The Ice Diamond Cuff (Custodian Novel #4) (6 page)

Faedra closed her eyes and reveled in the
coolness of Derian's touch. All propriety went straight out the
window as she let her head drop back. "Ahh," she murmured, "That
feels so good." The flow of Derian's cooling energy had made its
way across to her other arm and was now snaking its way down
Faedra's torso. She could almost visualize the flames inside her
being doused by water.

Somewhere deep in the back of her mind, she
registered someone clearing their throat. She ignored it. A second
later the same sound penetrated her brain again, this time it was
much more urgent. Faedra's subconscious shook her by the shoulders.
Her eyes opened and she was greeted by Derian's warm smile, his
eyes flickering with the merest hint of amusement. Faedra was still
holding his hand. Oh, how embarrassing. He had somehow extinguished
her heat so her cheeks no longer had the ability to flush.
Thankfully.

She turned to look at her father, whose eyes
flashed with disapproval. Faedra's heart sank. Her very first
diplomatic greeting and she had screwed it up big time. She felt so
ashamed.

She shot Derian a sheepish smile and tried to
pull her hand away, only to have Derian grasp it even tighter.
Faedra's eyes widened at Umor's king. Why wouldn't he give her hand
back? Derian's smile was still warm, reaching all the way to his
eyes.

"You have a formidable power there, young
princess," he said. "When I let go of your hand, the effects of it
will come rushing back. I just want you to be prepared. Do you
understand what I am saying to you?"

Faedra looked at him in stunned silence. For
the first time in nearly two years, there was no roaring furnace
raging in her ears. Her head was at peace, her body was not
fighting to keep control. She felt truly relaxed. She felt cool.
She didn't want the power back; fear spiked through her at the
thought. She wanted to feel like this again for all time. Faedra
hadn't taken her eyes from Derian's as his words permeated her
brain. As the realization dawned on her what was about to happen, a
tear slid down her cheek. She drew in a deep breath and gave the
king a barely perceptible nod.

Derian nodded back and slowly released her
hand.

CHAPTER SIX

Faedra sucked in a sharp gasp as the roaring
flames engulfed her again. No slow build up, no warning, the power
just slammed into her, around her, smothering her with its
intensity. She staggered back a couple of steps and leaned over,
resting her hands above her knees to steady herself. The roar. The
heat. The burning. It was all back with a vengeance. She sensed her
Guardian's worry and looked to her side.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed, as he reached
out to put a hand on her back. Faen drew his hand away, his eyes
wide. "I'll burn you," she murmured, softer this time, as she saw
the dismay on her beautiful Guardian's face. "Just give me a minute
to get this under control again."

She dropped her head, panting. Unchecked
tears were flowing now, evaporating half way down her cheeks with a
sizzle. Derian had given her a glimpse of what it felt like to be
normal again, or as normal as she could be after her eighteenth
birthday. She had almost forgotten what it felt like. She didn't
want to go back to this, it was too much. Her emotions were getting
the better of her, she didn't have a hope of getting her powers
back in check when she felt this upset, this desperate.

A panicked squeal made her lift her head. A
tree beside the fountain had burst into flames and the water in the
font bubbled angrily. Eadlin's eyes darted from the tree, to
Faedra, to her father. She moved closer to him, her terrified gaze
connecting with the Custodian's, as she did. A fresh wave of
emotions swamped Faedra, this time they were her own. Disgust at
herself topping the list. Then her eyes widened as she absorbed the
fact that steam was flowing off the visitors. Jalia noticed it,
too, and grabbed hold of her daughter and husband, dragging them
back further. Faedra turned to her father and her Guardian, both of
whom had taken several steps back. Both sets of eyes filled with
anxiety.

This was not good. Oh, this was so not good.
If she was to have any chance of getting some semblance of control
over the power that took her over more than a year ago, she had to
get away from the five pairs of eyes that were gawking at her.
Between them, the energies were too intense, ranging from worry to
fear. She could tolerate people being worried about her but she
loathed herself when people feared her. She was just a young woman,
she wasn't a monster. She wasn't.

Faedra cast her teary gaze around the
assemblage. She swallowed, hard. "I'm...so sorry. I...can't..." She
let out a strangled sob before taking off. It was as if Derian had
opened Pandora's Box. She couldn't get the power under control
again. Faedra was terrified. There was one place she could go that
she knew she wouldn't hurt the occupants. She disappeared inside
the castle and prayed she didn't raze it to the ground before
reaching her destination. The doors to her father's study flew open
without her touching them. Right now, Faedra didn't dare touch
anything for fear of setting the place on fire. If she didn't have
to retrieve a certain object, she wouldn't be inside the castle at
all. She had to hurry. Faedra held her hand up and the doors to an
ornate cabinet flew open. The roar in her head was getting louder.
Would she spontaneously combust? She came to a stop in front of the
cabinet and eyed its contents.

Faedra drew in a long breath and scrunched
her eyes closed. The flames were raging in her brain, but she had
to pull them back from her hand if this was going to work. With
gritted teeth, she summoned forth every ounce of control she still
possessed. Her face strained with the effort, but she was
successful as she managed to pull the heat back to her wrist. She
tested her fingers on the wood of the cabinet with a tentative
touch. Good, no scorch marks. But she had to hurry; she couldn't
keep the heat held back for long. She reached in and grabbed the
ruby staff.

***

"Draconis...help...me" Faedra's strangled
voice echoed around the walls of the great hall in Zutherindal.

Draconis turned, his emerald green eyes
flashed when they fell on the distressed Custodian. In one fluid
movement Draconis traveled the length of the hall. He scooped
Faedra up just as her legs gave way and buckled underneath her.

Tears were still sizzling down her cheeks as
she looked up at the dragon. "I can't bring it back, Draconis. I
can't control it," Faedra cried.

Draconis turned his taloned claw palm up and
rested the back of it on Faedra's forehead. Surprised, he drew his
head back just a fraction, his emerald eyes blazing with concern.
"Good Lord, little one, you are burning up."

"What am I going to do?" Faedra implored
between gut-wrenching gasps for air. "It hit me so fast, I couldn't
get hold of it, I couldn't...I can't...I..." Hysteria leeched into
her voice as her eyes beseeched those of the great dragon who held
her tenderly.

"Shh, hush now," Draconis cooed, soothing
Faedra's furrowed brow with his palm. He brought his hand over her
eyes. "Sleep."

The great dragon puffed out a sigh as
Faedra's breathing calmed and her body went limp in his arms. He
wasn't sure if his compulsion would work on her with all the powers
she possessed, it sure didn't work on his brother. He was glad he
tried, though. She was obviously so out of control she probably
didn't even notice what he was doing and doubted if she would try
and stop him even if she did.

"Alaris!" Draconis shouted.

The doors to the great hall squeaked open.
"Yes, Sire?"

Draconis turned to face the iridescent blue
dragon that now filled the doorway. Alaris's eyes fell upon the
Custodian hanging limply in his master's arms. Startled, he brought
them back to meet Draconis's imperceptible expression.

"Alaris, I need you to go to Azran and bring
back her Guardian," Draconis instructed. "Take the ruby staff. I'm
sure her loved ones will be worried about her whereabouts." He
gestured to the ruby staff that lay on the floor beside him where
Faedra had dropped it as she collapsed into his arms.

Alaris stepped forward and leaned down to
pick up the ruby staff.

"Human form would be advisable, I am sure
they are probably inside the castle. I find it...rather cramped in
there."

The blue dragon rolled his blazing emerald
eyes, inclining his head once more before shaking his whole body. A
moment later, a cat-walk worthy specimen was standing in the spot
the enormous blue dragon had occupied. The man moved his head
around, stretching out his neck, and pulled his elbows back to
stretch out his chest.

"Urgh, human form," Alaris grouched. He shot
a pointed look at Draconis. "I can see no reason why you find this
form so intriguing. I feel like a trussed up chicken."

Draconis raised a scaly onyx eyebrow at his
guard's distaste and pinched his lips into a thin line to suppress
the smile that was threatening.

"The Guardian," Draconis repeated.

"Don't see why I have to change," Alaris
muttered under his breath. "Having a damn great dragon materialize
on your doorstep would certainly have the guards bringing the king
to me, not the other way around." He rapped the ruby staff on the
floor. "Azran Castle!" he commanded. "I hate human form," he
continued to grouch as the red laser lights twirled around his body
and he disappeared from the great hall.

Draconis looked down at the unconscious
Custodian in his arms and drew in a long, considering breath. He
shook his head. "You should not be burdened with my brother's
power, little one. If I could but do something to relieve you of
it." He wandered over to the dais and lay Faedra down. Wondering if
it was going to get a little crowded in his hall in just a few
moments, he changed into his human form. He tenderly pushed a lock
of hair from Faedra's face and tucked it behind her ear. A gaggle
of anxious voices erupted behind him and echoed off the walls. He
turned and raised a sleek brow at the entourage Alaris had brought
back with him. The king and the Guardian, he expected. A heavily
pregnant ovate with her daughter, a newly appointed guardian, two
Lightbenders, and the water king, plus his wife and daughter, were
somewhat of a surprise.

Alaris shrugged. "They were all in the king's
study when I got there," he said, answering his master's unspoken
question. "They insisted I bring them all back with me." The blue
dragon rolled his sparkling green eyes for added effect.

"Faedra!" Faen exclaimed, as he laid eyes on
the Custodian sprawled out unconscious on the wooden surface of the
dais. He lunged forward from the group to where she lay behind
Draconis. Faen searched the Dragon lord's emerald eyes as he
reached them. "What happened to her?"

Draconis put a hand on Faen's shoulder.
"Guardian, I induced her to sleep. She was panicking, and I
believed it the only way to keep her from hurting herself...and,
possibly, obliterating my castle."

Faen kneeled beside Faedra and made to run
his knuckles over her cheek.

"I would not do that, if I were you,"
Draconis said, a grave tone to his voice. "She still has the power
to inflict great harm, even in slumber."

Faen pulled his hand away and rested his
forehead in his palm. "So, what now? We take her back to the cave
in Antarctica again?"

"I don't believe that will be necessary,"
Derian said, stepping forward from the group, the king by his side.
The rest of the group fell in behind them, creating a tight
semi-circle. Anxious faces were staring down at the girl on the
floor.

Faen narrowed his eyes as the water king
leaned past him, reaching out to touch Faedra. Faen clamped his
hand around Derian's arm.

"No! It was you that caused this to happen in
the first place! You think I am going to allow you to touch her
now? What exactly did you do to her, anyway?" Faen's eyes
flashed.

The water king stopped. He looked down at
Faen's hand, then up to meet the Guardian's cold glare.

"How do I know this is not some plan to
incapacitate the Custodian?" Faen asked, menace leaking from his
words.

Derian's expression remained impassive.

The king stepped forward and rested a hand on
Faen's arm. "Release him, Guardian."

Faen tore his eyes from Derian to shoot the
king an incredulous glance. "But we have no idea what he did to
her. Look at her!"

The king glanced down at his daughter and
closed his eyes for a split second before returning his steady gaze
back to her Guardian.

"Derian is our ally. I trust that he would
not see harm come to my daughter. Now, release him. I will not ask
again."

Faen turned back to Derian, fixed him with an
'I'm-watching-you' stare, before opening his fingers and pulling
his hand away in a dramatic display of testosterone fueled
disdain.

Derian raised a translucent eyebrow and he
inclined his head, a subtle acknowledgment of the Guardian's
concern. He turned and kneeled down beside Faedra.

"Derian, are you sure about this?" Jalia
asked, stepping forward and placing a hand on her husband's
shoulder.

Derian looked up into the fretful eyes of his
wife. He covered her hand with his and gave her a warm, reassuring
smile. "I am strong, Jalia. If I do not try, I fear for the
Custodian...we need her."

Faen narrowed his eyes at the water king's
comment.

Derian turned back to Faedra prompting the
group to surge forward a few more steps, anxious to see what the
water king could possibly do to help the situation. He reached out
a hand and placed it on Faedra's ankle. As soon as liquid touched
skin, a loud hissing noise filled the chamber and steam rose from
Derian's hand. There were a few gasps from the crowd. Derian closed
his eyes, squeezing them shut with determined concentration.