Page 40 of Custodian

“Ryker? What do you think?” Lark asked him.

Ryker was surprised when Ivy kept her mouth shut. But then, he supposed he shouldn’t have been. He knew Ivy loved and respected Lark and his abilities. She trusted in him the same way Ryker trusted in Max. Ryker was glad for his younger friend; Ivy really was the perfect match for him. Rather than answering, Ryker posed his own question instead;

“Do you want to do this?”

Lark scrunched up his nose in distaste, “Not especially. But if it means we get some more answers – maybe even a solution to get us out of this mess? Then you know I need to do this.”

Ryker nodded once, “Fine. But you take back-up.” He didn’t need to look in Ivy’s direction to know she would be accompanying Lark, but he was a little surprised when Dex stepped forward.

“I’ll go. I can still feel the chades and I have all those cool new abilities. Might come in handy.”

Ryker frowned, “That place is going to be just as hard for you as it would be for Max. Just for different reasons.”

Dex shrugged, looking unconcerned, “I can handle it.”

Ry grunted, “Darius will go too.” Although it was barked out like a command, Ryker had intended it to be supportive. Who better than his brother and ex-paladin to help Dex and back him up?

Ryker figured, he had been pretty subtle, but the whole room seemed to cotton-on to his intentions because he soon found himself the recipient of over a half-dozen pairs of goo-goo eyes. Ryker merely rolled his own, “Cut that shit out – the lot of you.”

“Softie.”

“Big softie.”

“Softie McSoftie,” came the influx of replies.

“I can and will hurt you all,” he assured them. “Especially you, Axel,” he pointed a finger at his blue-eyed friend. Axel just laughed, completely unfazed because he was more than used to such threats – he heard them on a daily basis. Despite the levity now in the air, Ryker still felt nervous. He hoped he had made the right decision. A warm palm against his own had him smiling … and hoping.

NINETEEN

Ivy was nervous as she listened to her four male companions talk and banter back and forth. The local chade encampment was a good four hours away by car from Max’s house. Because they had a late start, they were staying at Nikolai’s place for the night and leaving early in the morning. Right now, they were all seated around Nikolai’s dining room, having eaten some rather tasty Thai take-out. She wasn’t nervous about being forced into the social situation. She was surprisingly comfortable with inane chatter these days. No, it was the prospect of tomorrow that had her pad thai threatening to make a reappearance.

“You ever wonder why Ivy went for a more diluted version of me?”

The mildly posed question from her immediate superior and best friend, had Ivy gasping and her eyes widening at the ingrate. She was about to punch the prick in the arm when her man laughed;

“Diluted, huh? How did you figure that?” Lark asked.

“Well, we’re both easy-going, happy fellows,” Nik pointed out. “We’re also both geniuses and potentates. Although, I have a real eidetic memory whereas yours is merely photographic. You’re also not as pretty as me. Hence …” he trailed off.

“Hence, I’m the watered-down version,” Lark nodded. “I see where you’re coming from.”

Nikolai looked surprised, raising eyebrows at Ivy before glancing at Darius and Dex in an attempt to figure out where Lark was going. The two brothers just grinned, shaking their heads. Darius had known Lark longer than his brother, but Ivy knew Dex and Lark had forged a fast friendship.

“So,” Lark linked his fingers together over his stomach as he leant back in his chair. “How do you want to settle this? Whip our dicks out? Fight? No, wait! I know – Trivial Pursuit!”

Ivy was gratified to see Nikolai laugh out loud, giving Lark a friendly shove, “You really have no ego at all, do you?” Nik asked when they all quieted.

Lark simply shrugged, “Never had much use for one in the past. And I certainly don’t need one now. Because …” he leant in close to Nikolai and Ivy saw his green eyes turn hard and cold for the blink of an eye. “… I got the girl.”

He winked at Ivy, slapping her Commander on the shoulder as he began gathering up their plates. Darius and Dex helped too and Ivy soon found herself alone with Nik.

“Really, Nik? A diluted version of you?”

“What?” Nik blinked his eyes innocently but Ivy knew there wasn’t an innocent bone in his body. “Relax,” he then said. “I was just testing your guy. That’s what friends do. Wouldn’t you do the same for me?”

Ivy thought about that for a moment, before replying; “Test your guy? I’d love to.”

“Brat!” Nik lunged for her but she was too quick. “Woman. I meant woman and you know it.”

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