by Debbie Behan
Next morning the sun shone in the window, and she rolled over to find her bed covers on the floor. Pillows lay as if tossed over the other side of the room from a restless night’s sleep and although she had no recollection of that, she did recall not being very agreeable with anyone. She figured that was why it was daylight and she had not been woken to attend training or breakfast. Time to make amends. She felt much better. Gazing out the window, she sat up with a start, as the light that streamed through told her it was mid-afternoon. With a heave of her body and a groan of a head that throbbed, she showered in record time and started out the door to find out where she should be.
The stairs to the tower she took two at a time, her mind heavily on Jett. Even though there was a part of him that continued to tug at her inner self, she had to focus and forget him. In the light of the day and all the advice from last night, she now accepted he had chosen his path, and it didn’t include her anymore. She just hoped he was happy and hurried to finish his project so his wife could be there with him always.
A dig in her pocket found the ear-pod she once wore, but it proved useless and she could hear nothing. The door to the tower was locked. What the! Where was everyone? Her code didn’t work, why? She entered Rory’s code which she had watched him enter many times. She figured Axon and Rory had gone to work, but where were the others? Was there no threat anymore? They should have told her last night. Inside, she grabbed a juice from the fridge. The computers automatically switched on, and as her head went back to take a sip, she spotted something. With a calculation of the distance, she sighted in the satellites and now in focus could easily see the Cosmic Riders. Her team was out there without her, battling an out-of-control star. Why didn’t they want me to help? Was she not part of the team anymore? Had they labelled her untrustworthy for socialising with the enemy?
Frustrated and annoyed at the position this had put her in with her friends, she almost switched everything off. Her inclination was to go back to bed and to hell with them. A final glance to go crook at them one last time stopped her nonsense. Far in the distance, two inflamed stars headed their way, too far out for them to have seen.
‘Someone should have been here!’ She scowled at their stupidity for leaving her out of it. They were a team and needed her, and it was then it dawned on her why she wasn’t included. The fear of having me captured again.
‘This has to stop!’ she called out to them and tapped the screen to where she needed to be. Her body trembled with worry as she ran downstairs and out the front door to the stables. Her legs dropped under her as she sank to the soft grass while she remembered her mare was still at Jett’s. Only wolves were visible as she scanned the paddock in the hope another horse had been brought up to the Home World of Ara. She tried to see if she could spot them, torn as to whether to send up a projectile of her own. Her naked eye, even though super-strengthened with magic, was unable to depict the specific marker to hit, as the team fought the death star that spiralled out of control. They were in her line of sight. What if I hit one of them?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Help from a Friend
Caitlin’s eyes squinted against the brightness as the fight came closer. She had just made a decision to try and send up a rocket when a crackling noise stopped her. Someone was transporting near and, hearing a horse snort, she turned her head to the sound.
‘Looking for this?’ Jett held the reins of her horse.
‘Shargan!’ She hugged the mare and then wrapped her arms around Jett. ‘You came back?’ She was full of smiles, but he seemed confused.
‘Why aren’t you up there? You could have ridden with any one of them.’
‘I only just woke. I guess they didn’t want me to be kidnapped again. Or maybe theory thought I wouldn’t fight against you. But enough of their hang-ups. You’re here! Does that mean I haven’t lost you as my friend?’
‘I’m here aren’t I?’ He looked almost boyish.
She smiled and punched his arm. ‘You had me freaked out. I’m so happy to see you.’ Noises above had them both looking up. ‘Damn them. That was a dirty trick to leave me behind for whatever the reason.’
Her eyebrows drew together, and the look almost put a grin on his face. ‘Well if you’re going to save them, I would advise you to quit chatting and get moving. Your friends are in big trouble out there.’
‘I know. I was watching and came down here to grab a horse, but there weren’t any in the stalls or in the paddock. I thought they would have had a back-up at least.’
‘Maybe they hid them from you so you couldn’t follow.’ He lifted her up on Shargan. Her transformation surprised him, and the bright light forced him to step back slightly while the magic altered the image he had of her.
‘You are a real vision when you go into battle, Glow.’
Caitlin glowed more from Jett’s warmth. He had changed so much since the day Hades stole her with the intent to kill. ‘I don’t understand why you helped me. I am fighting against your family.’
‘This is true, but your own family are losing the battle out there, and if I were about to lose one of my family members, I would hope you would be friend enough to do all you could to help me too.’
‘You know I would.’ She put out her hand to him. ‘I will when that time comes.’
He held her hand. ‘I believe you would. Now go! Help your other friends, or I have wasted my effort.’
‘Thanks, Jett, you’re the best.’ She blew him a kiss as his figure faded. Shargan moved swiftly, the mare’s wings high and swept out gracefully as her horse lifted them from the surface and headed for the coordinates she had already communicated.
Closer to the action it was apparent why the other two missiles were kept hidden. The magnitude of squealing, gas and flares that shot out from the surface of the first massive nova made it almost impossible to see or hear what was coming behind. Parts of the exploding death star shot out unexpectantly. The danger from the blazing hot iron-like shards caused the team to duck and weave to avoid them. Caitlin’s adrenalin surged with the scene, and her power crackled from her as she flew to save her team. Her concentration was on the two inflamed stars behind the one they battled. A controlled hand went up and let out a calculated stream of ear-piercing energy towards them. The electrical feed engulfed the balls of molten rock and, acting like a slingshot, hurled the two stars in a spiral towards each other. The collision released a tidal force which instantly ripped each star apart. The eruption left a gash in the atmosphere, and both collapsed into a big black hole. Rory waited for Caitlin to cap the offending abyss before he opened up a nearby portal that led to outer space. The black hole vanished as the portal snapped shut.
Her power exhausted, she sat and watched as the team took control of the massive star they battled. It too was dead in the sky; the remaining danger came from the exploded shards that sped towards Ara. The team immediately switched to clean up mode, horse and rider quickly encased in bright light, as the action put them in a spin that left them a blur of colourful electrical surges. The bolts they projected smashed and pulverised anything in their path. The only remains looked like fairy dust glitter that floated delicately down to the surface of their Home World like soft flakes of snow. It always amazed her, the exquisiteness of the team, as her method was quick and deadly. She shrugged. Show-offs.
Once it was over, they headed for her. Rory instructed her to stay still while they covered her with their magic until they got back to the surface. In a swirl of colour, very similar to that when they are in the clouds, they escorted her home. Let them try to steal you from us now; our new kung fu is strong. He winked at her.
On landing, Caitlin felt smothered with her over-protective friends. What sort of life is this to be? Axon waited while she dismounted and headed for him. She intended to give him a piece of her mind if this was his doing. That’s if she could get a word in edgeways, as he was already
hurling questions at her.
‘How did you know about the other two death stars? And where did Shargan come from? I gave orders to leave the other horses in the far paddock, so you had to stay home and rest.’ His temper was evident.
Her eyes were alight with disappointment in him as she answered. Her voice was as calm as she could keep it. Why he wasn’t just happy all had ended well?
‘I had a little help from a friend. I saw the other two stars hurtling towards them from up in the tower. The guys had trouble with the first one, so I didn’t know how they would have handled the others that encroached on them. The stupid headset didn’t communicate that far and to send up an explosive blast looked too dangerous. Once exploded, the debris may have hit them. All I can say is thank goodness Jett arrived with my horse.’
Axon blinked in shock and his features became almost porcelain. ‘If Hades thinks he can just come here and mess with your head anytime he wants, the blighter can think again. He is the enemy, Caitlin. Destroy him! That is an order!’
‘But – ‘
‘No buts! He had his chance to change for you and he didn’t! He chose to oppose us, take up arms against us, so this, whatever it is,’ he waved his hand in the air, ‘ends now! That goes for the rest of you too. If Hades comes here again, I want him dead.’ He vanished and left her with her mouth open, so much unsaid.
Head hung, seething with unshed emotions, Caitlin helped put the horses away before they made their way back inside. Her mood was sullen and she went straight to her room. The rest of the team had nodded, and all agreed with Axon, good friends they turned out to be, did none of them care? She kicked the door after closing it and hurt her foot. After not being called for meals that day, her mood continued to escalate and now upset at everyone, she paced back and forth. Her energy plummeted to zero and, finally fatigued, she gave in and slept.
She could hear Axon’s voice, his footsteps and the door hinge squeak as he checked on her after work. In no mood to face him, kept her eyes closed and pretended to be asleep. His plea to discuss what went on that afternoon was met with silence, so he left.
A night of restless sleep did nothing to lull her fury, and again, she kept her eyes closed tight when the door open and warm lips met with her cheek as he whispered goodbye. Overnight the plan to escape for the day ran rampant in her mind. They were wrong about Jett, and he had to be forewarned. After that, Caitlin promised herself, she would do as ordered and never see him again.
Out of bed, the intention was to get ready and sneak out, but instead, her feet kept a steady pace back and forth as her mind ticked over the events since her return. A commitment to sever ties with Jett would not stop them freaking out every time an actual mission was given to her. Would this goodbye change anything? She didn’t think so. Her future looked bleak; the reality was they would send her out less and less. Her worthiness as a powerful immortal was in question. Why was it her, only, that the gods hated? Panic-stricken thoughts plagued the thrill of being home and, for the first time ever she wished that her powers were in line with the other members of her team. The sadness of friends that once cared yet now had no trust in her, hurt more than anything. She cried most of the morning, ignoring the knock on the door and a breakfast call.
At midday, Caitlin woke thirsty and hungry, her mood a little better. Weak from lack of nourishment, her clothes were left in a heap on the floor as she slipped on a dressing gown. The house was quiet. No doubt they were on another call out, and it offended her not to be included. Sulky or not she would have gone if asked. Well, to hell with them! At least there would be nobody here to stop her departure. A quick bite to eat before I go and find Jett, she consoled herself.
The bottom of the stairs seemed further than normal as her foot missed the first step and with her equilibrium way off, rolled her ankle and misjudged the next. She grabbed the rail too late as she lost her footing and toppled off balance, feeling the sharp pain as her body hit step after step as she plummeted to the ground— then nothing.
The first voice she heard was Rory’s. ‘Cait’s been like this for the past couple of weeks and doesn’t seem to be getting any better.’
Really! Her conscious-self returned as it had done many times. She recalled drips in her arm, faces, hands that held hers, needles and sponge baths. Yet her voice was stuck in her throat. She was sure she’d just spoken, answering Rory. Did he not hear her? Confused and disorientated she heard Axon. There you are, she said to him, but again no answer came. Her eyes closed on Axon’s tortured features that looked on. He had been determined to rule her life and distrusted her judgement. As a boss, he had let her down and didn’t believe in her. As a man, his devotion had to be stronger, or their love would not survive.
They can’t hear me. Caitlin wanted to cry, but no tears would come.
In and out of consciousness, Caitlin tried each time to lift her head from the pillow but finally gave up, her mind in tatters as she lay there looking up at the roof. Axon had just left. Zoren was with him. Her guess was the archangel was his last shot at getting her better. The stream of endless faces in white coats with concerned looks had lately made her feel like an animal in the zoo. Prodded and poked, a bright light in her eyes, a lot of talking, but not one word did she understand. Her eyes were all that moved. She’d developed a defeatist attitude and felt she would get no better. Her time awake became less each day.
It was during one of these conscious episodes that a hand slipped into hers. It jolted her with a magic that reminded her of an ice world, a happier time and she looked into Jett’s caring face. The room had emptied out, and they were all alone.
‘Jett,’ was all but a whisper as tears ran down her face like a flood of emotion.
He pulled back the sheet, lifted Caitlin’s frail body in his arms and sat on a chair with a blanket that he laid gently over her. ‘What have you done to yourself Glow Girl? Have you fallen for my charms and can’t live without me?’ He smiled.
‘You wish,’ she whispered.
It was the first time in weeks that words had made sense to her.
‘They tell me you won’t eat or drink and I guess those are the first words you’ve spoken. I miss you too, but we have to move on with our lives. My wife has come home, and you have your Axon and a family here.’
‘I don’t like them anymore. Axon never wants me to talk to you again.’
‘Axon asked me to come here, Glow. He is beside himself and doesn’t know how to reach you.’
Her eyes widened.
‘Yes we fought, both of us pissed off for different reasons. However, once I found out what had happened, we talked. For you Glow, and only for you, are we on speaking terms until we sort this out.’
She frowned, and he rubbed his thumb gently on her forehead. He saw how hard it was for her to communicate being so weak.
‘Let me talk and stop worrying. We are grown men and will sort out our own issues. Glow, he told me what he said and did. You have to forgive him. I would have done the same; he was jealous, that’s all. You have to give him a break. He had been without you for a couple of months, and on your return, you talked non-stop about me. From what Axon said, to keep him at arm’s length you spent your waking hours with the team. Apparently after that, you got angry, wouldn’t talk about it and cringed from him when he reached for you. What did you expect? He thinks you’re in love with me now and has offered to give you up rather than have you sick like this.’
She cried and to allow her time to get it out of her system, Jett rocked her gently, back and forth in a soothing manner.
‘I just want to keep you as my friend. I’m not asking for the world, am I?’ she sobbed through tears.
‘We are on different sides Glow, so can’t you see he’s right? It would never work.’
‘Then put me back the way you found me and leave. Why should it matter to you what happens to me?’
He stopped rocking her, taking his time to answer. ‘Because I care for you as you care for me and need to know you are happy too. You’re breaking my heart to see you like this.’
‘Then make it work Jett. Find a way.’
‘I will, but you have to give me time. This is my fault. I kidnapped you and then just dumped you off when I was unable to deal with the consequences of what I was doing. My decision was so instantaneous it never gave you a chance to have a say in it or time to adjust without me. Me, well, the project consumed every hour, and it took my mind off you. By the nightfall, exhaustion overwhelmed me and left me too tired to think. You came back and felt alienated from not only me but your friends. I’ve been terribly cruel to you, Glow, and even now you give me nothing but your friendship and love. I told you I was a monster.’
She dried her eyes and smiled. ‘But you’re my most favourite monster in the whole world.’
He laughed and kissed her. ‘Yes, I guess I must be.’
He ran his hand through her hair and down her cheek, feeling her skin that she knew he loved so much. ‘What about if you and Axon come and stay in the snow cabin? Have a holiday with me until you get well again. You loved it there, and the privacy might give you both the time to rekindle what you had. Please, Glow. I want to give you some of the same happiness you have given to me. Find love and enjoy your life with a partner that loves you in return. Give him a chance to make you feel happy again.’