“What was that all about?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it doesn’t seem like you and Aiden are on better terms. I thought you guys sorted everything out?”
“He doesn’t want to be my friend, Stella. It’s as simple as that.”
“What? Why?”
My chest feels a bit heavy with—do I dare say it—rejection. “Honestly, I don’t know. I thought we were friends, but he basically told me he didn’t want to hang out with me.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. I don’t know if he got spooked by … well, it doesn’t matter. We’re not friends, and that’s that.” I don’t know why this thing with Aiden is bothering me so much. We barely talked as it was. I shouldn’t be upset. He probably just humored me in class because he was a fan of my parents. That seems to be the only reason why anyone wants to talk to me.
“Are you okay?” Stella asks gently.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I lie. “Let’s just focus on your training.”
“Okay,” Stella replies quickly. Too quickly.
I shouldn’t keep skirting conversations with Stella. I’ve never been one to discuss my feelings, even though I know Stella only has the best intentions. I don’t want to lose the only person who has wanted to get to know me for me.
“Hey, I see a whole bunch of rocks over there!” Stella points to an area near the shore of the lake. The water now glistens in the sunlight.
A bunch of rocks are piled together on top of the sand, and I get an idea. “You can work with the sand too! Since it’s just a bunch of small rocks, that would be fun!”
Stella quickens her pace toward the water and gets a few yards ahead of me. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too! That’s the main reason I wanted to go by the water! Maybe I can create an army of sand golems!”
“Stella, wait a sec!”
She turns around.
After a few quick steps, I get within talking distance. “Hey, I’m sorry about earlier. I don’t mean to keep shutting you out. I know you just want to help.”
Stella’s gaze softens. “Ember, it’s fine. Like I said, whenever you do want to talk, I’m here. No rush.”
I smile. “Thanks.”
She puts her hand on my shoulder. “Now that we got that out of the way, let’s see if I can make some sand golems!” Her eyes widen at something behind me. “Oh … hey, Aiden.”
I check behind me quicker than a heartbeat, and Aiden is heading right for us. His expression reminds me of the time he apologized after our first day of English—determined but nervous.
I grit my teeth. “What do you want?”
He stops, taken aback. “Can we talk?”
“Oh, now you want to talk.” I roll my eyes and face Stella.
She nods and gestures toward Aiden, encouraging me to talk to him.
I don’t understand why she thinks I should; we have nothing to discuss. Well, there may be a few things I would like to say to him.
I spin back around. “What do we have to talk about? You’ve made it perfectly clear you don’t want anything to do with me.”
He looks down and frowns.
I stare at him in annoyance, but it’s hard not to be distracted by his appearance. His presence is hard to ignore, between his height and build. His white hair is up in a ponytail, revealing his chiseled jawline and sweat glistens on his neck. He definitely looks the part of a powerful Guardian in the making. I blink fast to clear my vision and refocus on his face, annoyed with myself for admiring him. Good looking or not, he’s been a jerk.
Aiden looks up at me and rubs the back of his neck. “I know I don’t deserve your time, but I really do want to talk with you … alone, if that’s okay.”
His words stun me. “W-Why alone? Stella can hear whatever you have to say to me.”
He looks past me at Stella. “Stella, this is absolutely nothing against you. I just want to talk to Ember in private.”
“Yeah, no problem. Ember, maybe you should just give him a chance? Hear what he has to say?”
Stella, you’re supposed to be on my side! I look over my shoulder at her with my mouth agape.
She shrugs and gives me a mischievous smirk.
“I promise it won’t take long, Ember,” Aiden pleas with me.
How much I really don’t want to admit it to myself, I do want to hear what he has to say. Even if it seems like a moot point. He has had multiple chances to speak to me. What’s so special about today?
I sigh loudly. “Fine, Aiden. But I’m not thrilled about this.”
He nods as if that is what he expected me to say and points over his shoulder. “There’s a path we can walk on back the other way. It’s a shortcut to the campus arena, but the next match isn’t until tomorrow, so no one should be on it right now.”
I motion forward. “Okay, lead the way.”
Aiden turns and walks.
I follow but not without throwing Stella one more disgruntled look.
She gives me a small wave while mouthing, Have fun.
Yeah, sure. This will be tons of fun.
Chapter 10
Ember
I follow a few steps behind Aiden on the track to ensure no awkward conversation for the time being.
He walks by the path Stella and I were on earlier.
I stop for a moment, staring at it. Maybe I should make a run for it? I shake the thought from my head and continue. No matter how tempting it may be to just run away, it’ll be better to get this conversation over with. I notice an opening between the trees ahead of us. It looks menacing, like a mouth waiting for its naive prey.
Aiden eyes me over his shoulder and points at the same spot. “That’s the path.”
I stare at him with tight lips, partly because I’m feeling even worse about this decision to talk to him.
He cowers a little and focuses back forward.
Aiden halts right in front of the opening to the woods.
I join beside him and survey the area ahead. The thick trees and brush block the sunlight, making the woods look even more ominous. Other than that, it’s just a basic dirt path. I feel Aiden’s gaze on me, and I shoot him a look. The intensity of his eyes temporarily takes away my breath. They are so vividly blue, like an aquamarine gem glistening in the morning sun. I swallow back the sudden lump in my throat. “So, do you want to walk, or can we have it out right here?”
“Let’s walk, if you don’t mind.”
“Then let’s go.”
He takes the initiative and enters.
I reluctantly follow but stay near his side. The musty, earthy smell is strong, probably because the ground hasn’t dried from the rainfall the other day. An uncomfortable silence falls over us as the tension festers. It seems like we’re both waiting for the other to start talking, neither of us wanting to take the lead, or scared to.
SQUAWK!
We both stop and scan the trees. The noise was clearly a bird, but no bird is visible. We make eye contact, and our focus travels downward.
Aiden remains tight-lipped, but his eyes tremor with an inner battle.
My impatience with him reaches new heights. “Just spit it out, Aiden.”
He closes his eyes and sighs. “I want to apologize, but I don’t expect you to forgive me so easily again.”
I shake my head in frustration. “What are you apologizing for this time?” I see his lips move to answer, but this is my time to talk. “Oh! Let me guess, is it because you basically told me you wanted nothing to do with me?”
His eyes plea with me. “Ember, please. Just hear me out.”
My anger boils inside me. “Why? Why should I?”
“Because … I-I made a mistake.”
I glance at the trees, hoping he doesn’t see the tears forming in my eyes—a horrible reaction of mine when I get too angry. I don’t know why I’m reacting so strongly to his admittance. I walk by him, needing space. Unfortunately, I hear the crunching sound of his steps on the dirt behind me.<
br />
He’s beside me in no time. “Ember, please just listen to me. I know I reacted badly that day …”
I wipe away the tear that sneaks out. “Then why has it taken weeks for you to say anything?”
“I-I wish I could explain everything to you.”
I jerk my head in his direction. “Just tell me then.”
He frowns. “I can’t.”
I look forward with a scowl and notice the woods darken the farther we get from the opening. Part of me wants to push Aiden to answer me, but a bigger part of me just wants to finish this conversation and get out of here. Unfortunately, my curiosity always wins. “Why can’t you tell me?” I stop in confusion.
Aiden is no longer by my side. He’s standing a few feet behind me with his eyes closed while pinching the bridge of his nose. His chest rises slowly, like he’s taking a deep breath. His demeanor concerns me.
“Fine, Aiden. Don’t tell me. You don’t owe me any explanation.”
“I owe you everything,” he says barely louder than a whisper.
“What? What does that even mean?”
His eyes find mine, and they’re even brighter than before. “I mean, I do owe you an explanation.”
I cross my arms and nod. “Okay. I’ll agree with you. An explanation would be nice.”
He rubs his neck. “First, I need you to know I did want to have lunch with you that day.”
“Then why did you say no?”
He inhales sharply and releases the breath like a deflating balloon. “Honestly? I’ve been so focused on training to be a Guardian I’ve never really had time for friends, other than Billy. Our friendship was pretty easy, since we had a lot in common.”
I purse my lips. “So … you don’t have time for friends. That’s what you’re telling me? That’s why you said you couldn’t hang out with me?”
He shakes his head. “No, well, I mean … kind of. It’s just I’ve always regarded friends or any kind of relationship as a distraction. I’ve had some of my own inner demons to deal with and, unfortunately, I kind of alienated myself for a while. I guess sometimes old habits are hard to break.”
I remember Stella telling me about the difficult time he had years ago and decide not to pry. However, I can’t shake the feeling he isn’t being truthful with me. “Is that really it?”
Aiden stares at me unblinking but swallows hard. “Yes.”
My chest feels heavy with doubt, and my gut tells me he is definitely lying. But I can tell I won’t get anything else out of him. My arms fall to my sides. “Okay. Well, just so you know, that’s a lame excuse.”
“Yeah, I know.” He looks at me with round, hopeful eyes. “Would it be too much to ask for us to start over again?”
“What? Why? I mean, if you don’t have the time for friends, what’s the point?”
“The point is I want to be friends. We can do lunch or even go for dinner.”
My eyes grow round like two golf balls at his dinner invitation.
His cheeks flush pink. “I mean, dinner with you and … and Stella, of course. Or even Billy. We all can go out sometime.”
I try to ignore the sudden goosebumps on my arms. “Oh. Of course.” The amount of hope reflecting in his eyes makes me feel sorry for him.
“What do you say? Do you think we can move past this?”
I glance at the ground to see a trail of ants crossing in front of me. “Truthfully? I don’t know. How do I know you won’t change your mind later? I really don’t need this kind of drama in my life.” I stand a bit straighter and focus on him. “Plus, I guess it’s not like we were even friends before. I’m having a hard time trusting people as it is.”
He steps toward me. His face creases with worry but seems apologetic. “Ember, I am truly sorry … for everything. I promise it won’t happen again.”
A new thought pops into my mind. “Do you just want to be friends because of who my parents were?” I fail at hiding the hint of hurt in my tone. “I mean, I know you were a fan of theirs, so it’d make sense if that was the case. Most people here just want to talk to me because of that.”
He eyes me like I just grew an extra head. “No! That’s not the case.”
I move closer to him and place my hands on my hips. “Then why is my friendship so important to you?”
Aiden takes another step, putting less than a foot between us. The strangest sensation engulfs me, like he has some gravitational pull on me. It takes more willpower than I care to admit to not close the distance between us.
A sudden fear darkens Aiden’s eyes; they become haunting, like these woods. “To be completely honest with you, I really don’t understand why.”
POP!
My head jolts in the direction of the noise. “What was that?”
Aiden surveys the area behind us and squints. “I’m not sure. It kind of sounded like a party popper, but it definitely came from that direction.” He approaches a patch of thicker brush, and I follow. He puts his arm backward in front of me. “Stay here. I’ll go check it out.”
“What? No way! It’s probably nothing, so let’s just look together.”
He sighs. “It’s not worth my breath to try to change your mind, is it?”
I smile. “Nope.”
Aiden rolls his eyes, but a tiny smile teases his lips.
We head together to the brush, but I feel a shift in the atmosphere. Even though I told him it’s probably nothing, my gut tells me something different. I’m unsure of what it could be though. Maybe another student is out this way? Or some animal?
After reaching the brush, Aiden pushes back some of the leaves.
CRACK! A small branch breaks underneath my feet.
“Shut up! What was that?” a woman speaks.
The hair on my arms stands straight up.
Aiden moves his finger in front of his lips, signaling for me to be quiet.
I tiptoe to his side, and he pushes back more of the leaves to reveal two people standing in a small clearing.
One of them abruptly disappears in a collection of sparks, resembling a sparkler. They dissipate quickly, leaving no trace behind.
One monstrous man remains. A gleam of light bounces off his shoulder and blinds me for a second. His skin is silver and shiny like metal.
My mouth feels like it has hit the ground, and my blood tingles with a sudden fury. No! It … It can’t be! The man who murdered my father—Iron Forge.
Chapter 11
Ember
Iron Forge’s purple hair lays long past his ears, marbled with gray. I knew he was enormous, but seeing him on TV or in the paper does not do the magnitude of his size justice. He must be almost seven feet tall and built to withstand a wrecking ball.
Blind rage takes over as a tornado of emotions rips through my body. A white aura surrounds my peripheral vision, and I focus entirely on the monster. This man is the reason why my father is gone. No way I’ll let him get away. Who would have guessed today would be the day I use my abilities again?
The thermal energy from the Earth surges through my veins. My eyes immediately feel like they're on fire, which is a pleasant feeling, like welcoming an old friend home. I burst from the bush with heat energy swirling around my hands and arms like a white-hot snake.
Iron Forge quickly notices but doesn’t say anything. He eyes me, unblinking. If it weren’t for his jeans and black tank top, he would literally look like a steel wall.
The urge to scream is almost overwhelming. I want him to know exactly who I am and what he has taken from me. However, that would just be a waste of time. He wouldn’t care, and I just want him to suffer like I did.
“Ember! Wait!” Aiden shouts behind me.
I ignore him, not wanting to give Iron Forge any opportunity to run away. I move my hands in a circular motion, manipulating the energy into a blast, and shoot it at Iron Forge. It soars through the air like a comet.
Out of nowhere, a blue sparkly, translucent wall appears between us and blocks it, echoing what soun
ds like thunder throughout the woods. Iron Forge laughs deep and loud; it penetrates me to my core.
Extreme pressure feels like it’s cracking my skull as my anger intensifies. “How dare you, you vile excuse for a human being!”
Iron Forge stops laughing and his coal-like eyes mold into slits.
I so badly want to attack him, but unfortunately, I can’t touch him. The wall is still between us, and I realize it’s a forcefield; only one person out here could have created it—Aiden. From my peripheral vision, I see him a few feet behind me.
The forcefield is tied to him by thin blue lines of energy coming from his hands.
I turn, like a tiger ready to pounce. “Aiden! What are you doing? Don’t you understand who this is? Let me fight him!”
Aiden spares a moment to glance at me. “Ember, I know exactly who this man is, but you can’t take him on!”
His lack of faith in me upsets me. “Oh, really? Want to bet?” The energy within me escalates, and it swirls from around my arms to my whole body. My hair levitates off my shoulders as if I am underwater. I aim a small blast at Aiden’s hand.
Aiden jolts backward in pain, shaking his hand once it hits him. He looks at me with his eyes wide with shock and loses focus on the forcefield. It disappears, giving me the chance to finish my attack.
I refocus on Iron Forge, and my heart sinks. Oh no … Not only did my plan distract Aiden, but it distracted me too, which Iron Forge took full advantage of.
He is now holding an enormous silver dagger and grins. In one swift motion, he lifts it above his shoulder, pulls back and aims, like an ancient Greek athlete throwing a javelin. It zooms toward me with deadly accuracy.
Suddenly, a blue sparkly bubble surrounds me and jerks me to the side. The dagger flies through the space where I would have been, and a lightning bolt shoots toward Iron Forge. The forcefield disappears, and I fall, hard. My head hits the ground, and everything goes black for a second. When I become fully aware again, I see Iron Forge running off. No! I can’t let him get away! I feel dizzy, but I try to stand and fail. Iron Forge is barely visible in the distance. I desperately try to get up, but there’s a ringing in my ears, and I can’t get my bearings straight. Hot tears form in my eyes.
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