Marked Chaos

by Niki Livingston

  My fingers absentmindedly ran through Covyn’s short hair. Her eyes fluttered open.

  “Are we still prisoners?” she asked, her brows furrowing slightly.

  I drew in a long breath as I nodded. “It is nearly morning, and I have not heard a sound for a very long time.”

  “I hate them. Especially Jako. After all we have been through together, he just caved from his father’s demands.” She grunted and turned to her side. “He can’t even stand his dad.”

  “I hope Dax and Alex are not hurt,” I muttered. I needed to see Alex again.

  Covyn slid her head off my lap and slowly sat up straight. “Dax is the most resourceful man I know.” Her hair spiked out all over her head.

  I laughed and leaned forward, smoothing the hairs down. “You look like a spastic chicken.”

  She slapped my arms, then pushed them away playfully. “I do not care what my hair looks like.” Immediately contradicting herself, she reached up, and ran her fingers through her hair to tame the wild beast.

  I grinned. “You are now lovelier than ever, my friend.”

  “Liar,” she said, rolling back and leaping to her feet. She doubled-over in pain, holding onto her side. “This is why I hate them. How will we escape if I cannot breathe when I run?”

  “We will find a way.”

  The room we were being held in only had a small rectangular window, and it was too high for either of us to reach. With Covyn’s cracked rib, she squealed every time I lifted her to it. However, I could see a light pouring in. Morning was here.

  “Do you think they will bring us food?” My stomach was rumbling something fierce.

  As if they had read my mind, the door slid open, and Jako stood on the other side. He held out a bag, then dropped it to the floor and set down a canister next to the wall. His eyes narrowed at me, but when his gaze shifted to Covyn, his expression softened.

  “I wish you had chosen me,” he muttered softly.

  “I wish you had turned out to be a decent human being,” Covyn hissed back at him, folding her arms over her chest as she exhaled with a loud huff.

  He lifted his hand and wiggled his fingers at her, then secured the door and banged his fist against it after it closed.

  Covyn stared at the door for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders. “I guess we are sharing our water.” She handed the canister to me, scooped up the bag, and peered inside. “Bruised fruit. My favorite.”

  She held out an apple and peach for me to take. I was starving, so as long as the fruit wasn’t too mushy or moldy, I had no problems eating it.

  Just as we were finishing our meager meal, the door slid open again, but this time it was Beck waiting for us. He was holding the anaman weapon I’d had in my pack.

  “Thank you for this,” he said, pointing it at me. “All these years of trying to get my hands on one of these and you brought one directly to me.”

  “What do you want?” Covyn snapped, shifting in between me and the weapon.

  His gaze slid over to Covyn. “We need you to fix the ship.”

  She snorted and shook her head. “Not a chance.”

  One of his brows lifted and his lips twitched with amusement. “Why do you have to make everything so difficult?” he asked, holding out his hand for her to take.

  “No,” Covyn replied. Her hands settled on her hips again.

  “Do not do this, Covyn.” He stepped to the side and one of his men stepped inside the room. “I would prefer not to force you to comply.”

  I stepped forward and linked arms with Covyn.

  Beck looked at his guard. His lips pursed as he slid the side of the gun across his chin, then he gave the guard a curt nod.

  The guard lunged forward, wrapped his long fingers around my neck, and yanked me away from Covyn. Stunned, I fell back against the wall and watched as Beck dragged Covyn away by her hair.

  Before I could even think about it, I was leaping at the unsuspecting guard. He obviously did not believe a girl would ever retaliate. My fist smashed into the back of his neck. He grunted but whipped around, pulling both of his weapons from their sheaths.

  I kicked at his left hand, and the firearm flew across the floor. He aimed with his right and shot, barely missing me. A black welt decorated the wall behind me. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Jako slinking into the room and slowly making his way toward me.

  “Two men against one woman,” I said, my gaze shifting between the two men. “I like my odds.”

  The guard reached for my hair, but I ducked and rolled away from them both. Leaping to my feet, I sliced outward with both hands and connected them with Jako’s throat.

  His saliva spurted in all direction as he tumbled back a few feet. The guard jumped back in, this time grabbing my arm and yanking me against him. He wrapped his arm around my neck and squeezed.

  Jako’s fist connected with my face. My sight blackened with the pain radiating in my cheek and I gasped for air as the guard dropped me to the ground. I rolled to my side just as someone’s foot connected with my abdomen, driving a scream from my lips. My hands shook as I held them in front of my face, already feeling my eye swelling shut.

  “Jako. Leed,” Beck hollered.

  I was actually grateful to hear that man’s voice.

  “If you break her, this entire mission will be for nothing,” he hissed.

  Someone’s footsteps pounded against the metal flooring. Peeking between my fingers with my one good eye, I watched as Covyn burst through the doorway and Beck reached in after her, snaking his arm around her waist to hold her back.

  “I will kill you,” she screamed at Jako, lunging at him despite Beck’s firm hold on her.

  “Now, now. We will not be talking about killing anyone today.” Beck shoved Covyn against the wall and wagged his finger at her. “Pull it together, soldier.”

  “Go jump off a tall cliff, you monster!” Covyn screamed at the top of her lungs at Beck. Her attention shot over to Jako. “And you. Look at you hiding behind your father. Coward.” She spit in his direction.

  I scooted away as Jako lunged for Covyn. Leed, the guard, held him back.

  “Both of you, knock it off!” Beck yelled, gripping Covyn’s arm so tight I swear he would snap it in two.

  Jako’s face was a deep red, but he nodded and stepped back. His gaze landed on me, and his crimson flush deepened. A sudden flash of movement caught my eye, and I shrank back as Covyn flew past Beck and Leed with a dagger in her hand. She sliced the air right next to Jako’s ear, barely missing. Before Leed pulled her back, she stabbed Jako in the hand and yanked the dagger down, slicing his pinky finger off.

  The room was dead quiet for a split moment, then a wounded animal wail echoed off the walls. I jumped to my feet, pressing my hands into my ears, and crept closer to the doorway. Beck flew into action, diving at the finger and wrapping it in his shirt. He pulled Jako from the room, leaving the three of us staring at one another.

  “What do you say we take this outside?” Leed asked, waving his recovered weapon at me, then Covyn.

  “Beck will not want us dead,” I mumbled as I covered my swollen eye with my hand.

  “Don’t worry, pretty girl. I will leave you alive. What I have planned for you won’t be any fun if you are dead.”

  Bitter hatred coiled inside my chest.

  Covyn ran for the door and yanked me out with her. I did not need to turn around to know Leed was hot on our trail.

  We burst out into the morning sunlight. Covyn tore off to the right, and I followed. As we came around the corner of the ship, the female guard jumped to her feet and held her weapons on us. We skidded to a halt and raised our hands in front of our faces.

  “What is this all about?” she asked Leed.

  He sauntered around us, arrogance written all over his face. “These two prisoners started a fight and injured Beck’s kid.”

  The woman’s eyes narrowed. I ignored both of them, concentrating on the air around me. There had to be a way to co
mmand the wind. What I had done on the ship and over the past few days was evidence I could, but I was still unsure how to make it bend to my will.

  Leed jumped in front of us, pretending he was going to grab Covyn. She jumped back and he laughed, slapping his knee as he twisted to look back at his irritated comrade.

  A whirlwind stirred deep inside me, and my birthmark pulsated against my flesh. My gaze snapped up to meet Leed’s. I knew how to command the air around me. All along, the power came from within, instead of an external force of nature. I was the key.

  I focused on Leed, imagining the air blowing intensely around him. Within a few moments, the dirt kicked up, flying in short bursts against him. He did not seem to notice as he straightened and lifted his weapon to my face.

  “Return to the ship,” he barked, waving me back with his other hand. His gaze shifted toward Covyn as winds swirled behind him. “And you. Fix the ship.”

  An eruption of wind blasted Leed from behind. He stumbled forward, and the guard behind him fumbled with her weapon as air swirled between and around them both. I glanced at Covyn, who was watching with the corners of her lips turned up. A smile blossomed across my face as well.

  I lifted my hands to the sky, and the wind rose with them. Joy danced through my mind. I wiggled my fingers, and the air pulsated back and forth, knocking Leed to his knees and flinging the woman onto her back.

  Something hit me in the back of the neck. I blinked away the black clouds, but the world turned to the side and I fell forward, catching my fall with my hands. I twisted to see what was behind me, but a shadow loomed over me, and something struck me again in the head. I fell face first into the dirt.

  Covyn’s screams filled my ears. Dazed, I turned to look at her, but I was pushed down with what felt like a boot. Then my arm was wrenched nearly out of its socket as I was dragged away.

  Moments later, I lifted my chin from my chest. Drool smeared across my cheek, but I could not move my hands to wipe it away. The ship was yards away, and Covyn was marching back inside with a weapon pressed against her skull.

  I cried out, but my voice barely squeaked. A weariness spread over me as I let my head fall back against a cool surface, and I stared blankly at the wisps of clouds, a sense of defeat washing down to my gut.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Fire and Water

  ZOE DAWN

  Aly had called up to my room before morning meal, asking if she could see me in the cafeteria. I nearly tripped over my own feet as I fumbled into my clothes. Alex had arrived at the sanctuary and she brought news of Kia Lynn.

  The question lingering in my mind was all I could think about. Why had they not brought Kia Lynn with them when they scooped up Alex?

  I raced to the lift and yelled the floor to the cafeteria. When the doors slid open, I pushed past the group on the other side and sprinted into the room. Aly and Malcolm were sitting with a dark-haired girl at the farthest table from the food.

  Alex jumped to her feet when she saw me approaching.

  “Zoe Dawn, I am thrilled to finally meet you face-to-face,” she said, holding out her hand.

  I glanced at her hand, then back at her face.

  “Oh, that’s right.” She shook her head as if frazzled, curling her fingers into a fist.

  I smiled and tapped her fist with mine. A spark flashed between our skin, and our gazes met in surprise. I laughed, then pressed my palms together right in front of my chest. “I am very pleased to meet you in person, Alex.”

  “We need to talk,” she said, beckoning for me to follow her over to the table.

  We settled into our seats and I turned to face Alex, ignoring Aly’s sullen expression.

  “Where is my Kia Lynn?” I asked Alex, getting right to the point.

  “She is still with Beck and his people,” Alex said, entwining her fingers and resting them on the table. “She helped me crash their ship, but I blacked out. When I woke, I found myself miles from the ship. Dax said he could not find Kia Lynn or Covyn.”

  I raised my brows at her mention of someone named Covyn.

  She nodded in realization. “Covyn is from Beck’s village, but she wanted to help Kia Lynn. Dax as well. We need to let Dax enter the sanctuary.” Her gaze flashed to Malcolm. “Please. He can help us find Kia Lynn.”

  “Why is he being kept outside the boundaries?” I asked, leaning forward in my chair.

  “All newcomers are required to endure three days of interrogation before entering our community,” Malcolm replied with a pointed look, as if I should know not to question him. His attention shifted to Alex. “With very few exceptions.”

  I did not care right now. They needed me more than I needed him. “When will we retrieve my sister?”

  “That is being arranged, but their ship is cloaked and it was impossible to find it during the night.” Malcolm rose from his seat. “For now, show Alex around the grounds and prepare her for the elemental unification.” Without another word he stormed off.

  I threw my hands up in the air, staring at his receding back. “What did I say?”

  “He is under a lot of pressure from his people,” Aly whispered, hanging her head as she slightly shook it. “The unification is their top priority; a prophecy they have lived their entire lives to behold.” Her chin lifted and her gaze met mine. “We do not want to halt this evolution.”

  “We need Kia Lynn to complete our circle,” I said, not understanding her somber mood. It was not the time to rest and wait. “Why are we delaying her retrieval?”

  “We aren’t,” Aly snapped. “Kia Lynn is our main concern, now that we have you both safe within the sanctuary.” Her pointed look reminded me of my escapade the night before. “Soon enough we will find her.”

  Giving me one last glance, Aly then nodded her good-bye and left the room in a hurry.

  I looked at Alex. “I sure know how to clear a room. It is just you and me for morning meal.”

  Alex’s brows furrowed and she smiled. “You mean breakfast?”

  “What is breakfast?”

  “Never mind,” she replied, rising with her hand held out for mine. “I am starving.”

  We finished our meal and strolled outdoors, talking about Kia Lynn and her insistence that Alex help her find me. I laughed when she described my sister tracking her.

  “She is an expert at finding anyone or anything in those woods.” I missed Kia Lynn and her eccentric tendencies. I stopped just before we made it to the butterfly swarm. “What can you do with your elemental gift?”

  The corners of her mouth twitched with a smile. “I can command water to do my bidding,” she replied, waving her hands in front of her. A splash of water danced between her fingers. “I did not realize how easy it was until Kia Lynn and I connected on the ship. After our encounter with Tatum, it has evolved with ease. I discovered it not only comes from within but I can pull it directly from the earth.” She held her hand flat, and water erupted from her hand like a wave, then froze in midair.

  “Impressive,” I said, my eyes wide with amazement.

  “And what about you?” she asked, flicking at the ice. It flew through the air and dropped to the ground, then shattered on impact.

  I snapped my fingers, and a flame burst from their tips. “Same as you, except with fire.”

  She laughed and waved her hand. Water doused my hand and flame.

  I burst with laughter. “I did not see that coming. We could definitely battle something fierce, couldn’t we?”

  Her smile faded. “I am grateful to have met you, but I do need to contact my parents and return to them soon.”

  “But not before the elemental unification, right?”

  “I do not understand the point,” she whispered, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. “Malcolm says it will bind me to this dimension.”

  She was not making any sense.

  “I will show you.”

  I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the butterfly swarm. When we reached the stairc
ase, Alex froze.

  “I haven’t seen a butterfly since we arrived,” she muttered, holding out her hand and taking a few steps forward.

  I followed her. “You have seen these stunning creatures before?”

  “Yes.” She nodded as one of the butterflies landed on her finger.

  “Then I will leave you here to reacquaint yourself to them.” I patted her on the shoulder. “Do not leave until you understand your duty to Mother Gaia.”

  She didn’t reply but walked farther down the stairs and into the thick of butterflies. I needed to speak with her friend Dax. Sprinting back up the trail and past the buildings, my heart beat furiously in my chest as I neared the guard structure.

  I knocked on the door, drawing in deep breaths as I waited for someone to answer. It was quiet. The second time, I pounded on the door with my fist. I heard someone yell from the other side of the building, then running footsteps echoed from inside.

  The door flew open, and Anna Rain stood frazzled on the other side, her shoulder wrapped and held in a sling. “Zoe Dawn,” she said, gasping out my name. “What in the world are you doing here?”

  “I need to speak with your new prisoner,” I said, stepping into the building without being invited. There was no one else in the room. “Will you please take me to him?”

  “It is against the rules,” Anna Rain protested, securing the door and leaning against it as she caught her breath.

  “But no one else is here to stop us,” I said, taking a few steps toward the hidden door.

  She sighed. “You are going to get me in big trouble.” She stomped around me. “You have five minutes and that is it.”

  I had no idea what she meant by five minutes, but it did not matter. She opened the door with an eye scan, and I followed her down a dark staircase. As we neared the bottom, the room opened up into a cave-like structure. Rock and dirt surrounded us from every side, and a chill rose from the ground.

  Off to the right were several wooden doors. Anna Rain led me to the first one and inserted a large key into the knob. The door swung open, and a man jumped up from a bed in the corner.

  “Are you Dax?” I asked, pushing past Anna Rain, careful to not hit her shoulder.