The Ice Diamond Cuff (Custodian Novel #4) (24 page)

Faedra swallowed. "Not physically, no."

Jalia considered Faedra's uttered words for
another heartbeat before pulling her back into a loving
embrace.

Derian cleared his throat. "Jalia, my dear.
This is hardly good etiquette. You are hugging the new queen of
Azran."

Jalia looked at her husband over Faedra's
shoulder. "Oh, pish," she said.

Derian raised his brows at his wife's
retort.

"She's also a young girl who's just lost her
father," Jalia continued, unperturbed by her husband's
discomfiture. "Would you not wish the same for your daughter if she
found herself in Faedra's position?"

Derian conceded his wife's point with a quick
incline of his head.

Jalia pulled away from Faedra, releasing her
to take her seat anew. "Whatever you need, my dear, you just tell
my husband. We will help however we can." Jalia threw her husband a
pointed look, daring him to say otherwise.

"We were just finishing up some of the finer
details, my dear. Faedra has a good idea how we can defeat Zaven,
but it does rather hinge on the abilities of the dwarf lord,
Todmus."

Jalia turned her attention back to Faedra.
"Do you think Todmus has the ability to achieve what you require of
him?"

Now that was the question, wasn't it? Faedra
had no clue if Todmus could engineer such a feat as she was going
to be asking of him. But, she knew without a doubt, he would do
everything within his power to try. "I hope so," she answered,
trying hard to hide the uncertainty in her voice, and failing
miserably.

Jalia took hold of Faedra's wrist and turned
it over and back again, examining the ice diamond cuff with
studious attention. "I don't understand why Tiernan and Ena would
sanction such a strike,"

Jalia looked up from the bracelet. "I know we
have our differences, but they have never made any threats to
another realm before." She turned to Derian. "Something is very
wrong, Husband."

Derian huffed out a breath. "I agree. I will
make sure to get to the bottom of this, but first we must assist
Faedra and take back Azran. Tiernan and Ena will have to wait a
while longer."

Derian stood. "I believe we will be traveling
via the ruby staff?"

Faen stood and took hold of the staff from
where it was resting against the chair beside him. He moved around
the table to join the rest of the group. When each person had a
hand securely gripped around the staff, Faen uttered their
destination.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

"They're back!" Faedra heard someone holler
as soon as she felt the gravel drive beneath her feet. As the tiny
red laser lights dissipated before her eyes, she watched as the
inhabitants of the cottage started piling out of the front door,
spilling onto the drive. Her dad was first, followed a close second
by Janessa. The anxious look on his face melted as he locked eyes
with his daughter. Janessa, her face full of relief, opened her
arms and started walking towards them.

Amy and Zoe burst out of the cottage behind
the vicar and one of the Messengers. Their eyes widened upon seeing
the new arrivals. Amy's jaw dropped. Zoe, without turning to look
at her friend, gently lifted her hand to Amy's chin and pushed her
mouth closed with the flat of her hand. Both girls continued to
stare at the newcomers as Faedra and the group made their way
towards the cottage.

Leo was next to push his way through the
growing crowd that surrounded the front door of the cottage. His
eyes widened, too. Faedra read his lips. Maybe it would be best if
she kept what he said to herself.

Janessa reached them and curtsied. "Derian,
Jalia," she acknowledged. "It is good to see you again." She turned
her attention to the princess. "Eadlin, you look lovely as
usual."

Eadlin smiled. "Thank you, Lady Janessa."

Janessa then disposed with the protocol and
wrapped an arm around Faen and Faedra's neck, pulling them into a
group hug. "So glad you are back safely," she whispered.

Faedra scanned the group as Janessa pulled
away. "Are Jocelyn and Etyran back yet?" she asked Janessa, not
seeing them in the crowd.

"Not yet, my dear. They should be back soon
though," Janessa said as she turned between them and linked an arm
through each of theirs.

Faedra turned to Derian and Jalia. "If you'd
like to follow us, I'll introduce you to my family. But, please be
warned, they've never seen anyone quite like you before, and I'm
not sure how they'll react." Faedra gave the King of Umor a
strained smile and started off towards the house. "Although," she
mumbled under her breath, "Now that they've been subjected to
dragons, fairies, and Lightbenders, I'm thinking they'll probably
take it all in their stride."

As they got closer to the group gathered
around the front door, Faedra watched Amy's jaw drop again. She
closed her eyes briefly and breathed in deep; this was all so much
for them to take in. Most of the fae and other creatures were well
aware of who Derian, Jalia and Eadlin were, and greeted them
accordingly, after which they filed back in the house leaving her
family staring in muted awe at the people who were made of nothing
but water.

"This is my uncle, Leo, his wife, Nicki, and
my two best friends, Amy and Zoe," Faedra said, introducing her
family and friends. "Guys, I present King Derian, Queen Jalia, and
Princess Eadlin of Umor."

"Wow," Amy breathed. "Just...wow."

Well, that was a first... Amy speechless.

"Pleased to meet you," Derian said, as he
thrust his hand towards Leo.

Leo took a step back and regarded Derian
warily.

Derian turned to Faedra, brow creased. "Is
this not the customary greeting in your world?"

Faedra shot Derian a nervous smile.
"Yes...yes, it is." She turned to her uncle. "It's okay, Uncle Leo.
Derian is one of the good guys."

Leo cautiously held his hand out, regarding
Derian with uncertainty. Derian held his gaze steady. If her uncle
had offended him, he didn't let on. Faedra knew her uncle was
wondering what it would feel like to touch someone made of water.
She, herself had wondered the same thing when she was first
introduced to them. Her first thought was would her hand go right
through them? It didn't. They felt solid, just like everyone else,
but cool and smooth to the touch, like malleable glass.

As Leo's hand connected with Derian's, Faedra
saw her uncle relax. A smile grew on his lips as he shook the
king's hand. Derian reciprocated before pulling away and moving
down the line to Nicki, and then Amy and Zoe. Jalia followed her
husband's example and continued on with the introductions,
encouraging her daughter to do the same.

Just as they were finishing up with their
greetings, Zoe's attention was pulled towards the driveway. "Look,"
she said, pointing past Faedra and Faen.

Everyone turned. Green lights were spinning
above the driveway. The group she had been waiting for
materialized, safe and well.

Faedra's grin lit up her face, she let go of
Faen's hand and ran towards the group, pulling up just in front of
them.

"Oh, aren't you guys a sight for sore eyes,"
she said, before wrapping her arms around Jocelyn and Etyran in a
group hug. She let go and leaned over to greet Todmus and his
heavily pregnant wife.

"I'm so glad you could come," Faedra
said.

Todmus encased her hand in both of his and
gave the Custodian a warm smile. "You are a true friend, Miss. I
will always come to your aid."

"Thank you, Todmus."

Lady Allora took hold of Faedra's other hand.
"We were so very sorry to hear about your father, my dear. Our
realm is at your disposal. Anything you need, it is yours."

"Thank you, Allora," Faedra said, "But I'm
hoping your husband has everything we need right there." She looked
down at the pouch slung across Todmus's body.

"Where's Skylar?" Faedra asked.

"Carina is watching over her until we
return," Allora answered.

Faedra nodded before she turned and motioned
towards the cottage. "I think we better get inside. Rowan is
rallying the troops and I'm sure he's waiting for us."

The smell of freshly baked cookies caressed
Faedra's nostrils as she opened the door for their newest guests.
Janessa had been working her magic in the kitchen again, keeping
the troops fed and watered. For a split second, the aroma made
Faedra feel normal, until the sound of impassioned voices coming
from the dining room assaulted her ears and shattered the illusion.
"We have a control room, of sorts, set up in dad's dining room,"
Faedra explained as they wandered into the living room. Faen and
Faedra allowed Todmus and Allora to enter the dining room first. As
they did, the voices settled as all eyes turned on the
Custodian.

Rowan spoke first. "Now we have everyone
convened, is Your Highness ready to share her plan?"

Faedra glanced around the room that now
looked tiny packed full of people from four different realms.
Expectant faces stared back at her. Faedra swallowed, she really
wasn't cut out for this kind of stuff, but she would do her
best.

"I asked Todmus and Derian here because I
needed the cypher wheel and the Umorian's ability to manipulate
water," Faedra started her explanation. Her audience was listening
to her with rapt attention.

"Well, it was Dad's and Uncle Leo's idea
really, I just thought of a way we could possibly make it work."
She looked over at her dad and her uncle, who looked stunned at her
announcement. "The Black Sea has the highest concentration of salt
to water. If we can get enough of it into Azran, the Umorians can
manipulate it to cover the Alsian army, thereby melting them and
rendering them harmless.

Murmurs traveled around the room.

"Actually, Fae," Zoe piped up around a mouth
full of cookie. That's not true."

"It's not?" Faedra asked.

Zoe swallowed her mouthful. "No. There's some
lake in Africa that has an even higher concentration of salt than
the Black Sea. I remember having to answer a question on the
subject in high school geography."

"Do you know what the lake is called?" Faen
asked.

Zoe stared into space for a moment, trying to
find the relevant piece of information in her brain. She sighed.
"No, I can't remember. But we could do a search online."

Henry left the room and returned a minute
later with his tablet. He handed it to Zoe. "There you go."

"Thanks." Zoe tapped the screen for a few
minutes, then, with a look of triumph on her face, she turned the
screen outwards to show the room. "Lake Assal," she stated.

"Well done, you," Amy murmured, nudging her
friend with her elbow.

"How do you propose we get the salt water
into Azran?" Draconis asked.

"Well, that's where my plan hinges on
Todmus." Faedra looked to her small statured friend. "Todmus, I
still have the cypher wheel from the treasure hunt. I was wondering
if you could calibrate the one you have with the one I have and
open up a gateway, whereby, Derian and his people could pull the
salt water through from the lake."

Todmus rubbed his chin between thumb and
forefinger. After a moment of careful introspection, he looked up
at the Custodian. "That is one mountain of a grand plan you have
there, miss."

"Can you do it?" Faedra asked, the slightest
hint of desperation in her voice.

The entire room diverted their attention to
the little man still holding his chin in hand.

"Hmm," he muttered, wiggling his lips from
side to side in a show of deep concentration. He pulled the cypher
wheel from its pouch and considered it from all angles. "Let us see
now," he mumbled to himself. "If I do this, then move this here and
turn this one that way..." Todmus continued, mumbling to himself as
his turned the various discs that made up the many layers of the
wheel. The rest of the room stayed deathly silent. Faedra
fleetingly wondered if anyone was even breathing. It certainly felt
as though the whole room was holding a collective breath.

After a few more moments of intense mumbling
from Todmus, he finally looked back up at Faedra. "Well, I dare say
that should do it," he announced. "Now, if you would bring me
yours, I will re-calibrate that one to match this."

Faedra turned her hopeful smile on Faen
before leaping up the stairs to her room two at a time. When she
got to the top of the stairs, she grabbed the latch on the closed
door and stopped. Her body froze, unable to move. She hadn't been
back into her room since her father died. She closed her eyes and
hung her head. Did she even possess the courage to step foot in her
room after what had transpired there? Her hand rested on the door
latch. As every second ticked by, her heart ached more and more.
The thought of opening that door scared the life out of her.

"Faedra?" Faen's worried voice carried up the
staircase.

Faedra opened her eyes and looked down at her
husband, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs. He had one
foot on the bottom step and a hand resting on the bannister. "I
can't do it, Faen," Faedra whispered, her voice small and
childlike. Faen started his ascent towards her. "I didn't even
think about it, but when I got to the door, I-I just..."

Faen reached her before she could get the
words out. He covered her hand that was still clinging onto the
latch with one of his own. Her hand was cold, her knuckles white.
He looked down into her sorrowful eyes as he peeled her hand from
the door latch and held it to his heart.

"Give it time, Adkara. There is no need for
you to overcome this now," Faen said. "Tell me where the cypher
wheel is and I will get it for you."

Faedra's shoulders relaxed. "It's in the
bottom drawer of my dresser," she said, stepping aside to let Faen
past. He opened the door to her room. It was dark inside, the
curtains were still drawn. Faedra shuddered. Did the dragons clean
up her room as well, or was there still blood everywhere? She was
relieved it was dark. Faedra doubted she could handle seeing the
remnants of that horrific moment in time.