by Davis Ashura
Ward finished with his governor. “Remember. No draining lorasra.”
“I know,” William said.
Draining lorasra was something only raha’asras could do, and Ward couldn’t defend against it. However, it would have also wasted their time. William wanted to beat enemies who could fight back and were every bit as talented as Ward.
“Think you can hold me off this time?” Ward asked with his ever-ready smile. From most people a question like that would have sounded arrogant or teasing, but not from Ward. From him it was merely a part of who he was, happy-go-lucky.
Kind of like how Jason used to be.
William mentally scowled. Focus. While he could hold Ward off on most days, he hardly ever won, and he wanted to win. He had to. He’d worked too hard for anything less. Of course, Serena would have told him he needed to ease up a bit and enjoy his life. Or would she? He couldn’t tell anymore. He mentally frowned. Maybe she was right, but then again, what did she know? She . . .
He cut off his circling thoughts with a scowl. Focus, he chided himself once more. The grass remained slick from the morning dew, and he set his feet. He didn’t want to slip. His vision narrowed. Ready.
“Go!” Ward shouted.
William sourced his lorethasra and blocked the rise of freezing water meant to trap his feet—one of Ward’s oldest tricks. He also split a blistering line of Fire and whistling arrow of Water sent his way.
Fire rippled down William’s arms and sulfur filled his nostrils. He leapt into the air, powered upward with a braid of Air, and evaded another arrow of Water. He landed and launched a wide wave of Fire. Ward blocked with a shield of Earth. Dust and mud billowed from the contact, along with a low rumble William sensed as a vibration rather than heard.
Ward whipped out a cracking line of Water. William bent backward at the waist beneath it. Another line of Water surged toward him, and he dug his feet into the wet ground and rolled to the right. Twin weaves of Air barreled off his hands straight at Ward . . .
Who wasn’t where William expected.
William searched about, frantic to find him. In the periphery of his vision he caught sight of a curling weave of Fire and threw himself aside. The flames passed over his head. A rushing sound like a breaking wave filled the air. William rolled and guessed right. Freezing water surged up from where he’d fallen.
He still couldn’t see Ward.
Move.
He got to hands and knees. The ground trembled, and he shot forward. He guessed right again. Buckshots of earth exploded as if from a gun toward him. He levered himself upright and instinctively sent out a fan of hissing Air. More buckshots hammered his way, but the braid of Air and a hastily erected shield of earth protected him.
Frustration at his lack of success had the angry beast growling to life. Redness tinged William’s vision, and he snarled. Where the hell is Ward?
There!
Ward waited vigilant on the far side of the field. Braids of Water snaked around his forearms. William sent a blast furnace of Fire at him. Let’s see him put that out.
Ward managed it, but super-heated steam burst all around him. He cried out. Some of the steam must have boiled back at him.
William didn’t let up. His anger wouldn’t let him. He sent a looping arrow of Air. It clubbed Ward, knocking him off his feet. The rage exulted, and so did William.
An instant later shame and horror overcame him. What have I done?
William ran to where Ward lay face down in the dirt, mud, and grass. The world around the field had gone silent. Even the wind had quit blowing. William rolled Ward over and stared in shock at the red burns blistering his face. Oh, God.
Ward groaned.
William tried to help him sit up, but Ward waved him off. “I need to heal the burns or they’ll blister. Get the governor off of me.”
William did so and took his off as well. “How can I help?”
Ward sat with his eyes closed and spoke. “Spirit is what raha’asras are best with. I need that along with Earth and Water. Copy what I do.”
William peered at the weave Ward worked on himself and quickly duplicated it. He poured it into Ward’s burns and watched anxiously for a response.
Seconds passed, and he continued the healing braid. More time, minutes maybe, and sweat beaded on William’s face at the effort needed to maintain the weave.
Most of the redness faded from Ward’s face, and William sat back in relief. The healing wasn’t as complete as what Jessira could have managed, but at least Ward wouldn’t be left with scars all over his face and chest.
“How are you feeling?” William asked.
“Like crap,” Ward replied. He reached out a hand. “Help me up.”
William levered Ward to his feet and waited with his heart in his throat.
Ward glared at him. “What was that about?”
William could barely meet his friend’s eyes. “I don’t know. I was losing, and I got angry, and—”
“And you braided too heavily and nearly burned me to a crisp,” Ward finished. “You would have if it wasn’t for the governor.”
William hung his head in shame. The rage that had come upon him . . . He vowed to never let it control him like that again. At the same time, he worried he wouldn’t be able to keep his promise.
Jake yawned as he stumbled through Mr. Zeus’ living room. They’d only gotten back to Arylyn a few days ago, and between the time difference and sleeplessness from missing his family, he hadn’t gotten much rest.
Leaving them had been harder than usual, especially with John—Would he ever get used to calling him by that shortened version of his name?—recovering from his Healing. His brother still had a long way to go, and while he’d never be an athlete, Jessira felt pretty sure he’d be able to live out a normal life, not doomed to die young, something the doctors had said would happen ever since John’s birth. With physical therapy, he might even be able to walk without crutches.
The smell of fresh donuts—frying dough, melted sugar, and sweet chocolate—shook off the last of Jake’s lethargy. The deliciousness filled the house, hypnotizing him with its aroma, and he drifted toward it like a sailor toward a Siren. He entered the kitchen and found everyone already gathered there: Mr. Zeus, Jason, William, and Serena, all of them helping make Saturday morning breakfast.
Jason was frying the donuts while William dipped the cooked ones in a melted chocolate glaze or dusted them with sugar. Serena washed and dried the dirty dishes.
Mr. Zeus wasn’t doing much of anything. He leaned against the counter and chatted with the others, wearing a ridiculous purple robe. A robe like that, Jake almost expected to see stars, planets, and crescent moons decorating it. Toss in a pointy hat, and the old man would have looked like a prototypical wizard.
Jake cleared his throat. “Anything I can do to help?”
“We got it,” William replied over his shoulder.
“Took you long enough to get up,” Jason noted.
“I was tired,” Jake replied as he took a seat at the rectangular dining table. Sunlight poured through the picture window that opened onto the courtyard, and he soaked in the warmth and light, briefly closing his eyes.
When he opened them again, he noticed Mr. Zeus bending toward William. “Stop being so stingy with the sugar,” the old man said, sounding waspish.
“I’m not being stingy,” William answered. “It’s just that I have long pockets and short arms.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Jason asked.
“Something my dad told me. It means my hands are too short to reach the cash in my pockets.”
Jake scoffed. “Is this the same dad from Ireland who quotes NASCAR?”
Jason laughed. “I remember that. ‘If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’,’” he quoted in a southern drawl.
William grinned in response, which was a better reply than the rages he seemed to have all of a sudden. Jake didn’t know where they came from, but they had started a few m
onths back and had gotten worse over time. He’d asked Serena about it, but she didn’t know anything, either.
Jake realized then that a few people were missing. “Where’s Selene and Fiona? They’re usually here for donuts.”
Serena answered. “They decided to have an early breakfast and take a walk through Janaki Valley. I think they’re meeting Travail. Fiona wants Selene to know him better.”
Jake grunted and briefly stared out the window before resuming his attention on the others. Guilt gnawed at him for sitting there doing nothing while William, Jason, and Serena worked. “Are you sure you don’t need any help?”
“Come on over,” Serena said. She had her arms up to her elbows in suds. “I’ll clean. You dry.”
Jake went to help her. A few minutes later, they got the dishes cleaned at roughly the same time that Jason and William finished with the donuts. Everyone gathered at the kitchen table, but Jake got a cup of coffee first.
They kept the pot near the sink, and he stirred in cream and sugar. The familiar ritual of preparing his morning coffee, something Jake had done since sophomore year of high school, bridged the gap between past and present. He grew lost in his musings. After visiting his family and seeing Steve and Sonya, he realized he had some choices to make. He was a raha’asra, and nothing could change what had happened to him, which meant he was stuck on Arylyn. This was his life, and he had to get busy living it.
“You all right?” William asked, apparently noticing his quiet.
Jake glanced his way and didn’t reply at once. He took his seat at the table next to Mr. Zeus and stared out the window at the lovely courtyard out back. Thoughts still percolated in his mind like water dripping through coffee grounds. He had to find a way to fit in on Arylyn. He thought of one way that would work better than any other.
Jake cleared his throat. “You know how I’ve been complaining about how my life hasn’t ended up the way I wanted?”
“Whined is more like it,” Jason said.
Jake dipped his head in agreement. He had been whining. “After visiting home, I’m thinking I need a girlfriend. It’s probably the most surefire way of making Arylyn my home.”
His words caused a resounding silence, and he found himself the focus of everyone’s attention.
Jason and William stared at him with mouths open while Mr. Zeus and Serena smiled as though sharing some secret.
Serena clapped, breaking the quiet. “It’s about time you came to that realization,” she said. “If you want, I can ask Lien if she knows any girls who might be worth pursuing.”
Jake perked up. There were some girls he was interested in, too. An instant later, his enthusiasm deflated. Wait a second. He frowned in suspicion. Serena was a friend, but it didn’t mean he fully trusted her. She could lie too well. “You’re not making this up, are you?”
“Of course not,” Serena said, sounding offended. “You think I’d lie about something like that?”
Jason grinned. “Remember when we used to say Serena has lie-abetes?”
Serena grinned back at Jason. “And remember when I promised to set your pants on fire if you ever said that to me again?”
“You never said that.”
“I just did.” Serena’s smile dropped like an anchor.
“Touchy much?” Jason muttered under his breath. “Anyway,” he said to Jake, “when you find a girlfriend, promise not to end up like Daniel and Lien.” He shook his head in disgust. “Those two don’t have time for anyone else any more.”
William gave Jason a hard nudge. “He only said he wanted to date someone, not marry them.”
“I know,” Jason said, “but you’ve got to plan for these things.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “Mr. Zeus was right about you,” he said to Jason. “You’re a gossip.”
“What? No, I’m not!” Jason protested. He turned to Mr. Zeus. “You don’t think that, do you?”
William kept his head bent to his donuts, but Jake could see the smile lurking at the corner of his mouth. “Methinks he doth protest too much,” he whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.
“He most certainly doth,” Mr. Zeus said equally as quietly.
Everyone chuckled while Jason glared. “Fine. We’ll see how you like it when no one tells you anything about the island’s happenings.”
“Anyway,” Jake said, “I’m tired of being alone. I’m thinking of asking out Daniella Logan to the Chinese New Year. You know, Karla Logan’s sister.” He looked to Serena. “She wouldn’t happen to be one of the girls you were thinking about?”
Serena lips briefly tightened as if his question made her uncomfortable. “I hardly know any other girls,” she said. “Like I said, I was going to ask Lien for you. I’m sure she’d know about Daniella, though. The two of them are friends.”
Jake smiled in gratitude.
William addressed him. “If you find yourself a girlfriend and all that, at least you won’t be looking down the barrel of a normal life.” He glanced around. “Isn’t that what Sting said in “Invisible Sun”?”
Jake shook his head in pity. “That’s not at all what he said.”
“Do you ever say anything that makes sense?” Jason asked William.
“Gossip,” William replied.
“Why don’t you take that donut, shine it up real good, and stick it—”
Mr. Zeus slapped a hand on the table, interrupting their bickering. “You know this is a big step,” he said to Jake. “I’m glad to see you make it.”
It was a big step. It would mean accepting Arylyn as his home now, that this place was his life. Despite his earlier words, Jake still wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
Jason huffed alongside William, struggling to keep up with his friend as they trotted up the Main Stairs of Cliff Spirit. He gulped air, and his heart raced. Only a few more terraces to go. Then I can kill William for torturing me like this.
Jason wanted to ask for a break, but pride kept the words sewed inside his mouth. He grimaced when he recalled that a few years ago, William would have been one straining to maintain the pace, but Kohl Obsidian had changed all that.
They finally reached Clifftop, and William thankfully eased down to a halt. Jason hunched over at the waist and panted.
“Too fast?” William asked.
Jason couldn’t answer at first. He hadn’t yet caught his breath. Every time he thought he’d grown used to William’s stamina, his friend surprised him by going even harder. Today they’d gone to Clifftop for the farmer’s market. Mr. Zeus wanted chard, apples, and a few red onions for a salad to go with dinner.
“You okay?” William asked.
Jason straightened and took a deep breath. “Next time, I’ll ask Jake to come with me. Jackass.”
William grinned. “It was too fast.”
Jason wanted to punch the smugness off his face, but William had also long since outstripped him when it came to unarmed combat. He settled for a scowl. “Anyone ever tell you how unattractive smugery is?”
“Smugery?” William lifted his eyebrows.
“It’s a word,” Jason said, still bent at the waist. “It’s related to buggery. Why don’t you look it up? It has your picture next to it in the dictionary.”
William smiled wider, a better response than the waspish bitchiness he’d been afflicted with for the past few weeks. Jason had no idea what bee had burned a hole in his friend’s bonnet, but he hoped William would kick out of his funk.
Jason straightened. “Let’s get the food.” He set off toward the farmer’s market, which took up most of the Village Green.
“Are you going to ask anyone out for Chinese New Years?” William asked.
Upon hearing the question, Jason knew his face became guarded. He’d never been able to hide his feelings, not like those who had once lived on Sinskrill, like Fiona, Serena, and Selene. Or William and Jake for that matter
Resentment about William and Jake’s closeness flared, even though Jason knew such sentiments were ch
ildish. Before the mahavan island, Jason had been William’s best friend, his protector and trainer, the one others looked to for leadership. But William didn’t need him anymore. More often than not, Jason was the one following, and if it came down to it, he’d be the one needing protection, not William.
In addition, the title of ‘best friend’ now belonged to Jake Ridley, William’s one time nemesis, the boy who had bullied him most of his life. Their closeness sometimes—maybe often—left Jason feeling like a third wheel in their presence.
Jason inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, doing his best to let the resentment pass through him. There was no point in glomming over the matter.
William never noticed his internal conflict. “Who are you asking?”
“I’ll tell you after I ask the girl,” Jason said, his answer truthful and yet not the entire truth.
Jason had always been a private person growing up, and Arylyn had never changed that. More importantly, Jason had no idea who to ask. He felt like he had to say he would, though, especially if Jake did ask out Daniella Logan. William had Serena. Jake might end up with Daniella. And who would Jason have?
No one, he thought sourly.
Plus, his life would have been a lot easier if could trust more easily. Jason found it hard to open his heart ever since his parents abandoned him. When his lorethasra had flowered, when he’d discovered he could become a magus, his father and mother—despite the stories about the family history, about Mama Layla and where she came from—thought him devil-cursed.
His mother had told him so when Mr. Zeus had arrived to take Jason to Arylyn, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” She’d quoted from Exodus 22:18. Afterward, she’d added a final warning.“ Leave and never darken our door, boy.”
And Jason never did. In hindsight, he was surprised his parents hadn’t tried to kill him before Mr. Zeus’ arrival.