The Protectors: Book 1 in the Protectors Saga (38 page)

“So, nothing really happened?” Skylar asked, sounding
disappointed.

“We just talked.” Avery told her.

Jade squinted at her, as if trying to pry into
Avery’s brain, “That was it? Nothing else happened?”

Avery’s mind immediately flashed back to the electric
feel of Draven’s warm lips resting on her cheek, “Nothing else
happened.” She said to Jade, trying to block out the image.

“Good,” Jade said, kicking Steel into a slow walk,
“because if you decided to fall for the one guy on this planet or
Earth, who called me a dog, I’d be forced to pound some sense into
you.”

Bunny followed Jade out of the courtyard, followed by
Sasha, then Skylar and Avery.

“So,” Skylar leaned over and asked Avery, when she
was sure Jade was out of earshot, “what was he really like? You
know, besides being hot.”

Avery thought back to their entire interaction. She
was as confused about it now as she had been after Draven had
slammed the door in her face. There were moments when he was soft
and open, telling her about his father, and their last moments when
he had given her his army. Then, there were moments when he was
closed off and abrupt, insulting Avery and trying to get rid of
her. It aggravated Avery just thinking about him and his arrogant
and aloof mannerisms, but she also couldn’t help the warm tingle
that rushed over her body when she thought about his laugh and the
softer side she was able to see just below his surface.

After giving it a little thought, and realizing she
really wasn’t sure what she felt about King Draven, she told
Skylar, “He’s complicated.”

Skylar looked at her a bit puzzled, “Is that good or
bad?”

That was the question Avery was asking herself, “I’m
not sure yet.”

From the other side of Avery, Sasha said, “If I were
you, I’d go with bad, because that boy is way out of your
league.”

Avery was always so completely shocked by Sasha’s
insults that she could never come up with a comeback in time. So,
as she was staring at Sasha open-mouthed, Skylar said, “Oh, back
off Sash, Avery’s smokin’. You’re just jealous because King Cutie
didn’t ask you to stay behind and discuss ‘interrelations’.”

Sasha scoffed, “Please, if I decide to go after that
man…he’s mine.”

Avery suddenly had enough talk about King Draven.

“Alright,” she said to Skylar, “despite his good
looks,” she turned to Sasha, “and despite your ego mutilating
statements directed at me, can we please talk about something
else.”

Skylar was silent for about fifteen seconds, and then
asked, “Did you guys see how hot that blacksmith was?”

“You’re worse than a dog in heat.” Sasha told
Skylar.

Skylar acted offended, she shouted up towards Jade,
“Jade, now I can join your club! I was just called a dog too! Now
we need someone to say it to Avery, so our dog club has a
leader.”

Despite herself, Avery burst out laughing; she only
hoped Jade didn’t see her giggling.

It didn’t help when Jade turned around in her horse
and shouted back, “I think our club might be a little Ruff for
her!”

Hearing something so corny come out Jade’s mouth,
caused Avery to throw her head back and let out one of her crystal
bellowing laughs. It was so loud and contagious, that despite
Jade’s previously sour mood, she couldn’t help but let out a
chuckle either.

Just as they were about to ride their horses out of
the castle gates, Avery turned around in her saddle and took one
last look at the castle. She looked up to the large window on the
second floor, and then scanned a few windows over to the right. She
knew these were the windows that belonged to Draven‘s throne room.
Despite not being able to see much behind the windows, she could
have sworn she saw a shadow moving inside one of the tall windows.
Before she allowed herself to dwell on the thought of whom that
shadow belonged to, she turned back around and followed the girls
out of the castle walls.

Chapter
10

When they got back to Havyn, they dropped their
horses off at the stables, and then walked over to the library to
meet Gumptin.

Gumptin was seated at the large round table, reading
a big red leather bound book, waiting for them.

“How did it go?” He asked the girls as they walked
into the room.

Avery slammed the satchel she had taken off of
Bunny’s shoulder onto the table in front of Gumptin, “Here are the
records you wanted.” Avery told Gumptin, smiling proudly.

Gumptin opened the satchel and scanned through the
documents inside it, “Are you sure this is everything?” He asked,
looking up at Avery, “You remembered everything I told you I
needed?”

Avery hesitated for a second. She hadn’t actually
been there when the other girls had gotten the records, so she
wasn’t quite sure how to answer.

“Well, it should be.” Avery said.

Gumptin blinked up at Avery, “Could you please define
what you mean by
should
.”

“I’m the one who got the records,” Jade stepped in
and told Gumptin, “and yes I got everything you told us to.”

Without thanking or questioning Jade, Gumptin asked
Avery, “Where were you?”

Avery placed her proud little smile back on her face,
“Oh, just getting Draven to agree to give us his army.”

Gumptin looked a little stupefied, “You…what?”

Avery furrowed her brow, not understanding why he
looked so shocked. After all, he was the one who had sent them to
try and get Draven’s army. Why would he have sent them if he
expected them to fail?

“Is that surprising for some reason?” Avery asked
him.

“Well…well…yes.” Gumptin stammered, “I thought he
would either tell you ‘no’, or give you some vaguely ambivalent
answer. Then, after he had time to think about it, he might say
yes. Or, I would go see him and convince him of your pure
intentions. I had no hope that he would willingly give you use of
his army without any argument.”

“Thanks for your confidence.” Avery said
sarcastically, taking a seat in one of the chairs next to Gumptin,
“Anyway, there
were
a few arguments, and a few catches. He
wants you,” Avery pointed to Gumptin, “to write down and give him
whatever past Avery’s full plan was, and he wants to be involved
once he gives us use of his army.”

Gumptin still just stared at Avery in amazement, “I
am utterly astonished…well done. I will get to work drawing up the
plan immediately.” Gumptin shook his head, “I cannot believe you
were able to get through to him with reason.”

Jade let out a snort, “I don’t think
reason
had anything to do with it.”

Avery was starting to get sick of all the little
comments made about her and Draven.

She turned quickly towards Jade, who was sitting next
to her, and told Jade sharply, “Just drop it. What is your problem
with Draven anyway?” Before Jade could bring up the dog remark
again, Avery stopped her, “Besides that.”

Avery knew Jade well enough to know that one offhand
remark wouldn’t bother her so much.

“I…I,” Jade ran her fingers through her long black
hair, “I don’t know. He just gives me a weird vibe.” She softened,
staring Avery in the eyes as she said the next part, “I don’t trust
him.”

“Do not be ridiculous.” Gumptin cut in quickly, “He
is the King of Nightfell. If anything, you, Jade Kai, probably give
him a weird vibe.”

“Says the weirdest of them all.” Jade scowled at
Gumptin, leaning back in a chair and putting her feet up on the
table.

Gumptin continued to scan through the records the
girls had brought back, “His army has more men than I had thought,
very good.” He said more to himself, than any of the girls.

When Gumptin looked up, it was as if he just realized
the girls were still there, waiting for him to tell them what they
were suppose to do next.

“Oh,” he said, staring at them, “why don’t you girls
go on home now. I have much work to do. Plus, you should all get a
good night's rest. You have training first thing in the morning
tomorrow, and then I’m sending you out on patrol.”

The girls stood up to leave; grateful they had the
rest of the night to themselves.

“I’m gonna go home and change, then I’ll see you at
your house for dinner later.” Jade told Avery, before walking out
with Sasha, Skylar, and Bunny.

Avery stayed seated, staring at Gumptin as he read
through the records, “Gumptin.” She said, getting his
attention.

“Oh, my dear girl,” Gumptin said, looking up at her,
his little reading glasses hanging off the end of his nose, “you
are still here?”

There were some things Avery had been curious about
since she left the castle that she knew would be bugging her all
night unless she asked Gumptin.

“What’s Draven’s story?” Avery asked.

“Pardon?” Gumptin said, trying to make himself look
as if he didn’t understand the question.

“Well,” Avery began, “he told me that he was raised
by his mother, away from other people, and that he disappointed his
father in some way. I was just wondering what his story was.”

Gumptin pulled off the glasses from his face, staring
dumbfounded at Avery, “He told you that?” Gumptin asked,
shocked.

Avery nodded.

“Well,” Gumptin said, clearing his throat and
collecting himself, “I suppose, since he opened the door, I shall
tell you what is commonly known. For the past seven hundred years,
give or take a few, when the King of Nightfell decides it is time
to marry and have children, he travels far away, far away to
distant kingdoms. He marries a distant princess or queen and has an
heir. Then, when his son is of age, he travels back to Nightfell
and takes over the kingdom. It is said that Draven’s father
traveled to a distant kingdom, married a princess, had a son, and
then died shortly there afterward. Draven was raised with his
mother, and then came back to Nightfell a little over ten years
ago.”

“Ten years ago?” Avery asked, doing the math in her
head, “How old was he when he came here, because he doesn’t look
over twenty-five?”

Gumptin shook his head, “I…I don’t know. He is rarely
seen outside the castle, so no one really knows.”

Gumptin’s explanation still didn’t really answer any
of Avery’s initial questions, “But why was he only raised with his
mother away from people? And how did he disappoint his dad?” She
couldn’t help but be curious.

“Avery,” Gumptin said, slightly agitated, “I do not
know. Perhaps you should ask him, instead of showering me with such
nonsensical questions.”

“Meow,” Avery told Gumptin, giving him an insulted
expression, “retract the claws kitty, I’m leaving.”

Gumptin looked at Avery like he might take off his
pointy hat and beat her with it. Instead, he fixed his glasses back
on his face and turned his attention back to the records.

That night, Avery was able to enjoy a satisfying meal
of baked fish, roasted corn, and Jade’s favorite, blueberry pie.
She and Jade played one hand of Jade’s favorite game, poker, and
one round of Avery’s favorite game, chess. She then hugged Jade
goodbye, without one mention of King Draven escaping from Jade’s
lips. She kissed Cinder, her parents, and four legged family
members goodnight. She slipped into her extra comfy Dawn of the
Dead nightshirt and curled into her overstuffed bed and thick
comforter. It would have been the perfect night for Avery, if she
hadn’t stayed up for hours, tossing and turning, the image of
Draven and his husky blue eyes piercing into her. She couldn’t help
but replay every little moment they had together in her mind. It
was well after midnight when she made a final toss under her
covers. She fell asleep with the picture of his hand wrapped around
her arm, playing across the inside of her eyelids.

Early the next morning, Avery held onto the railing
with a firm grip as she stumbled down the stairs with her eyes half
closed. Of course, this was an improvement from her eyes being
completely closed, which they mostly had been since her father
knocked on her door to wake her up fifteen minutes ago.

As she sat down at the kitchen table for breakfast,
Avery cursed King Draven for allowing her only four hours of sleep.
She didn’t care that it wasn’t his fault. If he hadn’t been so damn
enticingly mysterious, she wouldn’t have been up half the night
thinking about him.

Her mother set something down in front of her, but
Avery was too absorbed with thinking about all the reasons King
Draven agitated her, to pay attention to what it was. Avery grabbed
a pitcher sitting in front of her and poured its contents into the
bowl in front of her.

“Avery, sweetie” Her mother said, “are you
alright?”

Her mother’s question shook Avery out of her Draven
thoughts.

“What?” Avery asked, blinking her head clear, “I’m
fine, why?”

“Um…” Her mother raised her eyebrows, “because you’re
pouring orange juice into your oatmeal.”

“What?!” Avery gasped and looked down at her soupy,
orange, ruined oatmeal.

“That’s gross!” Cinder giggled through a mouthful of
untainted oatmeal.

“Oh, my God!” Avery shouted, setting down the pitcher
of orange juice and standing up, “It’s not enough he ruins my
sleep, now he’s even affecting my breakfast!”

“Who?” Her mother asked, a puzzled look on her
face.

“Who?” Avery repeated, not sure how to answer, since
she most definitely didn’t want her family to know that a king was
beginning to take over her thoughts, “Um…well, Gumptin, of course.
He has us all so busy that we’re just…we’re unable to function
properly.”

Her family just stared at her blankly. Cinder picked
up an apple from a bowl in the center of the table and handed it to
Avery.

“Here,” her little sister said, “you can’t ruin
this.”