“How do you withstand its pain?” I asked.
He looked up me, a spark of hope in his brown eyes. “You can feel it?”
I nodded. “All too well.”
“Would you endure it to save the guardian’s life?”
I looked at him, eyes widening. Didn’t he remember my pitiful display over the broken rib? I’d only touched the tree for a split second and couldn’t stand it. “I’ll try,” I whispered, unable to deny his pleading eyes.
“I’ll give you my strength if you give it your healing touch.”
I nodded, not understanding a word he said. He laced his fingers through mine, and I reached towards the tree with a shaking hand. Kellen’s spark raced up my arm, tickling my senses. I felt it dive towards my middle as I touched the wounded tree.
Pain surged through my body. I tried to focus on the water around me, but I could only feel the tree’s agony. I jerked my hand away. “Kellen, I don’t think I can do it,” I said between gasps. “Its pain is unbearable.”
He reached up and wiped a tear from my cheek.
“Have you tried to mix your magic yet?” Logan asked from behind us.
“No,” Kellen replied, not hiding the bitterness in his voice. He rose to his feet, pulling me with him. “We haven’t exactly had time.”
“Your mother had earth and water, didn’t she?” Logan asked.
Kellen nodded and looked back at the guardian.
“You two can do it together, it’ll just be harder. More so because you haven’t practiced reaching for each other.” Logan looked at me with a sad smile. “Don’t fight it, princess. Every instinct you have will try to fight against him. Don’t.”
I had no idea what he was talking about, so I just stared at him.
“Let’s go to the practice room, where there are fewer distractions,” Logan suggested.
“We can’t leave them,” Kellen argued.
“You can do nothing for them until you two can work together,” Logan countered. “The emotions lingering here will keep AJ from being able to reach you.”
“I feel the trees?” I asked. “This is their sadness?”
“Not just the guardians,” the vampire replied. “Come on. Let’s not waste time arguing about it.”
He left us standing in the broken garden. For the first time, I saw true uncertainty in Kellen’s eyes. A rustling of leaves drew my attention to the opposite side of the garden. All six of the uninjured trees seemed to bow, their long fronds touching the sand before resuming their full height.
“AJ, I…” Kellen’s voice stuttered several times, and I turned back to him, waiting silently, realizing whatever he needed to say was going to be difficult. “There cannot be two people on this planet more different than you and I,” he said. “Everything about us is on opposite ends of the spectrum. In a normal world, we wouldn’t even be friends.”
His words hurt. I looked away, knowing what was coming next. I’d accepted rejection so many times in my life.
He gently lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. I tried not to scowl, but my eyes narrowed and my lips turned down on their own. A puzzled look crossed his face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, please just say what you need to say.”
“You think I’m going to reject you? I can see it on your face.”
“What am I supposed to think?” I asked, not hiding the contempt I felt. “People never accept me, Kellen. Why would you be any different?”
“Because they could not see who you are,” he replied. “That’s not what I’m struggling to say. Dual mages do not have partners, AJ. They don’t need them. The occurrence is so rare, they’re able to write them all on a single sheet of paper. In every instance, the pairs are exactly like you and I.” He paused again. “Logan wants us to do something we aren’t ready for. I wouldn’t even attempt it before you had more training, but he’s right. We can’t heal them alone.” He looked back at the wounded guardians. “I fear you will reject me, and I’ll lose the guardians.”
I didn’t know what to say. Could I really have a true friend? A partner for life? My elements seemed to think so, but I resented that they made the decision for me. It felt like another entity in my life controlling me. I followed Kellen’s painful gaze and shook my head. Of course, they knew better than I did.
“Let’s go irritate Logan, then we can come back and fix your guardians.”
Chapter 17
I sat cross-legged in front of Kellen in the middle of the dirt floor. The moonlight streamed in from the high windows behind him, casting shadows across his already dark features. It was the only thing illuminating the room. Logan sat next to me, and I envisioned a bizarre three-leaf clover. How ridiculous, the two mages and the vampire. Even if I couldn’t deny this world, though it still seemed a little absurd. I giggled, and both men looked at me.
“Nothing, just nervous,” I said meekly, straightening my back.
“Alright, this will likely get messy, and I’ll need to leave in a hurry,” Logan began. “So, listen up. It’s extremely important that you do not fight each other. Your opposing elements will posture and jockey for lead positions. Let them. Under no circumstance should you interfere.” He took a deep breath. “Air and water created a tremendous thunderstorm during mine. I can only imagine what will happen with all four.” He pushed himself to his feet and laid a hand on each of our shoulders. “Focus on the spark between you and ignore the elements. They chose each other for a reason; let them figure it out.” He turned towards the door, and I grabbed his hand.
“You’re not staying?” I asked.
“Nope, I just talked myself out of it,” he replied. “You’ll do great. See you in the morning.”
“The morning?” Kellen and I said together.
“Will it really take that long?” Kellen asked. “What about the guardians?”
“I’ll continue to use what little magic I have to help them,” Logan replied. “They aren’t as fragile as you think. Stay focused on each other.”
“You already said that twice,” I said to his back as he walked through the door, closing it behind him. I frowned and looked back to Kellen. “His instructions sucked. Do you know how to start this… this process?”
“No, not really,” Kellen replied with a shrug. “But let’s not start with fire and air, and I don’t think we want all four at once.”
“I got the impression we didn’t have a choice.”
“We might not.” Kellen placed both palms on the dark soil, and I noticed it start to ripple. “Your turn,” he said.
“I don’t know what to do,” I replied.
“Can you feel the moisture in the air?” he asked. “You called on it easily enough at Victor’s.”
“I was a little irritated at Victor and you, for that matter,” I replied. “The two of you acted like teenage boys, trying to see who could be more intimidating.”
“Who won?” he asked.
“Seriously?” I asked. How was that even relevant? We were supposed to be connecting or something.
“Of course.”
“Victor, by a long shot,” I replied. “The man is enormous.”
“Wow, that hurts,” he said, placing a hand over his heart. “Didn’t our run through the desert earlier impress you at all?”
“That was rather impressive, but I haven’t seen what Victor can do.” Clearly, we had arrogance issues, which surprised me coming from Kellen. I hadn’t seen that side of him. Confidence, yes, but not arrogance.
“We’re getting distracted. Can you feel the water in the air?” he asked.
I concentrated on my surroundings, trying to recall the heavy feeling at Victor’s. “Nope. Maybe the air is just dryer here?”
“Alright, sit next to me and face the fountain. Maybe you need to start with a visual.”
I scooted on my butt until I turned full circle. I looked down at my skinny thigh next to Kellen’s well-defined muscles and frowned. “That is disconcerting,” I said.
/> “What?” he asked.
I poked at his leg, making him flinch. He laughed, and I looked up at him.
“I keep telling you to eat. You’re like a walking skeleton.” He continued to stare at me, making my frown deepen. “Okay, as soon as you gain some weight, we’ll work on building muscle.”
“Don’t patronize me,” I mumbled.
“I’m not. You’re the one who keeps pointing out how small you are. You should consider it a gift. You will always be underestimated, which gives you an advantage over your opponent.”
“Maybe I don’t want to fight.”
“You aren’t going to have a choice.” His mood sobered, and he tilted his head towards the fountain. “Let’s stay focused.”
I followed his gaze and settled on the large stone fountain across the room. Water flowed from a spout on the wall into a half-moon shaped basin. It splashed softly into the pool, and I let the sound calm my mind. I closed my eyes and imagined the water rising from the fountain in the shape of a person. It pointed at me and drew a large circle with its arm. I had no idea what I was trying to create, but it looked cool in my head.
“Open your eyes,” Kellen whispered.
I opened one eye and gasped. It was nothing like I imagined. Moonlight reflected off the narrow stream flowing over the edge of the fountain and across the dirt floor. It made a slow circle, surrounding Kellen’s rippling earth. I opened both eyes when the earth sunk and swallowed the water, creating a small moat.
“That’s cool,” I said quietly.
“Can you feel the water’s intentions?” Kellen asked.
“Sort of,” I replied, concentrating on the water. “Its willingness is apparent, but it doesn’t want to be, I don’t know, dictated to?” I looked up at him, hoping he understood. I wasn’t sure I could explain it any better.
“It’s willing to help, but on its own terms,” he suggested.
“Yes, exactly.”
“Okay, time for the other two,” he said. “The air should be easy to reach for.”
I nodded, uncertain what to do with my tenuous connection to water. I closed my eyes again and listened to the breeze coming in the open windows above us. A coyote’s howl followed the call of some bird I didn’t know. Crickets sang to one another. How was I supposed to call to the wind? I wasn’t even sure how to envision it. I suspected it spoke to me earlier without any encouragement on my part.
The smell of water-logged soil reached my nose, mixing with a tangy smoke. I sneezed and opened my eyes. Tiny tornadoes whirled around the room, picking up grains of soil as they went. A line of fire raced towards a dust-devil on my left and was consumed by it. The tornado grew and flared red. I thought I saw a set of eyes between the swirls of fire and dirt, but they vanished instantly. Another line of fire raced towards the now growing tornado. The flames stopped just short and circled the whirlwind, forming a barrier around it. The air reacted immediately, plunging into the line and sucking the fire into its raging center. Three more lines of fire burst into existence and rushed the tornado that consumed their brethren. The remaining smaller tornadoes consolidated and joined the larger one.
“Kellen?” I whispered, not taking my eyes from the stand-off between the two elements. “Should we be concerned?”
“Logan said to ignore them and find the spark between us.”
I pulled my gaze from the tornado that now reached the stone ceiling and saw Kellen staring at the fire that rose to meet it. His profile intrigued me. I touched the side of his face and felt the little spark jump to my fingers. He turned towards me and took my hand in his own. The spark jumped again, and I smiled.
“They’re going to be really hard to ignore,” I said.
“Agreed. I’m grateful the other two seem content to occupy our little moat.”
I twisted to face my partner, folding one leg beneath me and letting the other stretch out to my side.
“Can you make Sparky move, or does he have a mind of his own?” I asked.
“You named it? Really?” It was hard to see his expression with the shadows dancing across his face.
“If you can think of something better, I’m all ears.” He huffed, and I smiled.
“I’ve never tried to make it move,” he replied. “I didn’t even feel it until I removed your binding.”
“So, what does it feel like for you?” I asked. “I can only feel it when it’s running around inside me.” I strained to see his face beyond the shadows, but his expression eluded me.
“I’m not sure I can explain it,” he said after several moments of silence.
A fiery tornado rushed by us, leaving behind a wave of smoke and heat.
“That was close,” I gasped, leaning towards Kellen.
“Ignore them, remember,” he said.
“I noticed you tensing up as well,” I retorted, watching the tornado collide with the stone wall. The fire separated from it and rose into a solid barrier of flames, trapping the tornado against the stone. A thunderous roar shook the ground beneath us. The room grew unbearably hot, sweat dripping down the sides of my face.
“That can’t be good,” I whispered.
“Logan said they would try to dominate each other,” Kellen murmured.
“Why aren’t the other two joining the fight?” I asked.
“They aren’t as aggressive, even though they’re probably stronger,” Kellen replied. “We’re getting distracted again. We have yet to do anything with this spark.”
“I don’t even know what we’re supposed to do with it,” I said. “I feel like a bystander as the elements decide everything.”
“Maybe they’re making the decisions because we aren’t,” he suggested.
“You need to turn around so I can see your expression,” I said, feeling my lower lip extending to a pout. “I can’t tell if you’re being serious or sarcastic.”
“Then I’m definitely not moving,” he replied. “Besides, I love watching your expressions. You hide nothing.”
I pushed myself to my feet and put my hands on my hips. I knew I had control over nothing, but he didn’t have to confirm it. I also knew it wasn’t what he meant, but it was true. He and Logan pushed me into their possession, and now these elements dictated the rest. Regardless of the awesome display of power, I felt trapped.
“Sit down, AJ. I’m just teasing you,” Kellen said, but I could still hear the humor in his voice.
“No.”
I heard him sigh and saw his head shake from side to side. I reached towards his shoulder with my fingers extended.
“Here, Sparky,” I said, as if I called a pet. A sardonic smile crossed my face as it tugged at me. “That’s a good boy.” I held out both hands and watched in amazement as a jolt of light burned through Kellen’s t-shirt and jumped to my hands.
Kellen jumped to his feet and loomed over me.
“That was undignified,” he said with a low growl.
“No, that was really cool,” I replied. “See if you can call it back.”
I held out my cupped hands and my smile grew as the spark raced beneath my skin and up my arm. I laughed as it wove circles around my stomach, fluttering against my ribs. I didn’t want to be amused by this mischievous little shit, but I couldn’t help it. “Oh my God, that tickles,” I said between giggles. “Are you doing that?”
I looked up to see half his face illuminated by the moonlight. He was smiling when I expected him to be mad. “Nope, but I wish I was,” he replied.
It raced around my ribs again, and I struggled to remain standing, wrapping myself in a hug to hold in my laughter. I couldn’t remember the last time I was tickled. It hurt. “Alright, that’s enough.” I gasped for breath, but the little spark was relentless. “Kellen, you need do something! My ribs ache.”
I raised my shirt to expose the pale skin on my stomach. A line of light raced around beneath my belly, and I assumed it was the mischievous spark. It stopped at my belly button, and I swore it was watching me.
Kel
len placed his hand near my stomach, almost touching me. “Get over here, stupid.” Sparky made a slow circle around my middle, then jumped to Kellen’s hand.
“What does that even mean?” I asked, truly confused by the little spark.
The ground shook violently beneath my feet, and I fell against Kellen. He wrapped an arm around me to steady me, but his focus was to his left. I followed his gaze and gasped.
A wall of solid earth collapsed over top of the flames and tornado. Steam rolled out from beneath the pile of dirt until the floor leveled out once more, removing any evidence of the once warring elements. An eerie silence filled the room.
Chapter 18
I looked up at Kellen to finding him staring back at me.
“Are they done?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I guess so.”
“I don’t feel like we accomplished anything,” I said, looking back at the spot where a raging tornado faced off the wall of fire. “Weren’t we supposed to merge our magic or something?”
“Or something,” he repeated. His voice sounded odd, and I turned back to him.
“What is it?”
He grabbed both my shoulders and knelt in front of me. “Can you feel that spark inside of me?” he asked. I saw uncertainty in his eyes again, the moonlight finally shining on his face and not mine.
I thought of Sparky. A flicker of light blinked against the dark skin on Kellen’s arm. “When I think of him, he appears, but I don’t feel him,” I replied, confused by his question. “Am I supposed to?”
He dropped his hands and looked at the dirt floor. I crouched in front of him with concern.
“What am I missing, Kellen?” I asked. “Please tell me.”
He took a long breath. “I can feel it inside you,” he replied. “I can feel your laughter and amazement as it races through your body.”
“Why don’t I feel yours?” I whispered, guilt mixing with my confusion, somehow knowing my ignorance played a role in our failure to achieve whatever we were supposed to do.
“Because you are undecided,” a low, rumbling voice said.
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