Rise of Alpha (The Prodian Journey #1) (31 page)

Matro returned. “Darryl’s fine. I gave him something for the shock.”

I released a relieved breath at the news. “I want to know what the hell Mr. Ax meant when he said—”
 

A swish of air blew around us, cutting me off and scattering embers from the hearth. In the blink of an eye, Detherina was in our midst. Mark shrank back, caught off guard by her abrupt arrival.

“He got to my daughter!” Detherina’s eyes burned with rage.

Dagger

A fearful hush swept across the room like frigid air. Detherina’s gentle demeanor had been replaced by a ferocity that sent chills up my spine. I glanced at the rest of the men in the room, and noticed that even Matro appeared unnerved.

Car managed to offer an almost inaudible response. “I couldn’t see Axhatas, your grace.”
 

“Silence!” Detherina floated across the room toward him as if her feet weren’t touching the ground.

Mark’s gasp was as loud as my pounding heartbeat. I pressed against the wall, out of the line of fire. “Keep quiet,” I murmured to him.

“I gave you one simple task—to watch my daughter and keep her away from that creature. Now she is tainted.” If fury had a face, this would be it.
 

Matro stepped forward, his head bowed, and spoke. “Detherina, you know Axhatas plays a dirty game. He’s using our inability to track him against us.”

Detherina pivoted in his direction. I could see that she didn’t appreciate the interruption. “Did you train the boy?” She pointed at me.
 

I tried to shrink inside my skin. I had to say something before she turned her wrath on me.
 

“I—”

In a heartbeat, Matro had moved to me and placed a hand on my shoulder to keep me from talking. “He’s had a little training. It’s my fault. I just felt that he needed more answers first.”
 

The man spoke in riddles. I turned my head to look at him. “What are you talking about? I clipped Ax on the shoulder.”

Detherina’s glare moved over to me. “Axhatas. You got him?”

“Yeah. My kordag hit him on the shoulder before he disappeared. I’m not sure how much damage I did, though.”

This seemed to appease Detherina. “That is good enough for me.”

“Is there more stuff I need to know?”

“There are many things you will soon learn.” The sting in her voice was gone, but her tone was still hard and forceful. “There are secrets that were kept from you, but I’m afraid the time has come for you to learn who you really are.” She turned to Matro. “You’re going to stick to them like glue. You will not leave his doorstep. You will not conceal yourself from them anymore. And I want you to arrange for all necessary back-up.”
 

The rest of her instructions were spoken in a language I’d heard just once before. I stared at them, wishing someone would answer the questions that were swirling inside my head.
 

“Yes, your grace.” Matro’s gaze rested on me before he bowed his head to her in reverence.

“Tell Elizabeth to stay home from now on. No more posing as a clairvoyant. Also, find a way to get this boy ready to leave. Where is Shannon?”

Ready to leave?
 

“She’s resting in the bedroom.” Matro straightened up and led Detherina into the hallway, leaving the rest of us behind.

Carionis looked like a wet puppy, pitiful and embarrassed. It was a solid minute before any of us uttered a word.
 

Mark broke the silence. “What the hell is going on here?”

My shoulder twitched once, and before I could brace myself, a barrage of spasms rocked my body and my mouth let loose. “Fuck! Fuck!” I bit down on my lip hard to keep the profanity from escaping. No one laughed. Car gave me one of those compassionate looks that I hated, but Mark knew better.
 

As if Car knew what I was thinking, he cleared his throat and strode to a window that overlooked a whole lot of nothing besides the walls that protected his property.
 

“There is much to do now that Axhatas has marked Shannon.” I got the impression that he was as pissed as I was.
 

“What did he do to her?”
 

“You remember the green smoke?”
 

I nodded.
 

“Every single Aarmark becomes a target as we close in on our prime. When our enemy manages to spit that green smoke, it’s like a homing beacon. They will know her location anywhere she goes. So it’s going to be hairy from this point on.”

“What can we do about it?” Axhatas
spat
on her? What in the hell did he mean? A few more jerks rocked my body, and I braced my hand against the wall.
 

Car threw me a quick glance before returning his attention outside the window.
 
“It can be reversed, but her days here are numbered anyway.”

“Numbered? What the hell are you talking about?” I felt a surge of anger and fisted Car’s jacket collar, pinning him against the window.
 

His eyes flashed, but he didn’t fight back. “She has to leave after she turns eighteen. I know Matro already explained the maturation process to you.”

The thought of Shannon leaving made me want to cry. “What’s next?” I released Car and rubbed my temples.
 

“You will graduate and finish your business here while Matro gives you a crash course on everything you need to know.” Car turned and looked at me. “There are things you will learn about yourself that will change everything you believe about your life.”

I smacked my palm against my forehead in frustration. “What are you talking about? You know I’m getting sick of all these vague hints.”

“I’m not at a liberty to say. Detherina has ordered Matro to fill you in.” The earlier rage I’d seen in his eyes made way to gloom. “Just brace yourself. It will change you.”

With a sigh, I turned on my heel and sat down next to Mark. “I guess all I can do is wait for the ‘right’ time.” I muttered with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

“I wish I could offer you answers, but I would only confuse you more,” Car said.
 

Mark was fidgeting in his seat, something he hadn’t done before. ‘Mr. Cool’ was acting like he was ready to bolt.

“If you can’t offer answers about me, why don’t you tell me what you really are.”

Car turned to us, a shadow crossing his face. “I’m not a Binarian. I come from a long line of protectors to the throne. When Detherina was threatened, I came here to help out. I wish I could do more, considering Shannon is . . . ”

I moved to the edge of the sofa. “Shannon is what?”
 

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. From my vantage point, I could see his pained expression.
 

“I have been watching Shannon all her life. I didn’t expect it would come to this.”

“Are you in love with her?” That was the million-dollar question, even though I didn’t want to hear his answer. I didn’t think I could handle it.

“What I feel is not important.” He sighed, as if in resignation. “You’re her Prodian. That is your destiny.”

A twitch rocked my shoulders again, and I bobbed my head back and forth in an attempt to keep tics at bay. I felt like a bomb ready to explode.
 

“Her protector?” I stood up and paced, my hands in my pockets to hide the tremors. “I can’t even control my Tourette’s.”

“It will leave you in time.”

Bingo! His words were the answer to my years of prayers. The end was in sight. But at what price?

“I can’t answer the when and the why. That is for you to discover.” Car reached inside his pocket and produced a pack of gum, popping a stick in his mouth. “Want some?”

I shook my head. However, Mark raised his hand, acting more like his old self. Car tossed him a stick, and Mark caught it. Silence followed while Car rocked on his heels.

“I’m going to bounce. Coming?” I asked Mark. He nodded and rose to his feet. Then I turned to Car. “Can I see Shannon before I go?”

Car shrugged. “Darryl should be clear to go with you. I’ll check on him in the morning and see you guys in school.”
 

“How are we getting home?” Mark asked once we stepped into the hallway.

“Matro will take you guys home,” Car replied before the door closed once more.
 

I retraced my way back to the room where we’d left Shannon, and Mark set off to get Darryl. When I entered the bedroom, I found Detherina staring at her daughter’s resting form. Debating whether to stay or go, I hovered by the door.
 

Why in the hell was this happening to us? Why me? Why Shannon?
 
It was one thing to be her designated protector, but another to be surrounded by unanswered questions.

“You’re right. There are things you will need to know soon, but I’m afraid the information you want is held by another person.” Detherina didn’t look away from Shannon while she spoke.
 

“Another person?” I inched forward and stood next to her.

Detherina nodded. When she turned to me, exhaustion was clear in the drooping of her mouth, the bags underneath her eyes, and the sag of her shoulders. “Yes. I am not the one who may reveal these details.”
 

“Would I know who to ask? Or is that person going to come to me with the truth?” It looked like I was back at square one.

“There is no denying that the time has come for you to discover the truth.”
 

With a wave of her hand, she produced a small dagger. The blade was wavy and double-edged, and it broadened toward the hilt. The sheath and handle were made of wood. It reminded me of ancient weapons I’d seen online.
 

“This is for you.”
 

“For me?” I took the diminutive weapon and studied it. The blade was rusty, but nothing a good scrubbing couldn’t fix. There were carved markings on the wooden handle. A strange sensation flowed through me while I held it. There was a sense of familiarity I couldn’t explain. “Why are you giving this to me?” I asked.

Detherina smiled and looked at Shannon once again. “I will answer that question as soon as you receive your revelation. For now, just know that it is very special.”

There we went with the riddles again. If it didn’t stop soon, I was going to go crazy. “Anything else I
don’t
need to know?”
 

Detherina pinned me a glare. “You seem so impatient, and yet I sense hesitation in you. Once you learn the truth, I assure you that you will come to appreciate the cocoon of your ignorance.”

Rather than reply, I asked a different question. “Will Shannon be okay?”

Detherina closed her eyes for a brief moment. When she turned to face me again, her eyes were like a television. Events and characters flashed before me like they were on a screen. I stumbled backward, and a round of tremors rocked my body. She caught my arm to steady me.
 

“Is that Shannon and me?” I asked, unable to cope with what I’d seen. We were saying our goodbyes.

“Yes, it will be happening soon.”

“What did Axhatas mean by Shannon not being pure anymore?”

Detherina’s face darkened, and her eyes turned cloudy. “She’s putrefied. He did it to weaken my position. For every Aarmark family, there is one particular member whose fate also affects the head of the unit. In our case, that person is Shannon, since she’s my offspring. Our position was already compromised by her father’s death. I’m afraid that the progression of the putrefaction would force me to surrender my position and allow our enemies to wage an all-out war with us again.”

“What is putrefaction?” I asked, not liking the sound of the word at all.
 

“It’s a terrible decomposition of the corporeal being. It is fortunate that this happened here. The effects won’t be as intense as they would have been if she were in Tranak, and we will soon be able to reverse the process.”
 

It took me a few moments to digest the information. Shannon stirred on the bed, and I shot a quick glance at her.