Awakening Earth and Fire: Earth and Fire Trilogy Book 1

by Jacqueline Edie

  I continued on, passing by a small group of girls cloistered together, trying to shield themselves from the rapidly turning weather. A blue streak of hair among the palest blonde jumped out at me. Raine. The other faces fell into view. Coral. Misty. Ivy.

  They waved after a moment’s hesitation, but I just gave a slight nod back, moving past quickly as I pulled up the fur-trimmed hood of my warm coat, tucking my loose hair inside as I strode off in the opposite direction.

  I’d seen how they’d avoided Sage. Ever since that little mouse of a girl Ivy had opened her mouth and told the rest of their group how Sage had been treated in Earth Society. How everyone there had avoided her. It angered me to no end. And it was all because of rumors about ‘something she’d done’. I didn’t know anything for sure as Sage had never told me anything about it outright. And that was okay. Everyone had pasts, had secrets, sometimes best left unrevealed. What I did know was the friend I’d made here, a person I’d grown to admire and respect. And so when Coral and Raine had come to me, nearly a week after we’d first arrived, asking me to join them for lunch, trying to befriend me into their little clique, the first words out of my mouth were, “Okay. I’ll ask Sage to come to.”

  I’d expected their hesitation. Had let out a snort of disbelief when Ivy tried to give me an excuse for their avoidance of her. Shook my head as I’d walked away, parting with, “I don’t desert friends. If you choose to judge someone based on rumors, then spread more of your own about it, that’s your choice. But I certainly won’t.”

  They hadn’t tried to speak to me since and I was glad of it. Despite the lighthearted cheerfulness I normally exuded, I knew I’d changed since coming here. There was a coldness to me now, along with a seed of anger, of pain, though I usually hid it better than I had today.

  Another icy blast surged past me and I instantly turned away from the edge of the woods where I’d been wandering, glancing up at the rapidly darkening sky. The last thing I needed was to be out here when it began to rain and turn into a sopping, freezing mess.

  Zipping my coat up to my chin, I moved to step forward, to make my way back inside. But it was the crack of a nearby branch that had me hesitating. Startled, I darted behind the closest tree trunk, not completely sure what I was hiding from or why.

  Voices sounded in the distance, coming closer and closer. I recognized the first one instantly. Flint, with his raspy growl. The other voice was male, deep but not so gruff. It wasn’t River though, that much I knew. The voice had a piercing edge to it, one that River didn’t possess. Shifting slightly, I peered around my shield of bark.

  Two people stood approximately fifteen feet away. Flint’s back was towards me. The other man was one of the guards I’d seen here briefly. A pair of dark glasses shielded his eyes despite the current lack of sun and his onyx hair stood up in scattered points along his entire scalp. They spoke in low voices and I strained my ears, trying to decipher the fragments of conversation I could hear.

  “It’s not working,” Flint complained bitterly. “Our attempts are failing. If anything, she’s succeeding. Ever since she joined with him.”

  “Well, that was your foolish mistake, wasn’t it? You purposely picked the names. You paired her off with him in that initial fight.”

  “What was I supposed to do Wade? He’s the strongest one here. I thought for sure he’d defeat her.”

  “Well, the opposite happened, didn’t it?” The trainer wearing the sunglasses who was named Wade shook his head, sighing. “We’ve tried this several times already. It may be that we have to change our initial plan. Regent is no longer an option. At this point, who would believe it?”

  Flint let out a huff of frustration. “You’re right,” he said, the rasp to his voice more prevalent than ever. “Combatant is our only choice. Which means everything will be altered. She’ll have to be taken from the Zone of Rogues and brought to Regent. Violet will be displeased, though.” He said the name as if terrified of the person it belonged to.

  But Wade just shook his head. “There’s more to it than just that, Flint. Much more. More than I’m at privilege to tell you. But let me say this. She is going to be very useful to us. She has the ring, though she doesn’t know what it means. What it can do. And Violet has already agreed she may live for as long as she remains useful.”

  Their voices began to fade and I realized they were moving away. I leaned forward, risking discovery to hear what more I could of their conversation.

  “…there’s a relationship there, one the girl doesn’t know about. One that Violet will stop her from knowing at all costs.”

  “Why? What relationship?”

  Wade just shook his head. “Can’t say. What I can tell you, though, is that Violet will go to any cost to ensure the girl doesn’t find out. Otherwise she may use it against her.”

  Flint and Wade’s voices faded until I could no longer hear them. Another gust of wind tore past me, ripping my hood off as a drop of rain, cold as ice, hit my forehead. But I stood there frozen, the conversation I’d just overheard replaying itself in my head. Though try as I did to piece it together, nothing made sense. What were they talking about? And who was Violet? There was a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach at the thought of her name, though I didn’t know why. Only much later did I put the pieces together. Did the bits of conversation I overheard make sense.

  But by then it was far too late.

  SAGE

  Chapter 34

  Coal and I continued to walk through the dense woods after leaving Aurora and Finn, the subject of conversation now turned over to the final upcoming challenge. But as my feet moved across the cold packed ground, I noticed the metal ring tied around my ankle. Noticed how it kept banging repetitively with each step. And how every time I felt it bounce against my skin, it was a little reminder that I hadn’t yet told Coal what I’d discovered about it.

  I should have told him. I had to tell him. Now.

  We were close to the pond at this point; far enough away from any prying ears. Quickly I decided that would probably be the best place to show him. “Coal, wait,” I called, my steps coming to a halt.

  “Hmmm?” He twisted to face me.

  “I need to tell you something. Here,” I grabbed his arm, tugging it again. “Follow me.”

  I moved over to the bench once we arrived, raising my leg and resting my boot upon its weathered boards. “What….?” he started to ask, watching me with curiosity as I began lifting the leg of my pants.

  “There’s something I need to show you.”

  Deftly untying the leather knot adhering it to my ankle, the cords fell apart as the ring released. Swallowing thickly, I moved back over to him, the jeweled metal pressing against my clenched fist. He stared, unmoving as I unfolded my fingers.

  His eyes shifted from the ring to my face then back to the ring. Confusion grew. “A ring?”

  “Yes.”

  A frown appeared at my continued silence. “Okay…why are you showing it to me?”

  Ignoring the nervous flutters in my stomach, I reached out, taking his hand, my fingers cold against his warmer skin. Gingerly, I placed the ring into his palm.

  “Look at it closely, Coal, and you’ll understand.”

  After another questioning glance at me, he focused his gaze on the ring, rolling it between his fingertips, slowly examining all sides. Nothing remarkable, not that he’d noticed. Yet.

  But then he brought it closer to his face, eyes widening as he twisted it about, trying to get a better view. Swiping his index finger gently along its inner surface, I watched as he touched upon the symbol marked there.

  “Did you find this somewhere here?” he asked slowly, his voice rough.

  “No.”

  “Then where?” His gaze remained on the ring, continuing to study its every surface.

  “My mother gave it to me right before I left Earth Society. Just like how your mother gave you your chain right before you left Fire Society.”

  His e
yes shot up instantly, searching my face as his own darkened. “What?”

  “I said my mother gave it to me.”

  He let out almost a laugh of disbelief, though there was no humor on his face. “I heard, Sage. I meant… why didn’t you say anything about it when I showed you the chain? You had it with you then, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, but…,”

  “But what?”

  “But…I didn’t tell you because at the time I didn’t know about the symbol on it. I didn’t know there was a connection.”

  “How could you not know about the symbol?” I could hear the disbelief in his voice. “I noticed it right away,” he continued. “You can’t expect me to believe you’ve had this ring for nearly a month and never noticed the symbol carved into it or how it matches my own,” he continued, a tinge of annoyance now entering his tone.

  “That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” I replied, my voice brisker than I intended.

  He just stared silently at me for a long moment and I sighed. “Coal, you don’t understand,” I began, my voice softer now. “I was holding the ring the other night, before I went to sleep. I do that sometimes, when I can’t sleep…when I’m missing my family. That’s when I felt a small bump on the inner surface. When I scraped at it, a small piece of metal fell off, revealing the symbol beneath. Someone had covered it, hidden it. I don’t know who,” I said, shrugging. “I don’t know if it was my mother, or whoever gave her the ring. But clearly, whoever it was, they didn’t want the symbol discovered.”

  His annoyance from earlier vanished as Coal studied the ring still in his palm, contemplating my words. He asked, almost apprehensively, “Does it grow warm? When you look at me? Like the chain does?”

  I shook my head. Just that movement alone sent a crestfallen look over his face.

  “But Coal, there is a difference between what your mother told you and what mine told me before I left. And I think that’s why it doesn’t grow warm when I look at you. Your mother said the chain, the symbol on it, would lead you to the person you needed to find.” I paused, taking a breath, then placed a hand on my chest. “But my mother said the ring will lead me to the place I need to go, when the time comes.” At least, that’s what my dream mother said. What had happened in reality versus my dreams was starting to blend together. “And so I think, only then, will something happen.”

  His eyes flicked back up to mine. “So, they both have the same symbol and we were both given them before we came here to the Training. The chain led me to you. And now you think the ring is meant to lead both of us somewhere else?”

  “Yes, that is exactly what I think.” The place where I will belong. My dream mother’s words echoed in my head.

  A gust of wind blew then as I noticed the rapidly darkening sky, the way the ponds surface had gone from smooth white glass to roiling darkness.

  “Well, there is only one place I can think of. Maybe it is meant to lead us to Combatant.” But his voice was unsure.

  “Maybe,” I replied, but shivered. Something inside told me there was more to it, though. So much more that neither of us could even comprehend it yet.

  ✽✽✽

  I pulled against the heavy door, struggling against the brutal wind and Coal leaned over, yanking as well. We tumbled inside just as the first icy drops of rain pummeled the ground. But as I shook my head, removing the gray woolen scarf I’d wound around myself, I halted, staring straight ahead.

  Staring straight at Rowan.

  He paced back and forth, muttering to himself. He was alone for once, not surrounded by his new friends.

  Anxious eyes turned on me suddenly, his blonde hair a rumpled mess from yanking his fingers nervously through it one too many times. Instantly I knew something was wrong. What had happened? I took a step towards him. Despite everything that happened between us since arriving here, I still considered him my friend. One month of separation couldn’t undue a lifetime of bond. At least not for me. Not yet.

  I felt Coal stiffen next to me. He’d noticed Rowan as well. I gazed over, glancing up into his piercing eyes. But before I could say anything, before I could utter a single word, he nodded encouragingly. “You should go talk to him. Make sure he’s all right. I’ll talk to you later.”

  He understood that’s what I needed to do, even though I could feel the anger pulsating off him towards Rowan. Anger at the way he’d hurt me. I squeezed Coal’s hand in silent thanks, then moved towards Rowan.

  He saw my approach and tried to regain his composure. But he couldn’t mask the panic in his eyes. Not from me.

  “What’s the matter?” I asked as soon as I was close enough for him to hear me.

  His eyes darted around, as if fearful someone was listening. “Nothing, nothing, I’m fine. Everything is fine.”

  Which meant it wasn’t.

  I grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him down a nearby hall, stopping only once we’d reached an abandoned corner. Pushing him back against the wall, I stared into his face until his chocolate eyes finally lowered to my own.

  “What is wrong, Rowan?” I repeated.

  A laugh pierced the air. His laugh…but it was wrong. My gut clenched. “Nothing, it’s nothing really. It’s just I…I…,” he broke off, the strange laughter gone as suddenly as it started. “I was hit.”

  Dread began filling me. “What do you mean, hit?” I started turning him about, my eyes scanning for any sign of an injury. “Where?”

  “I was hit in the challenge. Or would have been hit. I thought I was going to die, the spear was coming right towards me.”

  “Okay.” I nodded slowly. “So you were able to jump out of the way. There’s nothing wrong with that. Would have been hit isn’t the same thing as being hit,” I tried to reason with him.

  “No, no, that’s not it, Sage! You’re not understanding what I am trying to tell you!”

  I stepped back, shocked at his sudden outburst. What didn’t I understand?

  His whole body trembled as Rowan took in a deep breath. “Sage, listen to me,” he whispered. “Just listen and don’t interrupt.”

  I stared in stunned silence. The person standing in front of me was a stranger.

  The words flew from him. “I was in that room, fighting the best I could. But it wasn’t enough. As I grabbed the knife, preparing to throw it, I saw a spear coming straight for me. Right towards my chest, my heart. I couldn’t move. There wasn’t enough time. And in that moment I knew it was over. The spear was going to hit me and I was going to die.” He closed his eyes tightly, as if reliving it all over again.

  “But when it was only a couple inches away it…it stopped.” He swallowed heavily. “It stopped in midair and ricocheted backwards onto the floor. As if it hit an invisible barrier.”

  My mouth dropped open, but he rushed on, not giving me a chance to speak.

  “As soon as that happened, the whole challenge ended. River just looked down and said I was done and should leave.” He stood there, shaking his head in despair. “Sage, what is going to happen? I failed. I failed the challenge!” His hands grabbed onto my shoulders as he stared desperately into my eyes.

  As much as I wanted to comfort Rowan and tell him there was nothing to panic about, I couldn’t. Because I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d just revealed to me. The weapon stopped before it hit him. It didn’t kill him, even though it should have. Why? None of it made sense.

  “Sage, what am I going to do?” he exclaimed suddenly, drawing me out of my stupor as he began to shake my shoulders.

  I blinked at him, then reached out, grasping onto his forearms, the skin beneath my hands cold and clammy. “Rowan, you need to relax. The only way you’ll get into any kind of trouble now is if you don’t calm down. You surpassed everyone in the Intellect Challenge, they won’t overlook that. Everyone has their weak points. Just go back to your room and calm down. Just concentrate on preparing for tomorrow’s challenge. Okay?”

  He stared at me, his hands trembling where they
still clutched my shoulders. “O…Okay,” he stuttered, then stumbled away from me, the wild look never leaving his eyes.

  “And Rowan,” I added quickly in a hushed voice. “I don’t think you should tell anyone else what you just told me. About the…invisible wall.”

  Leaving him then, I hurried down to the dormitories to find Coal. Because, even though I told Rowan not to tell anyone, there was one person I had to share this information with.

  ✽✽✽

  Knock! Knock! Knock!

  I stood outside Coal’s room, hoping he was in there. Luckily the door opened a second later.

  He leaned against the frame, his massive body nearly filling it, eyes appraising me for a moment before his brows narrowed. The distress I felt must have shown on my face.

  “What’s going on? Did Rowan do something to you?” he asked tersely.

  “No, no. Well, actually, I don’t know,” I muttered, shaking my head. “It’s just that Rowan told me something after you left, and I…I just don’t even know what to make of it.”

  Coal leaned forward, scanning the hall. Empty. He opened the door wider. “Come on in.”

  Stepping around him, I moved into his room, seeing it for the very first time. As expected, it was nearly identical to my own, the only difference being the quilt on his bed. Instead of the flowers that decorated mine, his was a pattern of navy and garnet squares. Shutting the door, he followed behind me and pulled out the desk chair. Turning it around, he straddled it while I perched myself on the edge of his bed.

  “What did you find out from him?” Coal asked, wasting no time.

  “It was about the last challenge. He kept saying he’d been hit. Over and over. But he wasn’t injured at all. Honestly, at first I thought he was a bit delusional, the way he was acting.” His maniacal laugh, his wild eyes darting around.