“What’s going on?” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat nervously.
“You’ll see,” she replied, pulling him behind her. “Just stay there, okay?”
He obeyed but kept a hand firmly in hers, peering over her shoulder toward Ava, who’d taken her place down the field.
She heard him gasp when the balls flew up to circle around her, but she kept her focus on Sophie. Ava could feel her sister’s power, even across the field, and something . . . different.
Without warning, Ava shot the balls across the field at high speed, one after another.
Sophie let out a distressed squeal of sorts, and to Ava’s surprise, an ice ball the size of a baseball knocked the first rubber ball out of the way and flew toward her.
Ava reached for her gift to deflect it, the other balls falling harmlessly to the ground as she lost focus, and the ice ball shattered three feet before her, showering her with icy spray.
A heavy silence fell over the field, broken a few seconds later by Gideon’s booming laugh. “I think that’s more than a little control!” he exclaimed.
It took a moment for Ava to catch her breath. “That’s the first time she’s been able to do it.”
The group converged on the middle of the field, all eyes turned on Sophie, speculative and more than a little impressed.
“The threat to Isaiah, you think?” Gideon asked Audrey.
“Perhaps. Not really much of a threat, though.”
Ava snorted. “I’m not going to throw rocks at her.”
“Thanks,” Sophie said wryly.
“Maybe more of the block fell,” Caleb offered.
“Maybe,” Gideon replied, darting his gaze back and forth between Sophie and her brother still huddled behind her and clutching her hand.
Without thinking, Ava laid her own had over their joined ones. She gasped at the feeling of power that shot up her arm and yanked it away as though she’d been shocked.
“What is it?” Caleb reached for her, half pulling her behind him.
“It’s . . . I’m not sure.” Ava took a step forward, drawn by some compulsion she didn’t really understand. When Caleb stiffened, she tore her eyes away to look up at him. “It’s okay.”
Caleb didn’t release her, his gaze flashing to Gideon. “What’s happening?”
Ava knew he was remembering the last time, and she could imagine his frustration when she was under Emma’s influence. His fear when she was no longer herself.
This is something else entirely.
“It’s okay,” she said in a firmer voice, taking his face between her hands. “I’m here. I’m okay. I promise.”
Caleb looked into her eyes, and she felt his gift pushing, testing, almost probing, before it withdrew, and he nodded.
Ava smiled and reached out to touch Sophie’s hand again. She expected the jolt this time—the surge of power that raced up her arm and through her body. Still, she gasped, her mouth dropping open a little at the sensation.
Sophie watched her with wide eyes.
“Do you feel that?” Ava whispered.
“I feel . . . something,” she replied. “More than before.”
“Ha!”
That’s an understatement.
Ava turned to Isaiah. “Do you feel anything?”
The boy shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t understand what’s happening. I don’t understand any of this.”
Ava reached for Caleb, drawing him forward and laying his hand atop theirs. “Do you?”
Caleb closed his eyes for a moment then looked at her with a slight frown. “I feel you. And faintly, what I assume is Sophie. That’s it.”
Ava pulled away, shaking her hand a little and flexing her fingers. “I think I know where Sophie’s sudden control came from.”
“A link,” Gideon murmured. “A link between the Twelve.”
She nodded.
Tiernan grunted. “Anybody care to translate for those of us who have no idea what’s going on?”
Isaiah giggled, and the bigger man smirked at him.
“It appears Elias Borré created some kind of link between the Twelve,” Gideon said. “A link that can boost their power.”
“A boost?” Tiernan eyed Ava warily. “How much of a boost?”
“I’m not sure,” she replied. “I’ve felt it with Caleb before, but not as strong as this.”
“It’s not uncommon for bonded couples to share a link to varying degrees,” Gideon explained. “It doesn’t always happen, but it makes sense with your superior abilities that Caleb’s power could strengthen your own.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing outside of bonded couples, though,” Audrey said.
“I felt it with Emma, too,” Ava replied slowly. “I didn’t realize it was out of the ordinary at the time. I mean, I’ve felt other people’s gifts before, but . . .” She was lost in memories of a forest clearing and Emma’s encouraging voice.
“Don’t you feel it? The power coursing through you? It wants you to push it. It wants to do it.”
“I thought it was part of her compulsion,” Ava said finally. “But there was more to it. She was using the link. She didn’t even have to touch me.”
Caleb frowned, and Ava knew he was lost in the same troubling memories. “That’s why you were so strong.”
“I think that was part of it, at least.”
“So let me get this straight,” Tiernan said, rubbing a hand over his shaved head. “Not only did Borré create a Race hit squad, for want of a better word, but he made it so that when you’re all together, you’re even more powerful?”
No one said anything as the weight of it settled around them.
“Well, that’s perfect,” he all but growled. “How are we supposed to fight that?”
Gideon let out a heavy breath. “You forget we have three of the Twelve right here,” he said.
“Hardly!” Tiernan threw up his hands then pointed at Sophie. “She’s still partially blocked, and the boy has no power at all.” He glanced at Isaiah. “No offense.”
“None taken.”
“If he’s one of the Twelve, he’s got power,” Gideon said.
Sophie looked outraged. “If?”
“Borré could have lied,” Ava explained. “Isaiah’s Race, I can feel that, but it might not come from Borré. We have to test him to know for sure.”
“There’s no need,” Sophie said, lifting her chin. “He’s my brother. The rest doesn’t matter. He’s not getting involved.”
“Agreed,” Tiernan said with a nod, crossing his arms over his chest.
“If he’s one of the Twelve, we’re going to need him,” Gideon replied, frowning. “We’ll help Sophie and Isaiah hone their gifts—”
“Oh, no.” Sophie pulled her brother closer, and the air chilled around them. “Me, fine. But not Isaiah. I want him somewhere safe.”
“But if I can help—”
“Hush. You’re just a kid. You d—”
“I’m sixteen!”
“Isaiah!”
“Hold on a second,” Gideon said, raising his hands. “I think we need to take this one step at a time.”
“I agree.” Audrey stepped forward to touch Sophie’s shoulder. “I think maybe Isaiah could use something to eat. We all could,” she said with a pointed look that encompassed the rest of the group. “Let’s take some time and get to know each other a bit, shall we? There’s time enough for all this later.”
Sophie nodded, but her shoulders remained tense, her hand still clutched tightly to her brother’s.
Ava knew this fight was far from over. The testing would need to be done, but Ava already knew the truth. Isaiah was one of the Twelve. As soon as she’d felt that surge of power, she’d known the truth.
They made their way back to the common room where conversation was forced and stilted as they talked about anything but the Rogue threat and their newest recruits.
Caleb took her hand as they lagged behind the others. “You okay?”<
br />
She nodded. “A bit overwhelmed, I guess.”
He smiled and leaned down to brush his lips over her ear.
She shivered.
“I love you,” he whispered.
To Ava, those simple words were a promise, a gift of strength and reassurance that, no matter what happened, Caleb would be at her side. Guilt poked at her, reminding her of what she’d been keeping from him, but she quickly pushed that aside. If she was going to be there for him, to have his back, she had to.
“I love you, too,” she replied.
Chapter 6
Lunch was a tense affair with Sophie and Isaiah making excuses to sit at a table of their own under the guise of catching up with each other. They eyed the rest of the group periodically and spoke in low tones even though everybody else could hear them.
Caleb tried not to listen in and focused on his chili and corn bread and Ava sitting next to him. It calmed him having her near, although he knew she was holding back. Keeping something from him. Ava wasn’t the only one with instincts, after all.
He knew it was a lot to take in—the appearance of another sister and now a brother—and the realization that they were all connected more closely than any of them had realized.
Caleb watched her out of the corner of his eye as she stirred her chili absently, lost in thought.
She pushed away her bowl. “So how did it go in New Elysia?” Ava asked Tiernan. She caught the look he exchanged with Gideon. “I guess everybody else knows already?”
Tiernan shrugged. “About as well as could be expected. In the end, it came down to Madeleine, and on my way here, I got the word she’s agreed to speak to a Guardian contingent.”
“What about the others?”
“It all depends on how things go with this initial meeting,” Tiernan replied. “I think the rest of the Council will follow her lead, so it’s up to us to convince her that an alliance is the only option. Of course, she doesn’t know yet that I snatched Isaiah and ran.”
“How do you plan to deal with that?” Ava asked.
“I told her the Guardians beat me to him,” he replied. “She wasn’t happy about it, but she gave me the go-ahead to come here and negotiate.”
“So.” Ava eyed Gideon briefly. “Who’s in this contingent?”
“The four of us—you, me, Tiernan, and Caleb,” the Guardian leader replied before turning to his left. “Audrey, I’ll need to you and Tyra to go with the rest of the refugees. Keep things under control.”
“Of course.”
Gideon cleared his throat. “I think it’s wise to allow Sophie and Isaiah to remain with the refugees, at least for now. We can take a sample of their DNA to the Council doctors for testing.”
Ava winced. “Sophie isn’t going to like that.”
“Madeleine wants them both in New Elysia,” Tiernan said. “This is as much of a compromise as you’re going to get at this point.”
Gideon shrugged. “She wants as much information on the Twelve as she can get. It’s what I would do in her position.”
Caleb wondered if anyone else sensed that his indifference was a show. He expected so.
“It’s all so ridiculous,” Ava said, crumbling a piece of corn bread between her fingers. “We all need to work together on this. It’s the only way.”
“Madeleine will come around,” Gideon reassured her, not for the first time. “In any case, the first step is DNA testing to find out if the boy really is your brother. If he is, it’s a matter of removing his block as well, and we need the Council’s resources for that.”
“Do you sense a gift in him?” Caleb asked. His father had a strong skill for detection, but the block sometimes made it difficult, as it had in Ava’s case.
Gideon shook his head. “I can’t be sure. I think there’s something there, but if his block is at full strength, it would make sense that I couldn’t get through it.” He turned to Ava. “What do you think?”
Ava chewed on her lip, frowning slightly and staring at the table as though the answers were carved into the top. “I think he’s Race, and I think he’s my brother.”
Gideon nodded, unsurprised. “Well, the testing will validate that, although my gut tells me to trust your instincts on this one.” He pushed away his bowl and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Audrey, maybe you could show Isaiah to quarters close to his sister. Ease the way a little?”
“I’ll go with you,” Tiernan said, getting to his feet as Audrey rose. At her raised brow, he shrugged and sniffed. “What? The boy doesn’t know you. He seems to trust me, for whatever misplaced reason.”
Ava snickered. “You’re not as scary as you pretend to be, you know.”
Tiernan looked insulted, but he turned on his heel and headed toward Sophie and Isaiah’s table, Audrey in his wake.
“You two should get ready to go as well,” Gideon said. “I want to leave for New Elysia as soon as we get confirmation on Isaiah.”
“I’m all but packed,” Ava said, distracted as she watched Sophie and Isaiah leave with Audrey and Tiernan. “But I was going to stop by and see Talia. Someone should probably let her know what’s going on, anyway.” She stood to leave, eyes widening a little when Caleb stood as well.
“Thought I’d keep you company.” He couldn’t explain the flush on her cheeks or the nervous twitch of her fingers. “Is something wrong?” he asked.
“No,” she said quickly with the flash of a smile as she took his hand. “Of course not. Let’s go.”
They walked through the compound, dappled sunlight breaking through the trees and warming the air.
Ava was quiet, but she leaned into him, her free hand gripping gently at his elbow.
“Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?” Caleb asked.
“Me? Nothing. I’m fine.”
“Come on, Ava. You know that’s not true.”
She sighed, looking off into the distance. “I don’t know. It all feels so real now, I guess. Being here . . .”
“Feels safe,” he finished quietly.
“Yeah.”
“They won’t do anything to you. My mother has her faults, but she’d never go back on her word.”
“I’m not worried about that.” Ava waved her hand dismissively. “I can’t explain it, but I feel like it’s all coming to a head, you know? And faster than we expected.”
“You think Borré will act soon?”
Ava frowned and gave a frustrated shake of her head. “I don’t know. Not really. It’s just a feeling I have that we need to be ready.”
“Maybe Borré put a countdown clock in you all as well.” Caleb was half joking, but Ava didn’t laugh.
“Maybe.” She slowed as they reached Talia’s quarters. “We need Sophie and Isaiah on our side, though. We need to find any others and get to them before Borré can.”
“That’s not going to be easy,” Caleb replied. “Finding Sophie and Isaiah was pure luck.”
Ava frowned. “There has to be a way . . .” She started toward the door and stopped abruptly. “You told me once that the Council keeps track of medical records, looking for Half-Breeds, right?”
“Right. They monitor a lot of things. The signs can be anywhere.”
She nodded and released his hand, pacing for a moment as she thought. “If there’s a DNA link between the Twelve, wouldn’t they be able to target that?”
“Maybe. If they knew what they were looking for.”
“So it’s a possibility?”
“I would think so. But who knows how long that would take?”
“Well, we’ve got to try something,” Ava said, throwing her hands up. “All this advanced technology has to be good for something. If we can find even one or two—”
“I hear what you’re saying.” Caleb rubbed her upper arms, and her tension eased, her muscles relaxing under his touch. “If the Council agrees to work with us, we can try at least.”
Ava let out a sigh and moved closer, burrowing into his coat, her cheek against his
chest.
Caleb held her tight, her presence filling him with peace. The bond was growing stronger between them every day. It was something that both thrilled and frightened him.
“Is there more?” he asked.
She pulled back and looked up at him. “What?”
“Is that all that’s wrong?” he asked. “You know you can tell me anything.”
Ava opened her mouth as if she was going to say something but shut it quickly, smiling as she shook her head. “No. That’s it. I only want to make sure we’re ready, you know? For whatever comes our way.”
Caleb touched her cheek, fingertips grazing her skin as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “You sure?”
She popped up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. “I’m sure. I’m fine. Don’t worry so much.”
Caleb tried to follow her instructions as he deepened the kiss. He was finding, however, that it wasn’t that easy.
Ava was definitely hiding something. Whether it was simply the depth of her own fears or something more, he wasn’t certain. That was something he’d come to learn, though—Ava would not be pushed. She’d come to him when she was ready. He’d have to be patient, whether he liked it or not.
When the kiss broke and she smiled up at him, cheeks flushed and lips swollen, he forced a smile. “We’ll get through this,” he promised. “And when it’s all over—”
“When it’s all over, we’re taking that vacation,” she said smartly.
He grinned. “Sounds good.”
“Then I’m going back to school.”
“I’ll carry your books.”
Neither one of them said what they both were thinking—there was no guarantee anything would be over soon. And that there was every chance that in the end, Borré and the Rogues would win.
It was a couple of hours before Ava made it back to the healer’s quarters on her own. She’d smiled and played along as they’d told Talia about the plans to test Isaiah, but she’d been forced to hold on to the real reason for her visit until she was alone.
“Back so soon?” Talia said with a smile as she let Ava in.
“Caleb’s meeting with Gideon,” she replied. “Making the final plans for the trip.”
“I take it you need more medication.”
The MORE Trilogy Page 54