I looked at the rock in my hand then at Adele and smiled. She smiled back and knew what I wanted her to do. I let my grip off the rock just as Adele pushed six more my way, one right after the other as quick as she could.
I reacted accordingly, kicking one away, hitting three more with my hands and then kicked the last two down to the ground. I didn’t even feel tired. I was completely rested. I probably could have done this all day but it did seem to take something out of her. It used up some of her energy and I didn’t want to tire her out from this.
Madam Carla clapped her hands and took a few steps forward. “That was quite impressive, Zayden. Your previous skills put you at an advantage. There’s not much you need to learn. You perfected it perfectly but more practice will keep it that way.” I nodded and we walked back over to the house. “Mastering it for you should be easy since you only have two steps. You can move yourself that way now but to master it, you must move others just as fast without causing bodily harm.”
“Who’s ready to test that with me?”
Everyone took a step back at the same time, eyes widening and heads shaking. I guess they didn’t trust me so much with that yet.
“Not today.” Madam Carla laughed. “You’ve done enough for now. This needs to be taken slowly. Now Darius, we need you to try something.”
I’ve been waiting to see this. He always took pride in how naturally strong he was. I wanted to see how he would be when he’s unnaturally strong.
Chapter 44
Darius
“All right. What should I do?” I was immediately ready to go. I didn’t feel any different but wanted to see what I could do.
“There’s a large tree over there.” Madam Carla said, pointing to it beyond the boulders around the house. “It blocks the view to a beautiful sunset. Take it down but be gentle. You no longer need to use great force as you will soon see.”
I looked at the others and smiled again. “Okay.” I walked over, hopping over the rocks to get to it and looked back at the others watching. Ruby smiled at me and I took the confidence to turn to the tree, ready to impress her. I put my hands on it and just lightly pushed.
A crack echoed and I could feel the roots ripping up out of the ground under my feet. I moved back to let it happen and the tree just fell over. Just like that. It was amazing and so easy.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about!” I was excited about it and started walking back with the proudest smile.
“That was amazing, Muscles! How’d it feel?”
“Simple.” I reached out for her, ready to take her in my arms and celebrate with her lips against mine.
Ruby reached back but Madam Carla quickly pulled her hand away. “No!” Ruby was jumped and locked eyes with me. We were both wondering why. “Now here comes the hard part, controlling that strength. In order to do so, you must be patient or you risk hurting everyone around you. You need to begin doing that by thinking before you touch anything. Once your mind is trained, you will no longer need to do that as it will just come natural to you and your intense strength will be provided only when needed. Unlike Ruby’s, you will not need to get mad in order for it to work. It’s something you can use with any emotion but mastering it can be very dangerous. It’s only one step away but it will take some years before you can accomplish a boost of extra power properly.”
I nodded, actually listening to her advice so I wouldn’t hurt anyone. That’s the last thing that I would want to do.
“Now come and don’t touch anything or anyone. There’s still more for you to do.” We walked back in the house together and approached the table. Madam Carla came over with a tray of glasses and set it down. She filled each glass with water then slid it in front of me. “Now I want you to pick up a glass of water without breaking it but remember to think about what you’re doing first.”
A challenge? Nice. I took a moment to get my mind set. I wanted to do it. I knew I did and so I tried. I reached for one of the glasses and slowly picked it up. It didn’t get two inches off the tray before it shattered and the water went everywhere.
Ruby silently laughed to herself when she saw my eyes a little wide because I wasn’t expecting that to happen.
“That was very good.” Madam Carla said. “But you just need to keep trying it until you can pick up the glass, take a drink and put it back down, all without breaking it and it must be done tonight if you want to sleep anywhere near Ruby or you’ll risk killing her.”
I looked at her and became very determined to get the hang of it because I haven’t wanted to spend a night away from her since we met and I tried again. This time I was able to lift the glass an inch higher before it broke but my reaction this time was disappointment.
“The rest of you might want to get comfortable.” Madam Carla said. “This may take a while. I’ll get more glasses.”
Everyone sat down around the table while Madam Carla walked away to another room, shuffling her feet with no anticipation to get it done.
“Better hurry.” Troy joked. “You may never be able to drink again.”
“Screw that!” Zayden laughed. “He may never be able to touch Ruby again! We’re booked. We couldn’t. Who could I wonder?”
If my eyes could turn red with anger they would have by now.
“Zayden!” Ruby hit him then turned her head up at me. “It’s all right.” She stood up and blocked my sight path to Zayden just so I would look at her. “That won’t happen. You can do it. Just try. Please try.”
My faced softened from my stiff stare and I looked back at the table in front of me.
“Don’t say another word.” Ruby muttered, the redness in her eyes growing towards Zayden.
“All right. Just giving him some incentive.”
“Well, don’t.”
Zayden backed down from the joke and let me continue in silence.
I worked at it for a little while longer, getting closer to getting it right every time. Everyone else, however, remained sitting at the table and were getting tired of waiting. Troy had his chair turned sideways with one leg up on Jaylyn’s chair so she could lean on him. Adele also had her chair turned sideways to the table but had her legs up on Zayden’s lap and he was leaned over them. Ruby was facing the table with her head laying on her folded arms, watching me and slowly becoming sleepy.
I started getting frustrated with myself every time I broke one and it seemed to only make things worse the next time I tried but then I would look over at Ruby and it helped me continue, doing it calmly. Being away from her was something I never wanted to do and I just knew I had to get it right.
I worked at it for another hour, going through several more glasses and many levels of my own anger until I was finally able to set the glass back down through all the steps. “I did it.”
No one but Madam Carla was awake to actually see me do it because they all fell asleep right at the table. “Very good. You did well if you don’t believe it. This was just the beginning to your training but I trust you will speed up the process now that your mind is in the proper state needed to control that strength.”
I finally sat down after being on my feet for hours and I took a deep breath while looking over at Ruby sleeping. She was always beautiful while sleeping.
“She truly cares about you, you know.” Madam Carla said as she got up and started cleaning up all of the broken glass. “And I can see you feel the same way for her.”
I smiled while still looking at her. She was right but it faded when I realized it and actually began talking about something I’ve never come to do with another person. “I do but the last time I loved someone—”
“I know, Darius.” Madam Carla said as she put the stuff aside and sat down again. “But you know you need to forgive her to move on, don’t you?”
I don’t know why but I went on. I actually talked about it. “But she left me. I was just a kid. How can I ever forgive her for that?”
“She did what she thought would end her pain. She reu
nited herself with your father and they’re together now.”
“Did she even think about my pain? Did she even care what it would have done to me?”
“Your mother knew you were strong and she knew you would have been okay without her and you were. Your friends were there for you and still are.”
“I can’t just let it go. I’ve tried but I just can’t.”
“It’s because you haven’t forgiven her. You must do that in order to be set free from your past.”
I was quiet, my head lowering but my eyes found their way to Ruby again.
“You’re not going to find another girl like her in your lifetime and only a true heart is worthy of her love and that heart is you, Darius. She needs you to be there for her but before you can do that, you have to accept that your past happened and there is nothing you could have done to change it. Fate intended for you to be here and only you have the power and will to move forward with it. I see there will be a test in the near future that will help you examine your true feelings for Ruby. If you overcome it then it means you have moved on and are ready to be with her for good.”
I sighed. There was still something about my past that I couldn’t just move on from. How and when was I to ever be rid of it completely, when I could finally prove to Ruby just how much she means to me?
“It’s late. We shall exercise your powers more tomorrow but for now you must rest. If you’re up for it you can move Ruby over to the couch so you can be together but remember, be gentle.”
She went into her room for the night and I took one more look at Ruby before getting up. I walked around the table to her and gently pulled her chair out. She didn’t even wake up when I put my arms around her and picked her up, walking her over to the couch. I tried to sit down carefully with her in my arms and she started to wake up when I laid back and put one of my legs on the other side of her.
“Muscles?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Go back to sleep.” She didn’t say another word. She laid her head on me and was out.
I laid holding her and was thinking about what Madam Carla talked about. I wanted things to change. I wanted to be with her but my past was just something I’ve always had a hard time dealing with. I didn’t know if I ever could but would still try; for her sake.
Chapter 45
Jaylyn
The morning of day two at Madam Carla’s came and I had already sat awake against Troy for some time and smiled when Adele and Zayden started to wake up and see where they were. “Yeah. We all kind of fell asleep here. Isn’t that funny?”
“Wow.” Zayden said, rubbing his face. “I didn’t even realize it.”
“Where’s Ruby and Darius?” Adele asked.
“Right there.”
They turned their heads and saw Ruby laying against Darius, her body cradled between his legs.
“I guess he finally did it.” Zayden said. “Not being able to touch Ruby might of had something to do with it like I said.”
“I don’t know if we should wake them yet though.”
“No.” Madam Carla’s voice startled us and we looked over to see her coming out of her room. “You shouldn’t. They need this time together. Darius is going through some mental inquiries and is on the verge of a psychological break through. If you wake him now, it could all be lost.”
“You know what he’s dreaming about?” Zayden asked.
“Yes. Last night, while you were all asleep, Darius was exposed to a series of new questions that will help him sort out his past from his future. So, if you care at all about their relationship together, you won’t wake them. They must wake naturally.”
“So, what do we do in the meantime?” Adele asked.
“Quietly get up and go outside. We’ll continue your training while they sleep.”
“Okay.” Adele dropped her feet from Zayden’s lap and we all got up, making our way outside as quietly as possible.
“I’m going to start with you, Troy.” Madam Carla said, walking towards the rocky shore. “And Adele, you go play with Zayden until I’m ready.”
Adele looked at Zayden and they both smiled. “Okay.”
“All right, Troy. Your eyes rested enough?”
“I think so even though I don’t remember falling asleep.”
I laughed. “I know! Me either!”
“Very well. Let’s start with practicing your control. Find a target ashore and practice on bringing your vision back to us then do it again.”
“Okay.”
“I’d like you to do a hundred sets.”
“A hundred?”
“It will get you used to it and will become more natural so we can proceed with the next task.”
Troy looked back towards the shore with a deep heavy sigh.
“It’s all right.” I smiled, rubbing his back. “You should have known this wasn’t going to be easy.”
“Well, I guess I’m off vacation.”
“Quit stalling.” Madam Carla said. “And get started. I’ll give you an hour to work in some distance.” She walked away and Troy sighed again.
“Okay.” I smiled, taking his hand. “I’m going to be right here with you. You can even take me with you so we can do the work together.”
“All right. I’ll keep focus while you keep track of my sets?”
He was perfect and I quickly kissed him. “Deal!”
Troy turned his eyes towards the shore and got to work. I stayed by his side and got myself used to his new gift as well by going along with him. He kept his vision right along the scenic coastline, zooming over the top of the water and back. He did it so many times that we sat down on the ground together and just enjoyed the silent bond.
Chapter 46
Adele
“How’s everything coming?”
I stopped sending rocks towards Zayden and turned my head to Madam Carla approach. “All right, I guess. I can’t hit him!”
“Why would you want to?”
“He’s making fun of me. He says I throw like a girl.”
“Well, you are a girl, dear.”
“I know but I don’t want to throw like one!”
Zayden laughed and it was only making me angrier.
“All right.” Madam Carla said. “Play nice, Zayden. Why don’t you two go take a walk? Use it as a break until you’re ready to pick this back up.” No. I sighed and folded my arms, keeping my eyes away from Zayden. “Go. I don’t want to make you.” Fine. I sighed again and turned towards Zayden to walk with him. “That’s more like it. Enjoy.”
I walked passed Zayden without glancing at him and he turned with me with a laugh. “All right, Love! I’m sorry. It was all for fun.”
“Yeah, sure. You just like to point out that you’re better than me.”
Zayden laughed again while he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me towards him. “That’s not what I was doing! But you have to admit that I am good!”
I looked over and couldn’t hold back a smile after seeing his. He was too charming when he built himself up like that. “Fine, you win. I don’t want to fight with you.”
“Good. Neither do I. I want to enjoy this.”
“So, are you happy with it?”
“With what?”
“The gift she chose for you?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be? It makes me better!”
“Just checking. I know she doesn’t give people a choice in what they get. It’s based on who you are compared to who you could be.”
“Are you asking because you’re unhappy with yours?”
“No. I’m happy with it. I’m just not Kole.”
“Because he’s better?”
I sighed and looked up, speaking with a soft smile and innocent voice. “I don’t like people being better than me.”
“I see. Interesting trait in a woman.”
“What’s wrong with that? I can’t want to be better than everyone?”
Zayden laughed and kissed my head. “You can be whatever you want to be
and I’ll still love it.”
I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder. “Thanks and I’ll still love you as long as you’re not trying to be better than me.”
“All right. That’s fair.”
“Good. Let’s play a game.”
“A game?”
“Yeah. You should be working on your skills. You be the hunter and I’ll be you’re helpless prey. You’ll have to use both your gifts to track me down and capture me. It’ll be good practice.”
“Okay.”
“But you have to give me a head start of a few minutes at least to make it more interesting.”
He smiled to the idea. “Then go. I’ll catch up.”
He turned his back to me and I started to sneak away. I lost myself on the island among the trees and became the prey. I remained focused and alert, listening to the sounds around me, not knowing when or where he would appear.
It began with everything quiet. The trees weren’t even rustling in the breeze. Everything was still. Birds weren’t even chirping and it seemed like something truly was wrong. I tried even making the dirt under my feet silent as I walked, looking around at the same time.
A sudden movement and a flash appeared to my left and I started the chase. Like a scared animal, I ran around the terrain to get away and used it with my gift to block the paths behind me.
It wasn’t working. Zayden was too fast. He’d dodge fallen trees and mounds of rock too quickly and I couldn’t tell where he would be next.
He appeared quickly in front of me with solid black eyes and I stopped myself in a jolt of fear, ready to turn away in the other direction but Zayden was there too. He grabbed me by the arms ferociously like he was ready for the kill.
I couldn’t fight his grip and took a deep breath from the running. “Okay! You caught me but that was too easy!”
Zayden smiled, fading his eyes and kissed me. “But it was pretty fun. We should do it more often.”
Endless Night (Fate's Intent Book 3) Page 22
