Marked Chaos

by Niki Livingston

  “But why?” My skin prickled. She was keeping something else from me.

  Aly sighed and sank into the chair nearest to her. Her chin lifted to look at Malcolm who gave her a curt nod. She swallowed with some difficulty, but turned her attention back to me.

  “Kia Lynn’s mother was a trusted member of our village. She taught the people how to live better, with knowledge from faraway lands.” She twiddled her thumbs together as her eyes shifted to the outside world and then glazed over with thought. “When our lands were invaded and your father was murdered, along with Rafael’s parents and several of our other people, Kia Lynn’s mother vanished into thin air, as we explained before. Then Sister Nikita arrived, promising a better life as well—more protection if we followed her instructions. Her words were similar to those of Tallisa.”

  My brows furrowed. “And did she not ensure our safety for many seasons?” I did not understand what Sister Nikita had to do with our present circumstances.

  Aly’s lips pursed, and she softly nodded. “Yes, we were protected, but I knew there was more to her story. I could not pinpoint what bothered me about her, so I watched. One night, many seasons later, I followed her outside our village. She met with a male anaman and the strange man who led the mating ceremony.”

  My face contorted at the memory. “I did not like him,” I muttered, remembering the way he had looked at Kia Lynn. Then it dawned on me the glances he’d had between Sister Nikita and Kia Lynn. “He was after my sister, wasn’t he?” My gaze snapped to Malcolm, who was half-sitting on the table listening to us with his hand resting on the now-closed device. I blinked several times, my mind making the connections. I rubbed my eyes as I turned toward Aly.

  Her expression was somber. “I did not realize it at the time. They spoke in a language I did not understand, but yes, they wanted Kia Lynn.” She wrung her hands together, avoiding my wide-eyed stare. “They intend to remove her from this world.”

  My breath caught in my throat, and I reached out for the nearest piece of furniture to steady myself as a wave of vertigo nearly sent me to my knees. Heat simmered just beneath my skin. I squeezed my eyes shut, concentrating to keep my fire from igniting as I sank to the floor.

  “How will they take Kia Lynn from this world? An anaman ship?” I asked between my fingers that now covered my face.

  “We do not quite understand where they will take her,” Malcolm said. I heard the squeak of a chair as he settled into it. “There has been chatter on devices similar to the one you possess that have clued us in on their plans. Your union as the elementals will prevent them from removing her, which is why they have set out to halt it. Why she is so important to them and the reasons behind her abduction from this world seem to stem from her mother.”

  Kia Lynn’s mother had been a force to be reckoned with, but when it came to her daughter, she was as gentle as a lamb.

  “Kia Lynn believes her mother was killed alongside the others from our village,” I said, dropping my arms to my side and looking at Aly and then Malcolm. “If she is not dead, why would she not return for her family?”

  “This is all a mystery to us as well, but we fully believe that woman is alive and well,” Malcolm replied and sighed deeply. “It is possible she has the anaman blood running through her veins and that she returned to her people’s world.”

  I shot him a surprised look.

  “There were mysteries around Tallisa that never made sense to our people,” Aly said. She had risen from her chair and was now pacing the floor. Her gaze dropped to meet mine. “There were instances where it appeared as if she were gliding just above the ground, a trait that has been noticed in other anaman. And the wind never seemed to faze her, as if she were always guarded from it.”

  “But Kia Lynn’s an elemental?” I questioned, shaking my head. “She is air. Maybe her powers protected her mother.”

  Aly shrugged and gave me a slight nod as if she had already considered this.

  “There is most definitely a connection between her and Kia Lynn that is unexplained,” Malcolm said, picking up the anaman communication device and holding it up. “You do not understand the forces against you right now, and possessing an item that can eavesdrop on your conversations and track your whereabouts gives them the upper hand. Do you really want to give them that vantage point?”

  My shoulders sagged. “I want to speak with Kia Lynn one more time.” I swallowed back tears. “Please.”

  A muscle twitched in Malcolm’s jaw and for a moment, I thought he would decline my request, but then his expression softened and he held out the device toward me.

  “Make it quick, Zoe Dawn.” He rose from his chair, which seemed to sigh from the relief of his weight, and he walked toward the door, beckoning Aly to follow him. “We will give you privacy.” His gaze shifted back to meet mine. “I am trusting you to keep our community protected from the outside world.”

  With those last words hanging in the air, they left the room and closed the door behind them. I stared at the sliding door for several moments. I did not know if I would even be able to reach Kia Lynn, and I never mentioned she was traveling with strangers. What if they had already pinpointed our location and were on their way?

  I clicked open the device and stared at the blue light emanating from it. Its functions were still a mystery to me.

  I waited, but nothing came through. Drumming my fingers across the symbols, I looked for one that would make sense to me, but they were all foreign. I picked it up and examined it up close. There was nothing that was clear on how to communicate. I might as well press each button.

  I started at the upper left-hand corner and one by one each square lit up as I softly pressed on them.

  “Kia Lynn,” I called each time.

  The sun was setting behind the towering mountains. It was the one thing I did not like about this place. The sky darkened sooner than it did at home.

  I licked my lips and continued with the button pushing. There was no noise from the device, just a blue, fuzzy screen with an occasional white squiggly line that ran through it. A weight settled on my heart as I neared the end. Defeat was not easy for me.

  A few tears escaped my eyes when I reached the end of the second time over each button. I set the device to my side and leaned against the glass behind me. Would I ever find my dearest friend?

  I reached over to slam the contraption shut when a voice quivered from it.

  “Zoe Dawn, are you there? Please, universe, God, Goddess, whoever is there... Please connect me to her.” That was not Kia Lynn’s voice.

  My fingers trembled as I snatched the device and looked at the darkened screen. I could see a shadowed face against a faded light in the background.

  “Who is this? Where is Kia Lynn?”

  A relieved sigh echoed through the contraption.

  “Thank God you answered. Beck believes Kia Lynn is a mystical being,” the woman whispered. “He claims there is a prophecy, one that requires the missing elementals to be united with Mother Gaia. All of this he gathered from her blue birthmark on her calf. I don’t know where he has taken her, but he intends on seeking you out as well, and I do not believe he has good intentions for either one of you.”

  “Don’t leave!” I shouted, much louder than I had intended. “I need you to tell this to Malcolm.”

  I shot up to my feet and raced to the doorway, then sprinted to the lift. The only place I knew to look for Malcolm and Aly was in the cafeteria. Moments later, I burst into the room. Everyone turned to stare, but I ignored them all, except the two in the corner. I raced to their table and set the device in front of Malcolm.

  “Tell them what this person, Beck, has done,” I said. My chest expanded as I gasped in a deep breath, at the same time fighting back the tears threatening to overtake me.

  “My name is Alex,” the woman replied.

  One side of her face became more visible as light flooded in from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, and our view became slightly
distorted and darker once again. Then she was suddenly back with even more light.

  “I was with Kia Lynn, but she was taken to another room with Beck. I heard him tell his son that the birthmark on her calf was prophesied and that he needed her and two others to bring the rest of the world, especially the anaman, to their knees. Destroy that device once we are done speaking. They know I can use it to track Zoe Dawn, and I do not want to be forced to give away your position.”

  “How do we know you are speaking the truth?” Malcolm asked. His fists were flexed so hard I thought they would burst.

  The woman leaned in even closer, and I could finally see her sky-blue eyes. She was the anaman girl whom I had stolen the device from. “Because he believes Zoe Dawn is an elemental as well.” She stopped and closed her eyes. Her voice trembled when she spoke again. “And he does not know this... yet. But I think I am the third.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  New Earth

  ALEX

  Malcolm had assured me they would rescue both me and Kia Lynn. His promises were all I could focus on as my gaze drifted around the vaulted room.

  I had been brought back to the church after they’d asked to speak to Kia Lynn alone. It was dark inside, with only a few flickering candles. While I was speaking to Zoe Dawn and the others, Covyn had slipped in with two lanterns and only nodded at me before slipping back out.

  What had happened to Dax? I had not seen him since before Beck yelled at him in the back room.

  Zoe Dawn told me she was the elemental of fire. It was all making sense now. I had been drawn to them the moment they first explored the hotel, and my anaman markings began acting up from that point on. I swear they looked like tiny rivers running through my skin, and since Beck had seen them, it was only a matter of time before he realized it as well.

  The good news was he did not like me. His eyes were set on Kia Lynn. He had to know I was part anaman based on my markings, but they no longer looked like the silvery threads that other mixed people possessed. To be honest, despite his stone expressions directed only at me, I had no idea what he thought of me, but his animosity was thick like molasses.

  I tucked my pack against the edge of the bench, making sure my weapons were still wrapped up in my clothes, and I laid my head on top of it and set my feet on the wood seat. My brain was tired, and my body ached from the long walk and fight between me and the others.

  Closing my eyes, I thought of Mom and Dad. I should contact them, but they did not have the parts for the ship to retrieve me, and my circumstances could just make it worse for them. It was a ridiculous notion, and I knew I really should speak to them, but my exhausted mind convinced me to wait.

  I must have dozed off because when I opened my eyes—only minutes later, according to my brain—Dax and Covyn were standing at the end of the bench staring at me.

  “Doesn’t she look adorable?” Covyn said, her tone laced with sarcasm. “Would you like to join us for supper?”

  Dax avoided my gaze. I shot up and scooped my pack with me. “Where is Kia Lynn?”

  “She will join us in the cultural hall,” Covyn replied. She pulled me from the bench row and linked arms with me. “We have so much to talk about.”

  I glanced back at Dax, whose head was bowed. “What is wrong with him?” I asked Covyn.

  “He received a scolding for allowing you into our village.” Covyn licked her lips and bent her head closer to mine. “You did something when you fought Tatum back in your village. A wave of water burst from your chest and nearly froze him to the ground, but you pulled back at the end. Why?”

  A groan rumbled up my throat. The cat was out of the bag. “I don’t know why it happened,” I lied. After talking to Malcolm, I finally understood more about myself than I had in a long time. Coming to this dimension and making a home next to the other two elementals was not a mistake. “It was a freak accident.”

  “Dax is petrified he has put you in danger. He confided in Jako and that dimwit spilled the beans to his father. He’s already convinced Kia Lynn is a mystical elemental, which is bizarre. But you are an anaman and your species has heightened abilities.” She pulled me in closer to her and dug her nails into the tender flesh of my forearm. “That is your story to Beck. Do you understand?”

  My eyes lifted to meet hers, and I reached over and pried her fingers from my arm. “You have no idea, do you?” I looked at her hand and pushed her away. “Don’t touch me again. And threaten me one more time, I will make you wish you didn’t.”

  “What is wrong with you two?” Dax asked in a hush tone as he stepped in between us.

  “What happened with Beck?” I turned my fury toward him. “You drag me away from my family, then leave me alone for hours, just to return and have your lapdog threaten me?”

  He twisted to look at Covyn. “Is this true?”

  “I told her to get her story straight. That is not a threat.” Covyn folded her arms over her chest and glowered at me.

  “Your tone would say otherwise,” I snapped at her. My gaze flashed back to Dax. “You told them what happened back at my home. Are you trying to get me—”

  “Dax. Covyn,” Beck called.

  My heart skipped a beat, then hammered against my chest as I turned toward him.

  “Kia Lynn is waiting for you in the cultural hall. Please keep her company while I speak with our visitor.”

  Dax shot me a quick look, then gave Beck a curt nod as he hurried down the sidewalk with Covyn. This drastic turn of events had shifted my hero into becoming my villain. Dax did not have a brave bone in his body when it came to Beck.

  Beck waited until they were out of earshot, then turned to face me with a wide smile that did not reach his eyes. “Alex, correct?”

  I nodded.

  “I apologize for my rudeness earlier. We do not allow just anyone to be in our midst, especially anyone of anaman descent.” He held out his arm for me to take. “Let’s go for a walk and discuss the next steps of our agreement.”

  “What agreement?” I asked, fighting the quiver in my voice.

  “The one you are about to make with me,” he replied, holding his arm out farther and nodding toward it. “I insist.”

  I reluctantly snaked my hand through the loop of his arm. The corners of his lips twitched with amusement. Seeing his smug expression only made me wish I knew how to invoke my icy abilities. Water was the key. The swirls stamped in my flesh connected me to this elemental magic, but how I created it out in the open was a mystery to me.

  Beck was quiet for several minutes as we strolled into the nearby park. Then he stopped near a statue of what looked like the William Taft one from Rapid City. It was only a year earlier when I’d stood in front of this same statue, but not in this location or dimension.

  “This man was my great-great—and several more greats—grandfather,” Beck said, pointing at the William Taft statue.

  I nearly choked on my breath. My gaze snapped over to Beck, who wore a straight face. He was dead serious.

  “I know it may come to a shock to most, but my family settled this town many hundreds of years before the massive star destruction,” he said, continuing on. My surprised look was obviously being mistaken for shock.

  What an idiot. He had no idea who this man really had been.

  “And my grandfather knew there would come a day when we would need the protection of the mountain caves. They prepared us for that moment. Then he also prophesied that one day the Earth would need to be healed from the devastation those stars created. To accomplish this, three women would be born, each with an elemental gift of fire, water, or air. When they came of age, their connection would ignite and spread growth and prosperity back to the lands.”

  Malcolm had already explained this to me, but the way Beck looked right now told me he wanted this prosperity for himself.

  His attention drifted to me, and he pulled me in closer to him. “There are those who want to spread this shift across this world and then others who will
stop at nothing to halt its occurrence. And there is me. I am the happy medium.”

  A wide smile spread across his face, and I cringed at the gleam in his eyes. His fingers curled around my arm and dug into it like Covyn had done earlier.

  “We will provide this new Earth to only those I have deemed worthy. My command will be the one all will bow to if they want to join in the abundance this evolved realm will provide.” He quieted, his eyes searching my face for a muted response. “The lives of your family and friends depend on the answer you are about to give to me.”

  My pulse quickened at the mention of my people. He knew where the ship and my town stood. Although it was protected from the ground, who knew if they could attack from the sky?

  His mahogany irises bore into me, waiting expectantly for the answer I could not give. He really believed he could control our elemental connection to Earth.

  “What assurances do I have that my family will be protected?” I asked, stalling him. If he controlled the elementals, what would that mean for the Earth? There had to be a fourth elemental.

  His cynical laugh cut through my heart. “You do as I ask and all your people will be left alone.”

  I pulled against his hands, but he held on tight. I glanced toward the direction of the cultural hall. I was starving, and this conversation was not going my way. “Does Kia Lynn know about your plan?”

  “I am very fond of Kia Lynn.” His gaze drifted down my arms, and his eyes narrowed at the sight of my glowing swirls. “But you have only been allowed to stay because you are a mandatory tool in this unification. What she does not know will not hurt her. This arrangement will remain between us.”

  It was not a question, and I knew it. There was no need for him to explain himself further. I really hoped Malcolm would come through for us, and soon.

  “What about Zoe Dawn? How do you intend to retrieve her?”

  “We will swoop in and take her. Jako has already shown me where she is based, off your little arm map.” He finally released my arms.

  I rubbed the area where his fingers had been digging into my skin and backed away from him at the same time. He barely noticed. Threatening my family was enough for me to play nice, and he knew it.