The Guardian Warrior

Chapter Eight

Tobias

"I'm here to kill the future king of course." the voice echoed. I reached for my sword, but was too late. There was already a sword penetrating through my lower abdoben.

"What now, boss?" A familiar voice asked. I felt betrayal as I started to lose consciousness.

"Please wake up."A beautiful voice said.

"He just needs time, Ivy." The same voice said. It was the voice that betrayed me. I quickly opened my eyes and sat up, groaning as I felt pain in my lower abdomen.

"Tobias!" Ivy said excitedly. I didn't look at her, keeping my focus on Nathaniel. They were the only two in the room.

"It was your voice." I told him. "After I was made into a Guardian shishkabob. You betrayed me! Are you working with him?" I asked angrily.

"What are you talking about?" Nathaniel asked in confusion. "I haven't been here for a while."

I looked at Ivy and she looked just as confused as I felt. "How did you get here?"

"The better question is why didn't you tell me you were a prince on your home planet?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. I looked away.

"That was one of the things I had to talk to you about. Now, who brought you here?" I asked.

"Aramis, Peter, and Porthos." Nathaniel told me. I immediately recognized the names of my mother's guards. I looked to the doorway as I heard the door handle turning and my mother walked in.

"You sent your guards to find them?" I asked her flatly.

"You were the one mumbling her name in your sleep." She responded. I looked to my left and saw Ivy blushing.

"Queen Victoria." Ivy said politely.

"Call me Victoria, dear." Mother smiled at her. "I meant to tell you that the other day, I was just too worried about Tobias."

"You didn't have to bring them here." I mumbled to Mom.

"Oh, Nathaniel is here because Ivy is here. You were out for two weeks. Ivy came here and a day later you woke up." Mother tilted her head. "Interesting enough, Ivy is human, while her brother is full Guardian."

I looked over at Nathaniel and he nodded. "I promised I wouldn't say anything."

"I knew something was up as soon as you said hypothetical." Mother glared at me. "But I never would have guessed this. How could you keep this from me?"

"I gave him my word, Mother. Do you want me to dishonor my word? For it to mean nothing? I am the future king. If my word means nothing, my reign will mean nothing as well."

"We will discuss this later." She told me coldly. "Privately."

"Would you rather us leave now?" Ivy asked quietly.

"Mother has other things to do." I said angrily. Mom nodded before quietly exciting the room. Nathaniel and Ivy were looking at me while I glared at the closed door.

"Tobias?" Ivy asked. I looked at her and felt myself calm down.

"I know it wasn't you." I said, looking at Nathaniel. "But we're going to have to make it seem like we don't trust each other. We have a traitor in the mix. I'm assuming a Body Shifter."

"Body Shifter?" Ivy asked.

"You know how on X-Men, Mystique can mimic anyone's appearance and voice?" Nathaniel asked her. Ivy nodded. "They're like that, but they're a species."

Ivy nodded in understanding. "How do you know if they're a Body Shifter?"

"There's always something just a little bit off. The way they speak, eye color, height." I told her. "It might just be a little bit of a difference, but if you pay close attention, you'll see it."

"Some people can just sense it. A gut feeling that something is wrong." Nathaniel continued.

"What do they look like?" Ivy asked.

"No one knows." I shrugged. "They only show their true selves when their dead and buried."

"And no one wants to disturb a grave.” Nathaniel added.

“Bad manners.” I nodded, making Ivy giggle. “What?”

“You’re talking about bad manners when someone literally just stabbed you in the back.”

“What can I say?” I shrugged, smiling.

“How about why the two of you didn’t tell me that I’m part Guardian?”