by Ciara Graves
“But we can help.”
“No, I won’t have you showing your faces again. Not unless it’s to move you to another safehouse. Or we might draw them to us by setting a trap of our own.”
I opened my mouth to make a suggestion.
He raised a hand to stop me. “I will decide if and how that would happen. For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you, Chas. This war is far from over, though. Wait for my orders. Do not do anything stupid. Got it?”
“So we’re what—running away now?”
“I will not lose you three the way I lost your families,” he uttered harshly. “I won’t.”
“Agnes blames you for their deaths, doesn’t she,” I said, telling him what I’d overheard Rori talking to Brogan about.
Moran stiffened and seemed unable to breathe for a whole thirty seconds, then let out a sigh.
“I don’t though,” I said firmly. “But you have to trust that we can do this.”
“Until Rori finds her balance, I will not risk you three again. Is that clear?”
I considered arguing, but the regret in his eyes stopped me. “Clear, sir.”
“Good. I suggest you see to your teammates. They will need you if they are to recover.” He made an about-face and took off down the corridor.
The Cleansers had drawn us into a trap, and we’d fallen for it. Moran would blame himself for days, I knew. It was what he always did when a plan went wrong. He blamed himself for my parents’ deaths, for the other Elite teams being captured and even killed. He blamed himself for every wicked thing those assholes did when he shouldn’t be.
I went to check on Brogan and found him sitting up in bed.
“He lives after all.” I dragged a stool to his bedside. “How you feel?”
“Like I was blown up a few times,” he grumbled. “Rori?”
“Recovering in her room. Been two days. The townspeople are shaken up, but fine,” I said, giving him the cliff notes of what occurred. “And it appears we walked into a trap.”
“Obviously.”
I told him everything Moran told me.
He cursed. “We’re going to be moving again?”
“Most likely, once Rori’s awake and able to move.”
He pushed himself up, and I stepped back so he could stand. “I want to see her.”
I maneuvered him out of his room and into hers.
Merlin moved back so Brogan and I could be closer to her, each of us reaching out and putting a hand on her arm.
Brogan brushed his lips across her forehead.
A stab of jealousy hit me again, but I held it in.
I told myself to get over it, but how could I when I was with Rori every damned day? She was a fighter, someone who cared about others with her whole heart, someone who threw herself into the face of danger despite being scared deep down she’d fail and die.
“Do you think it was her out there?” Brogan whispered. “Controlling that power?”
“I’m not sure. You went down, and she changed.” A weight settled in my gut, as I remembered the moment I thought he’d died. “Don’t ever do that shit again, man,” I added roughly.
He draped an arm around my shoulders. “Try not to,” he promised. “I’ll try.”
I rubbed a hand down my face, clearing my throat. “Good. I’m—uh, I’m going to go grab some coffee. Want anything?”
“I’m good.”
I hurried out of the door before my emotions got the better of me, then flattened by back to the wall outside Rori’s room.
Brogan had almost died.
And as for Rori, well, I wasn’t sure what was going to transpire with her. This power was changing her, and if we didn’t help her find a balance fast, the power would use her up and potentially destroy her.
Chapter 8
Brogan
On the fourth day, Rori finally awoke, complaining of a headache, but otherwise said she was fine. When we asked her about the fight and the power she used, she shrugged it off and said she did what she had to do to save me. She’d hugged me and kissed my cheek afterward, holding me close, but as I looked over her head at Chas, he had the same worry in his eyes that I felt.
Rori was not herself.
There was hardly any time to get her to admit it, though. Within a few hours of her waking, Moran told us we were moving to another safehouse. Several Vanguard scouts reported a group of fanatics and protestors were too close for comfort. So we packed our bags, waited until night fell, and were off to another base.
This one was not underground, but it wasn’t as large either. From the outside, it looked like it had once been an old prison. The inside had been completely transformed, so it resembled any another outpost.
“It’s essentially a fortress.” Blade guided us to our rooms on the main floor. “There’s a heavy perimeter of magic and alarms, so they won’t be getting too close without our knowing.”
“And what are we supposed to do while here?” I asked.
“Recover and then continue training. Moran will be following along in another couple of days. Dinner is served in an hour.”
Rori sighed and pushed open the door to her room. “Great. Another cot.”
“I thought you loved cots,” I teased, wanting to believe she was the old Rori.
“Totally. It’s my favorite accommodation. They squeak, and you can feel the damned metal bottom digging into your back all night long. Top notch,” she said with a wink and a grin that lasted only a second. “You think they’ll find us here?”
“No.” Chas tossed his bag into his room without ceremony.
“Shame,” Rori muttered. “Love to get some payback.”
“Think you already got some,” I said slowly, dropping my bag into my room then turned to face her again. “You took out quite a few of them, remember?”
“And I did it to save you. Wait. Why are you both looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” I asked innocently.
She planted her hands on her hips and glared at me. “Like I’m a freak at a freak show. I thought you two would be happy I’m finally able to use my necromancer abilities. But you’re both acting like I’m going to self-combust.”
“We just want to make sure you’re alright.”
“No, I don’t think so. You’re worried I’m not me. Is that it?” she snapped, whirling around to glare at Chas, too. “Go on, admit it.”
“Fine,” Chas growled.
I cursed, knowing this was not going to end well.
“Fine, what does that mean—fine?” she demanded.
“It means you’re not as in control as you think. Not even now,” he shot back.
I shoved my hands in my pockets.
Rori’s faced turn three shades of red.
Chas wasn’t about to stop, though. “You killed people without a thought. You just did it.”
“To save Brogan and you. I did it the first time around, too.”
“No, that was different. You hesitated, then you held back. This time, you knew what you were doing, and you did it anyway. What happened to the girl who cared about preserving life, instead of taking it? And that amount of power knocked you on your ass for three days,” he reminded her. “Yet you’re walking around like you’re perfectly fine.”
“So what if I am? You’re underestimating me; you always do that.”
“No,” I chimed in, unable to keep my mouth shut any longer. “He’s right. You’re not even weakened, but after what you did… Rori, look me in the eye and tell me now that you are you. That you haven’t let this other side of you take over.”
She looked me straight in the eye. “I am me. I found my balance and I’m holding onto it. Got it? What you saw out there was me. So let it go.”
And I was about to, until I caught the flicker of violet in her eyes. Then she was in her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Chas hung his head as I shook mine, both of us at a loss for what to do about her. I’d heard of magic-users being changed by their powers, being c
onsumed by them if they didn’t learn to gain full control. Rori was headed down that dangerous road like a speeding car unless we found a way to stop her.
“What do we do?” I asked Chas.
“What can we do, short of tying her down and making her see reason. We’ll have to watch her closely during training. She was lying. She knows there’s something off.”
“Yeah, she does.”
The whole time she’d been talking, her hand had twitched, as if wanting to reach up and tug on her braids like she always did when she was nervous. Or when she was lying. She knew she was unstable, but was too stubborn, or too scared, to admit it. Our training would pick back up tomorrow, and we would have to be extra cautious with her abilities. Somehow, we’d find a way to bring her back to herself and find that inner balance.
“Do you think Moran was wrong?” I said quietly.
“About what?”
“About her being able to handle both paths? I know her dad could, but he’d been training since he was a kid. She hasn’t been.”
Chas frowned as he watched her door. “You might be right, as much as I hate to admit it.”
“Having a necromancer around is pretty damned handy.” If those two paths were constantly fighting each other, eventually it would tear her apart. “We might have to help her make a choice. Pick one and turn her back on the other.”
“You want to have that conversation now?”
“Hell. no. We’ll wait until we have no other choice.”
Disappearing into my room didn’t sound appealing, so I told Chas I was going to wander around, check out the place. He said he’d tag along with me. For the first time since the three of us had formed a team, a brotherly connection I hadn’t noticed before occurred between Chas and me.
I knew how hard he’d fought to save my life before Rori stepped in.
I was an only child, but when Chas and I talked and cracked jokes, I found myself realizing he was my brother, no matter what happened. Despite the crap we put each other through in the beginning, we were a team. More than a team, a family.
At dinner, Rori appeared long enough to grab a tray, then took it back to her room. I considered following, but if she wanted to be alone, I’d let her be, for tonight at least. Because tomorrow, she wouldn’t have a choice. She’d be thrown in a room with us. Again.
Blade was too busy receiving orders from Moran to spar with us, so the three of us were on our own for the day. When Rori entered the room, I waited to hear what she would say, but she smiled, as if we hadn’t gotten into it yesterday, and asked what we should work on.
Chas and I exchanged a brief glance, then he suggested the basics to get us warmed up. We sparred with each other in hand-to-hand then progressed up to using our powers. We attacked each other in a three-way fight, careful not to injure one another too badly. Before long were drenched in sweat. At least, two of us were.
Rori was casually spinning her staff around in her hands as we took a break, her eyes shifting from blue then back to violet.
“What you did out there, during the battle?” Chas asked her.
She set her staff down with a loud clank on the concrete floor.
He put a hand on her shoulder. “The golden light, do you remember how you did it?”
“You want me to do it again?” she asked quietly.
“I want to know if you’d be able to do it without one of us essentially lying dead.”
Rori clenched her jaw, but shrugged. “I’m sure I can, but I’m not about to try it on either one of you.”
I shook out my hands as I moved forward. “Allow me then.” Lightning crackled at my fingertips then shot forward to form three totems brimming with life forces of their own, mostly healing energy. “Drain them.”
“While we’re attacking you,” Chas added, appearing ready to shift.
“What? Why?” Rori looked uncertain.
“Because that’s what you did while you were out there. You attacked one group of soldiers while you drained the others. These fights are only going to get more intense, so let’s see if you can repeat what you did.”
She fumbled with her staff, swallowing loud enough to hear.
“If you’re not ready, then just say so,” Chas said, not unkindly. “But we need to understand our limits.”
Her eyes narrowed, and the violet glow was back in full effect. “I don’t have any limits.”
“Rori—” I started.
She slammed her staff down and ice shot across the floor toward our feet, making us slip as we tried to keep our balance. But she didn’t stop there. She raised her staff again, and the ice rose from the floor, forming into sharp shards, aimed at Chas and me.
Chas shifted.
I shot him a glance. What was he up to? We said we’d talk to her about her choosing one path, not push her into realizing she had no other choice.
So much for thinking. Suddenly, the ice was coming at me, and I reacted on instinct because clearly, Rori was not holding back. One of the shards slashed across my arm drawing blood. Chas charged in, the ice glancing off his back. He swiped his paw wide to take her out, but she flipped over his back and slammed her hand toward him, sending a swarm of icy wind to drive him further away. All the while, that golden light crept toward the totems.
When it reached them, I sensed the drain on their power.
Chas roared.
I prayed this would not end badly, then joined him in attacking.
Rori moved gracefully and despite the two of us not holding back our punches, she dodged most of our strikes, using ice shields and strong winds to push us into each other.
My lightning struck near her feet, and she lunged backward, then spun around, sending a wall of spikes toward my face.
I barely managed to destroy them before they struck their target.
Chas rushed in from behind, bringing his paws down. A wave of moss caught Rori’s legs, locking her in place. She tugged to get free, but it held fast.
The draining on the totems stopped, until she yelled and brought her staff down hard, giving the light new life as the moss withered and died.
The use of so much power was clearly taking its toll on her. She was breathing hard. The power in her eyes flickered in and out.
“Rori, stop,” I said, holding out my hand to halt Chas. “This is crazy.”
“No,” she grunted and lashed out at us with that icy wind again.
It surrounded her like a forcefield, pushing us back further and further. At the same time, the drain on the totems doubled, until she staggered forward. Blood dripped from her nose. Her whole body shook.
Chas shifted back. “Rori, listen to him,” He yelled. “Enough.”
“No. I can do this.” More blood covered her face and just when the golden light grew bright enough to blind us all, the magic rebounded, and we were all tossed through the air, landing hard on the floor.
“Rori!” I crawled to her, tossing her staff aside as I wiped the blood from her face. “Damn it! What were you thinking? You can’t push yourself like that.”
“Yes, I can.” She shoved my hands away. “Go away.”
“Go away? You just want me to go away? After what you did? Not happening,” I snapped.
She shoved harder and scrambled to her feet, wiping her face on her sleeve, glaring at the blood, then at Chas and me. “Don’t look at me like that. I know what I’m capable of. I’m not weak. You got that? I’m not!”
“We never said you were,” Chas argued, but she was already stalking away. “Rori, wait.”
“Just leave me alone. I don’t need either of you. All you do is get in the way.” The words were harsh, but there was a pleading in her eyes that stopped me from shouting back at her. She was terrified of what she’d just done and how it could’ve hurt more than just her.
“Rori, talk to us,” I begged, reaching out for her, but she flinched away. “You can’t stay away from us forever. We needed each other, remember? Don’t do this.”
S
he wiped at her face again, cringing at the amount of blood, but took another step back. “What’s the point? You both think I can’t handle the power. I’ll just have to figure a way to prove you wrong.”
“Rori,” I shouted, but she refused to come back, and when I went after her, she raised a wall of ice too thick for me to punch through. “Damn it! What the hell was that, huh?” I yelled, whirling around to Chas. “We said we would talk to her about it, not push her so hard.”
“We didn’t push her, she did that to herself,” Chas said, holding his hand to the ice. “She must’ve heard what we said.”
“You think?” I ran my hands through my hair, kicked the ice wall, then cursed as my toes smarted.
“We can’t let her fight again until we fix this.”
“And how do we do that?”
He shrugged, looking about as helpless as I felt.
An orange glow came from behind the ice wall, and it melted to reveal Blade, wearing a confused look.
“Did I miss something?”
“You could say that,” I muttered.
“Whatever issues you three are having, they’ll have to wait. New orders. We’re moving out soon. Get packed and get ready.”
“We just got here,” Chas complained.
“And now we’re being told to move again. Moran hasn’t said why, but I have a feeling I know what the old bastard is up to.” Blade walked off.
“And, care to share?” I shouted.
Blade paused. “He’s flushing out the traitor and using you three to do it. Let’s move.”
And we were dealing with an unstable team member while Moran was trying to get us attacked. This was a great plan, fantastic. What could possibly go wrong?
here was no time to ask questions. Within the hour, we were loaded into another truck, driving off to some unknown location.
Rori rode in the same truck, but said nothing. Wouldn’t even look at us. Eventually, she would have to, and then we could hopefully have the conversation we needed to have, about not balancing herself between two paths. Choosing one so she didn’t kill herself.
