Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5) (23 page)

The voices instantly died down. King Collins asked, “Caro?”

“That would be me,” I mumbled. “Are you decent for viewing?”

He chuckled quietly. “Yes.”

I eyed the screen, unsure of how to bring in the video. “Hold on. I’m having technical difficulties.” I glanced around the screen to the spirits staring at me. “Reese, you didn’t tell me how to make it go regular.”

Mr Damon answered with a bit of amusement. “And that would be Reese’s biggest hang-up in life, never finishing anything.” He sighed, but with a smile. “Just finish calling.”

“Oh.” I blinked at him. “I guess that was a no-brainer.” I turned my attention back to the screen and blew the stars into it, calling to King Collins. The screen abruptly showed all I had asked for. Sitting in one of the Shifter living rooms, everyone was there. I grinned. “I did it.”

“Can I touch it?” asked Elder Farrar instantly, standing and coming toward the screen. “This is really ingenious.”

My eyes widened and a tiny squeak emitted from my pinched lips—I was more than a bit freaked for him if he did, but unable to say so.

Intelligently, he stalled. “Actually, I don’t think I need to touch it after all.”

“Or you could, and we could all get a good laugh out of whatever made her face scrunch up like that,” Elder Jacobs murmured, chuckling unobtrusively. But his hilarity halted and he glanced at me. “Hey…I…um…” For the first time, I watched him stutter. “Is there…uh…I would very much like…”

It was Elder Farrar’s turn to laugh, vaguely pointing a finger at him. His humored gaze held mine. “He wants a dose of the protection you gave us.” Golden eyebrows rose. “He heard from someone how amazing it was.” He leaned forward, mock whispering, “
Don’t do it, Caro.”

I laughed outright at the cross expression Elder Jacobs gave Elder Farrar.

But I quickly cut off my laugh when Queen Cooper asked, “What are they talking about?”

My lips pinched.

I swear there was the longest pause in which faces quickly blanked, no one looking toward her or King Collins. Which meant I could make the pretty good guess that they all knew they were together-together somehow.

“Caro?” Queen Cooper growled after eyeing everyone. “What do I need to know?”

“I can’t say anything, as you know,” I stated with calm words, covering for my King, who was all kinds of flustered and barely able to keep his face void of emotion. “But I can say a few of them acted a bit drunk or high for a small while.”

More like an hour, but whatever.

“Oh.” Queen Cooper flicked her golden locks over her right shoulder. “That’s not so bad.” She glanced at everyone like they were crazy. “I’m not exactly innocent, people, I can be told things like this.”

Elder Farrar quickly jumped in, creating a distraction. “Caro…” He grinned extra slowly. “Did you like the questions I wrote for you?”

My jaw dropped. “You did that on purpose?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “I thought you could use a laugh.” He held up a finger. “But I do endorse quite a few of those questions.”

My brows lifted and I spoke dry words. “Yes, we all need to know where he got his nipples pierced.”

A few of their eyes popped wide and they started chuckling.

Elder Farrar held up his finger, stating, “If you found that out, we would know who he trusts with sensitive body parts.” He nodded as if he were a genius and the group of Rulers around him were idiots. “Good information to have.”

I waved my hands and explained, “We are being listened in on, by the way.”

“We know,” they all pretty much said at once, still chuckling.

My brows puckered. “I did call for a specific reason.”

King Collins smiled. “We know that, too. You want to ask if the One can come here.”

I blinked, my gaze darting to Elder Farrar, my eyebrows rising a bit heatedly.

“Now, now.” Elder Farrar chuckled at my expression. “Don’t give me that look. I told you this morning I can’t alter time. If I knew the One would be coming to the Manor, it is neither here nor there.” He waved a hand at their group. “They figured it out on their own once King Collins told everyone you wanted to talk with us.”

I rested back on the chair, staring at them pointedly. “And the verdict would be? Since you’ve all had time to discuss it?”

Elder Zeller asked, “We actually want to know why you would allow it.”

The answer to that was simple. “I believe they want to kill the bastard as much as we want to.” A shoulder shrug. “Plus, it’s the stipulation from the One. It’s what he wants in exchange for a name they have of the individual responsible for this.” I cleared my throat harshly. “Thanks to the questions I did ask, which were my own.”

“Nicely done,” Queen Ruckler murmured, nodding her head at me in one of her rare approvals. “But we’d also like to ask the One a question before we make our decision.”

“Understandable.” I peered around the screen and crooked my finger at the One, then moved my chair back a smidgen to give him room. I bent and picked up Isolde when she yapped at me from the ground. I held her close to my chest and petted her head as the One moved around the side of the table. He leaned over and placed his hands on the table in front of me, but he still gave me access to view the screen and also, I noticed, gave me plenty of space.

The One gave everyone time to analyze him before he stated simply, “I’d first like to say, I’m sorry for any hurt and anguish this asshole inflicted on all of you. Especially Ms Jules. Secondly, I’d like to say that if you should let me and my two Commanders into your home, we will help you find him, though I cannot promise I won’t fight for dibs to kill him. And lastly, I want to thank you for your love, kindness, and guidance that you’ve given the spirit Elemental under your care.”

Every single one of them blinked for long moments.

Finally, King Collins stepped forward to stand closer to the screen. His gaze flicked to me, holding there. “You’re sure about this?” I knew he was asking more than what he said, but I still nodded—although I wasn’t entirely sure. He turned his regard back to the One. “We have no questions for you. You did exactly as we needed from you. But it stands to say that while you’re in our home, you treat everyone here with respect and courtesy, because honestly, with what we’ve been through, someone may just lose it and kill you merely because you look like the bastard.” He stared steadily at the One for a long moment before his brown eyes came back to me, and he waved a hand. “You can shut it off, Caro. We’ll see you at home shortly with your guests.”

I waved my glowing left hand and cut my power off. “Well, you’ve gotten what you want.”

The One pushed off the table, lifting abruptly, and paced away. “Not yet, I don’t.”

No, I didn’t believe he had.

Because I truthfully thought he wanted the bastard dead for this.

I glanced at Mr Damon. “The name, please.”

He lifted his brows. “I’ll tell it to my son. When he’s there and safe, then he can tell you.”

Ah…he was ticked that King Collins had threatened his baby.

The One peered out into the night again. “They have plenty of reason to be confused, with what this man did to them.” He shook his head. “It’s not their fault.”

“It’s not yours, either,” Mr Damon countered.

“Is it not?” He tapped his lips lightly, his profile majestic in the dim light of the stars. “It began with us, as Roselle correctly stated. He wouldn’t have had the opening he did through to Ms Jules if it weren’t for me.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Mr Damon reiterated. “You are not the wicked inside this spirit. That is whose fault it is. His. Not yours. Not mine. Nor any of the others who had Walkers. Or any of the Royals outside the Temple. It is his fault. Focus your blame accordingly, and you’ll be more clear-headed, son.”

The One turned sharply, moving toward the luggage. “We should go now and meet them while they’re all together. They’ll feel safer in their numbers.”

With little to no fanfare, the four of us made our way through the Temple after the One had talked to his father quietly for about ten minutes. I didn’t miss how the One shielded me the entire time from the gawkers. On the dark beach, as I gave a private wink at the gaping Guardian I had spoken with when I first arrived, Reese placed a hand on the One’s shoulder while gripping Roselle in his other arm. Tristan stepped a paw on the One’s bare foot.

And he peered at me while I stared at his nose. “I’ll take us directly there.”

My lips pinched as I stared at his outstretched hand.

I shook my head calmly. “I left from there, so I don’t need your help on this.” I paused, then I added, “Thank you, though.” His hand gradually dropped. I opened my Core and pulled myself and Isolde back home to the Elemental’s kitchen, blinking at the afternoon sunlight pouring in through the windows. I breathed in the scents. “Home sweet home.”

Introductions went smoothly, the One, Reese, and Roselle all very professional. And also sympathetic in their greetings. It helped that Queen Ruckler and Elder Merrick both covertly sniffed and gave them their scent approval—the spirits apparently not smelling of the dead. Tristan was testy though, barging through all the Rulers and Elders, knocking legs and stepping on feet as he growled at everyone to get out of his way. Until he got to me at the back of the Ruler’s group and started twining his way around my legs.

Queen Ruckler lifted her eyebrows. As I was knocked to and fro, trying to keep a grip on Isolde so I didn’t drop her, she stated, “So the real Tristan really does like you.”

It was a statement, and I yelped as Tristan started bumping me forward. “Yes, which I said the first time you saw the other one.” I grunted again when he bumped my butt with his head none too gently, still working me forward. Understanding where he was pushing me, I griped behind me quietly, “I’m with the other team, Tristan.” He didn’t seem to give a shit, knocking me too hard one last time. I shrieked, doing a windmill with one arm as I started to fall, Isolde tumbling out of my other hand.

My momentum jerked to a halt as a swift, muscled arm scooped under my stomach, my feet no longer on the floor, and a fast tanned hand caught Isolde’s whimpering tiny frame. I grunted, the wind knocked out of me from the hold against my belly. Isolde instantly started growling quietly, but the One, the man who had caught us both, crooned softly, “Be quiet and just give me a second with Ms Jules, then I’ll put you down.”

“Me…” I gasped, still hanging upside down, bent in half, “first.”

“That’s what I said,” the One murmured over Isolde’s continual snarl. He bent, placing my feet on the ground, and gave me an extra boost with his arm. “There you go.”

I sucked in a lungful of air, flipping my hair out of my face. I glared at Tristan where he sat proudly with damn smug eyes. “That. Was. Not. Nice.” I pointed behind him. “I belong over there.” Finger down at the ground. “Not here.” My stern voice. “Do you understand me?”

He opened his mouth wide…and yawned.

Damn cat.

The One lifted Isolde in front of his face while she bared her teeth. “You’re kind of cute for such a bitty thing.” His words didn’t stop her growling.

I ignored them, focusing on the issue.

“I’m going back over there,” I stated firmly to Tristan. “Don’t you try and stop me.”

When he started scooting on his ass to sit directly in front of me, I stared at him like the crazy tiger he was being. “What the hell’s gotten into you?” I shook my finger over his head. “I’m seriously going over there, so cut the shit out.”

I held my hands up to the One, waggling my fingers for Isolde, but I kept a wary eye on Tristan. There was an ornery gleam in his eye. “You may want to tell him to behave,” I murmured as the One sat Isolde in my hands. I tucked her close to my chest but pointed a finger at Tristan. “He’s got a look about him.”

Dry words. “I already told him to behave before we came inside.”

“Huh…well, all right.” I started to step around the tiger, but he instantly countered. And I swear to God he was playing with me, swaying a little and wagging his tail. “That’s not behaving.”

“Tristan,” the One growled in quiet reprimand, snapping his fingers. “Get over here.”

Tristan’s head darted toward him then quickly back to me when I lifted a leg to move around him. I calmly put my foot back down and muttered, “Dammit.” Glancing around, I gave up. The stubborn cutie was not going to let me pass. And he wasn’t listening to the One. “Fine…for now.”

His mouth opened in what looked like a grin.

“Oh yes,” I mumbled. “That’s precious.” I spoke in a high, childlike tone. “Look at me, I’m so cute,” then in my firm voice, “I don’t listen to my damn owner.”

I huffed in aggravation and peered up with irritated eyes to King Collins. He was staring at me oddly. “Sorry about that.” A glance at the One’s nose. “And thanks for catching us, although next time don’t expect Isolde not to bite you if you try to pet her.”

“It was no hardship,” the One drawled slowly, and his hand…well, he moved much faster than I had seen him do before. I was pretty sure his arm actually blurred for a second because I blinked and suddenly Isolde was out of my hands and in his. Isolde yapped at him then growled again. But she didn’t bite him as he petted her back softly with his other hand. “As you can see, she won’t bite me. If she was going to, then she would have after I caught her and didn’t release her.”

I blinked slowly in the mute room. My gaze went to King Collins, my brows furrowed. “You once gave me a conundrum to figure out…and I think I got it wrong.” My head swung back to the One’s hands. I lifted her out of his hands. “I’m thoroughly confused.”

King Collins snorted.

Brows furrowed—and not about to unfurrow anytime soon—I peered in his direction, waiting for King Collins to make his next move. The greeting, and side show, was over. But King Collins and many of the others were wearing extremely perplexed expressions. They weren’t so quick to alter them as they stared at the One. King Collins eventually cleared his throat, stating, “Would you care to have the meeting now, or would you prefer to be shown to your rooms first?”

The One’s head cocked, and he held up a finger. “I’m sorry, just a moment.” He glanced out the opened door, staring out into the hallway.