“Thank you. I’ll see you all later on today. Stay here as long as you like.”
He stood and vanished. No one said anything else, but our parents watched me. It made me nervous.
“I need some air,” I declared suddenly, jumping to my feet.
“Emma—”
“I’ll be okay, Mom.”
I didn’t stop walking, and soon I was headed for home.
“ Emma! Em, wait up!” I turned around to see Zach running after me. I am halfway home now.
“Zach, I just want to be home, okay?” I said, continuing to walk toward Heath.
“Please, just hear me out,” he implored, walking alongside me.
I exhaled.
“Fine. What did you follow me for, anyway?”
“We need to talk.”
“About?”
“Who we are.”
I hesitated.
“That’s a dangerous topic.”
“I know, and that’s why we need to figure things out. Starting with the current.”
I sighed, turning right on Heath.
“I have a book.”
“What’s a book have to do with us?”
“Everything. It’s about us, about who we are.”
Soon we were in my part of the Park District, and we didn’t talk again until we were inside my house.
“I thought it was supposed to be a secret?”
I shrugged, leading him up the stairs.
“The author, from what I’ve heard, was very good friends with Galaxia. He never mentioned our names, though, of course.”
We got off the stairs and took a right.
“So she told him everything?”
I shrugged, opening the door to my spare room. I stopped in the doorway, turning around to look at him.
“How can you be so calm about all of this?”
He shrugged.
“I’m good at hiding how I feel.”
I frowned at him, wishing I was.
“So you’re not calm,” I guessed.
“It just—complicates things. Complicates our friendship. . . Like when we were in his house, and when we were on the hill—”
“About that—”
“I didn’t mean for us to get that close. I just misjudged the space we had.” I didn’t completely believe him, but I kept my mouth shut. “Being who we are makes it hard to be around you. All I can feel is the current. . . and what it escalates.”
Feeling the change in the conversation to a topic I desperately wanted to avoid- our slip in Lucas’s house- I cut in.
“It’ll die down.”
I turned my back on him, moving further into my room to get the book off my bookcase. I heard Zach shut the door and then he was grabbing my hand, whirling me around to face him.
His hand that wasn’t holding mine went to my waist, his thumb resting just below my ribcage. Zach pulled me closer to him and the current accelerated my heartbeat, making my skin flush. My free hand subconsciously moved to hold onto his arm that was holding my waist, but logic justified that as an effort to keep space between us.
“I know you feel this, too,” Zach said, sounding out of breath. “I know you’re feeling what I am right now.”
I swallowed. Couldn’t he tell that I felt the same from yesterday?
“I already told you I felt—”
He grew frustrated.
“Not the , Emma!” he said crossly.
He dropped my hand, moving his own to rest on the side and back of my neck. I felt my skin burn, partially out of the embarrassment that he could now feel how fast my heart was beating, and also because his skin was so warm.
“I know you can feel this.”
Before I could say anything else, Zach closed the space between us. For a fraction of a second, I was going to stop him, but then I was kissing him back, and his kisses became more fervent. His lips were soft, forming to mine like they belonged there. He tasted like. . . like sunshine. Pure, cloudless sunshine.
My hand moved up, fingers winding through his hair, welding us even more together. My other hand spread out on the side of his neck as the knot in my stomach untwisted. I felt the heat on my skin, felt his. . . I felt his heart pounding against his chest, against mine. The way he was kissing me was maddening; I never wanted him to stop.
The current seemed to bind us together; I felt myself pushed and pulled closer to him. That undying passion I felt for him burned like a wildfire as I inched myself closer to him, which caused him to tighten his grip on my waist.
But then I realized: this was dangerous. This would only end up badly.
I pulled my head from Zach’s, breaking the kiss. We remained, however, standing very close to one another. The current was now visible, winding around us in a silver-blue light. As my heart rate slowed- and, I’m assuming, Zach’s did, too- the current died away. I awkwardly broke myself away from him and he dropped his arms away from me. I stepped back, hating that my heart was singing in glorious triumph at what had just happened.
“Just—um—take a seat,” I mumbled.
I turned my back on him then, happy that he couldn’t see my eyes, and went to the bookshelf. It took up nearly an entire wall of my room.
I heard Zach sit down on the couch, and I felt him looking at me briefly before looking away.
I found the book The Kahi, by Mark Barrens- and pulled it off the shelf. The one-hundred pages were goldlined and the cover was simple. I took several deep breaths, calming myself, before turning around and going over to sit on the couch. I kept enough space between us that I wouldn’t be inclined to touch him, and he wouldn’t be inclined to reach out to me.
“That it?” he asked.
The effort to be calm was evident in his voice. I nodded.
“The Kahi, by Mark Barrens. It explains everything for us.” Hmph. Mostly everything. “From our duties to when we’re Crowned—”
“When will that be?” he cut in.
Unintentionally, I looked at him, and then back down at the book when I realized I was staring. I opened to the table of contents.
“Here it is,” I stated, “‘Age of Becoming the Kahi,’ page seventy.”
I flipped to the page and scanned it, then read:
“‘The Kahi will not be old, but not young, either. When the two people selected by the Council become the age nineteen, they will be Crowned the Kahi by the Council themselves. It will be a private ceremony, only they and the Council will attend’,” I read. Holding back any emotions, I looked at him. “When’s your birthday?”
“The thirteenth of Duerre, eighteen past.”
“I was born exactly a month after,” I said, more to myself than to him. Then I looked back at the book.
“So, what, we’re being Crowned on different dates?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“It says something about that, too.
“‘Since the Kahi are born on different dates, when will they be Crowned? Certainly, not on different dates. Since the Kahi are born, one on the thirteenth of Duerre and the other on the thirteenth of Alsace, they will be Crowned on Ott the thirteenth of their nineteenth year’,” I read.
“So, two more years.”
I nodded vaguely.
“Anything else?” I asked.
“Just if you’re going to be comfortable being the Kahi with me.”
I shut the book, refusing to look at him.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
The book floated back to the bookcase and slipped into its spot when I willed it to with my Magic.
“Yeah, you do. You haven’t looked me in the eye since I kissed you and you kissed me back.”
I shook my head.
“It just—shouldn’t have happened,” I lied.
“Bull.” I looked at him, frowning. “If you hadn’t wanted that, you would have stopped me. You would have stopped me yesterday, too.”
Before I could say anything else, Dad was calling our names up the stairs, asking if we
were here. We didn’t answer, just continued watching each other. The next moment, my door was being thrown open and a rush of brown hair was hugging me as I stood up.
“Emma!” Jessie said, her eyes filled with tears as she stepped back and looked at me. “Are you okay? I woke up and you weren’t there! I was so worried about you!”
“I’m fine. You shouldn’t have gotten in the way, Jess. He could have seriously hurt you!”
“I didn’t want him to get you,” she mumbled.
“But he did. He got both of us, but he never even came in the room he locked us in. We only ever saw someone once and then someone got us out.”
“But—”
“Let her breathe, Jessica,” Thalia cut in, squeezing her way in between us to hug me, too. “She’s fine. No cuts, no bruises. She’s breathing. . .” She stepped back and looked over at Zach; he hadn’t moved since they came in the room. “How ‘bout you? You good?”
He nodded.
“Yeah,” he breathed. “I’m good.”
“Sit, sit, sit,” Thalia said, making me sit on the couch. She sat over on the chair.
“What’re you doing?” I asked.
“Spill. Adler was arrested, right?”
I sighed. Here we go.
“Yes. Right before we got to Keenan’s, they got him.”
“Do you know when his hearing is?” Thalia asked.
“No, why would I?” I replied.
“Just though you would, of all—” she started.
“Let’s change the subject,” Jess said quickly.
“Sorry,” Mom said. We all jumped; we hadn’t noticed her in the doorway. “You need to come downstairs. It’s—about Adler’s hearing.”
I frowned, but the four of us got up and followed Mom down the stairs to the voices.
Superiority and Life Debts
We came downstairs to find Keenan waiting in
the front hall next to Dad. He had changed from earlier, and was now wearing a crisp black suit. I had a sinking feeling that today was only going to get worse.
“There you are,” he said. He pulled two envelopes out of his pocket. “These are for you.”
I didn’t reach for it, and stopped Zach from taking his by grabbing hold of his wrist and pulling it away.
“Don’t take that,” I warned him.
“Emma—” Dad started.
“What’s in that?” I asked Keenan, nodding at the envelope. I had a hunch, but I wanted him to say it.
Keenan sighed, “I need—”
“You’re not going to be able to trick me into taking that, Keenan, and I’m not letting Zach take his. Don’t lie to me; that’s our summons, isn’t it?”
Zach looked at me and then back to Keenan. Jessie shifted on her feet next to me, something she did when she was uncomfortable. Keenan just stared at me, trying to figure a way around this, I’m sure. But finally, he took a breath.
“Yes,” he admitted heavily. “You two must testify! There have been no other survivors in his attacks. If we don’t have you two, our case is out the window and Adler will just be set free!”
“You have his Magic on countless crimes!” I objected.
“Magic only goes so far. The defense will say we faked it.”
“That’s—” I started.
“I know, Emma, but he will. With your and Zachary’s testimonies, Adler will be sentenced to life without a second thought in the jury’s mind! He will never be able to kill anyone again. He’ll be locked up in Bolenvare in maximum security with no hope of parole.” He looked at Zach when I still refused. “Talk some sense into her!”
“Why? I agree with her. You don’t need us to put him into prison; everyone knows what he’s done. He’s not going to get away with it anymore.”
“This isn’t an option.”
“You’re not above me,” I denied angrily.
“I’m the President of Quan, I am above you.”
“Keenan—” Dad started.
“Not now, James. She needs to understand who her superiors are.”
“I know who my superiors are, Keenan, but you are not one of them.”
“Em!” Jessica moaned. “Just take the summons and get this over with!”
“I’m not putting myself on the stand to be attacked by his lawyer.” I focused back on Keenan. “And I’m not going to let you try to make me answer things I can’t.”
“Like what? Emma, we only need to know what’s happened with Lucas Adler and ask about your Level.”
“No.”
My heart rate started to accelerate. I can’t tell them why my Level is so high, especially not in front of Lucas Adler.
“Do you know why your Level is what it is?” Keenan asked, suddenly over-curious.
I bit my lip, refraining from answering. I crossed my arms, my subconscious way of telling Keenan that I wanted him to back off.
“Emma, if you know—”
“No.”
I spun around, flying up the stairs before anyone could stop me. But I heard them yell my name, Keenan demanding I stop. I ignored them, going straight to my room and slamming the door shut behind me. I moved away from my door, pacing.
Damn this! Damn this whole thing! Testifying would be putting me in danger, would be putting everything in danger if they forced me to tell them why my Level is so high. How can they expect me to tell them? I could plead the Ableon. . . but by saying I know something that puts me in danger, wouldn’t that just make Lucas and Keenan more determined? Neither of them would stop until they found out, but them finding out that I was both the Keeper and the Kahi was out of the question. They would use me for their own selfish purposes. I scowled; Keenan was nearly as horrible as Lucas when it came to being power-hungry, only he didn’t kill for it.
When someone entered my room, I grew even angrier and whirled around to face them. I spoke to them in irate frustration as I turned.
“Get out! I don’t want to talk to any—”
“I’m not getting out, Emma,” Zach said calmly. “I’m the only person who has any idea what the hell you were talking about down there—”
“No, youdon’t. You only know the half that involves you.”
“What’re you talking about? Emma, you aren’t making any sense!”
“You don’t understand, Zach. If I accept that summons, and if they make me tell them. . . he’s going to destroy everything. I don’t want to be a shell!” I cried.
“Adler can’t hurt you. There’s no way I’m going to let him kill you! I’ll make his life a living hell if he—”
“You don’t understand! If I die, you die. Everything dies.”
Zach stopped, staring at me. For half a second, I thought he already knew, but then: “I don’t—”
“I’m the Keeper, Zach. My soul holds everything and if he. . . if he finds out—”
In two seconds flat, Zach had crossed the room and grabbed my face between his hands, kissing me passionately. I reached up and twined my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer to me. His hand on my waist reacted in the same way, tightening as I stepped forward. I want to keep kissing him so badly that it hurts.
I clung to him again, my lips moving with his. I felt his fingers in my hair, and then he pulled my face from his. He pushed the tears away with his thumb.
“No one is going to hurt you, Emma. They’ll keep you safe, just as I’m going to.”
“But if he—”
“I can feel them, Emma. I can feel the Galaxies inside of you. They’re going to keep you safe.”
The panic in me was soothed at his promise. At that moment, I knew what he said was true. The promise swelled inside me, and I nodded. Smiling softly, yet almost sadly at me, Zach pressed a tender kiss to my forehead.
There was a knock at the door, causing Zach and I to leap apart.
“Emma?” Mom called. “Please open the door. You—” She hesitated. “—you have to do this, Em. I know you can do this. You don’t have to answer anything you don’t want t
o, I promise. Your father and I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
I frowned at the door.
“I took my summons.”
I looked at Zach, seeing guilt cross his features. “Why?”
“I want to put him away so he can never hurt you again. In case it’s not obvious, I care about you. A lot,” he admitted, looking so sheepish I thought he was going to disappear. “I want to keep you safe.”
“You have been,” I mumbled. What would happen if I told him I felt the same way about him?
“Yeah, but. . . this is going to make sure you’re safe. As much as they will.” He hesitated. “Not that I’m going to stop, even after he’s put away. . .” He took a breath. “Em, you need to do this.” I frowned at him. “No, don’t do that. You know you need to. We’re the only ones that can put him away. I know you’re worried about. . . about people finding out, but you don’t have to say anything about any of that.” He paused. “If you won’t do it, I’ll call in you owing me.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“I thought you said you didn’t save me so I’d owe you?” I criticized.
“I didn’t, but if it’s the only way to get you to take that summons, I’m going to change my mind.” He hesitated again, and then took my hand. “Come on.”
I scowled at him in defeat. Of course, Zach knew that by contact, I’d agree.
“Fine.”
“Emma!” Mom knocked impatiently on my door.
Zach tugged me toward the door.
“Come on,” he repeated. “I’ll be right there the entire time.”
I swallowed.
“Promise?”
“I told you I’d keep you safe. I’m never going to lie to you, Em.”
I nodded solemnly, stating that I heard him—it was the only thing I could even think of doing. Then he released my hand and we went out into the hallway. “What was taking you two so long?” Mom asked. “We were talking.”
“Everyone’s waiting,” was all she said.
Zach and I followed her downstairs, keeping a careful amount of space between us so everyone wouldn’t realize something was up.
Keenan hadn’t moved and he shifted the unmarked envelope in his hands nervously. My eyes flickered to Zach, who gave me a sort of half smile. Sighing, I looked back to Keenan, extending my hand. He looked shocked.
Starlight (The Lightning Strike Trilogy Book 1) Page 7
