The MORE Trilogy

by T. M. Franklin

  “What was that?” he murmured.

  She released his hand, saying only, “Stand back.”

  Caleb’s eyes darted from her to the approaching Protectors. “What are you going to do?”

  “Get us out of here.”

  And with that, the Protectors all froze in place, then—one by one—they flew through the air until they slammed back against the wall, a few inches below the ceiling. None of them struggled, and Caleb quickly realized they couldn’t move. More than a dozen fully-trained warriors hung helpless, arms and legs splayed against the polished wood walls. He turned startled eyes on Ava.

  “How . . . ?” But she wasn’t looking at him. Instead, she glared at Madeleine. At a flash of movement to the left, he saw Tiernan float into the middle of the room over their heads, then slowly rotate until he hung upside down.

  “How’s that for control?” Ava asked archly. Tiernan glared at Ava as he twirled around—upright again—and floated slowly back to his position against the wall.

  Caleb braced himself, preparing for a mental attack—a shift from James, a hallucination from Allison, a surge of emotional manipulation, a blast of ice, something—but nothing happened. Somehow, the paralysis Ava had created extended beyond the physical to their mental abilities as well. He’d never seen anything like it.

  “Release them!” Madeleine shouted.

  “I don’t take orders from you.” Ava smiled, stepping up to lean forward against the table. “And I’m not staying here.”

  In a blur of movement, Kaeden vaulted the table, muscles flexing as he landed before them with a quiet thud. He shoved Caleb aside and reached for Ava, golden eyes hard and teeth bared in fury.

  As if he’d slammed into an invisible brick wall, he jerked to a stop with a loud grunt and fell back onto the table. He tried to get up, struggling against unseen bonds, unable to move. “We can’t allow—” he snarled at Ava.

  “It wasn’t a request,” Ava snapped, moving to loom over him, holding him fast without breaking a sweat. “I’m going home.” She turned her gaze to the rest of the Council, finally coming to rest on Madeleine. “I won’t expose you. I won’t hurt anyone. But I’m not staying here.”

  Madeleine swallowed, and she raised a trembling hand to smooth her hair. “You won’t be protected out there,” she warned. “The Rogues could still come after you. The fact that a group of them was working together does not bode well. It’s never happened before, and there’s nothing to say there aren’t more of them.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  Madeleine raised a brow. “Perhaps. But you’ll be on your own, Miss Michaels. Don’t expect us to come to your rescue.”

  Ava smiled humorlessly. “Don’t worry. I won’t.” She turned to walk down the aisle to the door, Caleb by her side. She turned back at the last moment, tilting her head slightly, and the Protectors slid to the floor.

  Kaeden jumped to his feet, a feral growl escaping his lips as he started after her.

  “No!” Madeleine shouted. “Let her go.”

  Ava smirked. “Like he could stop me,” she murmured under her breath.

  Caleb fought a laugh as they walked out of the Council chamber, the crowd parting before them as they made their way down the hall and out into the early-morning sunshine.

  Residual jolts of electricity shot through Ava’s body as they walked toward the border of the city. She was still more than a little awed at what she’d done, and oddly, instead of being tired after the massive display of power, she felt a strange euphoria settle into her bones. She walked with a spring in her step, energized, as if she could do anything.

  They’d stopped at Caleb’s house only long enough to gather their things, neither wanting to test the Council’s patience by lingering in New Elysia. Ava hefted her backpack higher onto her shoulder as she followed Caleb up the path toward the edge of the cloak.

  “I still can’t believe it,” he said, eyeing her with a slight smile. “Remind me never to make you mad.”

  Ava grinned. “You think Tiernan will ever forgive me?”

  “Oh, probably. Just give him twenty or thirty years.”

  She laughed, and right before they passed through the cloak, she turned back to gaze one more time at the city. It lay spread out below them, sparkling and miraculous, and for a moment, Ava felt a twinge of regret that she’d most likely never be able to return.

  Sure, they were a pain the neck, but they were her people, after all. The only others like herself.

  With a heavy sigh, she took Caleb’s hand as they walked through the cloak, the air shifting and shimmering as they passed through it. When they emerged on the other side, Ava glanced back once more, but thick trees and snow-covered undergrowth hid every sign of the path.

  She pondered what she’d learned about the Race, since she had time to think about how it applied to her. What it meant, knowing that she wasn’t entirely human.

  She held up her hand, examining it closely.

  “What are you doing?” Caleb asked.

  “Trying to see through the Veil,” she replied absently. “But I can’t. I just look . . . normal.” She turned to him, holding out her hands by her sides. “What do you see?”

  Caleb’s eyes trailed over her, and he flushed, dropping his gaze. “You look . . . the same.”

  “Yeah,” she said. “Weird, huh? Maybe I don’t have one.”

  “Or maybe you have a really strong one.”

  Ava hummed lightly, contemplating the idea.

  They continued down the mountain, each lost in thought. Ava stumbled once, falling into Caleb’s arms, and he steadied her with a soft smile. They came to a small outcropping and stopped, Caleb pulling a water bottle and a couple of cubes from his duffle bag. He opened the bottle and handed it to Ava as he popped a cube into his mouth.

  “You want one?” he asked, holding out a cube.

  “No, I’m good.”

  “We’ll try a shift when we get further down the mountain,” he said. “I don’t want to risk it until we’re closer to flat land, but we should put as much distance between us and the Council as soon as we can.”

  Ava took a drink of water, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand before handing it back to Caleb. She watched him as he took a drink, head thrown back and a small drop of water escaping to drip down his neck as he swallowed. She blushed, looking away, her stomach a mess of butterflies.

  She couldn’t help wondering what would happen when she got back to Allenmore. Caleb had assured her that no one should have been worried about her departure—the Council had taken care of it—and in fact, she’d only been gone a few weeks.

  Ava marveled a little at that. So much had happened. She glanced at Caleb again.

  So much.

  But she didn’t worry about school or her parents or Lucy. As difficult as it was to imagine, she knew she’d be able to slip back into her life, catch up on her schoolwork. Get back to normal.

  She just didn’t know what she’d do without Caleb. Sure, the Council wasn’t too happy with him at the moment, but she assumed he’d need to get back to work. Go back to seeking out Half-Breeds and other threats to the Race.

  She could hardly ask him to stick around and be her physics tutor.

  He handed her the water bottle, and she took another drink, not meeting his eyes.

  “So,” she said, “you must be glad this is almost all over, right? You’re probably as eager to get back to your life as I am to get to mine.” She stole a glance at him and found him watching her steadily.

  “Is that what you want?” he asked quietly.

  Ava shrugged. “I wondered if you’re going to go back to being a Protector. I mean, your mother’s back there, and it’s got to be hard.” She was unsure what she was trying to say. “But you said you weren’t sure if you still wanted to do that.”

  Caleb chewed on another cube. “I was thinking I might join up with the Guardians.”

  Ava snorted. “Your mom will love that.
”

  He laughed. “Yeah.”

  The silence hung between them for a moment, then Ava cleared her throat. “So, I guess I probably won’t see you much. I mean, when we get back.”

  “Oh, I think I’ll probably be around,” he said.

  She turned to him in surprise, only to find him smirking slightly, his eyes sparkling. She tried to appear nonchalant, shrugging one shoulder. “You think?”

  Caleb paused, as if giving the matter great thought. “Well, someone’s got to keep an eye on you.”

  Ava couldn’t keep back the grin. “I think I’ve proven I can take care of myself.”

  “Yeah, well, maybe so,” he agreed. “But who knows how many Rogues are out there? And the Council won’t give up on you so easily, you know. You’ll need someone to watch your back.” He stepped toward her, hesitating a moment before sliding his hands around her waist.

  She blinked up at him in surprise before dropping the water bottle and linking her arms around his neck. “Isn’t this dangerous?”

  “You’re Race. There’s no law against it now, not that it would have mattered. Not to me.” He eyed her carefully.

  “Me neither,” she admitted, her voice trembling a little. “Still, the Council won’t be happy about it.”

  He laughed. “That’s nothing new.” His grip tightened as he drew her closer, so close his breath tickled her lips.

  Ava gasped, her heart racing and stomach flipping wildly.

  He sobered as he examined her face, gaze trailing over her cheeks, her lips, and finally back to her eyes. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said, and he bent to kiss her.

  Ava inhaled sharply, shocked at the intensity of a mere brush of lips.

  Caleb smiled against her mouth, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, and she sank into it, clinging to him in an effort to keep from falling to the ground . . . or flying away.

  Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, any deeper, she felt the telltale tingle of her power—and another low hum filtering into her body wherever Caleb touched her. It danced within her, Caleb’s power tangling with her own in a twisting whirl, until she wasn’t sure where hers ended and his began. A warm glow encompassed them as they embraced, somehow safe and exhilarating at the same time, and when Caleb finally pulled back, Ava’s power reached for his like it was unwilling to let go. They stepped apart, and Ava’s eyes fluttered open, locking with his, her body still humming as the remnants of Caleb’s power trailed over her skin like a lover’s fingertips.

  “Wow,” she said.

  He smiled. “Yeah.” His hand slipped beneath her hair and he winced when his fingers brushed her scar. “Sorry.”

  “It doesn’t hurt.”

  “That’s not what I meant. If I’d left it alone, it would have healed on its own—without a scar.”

  Ava frowned. “You didn’t know that at the time. You were trying to help me.” She bent to pick up the discarded water bottle and tucked it into her backpack. “Besides, I kind of like it. I’ve never had a scar before. I’m sure if anyone could see it, it would make me look tough.”

  Caleb laughed. “Definitely.” He reached out to take her hand, and they continued down the mountain in companionable silence. The sun glinted off the frozen snow, bathing everything around them in near-blinding light. Ava huddled in her coat, but her hand was warm where Caleb gripped it, strong and firm.

  She wasn’t naïve. She knew the days ahead were anything but certain. Yet, in that moment, she couldn’t help feeling hopeful for the future. Somehow, knowing Caleb would be there made her feel even stronger than she had in the Council chamber.

  When the ground leveled and she finally caught her breath, she glanced at him shyly. “I’m glad you’re going to be sticking around.”

  “Me, too,” he replied, pulling her in for a quick kiss. “After all, you know you’re going to need me.”

  “In case of Rogue attack?”

  “Well, that, too. But no.”

  “The Council?”

  “No.”

  “What then?” She stopped, turning to face him.

  He grinned widely. “Someone’s got to help you pass physics.”

  Ava laughed, and he tugged her close, wrapping his arms around her.

  “Take a deep breath and hold on tight,” he said. “This is going to be a big one.”

  Ava locked her arms around his waist, closing her eyes as the world fell away and she floated and spun, Caleb shifting her closer toward home. And for some reason it didn’t make her dizzy or nervous or even the slightest bit nauseous.

  She just laid her head on Caleb’s strong chest and held on for the ride.

  Chapter 1

  A loud crack overhead was the only warning. Ava’s head snapped up, and she caught a glimpse of black and blue before a thick branch fell toward her. She threw out a hand—more reflex than out of any real need—and the branch shifted its trajectory, landing several feet away on the spongy forest floor.

  “You’ll have to do better than that,” she said quietly, well aware he could hear her.

  She continued down the path, every sense on alert. The call of a crow in the distance obscured the faint crunch and splinter of debris underfoot.

  Is that—

  A rustle of movement to her left had her ducking behind a tree trunk, peeking around the edge into the thick forest. She caught the faint whooshing sound behind her and spun just in time to stop the large rock hurtling toward her. She smiled, bouncing the rock up and down a bit in the air, testing the limits of her telekinetic ability.

  Show off, she heard whispered through the trees.

  With a smirk, she sent the rock shooting back through the forest in the direction of the voice, laughing at the surprised yelp in response.

  “Come on!” she shouted. “You going to hide in the trees all day or fight like a man?”

  Ava stood with her feet braced apart and head thrown back, listening intently. For a long moment, only the quiet sounds of the forest met her ears. She closed her eyes, focusing on her enhanced hearing, listening deeper . . . farther.

  There.

  The faint in-and-out of breathing grew louder as she focused on it, and she opened her eyes, turning in the direction of the sound. Pushing her eyesight beyond normal human levels, she spotted him hiding behind a tree—a peek of denim, a glimpse of pale blue cotton.

  She ducked behind her own tree, heart pounding as she considered her next move. There was no way she could catch him. She wasn’t fast enough. She could try to throw something, though.

  She glanced around frantically for something—pinecones were useless, the scattered sticks too small. A boulder several feet away was too big—she wasn’t sure she could even lift it, let alone force it between the trees. She’d need to try something else.

  Ava took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing her mind as Caleb had taught her. She pictured the tree where she saw him hiding and tried to will her body to shift to that very spot.

  Visualize your body . . . your very cells dissolving, dissipating into the air. See them coming together where you want them to be.

  Easier said than done.

  You’ll feel yourself growing lighter, almost floating, and before you even realize what’s happening, it’s like you’re there . . . but you’re not.

  Ava frowned. Caleb didn’t always make much sense.

  She forced herself to breathe slowly and evenly, blocking out the sounds around her and focusing on her own heartbeat. She pictured herself floating, coming apart in the air. A tingle worked its way across her skin, now easily recognizable as her Race power coming to life. Her pulse quickened. Maybe she could do this.

  Strong arms imprisoned her—one across her neck, another at her waist—not tight enough to cut off the air supply, but she was definitely immobile.

  Ava cursed under her breath.

  “So what now?” a low voice growled in her ear. “You going to try and push me? Throw some rocks at my back?” His arm t
ightened slightly, making her gasp. “I’ve got you right where I want you.”

  “You cheated.”

  He laughed, loosening his hold to step back. “I did not!”

  Ava turned and leaned back against the tree, glaring at the sight of his bright blue eyes sparkling with mirth. She crossed her arms over her chest. “You did, too.”

  Caleb grinned and reached out to tweak her earlobe. “And how exactly did I cheat?”

  “Well, I’m sure there’s a rule against . . .” Ava scrambled for an answer, then smiled smugly. “Distracting me. It’s very dangerous to distract me when I’m trying to shift. I could end up inside a tree or something.”

  He laughed. “That wasn’t going to happen.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Yes, I do.” He stepped toward her, toying with the strings on her hoodie. “You weren’t going to shift, Ava. I would have felt it.”

  She deflated, knowing he was right. “Why can’t I do it?”

  “Not everyone can.”

  Ava exhaled heavily. “It would just be so cool, you know?”

  He smiled and leaned in to kiss her lightly.

  Ava felt the familiar tingle of his power meeting hers.

  “You can do lots of other cool stuff,” he reminded her.

  She could. Since her, for lack of a better word, breakthrough at the Rogue lair, Ava’s telekinesis had proven to be a powerful gift, and one she was getting better about controlling. The same could be said for her enhanced senses, another Race trait that was becoming second nature to her. She no longer had to concentrate quite so hard to access her superior vision and hearing. If anything, it had become more instinctual. She had tuned in to conversations across campus, for example, before she’d even realized what she was doing. She felt kind of bad about that, to be honest. Just because she was a superhuman being didn’t mean she had a right to be rude.

  But shifting continued to elude her. Caleb made it look so easy, disappearing and reappearing without breaking a sweat. Long distances were more challenging, but Ava was still a little jealous of his innate gift. It would be so handy on those mornings she overslept and was late for class.