Little fingers tugging on my shirt sleeve pulls my attention down to Molly. “Are you going to ask her about the wind spirit?”
It’s almost a relief to stop going in circles about Robin and focus on something else. I turn back to Mrs. Montgomery and say, “I’ve passed every test, but the creation test. I don’t understand how I’m supposed to make a wind spirit. Every time I try, my power rebels and becomes destructive.”
Looking as relieved as I feel to be talking about something else, she nods. “The creation test does encompass all the others, but it also requires something more personal. It requires part of yourself.”
“What does that mean?”
Mrs. Montgomery straightens and considers me carefully. “If you had grown up in a Caretaker home, this would not seem like such a foreign concept to you, because you would have been taught about your own power and spirit from an early age.” Her eyes dart over to Molly. “Be that as it may, having another Aerling nearby will work well enough for now.”
When Mrs. Montgomery beckons to Molly, I’m surprised when she walks over to her right away. She turns to face me under Mrs. Montgomery’s guidance. She doesn’t know what’s coming next any more than I do, but she doesn’t seem overly nervous.
“Because you are siblings, this will be even easier,” Mrs. Montgomery says. “First, I want you to reach out with your power until you can feel Molly’s power.”
I’m not sure what this will accomplish, but I go along with her for now. As she said, it’s a simple thing to feel the hum of Molly’s power. We share with each other so easily, and so often, I know what her power feels like from memory.
“Now, stop focusing on how Molly’s power is interacting with yours, and refocus on your own power and feel the difference.”
I look up at her in confusion. “I know how my power feels already.”
“No,” she says, “you know how it feels to use your power.”
“How is that different?” I ask.
Mrs. Montgomery’s eyes narrow. “Do what I am asking you to do and you’ll find out.”
Huffing in irritation, I close my eyes. It helps me focus, but I am mostly just tired of looking at her. Putting aside the lies, Mrs. Montgomery is still rigid and fierce. I suspect she knows what she’s talking about, though, so I quit whining and attempt to do what she’s asking me to do.
I begin by concentrating on Molly’s power and how it buzzes happily against mine. It always reminds me of a bumblebee. Now, I also feel the deeper, more resonant hum behind her happy buzzing. It’s the same thing I feel every time I access my power, though, so I’m not sure what else I’m supposed to feel.
As though she can sense my doubt, Mrs. Montgomery says, “Now that you can feel the distinct difference between your powers, I want you to focus again on Molly’s. Gather it up and follow it back to the source.”
I want to ask her what on earth she’s talking about, but instead of badgering her with questions she won’t answer, I simply get back to work. Trying to gather Molly’s power is like the first time I tried to play the Parkers’ hide and seek game. Her power wants to be free, not contained. It squirms and slips through my fingers for the longest time until I am nearly ready to give up. That’s when I begin to understand.
Trying to grab handfuls of Molly’s power doesn’t work. It just keeps slipping away, but her power is emanating from somewhere. Throwing my own power out wide like a net, I let it fall around her. Molly giggles at the sensation. I don’t try to compress her power this time. I simply let it move freely beneath my net until I can determine the direction it’s flowing. Once I do, I realize something I wasn’t expecting.
Her power isn’t coming from a single point. It radiates from her whole body, from a million different points. She isn’t a power source wrapped up in the body of a little girl. She is the power source.
“I’m guessing from your expression that you’re ready to move on,” Mrs. Montgomery says.
I nod wordlessly.
“Once you are able to recognize another Aerling as being made of power rather than simply containing power, it is much easier to recognize the same thing in yourself,” she says.
“How does this relate to making a wind spirit?” I ask without opening my eyes or breaking my concentration.
“Giving part of yourself to your wind spirit links it to you,” she says. “Giving of yourself is meant literally. You must separate a piece of yourself, your power, and willingly give it to your creation. It should not be a fight as you’ve said it has been before. You are not trying to shove your power into a bit of air. Gathering the air shows power. Shaping the spirit exhibits control. Imbuing the spirit with the elements of weather, well that obviously takes knowledge of weather in all its forms. Making the wind spirit a part of you shows that you understand your role as an Aerling, a protector of this world and your own. Once you can do this, you will be ready to go home.”
One corner of my mouth turns up. I have doubts about Mrs. Montgomery in a general sort of way, but I must admit that she is exactly what I needed in this moment. Her explanation does its job perfectly.
Slowly, I call the air around me and feel it gather in my hands. The cool caress of its touch makes me smile because it is so familiar now. Shaping it as I did the water that night on the riverbank with Olivia, I gently prod the wisps of air into a complex structure that will allow me to move on to the next step. I then pull everything I have learned about weather, and how to influence it, to the front of my mind.
The air particles can’t be compressed too tightly or they won’t be able to generate heat or electricity, so I leave room for them to move in the center of the spirit. Mists to conceal or rain showers to wash clean and give life need a well to draw from, so I collect moisture from the air and place it safely within the spirit’s core. Every element I add to the spirit, every modification to the structure, all make it possible for the spirit to affect the world around it in a way nothing else can.
Gently, I hold the seemingly insubstantial spirit in my hands and prepare to do what I have failed at dozens of time before. I turn my focus back to my humming power, and just for a moment let it wash over me. Shane showed me the difference between Aerlings and humans. Olivia embraced those differences wholeheartedly and gave me confidence to be what I was born to be. Molly awoke a protective side to my power and a desire to save not only our lives, but every Aerlings’ life.
I take everything, my differences, my purpose, my desire to protect, and funnel them into stripping away one small piece of myself, my power. It’s not a fight this time. There is no desperation backing this moment. I don’t know how this spirit will impact me or my mission, but I know it is important, and that’s enough for now.
Placing my power into the spirit form I have created is liberating in a way I never expected. The spirit quivers as the power settles, and after a moment, begins to hum. The feel of its life force is identical to my own. Grinning, I finally open my eyes to see it, but I barely get a glimpse before it bursts apart like mist in the sunlight and vanishes from sight.
“Where’d it go?” I demand.
Mrs. Montgomery laughs. “You didn’t expect it to follow you around, did you?” She chuckles at my confused expression. “That was supposed to happen. The spirit will always be connected to you, but it needs to be out in the world fulfilling its purpose.”
“What is its purpose?” Molly asks.
Looking down at Molly with a smile, Mrs. Montgomery says, “Whatever purpose Mason gave it.”
Molly turns to me, then, a question in her eyes. I didn’t realize that was what I was doing, but I know its purpose now. It’s the same as mine. “To protect the Aerlings and this world.”
Both Molly and Mrs. Montgomery smile at that.
“What would you have done if I hadn’t come to you for help in time?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “I don’t know exactly how I would have gotten you to listen, short of showing up at your house and begging, but I
wouldn’t have let you die.”
Strangely enough, I believe her. Not in the same way I used to believe that she would do whatever it took to keep me alive, either. It’s a more genuine trust now, just like the kind of trust I used to have when it came to her daughter. My mood sours as I think of Robin. By the change in Mrs. Montgomery’s expression, I can tell her thoughts have returned to her daughter as well.
“What am I supposed to do about Robin?” I ask.
Mrs. Montgomery gazes past me into the empty space behind me with troubled eyes. “I don’t know,” she admits, “but don’t let her find out you know she’s lying. If she feels like she’s backed into a corner, she’ll find a way to attack.”
We all stand and Molly takes my hand again, though she is not cowering behind me like she was when we arrived. I’m ready to leave and get back to Olivia, but there is one more thing I need to say before I go.
“Look, I’m sorry about assuming the worst. Meeting Robin was so unexpected, and being seen by someone else for once… I took everything she said at face value.”
Mrs. Montgomery smiles a sad smile. “Why wouldn’t you?” She sighs and wraps her arms around her body. “Believe me, I know better than anyone how good Robin is at getting what she wants. I don’t blame you for trusting her, and I want to apologize for trying to take Molly away from you and trying to force our help on you. We were desperate and didn’t want to see you hurt.”
“You could have tried talking to me before just walking in and taking over,” I say.
“We could have done a lot of things differently,” she says sadly. “Just know that we are here to help you if you need it. We may not be as warm and open as the Parkers, but they haven’t gone through the same things we have, either. Regardless, we have the same goal, and that is to protect Aerlings and get you all home safely.”
“Thank you,” I say, and I realize I actually mean it. One thing still concerns me. “After I leave …” My eyes drift to Molly and Mrs. Montgomery knows what I am asking.
“She’s your sister, Mason. You have more right to decide who will care for her than anyone else on this world. She’ll stay with Olivia’s family if that’s what you want. No one will try to remove her, and the Caretaker Officers will continue to protect her.” She touches Molly’s face gently before looking back up at me. “Please tell Olivia’s mother that if she needs any help, we’ll be here. Angelica and Violet would love to have another playmate as well.”
The corners of Molly’s mouth turn up by the tiniest degree. Even though my own future is still frighteningly uncertain, I have at least some hope that Molly will be protected after I go home. If I survive the next two days without either the Sentinels of Robin ruining everything.
Chapter 32
It Begins
(Mason)
Sneaking someone into a house that is being watched by both Sentinels and Caretaker Officers isn’t easy. It does, however, provide me with a chance to use my power. Drawing in a bank of fog that is light enough and big enough not to cause suspicion takes some intense concentration. I’m so focused, it’s only when Olivia trails her fingers across my shoulders that I release my power and look up to find Hayden standing in the living room.
“Okay,” he says, “why did I just slog through slush and fog in the middle of the night?”
“Sorry about the lousy weather, but we needed to talk tonight,” I say.
Hayden sinks down to the floor. “About what?”
“Robin,” Olivia says quietly.
Scrubbing his hands through his hair, Hayden sighs. “That’s what I suspected. I take it the trip to Robin’s parents turned up something interesting?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” I say.
Hayden’s hands fall. “How much was she lying about? Everything?” When I nod, he only sighs. “Yeah, I figured as much.”
I can’t resist asking. “Why do you hate her?”
He and Olivia glance at each other and share a look. Something passes between them and Hayden looks back at me. “The night we rescued you, after Olivia had fallen asleep, Robin called.” Hayden’s jaw tightens. “I picked up the phone in case it was something important, but before I could even say anything, Robin started ranting. She was furious at Olivia for leaving her behind. Robin accused Olivia of abandoning her, freaking out about her parents and blaming Olivia for what she said they did.”
“What did you say to her?” I ask.
“I told her to take care of her own damn problems and leave Olivia alone.” Hayden shakes his head. “I doubted her claims of abuse when Olivia mentioned it, but even if it was true, she had no right to blame Olivia.”
I shake my head, glad Hayden intercepted that call. Olivia would have felt responsible if she’d been faced with Robin’s harassment that night. It makes me sick to think I put so much trust in Robin and even defended her against everyone else. I let her kiss me even! I shiver, now, as every kind thought I ever had for her runs through my mind.
“I don’t know how I’m going to be around her now,” Olivia says.
Hayden laughs. “Yeah, you’ve been on edge since rescuing Mason because of her. This certainly isn’t going to help.”
Part of me wants to see Olivia lose it on Robin, but the more sensible part of me knows that would be a disaster. We can’t do anything that will tip her off. “Everyone has to keep treating her exactly the same way,” I say. “We can’t change anything.”
“Well,” Hayden says, “she already knows I can’t stand her, so I’ll vent for the three of us.”
“Just keep it under control,” I warn.
Hayden’s humor comes in handy more often than not. His lighthearted attitude has kept us from despair a few times already. He’s not one of those obnoxious people who makes a joke out of everything, but he seems to always know when the people around him need a pick me up. Right now, though, his jaw tightens and turns serious.
“You said she lied about pretty much everything, but how about some specifics?” he says. “The next two days need to be handled very carefully.”
I couldn’t agree more, so I tell Hayden everything. He listens as I quickly explain about the wind spirit I made, the truth about Robin’s family, the second Aerling child, and the compulsion the Caretaker Sentinels put on Robin. That last one causes Hayden’s expression to darken.
“I don’t think we should count on that being too reliable.”
“Why not?” Olivia asks. The fear in her eyes is deeper than it was earlier.
Hayden runs one hand through his hair slowly. “Because, if it really worked, why wouldn’t they use it on everyone? Can you think of a reason a Caretaker would ever need to reveal an Aerling to a Sentinel?”
We both shake our heads, but I stop after a moment. “Maybe it’s not just revealing an Aerling to the Sentinels. What if she can’t reveal one at all?”
Hayden shakes his head. “If that were true, we’d already be sunk. She told her parents about you even after promising not to.”
“Maybe it doesn’t work between Caretakers?” Olivia suggests hopefully.
This time, I shake my head. “Caretakers aren’t supposed to reveal their location to other Caretakers either. Every time I was transported, we met in some random place. They can’t even contact each other without those secret phones.” I think carefully about all of this before speaking again. “Either the compulsion only applies to Sentinels, or it’s all psychological.”
“What do you mean?” Olivia asks. Hayden seems to have the same question floating around in his mind.
“Remember that whole split thing Robin told us about, with all the Aerlings disappearing. They thought they had traitors among the Caretakers. That’s when they instituted the system they have now, right?”
Hayden and Olivia nod slowly.
“If you had the power to stop a Caretaker from revealing the location of an Aerling during something like that, wouldn’t you use it? On everyone?” I ask.
It doesn’t take long for what I’
m saying to sink in. Hayden wraps his hands around the back of his neck and sighs deeply. Olivia looks like she’s sick to her stomach. She looks pale when her eyes lift to meet mine. “You think it’s fake? There’s nothing stopping Robin from telling the Sentinels where you are?”
Letting the words leave my mouth is painful, but I say, “Pretty much.”
Hayden leans back against the couch and bends his knees to rest his elbows on. When he looks back up, his expression is tight. “So why hasn’t she done it yet?” he asks. “Why drag this out? She could have given the Sentinels plenty of opportunities to kill you by now. If she’s really in league with them, what does getting to the Aerling world accomplish?”
Isn’t that just the million dollar question? I shake my head slowly. “I have no idea.”
Despite Hayden and I both being pretty lost, Olivia sits up straighter. “I think the bigger question is, why would the Sentinels want to help Robin get into the Aerling world? What do they get out of her going there?”
My eyebrows rise as I realize Olivia is absolutely right. If the Sentinels didn’t want her to get to the Aerling world, they would have killed me by now. They’ve made a few attempts to grab either me or Olivia, but nothing like when they came after me at the Parker’s house. Olivia and I both suspected that after the night on the riverbank they would attack immediately, but they haven’t been spotted once today.
“They changed tactics after they saw me really use my power,” I say. I drag my hands down my face as a small portion of understanding sinks in. “They wanted to kill me when they came after me at the Parkers’ house because they thought I wasn’t going to be able to take Robin, and chose to contain the threat I posed. Now they realize I’m actually going to make it home.”
Olivia cringes at my last sentence. I know she is starting to freak out about not knowing how to send me home, but I have faith in her. Hayden is focused on the rest of what I said.
“So, when they thought you were going to fail, they were ready to kill you,” Hayden says, “but now that they realize you’ve mastered your power pretty well, they’re willing to let you live a little longer. Why?”
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