we needed to get out of here fast.”
The boy never stopped planning. I jingled my keys. “Looks like I’m the driver.”
The folks being left behind looked a little smug. Once Cael was out of sight all training would stop. And they would definitely be having more fun than me and Shay. Cael truly was a fun hater. Wait, that’s not fair. He was so focused and driven that nothing outside of his goal was of consequence. I pity the girl begging for his affection.
Shayla was in the back, bobbing her head to the music absently, looking out the window. Cael had turned my radio down first thing. Okay, so really he buckled his seatbelt first but then he turned it down.
“So… Cael. Cam says you’re pre-med.” I decided I couldn’t go an unknown amount of time in pure silence so I used that as a conversation starter.
“Yep.” Don’t hurt yourself, cupcake.
“That’s really cool. I’d love to be a doctor and wear that cool white jacket and the little stethoscope but I’m fairly terrible under those types of pressured circumstances and I hate needles.”
I glanced at him and noted that he was looking out the window, probably wondering why he’d decided to stay here and put up with me. He just nodded as a reply.
Let’s give it another try, I told myself. “So I’ve never heard of two Guardians who are brothers.” Yeah. That was good. If he wasn’t going to talk about his career maybe fairy talk would get him started.
“It’s highly rare,” Shayla piped up from the backseat. “I read about it once. Some of them have been really famous in wars and stuff and some fairies consider two related Guardians to be an omen. There was even a set of twins.” Gee, Shayla, thanks for answering for Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent. I hardly ever hear you talk.
I let it go. Cael would never talk more than necessary, especially to me. He disliked me. Maybe the kicking him into a pile of trash in a back alley had something to do with it. “Has there ever been a case of Seeker sisters?” I asked Shayla.
“I haven’t read anything on it. Fairy siblings are highly rare with ex-fairy parents.” I saw Shayla flinch. She’d just remembered my own brother. I let that one go too.
“I’ll probably have to sit down and read up on fairy stuff since I’m Queen.” I hated fairy history books. They were long, boring, and they stank. I mean, they literally reek.
“You haven’t read any fairy stuff?” Cael asked.
“Some,” I said defensively. “I was busy.”
“Cortland and Kendall were always out kicking Otherworldly butt and Monty, Ash, and I stayed home and studied just to reach their level.” Shayla froze and seemed to perk up. “I love this song!” She leaned over the middle console to turn up the stereo to a blaring level. I’d have to scrape my eardrums off the window later.
Unluckily for Cael it was a song that both Shay and I love and have down to an art form. Cael stared at the two of us as we sang at the top of our lungs and danced as well as we could in a car. Plus I was driving.
At the best part of the song, which Shay and I have harmonized that’s how good we are, when suddenly the music was gone.
“Hey,” Shayla and I protested.
“No more music, no more small talk. Just silence.”
I saw Shayla make a face at him. Then she leaned back and crossed her arms. Cael also leaned back, closing his eyes. “Wake me in an hour and a half.”
“We have to go an hour and a half in total silence?” Shayla asked incredulously.
“Actually it’s going to be closer to three hours.”
After about ten minutes I thought he was asleep. His breathing was deep and even and he wasn’t moving anymore to get comfortable. I slowly reached for the volume of the radio. Cael’s hand was grabbing my wrist in a flash.
“Oh come on,” I said, pulling my hand back. “Fun hater.”
“You betcha.”
Three hours later Shayla and I were gratefully climbing out of the car of silence.
“Now when you said to dress like you’re going to an amusement park, I didn’t think you meant an actual amusement park,” I said, deciding to skip the numerous weapons I’d brought along.
“Yeah, well, we’re not here to ride the rides,” Cael said, slamming his door shut. “Flynn will call us with a meeting place and time and we get there.”
“So you have no idea how long we’re going to be waiting before this Finn guy gets here?” Shay qualified.
“Flynn,” Cael corrected, setting a pace Shayla and I were barely able to keep up to.
“I’m paying $35 to get into an amusement park and I can’t even ride any of the rides?” Shayla just wasn’t going to give up.
Cael wasn’t about to give up either. “We’re going to hang out as close to the center of the park as possible and wait for the phone to ring.”
“Why is this guy so secretive?” I asked as we got close enough to see the line. Cael made me park in the boondocks. “How are we supposed to know this isn’t a trap?” We were already at the cashier. We’d pretty much missed the rush.
“Because Flynn is on nobody’s side. To get him on our side we have to convince him that losing will make things worse for him.”
“So he’s greedy and self-serving?”
“No,” Cael said, pushing through the little gate. He held it open for me after I paid. “He’s been screwed over so he’s going to be cautious.”
“We’re all cautious but you don’t see us setting up meetings next to the rollercoasters,” Shayla said.
“Considering an unknown amount of strangers is gunning for you thanks to Red here, maybe you should be.”
“Yep, it’s all completely my fault,” I said. “I was wondering how my life could get any worse and then it hit me. Rule Whisper in the middle of a rebellion. Works like a charm.”
“It’s not fun to pick on you when you get all defensive,” Shayla pouted. “Oh no, the fun hating is contagious.”
I bit back the snicker as Cael shot her a warning look. He was walking between the two of us, perfectly positioned to grab one of us if we tried to make a run for it. Shayla was looking wistfully at the rollercoaster and the water rides, people shrieking, having the time of their lives. Cael stopped to check one of those giant map things and then set off again. Shay and I fo
llowed.
There we were an hour later, sitting on a bench in the sun, roasting in the 90 degree heat. I know ladies are supposed to glisten and all that, but Shayla and I were full on sweating. Cael just sat there, looking cool and collected. “Okay,” Shayla said, leaning in front of me to talk to Cael. “I know you wanted to be in the exact middle of the park but would it be the end of the world if we sat on a bench in the shade? Like that one, ten feet away?”
“Just be patient.”
“No,” Shayla snapped peevishly. “I’m hot, I’m bored, and I’m thirsty…” I cut off what would become the rant of the century and handed her some money. “Go get something for us to eat and drink, would you please?” I asked.
She looked over at the concession stand, parked in the shade. “Fine,” she sniffed. “But I am not bringing him anything.” With that she turned on her heel and made her way to the food.
Cael leaned back and let out a sigh. “Would you keep an eye on her so she doesn’t take off for a ride, never to be found again?”
I turned to him. “You do know that if you just let her ride one ride, her mood will improve by about a hundred percent. And if you let her ride two, she will probably bring you a cold drink.”
“I don’t need a cold drink; I need to get this whole ordeal over with so I can get back to my life.”
I leaned back, a little hurt. Nobody was asking him to stay. Yeah, he was a big help but I liked to think that I could handle things on my own. “My point is you’ll get points with Shay if you let her have a little fun.”
“Do you think the people back at headquarters are having fun?” Cael asked. I almost snorted. “I left behind a detailed training schedule for the day. I can’t let Shay have fun while they’re working.”
“You honestly think that your little schedule is being followed?” I said incredulously. “The moment you left, they went inside, turned on the TV, grabbed some junk food and a cold drink, and used your schedule as a coaster.”
Cael narrowed his eyes at me. “Why do you think this?”
“Because that’s what I would do,” I answered honestly. “You’re treating them all like newbies and trust me, it’s not appreciated.”
“What’s not appreciated?” Shayla asked, plopping back on the bench, handing me a cup of pop.
“The sunburn on my face,” I said, taking a sip. That first taste of cold Pepsi was like heaven to my parched throat.
“Yeah, you do look a little red,” Shayla agreed. She looked at Cael. “She’s very fair skinned. I’d estimate that she has about twenty more minutes before she’ll look like a lobster. Then she’ll whine a lot. And if she gets too overheated she throws up.”
Cael looked at me. “You are a Seeker and you’re that big of a pansy?”
“I am not a pansy,” I said. “But some shelter from the sun would be nice.”
“Here’s the deal,” Cael said. “Shayla goes on all the rides her little heart desires, keeping her phone on her at all times. Cortland and I will walk around, let her cool off, and wait for Flynn to call.”
Shayla was pretty much gone before he finished. She gave Cael an impulsive hug and then ran for whatever ride was top on her list. Cael looked a little stunned. “Did she just hug me?”
“I told you her mood would improve. And I know human contact freaks you out but just deal.”
He made a face at me. “Funny. You are looking a little sunburned.”
“I’m not sure but it could be because someone just made me sit for an hour under the hot sun. You’re lucky I didn’t just pass out.”
“You are such a pansy.”
“Did he give you a specific time?” I asked. “I think it’s a little rude that he expects us to wait around here all day, waiting for him to give us the time of day. What if I had something important going on?” I didn’t but this Flynn guy didn’t know that.
“Like I said, he’s been screwed over so he never gives away all the details. He’s probably here, doing some recon to make sure there’s no assassins wandering around, and he is probably wondering who you are. Or he’s already figured out who you are and he’s made a run for it, not wanting to be dragged into this mess.”
“I don’t think it’s a mess,” I said. “I’ve been Queen for like a week and I’ve only been attacked once. I think we’re handling things nicely and if you would cut back on the training, we could take care of the issues once and for all.”
“Darling,” Cael drawled. “This is the Titanic of messy situations. We all need to be at the best of our abilities or we’re all going down with the ship. Of course, you are the captain of this ship so you’re going down no matter what.”
“Don’t call me darling,” I said, stopping to confront him. “And you listen here, Cupcake, this may be a messy situation but it can be handled. If you don’t want to be here, then leave. Nobody is asking you to stay.”
“I can’t leave because Campbell won’t leave. He’s very smitten with you.”
“Smitten?” I snorted. “Who uses that word these days?”
“I do. I may not like you but I doubt I’ll like the assassin’s choice in ruler so I’m picking the lesser of the evils and I’m going to make sure you win. And I don’t care if you get heat stroke and throw up or pass out or whatever it is you do, if Flynn wants to make me walk around all day, I will drag you around with me, because he is what will give us an edge.”
“Whatever,” I mumbled. I stopped in the shade, leaning against a little fence to watch Shay gleefully take a seat on a rollercoaster. With a whoosh, it was off.
Cael was studying me. “Do I need to let you go on a rollercoaster too, to make your attitude better?”
I glared at him. “Don’t be a jerk, Cael,” I said, tossing my hair over the other shoulder. I pushed myself off the fence and started walking again.
“I didn’t mean to be a jerk,” he said. “Mental note to self, offering to let girl ride rollercoaster makes you a jerk.”
“It can’t be a mental note if you’re saying it out loud,” I said.
“Details,” he shrugged. “Listen, I’m sorry I’m such a hard ass but I hate being one of the leaders in situations like this. If anyone gets hurt it’s my responsibility. I came because of Cam and because he’s my little brother so I have to protect him but I stuck around because I like the rest of you and I want all of your pretty faces walking around on campuses next year.”
“Monty and Shay graduate next year.”
“Then I want them to get handed their diplomas next year. I don’t care that you guys hate me at times and call me the fun-hater because it’s all worth it if you’re still here ten years from now, bitching amongst each other about all the horrible things I made you do.”
I walked quietly for a moment. That was kind of sweet for Cael. Now I felt bad for being rude to him. Grudgingly I said, “I think that is very sweet of you.”
Cael looked at me with this horrified look on his face. “Ugh. Sweet? That’s the word you come up with?”
I fought back the smile. “Yeah. I’m convinced that your gruff exterior is to hide your marshmallow insides.”
“I am not hiding a marshmallow inside.”
“Oh yeah, you are. I bet you daydream about puppies and unicorns and rainbows.”
“I do not.”
“Don’t deny it. You are a big softie.”
“I am not.”
“It’s okay, Cael. Some girls go for the sensitive type that cries at sappy movies.” I looked at Cael clenching his jaw next to me. It was fun teasing him. “I bet you fell apart at Marley and Me.”
Cael lightly shoved me. Well, I’m sure it was lightly for him but I was knocked into a trash can. “Do you ever shut up?”
“I can. Since I was just bound into silence for three hours all of this conversation has built up. And if you won’t talk to me, I’ll just babble. Many have tried to beat me, none have succeeded.”
“How can I get you to just walk around in silence for twenty minutes?” Cael was practically begging.
I looked around. “Go on that ride with me.” I pointed.
Cael turned to look at the ride that was spinning around and pausing so that the riders were upside down. “No. Pick something else.”
I sighed. “It’s that or a very long monologue on my ex-boyfriend’s numerous douchebag qualities.”
“The ride it is,” Cael said with mock enthusiasm.
He and I joined the line. I was smiling hardcore because he looked mildly uneasy. So big, bad Cael was afraid of spinning upside down. If he threw up, I was never going to let him live this down.
“Scared?” I asked lightly, as we moved further up in line.
“In your dreams,” Cael said. “I’ve done worse without being strapped in.”
I rolled my eyes. He was bent on keeping his macho guy bravado. Then I spotted Shayla already in line, maybe about eight people ahead of us. “Hey Shay,” I waved.
She waved back. Finally we were lined up on the ride, which consisted of one row of seats that we’d be strapped into. We’d be spun and hung upside down and all sorts of fun things while water fountains burst off spontaneously.
Shayla saved two spots next to her. I filed past, leaving Cael to sit between the two of us. I wouldn’t be a good friend if I had all the fun. “I see how it is,” Shayla said as I sat down. “You make me suffer for an hour and then finally set me free and then you decide to have fun.”
“Actually this is part of a deal,” I leaned past Cael to say.
The ride manager ordered that we all put our arms straight out, like zombies, as the harnesses came down over our heads. “Yeah, I let her go on the ride and she has to be silent for the next twenty minutes,” Cael said to Shay. “She is a talker.”
“Tell me about it,” Shay agreed sympathetically. “At work it’s just blah, blah, blah and I just want to say, get over yourself, Cortland. She always has one subject and that’s all she talks about all day.”
I made a face at her as the park employee checked that my harness was secure. “I hope you both throw up.”
“She threatened me with a monologue about her ex,” Cael informed Shay as his harness was checked.
“That one actually might have been amusing. The break up like just happened and the girl has a lot of rage.”
“I do not have a lot of rage.”
“You egged his car.”
“You made me do it,” I hissed, as Cael turned to look at me. Yes, I’d broken the golden rule about not touching a guy’s car.
“I made you do nothing,” Shayla said smugly.
The conversation broke off as the ride started to lift us up. I noticed that Cael’s hands were clenching the handles on his harness. I was doing the same thing. “Shay, I hope Cael throws up on you.”
“I’m not going to throw up,” Cael said. “And if either of you throw up on me, you’d better start running.”
Luckily for Cael, Shayla and I have iron stomachs. Even the ride manager was amused by us. As we hung upside down and flipped and plummeted headfirst, Shayla and I giggled nonstop. “Ulk,” Cael hit the harness as we hung upside down.
“The gigglers have challenged me,” the manager said into the microphone. “We hang upside down until they admit defeat.”
Shayla just laughed harder. “Shut up,” Cael said to us, face reddening as the blood rushed to his face.
“What’s wrong, softie?” I asked between giggles. “Pansy.”
“My stomach is personally acquainted with my spleen and another part of my anatomy has met the buckle.”
Shayla and I laughed louder as we understood what he meant. There was a buckle that ran up between our legs, probably a safety measure in case the harness came unsnapped. That little buckle was probably supposed to save us until the ride stopped.
“No surrender?” The guy asked. “Now we go backwards.”
“That was so fun,” Shayla said as we filed off the ride. “Let’s do it again.”
“Yeah, well Cael is done with the rides,” Cael announced. “You two are freaks.”
“Well, Cael is a fun hater,” Shayla said over her shoulder.
“Cael is also a surprise sometimes,” said a strange guy that was to our left just outside the ride’s exit. “I know I said to maintain a cover but I didn’t mean go on rides with a couple of chicks.”
I bristled at being called a chick. I glared at this guy and straightened up to intimidate with all five feet and six inches of me. Being in flats took off two to three inches. This guy was about six feet tall, broad shouldered, had blue eyes, and dark brown curly hair. His face was something artists dreamed of, all chiseled and strong. He was tan and if he was a Guardian you knew he had muscles. He would have been good looking if he weren’t a jerk. “Excuse me?” I asked.
Cael grabbed my shoulder, probably hearing the dangerous edge in my voice. “Flynn, these aren’t chicks, this is Cortland and Shayla.”
Flynn seemed to study me a little closer upon hearing my name. I know it was a strange one but that didn’t mean I was strange. He dismissed me after a moment and barely gave Shayla a cursory glance before he was addressing Cael. “Keep moving.” We all started walking. “What are these two girls to me?”
I practically snarled at him and I hoped Shay would bite her tongue until after we were through with this guy. “Shay and Cortland are Seekers.”
“Assassins?”
“Why do people keep saying that?” I asked, mostly myself. “I am not even in my Seeker gear.”
“I think it’s something about the way you carry yourself,” Shayla said to me. “There’s this little attitude in your body stance.”
“Oh,” I said. “That makes sense.”
Cael elbowed me. “Anyway,” Cael said. “Cortland here has some problems that require your area of expertise.”
“What kind of problems?”
By the way Cael and Flynn were looking at me, this was my cue. “Well, Flynn,” I smiled at him personably, “recently I have become the target of some assassins and Cael tells me that to win this war I need you.”
“Why are you the target?”
“I’m the Queen of Whisper.”
Flynn stopped walking suddenly and Shayla bumped into him. He quickly turned and started walking the other way, towards the exits. “I am not getting involved in this.”
I followed him, practically jogging to keep up. “Hey, wait! You didn’t even let me explain.”
“What’s to explain?” he said dryly as I was at his side. “You’re a damsel in distress and you want me to come and save the day. All while putting me in danger. I don’t do this anymore.”
“Then why would Cael say I need you.”
“I don’t doubt that you need me, sweetie. But I went out of that game a long time ago and I have been keeping myself off that grid. I want to keep it that way.”
“Then why even bother with Cael?”
“Because he’s a good friend. He needs a favor. I owe him one, not you.”
Cael spoke up from behind me. I hadn’t even been aware that he was there. I should probably work on that whole awareness thing. “I want this to be my favor, Flynn.”
Flynn stopped. I ran into him this time. Without turning, he asked, “Why would you waste a favor on this girl?”
“She didn’t ask to be put in this,” Cael said. “And Campbell is invested and I don’t want him hurt.”
We were all silent for a moment. Flynn put his head down as if to think, then shook it. “Nope. I’m not going to do it.”
“Listen, jerk wad,” I followed him again. He shoved through the exit and started walking for the parking lot. Both of us were bumping into people and trying to maneuver around them but neither of us was being polite. “You think they’re just going to leave you alone? If you’re as big a threat as Cael seems to think you are,
then they’re going to come after you. And if you’re not with us, you’re alone.”
“I like it better that way.”
“Yeah, well, it’s hard to rest when there’s no one to watch your back.” Flynn seemed to have parked in the same direction as us. Good. That meant less walking for me.
“I don’t play well with others,” Flynn said. As if that was going to end this argument.
“Neither does Cael but we keep him around,” I retorted. Just ask anyone who knows me, I’m stubborn. Until Flynn was out of sight and hearing, I would not let this go. And I would not be above stealing Cael’s phone and calling everyone in his contacts until I reached this idiot. Agreeing with me now would definitely be the least painful for him in the long run. “Why won’t you even think about it?”
“I am thinking about it,” Flynn whirled around and confronted me. “Do you honestly expect me to risk my life for some little girl who was just playing on a roller coaster? Boo hoo, you’re Queen and now everyone in Whisper is after you. I don’t think you’re going to take this seriously. That means you’re going to lose. I don’t lose anymore.”
“I think to lose you have to try and I don’t think you even give that a chance,” I said.
“I used to try,” Flynn was now leaning to get in my face. I have bubble issues and I was really trying hard not to punch him in the face. “Did Cael tell you that I used to be Guardian for the Queen’s daughter, who was supposed to take over?”
“No.” I was silent because even I, Whisper-handicapped, knew what had happened to the Queen’s daughter. She’d been in this realm, Otherworldly hunting, and had been murdered by some every day mugger.
“I was with her that night. I thought we were so good that we split up. I take out the Otherworldly and go looking for her and find her dead in some back alley. I couldn’t even protect her from some mortal. How am I supposed to help you with an entire realm of pissed off fairies?”
Our little group was off in a secluded parking lot, since Flynn’s angry walking had covered a lot of ground. There was really no one in sight. That last part made it so much handier for the person that started sniping at us.
The four of us reacted. I dropped to the ground and rolled under a car. Nobody looks under cars, my dad had told me. Of course, he had been talking about rapists and murderers, not assassins.
I heard a glass window break somewhere nearby and figured that our mystery shooter was aiming at someone making a run for it. I tried to look around and see if I could spot Shayla or Cael but it’s kind of hard when all you could see would be feet and under a low car really has a sucky vantage point. I decided it was too dangerous to hang out under this car so I quickly rolled from under it to the next one to my left.
I paused to breathe deeply and think things through. Obviously we’d all be heading for the car. I had the keys so it wasn’t like they could leave without me. And my car was in that general direction. Hopefully the shooter would be running for it now, having failed, so I could get to it without getting shot at. Even if the person was still up there taking potshots, I had no other options.
I rolled under the next car over and slithered to the back. Empty pavement. I took one last deep breath and crawled out from under and hit the ground running.
A window smashed next to me and I dropped and rolled under it. Okay, so the shooter was still there. Damn. This wasn’t going to be easy. I rolled three cars in the other direction and again slithered out. I made it three rows before the smashed windows were getting too close for comfort.
This time as I surveyed the parking lot I saw Shayla and Cael, both holed up under cars. Oh and there was Flynn the Mighty, taking shelter under a minivan. Idea stealers. Now I had a quandary. My car was locked. If I hit the unlock button from here, the headlights would flash and the shooter would know where we would all be heading. But I couldn’t hit it last second because it might not unlock in time for us to open the doors without getting shot. And we couldn’t just hang out here all day because the shooter might just get tired and come down here and get us, up close and personal. Or our car/shelter might move, leaving us out in the open. Or maybe our car would just back up over us. Those two sounded like more my luck.
Cue the “Hallelujah” chorus and the little light bulb over my head. By golly, I’d had an epiphany. I clenched my hands and summoned up some power and then released. Immediately all the cars in the parking lot had their emergency horns going off, including mine. I hit the unlock button since the headlights would no longer give us away.
With that little diversion the other three were already out and running. I followed. And of course the gunshots followed my progress, windows shattering on either side of me as I ducked and weaved in and out of parked cars. I guess that made sense since I am the Queen. I was two rows away when there was this burning pain in my shoulder. I’d been hit.
I hit the ground and crawled under that car and the next row. I paused, trying to breathe and think at the same time but it was getting harder as the burning sensation in my shoulder spread to my arm and down my lower back. There was no way I was getting to that car. My head started pounding, in rhythm to the honking of the hundreds of horns. My vision started to do some funky tunnel vision stuff and then there were little black dots and I knew I was screwed. And Shayla and Cael were too because I had the keys.
Imagine my surprise when suddenly there was a car behind my hiding spot and it was my very own. Cael opened the back door on my side and hopped halfway out, grabbing my legs and pulling me out from under the car. I half rose and fell into the car with him. He slammed the door shut and the tires screeched as Flynn burned rubber getting out of there.
Shayla was ducked down in the passenger seat. She peeked up at me as shots pinged off my car. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“No,” I managed. My throat and mouth were so dry it wasn’t even funny. “Got… hit.”
“Where?” Cael asked, all business.
“Shoulder.”
He tried to move around me to check how bad it was. We were kind of helter skelter in the back seat, all tangled up. I couldn’t have cared less because I was so dizzy. And my eyes felt so heavy. I just wanted to close them.
“Cael?” Flynn asked from the driver’s seat. The bastard had hotwired my car. It figured that he knew how, Mr. Rebel Guardian, hotwiring cars to save the day.
Cael held up a dart. “She’s been tranquilized.”
My eyes closed for a little bit longer. It would feel so good just to rest. My body felt so heavy. My arms and legs didn’t want to move. “Is she going to be okay?” Shayla asked.
“Yeah,” Cael was grinning, that jerk. “This means a monologue free car ride home.”
My eyes opened an unknown amount of time later. I immediately flinched because the sunshine hurt so badly. And was I hearing my pulse in my brain? That was probably not a good sign. My fingers felt numb but I think I could move them. No damage done.
“Look, sleeping beauty is awake,” Shayla said.
“Make the sun stop,” I groaned.
“Sorry, sweetie, but we can’t do that,” Shayla said sympathetically.
I closed my eyes again. I was stretched out across the backseat, my feet in Cael’s lap. I wrinkled my nose a little when I felt the little damp spot underneath my cheek. Oh my god, I’d drooled while I was out. Hopefully no one had noticed or this would never be forgotten.
I slowly pulled my feet out of Cael’s lap. So far so good. I refused to lay here like a pansy any longer. I opened my eyes and just lay there until the sun didn’t make me want to throw up. I put my feet on the floor and pushed myself up until I was sitting.
My head was reeling and my stomach immediately rolled. I closed my eyes and focused on not hurling in my own car. I finally opened them. “How long was I out?” I asked practically in a whisper. Talking hurt my head.
“About three hours,”
Shayla answered.
“So we’re almost home?”
“No,” Shayla sent Flynn an icy glare. “I’m pretty sure we looped to Canada because Flynn went all paranoid and was so sure we were being followed.”
Flynn didn’t even answer her. I just moved my eyes to look at him as he clenched his jaw. Poor guy. Now he was in for the long haul. Just because he’d been seen with us, now the bad guys would think he was on Team Cortland. Sucks to be him. Point for me.
“So, how far away are we?” I asked. I just wanted to sit in the shower until I didn’t feel all the dried up sweat and maybe it would make my headache go away. I’d settle for my bed and some Pepto Bismol.
“About three hours,” Shayla said. “Just consider yourself lucky that you were passed out for half of it.”
I was holding perfectly still because any more movement and I would be throwing up. The movement of the car was about doing me in. I normally have an iron stomach so this was driving me nuts.
“And just to remember this wonderful day,” Shayla said, “we’re keeping your dart.” She held up the little glass vial and the long needle.
Before I even thought about it I was recoiling away from the needle. Ugh, I hate needles. When my stomach rolled hard core and my head felt like it was splitting, I realized my mistake. I needed out. “Flynn. Pull over.”
“What?” Flynn asked, trying to glance over his shoulder to see what I needed. I was a little busy fighting back the gags, my hand over my mouth.
Luckily Cael was on the ball. “She hates needles. Pull over.”
Flynn slowed the car and pulled over onto the shoulder. I was reaching for the door handle before it was completely stopped. I practically fell out of the car and then got violently ill. On my hands and knees I wondered why the heck this was happening to me and I winced at the thought of the people sitting in the car, witnessing this.
The door was still open so I crawled in and stretched out on my two thirds of the back seat. “Are you okay?” Shayla asked.
I opened my eyes and just looked at her, then closed them again. “Let’s not show her the needle again, k?” Cael said sarcastically. “Cort,” he rested a hand on my hair and bent a little to look at my face. “You okay now?”
“Don’t know,” I said. “Hurts so badly.”
“I’m sure it does,” he said. “That was a lot of tranquilizer and I’m sure they didn’t choose one that would leave your system nicely.”
“I feel so stupid,” I said, tears welling up in my eyes.
“Don’t. Just sleep some more, okay?”
I sniffed and snuggled into myself, pulling my knees up to my stomach and wrapping my hands around myself to try to stop the nausea. I was half asleep when the motion of the car started getting to me again. I tried opening my eyes, to see if seeing stuff going by would make the motion sickness better but I got that bad feeling that I was going to be sick again.
I made some small motion that I was going to get up and Cael snapped to attention. “Flynn.”
Flynn signaled and headed for the side. Unfortunately I had a little bit of a wait before there was a spot where he could safely pull the car over. By then I was full on gagging and Cael and Shayla were looking at me with somewhat panicked expressions. Tell me about it. I didn’t want to get sick in the back of my own car.
The car pulled over and I struggled with the door handle. Cael reached across and opened it for me. I got out and took a few steps away from the car and got sick again. This time I was able to stay standing. I was bent at the waist, breathing and trying not to get sick again. I straightened to feel the wind on my face, to cool off when I got super nauseous again. I bent over and got sick but this time I really had nothing in my stomach so it was just painful dry heaving. I felt a hand on my back, steadying me and I just assumed it was Shayla. Imagine my surprise when I straightened and it was Cael.
He helped me back into the car, sliding in after me. I curled in a ball on the seat, my stomach was hurting so bad. It was a few moments before I realized that my teeth were clenched together and I was shivering. I just curled up tighter and hoped Cael or Shay wouldn’t notice.
This time when I knew I was going to be sick I could hardly get up. I hit the back of Flynn’s seat and he looked over his shoulder. “Cael.”
Cael helped me out of the car. This time I dropped to my knees and kept retching. I was so mad at myself when I felt the tears in my eyes. Cael was kneeling behind me, holding my hair out of the way. “Are you okay, Cortland?” he asked.
“God, I feel like such a wimp,” I said, leaning back on my legs. Then I was leaning forward. But that was a false alarm. “Just leave me here to die.”
Cael smiled a little and scooped me up. He deposited me in the backseat. I stubbornly refused to lie down, I stayed sitting up. My posture was far from perfect but I was sitting. Within minutes of Flynn pulling back onto the road I was shivering. But I suffered in silence. I was a Seeker, dammit, I’ve done worse. I won’t give you those mental images but just know that I’m tough.
Eventually I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes. I was still cold but I noticed it less when I was unconscious. I was sort of half out when I thought that I was leaning to one side. Then suddenly I was warm and comfortable. I snuggled in there because I wanted to enjoy being comfortable. My headache was pounding and then someone started stroking my bangs. The headache got a little better and continued as the hair stroking continued. I almost felt human again.
I sensed the car stop. “Want anything Cael?” I heard Flynn ask.
“Just a drink. Bring back a Sprite for Cort.”
“Ok. Let’s go.” He must have directed that one at Shayla.
“Go where?” she asked.
“I’m not carrying out everything by myself.”
“Don’t be such a pansy,” Shayla said bitingly.
“Guys,” Cael cut them off. “Poisoned Seeker sleeping.”
I heard the car doors open and close. I sighed and turned my face a little. Then I could hear a heart beating, steadily. Then all the little levers clicked in my brain.
I went to sit up quickly but Cael caught me and pulled me back against him. Thank god, because sitting up that fast probably would have killed me. “You healed me,” I said, somewhat accusingly to Cael.
“What was I supposed to do? You were obviously not doing well.”
“Do you really think I was poisoned?”
“There’s really no other explanation for how hard it hit you. Maybe it would have killed you, maybe they were just trying to be cruel.”
“You didn’t have to heal me, Cael.” Once a Guardian heals a Seeker, they’re pretty much stuck together for life. He is the only one who can heal her, faster than even our own super speedy healing. And I didn’t mind him being my Guardian but now that pretty much guaranteed he couldn’t leave. Well, without looking like a d-bag.
“Just let it go,” Cael said. “They’re bringing in fast food so you might want to prepare your system.”
“I have a stomach of steel,” I said proudly. “Why am I still laying on you?” Cael was stretched out in the back seat, leaning against the window, me sitting practically in his lap, leaned against his chest. I really had no complaints but it was slightly awkward. Mostly because he’d just seen me throw up.
“You were shivering and it was really pitiful to watch and nobody has a sweatshirt so sharing body heat was all I could do.”
“Thanks,” I sniffled. I didn’t move. He smelled nice. Now I probably smelled horrible after sweating and running and crawling around in a parking lot and puking. There, that ruined the moment. “I’m going to try and sit up now,” I said.
“Okay.” He helped me sit up, hands around my waist. They stayed there a moment longer than necessary, probably to make sure I wasn’t going to fall to the other side. “You got it?”
“I got it.”
&n
bsp; I spotted Flynn and Shayla coming in the side mirror and prepped my iron stomach. Don’t throw up, don’t throw up. I took one last deep breath and then the car doors were opened and the food smell was wafting in. I swallowed hard and fought down a mild gag but I am proud to say I held it together.
“Large Coke,” Shayla said, handing it back to Cael. “Large Sprite.” That one was for me.
I took that first sip and it felt like heaven. So cold, so clear, so anti-nauseating. “Seriously, how far are we from home? I really want to shower.”
“About an hour,” Flynn said. “We would probably be there sooner except for the stopping at the side of the road.”
“Bite me,” I said. “I just want to go home.”
Once I got home I wanted to be anywhere but. I was still sipping on my Sprite when Shayla swung the door open. Everyone was seated at the kitchen table, papers spread out everywhere. Monty was chatting animatedly on the phone. “Yes, I did see that episode of Gilmore Girls… That would be a wonderful idea. No, she’s not feeling well. Yes, I will pass on your message…” Monty hung up the phone.
I looked at Cael. “Was this part of your agenda?”
“No,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Now I know you guys did the training I left on that list because I will be quizzing you tomorrow.”
“No one cares,” I said to him. “Everyone, this is Flynn, our not so secret weapon. Flynn, here’s the crew. I don’t want to know anything about this and I’m going to go take a shower.”
“No, trust me, you want to hear about this.” Monty popped out of her chair and steered me towards it. “We have formulated a plan to get everyone in town back on your side.”
I sat in the chair and stared blankly at the graphs and charts in front of me. “What. The. Hell.” I said.
“Well, David called and he said that Burke’s family was complaining that you weren’t being professional and he had no choice but to fire you. And then people started calling with ideas and now we have come up with the perfect plan.” Kendall was sitting across from me, rolling her eyes. Obviously Blondie had been in charge of it all.
“So, while I was hiding under cars and being shot at with dart guns, you were making charts and brainstorming ideas like hanging color coded ribbons to show where your sympathies lie?” I said darkly.
“So you saw that episode too?” Monty beamed. Then she processed what I said. “Wait a second.”
“I need to shower. I want to sleep off the rest of this headache. Then I want this nightmare to be over.” Not necessarily in that order but it would do for now.
I stood and turned to head up the stairs. “Wait,” Flynn stopped me, putting an arm in front of me.
“What?” I asked snappishly. A little too much considering he was doing me a favor but give me a break. All I had left in my stomach was Sprite and my head felt all nasty and hollow. And I could feel the sweat crusted all over me. In short, I was nasty.
“These people are after you. You shouldn’t be left alone.”
“I think my odds are good with only a ten minute shower.” Okay, so I was planning on a twenty minute shower, at least a fifteen, but nobody was going to attack me in the shower.
“Nope. From now on, someone is with you at all times. Sleep, shower, Seeking. I’m not saying they have to be in the shower with you, but within immediate helping range is good. And since you now have your very own Guardian…” Flynn turned to Cael. “Congrats buddy. You’ve been upgraded to babysitter.”
“I resent that. And he is not going to be with me all the time. I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”
“We’ll see about that.” I rolled my eyes at Flynn’s remark and headed up the stairs, Cael reluctantly trailing after me. I already hated Flynn and his cryptic little remarks.
-Chapter 5-