The van started, and they pulled out onto the road. For a split second, Aleena thought she may have seen someone at the corner of the house, but the glimpse was so fast she couldn’t be sure. I hope we didn’t take too long. She was about to mention it when Meghan tugged at her arm.
“So tell me what it was like.” The girl’s eyes were wide with excitement.
“What what was like?”
“Living with the Earthborn.”
Meghan’s blue eyes were so full of hope, and Aleena didn’t want to worry her. If the person she’d seen had been an Urlowen, scaring her and her family wouldn’t help the situation, so she decided to keep it to herself.
If something does happen, Valaan and I can handle it—probably.
CHAPTER 5
So far, the trip had been relatively uneventful. Aleena answered numerous questions from Meghan about life as an Earthborn. It was difficult, especially when the girl started asking about family, but she dug deep and answered as best she could. She left a lot out but made sure to open up enough to gain the Waymeirs’ trust.
Waymeir. That was the family’s surname. Every once in a while, there’d been enough of a break in the questioning that she, Ethan, or Allison could ask a question of their own. Though it never took long before the topic switched back to Aleena.
Valaan somehow managed to stay quiet for almost the entire trip. He would nod occasionally or answer with a simple yes or no, but for the most part he listened. Aleena was more than a little jealous; she liked attention as much as the next girl, but too much started to get obnoxious.
Even Ethan and Allison joined in on the questioning, which really got her thinking. As much of a connection as she felt with them, they still knew very little about her and where she came from. It made her sad. She wanted Ethan to know her more than he did. At least I can fix it. She just didn’t necessarily want to fix it in front of everyone, especially Allison. She liked the other girl, but she was starting to think she might be developing feelings for Ethan. And if that were true, her relationship with Allison could get a little sticky.
She never had that problem with her best friend, Ella. They had an unspoken rule to never take a friend’s mark, though they’d both broken it on a few occasions.
She wanted to apply the rule to Allison, but something inside her clawed against it. She’d tried to stay away from Ethan, but he was always there. And when she wasn’t training him, he was still on her mind.
She looked longingly at Ethan’s dark hair and strong jaw. Of all the guys she’d dated, she’d never felt like this before. Honestly, it scared her. What would she be willing to do to get him? Worse, what wouldn’t she do?
A quiet sigh escaped her lips and her gaze drifted to Allison, who glared not very subtly at her, which stopped her thoughts cold. I can’t do this. Realizing she’d inadvertently begun leaning toward Ethan, she straightened in her seat. What am I going to do?
“Did your brother finish the training?” Conner asked Aleena.
Grateful for the distraction, she tore her eyes away from Allison and looked at Conner. Blond hair, strong shoulders—though not as strong as Ethan’s—cute face….
She knew how to fix her problem with Allison.
“Um, sorry, what?”
“Did your brother pass the trials? You said he was only a couple years behind you.”
“No.” Aleena’s gaze dropped to her hands. “I didn’t even say goodbye.” Tears began to well in her eyes, but she resisted the urge to let them spill out. She wasn’t about to let any of them see her cry. Not now. Not like this.
Not ever.
She’d resisted asking anything about the others they’d mentioned at the house, but her patience was growing thin. She hoped she was building trust, suspecting it’d be difficult to get them to divulge their guarded secrets. Turning in her seat, she looked at Norman driving. He was the hardest to read. After all she’d told them, he didn’t appear to be convinced.
Must be hard to learn that your most closely held beliefs were wrong. Or maybe it has something to do with the Royals.
It was time.
Aleena directed her question to Meghan, who was clearly the most talkative of the bunch. “So, if you don’t mind me asking, who are the Royals?”
“We do mind you asking,” Norman said matter-of-factly.
Meghan leaned forward in the seat. “But Daddy, she’s Earthborn.”
“She has said a lot of things, sweetie.”
“But she can prove it. She’s wearing their armor right now.”
“How can you be sure that’s real? It could be a fake, a replica, an Urlowen trick.”
And there it was. The real reason behind Norman’s reluctance. Aleena saw his hand tighten on the steering wheel. He clearly hadn’t meant to say that. He was rattled.
“We are not Urlowens,” Ethan responded. His face was beginning to turn red.
Allison pulled her hand out from Ethan’s grip. “Ouch, not so hard.”
Aleena tried not to smile.
“They saved us, dear,” Needa reminded him. “You shouldn’t say such things.”
“Well apparently somebody has to. Don’t you remember the videos from the archives? Remember how deceiving the Urlowens are? And even if she’s telling the truth, what good will it do? The Earthborn lost their war with the Urlowens. Just like we will if we get involved.”
“We’re already involved,” Meghan said angrily. “Or do you not remember that we were nearly rounded up back there.”
“We would’ve been fine. We’re in more danger now thanks to these four. Now enough of this talk. The Earthborn were slaughtered.” Aleena saw Norman’s eyes flash at her in the rearview mirror. “All of them,” he added, then looked back to the road.
“Besides, even if she managed to survive in this stasis chamber as she claims, what good is one Earthborn against an army—against the Guard?”
Aleena tried not to show that his words echoed her own fears, but he was right, of course. All this stuff with Ethan and Valaan, who were they kidding? What good could they actually do? To think the three of them could turn the tide of war. It was absurd. Magic or no magic, one Earthborn, the former Councilor of Magic, and a strangely gifted Human couldn’t take on the entire Urlowen invasion force.
She almost blushed thinking of Ethan. She glanced quickly at him, then looked away before catching Allison’s eye. Gifted. She’d never tell him that. It’d go to his head.
The car was awkwardly silent, and her thoughts drifted to the Resistance extraction from the forest. The way the last Guard had moved was amazing; the power she’d felt was overwhelming.
She looked forward to where Valaan sat quietly, as per usual, not showing any signs of emotion. She wasn’t sure he was even listening to any of this. She still wondered if the chamber malfunction had done something to him, changed him somehow. He looked like he was in his own little world staring straight out of the vehicle.
“You know our laws,” Norman continued. “I don’t want trouble with the Royals. This world is dangerous enough as it is.”
“Well, if we trust someone, then what will happen?” Conner said grumpily. “We almost died today.”
“You don’t know that,” the father said.
“Of course we did. Do you think they were just going to throw us in prison?”
“They don’t know who we are,” Norman roared, “and I intend to keep it that way.”
“Well I’m telling her,” Meghan spat out. “You can report me for all I care.”
“Don’t you dare.” There was a threat in Norman’s tone.
“You don’t scare me, Daddy. You may scare the others, but I’m your baby girl. You love me.”
Meghan faced Aleena, tears running down her cheeks. “We’re descendants. Like your friend Ethan.”
Aleena stole a quick glance at Ethan, who shrugged.
“We don’t know what that means,” Aleena said.
“Meghan,” Norman howled from the front.
“It m
eans,” she started, glaring at her dad, “that we’re part Human and part Elf. Though the Elf part is really small in most of us.”
Her heart leapt inside her. That could only mean one thing. But it was too much to hope for, too much to consider—though it was the one thing she’d been longing for.
“How?” she asked, not daring to breathe.
“That’s enough,” Norman screamed. “We’re here. Everyone out. I don’t want to hear another word.”
“We’ll talk later,” Meghan whispered.
Aleena grinned. I like her.
Stepping out of the van, they stood before an enormous mansion hidden among endless trees. Beautiful glass windows, rising in terraces, surrounded the three-floor structure.
“Wow,” Ethan said, breaking the silence.
“It’s pretty cool. Indoor Olympic-size swimming pool, soccer field, it’s got everything. And that’s just the part we’re allowed in. Only Dad can get into the underground.”
Norman spun on his heel. “Right. That’s enough.” He turned to Valaan. “Leave us here. Take the van and go. Thank you for your help.”
“Norman,” Needa scolded. “They’re staying with us.”
“You heard them yourself at the house. Their plan was to leave us somewhere safe and move on.”
“That was before we knew you were… descendants,” Allison said softly.
“I think we’ll stay, at least for a short time,” Valaan chimed in, breaking his silence. “It would be nice to get a few nights’ sleep before moving on.”
“No,” Norman said firmly.
Aleena saw a slight glow begin to radiate from the father’s hands. They were like Ethan, or rather Ethan was like them. She’d sort all that out later.
“Honey,” Needa said timidly, “I don’t think you can make them leave. Not even if you try. You saw what they did to the patrolman.”
Aleena watched the man as he considered his options. She met his eyes, and then he looked again at Valaan. The glow dissipated.
“Fine,” he sighed. “but I hope this all doesn’t come crashing down on our heads.”
“I would like to meet these Royals,” Valaan said.
“Me too,” Aleena added.
“Absolutely not,” Norman shouted. Then the man spun on the balls of his feet and stormed off toward the safe house.
The soft touch of Needa’s hand on Aleena’s shoulder almost made her jump.
“I’m sorry he’s acting this way. He’s been so stressed lately. We all have been, but he has it the worse.” With that, the woman followed her husband out of sight.
Conner took a step forward. “Huh, I’ve never seen him that worked up before.” He shrugged. “Hungry? There’s always loads of stuff in the house.”
“I’m starving,” Ethan said.
Alison wrapped her arms around Ethan’s and rolled her eyes. “You’re always hungry.”
Aleena turned away, a small tendril of heat rising to her cheeks.
“Follow me, then,” Conner told them, starting up the winding dirt path.
The house was magnificent, set between the trees with a small clearing in the back. The outside was covered in frosted windows, with cedar beams holding a multilevel deck that wrapped around the entire exterior. The building itself was enormous.
Ethan and Alison caught up to Aleena, who was trying to keep a little distance during the walk. Ethan, still holding Allison’s arm, leaned slightly toward Aleena and whispered, “More like a safe mansion than a safe house.”
Aleena couldn’t help but smile as his voice sent warm tingles rippling through her. And he was right. The stairs leading up to the outer deck were majestic to say the least. Until now, she’d never even thought that would be possible, but there was an eloquence to their design, something familiar.
“How do you keep this place hidden?” Allison asked.
Meghan let out a frustrated sigh. “Daddy won’t tell us. He says we shouldn’t worry about such things, to just trust him.”
Aleena gave Ethan a sideways glance. There were certainly a lot of secrets in this family.
Conner pushed open a large set of swinging double doors and was greeted by a burly black-haired boy who looked to be about his age.
“Conner! Sick, dude, you made it. I thought for sure you’d been rounded up.”
Conner fist-bumped the kid and laughed. “Yeah right. They’d never take me alive.”
“In that case… Conner! Sick, dude, you’re not dead.”
“Come on, man, give me a little credit.”
Aleena shuffled into the foyer with the rest of the crew. It was breathtaking. An enormous chandelier hung from the ceiling, and ancient medieval armor stood with drawn weapons around the exterior of the room as if protecting the large canvas masterpieces on the walls between them.
“Who are you people?” Ethan piped up.
The black-haired boy, obviously just realizing Meghan and Conner had company, took a step back, becoming very suspicious. “Who are they?”
“They’re cool, man,” Conner offered. “They’re with us.”
“Despite my brother’s misplaced optimism, we would’ve been captured, but these people saved us,” Meghan explained. “Took down an entire collection squad by themselves.”
Conner leaned in to his friend. “Using some badass magic,” he whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear.
The boy grinned broadly, dropping all suspicion from his expression. He was excited; Aleena sensed his heart rate increase.
Wait, how do I know that? Aleena looked behind her to Valaan, who’d been following silently in the rear. He was fixated on the boys’ conversation, seemingly oblivious to her newfound perception. She focused on Ethan. He was relaxed, his heartbeat slow and regular.
“Everyone, this is Rayland,” Conner began the introductions. “And over here we have Ethan…”
Ethan nodded at Rayland.
“Allison…”
“Hi,” Allison said with a timid wave.
“Aleena…”
Ethan turned to look at her, and she took in a fast breath. His heart rate had increased, and she sensed he was—excited? No. Happy? She couldn’t quite place it. She’d never felt it before.
Suddenly it dawned on her that everyone was staring. “Oh, I um… yeah, hi. I’m Aleena.” A slight bit of rose appeared on her cheeks, then quickly faded when she glimpsed the fire in Allison’s eyes. Oops. That seemed to be happening a lot lately.
“And this is Valaan,” Conner continued.
“The pleasure is mine,” Valaan said with a slight bow to the boy.
“Oh, I like him.” Rayland bowed back.
“Enough chitchat,” Meghan cut in. “Let’s get something to eat. I think we’re all famished.”
Conner cocked his head to the side. “You ate half a bag of chips on the way.”
Meghan slapped him as she walked past. “It’s no wonder you don’t have a girlfriend, seriously.”
“Hi, Meghan,” Rayland said as she walked past him toward the kitchen.
She tossed her head back. “Hmpf. Big oaf.”
Aleena started after Meghan. They passed through two large sitting rooms and a formal dining room, all as lavishly decorated as the foyer, before they reached the kitchen. Three large work benches, all with marble counter tops, ran the length of the room, racks with pans and utensils hanging above. Several built-in stoves, large refrigerators, and cook tops were spaced along the walls around the room.
Meghan walked to the far corner and opened a larger walk-in refrigerator, fully stocked.
“How’d you get all of this?” Aleena asked.
“Daddy and his friends stock it. What do you want? I can make a scrumptious grilled cheese sandwich.”
“Sure, sounds good.”
Aleena watched as Meghan pulled out three different types of cheese, then opened a pantry to grab onions and a large loaf of bread.
“Do you come here often?” Aleena asked.
“About o
nce a year. Daddy uses it as a vacation house, although he’s never around when we’re here. He always goes off to the underground and works. He never really vacations… ever.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s actually a pretty awesome place to live for a week. We have almost anything you could want, all sorts of games, an indoor pool, and more. I’ll show you.”
“What’s in the underground?”
“Don’t know,” Meghan answered, firing up one of the stovetops and placing an empty skillet on the burner. She added a smidge of oil, then placed the bread in the pan and began layering cheese on top.
The door to the room swung open and Ethan, Allison, Conner, and Rayland entered.
“That smells great, sis! Mind throwing a few on there for everyone?” Conner grinned.
“Already working on it,” Meghan replied.
“You’re the best,” Conner added, then pulled out a stool from under a workstation and sat down.
“So,” Rayland started, “Conner tells me you’re Earthborn.”
“I am.”
“That’s sick. I never thought something this awesome would happen to us. I mean, we’ve all heard the stories. You’re all supposed to be the best of the best.”
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough,” Aleena said sourly.
“Yeah,” Rayland said, oblivious to the chord he struck. “Well now you’ll have a second chance to kick some serious Urlowen butt.”
“That’s the idea,” Aleena replied.
“You should see her. She is incredible,” Ethan jumped in. “She’s training me how to use magic.”
Rayland eyed Ethan. “You know the Royals have outlawed magic for all but the purebloods and protectors, right?”
Ethan shrugged, “No. And who cares about stupid rules like that anyway. I’ll do whatever it takes to get an advantage in this war.”
Rayland let loose a hearty belly laugh. “Wicked! It’s about time someone stood up to those stiff-nosed, self-righteous sleazebags. All high and mighty in their ancient fortress, telling us to lie low and hide. They’re cowards, the lot of them.”
“Rayland, watch your tongue,” Meghan bit out. “If either of our parents hear you talk like that—”
Earthborn Alliance Page 5