by Jade Frances
Our guardians had slowly been making their way over and had now stopped next to us. Barak placed his palm, almost affectionately, at the centre of Rose’s back. Who visibly calmed at his touch.
“This is unfamiliar territory for all of us, can we not start exploring with bitterness,” he gave each of us a pointed look. Usually Pearce was the one to take control of the situation, so it shocked us all that it was Barak. Silence greeted him, but Sandra was the first to recover.
“Right,” she stated as she threw him a dirty look. “Can we just get on with it?” she added as she turned and sauntered into the middle of the clearing. Barging past Egan as she went.
Hours had passed by and we were no closer to re-enacting the energy transference that we had in the cavern.
“This is pointless,” I moaned and threw myself on the ground. Laying on my back, I looked up at the glaring sun.
“You got that right,” Sandra agreed.
“Let’s just try one more time,” Rose said to us both, false hope emanating from her. She knew, just as much as we did, that it was pointless. Groaning, I perched myself up on my elbows. Looking up at Rose and then around us. The guardians obviously thought so too, because they were nowhere to be seen. They had slinked off, bored with waiting, I thought. Sandra shuffled next to me, whipping her head round.
“Can you hear that?” she asked us. Straining my ears, I couldn’t hear a thing.
“Nope,” I replied, laying back down.
“Yes, what is it, running water?” Rose muttered as she looked to each corner of the clearing. As soon as she turned back to face us, water came rushing through the trees from all sides. Rose instantly jumped into action, spinning in a circle, and pulling up the earth to slow it down. Spinning back around, she threw her hands out, calling for the ground to rise. “Girls, I need your help,” she shouted. Jumping up, panic started rising within me.
“Erm, not entirely sure my fire will help us,” I shouted back.
“Nor my water, Rose, what do you expect us to do?” Sandra joined in.
Sweat was dripping down Rose’s head as she continued to slow the water’s torrent. We all knew that soon enough, she would become too weak and exhausted to keep it up on her own. Tidal waves were now forming just beyond the tree line. If we didn’t do something soon, we would be royally screwed.
“Hope you girls enjoy swimming,” I muttered as I spun around to see if there was a gap anywhere we could escape through. No such luck. I walked over to Rose and put my hand on her shoulder, gesturing for Sandra to do the same. If we could strengthen Rose’s powers and help her, we might just stay dry, I thought. Focusing on the energy deep within me, I pictured it flowing through my hand and up into Rose. Tingling began, but not enough that it would help. Looking over at Sandra, I could sense her panic. Her eyes were wide, yet the creases above her brows told me she was concentrating. Taking her other hand in mine, I rested them both on Rose’s back. I opened up our bond. Again, I pulled my energy forward, focusing on the flow into Rose’s body and mind.
Push everything you can through our bond as well, Sandra, I sent.
I’m trying, she replied.
“Girls, it’s working, whatever you are doing keep going,” colour was rising in Rose’s cheeks and I could feel her getting stronger by the second. The more power she gained from us, the easier it was to pull the earth forward. Rose, the ultimate multi-tasker it seemed, began also forming a barrier of air. I watched on as tidal wave after tidal wave came crashing toward us. The current was strong. I doubted that even the strongest of swimmers could survive that. Rose’s barrier was holding. We watched silently as the waves crashed into it and sloshed backward, creating ripples in the onslaught of water that followed. None of us thought to look up, at least not until heavy rain started pelting down on us from the heavens.
The shock of the freezing water broke my connection with the girls, and I watched in horror as I felt the barrier drop. Sandra let out a high-pitched scream. Rose looked defeated. Just before a tsunami of water hit us, it stopped mid-air. Taller than the trees, it was the biggest body of water I had seen outside the sea. It definitely did not belong here in the middle of the forest. The rain eased and eventually stopped. Collapsing to the floor, I laid there, breathless, weak and soaking, in the now sodden grass. The sun filtered through the trees. Rose and Sandra joined me on either side.
“That bloody guardian of yours, Rose,” Sandra complained. Rose started giggling, and I turned to her with a questioning look.
“Sorry, but Barak’s specialty is lightning, we don’t know if it was him,” she chuckled.
“I can taste it,” Sandra spat.
“It worked, didn’t it,” Pearce said, appearing out of nowhere, casting a shadow over me and blocking the sun from my face.
“Move it. I need to dry off,” I grumbled. Pearce laughed; I mean, he actually laughed. It started as a low rumble in his chest, then rose and turned into a deep and hearty laugh.
The shock on my face must have been clear. As soon as he looked down at me, he stopped.
“I’m sorry, but you ladies look a picture. Soaked to the bone and lying in the mud,” he said, trying not to grin.
“Piss off, Pearce. I’m going back to my room before I catch a cold,” Sandra snapped. As she got up to leave, Egan followed closely behind. Even though her blonde hair was dripping wet, and her clothes had turned into more of a second layer of skin, she looked every bit a powerful, angry woman when she turned on him. Her hand shot out to the middle of his chest, stopping him in his tracks. “Don’t you dare Egan,” she said in a dangerously low voice. Boy, she was annoyed, I thought. Still, I watched on in fascination as she stormed off. Egan’s cheeks had a rosy tint and his eyes were cast to the ground. After a few minutes of silence, he took off, walking in the same direction that Sandra had.
“Man, I feel sorry for him,” Barak announced, although, like Pearce, I could tell that he was suppressing a smile.
“He has you to thank for that,” I told him as I took Pearce’s waiting hand and hauled myself off the ground. Secretly, I was very impressed with how powerful Barak’s water magic is, considering none of us knew he could do it. I wasn’t going to let him know that, though. My purple, wrinkly fingers were a telltale sign I would not heat up out here. I needed a bath and a fresh set of clothes. I threw Rose a slight smile.
See you later? I sent.
Sure, she replied, and with that I walked off with Pearce by my side.
“You girls did well today,” he said as he walked.
“We had no choice,” I replied a little moodily.
“Maybe that’s was all you needed, a little push.” He stopped to peel off his jumper and drape it over my shivering body.
“Well, it’s not like any of us wanted to drown. Thank you,” I said as my teeth chattered. Pulling his jumper around me tighter, I embraced the warmth of it.
My body was going numb as the door to our quarters opened. Except for my legs, they were painful to move. Pins and needles shot up them with each step I took. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs to rub them down before trying to continue.
“Here, let me help,” Pearce said as he scooped me up into his arms. The heat from his body helped, I shuffled my weight to get even closer and laid my head on his chest. Just take a minute, I thought as I closed my eyes. All too soon, a door creaking open had me opening them again.
“How did you open my… Oh!” I gasped as Pearce laid me on a bed that most definitely was not mine.
“Figured if you couldn’t manage the stairs, it would be dangerous to leave you in your room alone. Could fall asleep in the bath, or slip in the shower, or…” he stammered and shuffled from one foot to the other.
“I get it, it’s ok Pearce,” I half laughed at him. “Can I jump in the bath?” I asked. Pearce disappeared into the bathroom. A second later, the sound of flowing water made its way to me.
“Erm, need a hand?” he asked as he walked back in. My head whipped round to look at him. “I
mean, I can get Rose, or Sandra,” he said, his cheeks going red.
“Oh, no, thanks, I’ll be fine,” I replied, trying to hide a smile at the awkwardness.
Sauntering past him into the bathroom, I closed the door and stripped off my soaking clothes. Dipping a toe into the bath, I sighed in relief as the heat spread through me. Virtually diving into the tub, I thought, maybe I could just escape in here for a couple of hours. Pearce’s bathroom was a lot bigger than mine, as was the bath.
“Of course, he’s one of the best guardians,” I said to myself. Laying back, I reveled in the feeling of my wrought muscles loosening. I could feel myself about to drift off when Pearce knocked on the door to see if I was ok. I quickly shouted that I would be out in a minute. Reluctantly, I washed my hair and body super fast and jumped out of the bath. It was in that moment, wrapped in a towel in Pearce’s bathroom, that I realized I had no clothes here.
“Crap,” I muttered. Creaking the door open, I peeked around it. I couldn’t see Pearce though. Just as I was about to shout, I noticed one of his t-shirts laid out on the bed. Must be for me, I thought. Tiptoeing my way over, I grabbed it and ran back to the safety of the bathroom. It swamped me, the arms were massive, and it fell down past my knees, but at least it covered me. Walking out of the bathroom, I felt shy. Folding my arms across my chest, I noticed Pearce in an armchair next to a burning fire. I wondered if he had been there the whole time.
“Um, hey, thanks for the t-shirt,” I sputtered.
“I was going to ask the girls, but you don’t seem to want them to know that you’re in here,” he replied, not even looking in my direction. What was his problem? “Better?” he added.
“Much, thanks. Guess I’ll head back to my room,” I said as I backed toward the door. Was he offended that I didn’t want the girls to know?
“Sure.”
Again, he didn’t even look at me. With a flick of his wrist, the door opened up to the hallway. As I made a quick dash for my room, I rounded the corner and smacked straight into someone.
“Eurgh,” I groaned as the impact took the breath out of me.
“Hey, are you...” a male voice said, then paused, “ok?”
Looking up, I saw Adam looking anywhere but directly at me. Oh God, how awkward.
“I’m fine, sorry, just heading to my room,” I told him, the words coming out in a flurry.
“You should probably get back before anyone else see’s you,” he muttered, looking at the t-shirt. Still, he avoided my eyes as he walked past me.
“Adam,” I called out, he paused at the end of the hall. “It’s not what you think,” I said and wrapped my arms even tighter around myself.
“It doesn’t matter what I think Evvy,” he whispered and rounded the corner to his room.
Shaking my head, I groaned. How embarrassing. Luckily, Adam wasn’t one for gossip, so no one else would hear about this. I’d never live it down with the girls. I just had to make it back to my room. Taking a deep breath, I sprinted the rest of the way, holding my palm up before I was even close to my door. Once I was inside, I slammed it shut and sat on the floor with my back to it. I feel drained; I thought. With a sigh, I opened up the bond.
How you girls doing? I asked, needing a distraction. I only had to wait a few seconds before Sandra’s reply.
Not moving from this bath, ever. Was all she said. I giggled.
Still in a mood, huh? I replied.
This is not a mood Evangeline; it is a point to be made. We could have drowned, or gotten ill, and I swear if it ruins the bleach in my hair, Barak is paying for it, she snapped. And there we have it, the actual reason for her mood. I didn’t want to be on the receiving end of it, so fighting back more giggles, I told her I would see them later for dinner. It only occurred to me, as I shut off the bond, that Rose hadn’t answered. I hadn’t even felt her presence, strange. I made a mental note to ask her. A slight flicker of fear ran through me, as the memory of us being blocked from one another entered my mind. No, surely not. No one here at the academy was capable of that. Not that we knew of, anyway.
Today was the day of Ava’s arrival, and Avetta had given me the morning off of training. Although, part of me wished she hadn’t. I had sat around anxious and bored, just waiting. It was early afternoon now, and I still hadn’t heard anything. Pacing our shared common room, I started fiddling with the books that lined the shelves. Anything to keep me occupied. The silence wasn’t helping. Just as I thought that, Pearce’s voice boomed out of nowhere, making me jump.
“Ava has arrived, but isn’t permitted into this building, they will house her with the students,” he informed me. Back to formality, I guess. My shoulders slumped, and I slid a book back in place. I knew it was the better option for her. Ava’s experience of academy life would be the complete opposite to ours. We were under constant supervision and weren’t exactly here by choice. Ava would be free to mix and integrate herself into the system. Something occurred to me as I thought of her future here. Turning to Pearce, I tried to put on my sweetest smile. He took one look at me and knew what I was up to.
“What do you need?” he asked.
“If she’s seen with me, the other students might isolate her before they even give her a chance. Can you bring her here?” I asked as politely as I could muster.
“You think walking through the grounds, with your guardian, to our quarters, wouldn’t give that away anyway?” he reasoned.
“Oh yeah, I suppose. It’s ok I’ll ask Adam,” I replied sulkily and made for the door. Pearce’s hand shot out in front of me, a deep frown was set on his face.
“No. I’ll sort it,” he growled and walked out of the room. Rolling my eyes, I sank into an armchair.
“Men,” I muttered to myself. Well, I could only wait.
A little while later, and having rearranged every shelf in the room, I heard footsteps heading my way. The door swung open and in bounced Ava. I stood back, unsure how to greet her and wanting to get a good look at her first. With her mousy brown hair and compact frame, Ava had always looked young for her age, but at least she looked healthy. Even her clothes fit her. Usually, she wore hand-me-downs from the children’s home, that you could tell were never bought specifically for her.
“Evvy!” she shouted as she bounced over, and wrapped her arms around me. Hugging her tightly back, I realized just how much I had missed her.
“How are you?” I asked as I guided her to a seat.
“Oh excellent, I can’t wait! Avetta just gave me my timetable, look! Look at the classes I have!” she exclaimed. I took the piece of paper she was excitedly shoving in my face and read it slowly. Divination, History of Prophets and Precognitive Dreaming, were only three of the seven classes that Ava would be taking. I felt a slight pang of jealousy. They would introduce Ava to this world in an environment where she was free to explore and learn. They had thrown in me, with more questions than answers and still a hazy knowledge of the gifted.
“It looks amazing Ava,” I gave her a smile as I handed it back to her. “How were the children’s home with your transfer?” I asked.
“Oh totally fine, they think that I have been accepted into a school for the gifted, little do they know. Avetta’s very persuasive,” she giggled as she spoke.
“How have you been since everything? You know since Aresollo…” I probed. It was an uncomfortable topic but one I felt we need to at least touch on. I still hadn’t gotten the entire scope from her. She squirmed in her seat and looked away.
“I spend some time with Avetta to talk it through. It wasn’t all bad, he didn’t treat me awful the whole time. As long as I gave him what he wanted he left me alone. One guy there, he’s the same age as me. Well, he treated me nice and snuck me more food sometimes.”
Pearce chose that moment to join us and walked over to mess up Ava’s hair.
“Pearce!” she shouted, even more excited than she had been to see me. Ava jumped off her seat and threw herself into his arms. A low chuckle escaped h
is lips as he held her close. Another pang of jealousy coursed through me as I watched their easy interaction. I also wanted to hear more about Ava’s experience with The Veil.
“Hey my favorite seer! Glad you arrived safely,” he told her.
“I’m the only seer, silly,” Ava replied in her sweet sing-song voice.
“True, but if there were others you would be my favorite,” Pearce told her softly. Glancing over her head at me, he gave me a small wink and smile. I had never seen him so relaxed and non-guardian like. As if he sensed my discomfort, he held Ava at arm’s length and told her he would see her later. He had business to attend to, supposedly. Ava gave him another quick hug, and we both watched him leave. Turning to me, her eyes were bright, and cheeks flushed.
“Have you two got together yet?” she asked.
“Ava! Let’s not talk guys, I want to hear about you,” I replied shocked. So we sat for hours, whilst Ava brought me up to speed on her newfound abilities and everything else that had happened since I last saw her at Moorway House. It was only when Pearce came knocking to let me know it was time to go see Demetrios, that I realized how late it was getting. Giving Ava a hug, I told her she would settle in no problem and lied about how nice the students were here. Bouncing through the grounds, with an extra skip in her step, I prayed she would get on better here than she ever had at the children’s home.
“Evangeline, just on time, come on in,” Demetrios greeted me as his door swung open. The atmosphere in the room felt odd today, tense, I thought as I took my usual seat. “Anything you wish to discuss with me today?” he asked me, unusual.
“Erm, no, nothing I can think of,” I replied. Demetrios took the seat opposite me and pulled out a notepad and pen. I had an overwhelming sense that we were going to talk about something uncomfortable.
“Evangeline, let’s dive right in. We are aware you can control all four elements. Have you tried to learn why? Other than your impeccable heritage.” Demetrios certainly dove straight in, right into a conversation I had tried to avoid for some time now.
