by Kim Cormack
Kayn knew but she suspected he wasn’t ready to embrace it so why confuse him. She smiled at her Handler as she assured, “It’s not important.” She laced her fingers through his, feeling herself again as they strolled through the meadow until there was another random explosion of light and they were once again wandering through the desert. She was mentally exhausted, darkness takes a toll.
Zach grinned as he said, “You tried to kick Seth’s ass.”
“I vaguely recall that,” Kayn admitted as she gave his hand another reassuring squeeze. “I know I haven’t had my mind in the right place.”
Zach paused, causing her to abruptly stop walking as he explained, “If this scenario had happened a week ago, I would have been in a far different mindset. It feels like we haven’t spent any time together lately. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I don’t know where I fit into your relationship with Frost or your unresolved feelings for Kevin. I can’t help you with any of that.”
She nodded her silent agreement. She saw his point. Kayn smiled as she answered, “That’s where you’re wrong, you could have helped me. We just haven’t been in this situation long enough to read between the lines.”
“Why did you do it?” Zach asked.
“I’m afraid you’re going to have to be more specific,” Kayn countered.
“Why did you act like everything was fine and then toss your ex off a balcony during a ceasefire between the clans?” Zach enquired.
“Total honesty?” Kayn said. She met his gaze as she revealed, “It’s difficult to explain.”
“Try me,” he urged.
She decided to take this Handler bond out for a spin as she gave him the unfiltered truth, “I’m two people and one of those people loved Kevin with all that she was. We’d been friends since we were five. He was taken by Triad but I never believed they could erase his feelings for me. You were there before the Testing. I know you saw what was happening between us. It was still there even though his memories had been erased. That magic between two people that care about each other.”
“It wasn’t just you. I saw it and so did Mel,” Zach replied.
Kayn smiled at her Handler as she continued, “In the Testing, Kevin killed me. I didn’t think he’d be able to do it. Something broke inside of me. I knew I couldn’t fix myself. I couldn’t change anything and at first, I blamed my feelings for Frost on Chloe’s memories but after a while, I was able to admit that I wanted him...Me. Frost kept chipping away at my armour until I just didn’t see the point in resisting my feelings for him any longer. I fed from his energy and the attraction I felt became this undeniable force. He makes me happy. Really happy.”
“I know, I could see it and it’s not that I want you to stop what you’re doing or change how you’re feeling. I want you to be happy. I just don’t understand what my role is yet and it’s hard to step back and follow someone else’s boundaries when I’m supposed to be surrendering my afterlife in service of you. We’re staying in different rooms doing our own things and there’s this distance between us when he’s around.”
“You know, I have absolutely no idea what I’m supposed to be doing either,” Kayn admitted.
“And back to the reason why you tossed Kevin over the balcony,” Zach urged.
“He gave me a purple clover so I would know he had his memories back then warned me to watch my ego. I was flooded with these unresolved feelings. I have this instinct to believe him that supersedes logic. I tucked the flower in my bra and went back inside but knowing it was there made me feel like I was being unfaithful to Frost. I know that’s silly. It was only a flower but it was symbolic of so much more. Instead of wallowing in self-pity or guilt I became furious. How dare he show me he still loves me when I’ve finally moved on.”
“I get it. You tossed your ex over a balcony to get out of admitting that you still care,” Zach concluded as he sat down in the sand.
“Basically,” Kayn confessed as she sat beside him.
“Okay, that’s all I needed to know,” Zach said. “Listen, you can’t feel bad about still caring. I don’t have any relationship experience but from what I’ve heard, it takes time and distance to get over someone. It doesn’t just happen.”
It felt like they were finally on the same page again. They sat there in the warm silky sand drawing pictures with their fingertips and chatting about their afterlife until they sensed a presence. Kayn peered up, already knowing who it was. She was prepared to tell Seth off when instead of baiting her, he used a different approach as he took a seat in the sand and began drawing pictures of his own. He was a creepy dude.
The Guardian of Triad, glanced over at the two and asked, “What are you guys drawing?”
Zach nonchalantly sparred, “Isn’t it obvious?”
Seth grinned as he continued his masterpiece, ultimately choosing to sculpt a sandcastle rather than draw. It occurred to Kayn that this was how toddlers made friends through parallel play. Was this immortal douchebag seriously trying to be her friend?
Seth peered up and admitted, “I’d like to try if you’ll let me.”
A confusing wave of emotion washed over her and this time Zach took her hand before she could shut herself down. He whispered, “Don’t go. Face your problems.”
She wasn’t sure what she should say. He was waiting for her response. She peered up at Seth and said, “Win over Lexy and I’ll come along.”
Seth stood up, stomped on his sandcastle and huffed, “Well, then we’ll never be able to be friends! She hates me!” He kicked at what was left of his sandcastle like an unruly child and stormed away.
“Well, that was awkward,” Zach commentated as he continued his drawing.
It was awkward. Those were the genes she came from. Sadly, it made sense. Kayn smoothed out her sand to start a new drawing. She used her finger to write K + F in the sand and then glanced over to see what Zach was doing. Was he drawing a seagull? She took a shot in the dark, “Is that a seagull?”
“As a matter of fact, it is,” he admitted.
“A seagull pooped on me when I was a kid. They say it’s good luck,” Kayn remarked, regretting her words instantly as she heard multiple calls from the ocean gulls soaring through the sky above. Come on! One of them had made them real with their thoughts. Kayn leapt up, grabbed Zach’s hand, towed him to his feet and sighed, “Why?” They laughed as the flock of gulls dive bombed, narrowly missing the two as they dove out of the way and landed on their stomachs in a shimmering cloud of dust. As the first white and black mound of gull poop splattered on the desert floor, they scrambled to their feet and ran. It was like they were trying to hit them. The two Ankh picked up their pace, giggling while sprinting through the desert until they reached the ledge of the cliff they’d been looking for earlier. They dove off with the skilled precision of Olympic divers and rapidly descended through damp clouds into their next reality. Kayn’s hair whipped around as the air whooshed against her skin. As they came out of the clouds the forest floor was rapidly approaching. They both used their energy to slow themselves and maneuver their decent through the tree line, landing as skilled immortals crouching in a thicket. They got up and checked for seagulls. They were gone.
“That was a first,” Zach exclaimed as he brushed himself off.
It wasn’t for her. She’d been dive bombed by many a gull on the beach. Kayn questioned, “You didn’t see a lot of seagulls growing up?”
“None... Not until I was with Triad, in the time before I became Ankh,” Zach revealed.
They started walking through the woods with no destination in mind until they came across a blackberry bush. They began picking off the fruit staining their fingertips with juice as they snacked on the tart berries. Kayn asked, “Did you have a lot of blackberry bushes around as a kid?”
“We spent years moving from place to place trying to get away from my abusive father,” Zach explained. “No blackberry bushes around but there were strawberries and raspberries in our garden. We usually planted o
ne; it was one of our family rituals each time we found a new home. We lived in the southern states for a while but when we moved further north there was always farmland and cornfields. How about you?”
“I lived in the same house my whole life with my parents, my brother and my twin sister. I don’t know if you remember much about my house but there were bushes in the back with trails and lots of blackberries,” Kayn explained. “Living on Vancouver Island there were lots of seagulls and wildlife. It was a beautiful place to grow up.”
Zach grinned as he said, “You have some blackberry juice in the corner of your mouth.”
She tried to get it with her tongue. He just kept shaking his head and telling her she missed it until he ended up using his thumb to clean off her face. She giggled as she returned the favour. He was also a little bit purple around the corners of his mouth. Kayn picked a handful of berries to bring with her.
“Well, what do you want to do with the time we have left?” Zach asked as they wandered away from the bush. Kayn popped a blackberry in her mouth, swallowed it and randomly asked, “Have you ever had blackberry wine?”
Zach stopped walking as he admitted, “Never.”
“There’s something new for our unbucket list,” Kayn answered. Zach was grinning at her. “What?” she laughed.
“You have blackberry juice all over your face. You were a messy kid, weren’t you?” he teased.
She grinned. Zach began openly laughing. Her teeth were probably purple. Kayn stepped closer as she sparred, “You think I’m pretty funny.”
“Actually... You are kind of adorable,” he complimented.
Kayn gave Zach her best Cheshire cat purple grin as she smashed her handful of blackberries in his face.
He batted her away laughing, “Come on Brighton. That was unnecessary.” He dashed back to the blackberry bush for ammo.
Kayn raced over to another bush and filled her hands as he began whipping blackberries at her. Each direct hit left purple stains on her thigh length white sarong. She whipped them back at him and soon they were ducking behind bushes having a full out blackberry war. The battle ceased as they both sensed the others descending from the sky. Lexy and Grey landed in the dirt before them with catlike agility.
Grey looked at the mess they’d made of each other and sighed, “You guys have the most fun.” He glanced at Lexy and asked, “How come we never have blackberry battles?”
Lexy gave her Handler a playful shove as she answered, “We’re supposed to be working right now but next time I see a blackberry bush it’s on.” The crimson-haired Dragon of Ankh gave Kayn a curious look as she commented, “I really wish you guys could see yourselves.” She strolled over to Kayn and probed, “Did you really tell Seth you’d try being his friend if I did?”
Kayn shrugged as she answered honestly, “I did.”
“You know she’s not one to forgive and forget,” Grey pointed out.
“Oh, she knows,” Zach said as he wandered over to the group.
“Okay,” Lexy clarified. “Just as long as you know it’ll be a cold day in hell before I forgive him for leaving me on that farm.”
Grey put his arm around Lexy and whispered in her ear, “We need to get back. Maybe, we should just change the subject?”
There was absolutely no point in carrying on this conversation. Kayn decided to make her opinion on the matter crystal clear, “For the record, I really don’t care what Seth does or if I ever forgive him.”
“Good,” Lexy replied.
“We have to go,” Grey urged as he led Lexy away.
Kayn and Zach followed them as an explosion of light brought them back to the white sand of the clean slated desert.
Grey took Lexy’s hand, turned to Kayn and announced, “Let the Dragon Handler road trip begin.”
Zach still had a hold of her hand as the force of the pull back to the land of the living lurched them upwards into oblivion. In moments, they were encased within the tomb they’d come in spinning at a wild stomach-churning rate, knowing they’d once again killed the Healers in charge of their travel. Both Kayn and Lexy placed their hands against the strobing crypt’s lid and braced themselves for the sensation of their own essence escaping their bodies so they could spiritually pilot the tomb back to the land of the living. It was difficult to maintain the connection as her energy travelled out of her hands into the tomb. The g-force was making her feel lightheaded.
Grey shouted, “Brighton! Stop us! Before I hurl!”
“I don’t know how! I’m not strong enough!” Kayn hollered back.
Zach mumbled, “I’m going to pass out.”
Each strobe of light blinded her as Kayn fought to keep her hands securely connected. She couldn’t keep this up for much longer. Gravity lurched her from side to side. Kayn was nauseous, sweating profusely and confused. This usually worked. Their energy was supposed to send the tombs on a spiritual autopilot back to where they began. Why wasn’t it working? She squinted in the glaring light of the rose quartz tomb trying to catch a glimpse of Lexy between each strobe. The light was growing stronger and more brilliant with each cycle. It was getting uncomfortably hot. They were in trouble. She could feel it. Something had gone wrong. Suddenly, it felt impossible and Kayn knew she was carrying the brunt of the spiritual load. “Lexy!” she called out. “Are you still there?” No answer. Kayn couldn’t open her eyes anymore without burning her corneas. She was on her own. She sensed it. Scattered ideas flitted through her equilibrium shuffled mind... She’d recently fed from a Guardian. How didn’t she have enough energy to do it? The tomb was now spinning so rapidly the skin on her face was molded by force. It began lurching to each side as it descended into lord knows where. What was she supposed to be doing to regain control? Instinct urged her to do something unusual. Kayn let go of the lid, grabbed a hold of Grey and began siphoning his energy. As soon as she felt the intoxicating power surging within her, she reached for the lid again and screeched, “Stop!” The tomb abruptly halted its nauseating motion. The strobing light ceased so Kayn opened her eyes. There was a dim light coming from right beside her. She lifted her hand and smiled. Her Ankh symbol was still strobing because the other occupants of the tomb were deceased. Zach must have been touching Grey. Kayn placed her hands against the roof and commanded, “Open!” The lid slid aside with the sound of grinding stone. As Kayn climbed out of the tomb she’d shared with her fellow Ankh, she saw the bodies of the six Ankh running the tombs deceased on the marble floor. She stood there for a minute feeling quite impressed with herself. Someone stirred within the tomb and she knew her sister was awake. That was fast.
Lexy stretched while declaring, “So everybody’s obviously dead then.” She climbed out and wandered over to stand beside Kayn.
The two Dragons surveyed the calamity they’d caused. Lexy started to giggle. Kayn began to laugh too as her sister instructed her in the most efficient way to awaken a large group. They towed the Healers Amar had provided into the tomb that encased their Handlers, closed it and then laid their palms against the ancient looking stone, feeding their energy directly into the rose quartz lined tomb.
The two Dragons stood side by side ready to greet their Handlers and fellow clan as the tomb ground open. They helped each person out and headed for the door, more than ready to get the hell out of this compound and back to their immortal duties. Lexy laid her hand against the door. It wouldn’t budge. Kayn followed suit. Nothing! Seriously?
A dark featured olive-skinned female Healer, piped in, “Only Amar can open this door.”
Frustrated, Kayn perched on top of one of the tombs and sighed, “I don’t suppose any of you have a snack?”
Grey scowled at her and mumbled, “You’ve had enough snacks.”
Kayn blew Grey a kiss and sparred, “You were delicious.”
“You’re welcome,” Grey jousted as he began to laugh.
Zach slid up onto the tomb beside her and took her hand in a show of solidarity. Kayn leaned over and whispered in his ea
r, “I didn’t mean to take you out too.”
Her Handler smiled knowingly as he replied, “I know.”
The girl that told them about Amar being the only one able to open the door offered Grey her hand and introduced herself, “My name’s Aubrey.”
Grey gave it a polite shake and smiled as he said, “My name’s Grey.”
“I know,” Aubrey teased. “To be honest, I’m a bit of a fan.”
“Really?” Grey flirtatiously responded. “Well, I’m certainly honoured to meet you...Aubrey. That’s a beautiful name. Where are you from?”
Lexy rolled her eyes so far back all you could see were the whites. Kayn and Zach couldn’t help themselves... They began giggling as Grey continued to work his game on the curvaceous raven-haired Ankh.
One of the others strolled over to Kayn, Zach and Lexy to greet them. His name was Mike. He was backpacking through Europe with his best friend when his Correction happened.
Kayn couldn’t help herself as she enquired, “Is your family still alive?”
His expression grew solemn as he answered, “I wasn’t allowed any contact with them after I became Ankh. I’d just disappeared, so they travelled here searching for me, thinking I’d been kidnapped or worse. I thought if I stayed away they’d have a chance but they just wouldn’t give up. They kept going back to the states, regrouping and flying back here until their flight crashed.”
They all had such wildly different stories but in the end, they were all the same. Kayn slowly nodded, understanding what he meant. There was another girl present who wasn’t much of a sharer. Kayn’s stomach growled as she felt the instinctual urge to feed. The insatiable appetite of her Conduit ability was pointing out the fact that everyone here was edible. There were a lot of Healers in this room. They were all locked inside. She needed to think about something else. Anything else. Her mind began to scroll through the main reason why she shouldn’t. Ingesting healing energy was a euphoric experience but then she’d be seeing everyone’s brightly coloured auras all day and that side effect was mentally exhausting. She’d retained the ability a while ago but the auras she saw had dulled with time. It was quite helpful while searching a crowd for a newbie Ankh but she was glad she could control the brightness.