“Yes, exactly. So instead of clouding what I know for a fact by their emotions, I choose to ignore it. Unless it is demanded.”
“So you cannot scent if someone is, say, being dishonest?”
“I can. But again, I am used to not looking at emotions. I don't try to think about why someone is lying. But I try to find out for sure who they’ve interacted with. Some scents linger on you. Those scents are the people you live with, let's say. But if I scent lies or an unknown scent on you, I might think that you’re having an extra marital affair. But maybe that unknown scent is from the salesperson of the shop you stopped at on your way. Does that make sense?”
She thinks some more. “Yeah, it makes sense. So why did you say that you cannot do much more with your gift?”
“Umm...just that, I don't know what good it does. I mean, it can always be masked. But then again, if the person I am talking to has met people whose scent I am not familiar with or if it's the first time I am scenting that on them, then it does no good trying to know who they met. That’s why.”
“Okay, I get that. And what else can you do? I mean in the basic thing, what are you stronger at than the others?”
“At tracking. I can track anybody, anything, once I have scented them. But then the other day, I wasn't able to track you. And now I know why. I think you were born with a natural barrier and a shield. None of the magical or gifted or supernaturals - whatever you want to call them - can find you. I wonder if that can be changed? Like maybe you need to want to be found or something….” I trail off, rubbing my chin. Thinking hard on this.
There is silence, and when I look up I find Ada deep in thought.
“What?” I ask her.
“Umm… nothing. Just thinking.”
“No, tell us. What are you thinking?”
She looks at everyone, then shakes her head.
“I have a theory, but maybe I’ll wait until I know what everyone else can do. Maybe then these jumbled thoughts can make sense in my mind.” She gives me a smile and I relax.
“Okay. Thanks Vee. Ash?” Sensei calls.
Ash nods and looks at Ada.
“I can hear what I want to hear.” He says simply. No preamble. No introduction. No building up of things. Just I can hear what I want to hear.
“Ummm… can't we all?” Ada asks with a raised eyebrow, and a laugh sputters out of me.
But Ash…. there is a smug look in his eyes, and I don’t know if he is going to try and show off. Someone tell him that showing off with his powers to Ada is not a good idea.
“Sorry. I meant, I can hear what I want to hear, in their minds,” he says smugly, with a tinge of sarcasm.
I am confused beyond fuck right now, why? What? I look at Enzo and he is looking at Ash with a small frown on his face.
Ada keeps looking at him for more. But Ash just stops, looking smug.
What is he doing?
“And that explains everything to me I guess.” She shrugs her then turns to look at Enzo, seemingly dismissing Ash.
This is so unlike Ash. Why the fuck is he acting that way?
Then I see it. The fear. The fear in his eyes. And the smugness. What the hell, both things together do not gel.
I clear my throat and shift in my chair. I look up to find Sensei and Pa looking at Ash carefully too. Perhaps in annoyance.
Ash exhales loudly then curtly says, “actually the thing is that I am not sure I want to tell you to be honest.”
He looks down, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone.
Ada opens her mouth to say something but then thinks better of it. Instead, she gives him a nod and says, “I respect that. Enzo?” Ada asks softly, turning to Enzo who is looking confused as heck at Ash’s behaviour.
Something makes me think that Ash is going to pay for it. That tilts my lips up. Just the promise of seeing this bundle of fire in action is somehow exhilarating.
Enzo is about to start when Ash starts speaking.
“So you don't want to know what I can do?” I can hear the vulnerability in his voice. Or is it desperation?
“Are you PMS-ing?” Ada asks.
“What?”
“Are you PMS-ing? You know, do you have your male version of periods?”
Ash’s face turns red and everyone in the room is trying not to laugh.
“What the hell. Of course not.”
Ada rolls her eyes. Then leveling him with her stare she says, “you said you didn’t want to tell me. And I am honoring that. Have you changed your mind?”
“No. But it hurts to see that you wouldn’t even want to press me for sharing something that everyone else knows.”
A degree of coldness seeps in Ada’s eyes. “I am honoring what you told me. Do not for one moment think that you can come back and put the blame on me saying I don't want to know. And you know what Asher? I don't want you to know about what I can do either. So when Baba and Dad are discussing my powers or skills and training me, I would appreciate it if you were not present.”
Asher. Ouch.
Burn!
“What the hell! Why wouldn't you want -”
“No, seriously. Do you have your period? Why the fuck are you behaving like this? I would have expected this of Enzo, not you.”
“Hey!” Enzo shouts.
Lexie shakes with silent laughter and when her brother gives her a glare, she flips him off.
Lexie. Flips. Her. brother. Off.
Enzo and I exchange an amused glance.
“Asher, calm down. You told her you don't want her to know. And she is letting you know that you will get the same treatment. Stop pouting like a petulant child and let us continue.” Sensei speaks up, and for a moment it looks like Ash is going to stomp out of the room.
“You always take her side!” Ash shouts at him.
Everyone is on their feet in an instant. Except Ada. Pa comes to stand between Sensei and Ash, calling his magic to one hand, and his dagger to another. Ash is vibrating, and we don't know what is happening or why.
Yes, Sensei will always take Ada’s side, but that is because she is usually right. And she is his grand-daughter. Might not be blood related. But in every way that matters, she is.
What the fuck is wrong with Ash?
“Ash!” Lexie hisses from next to him, tugging him backwards.
Ada sits still, looking at Ash.
“Asher. Back down. What has gotten into you?” Pa seethes, and I wouldn't want to cross him. But Ash just puffs out his chest and takes a step forward.
“You are both always running around her. She has you wrapped around her little finger. And you expect us to do the same? I won't do it. What is so special about her anyway?” He spits the words out.
What the fuck is wrong with him.
Ada’s back is to me, but I see her head jerk away to look at Sensei. She signs something and Sensei’s eyes widen. Yeah, my girl can sign.
Sensei starts blinking, rapidly. Ada shakes her head and signs something else.
Sensei continues blinking. And then I realize that he is communicating with her in morse code.
Well, fuck me!
She signs something more and Pa gives a subtle nod.
Ash continues spewing poison about Ada and Sensei. Pa responds. Pa and Ash are talking back and forth and Ash is visibly getting more and more agitated.
Ada gets on her feet silently, as if not to spook Ash, and turns to Enzo, who is alert and looking at Ash with a thousand questions running through his eyes. Ada signs to Enzo and this time I see what she says.
‘He is not himself. Somebody found a way to control him. Baba says that someone is inside his head. Can you do something?’ she signs.
Enzo blinks, mouth open as he gapes at her. I gape at her. Lexie and Ry too.
How the fuck does she know?
‘Can you or not?’ She signs again frantically.
Pa and Ash are continuing their stupid verbal games. Pa, most likely to continue the charade and to give us time to figur
e things out.
Enzo thinks for a moment, then raises his hand and gives a decisive nod. He looks at Ry and me, and we position ourselves close to Ash. Closing his eyes, Enzo lets his purple magic loose then slaps Ash with his magic - his equivalent of bashing Ash’s head with a blunt object. Ash falls, and Ry and I are in position to catch him.
“What the fuck happened? How the fuck did that happen?” Pa's voice is furious.
“I don't understand. I sealed their magic myself. They are not in a position to do anything from where we left them,” Sensei says, looking at Ash, as we settle him on the couch.
“Umm...so… if someone controlled his mind, then can they hear us now?” Ada asks.
I cannot believe that this girl has lived without her magic for so long. It’s a shame really.
“No. If the subject is unconscious then the gifted using him as a tool cannot access their minds, senses or magic,” Pa tells her.
“What is his power? Could they be listening to us or be controlling us all this time?” Ada asks, there’s still much she doesn’t know about the ways of the gifted. So I leave it to Sensei and Pa to explain.
“Do any of you feel different? Is someone controlling you?” Sensei asks all of us.
“Not that I can tell,” I answer.
“No.” comes from the others.
“Ash’s gift is hearing. He can hear a person’s thoughts. It isn't always, but only when he turns that on. And, he can enter a person’s mind and can hear what conversations the subject's had, or he can hear their current thoughts and from before,” Pa tells her.
“So anyone could read my mind or control my mind?” Ada asks, truly horrified.
“No. Only a few can control others’ minds. What he can do is rare too. He can hear their thoughts, as well as past and present conversations and talks. From a distance. He has to sift through the tons of data that our minds have, but he can do that.”
“Okay. So nobody can hear us. But …. Considering Ash is in their minds, could they reverse compel him or something?”
What?
“What are you saying?” Sensei says walking forward until he is toe to toe with Ada.
“If he is in their minds, could they have managed to compel him or something to react this way? Like, is there a trigger or something? There was some other influence in his mind, his consciousness had taken a back seat. What could have caused this?” She looks at Ash with concern “and more importantly, will he be alright? When he wakes up, will he be back to himself? And when he is in others’ minds, can he compel them in any way? Or leave thoughts or suggestions? Like subliminal programming? And, can someone try to fight this level of control?”
“We will have to see about that when he wakes up and also discuss the other things you brought up later.” Sensei looks at Ash and then at Enzo, “did he try to get in the captives’ minds yesterday?”
Enzo swallows, “Yes, he did. He couldn't get anything out of them though.”
“I have an idea…,” Lexie speaks softly, still sounding unsure of herself. She is looking at Pa, and upon his nod she clears her throat. “Let’s quickly finish telling her what Enzo’s powers are so that Ada can get an understanding of what we can do as a team. Then try and figure out what happened with Ash? I think she has an idea. But, if you wouldn't have told her to check with Enzo, Sensei, she could have wasted precious seconds trying to play chinese whispers. She needs to know everything before we do anything else.”
Well look at that! She is starting to think like Ada too.
Sensei looks almost proud of Lex and I know she sees it too. He gives a nod and gestures at all of us to take our seats.
As we position ourselves, Ada sits up straight.
“Baba, Dad…. We need to find something. I don't know what. But…. I need to know what Enzo can do….” Ada says and everybody stills.
“What do you feel?” Pa comes and kneels in front of her.
“That we need to go to the gardens, to the shed. But after Enzo tells me what he can do.” Ada says looking all over the floor, as if reading things written there.
And to imagine that she could do this even before her magic was awakened.
Sensei and Pa are overcome with urgency as they look at Enzo and gesture at him to continue.
“Okay, so I have what you would call telekinesis. I can feel the objects with my powers, without touching them, and by feeling them, I can know the emotions attached to those objects. I can see what happened around that object if a high dose of emotions were infused in them. Basically, I can do whatever you can do with your hands, but with my magic. And it is complemented by a surge of power that enables me to lift heavier objects with my magic and shift them or move them around. I can also touch people with my magic, and there is no limitation. For example, I can do this,” he stops and makes a subtle movement with his hand and Ada sucks in a breath. He has loosened her hair from the top knot with his magic, and is now drawn to one side over her shoulder. “There are no limits to this. It is a physical skill, not manipulating your minds in anyways, unlike the others.”
“Okay… so when you touch a person with your magic, can you tell what they are feeling, like you can with objects?”
“I can. But I do not touch humans long enough to know their emotional state. If I do, they will know when my magic touches them. It isn't subtle like mental skills. If you feel a hand on your neck, what would you do? You would want to swat it away, right? And to feel the emotional state, the touch would have to remain there for a long time. So unless I have been given permission specifically, I don’t do that.”
She nods and looks at the floor as she tries to take in everything. “Okay. That makes sense. So you are also physically strong? Or is it only during the time you use your power?”
“I am stronger than the others. Strength is sort of my power, it goes hand in hand with my magic. But with magic turned ON it is lethal,” he gives her a dangerous smile.
And she returns his smile with a genuine one of her own.
“Okay. Thanks Enzo. Shall we all go to the shed?” she asks looking around and I am surprised to see that Sensei and Pa are on the balls of their feet.
They must have a great amount of faith in these feelings of hers because they’ve been on edge ever since she said she’s had a feeling.
We all file out, with Sensei and Pa leading the way, Lexie and Ry behind them, followed by Ada and then Enzo and I.
“They have a huge amount of faith in her feelings, don't they?” I ask Enzo.
He glances at me sideways while saying, “her ‘feelings’ saved us Vee. Never forget that.”
With that he stomps forward and starts walking next to Ada.
Well damn. He does have a point.
I watch as she looks up at him and smiles and Enzo’s entire face lights up. His gaze softens, his lips turn up into a smile on their own, and he places his hand on the small of her back.
Well fuck. He is in deep with her already.
Chapter 34
Ada
A tingle runs down my spine as Enzo’s hand comes to rest on my lower back. Thank God for my hair falling as a curtain around my face or he’d be able to see me blushing.
Urrghhh so irritating.
Not him. But me.
Everytime one of them touches me I get these stupid tingles. Ash was just attacked mentally and I am getting jelly-legged over a hand on my back.
Fuck’s sake.
But suddenly a thought comes to my mind.
“Guys,” I call out, stopping and turning to look at the house. “What if Ash wakes up and he is still under the influence? What's the worst that could happen?”
My eyes are glued to the mansion as if I will be able to catch any movement. When a few seconds of silence become too much, I look around and everyone around me has their eyes glued to the mansion as well.
“The worst that could happen is he sets the captives free,” Dad tells me. “Ryan, could you please be on babysitting duty?”
We all turn around and start walking to the shed. As our steps get closer, a sense of urgency fills me. Something big is in the shed. I don’t sense that our lives will be in danger, but there is something there, that will change our course of action. I feel it. I am sure of this, as sure as I am of the ground that I’m walking on.
Enzo steps forward and pulls the doors of the shed open, and turns on the lights. It’s a normal looking shed, with tools and some kind of supplies in it.
We stop at the entrance and cast a look around. I cannot see anything that calls my attention. So, I close my eyes and let my instincts take over.
After a few fortifying breaths, I am pushed to take a step towards my left. I keep walking until I stumble across something.
With a jerk I open my eyes and see someone - lying face down, naked, with burn marks.
“Dad!” I call out.
I bend down to take a look at this person, is he breathing, is he alive, when I am jerked back and Vince and Dad come to step between me and the body.
I hear all the men take a sharp inhale, while Lexie and I look on. I tilt my head to look at Enzo and see his jaw is set, eyes burning with uncontrolled rage.
“How the heck did he get in here?” Vince asks softly, looking at Sensei and Dad.
Enzo lets go of me and pulls out his cellphone. He dials a number and puts it on speaker.
Ryan’s voice comes over,”yeah?”
“Can you go and check on our captives?”
A beat of silence and some shuffling. “Sure thing. Give me a few.”
Enzo stays on line while I look at the burnt person in front of me.
I whisper to Dad. “Is he alive?”
He looks at Baba, who nods. “Barely.”
“Who is he?”
“He looks like the leader of the captives,” Enzo tells me. He is still next to me, and I know without a doubt that if I make a move, any move, he will hold me back. I don't understand his caveman-like attitude. But we will deal with it later.
“They’re here.” Ryan’s voice comes over.
Dad and Baba’s faces turn grim.
Circle of Time: An urban fantasy (The Kazi Chronicles Book 1) Page 21
