by Jeff Altabef
The implied threat in his words might as well have been shouted. Before I can question him further, he staggers a step and winces, his face drawn and ashen, his aura swirling with crimson.
Without a word, he bolts toward the art gallery.
Juliet
I drop onto the sofa in the middle of the gallery, shut my eyes, and focus on steadying my breathing. After a few moments, air flows smoothly and my heart slows. Without realizing it, I’ve pressed my hands against my head as if holding my skull together. Might not be far from the truth.
The pain subsides, so I lower my hands and open my eyes.
The world appears fuzzy at first, and then slowly clarifies. The pixelating has gone and the knifing pain has vanished, leaving just a dull ache behind and a mind-numbing weariness that presses me deeper into the couch. On the wall in front of me is a massive landscape, depicting a herd of buffalo. It reminds me of the vision I had with Sicheii while I was in New York, when he told me I was strong enough to stand on my own and still be part of the herd.
I don’t feel strong.
I’m not sure how long I sit on that couch and stare at the painting, lost in the colors of the landscape, and the power and grace of the large creatures. Time has become unreliable for me. It feels simultaneously like a lifetime and only a few seconds. Eventually, I hear footsteps and know Connor has come to check on me.
I don’t need to see him to know it’s him. His unique energy is burned into my brain like the contours of his face. I keep my eyes fixed in front of me when he sits beside me.
“Do you come here often?” he says.
I can’t help but smile. “When I used that line in the book store back in New York, you said it was complete rubbish.”
“Yes, but you don’t have the right accent. My accent transforms it from lame to James Bond cool.”
“Oh, you’re not going to start with the James Bond stuff again. I thought we already settled that.”
I shoot him a sideways glance and resist the urge to push my mind into his and read his thoughts. That feels like cheating; he should tell me what he’s feeling on his own.
He returns my smile. “You certainly know how to make an exit. What’s your problem with doors anyway? First, the door to the Underground, which I had to replace by the way, and now this one.”
“They seem to get in my way.” I sweep my hair from my face and lock my eyes onto his. “What about you? Do you hate me like Blake?”
He takes my hand, his fingers coarse and strong. They’re workman’s hands, different from Aaric’s. He has earned callouses over his lifetime that Aaric will never have.
“Hate you?” he says. “No one hates you. Least of all me.”
I pull my hand away. “Right. Blake hates me. He might as well wear a button with a giant red X crossing out my face.”
“Hate’s a strong word.” He smirks and his eyes glitter. “Blake doesn’t hate you. He looks up to you. I think you’re the first person who really believed in him. He needs you, and when you left, he felt abandoned. He’s your second biggest fan, even if it’ll take the plonker a little longer than we’d like for him to admit it.”
I search his eyes, hoping they’ll reveal the truth that’s in his heart. I see the depth I first noticed in New York, the stubbornness and the vulnerability that wrap around each other to make him stronger than he would be if they weren’t twisted.
My voice sounds soft and feathery. “Second biggest fan, huh? Who’s first?”
“Troy, of course.”
“Right.” I punch him in the arm.
“Okay, okay, if you need me to say it, then me. I’m your biggest fan. I will always be your biggest fan.”
“You’re not mad at me for going off with Aaric and not telling you about it first?”
He shakes his head. “At first it sent me into a real ripper, but I understand why you did it. Just don’t do anything like that again. You’ve got to promise not to keep any more secrets from me. From now on, we’re a team. Okay?”
He sticks out his hand, and I shake it. “Okay. No more secrets.”
“And I promise not to take you to any more rocks where I might have taken different girls.”
“You better not. No other girls for you.”
“None. Now tell me what’s happening to you. You seem... different, and I’m worried about you.”
I twirl my hair. How much does he know? “Different?”
He cocks his head to the side, his eyes wide. “Stronger than before, like energy is spinning off you. I can feel it, but there’s something else too. Are you still getting those headaches?”
He still cares for me. I haven’t wrecked things yet.
I graze my fingers against his cheek and spin a world of what ifs in my mind. All my choices end in darkness, and a deep sadness settles in my bones. I do my best to keep tears from my voice. “No more headaches. I’m just a little tired.”
Just like that, in less than thirty-seconds, I’ve broken my promise.
Connor
Dozens of reasons why I should be head-spinning, steam-coming-out-of-my-ears, mad at Juliet buzz through my thoughts when I trounced down the stairs. But with her so close, I can’t think of one to save my life. They’re gone... vaporized. I just want her, to be with her, to breathe her air, to lose myself in her light.
I squeeze her hand and press her palm to my lips. When she smiles, my heart melts. What used to be muscle turns to lava and liquefies everything in its path.
Her lips, so close and inviting, pull me toward her. All the craziness fades and nothing else matters but her and me and this moment and our connection.
Before we kiss, the door to the art gallery flies open and Aaric storms in, followed by Barrett a step behind. “Are you okay, Juliet?”
She jumps to her feet and my window of opportunity slams shut. I only hope Aaric hasn’t found some way to lock it closed on me.
“I’m fine,” she says.
I groan and rise next to her. “Don’t you know how to bloody knock?”
He throws a dismissing, arrogant look my way and focuses on Juliet. Neither of them say anything, but I know a message passes between them telepathically. I sense the energy flow back and forth between the two.
My spirits nosedive. He’s in our way, and it’s on purpose. Now there’s a bond between them that’s undeniable. I can’t tell how strong it is, but my blood starts to steam all over again.
A second later, footsteps thunder down the stairs and everyone joins us in the gallery.
“What’s the matter?” asks Ayden, his eyes searching for danger.
“Nothing’s wrong,” explains Juliet. “Just a false alarm.”
“Have we found the artwork that will lead us to the Heart Stone?” Aaric asks Juliet. He seems to address only her. It’s like no one else exists even though we’re all in the room.
“No,” says Juliet’s mom. “They’re not here. We checked the vault. He must have hidden them somewhere else, but we’re not sure where to look. We’ll think of something in the morning.”
“We cannot stay here,” says Aaric. “Vladic will gather other Deltites to oppose me. He knows about the art gallery. There is no way to know how long it will take him to gather the strength to face me again.”
“Is that why you gave us back our swords?” Blake frowns. “So we can fight these rogue Deltites for you.”
Aaric shoots Blake a thin smile that both mocks and dismisses him at the same time. “I do not need you to fight anyone for me. Since I could no longer guarantee your safety, I thought it fair for you to have a weapon. At least you could try to protect yourselves, even if the effort would be pointless.”
His tone burrows under my skin. “It looked like you were the one who needed bloody help back at the house. If we hadn’t arrived to save your arse, you’d be gutted by now.”
He keeps a neutral expression on his face, but his eyes burn hot. “I had the situation under control. We were in no real danger.”
&
nbsp; “Right.”
“We have to stop bickering.” Juliet waves her arms dramatically. “Let’s focus on a plan and a place to stay for the night.”
“We can use Dent’s apartment,” says Lisa. “Jake kept him safe for years. He owes us. I know he’s apartment-sitting while his mom’s away. We can walk there from here.”
“Who’s Dent?” asks Akari.
“He stumbled upon the Order of the Twisted Arrows over twenty years ago and had the bad judgment to publish an article about them,” Juliet explains. “My grandfather faked his death and helped him acquire a new identity to keep him safe, before a Seeker could find him. He’ll help, although he won’t want to. His apartment is too small to hold all of us though.”
“All of us do not need to go,” says Aaric in his smug, infuriating way. “Vladic will be searching for me and Juliet. He can sense our different electronic signatures. If we are not here, he will have no cause to enter.”
Blake glares at him. “He’ll sense Barrett and any of us Chosen also.”
Aaric nods. “True. It would not be wise for any of the Chosen or my cousin to stay here for the night. The rest should be safe.”
Ayden looks at Juliet with real concern. “I don’t like splitting up. We can make do.”
She kisses her father on the cheek. “It’s only for one night. We’ll meet-up in the morning. That way you can continue searching the gallery. Who knows if Sicheii has a hidden safe or something around here.”
With no better alternatives, we agree to stay with Dent, and leave the store.
Cars aren’t permitted in Old Town. Unfortunately, we parked in different lots on opposite ends of town, so we divide up, and I watch Juliet and Aaric march in the opposite direction until they fade from sight.
Troy whispers in my ear, “I don’t like that guy. He seems like trouble to me.”
“No kidding.”
Akari playfully elbows me in the ribs. “He’s awfully good-looking. He looks like a kami... a god.”
“But does he know poetry?”
“I’m sure he does,” says Barrett. “He probably memorized your greatest poems when he first arrived here.”
“Brilliant,” I mutter.
Blake claps me on the back. “His good looks and knowledge of poetry are the least of your problems. If Juliet has her way, he’ll rule over the entire planet. Good luck competing with that.”
I scowl at him. “Thanks buddy. Did I mention that I really, really hate you? I mean complete and total hatred right now.”
Juliet
Whenever I used to dream about my soul mate, I assumed we would share every secret, every experience, tell each other everything, and leave nothing unsaid. Maybe that’s childish. Who knows? I want that type of relationship with Connor, yet something keeps getting in our way. Now I’m keeping secrets from him, and they’re causing an invisible wedge between us.
It’s completely foolish, but I can’t help but compare my relationship with Connor to my situation with Aaric. I’m not keeping any secrets from Aaric. He knows everything that’s happening to me, probably more than I do.
As totally weird as it sounds, I missed him while we were separated and he was walking with Barrett. There’s a connection between us. Maybe not the same one I feel with Connor, but I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t recognize that it’s there. I just don’t know what it means yet, so I file it into a mental folder to examine later. At least that’s what I tell myself.
Aaric takes long brisk strides, so I have to hurry to keep pace with him. “Did Barrett tell you what he’s going to do?”
“He refused to commit, but he gave me the distinct feeling he does not want to destroy Earth.”
“That’s a relief. So we have more time to find the crystal than we assumed.”
“No, in fact, I think we have less time than I thought. He might not want to wipe out the planet, but he is not in control of the situation. His father is a powerful Elder who will do anything to destroy us. I suspect he keeps his son on a tight leash, and ultimately the decision is out of Barrett’s hands.”
“Great,” I huff as he moves even faster, just short of jog. “Why are we racing?”
He stops and I notice for the first time that he’s angry. “Do we need these... Chosen? You have to be careful to stay in control of your emotions, especially when I am not with you. You almost... harmed yourself with them. They seem to have a bad effect on you. We should leave them behind and find the Heart Stone on our own.”
“We don’t need them, but I need them.” My words lash out and even sound sharp to my own ears.
He looks as if I’ve slapped him, so I grab his arm and soften my tone. “They’re part of this. I can’t exclude them. They’re like family to me. They need to see this through as much as I do.”
He frowns and stares at me for a full minute. He probably can’t understand my feelings because they aren’t logical. Still, they are real and firm and I won’t abandon them now, or ever, for that matter.
“This is another one of those times when you are going to be strong-willed, I assume.”
When I nod, we continue to the Lamborghini, collect our duffel bags, and plod our way toward Dent’s apartment.
Walking at a more measured pace now, I ask him, “How did Vladic know where to look for us?”
He shrugs. “They have the complete file on you we compiled once we learned you were a Chosen. They know your home address.”
“That part I understand, but how did they know we would be in Arizona? I mean, we could have gone anywhere. Who even knows we’re here?”
“Only my brother, Jared. No one else.”
“Do you trust him?”
Aaric picks up the pace. “He is my brother.”
That’s not an answer and he knows it.
A few minutes later, Troy lets us in the apartment, a half-eaten pizza slice in his hand.
“Where’s Dent?” I ask.
Troy mumbles, his mouth full. “He suddenly thought of another place he had to be. He left the keys and said we should not wait up. We’ll never see him again.”
“Chicken.”
“What is that noise?” asks Aaric.
“Connor’s in charge of the music.” Troy shrugs. “He says it’s The Clash.”
“He only listens to British Rock Bands,” I explain.
The apartment looks the same as the last time I was here: brick fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of Old Town, hardwood floors, and old pictures on the mantel piece.
Barrett sits in a corner with a somber expression on his face.
Akari and Blake are studying the hide from Roundtree’s house for clues.
Connor’s slouching in a wingback chair with one long leg slung over the arm.
“Is there a room where I can have some privacy?” Aaric flashes his eyes around the apartment and looks anxious. He must be worried about his brother.
“Sure, there’s a bedroom in the back.” I walk him to the back bedroom and shut the door as he goes inside. When I return to the living room, the others have formed a makeshift circle around the kitchen table, with the hide on top.
“It’s hard to make out any details.” Akari points to the corner of the painting. “But that looks like the twisted arrows symbol.”
Troy leans close. “Could be. It’s so dark with age, we can’t be sure.”
“I know what it is.” Connor grins. “It’s the golden arches. Must be the first McDonalds. Maybe these aliens created the Big Mac!”
“Not funny,” says Blake. “It looks like the Alphian might be facing some rocks or maybe a cliff face or a cave.” He sighs. “I hope it’s not a cave. All sorts of dangerous things live in caves.”
“That doesn’t narrow it down much,” says Troy. “We’ve got red rock formations all over the place. Does it look like Devil’s Peak to you, Jules?”
Blake smirks as I approach the hide. “Have you made your new friend comfy? Perhaps gotten him some tea and cookies as he plot
s to take over the world?”
Akari rolls her eyes and kicks him under the table.
I ignore him and concentrate on the hide. “It’s not Devil’s Peak. I climbed that formation and there’s nothing that resembles this picture. It doesn’t look like a cliff face to me. It’s too dark. Maybe a cave or something underground.” I sigh and the seriousness of our situation hits me. We have very little time, and we don’t have enough information to even guess at the right place. “It could be anywhere. We’ll need the rest of Sicheii’s collection to make sense of it.”
Blake glances toward the back hallway with a glint in his eyes. “Well, we can still try Plan A.”
I grab him by his skinny little neck. “We need to speak in the conference room.”
“I-I didn’t s-see a conference room.”
“It’s this way.” I yank him away from the group, practically drag him into the bathroom, and slam the door shut. “We’ve got to talk.”
He crosses his arms against his chest. “Okay, start talking then.”
“I’m sorry I left without telling you, but I had no choice. I thought they were going to kill you. You’ve seriously got to get over it. What happened to the guy who said he’d bet on me in New York? I need that Blake back.”
His eyes pinch together and his face reddens. “I trusted you. You said you believed in me. Were you lying the whole time?”
“No, Blake, those weren’t empty words. They were all true. I do trust you. Leaving wasn’t about trusting you. I wanted to protect you and the others. I didn’t have another option. Like it or not, we can’t go back and change what I did. We have to get past this, so we can move forward.”
He rubs his face. The redness disappears, and he sits on the edge of the bathtub. “I’ve never really been part of a team before. Well, once when I was ten my father made me pick a sport. He said I had to play one. He didn’t care which one, but I was going to play something.” He shoots me a crooked grin. “My father’s almost as stubborn as you. It’s impossible to change his mind when he fixes on something. I decided to play basketball.”
