Page 45 of Custodian

Max’s worried eyes softened with affection for a moment, and she tweaked his nose back, “No. It’s not the chadens. I mean, of course I’m worried about them. Those men have already lost their lives once, they don’t deserve to have it taken from them again. But that’s not it.”

“Emmanuel?” Axel guessed.

Max laughed but she sounded far from happy, “He’s worrisome, that’s for sure. He’s certainly not what I expected. He’s very charismatic, don’t you think? No wonder he’s able to woo lost chades to his side. But he’s like a peacock spider. He lures his prey with his pretty face and soothing words and when he has them just where he wants them; he strikes. And their souls are lost forever. I won’t ever be able to heal those wardens Emmanuel has turned.”

Axel hated hearing the sadness in his liege’s voice, “You can’t save everyone,” he told her gently. Max went so still and quiet, he was beginning to get worried. But then Max burst into laughter, curling her body up and holding her stomach in her hilarity. “Ah, care to share the joke?”

Max shook her head, wiping away her tears and placing her head back on Axel’s lap. “I’m sorry. It’s just – what you said? That I can’t save everybody? That’s the problem.”

“What do you mean?” Axel asked, confused.

Max didn’t speak for a moment, but studied him intently. “Do you really want to know?” she asked.

He nodded immediately, “Of course.”

Max sighed, closing her eyes again, and Axel couldn’t help thinking she was trying to block him out. “We’re not going to win,” she whispered.

His gut clenched, “I’m sorry, what?”

“This war,” Max explained further. “We’re not going to win.”

His fingers stopped their ministrations on Max’s temples at her abrupt words. Of all the things he was expecting to hear, that wasn’t even in the stratosphere. Max could sometimes be a bit obtuse and even cynical, but she was never negative or pessimistic. And those soft words, spoken with an unnerving undercurrent of certainty were definitely pessimistic. “Max, what are you talking about?”

She opened her eyes once again but made no move to get up from his lap, nor did he attempt to move her. The look of sorrow and fear in her oceanic depths sent a shiver of unease down his spine, even as his heart rate kicked up with dread. “I’ve seen it, Axel. I’ve felt it. In every possible future, we lose.”

“Everypossible future?” He asked convulsively.What the hell did that mean?

Her eyes blanked white for a mere fraction of a second before swirling with colours, “Futures are tricky things, Axel. Every action we take, every decision we make, creates a new possible future; they’re infinite. But even in their limitless design, some futures cannot be avoided.”

Axel could tell she was serious – so very serious. And if he was being honest with himself, her words terrified him right down to his bones. But Max was his liege and his duty was to ensure to her health, safety, and happiness at all times. Right now, he had a very unhappy liege. “So, you’re telling me in all those possible futures your magic brain has seen, there isn’t a single one where we win?”

Max promptly opened her mouth, only to hesitate at the last second. He felt a flare of hope spark to life inside his chest. “Max?” he prompted.

“Yes.” She sighed, somehow seemingly impossibly sadder. “There is one chance.”

“One chance? Onewholechance? Well, I’ve only ever needed half a chance to win the day, so that’s double what we need.” He responded confidently, maybe even halfway believing it himself.

Max finally smiled, revealing that single beguiling dimple as she reached up to pat his cheek, “You’re such a cocky bastard, Axel.”

Axel forced his grin to turn wicked, “It’s well earned, I promise you.”

Max chuckled and patted his cheek, “I love you.”

Axel felt his smile widen in genuine warmth this time. “I love you too,” he told the little trouble-maker. And it was true. He loved his new liege and indeed his entire crazy mish-mash of a family here like he had never loved anyone before – well, almost, he acknowledged silently and was quick to erase such thoughts from his mind, lest his intuitive little friend overhear something he wasn’t willing to share. He imagined he saw her smile dim a little around the edges as she pushed herself up;

“Thank you, Axel. I feel heaps better.”

Axel knew her headache was much diminished and although they had just enjoyed a moment of levity, he knew Max’s heart was still burdened with the things she was forced to see and hear and feel. “We should have a party!”

Max paused where she was sitting, “A party?”

Axel cringed when he thought of what Ryker’s response to his spontaneous idea of a party would be. But there was a sparkle of interest in Max’s lovely eyes that Axel didn’t want to extinguish. “Yeah, a party. I think everyone could use some time away from all the stress. And it would be a good opportunity to get all our allies together. It’s time the wardens and paladins met the chadens. They should see what they’re going to be fighting for. Besides, I bet some of them even have some lost family and they can be reunited like Knox and his sons.”

Max was already nodding her head, sending her thick deep red hair flying in all directions, “Yes! I think that’s a great idea. You tell Ryker.”

Axel paused, “Um, don’t you think it would be better coming from you?”

Max rolled her eyes at him, “Coward.”

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