He scratches his head. “Huh … probably die,” he jokes. His spikes flush against his body, making his skin as smooth as a mirror. The trees reflect in his skin like some kind of oil painting. “But you bring up a good point. When we have more time, I’d like to practice with you a lot more, if that’s okay? We can come back here to the training field.”
I close my hands, and my forcefield dissipates. “Sure, yeah. I would definitely like that. I must get going soon anyway. My parents are picking me up in about an hour.”
Lewis nods. “Yeah, mine too. But, whoop! Fall break! It’s about time to get a breather! It’s hard to believe it’s already November! But I look forward to practicing with you when we get back!”
“You sure that would be a good use of your time, Lewis?” Jomo laughs out of nowhere. “You would do better using your abilities against someone who doesn’t make sparkly objects with no real substance to them.”
My eyes roll into the back of my head.
Jomo shows up next to me, flexing his pecs, as if to intimidate me. Of course he’s only wearing shorts; he loves showing off his strength. His dreadlocks mimic a bunch of wild snakes tied up over his head. He smacks me on the back. “Right, Aiden? Tell Lewis here how you stole the YAC from me.”
Lewis chuckles. “I’ll just let you two have fun. I’ll see you guys after the break.” He sprints toward the bleachers where members of our class are watching us while they rest.
“Listen, Jomo, I won square and fair. You couldn’t penetrate my forcefield. It is what it is.”
His yellow eyes become slits. “Remember this, Stiles, once we start battling each other in class next semester, I will show everyone who the true talented one is.”
“Okay.” I narrow my eyes ever so slightly. “We’ll see.”
We stare at each other like we’re having a staring contest. With a huff, Jomo leaves. He punches a training bot as he goes. It explodes into flames and shrapnel rains down.
“Well, that was fun,” I mumble as I head to the bleachers where Billy waits for me.
He’s talking to a blonde girl, probably trying to get her number. His skin is silver, matching his seat.
The girl glances at me, and I recognize her as Sally, she’s in our Defender classes. “Hi there, Aiden!” she says chipperly.
“Hi.” I pick up a pebble and toss it at Billy.
He begrudgingly looks at me.
“Are you ready to go?”
“I guess.” He jumps over the handrailing next to me but refocuses on Sally. “We’ll talk more later, okay?”
“Sure.” She nods then smiles at me. “And maybe we can chat sometime, Aiden?”
“Uh. Sure?”
Billy waves goodbye to her, and we meander toward the path to campus. I suddenly feel like the more distance I keep between Sally and I, the better.
“So, she likes you,” Billy tells me bluntly.
I turn my head in his direction. “What?”
His skin is constantly shifting with specks of silver swirling around in the sand-colored blend. He grins; his white teeth are too bright. “That’s what she was talking to me about. She wanted to know if you’re available.”
Not this again. “Oh, great. You really need to stop trying to set me up. What did you tell her?”
“That it’s kind of complicated with you right now, and she would do better with someone else.” He smirks. “Like me.”
I sigh in relief. “Of course, you would, but thanks. I’m glad you put it like that.”
He nods. “Yeah, I figured that was the last thing you needed right now. Even though I think it would do you good to date someone to get your mind off of—”
“Billy,” I say sternly. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Thankfully, someone else catches his attention. Carly is on the track, running toward us. Her pink skin looks like weathered bubblegum on a sidewalk. She’s smiling ear to ear and stops, panting. “Hey there, handsome.”
Great. Someone else I don’t want to deal with. “Carly, please don’t start—”
“I wasn’t talking to you.” She slithers toward Billy. “I was talking to you, big guy.”
Billy’s face lifts up, like he just won some kind of grand prize. “Well. This is a welcomed change.”
Carly bats her eyelashes. “I think it’s time you and I find out how well we work together, don’t you?”
Billy rubs the side of her arm. “I like the sound of that.”
I gag, and Billy shoots me a look, as if he’s saying, Shut up, man!
Carly trails a finger down his shirt. “Let’s talk more after break, ‘kay?”
“Sounds terrific to me.”
Carly kisses Billy’s cheek and walks by him.
He stares after her, watching her hips sway.
She glances back and winks. Her eyes rest on me and glint mischievously.
“Well, well.” Billy turns in my direction. “Seems like she’s coming around.”
My gut tightens. “Just … be careful with that one. I feel like she may be up to something.”
Billy shrugs. “Whatever, man. I’ll take it.”
We turn onto the path toward campus, and I stop.
Not even ten feet from me, Stella and Ember are … marching? In front of them, Lime is leading a group of tiny rock golems, as if he’s their drum major. The girls are laughing, until Ember sees me. Her lips move downward, and she halts.
Stella notices the happiness drain from Ember’s face and brings her attention to Billy and me. “Oh. Hi, guys.”
All the rock golems look at Stella, suddenly confused as to why the fun has ended, then run circles around each other.
Lime puffs out his cheeks. Squeak!
All the rest of the rocks halt, some knocking into each other and falling over.
Ember’s mouth twitches, and she turns to Stella. “This was a bad idea. I’m going to go.” She heads back the way they came, practically running from me again.
My heart sinks. I can’t keep watching her do this. “Ember, wait!” I jog after her, careful to not step on any little rock guys.
“Aiden, don’t,” Stella warns, and I stop next to her. “I think it’s best if you leave her alone.”
“Stella, I need to make things right.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Will you be honest with her? Because that’s the only way she’ll even let you talk to her—trust me.”
It feels like chains are pulling tight around my heart. What do I do? If I tell Ember everything, I run the risk of really losing her … but it seems like I’ve already lost her. The only solution is to be honest, to have a shot at redeeming myself. Or I may destroy the final sliver of hope for us. No matter what, I’m in a pickle. Am I willing to let go of her now? Just let our friendship dissolve into the dust and become a nobody to her? Just a guy who was an idiot and blew his chance with her?
No. I’m too selfish, even if this may blow up horribly in my face. I want that chance to be with her.
I stare after Ember; her hair levitates behind her while she gets farther from me. “Yes. There’s really no other choice.”
Stella smirks and nods in Ember’s direction. “Then go after her, tiger.”
I take off; my steps pound the dirt, each one faster than the last. The trees zoom by.
Ember hears me coming. She spins around, and her lavalike eyes show no mercy. “Aiden! Leave me alone!”
I halt in front of her, panting. “Please … Em. Ju-just hear me out. One … one last time.”
Her lips quiver, and she shakes her head.
“I know I screwed up, and I don’t deserve anything from you.” I take a step, closing the gap between us. “But, if you still care for me at all, please give me one last chance to explain.”
Ember’s eyes slowly revert to their normal, beautiful emerald-green color. “Aiden, I can’t act like nothing happened. You turned me down … and gave no explanation. Why should I listen now?”
My throat feels like an apple is
lodged in it. “I’m ready to talk … to … tell you everything.” Anxiety drips into my blood, and my hands get sweaty. “Just let me explain, please.”
Her lips tighten. “Are you really going to be honest with me? Tell me whatever you’re hiding?”
“Yes.” It suddenly occurs to me—my parents. I don’t have time to have this conversation right now. Plus, if she does take it badly, I don’t want to ruin her time with Eliza this upcoming week. “Can we talk as soon as we return from break? I swear, the moment I’m back on campus, I’ll come to your dorm. I’m short on time right now. My parents will be here to get me soon, and I want to make sure we have plenty of time to talk.”
Ember’s gaze drops with worry.
I reach to cradle the side of her face, and she closes her eyes, leaning into my touch. “First thing after break, we will talk. I promise.”
She nods weakly.
“Em, please, just one more week … and then you’ll understand everything.”
She reaches for my other hand to hold. “I really hope so.”
“Why don’t you go back with Stella? You guys have fun. Billy and I were just leaving.”
“I think I will, but I actually have to get going soon too.” She squeezes my hand. “You swear we will talk? First thing? I don’t want to keep playing this game, Aiden.”
It takes everything in me to control my breathing. How am I going to do this? I know she’ll react badly; I know her too well now. She’s learned to trust me, and I’m about to break that trust. While also breaking her heart.
It pains me to say, “I promise.”
Chapter 31
Ember
“Ma’am, we’re here.” Alex, my driver, shoots me a look over his shoulder. “Is Eliza home? Or do I need the code for the gate?”
I take a quick survey out the window. No one is around the entrance to my house, no harassment from the press today. Plus, I’m not too keen on giving just anyone the security code, even if Alex has been one of our drivers for years. “Just buzz. Eliza should be there, since she’s the one who sent for you. She said something came up, but she would be here when I arrived.”
Alex doffs his fedora. “Will do.” He pulls up to the gate and stops next to the speaker box. The camera lens zooms in on him while he pushes the red button. After a moment, the gates spring to life and slide to the side. Eliza probably just glanced at the camera and recognized the driver’s car. He drives up behind Eliza’s purple SUV and stops.
I absorb the view of my house, delighted to be home again for the week. The ranch-style house is exactly the way my dad originally designed. He chose the brick to match the color of my mom’s hair and wanted to ensure they always had a view of the city. I think the university also inspired him, since there’s an abundance of windows. My mom’s cactus garden in front also brings a smile to face, always there, always thriving.
I grab my red duffle bag and exit the car. I halt next to the driver’s side window. “Thank you for getting me. Did Eliza already tip you?”
“Don’t worry about that. Your family has had a tab with us for a long time.”
“Ember?” a voice calls out to me.
I spin around to see Erik’s lanky frame rushing down the stairs from my house. He’s dressed casually in a black t-shirt, jeans, and a blue baseball cap with the logo for the Stalwarth Stallions on the front. The hat looks foreign on him. I can’t remember the last time I saw him wear one or the last time I heard him talk about major league baseball. “Erik? What are you doing here?”
Eliza appears at the front door, frowning. “Erik just needed to talk, that’s all,” she says quickly—too quickly.
I hear Alex pull away and give him a quick wave before eyeing Erik. “Talk? Is everything okay?”
His smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah. Of course.”
Eliza heads for us. Her blue maxi dress drags behind her, and her black hair sways like silk curtains in a breeze. “Ember, why don’t you come in and let Erik be on his way? You guys can talk later.” She stops at Erik’s side.
This whole interaction seems off. “We can talk now. I don’t mind seeing you here, Erik. It just surprised me.”
“I understand, but unfortunately, I do need to be on my way,” Erik says as he walks by me. “I need to check in with the League. There’s something I need to touch base on.” He heads for a red sedan parked in front of Eliza’s SUV.
Is he really going to leave just like that? I take a step after him. “Erik, seriously, is everything okay?”
He turns, and I swear, somehow, he has gotten more wrinkles in the last minute. “Yeah, of course, but we’ll talk later, okay?”
I don’t want to let this go, but he’s determined to leave. “Okay. I guess I’ll see you later.”
He nods confidently. “You will.” His attention shifts to Eliza behind me; his eyes grow softer. “Bye, Eliza.”
I glance over my shoulder.
Eliza steps forward. “Erik, why don’t you stay just a little longer?” Her face is scrunched with torment, like she’s really worried about him leaving.
“I can’t, even though you know I would love to.”
Eliza’s lips tug upward with a newfound tenderness. “I know.”
What does that mean? My stare lingers on Eliza’s face longer than it probably should.
Slam!
Erik shutting his car’s door grabs my attention, and I watch him drive away. Only after the gates close behind him do I focus on Eliza. “Care to fill me in on what’s going on?”
“Why don’t you just come in? Have you eaten lunch yet?”
“No, but I’m not really hungry. Especially after coming home to this.”
“You’re not going to drop this, are you?”
I don’t break eye contact with her. “Nope.”
She sighs. “Let’s go inside and sit down, okay?”
My chest is heavy with concern. “Okay.”
Eliza extends her arms. “First, come here and give me a hug. I’ve missed you.”
I walk into her loving embrace.
She puts her arms around me, and we hold each other tight for a second. She smells of jasmine. “I’m sorry you had to come home to that.”
I swallow hard. Is Erik in some kind of trouble? Or maybe Eliza is, and she called Erik to help her? I try to bat away the whirlwind of thoughts that try to consume me.
We break apart. “It’s fine, but I do want to know what’s going on.”
She nods and reaches for my duffle bag. I give it to her, and she attempts a smile. “Let’s get in then.”
We walk through the large wooden, antique door into the foyer. Home. The openness of the layout is always a breath of fresh air. The cityscape of Stalwarth is a sight to be seen from the windows that surround the living room and dining room. All the skyscrapers stand tall, and even from here, I can tell the city is bustling with life. Trees are embracing the time of year with their brilliant hues of orange, yellow, and reds. It’s a perfect autumn day.
Eliza sets down my bag and turns into the kitchen, and I follow, noticing the smells of citrus fruits. Eliza goes to the kitchen island and sits on one of the bar stools.
I sit opposite of her.
She rubs her forehead. “Oh boy … where do I begin?”
Fear and worry poke my face. “Just tell me what’s going on.”
Her hands come to countertop, and she clasps them together. “Honey, Erik is looking into your parents’ murders.”
My chest feels like someone just dropped an anvil on it, and I gasp. “What? What do you mean he’s looking into their murders?”
“Well … after talking with you, he can’t stop thinking about them. He always felt like there was something more to their deaths, and he’s determined to figure it out. He’s tried to investigate before, back when everything first happened, but he kept getting dead ends. Then, with the Mad Marie attacks, he just didn’t have it in him to keep going at the time.”
“That really did take a
toll on him didn’t it? I mean, I know my parent’s deaths weren’t easy, but I never really knew much about what was going on with Mad Marie afterward.”
Eliza’s lips pinch together. “I didn’t let you know about any of it. You were dealing with the loss of your parents. You didn’t need to know about the rest of the horrors happening in the world.”
Sometimes it’s easy to forget how much I isolated myself from everything back then. “What did happen? With Mad Marie, that is.”
Her eyes drop, and the wrinkles around her mouth get more prominent. It’s not often I notice the signs of Eliza’s age. “It was a dark time. Mad Marie is just that … mad. She also has a horrifying ability. She herself is radioactive, and she can use her blood as a toxic chemical. She actually has some kind of contraption on her finger that lets her easily access her blood. Erik was the only one who could get near her, but even he has his limits. It took him a few months to fully regenerate after the countless battles with her, which the public doesn’t know about.”
“Oh, wow. How did he stop her then?”
“Mad Marie would attack every day, but not for long. She doesn’t have an endless supply of blood and would grow weak fast. Iron Forge was always her bodyguard, but one day, Prism distracted him long enough for Erik to close in on Mad Marie. She practically tried to melt him, but he managed to keep a hold of her.”
“But how did he actually manage to capture her?”
“The Guardians have a secret weapon that’s only given the approval to use when there seems to be no other way of stopping a villain.”
I tilt my head with intrigue. “What’s that?”
Eliza pinches the bridge of her nose. “The Supprimer. It’s an injection that isolates the part of the brain where a person’s abilities lie. It neutralizes them, but it can be reversed. Only the top-level League members have access though.”
My eyes widen with horror. “That’s a thing?”
She nods and drops her hand. “Yes, but I think this may be the only time in the last decade or two that someone has used it. It’s not something they want to bring out, because they don’t want the villains to get their hands on it.”
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