Chapter 9

I found Nil in the library surrounded by various old texts that appeared and disappeared according to his whim.

"What's all this?" I greeted him gesturing to the piles of books. He gave me a stressed smile before returning back to his reading. Kyle jumped out of the floor and pulled me over to one of the sofas.

"He's reading up on the Ten Plants. Those are the people Castor was talking about," he shrugged not considering what he did. Mr. Valentine was seated next to him and as he was about to fall over, Kyle righted him. Seeing me watching him, he offered the teddy bear to me.

"You need him more than I do," he smiled at my confused look. Holding the bear close, the smell of wet grass after a heavy rain wafted up to me. Glancing down at it, I examined it but didn't find any traces of it being wet or grass on it. Deciding it wasn't important, I thought about what Shelia had told me and Castor's story.

"He's not lying," the young boy interrupted my web of thought. He wasn't emotional or tired. If anything, he was happy at the prospect of a new mystery. A playful smile danced around his mouth but didn't fully enter it. A gleam of the hunt dawned in his eyes. His golden curls seemed to turn darker as I looked at him. He didn't seem like the boy I had first rescued from the clutches of Zekan. He caught me examining him and the look I saw in his features faded.

"What's wrong? You're spooked," frowning his perfect mouth. Shaking my head in a silent answer, I glanced over at Nil. Frustrated and angry at his research, he shoved them all off his desk in an uncharacteristic form of anger. Giving Mr. Valentine back to him absently, I went to see what was wrong.

"I can't find any mention of the Gardener," he growled at my upset look. "I know all their names, their powers, and even their locations but I don't know who the Gardener is!"

"Maybe that's a good thing," I offered. His exasperated glance didn't agree with me.

"Consider this, if we found out who the Gardener was what would we do?"

"Take him down. He's been spying on us for centuries! God knows what he's been doing in that amount of time to screw us up! He might've even created Zekan or, hell, Shelia," he snorted but frowned at my reproachful look. "What?"

"Wouldn't it be better to talk to him first? See what he's been doing and thinking about us before we do anything? It doesn't seem like such a good first step to take out someone you only think is your enemy. You need to feel them out first. I'm surprised you didn't think of this," I replied truly concerned for his mental health. Maybe I should give him a holiday. Shock registered itself on his face as he examined my idea. A scowl replaced it and after that resignation.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I thought I had thought of every option. I can't believe I was so blind as to not know what to do. I'm the Ace of Spades, not some number," his murmur was hard to hear and a hand came up in stress to rush through his hair. Reaching over, I laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him.

"Take a break, mentally and physically. You look exhausted. Go on, take a nap and eat some ice cream. Relax. It's time for you to chill," I ordered him gently. His grateful eyes agreed with me. Getting up, he walked unsteadily out of the room.

"He looks so tired," I whispered worried.

"You handled that well," Kyle approved getting off the couch. He walked up to me with a smile on his face.

"What?" It was my turn to be confused.

"You would talk to the one man who could destroy your entire group? You would listen to what he thought about your society? I don't know whether you're naïve or smart. Feeling out the enemy would usually mean taking one of his men hostage but you did that without knowing it. Castor would do anything for you and you know it. One of those it just happened moments with a King who could kill you with a touch. You don't talk to the enemy you react," he informed me as I dropped to my knees to look him in the face.

"We don't know if he's an enemy or not," I smiled as his eyes widened at the prospect. "You're making assumptions that Castor was spying on us. What if he was just learning about our culture and finding out who we are and what we do? What if he wanted to speak to someone of his own standing like the Queen of Cards? We both know how powerful I am. I control my little army of Cards. He controls his plants. What if he only wanted to see how I would react to having an unknown person stuck in my army? How I would react to finding out that information? What if he only wanted to see how I was as a Queen? As both a ruler and guardian to all of these people, I have a responsibility to know everything I can about them but in all reality it may not matter. I don't know their intentions and they don't know mine. I don't want to fight them, not because they're stronger than me but simply because I want to know someone else in my position. I would love to know who the Gardener is and what he thinks. It would be refreshing to be able to talk about the daily stress of what to do. If we can't be friends than allies. If not allies than we can at least be neutral to each other. I don't want to have to go in there with guns blazing and battle cries. Know people before you do anything. Life may not be short for us but that's all the more reason to learn from everyone around you."

"You're optimist for someone who just got tricked," Dorothy said from behind me and helped me to my feet.

"Tricked? I think he planned this. He wanted to Castor to get caught. He wanted to see how we would react to knowing he's been spying on us all these years," I retorted.

"Planning Castor's reveal. Interesting if anything. The numbers and other Royals are getting antsy. They've heard all about it and want to know what you'll do about it. Of course, they're all divided on the issue to start with but luckily, they'll follow you to the ends of the earth. Something about you being Queen," her grin widened as I smiled back at her reassuringly.

"Castor!" my voice was barely loud enough to penetrate the walls but he appeared beside me within an instant. "We get to explain what's happening. I expect you to say something." He merely nodded knowing he wouldn't be able to go against my wishes.

It was crowded within the theater I had created with the color scheme of the night sky. Royals and Numbers alike were milling around and talking to everyone else about the new developments to Castor's supposed betrayal. They sat down and silence entered the hall when I stepped up to the podium arranged for me. Talking to them wasn't hard after I had told them about Victory. They knew I had given them a secret to carry to the grave and they understood it.

"I understand that many of you have been wondering about whether I should kick out the former Ace of Clubs. I'm not. No, I'm not under some spell he's devised for me." This last comment got some giggles from the crowd. "I have decided that it's easier to keep him here as an ambassador from his group. The ground rules are these, don't touch him, you'll die. Don't make snide remarks about his shadowy character. That's my job. Don't do something and say he did it. More than likely, I'll know who did. I understand that many of you are new here and this seems confusing but the good news is that it'll calm down after awhile. Hopefully, Castor will stay here for a long time with only the orders to take in our culture and abide by our rules. He's also here to speak with you. Give him the same courtesy you give me. He is the same rank as I am in his system," stepping away I gave the platform to the man who had shadowed me for so long.

"I won't hurt you and I'm not here to steal away your queen. I just want to learn from all of you and who you do things," his speech was not a speech at all but a couple of sentences of what he was doing there. Beyond that, he didn't say much about his group or their system. He only mentioned what he knew and how he hoped to gain more knowledge from them. When they applauded, not over enthusiastically, but just enough to tell me they understood and they accepted him for who he was. They did what they did for me. A warm feeling settled in my gut as he stepped away with a fancy bow. Fortson was the first to make a move on the new ambassador.

"That was wonderful! I'm so glad you could join us! We should have a banquet in his honor! I can provide all of the paintings! Dorothy here can provide the theme! You, my dear queen, can provide the entertainment! What do you say?" His loud voice carried through the auditorium making everyone stop and look expectantly at me. My laugh was heard throughout the theater at the idea and I smiled at him.

"That's the best idea I've heard all day," I agreed and touched Castor on the arm. "What do you think?"

"A banquet? With dancing, music, and lots of food?" his interest was piqued but not enough for him to actually say yes.

"And a contest, one that would include the queen's kiss as a bribe for everyone to join," Nil smiled walking up to us. He seemed to be over his stress. Castor's eyes shot up.

"Should I even ask how you know that?" he questioned and Nil grinned at him.

"Once in every five billion Royals and Plants there is one person who carries two ranks, you are the actual Ace of Clubs but you're also the King of the Poison Five. You are us and them. Because of that you can never hurt Mina because she's simply your queen. Your powers don't affect her as they do other people. The other Plants would be able to kill them but not while you're there. You'd do anything you can to protect her on instinct alone," he smiled.

"And the Ace of Clubs the CIA found?" I asked raising an eyebrow. This might be too good to be true.

"He's a Royal but he's not the royal you would expect. Apparently before we met him, he had a sex change. He was originally a she. She's the Queen of Spades. I don't know what Shelia is anymore. She's not in our system so she might be in the Med Five or the Poison Five," He informed us shocking all of us into silence.

"It would make sense if she was one of the Meds. She couldn't be a Poison or she would've killed Victory when he touched her. Plus, Meds are notorious for getting whatever they want through their powers. We destroy, Meds clean up," Castor nodded agreeing with the idea.

"I say we forget about her. At least for the banquet," she added seeing my startled look.

"Party time," I smiled taking Castor's warm hand.

Author's note: Woot! New chapter! Well Shelia you have once again changed on us. What will she do next? :p