Page 12 of Saved By Her Guardian (Yuletide Shifters #4)

Maverick kept a tight hold on Aralyn’s upper arm as they made their way to the abbey and she was grateful for his support.

She felt both energized and drained, hovering between wanting to fall to the bed and sleep for a few days and going on the warpath and getting into a fight with Jack Frost, that conniving asshole.

Instead of either of those things, she sat on the bed and waffled between holding her tears back and crying. Eventually, thanks to her uncle’s hard gaze and Maverick’s still-worried pacing, she managed to keep the tears to herself.

“You’ve got some explaining to do,” Grim said, his eyes flashing angrily.

She dropped her head and looked at her hands, twisting her fingers in her lap. “I’m sorry.”

“You said that already, but I want to know what the hell you were thinking,” Grim said.

She launched into her tale, starting with finding the book under the bed.

“Where is this book?” Grim asked, brow arched high.

“Frost has it. I left it here, on the wall by the gate, but he showed it to me when I was in the cell.”

Grim hummed in annoyance and rubbed the space between his eyes with his thumb.

“So let me get this straight. You were so upset at being assigned to ferry the souls of children and your subsequent punishment that you decided to cast a spell to go see some mythical ancient reaper to petition to change your assignment? You cast a spell from a book you’d never seen or heard of before, and then you blindly went along with whatever you were told by said ancient reaper ? ”

She let her gaze shift from her disapproving uncle to her disappointed mate and her heart hurt.

“Yeah, that about sums it up. But I felt, I don’t know…compelled to do what the reaper asked me to. I just wanted so badly to be assigned somewhere else.”

“Aralyn,” Maverick said, voice filled with exasperation, “I told you I’d support you in your assignment, that I thought you were strong enough to handle it.

Why didn’t you tell me about finding the book when you came to Northernmost?

We could have talked to Santa, and I’m sure he would have told you more about it. ”

“I was afraid it wouldn’t work, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up about it.”

Maverick blew out a breath and then said, “I’m glad you’re okay, but you almost died out there.

Not to mention that your foolishness nearly destroyed the protections around Northernmost and allowed Frost to waltz right in.

And to top all that off, Frost clearly let you escape from the cell so that his followers could attack the security team.

Elves and shifters could have been captured or killed.

I’m angry that you thought so little of me that you kept me out of the loop of all of this, but I’m thankful you’re safe now. ”

She stared at him, his words wrapping around her like barbed wire, and her defenses crumbled. Her mouth went salty and she struggled not to lose it, but the hot tears welled and spilled over, and she cried.

Maverick sat next to her and put his arms around her. Pressing a kiss to her temple, he whispered, “Sweetheart, I was so scared I was going to lose you.”

She clutched at him and sobbed, relief and anxiety twining inside her. “I’m sorry about it all.”

Grim grunted. “This is all well and good, but you and I have some things to discuss. Maverick, could you give us the room for a minute? This is reaper business.”

“Of course,” he said. “I’ll go hang out with Church.”

Maverick kissed her forehead and left the abbey, and she immediately missed him. And not just because her uncle was giving her a hard stare like she was a criminal he’d just apprehended.

She opened her mouth to tell him she was sorry, but he raised his hand, and she promptly closed her mouth.

“First and foremost,” he said, pulling a chair over and sitting down, “there’s no such thing as a Realm of the Forgotten or ancient reapers who hang around waiting for reapers to ask them for favors. It’s absurd and I can’t actually believe you thought it was real.”

She didn’t really have an answer for that. Looking back, she couldn’t believe she’d fallen for it either.

“Second, it would seem that Frost and his evil followers were watching you and knew your weakness and I’ll hazard a guess that it’s because they’re watching the Portal and following any Guardians or elves who leave Northernmost. So just tell me this: why did you think changing your assignment through some kind of ancient magic was the way to go about this? Why didn’t you come to me?”

“I figured you’d say no.”

“Hell yes, I would have said no,” he said, slashing the air with his hand. “Aralyn, did it ever occur to you that the reason I assigned you to ferry children’s souls is because I wanted someone like you in the position?”

She stared at him in silence, and then she said, “What do you mean someone like me?”

“You’re compassionate and gracious, and you actually like kids.

I knew the assignment wouldn’t be easy, but hell, nothing about being a reaper is easy.

It’s a necessary thing in this life because we’re part of what balances nature.

There can’t be give without take, life without death.

It’s why no creature in any realm is immortal.

It goes against the natural order of things. ”

Her eyes stung but she didn’t want to cry again. “You think I’m compassionate?”

His upper lip curled and then he sighed, like he was so very weary about everything. “Yes, Aralyn, of course I do. Out of your entire graduating class, in fact out of every reaper available, you were the one I wanted to handle that assignment.”

“You could have told me that.”

“I shouldn’t have to,” he said with a snarl.

“But I realize that I got heavy-handed about everything. I expected you to take the assignment and do your best, and when you questioned me and pushed back, then refused , I was so damn pissed. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not the most demonstrative guy, but you should have trusted me.

I’ve been your guardian since your mother passed away, and it was my joy to see you excel in school. ”

She was humbled and embarrassed at the same time. “I didn’t know.”

“And that’s on me. I’ll try to tell you that I’m proud of you more often. Although right now,” he said, moving his hand back and forth between them, “I’m not proud.”

She grunted.

“Listen, here’s the main point. Just because you don’t want an assignment doesn’t mean it stops happening.

People die, young and old, and we have to ferry their souls.

You refusing the assignment didn’t change anything for those young souls, it only put the burden on other reapers to pick up the slack.

I shouldn’t have threatened your magic and brought you here, but if that hadn’t happened, you wouldn’t have met Maverick, so I suppose there is a silver lining to you being rebellious.

Although I trust that rebellious streak is well handled now?

” He arched a brow and looked at her pointedly.

“Yes, definitely.”

He rose to his feet. “Walk with me.”

She followed him out of the abbey and into the cemetery. She saw Maverick walking with Church and her heart skipped a beat. How close had she come to losing everything?

“Frost took advantage of your unhappiness, and once you cast the spell and carved those runes, he pulled the wool over your eyes, and what would seem like foolishness or dangerous to anyone else, made sense to you because of the hold he had on you. You’re lucky your mate is fierce, because he’s the reason you’re alive and not under Frost’s control.

So, the question, dear niece, is what are you going to do now? ”

“Take the assignment and do it to the best of my ability.”

Grim smiled at her. “Good. Now, I can provide you with a talisman that will allow you to live in Northernmost and do your job. You’ll be able to leave Northernmost through the Portal without being tracked by Frost. As long as you have the talisman, you’ll be safe to come and go as you need to.”

“That would be wonderful, thank you.”

He spoke a spell and drew what seemed to her like runes in the air, and then a necklace appeared, a black cord holding a rough piece of purple stone wrapped in silver wire.

She took it and felt the warmth of her uncle’s magic pulsing through it.

She put it on and said, “Thank you. For everything. And I know I’ve said it a lot, but I’m really sorry.

I’m sorry I didn’t see the assignment for what it was and that I endangered myself and others because of my ego. ”

“I’m no friend of Santa’s, you know,” he said, rocking back on his heels.

“I tend to skew more evil than neutral, so he and I butt heads. But trust that I have your best interests at heart. I might be a little evil, but I’m still your only living family, and when you and Maverick get married, I’d like to be at the wedding and give you away. ”

She smiled, her heart singing at the thought of marrying her sexy snow leopard. “I’d love that.”

Maverick joined them and she smiled at him and then gave her uncle a hug.

“You’ll be safe? I can tell you from experience that Frost isn’t to be trusted,” she asked.

“Perhaps, but he is one of my oldest friends. And I’m going to go give him a piece of my mind.

Rest assured that you will be off limits from him, and the talisman will ensure you’re safe as you travel.

” He looked at his watch and then up at the sky.

“Take the rest of the day off. You’ll get your new assignment tomorrow evening, so enjoy your time off and keep me posted on how things go. ”

“Thank you, I will.”

Grim extended his hand and Maverick shook it. “You’ve got your hands full with my niece, but if anyone can handle a rebellious reaper, it’s a Yuletide Guardian.”

“I’m just the male for the job.”

Grim smiled, nodded at them both, and then opened a portal and disappeared.

She turned and jumped into Maverick’s arms. “I’m so sorry! I messed up so badly. Can you forgive me?”

Maverick hugged her tightly. “Of course I forgive you, Aralyn. I was angry in the moment, but I understand now what you were going through. I’m sorry you were deceived, but it can happen to anyone faced with disappointment and heartache.”

“You’re so sweet to me,” she said. He set her on her feet, and she pressed her hand to his cheek. “Grim said I can live with you. But maybe we need to talk to Santa? What if he doesn’t want a reaper in Northernmost?”

“I don’t think he’ll mind, especially after he sees that talisman Grim gave you.”

She nodded. “I’ll miss Church, but I won’t miss this cemetery.”

“Let’s pack you up, sweetheart. I’ll reach out to the security team to let them know we’ll be on our way soon.”

They held hands and walked toward the abbey. “Could you tell them to wait a little while?”

“Why? How long do you need to pack up?”

“Not pack up, I want to celebrate.”

His brows rose and a purr stuttered in his chest. “Oh?”

“Yeah, I start my job tomorrow and you and I get to be together and we don’t have to wait until after Christmas. I might not be super looking forward to ferrying souls right now, but I can’t wait to be with you.”

“That’s definitely worth celebrating.” He opened the door to the abbey and said, “Baby, you can definitely handle ferrying souls. Grim has faith in you, but more than that, I have faith in you. And if it’s hard or sad, I’ll be there for you.”

“Oh, Maverick,” she said. “You’re going to make me cry.”

“Sorry, let’s think sexy thoughts instead.”

He purred again and her body lit up. Shutting the door with his foot, he growled softly and followed her to the bed.