Chosen One

by Katie Holland

  Alix closed her journal, put it away and sat down next to Ben on the couch.

  “Feel better?” he asked.

  “Maybe a tiny bit but I’ll be better company now. Do you want to go back outside with your sketchbook and see if we can find any of those things you wanted to draw?”

  “Sure. Are you going to try to draw some as well?”

  “No. I think I’ll bring my eReader and just chill out for a while.”

  They stopped to get Ben’s sketch book and headed back out to the woods out by the lake. A lot of the people from the picnic were still there. Some were sitting at the tables talking, some were lounging on the blankets enjoying the sun and she was sure that some of them were walking in the woods.

  They spotted Sara and her mom on the far side of the lake.

  “Hey Ben, do you mind if we talk to Sara quickly before we go into the woods?”

  “Of course, I don’t mind.”

  They walked around the lake to Sara. “Hey,” Sara said. “Did you find Shay?”

  “Yes. I was actually wondering if we could borrow you for a few minutes? It’s about Shay.”

  “Sure. I’ll be right back mom.” Sara followed Alix and Ben until they were far enough away that no one would hear them. “Is everything okay?” Sara asked.

  “Yes and no. Have you spent any time with Logan?” Alix inquired.

  “You mean Jack’s nephew?”

  Alix nodded.

  “Not really. We all took different flights to get here so I just met him right before the party. Why?”

  “What did you think of him?”

  “He was very full of himself but so are most seventeen-year-old boys who look like him. I can tell by the look on your face Alix that something’s up. What is it?”

  “I don’t know exactly and that’s the problem. Something about Logan bugs me. And not in a ‘he’s spending time with my friend’ way, but in a ‘there’s something just not right with him’ way. Shay isn’t acting like herself and we had our first ever fight a little while ago. I know you don’t know Shay as well as I do but you have a pretty good idea of who she is. I was wondering if you could spend a little time with the two of them and see if you pick up on anything, either from Shay or Logan.”

  “Oh my God of course I’ll help you. I owe you like a million favors for saving my life," Sara said hugging Alix.

  “You don’t owe me anything, but I appreciate the help. Thank you. Ben and I are going for a walk along one of the paths they’ve created here but we’ll see you at dinner, okay?”

  “You bet Alix. And try to have a better afternoon.”

  “I will. And thanks again," Alix told her.

  Alix and Ben decided to take one of the paths they hadn’t been on last time. They weren’t disappointed. They saw all sorts of cool things. A small winged creature that looked like a blue daisy. A squirrel like animal that hopped like a rabbit and seemed to live under rocks. Bushes that grew something that looked like a raspberry, but they were orange and white. But Alix’s favorite were definitely the ones that looked like tiny dragons. They flew around but were about the size of a chickadee. She really, really wanted to take one home with her, but she was pretty sure that was a bad idea.

  They found a bench to sit on while Ben sketched. Alix was going to read but she was having too much fun enjoying the sights and sounds as well as watching Ben draw. Although he had taught her how to draw some things watching him was something else. It hardly took him any time at all to make something look like it should. It still amazed her.

  A couple of hours had passed in comfortable silence. Alix had eventually taken out her eReader and read a few chapters of her latest book. It was almost as relaxing as her massage at the spa had been. She figured she could sit like that every day.

  Chapter 20

  Ben put down his sketch book and looked at his watch.

  “Crap. Alix we’ve been out here all afternoon. It’s almost 6:00. We’re going to be late for dinner if we don’t hurry.”

  They ran for the castle and were the last ones to the dining room, but they made it on time. Dinner that night was buffet style. Ben and Alix got their food and went to the table to find a seat. There were two empty chairs left, one between Kris and a council member she didn’t really know yet and one between Shay and Sara. Ben automatically took the one beside Shay knowing that Alix wasn’t ready to talk to Shay quite yet. She sat down by Kris wishing it was her that was between Shay and Sara. Alix was very quiet during dinner. She would answer questions if asked but she didn’t initiate any conversations.

  As people finished their dinner they went off to do different things. Alix had been so preoccupied during dinner that she still had food on her plate after everyone else had left the table. Ben and Sara went over to talk to her.

  “Hey Alix,” Sara said, “did you enjoy the rest of your afternoon?”

  “Yes, actually I did. It was so nice to sit and relax out there, especially after what happened with Shay. Speaking of Shay, did you get a chance to hang out with them?”

  “A little bit. It was little bit disturbing to be around them actually.”

  “Why?” Ben asked.

  “They’re just so …” Sara stopped and searched for the right word, “so sappy I guess. All they do is hold hands, look at each other and smile and kiss. You can barely get two words out of them. I know I’m only a year older than you guys, but I know I didn’t act like that when I had a boyfriend. Is that normal for Shay?”

  “Sadly, when it comes to boys it is. But I still can’t get over the feeling that something isn’t quite right. We’ve never said anything mean to each other before or fought and besides all of that she’s my Lossat and even though I’m new to this I’m pretty sure that a Lossat doesn’t usually act that way. I mean she’s always been concerned for me, even before I became Nykara and after that day she was extra protective. And even when she’s had a boyfriend she always put me first. I don’t get it.”

  “I can vouch for that,” Ben said. “Alix and Shay are two of the closest friends you’ll ever meet. She pretty much ignored me at dinner and that’s really unlike Shay. I agree she’s not acting like herself.”

  “Okay, so I guess I’ll just continue to keep an eye on her and see what I can find out," Sara told them. “As for tonight, what are you guys up to? Are you going to movie night?”

  Alix sighed. “I’d really like to, but I just don’t think I could be in the same room as Shay the way she’s acting so I’ll probably just go to my room and read.”

  “Oh, come on Alix, that’s way too bor… subdued for a Friday night," Sara said.

  “You were going to say boring right? It’s okay Sara. It’s just that I don’t know what else to do with my time tonight.”

  “You could always bake,” Ben suggested. “That always seems to cheer you up and from what you told me about Merideth I don’t think she’d mind if you used the kitchen. Why don’t we go ask her?”

  “That actually sounds like a great idea Ben,” Alix told him.

  “I’m not just another pretty face you know,” he said with a grin.

  Ben acting like Ben was just what Alix needed. The three of them went into the kitchen to find Merideth. She told them it was absolutely fine if they wanted to use the kitchen as long as they cleaned up after themselves. But they had to come back in thirty minutes so that the kitchen staff could finish up the dinner dishes.

  When they went back to the kitchen the only person left was Merideth.

  “So, Alix, what did you want to bake?” Merideth asked her.

  “Actually,” Alix said, “I thought about making my own cookie. We call it the Alix Cookie.”

  “Sounds interesting. What do you need?”

  Alix told her the ingredients she needed, and they helped Merideth gather them. They decided to make a triple batch in order to have enough for everyone.

  The four of them had a great time making the cookie
s. They even got into a flour fight at one point. Sara and Merideth had never had the Alix Cookie and they both loved it.

  “Alix, I think we’ll use these for dessert at lunch tomorrow if that’s okay with you?” Merideth asked her.

  “Oh sure, it’s not like we can eat them all tonight,” she said smiling. “Hey Merideth, is there any ice cream here?”

  “Of course. We probably have a few different kinds. Let’s go look. What do you need it for?”

  “I thought we’d all have some ice cream and cookies to finish off the night.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Sara said.

  “Me too,” Ben agreed.

  Merideth dished out some vanilla and chocolate ice cream and the four of them sat down to enjoy their dessert.

  “You know,” Sara said, “I think these might become my new favorite cookie. You’ll have to give me the recipe.”

  “Okay, as long as you still call it the Alix Cookie," Alix told her.

  “Deal,” Sara said.

  After they finished eating and cleaning up Merideth went to her room and Sara went to find her mom. Ben and Alix started walking up the stairs.

  “Is there anything in particular you want to do?” Ben asked her.

  “Not really. I was just going to go to my room and read or something. You know, go be boring.”

  “That really bothered you that Shay said that to you didn’t it.”

  “Yes, more than I want to admit.”

  “Well I’ve never found you boring for even one second since we met. And I don’t think that Shay really does either or you two wouldn’t have stayed friends for so long. Something’s up with her that doesn’t make any sense, but I have faith that we’ll figure it out.”

  “I hope so. It tears me apart that we aren’t getting along.”

  “I have an idea,” Ben said. “How would you like to go upstairs to that garden on the roof? We could hang out and look at the stars or something.”

  “You’d really like to do that?” Alix asked him.

  “Sure. I love being outside and spending time with you is a bonus. Come on, what do you say?”

  “Okay, let me just get a hoodie from my room. It’s probably a little chilly out there now.”

  “Awesome, I should probably get one too.”

  They went to their rooms and grabbed something warmer to wear and headed up to the third floor. Both of them were glad they had an extra layer on when they opened the doors and stepped out into the night air.

  They started walking toward the far end of the garden, so they could look out over the lake as well as up at the stars. They stopped when they heard voices, it was Shay and Logan.

  “I don’t want to see her right now,” Alix whispered to Ben as they stepped back so they couldn’t be seen.

  “I understand,” he whispered back. “But this might be a good chance to see if we can find out anything.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “Well, if we cloak ourselves and stay quiet we can watch them to see if we can figure out why she’s acting strange.”

  “I get what you’re saying,” Alix said. “I’m not thrilled about it but I get it. Okay, let’s try it.”

  Alix and Ben used their magic to make themselves invisible. They had found out during Alix’s training that if she touched someone while they were both cloaked they could see each other so they held hands and slowly made their way closer to Shay and Logan. They were very careful to not make any noise. They stayed far enough away that they could hear the conversation but not too close to where Shay or Logan would run into them.

  They listened for a while. Logan would ask Shay something and she would answer. Not one time did she ask Logan anything, which wasn’t like Shay at all. He was asking her about her life in Sunset Creek, her friendship with Alix and Ben as well as what she knew about the other Nykara that lived there. It sounded more like an interrogation rather than two teenagers in “love”.

  Alix was getting tired of standing there and was ready to leave when something strange and then horrible happened. Shay started blinking her eyes and looking around.

  “Where am I? What are we doing here?” Shay said looking confused.

  “Everything is fine my beautiful bombshell," Logan said and touched Shay’s face.

  As soon as he touched Shay Alix saw a faint blue aura around him like the Grynn have. She blinked, and it was gone and so was the confusion on Shay’s face. She was back to looking at Logan like a love-sick puppy.

  “Let’s go back inside," Logan said to Shay as he took her hand and led her back into the castle.

  As soon as they were gone Alix and Ben dropped their cloaking.

  “Oh my God Ben, did you see that?”

  “That was a little weird alright. I mean for a second it seemed like Shay was confused and then just like that she was back to Shay in love," he said.

  “Didn’t you see it?” Alix asked.

  “See what?”

  “The blue aura around him when he touched her,” Alix said in an almost yell. “I knew there was something wrong with him.”

  “Alix, what are you talking about, only Grynn have a blue aura and even though Logan is rather obnoxious he’s certainly not a Grynn.”

  “I know what I saw Ben and the instant he touched her there was a faint blue aura around him for just a fraction of a second. And I know that only Grynn can have that but it’s like Shay was coming out of a haze and as soon as he touched her she was right back in it. We both agree that Shay isn’t acting like herself and that it started when she met Logan. It’s like he has a touch of Grynn powers or something. I know it sounds crazy, but I have to trust my instincts, they haven’t been wrong yet.”

  “I will agree with that, but I’ve never heard of a Nykara that also had Grynn powers and I didn’t think it was possible. But I know with you being the Chosen One you’re able to do and see more things than me so I’m going to take your word for it. I’ve never doubted you yet and I’m not about to start now.”

  “Remember in the cave when Victor had me bound by his powers?” she asked him, and he nodded. “Well he said he could teach me to be a Grynn. I thought he was full of crap but what if he wasn’t? What if it’s true and Grynn can convert a Nykara to become bad?”

  “If that’s true then this is very bad news. This property is like the house at home, Grynn cannot cross its boundaries, that’s one of the things that keeps us safe. But if this is true then a Nykara can still cross the magical boundary and do bad things like a Grynn. You are not to be on your own at all anymore until we know what’s going on. Your safety is more important than anything. We need to go find Kris and tell him what we know. If anyone can help us it’s him.”

  Alix didn’t argue as they went back down to the second floor and knocked on Kris’s door. They lucked out and he answered the door.

  “Hey, you two,” he said and got a better look at them. “Is everything okay?”

  “Can we come in?” Ben said.

  “Of course," he told them and stepped back so they could enter.

  “Before we say anything is there a way to make this room soundproof?”

  “Yes, but is that really necessary?” Kris asked. “It takes quite a bit of energy to do.”

  “I think it is. Can you tell or show Alix how to do it since her energy is almost endless?”

  “Uh, sure,” he said and turned to Alix. “It’s similar to making a shield but instead of shielding yourself you are shielding an entire room, that’s why it takes so much energy. Picture a small box made of energy with nothing inside of it. Now imagine it getting bigger and bigger until it’s the size of this room so that by the time it hits the walls, ceiling and floor it’s very thin but also very solid. Does that make sense?”

  “I think so. Let me try.”

  As with everything else she’d learned it only took her minutes to be able to create the sound barrier.

  “As impre
ssive as usual Alix,” Kris said with a smile. “Now that no one can hear us, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

  Ben and Alix told him everything starting with Shay meeting Logan at the Induction Ceremony to what Alix had just seen with Shay and Logan on the rooftop. Kris was quiet for a few minutes while he digested what he’d just learned.

  Alix couldn’t take the silence anymore. “Have you ever heard of something like this happening before?” she asked him.

  Very quietly he said, “Yes, but only once.” Then he continued in his normal voice. “It was during World War II and it was the reason we got close to losing the war. The Grynn of that day figured out how to transfer some of their powers to Nykara they’d captured and make them do what they wanted. It was a desperate time for everyone. The Axis Powers were losing on all fronts and needed an advantage. A very intelligent and malicious Grynn who was part of Hitler’s inner circle found a way to harness their evilness and control Nykara. Luckily someone close to one of the altered Nykara realized something was wrong and the Warriors were able to neutralize the situation.”

  “What do you mean by neutralized the situation? What happened to the Nykara?” Alix asked.

  “The Grynn that had the knowledge of how to transfer the powers was captured and killed. Unfortunately, the Nykara were never able to be cured and lived the rest of their lives in a secured facility. That’s why it’s extremely important for you to be sure about the current situation. Do you feel that Shay is in any danger?” Kris asked them.