Chade Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWENTY-NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY-ONE

  THIRTY-TWO

  THIRTY -THREE

  THIRTY-FOUR

  EPILOGUE

  Also by Montana Ash:

  Meet Montana!

  CHADE

  ELEMENTAL PALADINS: BOOK THREE

  MONTANA ASH

  This is an IndieMosh book

  brought to you by MoshPit Publishing

  an imprint of Mosher’s Business Support Pty Ltd

  PO BOX 147

  Hazelbrook NSW 2779

  http://www.indiemosh.com.au/

  Copyright 2016 © Montana Ash

  All rights reserved

  Licence Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the author and publisher.

  Disclaimer

  This story is entirely a work of fiction. No character in this story is taken from real life. Any resemblance to any person or persons living or dead is accidental and unintentional. The author, their agents and publishers cannot be held responsible for any claim otherwise and take no responsibility for any such coincidence.

  Cover design by Montana Ash, author, and Ally Mosher, IndieMosh.

  Stock photography from Adobe Stock

  Dedication

  For mum.

  Here’s hoping Alfie’s mother is half as

  wonderful as Montana’s

  xxx

  Nikolai thanks Meghan.

  ONE

  “I’m sorry you feel things are not proceeding as quickly as you would like.” Garrett said.

  Max removed the hand she had been using to rub her temples in clear frustration and sighed, smiling at the Life Warden, “Don’t apologise. I get it, I really do. I’m unexpected and a real wild card – and so are my ideas. You have been functioning below the radar for millennia, guarding nature and its people, working tirelessly with no thanks. Your traditions keep you safe and ensure the world continues to spin, so I get it.”

  Cali was damn proud of her new liege. It had been a little over six weeks since Max had been inducted into the International Domain Council and they had dropped the Custodian bomb. It had been a non-stop party of questions, interviews, interrogations, meetings and justifications. Max was the last person Cali would ever dream of calling patient but she had been surprisingly even-tempered, humble and quietly persistent over the course of the constant demanding questions. That was in public, of course, which is all that really mattered. In the privacy of their own home she was her usual snarky, eye-rolling self. But Cali knew she did appreciate the need for bureaucracy, politics and even traditions. It was just an uphill battle trying to convince people who were one hundred times older than her to try to change their perspectives and thought processes.

  Max had been received with a mixed response from wardens and paladins alike. Many were disbelieving, thinking Max and their Order were on some kind of sinister mission to undermine the council or perhaps take over the world. Others had the expected response of shock and awe and would bow in deference whenever Max walked past or stop and stare as if she were some kind of alien. Then there were those who believed her and trusted her and were hopeful for a better, brighter future with changes and progress. It was the changes Max was suggesting that had her biting back her frustration right now, Cali knew. She kept getting shot down and it was starting to wear thin.

  “But you are feeling frustrated.” Blu remarked in response to Max’s previous statement.

  “Well, yeah I’m frustrated.” Getting the hang of politics, she may be, but subtle she sure wasn’t and never would be, Cali thought as she smiled to herself from Max’s blunt, honest response. “I just feel like we’re going round in circles. I say some of your laws are outdated; you say they’re necessary. I say chades are sick; you say they aren’t. I say wardens and paladins should be allowed to date for reasons other than procreation or recreation; you say it’s a distraction. I say I’m a Custodian; you say, hmm in that non-committal tone that drives me insane. Don’t you feel like we’re kind of wasting time here?” She asked, ending her evenly toned rant.

  Garrett sighed, leaning his elbows on the table. “Yes, we are spending a lot of time discussing the same issues over and over again. But that is because we are yet to reach resolution on any of them.”

  “Okay. So what can I do to help resolve them?” Max asked quickly.

  “Give up on them.” Ravyn, the Beast Warden delegate, replied a little snidely.

  Max merely smiled sweetly even as she sent an image of herself throat-punching the Latin beauty to Cali through their private thread. “Other than that.”

  “Perhaps a demonstration would help?” Autumn suggested quietly.

  “A demonstration?” Max frowned in the Earth Warden’s direction but Cali could tell it was only in curiosity. “A demonstration of what?”

  Autumn glanced to her husband, receiving a small nod before continuing, “A demonstration or perhaps some evidence that it is actually possible to do what you are suggesting. Although we don’t like to think so, we are all rather stuck in our ways. We have thousands of years of evidence contrary to what you are hoping we’ll believe in regards to the chades. Some proof, or a demonstration of what you hope to achieve would certainly go a long way to convincing many council members as well as the general populace.” Autumn expanded.

  Cali could hear Max’s thought process and felt her own head spin a little. Max was better at keeping the link open and balanced now. She always kept her promise to them to stay open so they could anticipate her needs and ensure she was protected whenever she was away from the house. But damn, the girl sure had a powerful mind. Being empathic to pretty much the entire world, she was incredibly sensitive to emotions, feelings and even the thoughts of others. The consequence was her mind was pretty much always active. Although not a genuine genius like Lark, Max was still incredibly intelligent and her mind moved at a rapid pace, considering every angle before ultimately settling on a decision. Right now Max could understand why the council would want proof. She demanded proof for things all the time, so fair was fair. But she also hated the idea of being the centre of attention and detested the thought of being a ‘performing monkey’. It had been the one point of contention over the past few weeks; the council had demanded evidence of her skills with all seven domains as well as wanting to do tests like blood samples and such. Max h
ad repeatedly refused.

  ‘Max, I don’t think they want you to perform in front of a crowd or anything. I think Autumn is just trying to get some more practical information of how it might all work.’ Cali spoke telepathically directly to Max.

  She heard Max’s sigh resonate throughout her head, ‘I know. And it’s a reasonable request. But even I don’t know how it will work. I need a chade to work with. But I’m not going to do it in front of the council, that’s for sure. What if I fail? They will never let me try again and I highly doubt I would nail it on the first go. I need a chade to play with.’

  “That makes sense Autumn and I think you’re absolutely right. I do need an opportunity to try with a chade. Perhaps you would finally grant me access to one of the chade encampments managed by the Rangers?”

  Cali watched as Garrett shook his head and felt her own frustration levels rise. Max had been trying to gain access to a chade prison for weeks – much to Ryker and Darius’s disapproval. But the council would have none of it. “I’m sorry Max. One such as yourself would be far too vulnerable in a place like that.”

  “What about Ignatius?” Cali barely recognised the voice as Cinder’s given the uncharacteristically quiet tone and slight tremble. When Max had first begun attending the meetings, Cinder had been her usual snide and bitchy self, opposing Max at every turn. But she had appeared to mellow somewhat over the weeks. She was by no means Max’s biggest supporter and Cali knew she never would be, but she had stopped with the constant ridicule and disdainful looks every time Max spoke. That task was reserved for Ravyn now. The softly voiced question stilled everyone in the room, including Max.

  “I’m sorry, Cinder. What about your grandson?” Autumn asked politely.

  Ignatius had been deemed to have ‘gone off the reservation’ as the paladins liked to say (not something the wardens liked to say). He had been given ‘chade status’ – although in the early stages, and had been imprisoned in one of the ranger-lead encampments. His name hadn’t been uttered in weeks, which was always the way, Cali thought; out of sight, out of mind. Whenever a warden turned they were never spoken of again – just poof – like they never existed. Such a terrible burden on their families, Cali couldn’t help thinking as her mind wandered to her good friend Darius. He was such a good man and the very epitome of a knight, but the bitterness and rage he had carried ever since his brother had turned had been a devastating thing to witness when it had come to a head only months ago. Cali thought for sure they were going to lose him to his grief as he started snarling, picking fights and disrespecting everyone around him. It had been terrible and had actually hurt her to watch. It was then that she realised just how much she had come to care about the ragtag group of misplaced paladins living in the log house by the sea. Just when they had become her family she couldn’t say for sure, but they damn well were now. They were nothing at all like her old Order – and she so wasn’t going to think about that right now.

  Thankfully Darius had been returned to the land of the living with a little help from a goddess and no doubt a lot of help from Diana. The two were so in love it was a little nauseating, albeit very sweet. They were perfect for each other and after centuries of lost time, Cali was thrilled they were being given the opportunity to be together – they deserved it. As she focused on the room once again, she rested her gaze on Cinder and saw that the older woman was indeed looking a little uncomfortable but resolved as she spoke again;

  “What about Ignatius? You say they can be cured – the chades – and he is still in the very early stages. Wouldn’t it make more sense that they could be helped before the … condition accelerates?”

  The council members and their paladins shifted somewhat uncomfortably. It was one thing to entertain the Custodian in the room – for that is precisely what they did most of the time – but it was another thing entirely to actively engage in what they all deemed to be a fruitless endeavour. But then again, perhaps it wasn’t so strange, Cali considered. After all, Cinder may be a bitch but Ignatius was her only grandson. There must be some love there … deep, deep down in her dark, dark heart. And now she was being unkind, she knew but it was mighty hard to maintain any semblance of civility when the Fire Warden’s entire family had pegged Max as being the top of their scornful hit list. What’s more, Ignatius had literally burnt Darius’s skin off only months ago. Cali could still smell the foul singe of human hair and flesh. She knew she wasn’t the only one.

  Cinder was now looking at Max directly and Cali could feel her friend and liege wince internally, ‘What is it? I know Cinder is an unlikely advocate, but it’s a positive step that any of the council are asking about cures and demonstrations.’ Cali sent the thought directly to Max through the Order bond.

  Max didn’t look in her direction as she replied – she was really getting the knack of it, Cali thought once again with pride. ‘It’s not that … she’s not going to like my answer is all.’

  Max shifted so she was facing Cinder directly before she spoke, “I’m sorry Cinder, I genuinely am, but I can’t help Ignatius.”

  Cinder’s spine straightened in a snap and any hint of warmth vanished instantly; “So you were lying when you said you believed they could be cured. Likely the same way you’re lying when you say you’re a Custodian – something we have yet to see any firm proof of I might add.”

  Rather than becoming defensive as Cali figured she would, Max just shook her head and sighed as she responded. “No, I wasn’t lying – about anything – you misunderstand me. I can’t help Ignatius in that way because he is not a chade.”

  Cali frowned at that; say what now?

  Garrett leaned forward, “Max, I thought you had come to the understanding of exactly how a chade progresses. It can be slow or it can be fast but the outcome is always exactly the same. It’s true, Ignatius has yet to decline into a being who can kill wardens by draining them of their vitality, but he has more than demonstrated all the usual signs of that decline.”

  Max shook her head and continued to focus on Cinder. “I’m sorry. Your grandson is sick … but not in the same way as a chade. I felt it the first time I met him and saw it when I looked deeper; he is charming, manipulative and narcissistic. He has no sense of right and wrong, is impulsive and seeks constant admiration. He lacks all empathy and has no conscience. He is sick, Cinder. But it’s not a sickness I can cure. I’m sorry.” She repeated.

  The yummy, dark and mysterious Mordecai of the delicious accent pinned Max with his intense green eyes, “You just described a sociopath.”

  Max nodded, “I know.”

  “My grandson is not a sociopath!” Cinder spat out between clenched teeth and Cali could feel heat emanating from her from across the room.

  “I’m sorry.” Was all Max said.

  An uncomfortable silence followed for a few beats before Autumn spoke, “You seem very sure of your diagnosis.”

  “I am. A psychiatric pathologist would be the best course of action in my opinion.” ‘Not that anyone in this society is trained or qualified to be anything other than glorified battery packs.’ Cali was very glad Max had kept that last part between the two of them.

  “We don’t have those kinds of resources.” Ares, warden of the air stated, confirming Max’s unspoken opinion.

  “I figured as much.” Max responded evenly. “So what do you do when someone needs counselling or antibiotics or rehabilitation?”

  “We have no such resources, nor the need for them.” Ares assured her.

  “So any warden that displays violent tendencies, anti-social behaviours, any signs of illness you just – what – lock them up? Write them off as chades?” Max’s voice was edging toward incredulous and from that perspective it did sound somewhat ludicrous, Cali acknowledged. Why hadn’t anyone given this any thought before? Why hadn’t she? It just demonstrated exactly how entrenched their society was in tradition and how little anyone questioned the ways of the council.

  “That is not entirely accurate. An
yone incarcerated or executed for being a chade has undergone rigorous investigations and tests.” Garrett corrected with authority. “Wardens are held to a higher standard than your average person. They are trained and educated from birth in the ways of their duties and responsibilities. Violent tendencies, behavioural issues? They tend to go hand in hand with chades only.”

  Max’s mouth had slowly opened wider and wider as Garrett continued to talk but she snapped it shut and shook her head when he finished before flashing her turquoise eyes around the room at large. If Cali knew her girl – and she did – she knew Max was using her bullshit-meter to see how many others in the room were of the same mind. A lot apparently.

  “But … wardens are just people and people are arseholes.” Several snickers from the paladins in the room were quickly cut off as their lieges eyed them. “I mean, being a warden doesn’t change the fact that we think and feel how we want to think and feel. Not every warden is going to be a shining light of dignity and honour. Some are going to be …”

  “Arseholes?” Blu contributed helpfully.

  Max flashed her lone dimple in his direction; the old flirt had taken a real shine to the newest council addition. “Exactly. People make bad choices all the time and people get sick. That’s my point – people get sick. There’s no flu here; no colds, no allergies, no cancer. Don’t you think that’s odd?”

  Ares was frowning. “No it’s not odd. Wardens are the guardians of nature, responsible for ensuring the balance of the world. We are direct descendants of Mother Nature herself and have an indefinite lifespan. We are above such human fallibilities as colds and cancer.”

  “Wardens are human. The very first people to walk the earth. You can’t get much more human than that. Jeez, when did you all start thinking of yourselves as some kind of Gods? Because I hate to tell you, but I am literally a first degree relative of Mother Nature and I am very human. I used to have colds and headaches and all sorts of normal illness all the time.”