by Evie Del Mar
“Max had begun to develop feelings for Holly. Witnessing her despair helped him to overcome the evil brainwashing that had corrupted him. They formed a close bond, and, together, took over the compound. They were left with no choice but to kill Peter, grab the crystal, and run away together in hiding.”
My vision became blurry as fresh, hot tears threatened to pool over my eyes. Now my father, the teacher, was a part of this life? I didn’t know how much more of this story I could take before I would lose it. Tony continued on with his story, as if what he just said didn’t break my heart.
“You see, each member ‘feels’ when the next generation of their element is born. Holly and Max hoped that it all ended with her, since the Secret Six was incomplete, and The Brotherhood was destroyed. So, they hid the crystal key, in hopes that it would never resurface again. Obviously, they were wrong.” He finally looked my way.
I scoffed. “You think?”
Tony nodded his head in agreement and continued. “When you were born, your mother could feel your power. There had never been a bloodline connection with any of the previous members. You and your mother are the very first ones, which is what makes you so special.
“It terrified them to know that The Secret Six was continuing, and that it wasn’t over. They didn’t want to put you in danger, so they kept you away from water as best as they could, and didn’t mention your abilities or any part of this to you.”
A million different thoughts were going through my mind right now, and my mouth opened to say the first one. “You said I was the final member you had been waiting for? Who are the others?”
Tony stood up straighter, radiating with pride, “You already met my son, Cole. He has the power of the air element.”
When he said Cole’s name, my heart picked up a beat, goosebumps forming on my arms. He’s gifted too?
Tony cleared his throat, continuing. “Then, there’s Lily Rogers, with the power of the earth element.”
I thought back to the girl that I saw watering the plants when I first arrived. My assumption about her belonging in a place surrounded by plants was spot on. Eerie…
“The third member is Drake Christian, fire element,” Tony said.
That must’ve been the guy I saw in the kitchen! I knew I saw something happen to his hand. I must’ve seen him heat up the bowl.
“And lastly, the Rangel twins. Blair has the light element power and her brother, Blake, has the shadow.”
“I thought you said I was the first one with a blood line connection in the Secret Six?” I asked confused.
“You are. You are a second generation of Secret Six, which makes you powerful. That has never happened before. Having twins involved is a first as well, come to think of it, but they’re still just a first generation.” Tony said with a hint of satisfaction.
“So, what is the deal with this place? Who is F. Wales?”
He smirked. “What do you think F. Wales stands for? It’s an acronym for fire, water, air, light, earth, and shadow. We couldn’t exactly have Secret Six etched on the front, could we?” He raised an eyebrow. “Although the location and structures have changed over the years, the first generation ensured that later generations would have a safe haven to come and practice their gifts, as well as learn about their past and future, without the curious eyes of the public."
Tony looked to the window, his face torn in pain. “I was away at the store for my wife, when I came home to find the place had been trashed and she had been murdered. Cole was just a baby, so he was screaming in his crib. When I went in to check on him, the window next to him had been broken. A few days later, I received an anonymous letter. It just had an address and a short message, telling me to go there if I wanted to keep Cole safe.
“Without knowing what else to do, I brought Cole to the Academy, but it was abandoned. When I went into the office, there was a journal on the desk that caught my eye. It detailed everything I told you today. The final pages about the abduction and murders of the previous Secret Six appeared to be recently and hastily added, as though the writer was in a hurry. I knew The Brotherhood would be looking for the five new members, so I vowed to find them and bring them safely here to try and teach them myself.”
My head was reeling. No wonder my parents didn’t want me to be a part of this. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to be a part of something so…dangerous. I put my elbows on top of Tony’s desk and hung my head in my hands, massaging the headache that was beginning to form. There was no way that I had magical powers. I’d never witnessed water do anything strange around me, besides soothe my emotions, which were running at a new high right now. I suddenly felt nauseated.
Tony came around the desk and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Melody, are you ok?”
With my head still in my hands, I shook my head. If I did have powers, which I still didn’t believe, I felt like my parents should’ve given me the choice of whether I wanted to be a part of this lifestyle, or not. Maybe if I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have grown up in such a sheltered life and would’ve been more confident, instead of cowering like I was doing now. I would’ve been more prepared.
“Melody, if being behind is what you’re afraid of, don’t worry. We can teach you everything you need to know, and how to harness your power,” Tony said gently.
At the mention of “my power”, I’d had enough. “NO!” I shouted back and quickly stood away from the desk.
The second the word left my mouth, a water fountain off to the side of Tony’s study erupted in a stream of water, splashing droplets everywhere.
I stood there frozen with fear. Did I just do that? I rushed over to the door and threw it open, running to the nearest exit. I could barely hear Tony calling my name to come back, but I didn’t dare turn around.
As I stepped outside, I breathed in the salty air. I sprinted toward the only thing that could give me any peace. I stopped at where the shore met the sand and collapsed on my knees, giving in to a gut-wrenching sob.
I missed my parents so much it hurt. How was I supposed to go through this without their guidance? I felt so helpless and confused. I would give anything for the comfort of Mom’s arms and Dad’s soothing words.
I grabbed my necklace and started twisting it through my fingers, thinking that this was the closest I could get to Mom right now.
As I was playing with the necklace, I heard a faint whisper. “Melody…”
That’s impossible.
I quickly lifted my head up and searched around me. “Mom?” I cried out, but the only thing I saw was sand and the sea. Defeated, I laid my head back into my hands and tried to calm my breathing, not even caring how long I’d been out here.
Someone tapped me on the shoulder, breaking me out of my thoughts. “Mom?” I quickly turned and looked up in search of her face, hoping I wasn’t delusional when I heard her voice. Instead of finding the one person I needed the most, I found a petite girl about my height, with massive curly, platinum blonde hair.
“Are you ok?” she asked sweetly.
Not wanting to make my first impression that much more embarrassing, I stood up and brushed the sand off my knees. “Yeah, I’m ok. Thank you.” I ran my hand across my face, hoping to wipe away all traces of tears, but something about the girl in front of me stopped me in my tracks. She had the darkest eyes I’d ever seen. They seemed almost black, if that were possible. They looked like a dark and endless void, just waiting for someone to fall in. It was such a contrast to her bright hair.
The girl was staring at me, like she could see right through me. Her dark eyes moved back and forth into mine, searching. “Are you sure about that?” A slight breeze blew her hair behind her shoulders. I just noticed how disheveled I looked with my jeans and t-shirt compared to her pink sparkly skirt and prim white blouse.
Not wanting to seem rude, I averted my eyes down to the sand and tried to laugh it off. “I’m just still trying to process everything, I guess. It’s weird finding out the life you were living
was a complete lie and your parents knew all along but never told you.” I said bitterly.
Without hesitating, the girl enveloped me into a hug. “I can’t even imagine what you’re going through right now, but know this: you are not alone.” She pulled back and looked at me with a warm, welcoming smile. “My name is Blair, by the way.” She extended her hand towards me.
I remembered Tony mentioning Blair was one of the twins and she was supposed to have the light elemental power. I smiled back and extended my arm. “Melody, nice to meet you. I’m sorry you had to witness my emotional breakdown."
Blair waved a hand at me. “Psh, nonsense. That’s completely understandable. We all knew about our powers long ago.”
Curiosity got the better of me. “How did you find out about your powers? Did your parents just tell you about them or did you learn about them yourself?”
Her smile faded a little. “Maybe I’ll share that with you another time. It kind of involves my brother, as well.” She put an arm around my shoulders and began escorting me to the academy. “Come on back inside. I’ll give you a tour of the place and introduce you to everyone.”
Despite everything that had happened and all that I’d learned, it was nice talking to someone who was close to my age and didn’t know anything about my past. She wouldn’t be able to make fun of the girl with the strict parents. Maybe this could be a good opportunity for me to start over with my life and actually make some friends.
As Blair guided me back inside, I took one last look toward the sea. Something stirred inside me. What started as a faint feeling in my blood was now like a massive pull. I felt the need to submerge myself, to feel the water close above my head, and the weightless sensation it had to offer.
I forced myself to turn away and followed Blair back into the academy.
CHAPTER FOUR
We walked inside through the back door and into the kitchen. “The kitchen is always open if you ever want anything to eat or drink. There was a closing time, but the boys always ended up in here after that time anyway, so we just kept it open,” Blair joked.
I was finally able to stop and take a look around at my new “home”. The kitchen was so extensive, you’d have thought more people lived here. The stove was wide enough that two people could easily fit next to each other to cook their food effortlessly. The double oven probably made holiday cooking run smoother than most. The main island was shaped into a large horseshoe, with fancy lighting dangling down. Every countertop was a dark marble color that contrasted against the white cabinets. With as much storage as the kitchen had, everyone probably had their own set of plates, cups, bowls, and utensils.
A large, rectangular, wooden table sat opposite the island, under a crystal chandelier. It felt more like a formal dining room table, rather than a standard kitchen table.
We exited the kitchen near the staircase in the main foyer, and took a right to head towards the weapons room.
“Ok, why do we have a weapons room if we supposedly have these abilities?” I asked skeptically. I didn’t have the slightest idea about any self-defense techniques and wouldn’t even know what to do if someone came up behind me.
She walked over to a shelf that contained what looked like thick sticks and ran her fingers across them, as if picking the best one out. “What if you’re in the middle of the desert when you’re attacked and there’s no water in sight? How would you be able to defend yourself?” she asked, picking one of the sticks up. “It’s always best to be prepared for anything. We each have our own favorite weapon we like to practice with. My favorite happens to be the Bo Staff.” As she mentioned the name, she flicked her wrist out to the side, and the staff doubled in length.
Startled, I quickly took a step away from her.
She chuckled as she started spinning the staff up and around her body, as if she’d done this her whole life, which given her defined shoulder muscles wouldn’t surprise me. I stared at her, mesmerized by how quickly she spun the staff around her.
“There are two different types of Bo Staffs. Tony had me start training on the straight one so I could build muscle and tone up. That way, whenever I picked up the tapered one, it would feel lighter, thus making my moves faster.” She put her staff away. “I don’t like taking the straight one with me because it slows me down, so I only use it here, while I’m practicing.”
I followed her to the staff shelf. “If you want, I could teach you how to use it,” she said with a smile.
“Definitely! But how did y’all learn everything if the previous members weren’t alive to teach you?” I asked.
Blair shrugged her shoulders. “Where does everyone in this generation learn how to do things? They watch it on YouTube,” she said with a wink.
“But seriously,” she started, “if you’re ever in a situation where there’s no water around or you don’t have any weapons, remember these helpful tips. Thrust the heel of your hand upward, hopefully breaking the nose, or shoving it into the brain.” She used her hand to demonstrate.
“Or,” she continued, “fingers in the eye sockets. Try to hook them around and pop the eye out. When all else fails, the standard knee to the groin.
“If you’re ever attacked from behind, like someone has their arms around you, quickly bend back and try to hit them with the back of your head. They'll let go of you to grab their face, and step forward to steady themselves. Then immediately bend down, grab their leg and pull it up with you. They’ll lose balance, allowing you to escape.”
I nodded my head, mentally taking notes and hoping I’d never have to use those techniques. I examined all of the various weapons. They ranged from different shapes of knives, bows and arrows, and even weirdly shaped circles.
“This one,” Blair pointed to one of the knives, “is my brother’s weapon, a Kindjal. It’s very lightweight which allows him to move quickly and unexpectedly.”
“And that one?” I looked at the two circle shapes.
Blair laughed. “Chakrams are Drake’s specialty. The inner parts are wooden, allowing him to safely hold them, while the outer parts are sharp. Come on, there’s more to see.” She grabbed my arm and we headed back into the foyer.
We stopped at the foot of the stairs and glanced to the right. “Just like the kitchen, the computer lab is always open. We don’t have to go in there. It’s pretty basic and simple, so let’s head upstairs.”
When we reached the top of the stairs, Blair stated that the girls’ rooms were to the left and the guys’ rooms were to the right. “Each bedroom has its own bathroom, so no need to worry about sharing.” I sighed with relief. Can you imagine if the bathroom was down the hall from your bedroom and someone caught you coming out in nothing but a towel? I started to feel the heat rise to my cheeks, thinking about someone catching me in a towel, especially Cole.
I cleared my throat, hoping Blair didn’t see my blushed face. “So, since I’m the last one to arrive, did I get stuck with the room that no one wants?” I asked jokingly.
“Of course not. Everyone’s rooms are the same as their predecessors.” I gasped. I’d be staying in the same room Mom was in when she was here? The thought brought fresh tears to my eyes. I wondered what other things of hers were in this place.
Oblivious to my reaction, Blair went on. “My room faces the rising sun. I love waking up to the warmth of its rays. My mom always joked that whenever the sun is up, I’m up,” she said as if remembering a precious memory. She quickly shook her head, coming back to the present.
We walked down the girls’ hallway. “My brother, Blake, his room is on the opposite end. He’s such a night owl,” she continued.
“Drake’s room is the hottest room here, so if you don’t like the heat, I would advise you to stay away from there. He prefers the hot temperatures, so there’s no A/C in there. Now, Cole’s room, on the other hand, makes up for Drake’s missing A/C. Cole says he loves the constant air circulating throughout his room, so his is the coldest.”
“Have the rooms al
ways been separated by gender?” I asked curiously.
Blair giggled. “Fate’s funny like that, huh?” she winked.
We reached a door that led to one of the bedrooms. The first thing I noticed were my bags, laid neatly on top of the bed. I looked over at her skeptically.
“I bet Tony had Mr. Marshall bring your things up here so you wouldn’t have to worry about it.”
I took in the room, or better yet, my room, feeling like I stepped foot into someone’s master suite. The white king size, four-poster bed, with countless pillows, sat against the back wall. The paintings of shells and starfish hung above the headboard. The walls were painted with a dull gray color to complement the décor and blue curtains that elegantly framed the window. On each side of the bed sat a nightstand, holding up short lamps covered in nautical netting.
Across from the bed was a beautifully framed mirror, outlined with water droplets and curling waves. It sat on a fancy, handcrafted vanity setting that seemed inspired by something from the past, with its wood carving details and sophisticated style. I ran my fingers across the top, feeling the smooth surface of the wood. The white handles were perfectly curved and elegant. A chair was neatly pulled away from its resting place, waiting for someone to sit in it.
It was like living in my own personal beach house. I walked over to the window and sat on the bench. The view from my room overlooked the ocean. As I stared at the waves crashing onto the shore, all I could think about was that my mother sat in this very spot.
“All of this is mine?” I asked Blair breathlessly.
“Of course,” she replied with a smile. “Ready to see more?”
I looked back at Blair with a smile and leaped off the bench, eager to see more of this place.
We walked further down the hallway and came to the room next to mine. The door was open. A girl sat on her window bench, sketching in a book. I remembered seeing her watering the plants when I first arrived, so this must be Lily’s room. Her room was laid out exactly like mine, but instead of gray on the wall, the walls in here were beige with dark brown décor. Where I had seashell paintings, she had breathtaking trees above her bed.