EIGHTEEN

Ivy felt the last of the tension drop from the occupants in the room as they continued to discuss the success of Lark’s little mission. She listened with half an ear as she thought back over the past hour or so. She hadn’t been privy to Carlos’s words firsthand but Beyden had filled her in when Dex had started to go ballistic. Her automatic reaction had been to grab her sickle from next to the back door. But then she had thought about everything she knew and weighed up the situation subjectively – rather than objectively. Even though it went against all of her training. She could never be subjective out in the field. But right now? After spending so much time with the motley crew? She knew Dex would never harm any one of them. And if someone had dared to threaten her child? Well, there would be no safe place in all the worlds for them to hide.

So, she had stayed casually by the wall and let Dex rage. The power the man controlled with his combined warden-chade skillset was phenomenal. Nothing to equal Max of course but she knew Dex had been one of the most powerful wardens before he had gone off the reservation. He’d had twelve paladins – twelve! The number was unheard of. In fact, Max now had the largest Order with her seven knights. She idly wondered what had happened to his other paladins …

“Ivy?”

She jolted, “I’m sorry, what?”

“I asked if you’re okay to head off tomorrow? Lark is back to full health and my kiddies have the answers they need to fortify this place and start bringing in the good guys for some frank conversations,” Max explained.

Ivy just nodded, “Fine by me.”

“Great. Dex –”

“I’m not going.”

Silence met his harsh interruption and Ivy watched Dex clench his jaw so hard she wouldn’t be surprised to hear his teeth crack.

“Dex –” Max began again but the irate man was already shaking his head;

“I’m sorry, Max. I know how important the mission is and I know I’m yours to command but I –”

“Dex! Will you shut up for one damn minute?!” Max finally yelled, interrupting his tirade. He snapped his jaw shut. “Thank you. Now …” Max continued, “of course you’re not going. Your place is here with Cali and your baby.”

Dex stared at her for a moment before croaking, “Huh?”

Max huffed, the noise sounding ill-tempered, “Do you really think I would ask you to leave Cali when there was a threat to her and your son?”

Dex looked half dumbfounded, half contrite, as he stuttered, “Well, I …”

Cali smiled sweetly at her fiancé, wrapping her arms around him. Ivy saw her mouth the words, thank you, to her liege and Max’s dipped head of acknowledgment in return.

“So, what now? Ivy and Lark can’t go on their own. Not only is it too dangerous but how will they identify the chades they need to?” Beyden voiced the question Ivy herself had been thinking.

“Two of you can accompany them and –”

“No, Max,” Ryker interrupted. “I’m sorry but after what Lark discovered today, there’s no way I’m willing to lose more of your protection. I don’t even want to spare Lark and Ivy. The threat to you is very real, Max.”

Max sighed and instead of getting annoyed or pushing the issue like Ivy expected her to do, she crossed the room to stand in front of Ryker instead, placing her palms on both his cheeks;

“I know it is, babe. And that’s why we need to bring these wardens home,” her voice was soft and as serious as Ivy had ever heard. But the woman quickly ruined the moment by adding; “I need my squirrels.”

The room seemed to relax with the exhalation of quiet laughter from its occupants. The moment of levity lasted about two seconds because a new voice spoke, startling everyone;

“I’ll go.”

Everyone spun at the same time, facing the intruder in the doorway. Max and Cali were firmly pushed behind a half a dozen paladin bodies and the sound of scythes singing from their harnesses was sharp in the air. Ivy had to give the guy credit, Knox didn’t even bat an eyelash at all the lethal steel pointed in his direction. He just stood silently and waited for a response.

Ivy had to admit, the ex-chade looked like a whole new man. He was still lean but his six-foot-one frame had bulked out nicely and he was now carrying a decent amount of muscle mass – his previously emaciated appearance nothing but a memory. His hair was still black but Diana had given him a very nice haircut and the healthy-looking strands were now cropped close to his skull. His skin was also still pale but it flushed with healthy colour with his changing moods. He had sharp cheekbones, a straight nose, and square jawline. Even his eyes were no longer black. Although they were still a dark shade of grey, making her wonder if his original eye colour had been grey or perhaps blue. There was one thing she couldn’t deny; the man was very good looking.

She couldn’t believe that sexily shadowed, chiselled jaw was the same one which had unhinged grotesquely, ready to kill, just weeks ago. He was like a whole new person and she realised Dex must have undergone the exact same transformation to get to where he was today as well. She hadn’t been here to personally witness the before and after that was Dex, only the end result. Seeing Knox’s redemption served to strengthen Ivy’s belief in Max. Knowing that, and realising Knox was the only way they were going to help others like him, she stepped forward and spoke up;

“He’s right – he should come.”

She knew her words surprised the majority of the group if their incredulous expressions were anything to go by. The only people who didn’t seem shocked were Max and Lark. The reason behind Max’s acceptance was easy; the darn woman knew every bloody thing. But Ivy couldn’t help but wonder why Lark didn’t seem bothered by her support of the chade. But then again, she had stupidly bared her soul to the guy, hadn’t she? Maybe he thought she had a soft spot for all chades now. That certainly wasn’t the case. Yes, she wanted to save any who could be saved. But she had no problem putting down any others who were solely bent on maiming and killing.

Ryker shook his head, “No way! No offence, man. But I don’t know you. Not from before and not now. I’m not comfortable saddling my team – my family – with an unknown.”

Ivy blinked at that; surely he was just referring to Lark? No way was Ryker including her as family. But his small nod in her direction seemed to belie her automatic thought. Instead of feeling uncomfortable by his inclusion, she felt … grateful. As for Knox – he didn’t say anything. In fact, Ivy was pretty sure those were the first two words he had uttered since coming back from the brink.

“I’m with Ivy,” Lark said into the silence of the room. Ryker opened his mouth to speak but Lark held up his hand. And strangely enough, Ryker closed his mouth and let Lark speak. He turned to his liege; “Max? What do you think? Is Knox completely healed?”

Max smiled in the ex-chades direction and Ivy saw him blush a little. Yep, seems no person was immune to the charms of the turquoise-eyed custodian. “His murderous tendencies have resolved, he can recharge normally, and he’s sporting some cool new ink. He’s as healed as anyone can expect him to be,” she vouched.

Ivy thought Max’s last sentence was a bit off but she couldn’t put her finger on why. The important thing was that Max trusted Knox and as strange as it sounded, Ivy did too. The small pockets of time she had spent with the man, had showed her a man with true grit. He was much further gone than Dex had been and yet here he stood. She wondered what kind of motivation he must have to have held on to his tiny piece of soul for so long.

“Max …” Ryker sounded aggrieved but also resigned.

“Ryker …” Max mimicked, “Knox is good to go. He can sense chades the same way Dex can. He’ll be able to communicate with them to the same extent. He’s also the guardian of Air and will be able to travel swiftly in that form and cover long distances if needed. He’ll take the other car, so the chades can be transported back when they are found. And Ivy and Lark can move on to the next location in the meantime.”

Ryker looked to the other members of his Order and one by one they all nodded. Ryker sighed, “Fine. You sure you’re okay with this? You two are going to have to provide Knox with vitality when you’re on the road.”

Lark shrugged in response to Ryker’s question, “Won’t bother me. Ivy?”

She kept her face blank, “Whatever. What’s one more chade-warden hybrid?”

“Fine then – sold,” Ryker stated, seeming to gain a measure of satisfaction from her grumpy response. He walked over to Knox and held out his arm, “Thank you. You all look after each other out there and we won’t have a problem.”

Knox eyed the outstretched arm for a moment before he clasped it in a traditional warrior’s grip, “I’ll look after them,” he promised.

Before Ivy could assure the man she could look after herself, he was gone as quickly as he had arrived.