Chapter Thirty-Seven

They Know the Storm Approaches

Will had a lot on her mind at the moment.

It was only a few days before the summer's end ball and the magic demonstration. Both of which required her eager participation and Will was far from eager. As she did not know what to showcase. Her options for entertainment with her magic was limited, in her opinion.

Hay-Lin would use her powers to color the air and make the sky sing beautiful, lively songs as people danced. Irma planned to warm people's blood, soothing their hearts, as she changed the color of the clothes in comical ways that would make the tight lipped nobles relax and laugh. Cornelia was pleased to reveal the new royal flower, an Earth based lily like plant that was a brilliant teal with a warm yellow center, and planned to let the new flower blossom across the grand ballroom at Elyon's entrance. And Taranee, while busy with her new hobby of learning everything of the very real death-like being that visited them, had time to prepare what sounded like a elaborate fire dance, where she snuck to her home and got her formal dress.

What was Will even able to do in a controlled crowd? Her powers were great for fighting. Super strength, enhanced durability, lightening, quintessence. But what good was giving electronic the ability to talk on a medieval planet? For animals being able to read her mind and gain calm clarity? Open portals? Make energy shields? There might be something useful with her quintessence, but that would just look like common telekinesis with making things move, not her giving actual, but temporary, life to what was once hollow and empty. Her friends had grand magic, that they used to bring joy and laughter. While hers was more intense; the yin yang of life and death. Able to defy the nameless death itself and bring Cassidy back from the dead with none of the same repercussions Phobos suffered from Weira's deal.

Will, drily, doubted it would be well received doing a mass resurrection for her demonstration even if she knew how, as Luba would have her hide.

Actually, all of Kandrakar was ready to be done with her, as Xin Jing's awakening was in full swing.

Having learned of the nameless approaching her and the nymph, Kandrakar, with the Oracle's agreement, officially activated her title as Light of Kandrakar. Confused, she questioned, wasn't she already that? But the Oracle clarified she was acting as the Light of Infinity, with a duty to all the realms. As the Light of Kandrakar, her obligation to Kandrakar would be her sole priority. The other four guardians would still respond to crisis across realities, but she had a duty to Xin Jing now, until she was fully awake. Or she was free to return Xin Jing to her slumber and resume duties as the Light of Infinity.

Phobos, with a knowing smile, gave a dark chuckle. "So their plan is to make you endlessly miserable?" he stated, looking down at her. She was sitting on the ground next to him, hidden from view of any visitors that would enter the small office. With her back to the drawers of the wooden desk, she was leaning on his leg, another boring book about death in her hand. Meeting death was proving to be way more thrilling than reading about it.

Will released a breath through her nose, not able to argue, as it was true. "They made it clear I either can go on missions with the girls, with Xin Jing fully dormant, or I'm her nursemaid on Kandrakar where they can make sure I'm not 'corrupting' her."

"Or," Phobos added, clicking his tongue. "You ignore them and do as you please. The nymph will always favor your choices. They have no power over you."

Will looked up, sunlight washing out his pale hair and light blue robes. His eyes, always so strong, held warmth she never knew possible for anyone just a few weeks ago.

"And start a war?" she countered. "You know that's not what I want on my track record. No Light, of any planet, even Elyon, would condone me 'raising' Xin Jing without the input of the council and the Oracle. I'll just be Nerissa 2.0."

"Have they publicly announced the creatures awakening?" he inquired, dropping a pen to the desk with a small clatter in favor of reaching out to fix a few stands of her not-that-messy hair.

"No," Will answered. "Only the girls, Caleb, Matt, Cedric, Miranda, and you know. I think they're holding out that I'll cave and put her back to sleep."

The jewel at her neck flickered with a pink light, and Will rolled her eyes. "You are the nosiest little goddess, you know that?" Will admonished. "You know I'm not doing that."

Phobos' eyes grew distance for a moment as he watched her touch the jewel to reassure her charge of her promise and he, unexpectedly, grew angry.

"This is absurd," he bit out, hand reaching down to tilt her chin up to face him again, the strong touch making butterflies flutter inside her chest. "Their distrust is foolish paranoia that you have done nothing to earn. If even death, that festering, vile creature that lurks waiting for the scraps of life like a diseased ridden dog, can see you are to be trusted, why do they hold doubt? They create conflict where there is none."

Smiling, she took his hand in both of hers and kissed the digits one by one. "You make it sound simple. But you know better than anyone, even me, that this is a political matter. And those freaking suck." Closing her eyes, she pressed her head to his hand. "Once they announce Xin Jing is awake, every person in the magical universe will want to see her. Speak to her. Hell, even death wanted to meet her. And… I have to be there to make sure she's safe and no one can trick the little idiot into blowing up a planet or something."

Opening her eyes, Phobos was still staring at her, jaw tight, and she smiled wider, hoping to ease his worry. "You are way too tense," she joked, turning to press her mouth to his clothed knee. "You wanna talk about it? What has you so worried?"

Looking away, his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Nothing good shall come of you leaving my side," quietly he admitted, body tense.

She breathlessly laughed, chest flooded with warmth at his words. "I'm gonna miss you, too."

Prince Phobos refused to look at her as he turned back to his work, and she went back to reading, not wanting to push him too far. But his hand held hers, thumb gliding across her knuckles, refusing to let her go.


At lunch, there was a knock, and Will heard the door open and close. Looking up, she saw Phobos' brow raise in mild surprise.

"Young Lady Cecilia," Phobos greeted, nodding politely.

"Grand Prince Phobos," she called back, equally polite. Her tiny voice was both adorable and strong. "I have come looking for Achilles. We are to have lunch, but I believe he has forgotten. Again."

As Phobos was wearing his ring, Will believed him when he stated with certainty, "He's with the queen. I believe her office is easy enough to find." There was a slight pause before Phobos asked, with a trace of concern Will was sure only she was versed enough to detect, "Your father is comfortable with you walking the castle alone?"

Cecilia answered, "No, but mother said I am old enough to go on my own for small amounts of time. He made me promise to go right to you, to look for Achilles and nowhere else. Then he gave me this." There was a pull of a zipper and then Will jumped as a whistle pierced through the air. "And this." The sound of a switchblade snapping open and close. "And this-"

"Stop," Phobos quickly demanded, now annoyed. "Do not spray that here." Curious, Will turned invisible and peeked around the edge of the table to see Cecilia holding a pink can of pepper spray.

"I see Cedric is still fond of Earth gadgets," Phobos stated with some exasperation, and Cecilia nodded with pride in her eyes at her father's legacy.

"Yes, I hope to travel like father did, one day. To see other worlds."

Phobos hesitated for a moment, a curious look on his face, before he nodded. "That is a wise goal," he praised with sincerity. "Pursue it."

She stood a little taller, shoulders square. "I shall." Then she bowed, respectful. "Have a pleasant day, Prince Phobos."

Turning to leave, Phobos called out for her to wait. "Take Xin Jing with you. Wilhelmina shall come to fetch her later."

That was all the permission the nymph needed, as she quickly manifested a body and scrambled around the desk. She gave a happy squeak as she crashed into a now annoyed Cecilia.

"No," Cecilia lectured to the bouncing goddess. "That is not how you properly greet someone. Father says decorum is important because it's the image you control in other's minds."

Of course Cedric said that. Geez, Will would have to undo all the underhanded 'decorum' lessons the little blond was teaching Xin Jing at this rate.

The door open and closed, leaving the prince and the keeper alone.

Will stood, visible, stretching and popping her back as she asked, "Why did you send her away?"

Her answer was him pulling her down onto his lap, mouth finding hers in seconds.

Will straddled him, arms wrapping around his neck, his hands not missing a beat and dropping to grab her rear through her jean shorts.

"You sure you can keep up today? Someone's been getting tired lately," she teased, nibbling his lower lip. One hand slipped between his robe, rubbing his collarbone, the other steadied herself on his shoulder. Her answer was his eyes narrowing, hands pulling her hips to his, long fingers digging into the swell of her backside. He wasn't hard yet, but she knew how to fix that.

"I see you need a reminder of what teasing me leads to," he warned, voice a lovely low rumble in his chest that made her brain cotton and a thrill ricochet up and down her spine.

"Yes," she breathed, mouth brushing the hollow under his eyes, then his cheek, and jaw, and ear. She nibbled, tugging on any piece of her lover she could bring between her teeth, growing hungry. So endlessly hungry. For him.

Phobos.

For the man she was smitten with the second she saw him painted by the warm summer sun in the lush, green courtyard.

"Remind me, what happens? Because, oh, I just seem to remember someone desperately mewling while I sucked him dry," she said, breast pressed to his hard chest as she rocked her hips down into his lap.

He flushed red, reminded of their encounter in nature, and his eyes flashed, breathing slightly labored. "Wilhelmina," he warned again as he gripped a hand full of her shorts fabric. "Only you are bold enough to say such a brazen, lewd thing to me."

While things were getting heated, and she knew she was about to be thrown across the table, she couldn't help but giggle, smiling as she kissed him.

It threw him, the sudden sweetness in her kiss, as she rubbed his jaw with a gentle touch.

"What can I say? I know how to get my man all hot and bothered," she confessed, happy to share these moments with him.

Phobos hotly kissed her back, mouth urgent, as they both tried to ignore how their time together was drawing to a close. Soon, it would be harder and harder for Will to free herself from her duties to see him. And once the universe knew of Xin Jing, the backlash of Will being with Phobos would be immense.

Will knew her biggest fight was on the horizon.

So she tried to enjoy her last few days. Able to spend it freely in her lover's arms.


Kandrakar made a formal declaration that the guardians were not actively helping Meridian deal with the new terrorist group. As dozens of other planets had submitted their own grievances involving fringed groups they wanted dealt with as well.

So now, they only had a few days to find the base of Children of Good Fortune before this was all left for Elyon to deal with internally.

It annoyed Irma to waste time scrying, since Elyon was unwilling to push what goodwill she had around Phobos, and give the prince any of his magic back. The queen accepted it would put them at a time disadvantage, but Achilles was already a point of concern with Phobos regaining power before anyone felt safe with him around. So removing even a few bonds was out of the question at the moment.

It came as no shock when Irma finally located the origins of the black arrow. A small farm on the outskirts of the countryside that was empty of life. It was doubtful finding the farm sooner would have led to a better outcome, but that uncertainty caused some frustration. Mainly with Cornelia.

She was angry at the new orders from the council, preventing them from providing assistance after their trip ended. It was the first time she felt pressure between her duty to Kandrakar and her friendship with Elyon. Will, understanding better than anyone of that no-win situation, tried to keep her friend's mind off it with a long overdue return trip to the markets. To finally pick out missing gifts for their families back on Earth.

It was odd, just her and Cornelia. Not that they weren't close, just Cornelia was their natural leader. The glue that held all her friends together when there wasn't magical crisis to attend to. Cornelia remembered every birthday, from friends to their families, and every other important dates. Big, happy ones, like Hay-Lin winning first in a New York art competition she spent months working on. Bizarre, obscure ones, like Taranee's first time telling her mom 'no'. To sad ones, like the day Irma's uncle was killed in the line of duty, so her family all gathers together to remember.

Cornelia would send care packages to Taranee if she didn't show her face for five days in a row, knowing she was deep in a study funk and needed a small pick-me-up. And she always left her bedroom window unlocked for Will when the Hale's traveled, so she had a place to hide after another blowup fight with her mom, back in the day.

Back when they all thought they could balance Earth life and Guardian duties forever.

"Have you thought about what you're going to tell your family?" Cornelia asked, dressed in a flowing white Earth dress with a yellow cross-body purse. They walked down a row of glass trinkets, smiling politely as they passed people. They had a few token guards with them to just keep people back, but there wasn't much worry with Will and Cornelia there. If Will happened not to fight off a problem in time, Cornelia would heal them, make things right.

Will shook her head, a heavy weight in her heart as the realities of what was happening were becoming too painful to just smile and pretend it away. She wanted to keep her time with Phobos lighthearted, but she knew Cornelia and her friends wouldn't let her lie even for their comfort. "No. There's not much I can say. Probably will have to have Taranee fake some paperwork from some remote ass town across the globe and say I got a job there. Maybe even literally the North Pole so no one can plan a surprise visit."

Cornelia frowned, clear blue eyes tracing her face. "You don't have to do this," she said firmly, pulling Will to the side of a few booths to better face her.

Will shrugged as she pointed out, "It's fine. I'm used to-"

Cornelia cut her off, frown growing deeper. "I know you are. I…" She glanced to the side, a strange expression of pain across her face before looking back at Will. "I never realized how much you gave up, compared to all of us, all because you hold the Heart," she admitted with a waver in her voice. "And when you broke up with Matt instead of giving up the Heart, I didn't understand how you could always just walk away from your life on Earth all the time. But… you had no choice, huh? You came to us because the Oracle thought we would all work well and you… had this purpose. A destiny."

Cornelia shook her head, blond strands shimmering in the light. "And you couldn't tell your mom or dad. You had to go on every single mission. Had to be there to open portals at two am for the rebels during finals, when Taranee was still sleeping. Be there to give us our powers even when you were sick with the flu or dead tired or… just wasn't feeling it. Because you had to." Cornelia looked sad. As she now realized how she and the others had that luxury. Had the option of not feeling it. Will never had that. Either she came and did her duty or people across the universe suffered.

"And that was why I just didn't understand you and Phobos. Why were you so stubborn over him? Because I was used to you giving up your life for your purpose." She looked down. "Why fight for him, but not your family? Your mom? Your brother? Matt?" Cornelia pulled a folded piece of paper from her purse and handed it to Will.

Confused, Will took it and opened it. On the thick parchment was elegant black hand writing. In the same script she was used to seeing scattered across Phobos' small desk.

'Miss Hale,

As Wilhelmina has reminded me daily, I have neglected to extend my gratitude for your assistance with reattaching my severed arm. I shall spare the unnecessary tediousness of a forced formal exchange and simply state this; you have proven to not be a mindless pawn of Kandrakar and able to think of your own accord. That is a feat few guardians, and fewer magic users, have achieved throughout history. While your fondness of my sister's rather weak-willed ruling choices causes some doubt to your complete mental soundness. Overall, you are a valuable companion to Wilhelmina.

Regards,

Prince Phobos'

Will gasped, jaw dropping at his 'apology' letter. "That asshole didn't even say thanks! Oh, he's writing another one! I know he can kiss ass better than this!"

Cornelia laughed, bright and happy as she pointed out, "That just it; he meant this. He could have written some fake thank you he didn't give a shit about. But this? This he means." She took the letter and placed it back in her purse. "And I've been thinking about what he said. Being valuable to you and I think I haven't been, not for a long time." She reached out and took Will's hand and squeezed it. "I feel like I have to tread carefully sometimes, because being a guardian means I can protect Lilian from trouble. Be there to guide her when she's ready. But… seeing you give up everything over and over so we can keep our powers isn't fair." Cornelia place a hand on her shoulder, keeping her other hand tight on hers. "I'm here, Will. We all are. And when Kandrakar wants something you aren't ready to give up, we've got your back. Got it?"

Will swallowed, not expecting this heavy topic on their outing. "Cornelia, I've done nothing I wasn't okay with."

The taller blond's expression dropped more. "You are okay with it, but that doesn't make it right. Doesn't make it fair." Suddenly, she pulled her into a tight hug. "You aren't just the Keeper of the Heart or Xin Jing's newest nanny. You… get to be happy, you know? And he makes you happy." Lower, she whispered. "I'm here for anything you need. Anything." Then she repeated, firmer, stronger. "Got it, boss?"

Will felt a lump in her throat, unable to deny her meaning.

Slowly, she hugged back, mumbling she understood. Because she did. While Will hoped to never need to involve her friends in the steps she took to keep Phobos safe, she felt a weight lift, knowing she had support.

Later, Irma approached Will with a letter she also received from Phobos that day, a wide grin on her face.

'Irma,

Halt referring to me as a living corpse. I am not such. It confuses and distresses Achilles. Stop it. Now.

With exasperation,

Phobos'

Will let out a long, haggard sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"He's not a zombie!"

"That sounds like zombie propaganda to me."