Page 48 of Custodian

“Crowley eyes? You think Emmanuel is handing out Crowley eyes like boy-scout badges?”

All eyes turned to Ivy, who shrugged, “What? Sam and Dean are hot. Supernatural is the best. Besides, I’ve always thought the writers must have come across a chade at some time or other. What with the demon’s eyes all black like that. I mean, come on – those are clearly chade’s eyes!” She scoffed.

After a beat of silence, the room burst into laughter, Cali smiling at the short ranger; “I knew I liked you.”

Ivy pinned Cali with dark, droll eyes, “No you didn’t.”

Cali grinned, “Ya got me. You’re a bit of an acquired taste. But consider yourself acquired.”

Ivy rolled her eyes and didn’t say anything but Ryker could see the flush of pleasure on her face, as well as the happiness on Lark and Beyden’s faces. Ryker was also happy to see Ivy fitting into their family as if she were made to. Re-focusing on Caspian and his state when he had arrived, he asked;

“Is that when you got busted and a chade drained you?”

Leo shook his head, his hand gripped Caspian’s so hard Ryker was concerned for the warden’s circulation. “The water Caspian was controlling suddenly turned black – like it was putrid. Caspian started to gasp and –” Leo cut off, unable to continue.

“And shrivel,” Lawson gritted out between clenched teeth. “It was like a chade was draining him but there wasn’t any there. Honest. We didn’t see or feel a thing.”

Ryker saw the whole room frowning. This again, was something new. He looked at Ivy and Dex – their resident chade experts. “Have either of you ever seen a chade able to drain vitality from a distance? Without physically touching a warden?”

“No,” Dex looked thoughtful. “But I know a half-breed custodian who can recharge that way.”

Max merely shrugged when she became the focus of the room. “What? I don’t have the answers. I didn’t even know what a chade was before I met you. I was calling them phantoms, remember?”

Caspian giggled at that, “Really?” He then rubbed his arm, wincing as if it pained him.

Ryker nodded, “Really. She had all kinds of crazy ideas. Are you still injured?” He quickly asked, before Max could ream him for calling her crazy.

Cas hesitated then admitted, “My brand hurts.” He lifted the edge of his tee shirt to reveal an angry-looking brand.

“What the hell?” Ryker muttered as he leant in close to look at the defiled brand on Caspian’s left bicep. “It looks like it’s been scorched.”

Max shook her head, looking angry, “I’m sure I can heal it. I –”

But as soon as her hand made contact with the altered mark, Max’s face went blank and she dropped to the floor.

TWENTY-THREE

Max jolted as she felt an incredible cold rush through her body. She was about to ask her paladins what the hell was going on with the temperature when she realised she was no longer standing in the guest bedroom.

“What the actual fuck!” Max looked around her but saw nothing butendlessness.Everywhere she looked, there was blackness. The place was absolutely devoid of all light but yet she could still see perfectly. “What is this place?” She asked, spinning around.

“You don’t recognise it?” A smooth voice sounded from behind her.

Max spun, reaching for her tanto sword that she had started strapping to her calf once more, but coming up empty. The man in front of her laughed, the sound very pleasant and infused with masculine humour. Max knew exactly who he was without introductions; “Emmanuel.”

Emmanuel nodded, “And you are Max. There are no weapons allowed here, my pet. Other than those we hold inside ourselves, that is.”

Max held still as Emmanuel walked a slow circle around her. She didn’t turn even when the chade was at her back, allowing him to look his fill as her mind scrambled to process what was happening.

“You are much shorter than I imagined,” he finally said, after he had made his inspection.

“I get that a lot,” Max replied, dryly.

He laughed, “And so funny. I heard you were funny.”

Max pulled her shoulders back, attempting to look down her nose at him, “What am I doing here, Emmanuel?”

Emmanuel shrugged broad shoulders, making the light grey button-up shirt he wore move. “I thought you would like to see your new home. Or rather, your new nightmare.”

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