by Lola StVil
Malakaro smiles slightly and addresses Randy. “Only the ones who have been forgotten can truly understand you, Randall. Only the ones who they left behind can know the bitter taste it leaves. I broke free of my hell of wondering. I escaped my prison of questions. And I found answers—one answer. It doesn’t matter why they left us. They left us. And they. Will. Pay.”
“I’m not going to tell you again. Get the hell out of my damn house. Now!” I blare.
“Certainly, dear sister. But first I am going to do what I came here to do.”
I ready myself to attack, but Malakaro doesn’t strike. He just nods, and a small orb the size of a light bulb appears over Randy’s head.
“This is a memory ball. It’s used to share experiences with others you wish to be close with. It’s more powerful than a Replay. It not only allows you to go inside the memory, it also enables you to feel the exact same thing the owner of the ball felt in that moment,” Malakaro says.
“He’s not going inside any damn memory ball,” I inform the Noru.
“I could force you, Randall. But I won’t. I will only say that once you enter, you will find that you are not the only one who has been torn apart and discarded. You will see that you and I are in many ways the same.”
“Whose memory is it?” Randy asks.
“It’s mine. I’ve never shared it with anyone,” Malakaro says.
“What is it a memory of?” Randy whispers.
“The moment I learned how little I mattered in my father’s eyes.”
I text the team what has happened, and they all want to come into the room and talk to Randy. They want to make sure he doesn’t go inside Malakaro’s memory. I tell them to stay close by but to give Randy some space and that I am there to watch over him.
I’m torn; I don’t want to tell Randy outright that he can’t go inside the orb. It has to be his decision. Still, it’s hard to watch him wrestle with what to do. The orb is hanging over his head and moves as he moves. And as Randy walks back and forth, in deep thought, the orb follows him.
“Could this be a trick, Pry? I mean, is there any way I could get trapped inside his memory?”
“No. A memory ball is safe. You’re watching what goes on and feeling what the other being felt. But then it’s over and you will be right back here in this room with me.”
“Would you be able to see what I see?”
“Yes.”
“So…it’s not that bad, right?” Randy asks.
“Anything from Malakaro is bad. You know how evil he is. Every move he makes is to ensure our end. Why would you even consider going inside his memory?”
“Don’t you want to know what happened?”
“I know what happened. My dad had a son that he lost to evil. Period.”
“You were the one who said that there are two sides of the story and that I should hear people out,” he reminds me.
“I didn’t mean that about Malakaro. He’s dangerous. You of all people should know that.”
“I do.”
“Then why are we even having this conversation? Anything that comes from the sick mind of Malakaro should be avoided.”
“We know nothing about him. We only know what your father told us in his journal. What if it’s not like that at all?”
“Are you taking his side?”
“What? No! I’m just saying that if we understand him better, we might be able to take him down.”
“No, Randy, that’s not what you’re saying. We’ve been best friends forever, so cut the crap and tell me the truth. Why do you want to go inside this memory?”
“Because for years I felt alone when it came to the subject of my mom. And it would help to know I wasn’t the only one who was abandoned.”
“There are a lot of kids who didn’t grow up with their parent. Ask Silver.”
“Really? Silver barely talks to you about his mom. Why would he open up to me? And to be fair, she died. She didn’t willingly leave him.”
“Randy, this is a bad idea.”
“It could also be a good one. I mean it, Pry. If we look back into his life, we may also find a way to destroy him.”
“Or he may find a way into your heart,” I warn.
“There’s no way I will forgive him for taking Key away from me. He underestimates how much I loved her. Let’s use that. Let me go inside his mind and see what I can find.”
“This could be the point where you meet a butterfly.”
“Or it could be the start of the end for Malakaro.”
“Randy—”
“I promise, I will jump out of the memory if I see even a hint of anything that resembles a butterfly. I can do that, right? I can jump out of the memory?”
“Yes, but—”
“Pry, please. I need to see this.”
“Okay,” I reply, already regretting it.
Randy reaches up and grabs hold of the orb. As soon as he makes contact with it, it turns into a shimmering wide screen displaying out-of-focus figures walking back and forth. Randy looks at me, and I reluctantly signal to him, he can walk into the screen. My stomach is filled with knots as I watch Randy enter Malakaro’s memory.
Randy enters an auditorium where dozens of angels and their families are happily walking around, looking at various vials of mixtures and their effects. There is a sign floating in the air above the room that reads Master Mixtures Annual Competition.
The mixtures on display are nothing short of spectacular. There are vials that form into people and then multiply themselves. There are mixtures that combine in the air on their own and form mixture cities. But the display that has the crowd in complete awe is the one display in the center of the room.
It’s a display of an intricate series of mixtures that come together to form a tricolored orb. Once that orb touches an angel, it reduces them to drops of silver liquid and then, in seconds, returns them back to their natural form. The crowd cheers when they witness what the orb can do. Next to the display, written in moving liquid gold ink, are the following words:
Project Titled: From one, be none.
Project created by: Jason Cane.
Project placement: Grand Prize Winner!
Randy looks around but doesn’t see a boy that looks anything like Malakaro. Soon he hears a teacher call out the name Jason. Randy follows the teacher out into the hallway. The teacher leads Randy to a young Malakaro; he’s sitting in the corner, on the floor with his head bowed. He looks to be about eleven years old or so in this memory. He still has my dad’s striking eyes and features.
“Jason, you have won the mixture competition. That’s a great accomplishment. Why do you not celebrate?”
“Mr. North, are you sure my dad got the letter saying I was entering the competition?” the boy asks earnestly.
“Yes, I am sure.”
“Then why isn’t he here? Did he think I would lose? I don’t lose. I never lose,” Jason says.
“Yes, I know. And I know how hard you worked,” Mr. North assures him.
“Then why isn’t he here?”
“Jason, your father is a hero. He saved the world many different times. That requires a lot of hard work and sacrifice. That means that he can’t always be with you when he wants to be,” the teacher says carefully.
“Some of the kids say he’s not here because he doesn’t like me. They say he regrets having me. Is that true, Mr. North?”
“Well…”
“Oh, I see,” Jason says.
“Wait! It’s not like that. It so happens that your father did stop by the school today. You were in class and he didn’t want you distracted on your big day,” Mr. North lies.
“Really? My father was here? Why didn’t you tell me? How long ago was it? Is he coming back? Is he coming to take me with him? Why didn’t you come get me?” Jason asks angrily.
“He came by to tell you that he had to go on a mission. It’s a dangerous one, and he didn’t want to worry you. So he made me promise not to tell you. But he wanted
you to know that he’s proud of you and that he loves you,” Mr. North says.
“He’s proud of me? That’s what he said?”
“Yes.”
“Wait until he hears I actually got first place!”
“Yeah, he’ll be thrilled.”
“More than that, Mr. North. He’ll be so proud, he’ll come and take me with him. We’re going to be a family. Just as soon as he hears what I’ve done.”
“Jason…”
“Yes?”
“Nothing. It’s time we went back inside,” Mr. North says.
Jason gets up and walks excitedly back inside, but before he enters, a kid shouts out to him from a few feet away.
“Hey, loser! You may get first place, but you’ll never go home,” the kid shouts, having overheard.
“Carl, get inside, now,” Mr. North says.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about. My father will come for me. He’s on a mission; that’s the only reason he’s not here right now,” Jason argues, pissed off.
“Really? Does this look like a mission to you, dumbass?” Carl asks as he shows Jason the front-page headline on the Angel News on his cell.
“The First Guardian and his family celebrate his son’s birthday in style,” Jason says, reading the story out loud.
“My father is in town?” he asks Mr. North.
“Yeah, and he’s with his real family, not you, Malko,” Carl says with a sneer.
“Carl, you are on punishment. Report to detention at once!” Mr. North orders, waving his hand and sending Carl flying through the air. Carl lands safely down the hallway in an open classroom.
“You lied to me,” Jason says.
“Yes, I did, but I just wanted to make it easier for you. I’m sorry.”
“I never want easy. I want honest. Try again,” Jason says in a cold voice.
“We reached out to Marcus, but he declined. He feels that perhaps it’s better if you continue your education and your life without him.”
“He doesn’t want me?” Jason asks with tears in his eyes.
“No. I’m afraid not.”
“He’s ashamed of me. He found out I’m not as good as he is, and now he doesn’t want me.”
“You are every bit as good as your father.”
“No! I didn’t get the highest score in flight training last semester. He knows that, and this is my punishment.”
“You were one point away from first place.”
“THAT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I HAVE TO BE GOOD ENOUGH SO HE WILL GIVE IT TO ME!” Jason rages as he pushes Mr. North away.
“Give you what?”
“Love. If I work really hard in school…he’ll love me. Right?” Jason says as he bursts into tears in his teacher’s arms.
Soon the memory screen disappears, and Randy is back in the room with me. He looks like he’s in pain, and he’s holding his chest. I rush over to him.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“It hurts.”
“Where is the pain? Is it in your chest?” I ask as I curse myself for letting Randy enter the memory.
“No, it’s my heart, but it’s not my pain. It’s Malakaro’s. I’m still feeling what he felt in the hallway.”
“Randy, you scared the crap out of me!” I scold.
“Sorry, it’s better now. The feeling is gone,” Randy replies.
“Good.”
“Good? Pry, what’s good about what we just saw? How could your dad not come to the fair, knowing how much it meant to Jason?”
“You mean to Malakaro,” I reply.
“Whatever. He was a kid who really needed his dad.”
“He was also the kid that tried to kill my little brother,” I remind him.
“Pry, you only saw what happened. You don’t know what he was feeling. You don’t know how much it hurt to be tossed aside like that.”
“I’m not saying it didn’t suck, okay? I’m saying no matter what happens, you have no right to take other people’s lives. That kid in the memory grew up and sliced your girlfriend’s throat. So excuse me if I’m not shedding a tear for him.”
“I know what he did, Pry. I’m asking if you took one second to consider what your dad did to him first.”
“Are you serious right now?”
“Yes, I am. Jason may be a horrible being, but your dad had a hand in that.”
“His name is Malakaro!”
“Okay, fine, let’s talk about that. The kid in the memory, Carl, he called Jason Malko. What does that mean?” Randy asks.
“It’s a derogatory term short for Malakaro.”
“And what does it mean?”
“The mistake.”
“Oh, c’mon, Pry. That kid spent his whole life being called a mistake! You need to think about that.”
“Randy, I am not going to stand here and debate with you. You know what Malakaro is capable of. What led him down this road is beside the point.”
“That’s very easy for you to say because you want to protect your father’s reputation. But the truth is, Marcus is just like my mom: selfish and cruel.”
“What? How dare you accuse my father of—”
“Pry, you need to come downstairs,” East says as he bursts into the room.
“Not now, East. Randy and I are in the middle of something.”
“This can’t wait. There is something headed this way, right now”
“Fine, what’s headed for us? A Powerball? A demon? A member of the New Order?”
“No,” he replies.
“Then, East, who the hell is headed for us?”
“Alexi.”
Chapter Twelve:
My Ex
Normally Alexi comes days after unprotected sex, if at all. But sometimes, rarely, it can come as late as a few weeks. I guess this is one of those rare times. My mind fills up with questions, questions that can’t be answered right now. Questions that make a wave of anxiety hit me like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
I know nothing about babies. What if I do something wrong and somehow scar it for life? What if I love him too much and he feels smothered and runs away? What if I spend too much time away on missions and he feels neglected?
I remember falling in love with Sparks. At first because she was a part of Aaden, but soon, I found myself in love with her on a personal level. She was amazing. Watching her progress made me wish I had a kid, but much later in life. Not now.
What am I going to do with a baby? Not just “a baby,” Bex’s baby. The kid will be royalty. He’ll be hunted far worse than any of us. How will I protect him? Can I even go on as both a leader and a mom? Swoop swears it’s not possible, is she right? OMO, I can’t have a baby. I’m not ready. I’m not ready. I’m not ready!
“Pryor!” Randy says, shaking me back to my senses.
“Huh?”
“Pry, Alexi is coming. We need to go downstairs,” Randy says.
“Right, yeah. Okay,” I reply in a whisper.
“You’re gonna be okay,” East lies.
My knees are weak, my wings flap frantically above me, and I feel both hot and cold at the same time. I close my eyes and remind myself that falling apart isn’t very “leader” like. I open my eyes and start walking down the steps. Aaden is at the landing, waiting for me. Judging from his pensive look, I know there are questions filling his head too.
Once I make it down the steps, I’m pretty sure I’m going to pass out. On the outside, I look together and composed. But inside, I feel like I’m having some kind of out-of-body experience. Aaden’s eyes are on me still; I can feel them. I can’t chance looking at him again. I won’t make it through this if I do.
The Alexi comes in for a landing. It flaps its wings gracefully and latches itself onto the windowsill. We all watch, almost frozen by the being’s presence.
“If we don’t let it in, it will break through the glass,” Aaden warns, never taking his eyes off of me. I fold my arms across my chest, clear my throat, and signal for East to let the
bird in. As soon as Alexi has enough room, it enters the living room and flies in circles above our heads.
I swear to Omnis, the bird is torturing me on purpose.
Finally, after what feels like forever, the bird lands by our feet. It sings and walks around, seeking the being with the Sib inside her. But something unexpected happens when it comes near me: it keeps going. The Alexi walks right past me and goes towards the kitchen, where Swoop, Winter, and Diana are located.
Seeing the bird has the same effect on them as it did on me: shock. They stand very still and watch to see which of them is about to have their life changed forever. Alexi walks towards the kitchen counter, where Swoop stands drinking a bottle of Coy. It then heads towards the edge of the counter, where Winter stands with a cup of coffee in her hand.
The Alexi stares at Winter. It studies her panic-stricken expression. But just when Winter is about to speak, Alexi flies off the counter, takes to the air, comes right towards me, dives down, and lands—right in Diana’s lap. And before any of us can stop her, Diana screams, “No!” leaps out of her chair, and flies out the kitchen window.
Aaden takes off after her, and I follow. Diana makes a series of dives and loops in the air, in an effort to lose us, but we stay on her. Finally she lands in Chicago, near a row of dive bars; we land moments later and follow her to a bar called Fire Water. There are about a dozen or so demons and Quo drinking and partying.
Diana enters. Aaden is close behind her, but I linger in the back. I need to know what’s happening, but at the same time, I know it’s best to keep some distance and let them talk. I stand just beyond the doorway.
As soon as Diana enters, all the guys in the bar turn and face her. Judging from their expressions, many would give their wings up for a chance to touch her. However, the look on her face tells them they would be foolish to try. Yet a tall demon with a scar on his neck decides it’s worth a shot. He stands up along with his crew of losers and approaches Diana.
“Haven’t seen you in a while, Ruin. What do you say we get reconnected?” he says as he licks his lips suggestively.
“Kobra, I’d rather be burned alive,” she says.
