AetherBorn (The AetherBorn Saga Book 1)

by A. N. Sage

  Ruby ran into the safety of the medical center and made her way to Dr. Olivian’s office.

  Well, this is something to add to the diagnosis. She thought.

  Chapter 6

  What would you say your symptoms are?

  “How are you, Ruby? You sounded pretty worried on the phone this morning.” Dr. Olivian looked up from her notes and studied Ruby’s face. There was nothing visibly wrong with Ruby, in fact, she was in the best shape the doctor had seen her in years. Her skin seemed to have gained some color and her eyes had a sharpness to them that the meek girl had not had since she was a child. “What would you say your symptoms are for... what was it you called it? Stress exhaustion?”

  When Ruby called this morning, she was still pretty upset over yesterday's events, struggling to find the words to describe what was happening to her, she mentioned having stress exhaustion as it was the first thing that popped into her mind. After all, a university student who suffers from stress related exhaustion did not sound as crazy as telling her doctor that she was seeing people with strange markings on them.

  “I don’t even know if that’s what it is. I actually have been sleeping fine lately. I just...” Ruby looked around the doctor’s small office trying to find a book on one of the shelves that could offer some help with finding her words. The office was filled with medical encyclopedias and statues from Olivian’s travels, nothing that could help Ruby at the moment. “I’m not feeling myself lately. Not like I’m sick, just different.”

  “In what sense, Ruby?” She could see the concern on her doctor’s face. Her grey eyes widening behind bifocal glasses. Olivian had been her family doctor since she was a child, and Ruby was sure that she would try to help her at all costs. If only she could get her act together and figure out how to explain what had happened.

  “Uhm. I think my mind is playing tricks on me. It’s like I see things that are so real and right in front of me. Things that I know can’t really be there. But something about them just seems more real than anything else.”

  Olivian picked up her notepad and started jotting down notes. “Did you see something recently?”

  “Sort of. Something happened on the subway yesterday. A man died right in front of me. I was photographing people for school and he just died. The strangest part is that I thought I saw someone attack him. Someone that had some really strange marks all over him.”

  “What type of marks? Were they tattoos perhaps?”

  “They didn’t look like any tattoos I’ve ever seen. Something just felt off and then I started having these weird nightmares and I just... Doctor?”

  “Yes?” Doctor Olivian stopped writing and locked eyes with Ruby.

  “Do you think I’m the same as grandma?” Ruby’s shoulders tensed up as she said the words. If Olivian thought she had the same symptoms as her grandmother she would tell her, right? Or would she simply run tests until Ruby lost her marbles and was institutionalized for the rest of her life? No one ever knew what happened to her grandmother. It’s as if she was one person one day and then something just switched, her mind gave up on her, somehow. They did their best to care for her, but it was too hard on the rest of the family. It was like she had no connection to reality.

  Doctor Olivian got up from her desk and walked to the file cabinets behind Ruby’s chair. She unlocked the bottom drawer and pulled out a file. Ruby could see the name ‘Black’ written in sharpie across the side. Her grandmother’s file. The doctor leafed through the pages slowly. The silence and anticipation were gutting Ruby, she wanted answers.

  “Ruby, did your parents ever talk to you about your grandmother’s condition?”

  “Just that she was about my age when she got early onset dementia. That no one could figure out what was wrong or how to help her, so she was placed in a care facility. Dad was very young when she died. He never talked about her, at least not with me. I guess it’s too hard, they were very close, I think. Mom said she killed herself in her room right before he and his dad were coming for a visit.” Saying the words made Ruby feel so foolish. There was so much about her family history she didn’t know. Her parents were never great at talking about their past.

  “Well, that is mostly what happened. Back then, dementia was not treated the same way it is now. There weren’t as many technological advances to help us treat mental disorders, and because of that, most disorders got clumped together and labelled. Dementia was the first label to tag someone with hallucinations. Especially when the first symptoms present in a patient younger than twenty-five. What happened to your grandmother was tragic, but we are much more equipped to deal with it now.”

  “But do you think what she had is hereditary? Could I have it now?”

  “Ruby, sweetheart. There is nothing that I see in her files that could signify a hereditary issue. In fact, some of the details of her disorder do not even match what we now know of dementia. Unfortunately, there is no way to know exactly what your grandmother's ailment was, based on the notes in her file.” Olivian closed the file and leaned on it, “I am sure that you are simply overworking yourself. Have you had any migraines or severe body temperature changes lately?”

  “I’ve had some headaches and I’ve been dizzy a bit. Also...” Ruby began to tell her about the hot flashes in her palms then stopped, “nothing extreme actually.”

  Olivian began to say something but was interrupted by a nurse calling out to her.

  “I’ll be right back, Ruby.”

  Ruby watched her walk out of the room. What details didn’t match? She thought. The doctor said that some of the details in her grandmother’s file didn’t match up to dementia. And why was she asking Ruby about temperature changes? Did her grandmother have similar symptoms?

  She looked back at the doctor who was looking at a chart with the nurse outside of the office. Ruby leaned over the desk and opened the file. She started scanning the pages, a difficult task upside down, but she could get the gist of the wording. At least the ones she could understand. There were mentions of hallucinations, her grandmother’s doctors also noted she saw people who weren’t there. She saw the words ‘hands’ and ‘flame’ in the same sentence but could not make out what it said. She turned the page and that’s when her eyes landed on two words that made her heart drop. Right there in her grandmother’s file the words ‘glowing marks’ had been underlined with a question mark written next to them. Had her grandmother seen the same marks she saw in her photos? Ruby was about to turn the page when she heard Dr. Olivian’s footsteps outside. She quickly closed the file and settled back in her seat.

  “Sorry about that. Where were we?” The doctor looked at the file, reached for it and walked to the file cabinet to lock it back up. “Why don’t we schedule a couple of tests just to make sure you’re fine?”

  “Uhm. You know what? You’re probably right. I have been doing too much at school. I’m probably just overworked.” Ruby grabbed her jacket and bolted out of her seat. “I will definitely keep you posted if anything else happens.”

  “Why don’t we schedule an appointment for next week just to be sure, Ruby?” Dr. Olivian yelled out, but Ruby was already halfway out of the office.

  “Sure, sounds good!” She ran out the door, “I’ll call you later to set up a time!”

  Ruby had no intention of calling back. Olivian was hiding parts of her grandmother’s file from her. Why didn’t she tell her that her grandmother saw the same marks when Ruby mentioned her own hallucinations? If she was going to get answers, she’d need a second opinion. She’d have to look into getting another doctor tomorrow, but for now, if she didn’t get a move on, she’d be late meeting Shaylah after her class.

  With the unease of her meeting with her doctor still fresh in her mind, Ruby almost forgot about her confrontation with the man on the subway. As she walked out of the medical center, her feet stopped abruptly. She was standing in the middle of the street looking straight ahead to the subway entrance. He was still where she’d left him. H
is jean jacket buttoned up now, hiding the band tee he was sporting underneath. His eyes on her face, watching her without hesitation.

  Chapter 7

  Hello, Miss Black

  Ruby turned on her heels and headed back towards the medical center, watching the stranger walk towards her from the corner of her eye. She definitely wasn’t imagining this; she was being followed. She walked speedily past the center and looked back as she turned the corner, he was about a block behind her but still on her tail. Her survival instincts started to kick in, she needed to lose this guy and fast.

  Her steps sped up as she scanned the next few blocks. The streets were mainly shops and cafes, too open and not crowded enough. Ruby needed something less obvious if her plan was going to work. She saw the streetlight start flashing and ran across the street before traffic started up again. She could see the man wait at the corner; he wasn’t as quick to get across. Ruby moved faster now, towards her destination. The wind had picked up since she first left the subway, and she could feel it’s razor-sharp slashes on her cheeks. The museum entrance was just on the next block. This was her chance to make a run for it.

  A fast glance back and she could see her stalker across the street, moving quickly towards her. Her heart was almost in her throat, and she was terrified, but this was not the time for panic. She needed to stick to her plan.

  Holding her backpack in one hand, Ruby ran up the steps to the museum entrance, her student ID already in her hand. She flashed it to the ticket holder who waved her through. The perks of being a student had finally started to pay off. She ran into the museum and stopped behind a load-bearing column in the main exhibit. It offered the perfect coverage for her small body. Pressing her back tightly against the column she looked back to the ticket line. The stalker bought a ticket and was making his way through the crowd.

  Ruby ran out from behind the column, making sure he saw her. She’d been to the museum at least a dozen times in the last few weeks for a school project, so she was sure her plan would work. She could feel his presence behind her as she walked through the exhibit. A sharp right turn at the replica of Ghiberti’s gates and the room opened up to a labyrinth of statues. It was a long hallway with larger than life-sized Roman sculptures set in an indiscernible pattern. She threw her backpack on to make sure it didn’t give her away and crouched behind a bronze chariot sculpture. If she stayed low enough, she could peek just through the chariot wheels and perfectly see the entrance to the labyrinth.

  Her breath was uneven, almost choking her with her own fear. She watched as her stalker moved through the statues looking for her. One glance at the door and Ruby could see the museum guard walking away. It was just the two of them now. The stalker inched towards the chariot, he moved slowly but with determination. Ruby watched quietly as his ripped jeans moved past her hiding place. Taking a deep breath in, she pulled a pen from her backpack and ran around the front of the sculpture. Within seconds she had the pen at her stalkers back, praying he would mistake it for a knife.

  She pressed the pen deeper into his sweatshirt. He was younger than she thought, only a few years older than she, but definitely much taller. Then again everyone was taller than Ruby. “Looking for me?”

  “Hello, Miss Black.” He grinned, bright white teeth showing behind a full set of lips.

  “How do you know my name, and why are you stalking me?”

  “I’m not stalking you, Ruby. I’m trying to help you.” He started to turn around. Ruby pressed the pen tighter to make sure he knew she wasn’t kidding.

  “Help me how? What do you want?”

  What had she gotten herself into? Was this about the subway incident? Ruby was panicking now. This stranger knew her name. He knew where to find her. Who knows what else he knew, maybe no one around her was safe. Shaylah! Damn it! Ruby forgot about their plan to meet. Wait ’til she

  hears about this.

  “I need your help, Ruby. We need your help.”

  “What? What are you talking about?” Ruby was enraged, she wanted answers. She hadn’t felt safe all day and this guy was going to tell her why.

  “You saw something on the subway yesterday, didn't you? Something that didn't quite seem real? Well, you're not crazy, if that's what you might be thinking. I can explain everything, but you’ll need to stop trying to kill me with that pen.” She could see him smile now. He was very much aware of the fact that she was not going to be able to hurt him.

  “How do you know I saw something?”

  “I know quite a bit, Ruby. It sounds deranged, I know, but I can help you make sense of what’s been happening to you. Can I do that?” He turned back to see Ruby nod quietly. She tucked the pen into her backpack and looked up at his green eyes.

  “I’m Liam, by the way.” He reached his hand out for a handshake. Ruby put her hand in his and gave it a slow shake. “Now, how about I buy you a coffee?”

  Chapter 8

  Fire God fighting fires

  This guy is definitely crazy, Ruby thought, as she listened to Liam try to explain to her what she’d been seeing. She studied his face for any sign of irony or laughter as he spoke, but he was as serious as one can get. He really believed this stuff.

  Having spent the afternoon running away from Liam, she hadn’t had a chance to see him clearly. Sitting here now in the lowly lit coffee shop she realized how attractive he was. Not in that pretentious way other boys in her school were. Liam looked powerful and stoic, his olive-skinned face almost sculpted to a fault. The eyes she first noticed in the museum were filled with knowledge, and his messy head of hair accentuated the chiseled jawline that she now watched intently. He was definitely sure of himself; his attitude was of someone who knew better than most, but Ruby wasn’t bothered by it. Somehow, she could feel it wasn’t undeserved.

  Snap out of it, Ruby. You can’t be into this freak. She shook her head to launch herself back to reality.

  “This all sounds crazy, right?” Liam smiled, as if reading her thoughts.

  “I mean, it’s not every day that a stranger tells you there is an underground society of, what was it, elemental beings? So yeah, crazy is an understatement.”

  Is he for real right now? Ruby started to glance around but stopped when their gaze met. He wasn’t kidding.

  “Look, I know how it sounds. But just try to keep an open mind. I’m sure you’re having trouble explaining some of the things that have been happening around you?”

  “Well, yeah. But I’ve been a little stressed with school lately, so...”

  “And how would you explain what you saw on the subway? Were those two men stressed with school also?”

  “First of all,” Ruby straightened her back and lowered her voice, “how did you know I was on the subway? Do we have classes together? I don’t remember seeing you around campus before.”

  “I’m not in school with you, Ruby. That’s what I’m trying to explain here. This isn’t some class project. I was on that train, too, and I could see that your expression changed when you looked at those two guys. You saw something different about them, Ruby. Don’t try to hide it. That’s why I had to find out more about you. We rarely know others who are like us unless they make themselves known. I’m just surprised that you’re in the dark about this, usually we find out as kids from our parents...”

  “Look,” Ruby interrupted, “let’s just get one thing straight. If this whole thing is real, and I really doubt it is, I am not one of you. My parents are regular people and I am a regular person, not what you’re describing here. Whatever I saw... I’m sure there is an explanation.”

  “Ok. But you don’t remember ever having something similar happen before?”

  “Obviously, I don’t.”

  “Well, that’s odd.” Liam scrunched his full lips as if he was trying to solve a complex math problem. “There’s got to be a reason why you can see our powers.”

  That’s it, she had to get out of here. She started fumbling with her coffee cup and looking around the
room to make sure that there were enough people around to avoid a scene. The place was packed, so this was her chance to get away. “I’m sorry, did you say powers?”

  “Yes, powers.” He paused. “You probably want to get out of here immediately, right?”

  What I want is for him to get out of my head. She thought.

  “You understand how you sound, right?” Ruby said and settled back down. No harm in finishing her coffee, at least. Besides, she couldn’t wait to tell Shaylah and Jake about this. Maybe it’ll make Jake jealous. Ruby smiled at her own thought, then straightened her face quickly when she saw Liam watching her.

  “If it would make more sense, do you want to hear how our kind... sorry, my kind came about? I know I loved hearing this story as a kid, it somehow seemed to make sense. Magic or not. “

  “Uhm, ok.” Ruby said. Somehow, she knew that even if she said no, he would be telling her anyhow.

  “Well, it wasn’t always like this. We didn’t always hide who we are and our powers. Or at least, that’s what we’re told now. When I was a kid, I knew I was different. There were things I could do when I got upset or angry that other kids couldn’t...”

  “Like what?”

  “If you stick around long enough, maybe I’ll show you.” Liam winked and she could feel her cheeks boiling. “I was just, different. My parents never hid who we were. They wanted me to know about my past and why I was the way I was. They used to tell me of a time long before our own. A time when ancient Gods first created the human world. The story goes, that in order for our world to exist, the Gods had to leave earth alone and let its newly made inhabitants live freely. But being the self-loving creatures that they are, they placed a piece of themselves in some of the humans, and with that, the four elemental houses were created. Each of the four houses was gifted with the powers to control and manipulate their respective earthly element: air, fire, water and earth. Unfortunately, they inherited not just the powers of the Gods but also their jealousy and fury, and a war began between the houses that lasted for many years.”