Scorched (Phoenix Chronicles Book 2)

Chapter 20: Guardians Chatting

"Earth and fire?" Yoro put a hand over his heart as he looked from Youlden to Phoenix. "Bless my stars."  For her part, Phoenix felt a flash of anger, confusion, and surprise course through her as she, too, stared at the gentle giant.

Pollemius considered Youlden for a moment, stroking his chin with one hand. "Have you always had this ability?"

"For as long as I can remember." Youlden dropped his gaze and shuffled his feet, the pucker of his eyebrows denoting his discomfort with the turn of events. 

"Why didn't you ever tell us?" Noelle asked, staring up at Youlden from just above his elbow. "Why'd you hide it?"

"We traveled together all this time and you never told me." Maverick stepped in front of Youlden, his face scrunched in pained anger. "I told you everything - anything you asked about."

Roman gently pulled Maverick back a step. "Give him a moment to explain. Maybe he had a good reason." 

Youlden met Phoenix's eyes, and she nodded. "You were afraid. Of how we'd react." He didn't need to confirm it. Maverick and Noelle had already proven as much. 

"But it doesn't explain why he didn't tell us in the first place," Maverick countered. "Why he didn't start with this information."

"He said he doesn't know his parents," Quilla cut in. "He probably never understood what he was or why he could do it. I've met many like him - it's terrifying to grow up alone." She moved to stand on Youlden's side in his defense. "They grow up fearing what others will do if they find out."

Maverick ran a hand through his hair, sucking in a breath through his nose. "Fine. Great. Anyone else have any secrets they'd like to toss out right now to avoid getting a hit on the nose with my full force?"

Silence dropped over the lot of them, and for a moment Phoenix wondered if Quilla had started her gift up again.

"No one?" Maverick glanced around. "Then I better not find anything out. Take this as an order from your future king, or whatever you wish, but I'm getting sick and tired of people lying to me." He turned to Quilla. "Consider my training finished for today."

Maverick stalked off with Roman on his tail, trying to calm the situation. Viktor and Chuck hemmed and hawed a few excuses, escorting Noelle back to the castle several paces behind Maverick and Roman.

Quilla turned to the two who remained. "Perhaps we can now fill in any holes in who the two of you are?"

"I think I've caused enough trouble for one day," Youlden said, bobbing his head respectfully. "Excuse me." 

He exited in the opposite direction, headed toward the bustling little village self contained in the Militia camp grounds.  

"Well this didn't go at all as I expected it to," Yoro said, watching Youlden stalk away. "Ought I go after him?"

"I think he needs time alone," Pollemius said with a quirk of his brow. "And you, Phoenix? Is it your turn to storm off in one direction or another?"

"I don't think there's anywhere left for me to go. Everyone already took the best routes." She grinned at Quilla, who reacted in kind. "I'd love to hear more."

"Come with us, deary," Yoro said, offering her the crook of his wispy arm. "Let's take a walk."

#

They meandered through the shops, starting with what Phoenix knew. She kept her parentage to herself, not bothering to bring it up, but spoke of her gift and her markings, and of Tarvril's massacre of the Guardians.