by M. Goldsmith
She opened the water bottle and poured a small amount over her hands, then scrubbed her face. Ashlyn felt dirty. Not simply because she hadn’t bathed in who knows how long, but because these men made her feel filthy inside and out. She downed the remaining contents of the bottle in one huge gulp. Picking up a shiny green apple, Ash rolled it in her hands before taking a bite. She consumed it quickly and pitched the core onto the now empty tray. Endeavoring to relax and clear her mind of Devlin’s threats, she closed her eyes and leaned back against the cinderblock wall. Stretching out her legs, she reached for her toes struggling to loosen up her aching muscles.
The now familiar beeping of the keypad and the click of the door lock disengaging broke her meditative state. She rose to her full height ready to face Devlin again as her Flame rocketed forth from its hiding place within her. Fire brushed her forearms, racing down her hands, and out through the tips of her fingers.
Brooke stood before her with her mouth agape, her eyes wide, and looking altogether bewildered. “Ashlyn? Oh my God. What’s happening to you? You’re-you’re on fire!” Brooke squeaked out.
Thankful and relieved to find Brooke and not Devlin, Ash pulled her Fire back. She faced Brooke coldly. “What do you want from me, Brooke? You deserted me last night when I needed you. How could you have left me with those evil men? I thought you wanted to help free me, but I can see now you’re a liar. Why don’t you just go away?”
“Please, forgive me,” Brooke begged, “it’s complicated. But you’re right. I shouldn’t have left you.” Edging closer to the glass barrier, Brooke stared at Ash’s hands. “Please, tell me what they’ve done to you? The-the fire, oh my God! I’ll find a way to fix you.”
“There is no way to fix me. This is who I am. I am Ashlyn, of The House of Fire. This is the reason Barrington and Devlin took me. They obviously want my power for some purpose, but I don’t know what it is.”
“I can’t believe this. This is insane. People can’t make fire.” Brooke paled and backed away from Ashlyn’s enclosure.
“I assure you I can, as you have seen with your own eyes. Now why don’t you run along like Devlin told you, before you get into trouble. Besides, I don’t know you, and I certainly don’t trust you. So just leave me here for them to torture some more since you have no intention of helping me.”
“I don’t even know how to process all of this, but I do truly want to help you whether you believe me or not. I can’t say I blame you for not trusting me with the way I left you last night. I’m so sorry, Ashlyn. My relationship with Charles Barrington is…well, it’s complicated. I doubt you would trust me even a little if I tried to explain who he is to me.”
“Why don’t you try me? It couldn’t be any worse than what I’ve been imagining since you left last night.” Ash gazed into Brooke’s eyes searching for any hint of what her relationship with Barrington might be. “Your much older lover? Professor? Boss? Come on, Brooke, what is it?”
“He-he’s my father.” Brooke stared down at the ground seemingly unable to look at Ashlyn. “But you don’t understand. I don’t even understand it. I barely know the man.”
Ashlyn was wholly dumbfounded. Brooke was that monster’s daughter? She examined Brooke for any hint of a resemblance to the chilly, frightening, Dr. Charles Barrington. Brooke’s hair was a lovely golden blond, and Charles’ was dark, sprinkled with gray. His eyes were black and merciless; whereas, Brooke’s were blue like the ocean and held warmth in their depths. Physically they appeared very different. Ash wondered if they were alike in other more nefarious ways. Brooke seemed genuine, but how could Ashlyn trust her? How could she trust anyone?
****
Hawk
After they outfitted Kai with a Kevlar vest and the rest of the gear he would need for the rescue mission, Quill started harassing Kai in his own unique style. Hawk belly laughed in a way he hadn’t in a very long time. It felt good to let loose from all the tension and anticipation which consumed him. Leave it to Quill to lighten any mood.
The Protectors gathered together for River’s final words to the teams. A dynamic leader, River was authoritative but fair, and Hawk had the utmost respect for him. There was no one whose judgement Hawk trusted more. Yet, nagging worry over the mission to rescue Ashlyn ate at him. Praying River’s instincts were correct, Hawk hoped they were heading in the right direction. The need to find Ash was becoming more crucial to him than the air he breathed. After River’s speech, and Bear’s small prayer, the teams boarded their respective vehicles for the most important mission in Aether’s history. Aether needed their Fire Guardian back, and Hawk needed Ash. The thought of anything happening to her was unimaginable. Just as Hawk was about to climb into the SUV, Bear pulled him aside.
“I know you will find her, Hawk. Use your bond to lead you to her. Trust your instincts. Use your connection to the Elements. I know I do not say it very often, but I want to remind you, I love you very much. I am incredibly proud of you. Go with the God and Goddess.”
“Thank you, Grandfather. And I love you, too,” Hawk said, with a smile. “I’ll call you as soon as we find anything.” Stepping up onto the running board, Hawk slipped into the black Hummer they were using for the mission. Quill, Kai, and Bracken were already seated in the back.
River started the engine with a roar. “Is everybody ready?”
The men all grunted in acknowledgment. River pulled away leaving Aether behind. The truck kicked up gravel from the parking lot leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. Hawk’s mind reeled, crowded with a jumble of thoughts, and he couldn’t seem to settle himself. This is it. We are going to get my girl. Hawk leaned back resting his head against the cushioned support of the Hummer. He reflected back on the previous night after leaving PH.
****
He had parted from Bear and was en route home aiming to clear his head during the walk in the cool night air. Except, when he arrived, he saw Raven, the Fire Elder, waiting for him on his front porch. He wondered what the elegant looking woman was doing sitting outside his home at midnight.
“Good evening, Hawk, I hope you do not mind me making myself comfortable on your lovely porch while I waited for you. I think you and I need to talk.”
“Of course, I don’t mind at all. It’s one of my favorite places to sit, especially when I can’t sleep. Unfortunately, that has been quite a lot lately. What can I do for you?”
“Actually, I was thinking it was I, who could be of assistance to you. I wanted to share with you my personal experience with the connection you and Ashlyn have discovered. I thought perhaps, if you were not too tired, I could share some of my story with you?”
“That would be amazing.” Hawk pulled over a chair and settled himself next to the Elder. “I would love to have some insight into what’s happening between Ash and myself. I’ve kept her at arm’s length fighting what was meant to be between us. I know now I should’ve acted on my feelings and not run from them. Keeping everything bottled up has been the biggest mistake of my life,” Hawk said, with regret.
“I completely understand. I, too felt overwhelmed by the connection when it happened to me.”
The Elder wove a tale of love and connection intriguing Hawk with her wisdom and insight. Mesmerized by her power and knowledge, he inched to the edge of his chair absorbed in the moment.
Hawk lowered his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ve never been able to process what this is between Ash and me, so I guess I deflected my feelings. Keeping my distance felt like the only solution. I can’t help imagining how different things might have been if I’d explored this bond instead of avoiding it. Ashlyn would be here, safe, with me, right now.” He finally felt like he was sharing his burden instead of enduring it alone.
Raven appeared lost in thought for a moment as if she were looking back in time. “I understand better than you might think. But the point here is, not what if, but what can you do now? I want you to know since Ashlyn has opened the link between you, it is now your gi
ft to share with her. It will become a part of you both.”
“I don’t know how I did it, but I accidentally tapped into Ash’s power. I wish I knew what I did.”
“My young friend, you will see in time and with practice you will be able to reach out to Ashlyn with your mind, purposefully. You should be able to sense her presence when she is close by. Have you been sensing her emotions? Feeling her joy? Her pain?”
“Yes, yes I have. We have connected only a handful of times, but it seems to be growing stronger each time. This-this link between us is beyond belief. When her captors were hurting her, I was physically effected. I can feel her fear, her anger, and her pain. It’s driving me crazy. I need to find her, to save her, and to correct my mistakes. I need to tell Ashlyn I love her.”
The Elder smiled broadly. “Hawk, you remind me of my Kanti in many ways. You are so strong and confident. I miss him every day. I have no doubt you will find Ashlyn and Join with her. You will bring our Fire Guardian back to Aether where she belongs, by your side. Reach inside yourself, and use your bond, Hawk. Seek out her thoughts. Now go and get some sleep if you are able. May the God and Goddess be with you on your journey.”
“Thank you, Raven. Thank you for everything.”
Raven surprised him by kissing his cheek. He felt the heat of her Fire as it gently grazed his skin. It was an odd feeling. It was as if she shared something with him through the small gesture.
****
A bump in the road jolted Hawk from his musings and brought him back to the present, in the Hummer with his team.
“Hawk? Did we lose you there? I was asking you if you’ve connected to Ashlyn.” River raised an eyebrow.
“Sorry, I was thinking about last night. Raven came to see me and enlightened me about my bond with Ash. She had a similar connection to her Kanti,” Hawk responded.
“Raven is really something, isn’t she?” Kai chimed in.
“She’s a scary old woman. I wouldn’t mess with her. She would fry me alive,” Quill joked.
“Lots of women in Aether want to fry you alive, Quill. Maybe if you could stick with just one woman, for more than one night, they wouldn’t all want to burn you. Actually, come to think of it, if they had more than one night with you, they’d want to kill you even more,” Kai teased.
“You better watch it, Sanders. I know things about you nobody else does, and I’m not afraid to share.” Quill lightly punched Kai’s shoulder.
“Boy you can dish it out, but you really can’t take it. I was just kidding.” Kai laughed, as he shoved Quill back.
“Guys, really, grow up,” River reprimanded. “Hawk, did Raven tell you anything that would help us?”
“Yes, talking to Raven was amazing. Even though the telepathy power belongs to the Guardian, once the bond is formed the connection goes both ways. I haven’t intentionally tried to connect to Ash yet, but I want to try.”
Bracken remained quiet during this entire exchange. He was a relatively new Protector and was initiated only about two years ago. Brack had been inadvertently entangled in a tragedy during the Trials just before inductions took place. River and Bear told Hawk they sensed Brack needed this opportunity to move forward. Apparently, he had never fully recovered. Although he was not at fault, guilt consumed him. Brack’s gifts were unique. He needed to be able to let go of his pain and regret. Brack would have to learn to trust in his abilities in order to become the Protector he was meant to be.
Hawk thought he seemed like a smart, tough kid. The young Protector was tall and broad like most of the others. He gave the impression he was intelligent. Carefully observing everything around him, Brack didn’t find it necessary to ask endless questions like some of his peers. He was also enormously gifted and had the ability to manipulate anything botanical. Plants bent to his will.
“Well, now appears to be as good a time as any. Why don’t you give it a try? We’ll be quiet and let you concentrate. Right, Quill?” River prompted.
“Who me?” Quill pointed to himself. “You won’t even know I’m here. Just like always. I’m such a wallflower. I have to work on that.”
“Ignore him please. Go ahead, Hawk, give it a try,” Kai encouraged.
Closing his eyes, he concentrated on Ashlyn. He imagined her standing before him; her beautiful red hair, her amber colored eyes, her gorgeous body. Blocking out everything else around him except for thoughts of Ashlyn, he suddenly found himself in the Atrium of the South Tower. Hawk lost his breath when he saw her standing there with the wind blowing her curls around her beautiful face. They were both highly emotional. Ash shared what she could with him. Hawk’s heart broke at the desperation of Ashlyn’s tears as she uncharacteristically begged him to help her.
The connection broke abruptly, the air crackled around him, and Hawk found himself seated back in the Hummer instantly feeling Ashlyn’s loss. He sprang up in his seat. “It worked! Raven was right. I did it. I initiated the connection.”
Hawk was encouraged. If Cadence could use his skills to find out where this Brooke woman worked, it could lead them straight to Ash. He had something concrete to hold onto now. Hawk immediately told them everything he learned from Ash. River was on the phone with Cadence almost before Hawk had finished telling them the details of his conversation.
Hope. Hawk had hope. His instincts were finally telling him he was going to find Ash and bring her home to Aether. From now on he would keep her safe. Never again would she wonder how he felt, because he would tell her everyday how much he loved her. They were going to be happy together, forever.
Chapter Twelve
Ashlyn
Studying Brooke, Ashlyn cocked her head slightly. She looked her up, down, and sideways. Brooke exuded something Ash couldn’t put her finger on. An innocence and kindness radiated off her. Logically, she knew she shouldn’t trust her, but her instincts told her there was something special about Brooke Barrington. She wasn’t anything like her father, but trust sometimes had a price, and Ashlyn didn’t want to pay with her life.
Brooke seemed desperate as she implored Ashlyn. “Please, won’t you let me try to explain? I really want to tell you a little bit about my childhood, so maybe you can understand where I’m coming from. I know I can’t change the fact I’m a Barrington, but I’m nothing like my father.” Brooke advanced to the enclosure placing her hands on the glass. “I promise. Please, listen to me. I want to help you.”
“Okay, I’m listening.” Ash acquiesced, crossing her arms over her chest, standing tall.
“I’m thirty-four years old, and I have spent all of those years trying to get my father to notice me. I desperately wanted to please him and to make him proud. He’s always put his work before anything else in his life including my mom and me. When I was little, he was busy building his medical career. I remember my mom begging him to come home for Christmas when I was about six. He refused saying he had patients who needed him, and my mom was selfish.”
“Why didn’t you and your mom leave him?”
“I’m not really sure. They slept in separate bedrooms for as long as I can remember. He was always so abrupt with her, so cruel. He expected us to be perfect, but it was impossible to live up to his standards. Believe me, my mother tried. When I turned eight, he forced her to send me to boarding school. I was never smart enough, or pretty enough, and certainly not good enough to be a Barrington. In case my shortcomings weren’t enough, I am scarred, damaged goods. As a baby, I was burned in an accident. I have no memory of it, but to this day I still have discomfort and tingling in the area. That’s why I wear this compression glove on my hand.” Brooke lifted her hand and turn it around to show Ashlyn. “It’s a constant reminder I’m imperfect and no matter how hard I try, I’ll simply never be good enough for Charles Barrington.” Brooke wiped a tear which had escaped from the corner of her eye.
“I’m sorry, Brooke. It must’ve been really hard growing up with a father who was so heartless. You must have been so scared when he sent you away at s
uch a young age.”
“It was hard, and I definitely was scared. My mom cried for weeks. One time, I overheard them arguing about it. He told her he didn’t need the distractions of a small child around, and it was bad enough he had her to contend with.” A few more tears leaked silently down Brooke’s cheeks as she shared the memory. Then, as if collecting herself, she paused a moment before continuing. “Even though I was afraid, I was also relieved to be getting away from my father. Despite my age, I knew there was something very wrong with our relationship. When I wasn’t being ignored, I was belittled at every opportunity. He never hit me, but he had this terrifying manner which made me cower when he got too close. And his words cut like a knife. I guess he still holds more power over me than I realized. I’m so sorry I left you. I was a coward.”
Ashlyn believed Brooke was telling the truth. She couldn’t imagine someone who was supposed to love you making such a strong statement with such cruelty. Even though her experience with Charles Barrington had been limited, it wasn’t really hard to believe he was capable of such harshness, even to his own daughter. He appeared a cold and merciless man.
“Anyway, that’s how I grew up. It was as if I didn’t exist to him. My mom, her name was Olivia; she was amazing. She was warm and kind whereas my father was aloof and cutting. Mom thought everything I did was brilliant. He thought everything I did was a childish waste of time. After a while, it got to the point I didn’t even come home for holidays anymore. My mom would pick me up at school. We would travel to some far away, fun, or exotic place together instead.”
“Sounds like you’re lucky to have her.”
“Was. I was lucky. She died last year. I miss her every day.” Brooke’s voice trembled. “My mom was possessive of me. She tried to keep me away from him. Most of my memories of my father are from photographs. I rarely saw him in person. When I did, he acted like a stranger to me. His attitude ranged from dismissive to out and out cruel.” Backing away from the glass wall, Brooke slowly paced back and forth in front of the enclosure. “The more apathetic he was, the more determined I was to please him. I got my degree in pharmacology. I graduated first in my class but still no acknowledgement from him.” Shaking her head back and forth, she continued. “So I got a Master’s in chemistry and a PhD biochemical engineering thinking I’d impress him and finally make him proud. No such luck. He stuck me here, gave me a powerless title, and treats me like an interloper.” Brooke stopped, approached the glass again and looked Ashlyn directly in the eyes. “Last night was the first time I’ve seen him in months. I used to beg my mother to explain to me why she was with him, their history, anything, but she shut me out. My mom and I could talk about anything, except Charles Barrington.”