“Something else,” he said, smiling.
I leaned against the kitchen counter and he pulled
a small box out of his back pocket. The lid flipped up, and a shining silver necklace lay inside. It was simple: just a chain with a charm in the shape of a lightning bolt on it and a small pearl dangling near it.
I touched it gently, and then looked at him. He smiled.
“Now lightning can wear lightning.”
I smiled at him and turned around, lifting up my curled hair. The lightning bolt fell onto my chest as Zach clasped the chain around my neck. I dropped my hair and turned back around, holding the charm in my hand to see it.
“Like it?” he asked hopefully.
I let go of it and kissed his cheek.
“Love it. Thank you.”
He smiled.
“You’re welcome, Em.”
****
When I got home, arms holding the presents I
had received from the Stones, I hastened up the stairs and into my room. Upon a spell, the gifts rushed about and put themselves away. I took off my high heels, sighing at the happiness my feet resultantly felt.
As I pulled the pins out of my hair so it was out of its keep, I saw something on my bed that hadn’t been there when I left. I frowned, going to the envelope, but then I froze, my joints aching. The blankets were creased, as if—as if someone had been sitting there. I ripped open the enveloped and unfurled the letter.
Your room suits you, Emma. Though I was expecting a Galaxy model somewhere.
Here’s to the New Year. . . To new beginnings. My resolution is to make sure your life is a living hell.
Lucas
My breath caught in my chest. He had been in here. He’d been in my house! I shot a spell around the whole of my house, searching for anyone who didn’t belong. When it came back negative, I released the breath I was holding and sank to the floor. I wouldn’t be sleeping tonight.
Evening the Odds
The rest of the school year past quickly. It was
already Levin, with only two days left in the term. We have assessments until the middle of the week, when we will be out as soon as we are finished with our final exam. With how the term had worked out, we would be finished the exact same day of Levin as we had last year. One year to the day. Zach knew that, too, and he was a bit pessimistic. Before we left the building, he sent a spell to check for enemies. Just like I had promised him, our enemy was not there.
We headed to the market, then, and wandered through the shops and stands for an hour or so. After a small lunch, I tugged Zach to the beach. I slipped off my shoes and released Zach’s hand, walking down so that my feet were in the sea.
I felt Zach looking at me and I looked back at him.
“What?”
“The ocean makes you calm.”
I shrugged.
“It’s peaceful. You know me, I love peace.”
“Yeah.” He smiled, then reached his hand out and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, holding my face. “It suits you.”
“I wish we had more of it,” I responded quietly. He frowned. “I’m sorry—”
“No, Em. You’re right. We do need more peace.”
“But it’s been calm since Christmas.”
“Five months, only, though.” He shook his head. “We shouldn’t be talking about him.”
“No, we shouldn’t.” I sighed, smiling at him. “This is ridiculous. We should chase after peace, after what we want.”
He smiled a crooked smile.
“Yeah, we should.”
Zach pulled me to him, holding my head between his hands as he kissed me.
****
Zach and I made our way to his house slowly,
happily caught in a rain storm. As we neared Kirkhill, the rain became so thick that it was impossible to see ten feet in front of us. We had placed shields on ourselves so we stayed dry, but me only at his request.
As I looked ahead on Zach’s street I stopped, holding onto my rib as I doubled over in pain, my hand falling from Zach’s. My whole being was searing with pain, like my soul had been caught on fire.
Zach caught me before I hit the ground, holding me up in his arms.
“Em, what’s wrong?” he asked quickly. “What’s happening?”
“I—I can’t—can’t ,” I gasped.
“W-what? Em, tell me what’s happening.”
I looked ahead of me again and stumbled into Zach. Lucas was standing there, his hand outstretched, facing me. When he saw me looking, his hand tightened into a fist, sending a stabbing pain through my heart. I fell to the road, throwing up innumerable barriers between Lucas and I. He was trying to steal me, to take me away from Zach again.
“Emma!”
“L-Lucas,” I gasped, pointing ahead of us.
Zach’s head shot over and when he saw him, he jumped up and sent a black burst of Magic at him. Lucas narrowly avoided it, and then he vanished.
The next thing I knew Zach had lifted me into his arms and was carrying me into his empty house. He sat me upright on the couch in the living room, taking my face between his hands as he held my eyes with his.
“Are you okay?”
I nodded, the pain already lessening.
“He was trying to steal me.”
“Wait, what? He was trying to steal you?” I nodded.
“The spell. . . it was trying to pull me from you. I
have so many wards up, he started trying to destroy them.”
Zach scowled and then took my hand, pulling me into the kitchen.
“What’re you doing?”
“Getting you some water.”
He released my hand at the counter and I leaned my back against it, closing my eyes. I heard Zach pouring the water and then a bit later the glass being set on the counter. When I opened my eyes, Zach was standing in front of me, his hands on either side of me on the counter. He watched my eyes.
“Em, what’s wrong?”
“I hate having a weakness!”
He shook his head.
“You’re not weak, Em, you’re the Keeper. You’re more powerful than anyone else ever could be. Remember what I told you.”
“But I don’t feel like I am. I’m not lightning if I can so easily be destroyed! Zach. . . I’m not as strong as you think I am.”
“Emma, you are the strongest person I have ever known and you always will be. I’m not talking about Levels because it’s crap to judge someone on that. Mentally you are the strongest. It would have to be something horrible to destroy you.”
“Why are you being so stubborn?” I mumbled.
The corner of his mouth moved up sideways in a smile.
“Because I love you.”
I smiled back at him.
“I love you too, Zach.”
He leaned toward me and placed his lips on mine, his hands moving to my waist to pull me to him. One of his hands went to hold my neck as my arms twined around him, kissing him back, just as passionately as he was kissing me. Our lips moved over each other’s, his tongue brushing against mine as we deepened our kiss.
I felt my skin grow warmer where Zach’s hand rested on my waist. The contact of our skin made the current move wildly through us.
When we finally broke apart we stayed in our positions, holding each other as we worked to even our breathing. His eyes were very light, a sparkle in them dancing. He brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear, holding my face.
“You’re not weak,” he said.
“Hm.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t believe me?”
“No, I do. It’s just things happen that make me feel weak.”
“No one’s invincible, Em. Not even us.” I frowned. “Ignore that,” he said hurriedly, kissing me again.
It was much calmer than our previous one, but we still stood as close as we would to each other.
“Ew! Gross!”
We pulled our heads apart and looked
sideways at Addy. Her nose scrunched up.
“What?” Zach asked, looking slightly amused.
“Stop doing that!”
“What? This?”
He pulled my face back to his and kissed me, a smile on his lips.
“Ugh, stop it!”
Zach looked back at my eyes, laughing. Then he looked at Addy.
“If you don’t like it, don’t watch.”
“Addy, what’re you yelling about?” Ian’s voice wafted into the kitchen.
“They won’t stop kissing!”
“Well, you’re not supposed to watch!” Ian came into view, grinning.
“But it’s gross!”
“Just you wait,” he laughed. He steered her down the hall. “Don’t mind us, love birds! We aren’t even here!”
I looked back to the smile on Zach’s face.
“He’s always positive, isn’t he?” I questioned.
Zach nodded.
“Usually.”
He kissed my head.
****
I dreamt of Zach tonight, not that I didn’t
usually. We were walking through the park, laughing. Then he was kissing me like he had in his kitchen, his lips moving over mine as my skin burned where his was touching mine. But I was forced to break away from him when a pain shot through me again.
My heart was giving out, and Zach couldn’t keep me on my feet. My legs gave out underneath me and I was kneeling on the grass, my hand over my heart.
“WEAK!”
The word echoed in my ears and I looked up, seeing Lucas standing next to Zach.
“You’re not weak, Emma!” Zach objected.
They kept repeating what they were saying, an endless chorus of their words. Their images became distorted, twisting them around. I squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to erase how they looked, but when I opened my eyes I was lying in bed. I took a breath, trying to properly distribute the air through my lungs.
I stared at my ceiling, thinking of anything that would distract me from the burning that was coming from my scars. I raised my right to look at it, seeing a shining white light radiating from the lines. I sighed. I believe Zach when he says that I am not weak, but how can I not be?
Warpath
Zach and I were curled up on my couch,
twining and untwining our fingers in silence. We did this often, just getting lost in our thoughts and holding each other. It was calming.
“Em, I need to tell you something,” he said suddenly. I must have been imagining how nervous he sounded.
I pulled myself away enough that I could see his face. He even looked nervous.
“What’s up?”
“I’ve just. . . I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, a lot of feeling, and, I um—I realized something.”
“And that is. . .” I prompted.
His eyes met mine, his hand coming to rest up on the side of my cheek.
“I realized that I want you.”
I cocked my head to the side a bit.
“But I’m already yours.”
He took in a breath.
“No, Em, I mean I want you.”
Oh.
“Oh,” I replied quietly, feeling my eyes go slightly larger as my cheeks reddened. I swallowed. “Zach, I. . .” I rotated so I was completely facing him. “I love you, more than anything, you know I do. I’m just. . .” I shook my head. “I’m not ready, for that.” My last words came out whispered.
He looked crestfallen.
“I’m not saying notever,” I said hurriedly. “Someday, yes. Absolutely yes, but just. . . not for a bit longer. I—I’m sorry.” Did you say ‘sorry’ about this?
“No, Em, it’s okay. I wouldn’t ever pressure you to. . .” He swallowed, “to sleep with me. I just had to tell you.” He smiled gently at me. “Whenever you’re ready is fine with me.”
“You’re not upset?”
He shook his head.
“I’ll wait for you.”
****
Two weeks from today is Zach’s nineteenth
birthday. One month, two weeks from today I turn nineteen. Two months, two weeks from today we will be Crowned the Kahi. The pressure was ike weights on my shoulders, and nothing I did would lift them.
Mom and Dad went out around three, dropping Clara off at her friend Chloe’s on their way to wherever they were going. They wouldn’t say where but it doesn’t bother me; I keep things from them, too. Zach came over half an hour after they were gone; he’s always over.
We sat on my couch, facing each other, and he entwined our fingers.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you, too.”
Zach raised our hands to brush a loose strand of hair behind my ear. He dropped my hand and put that hand on my waist, pulling me onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around him, leaning closer. He kissed me gently, his fingers gently brushing against my waist, sending goosebumps across the whole of me. His lips pressed against mine more firmly as his fingers wound through my hair, holding my head closer to him. As our lips parted and our tongues met, I became overwhelmed by him. His woody, safe aroma, the heat coming off of his skin. . .
I shifted my body against his to better hold him, and a sort of groan came from him. His lips broke away from mine just long enough to say, “I love you, Em,” before kissing me more fervently than any of our previous kisses. Zach pulled me to him, and the next moment I was lying against the cushions of the couch as Zach hovered over me, never breaking the kiss.
Suddenly, the door was being slammed into the wall, and Dad was yelling.
“Get your hands off my daughter!”
Zach was off of me in a second and I sat up, turning to see my parents standing in the doorway. Dad looks completely livid and Mom very shocked at what they just walked in on. I turned a bit red at how it must have looked, and as my eyes flickered to Zach, I saw that he was avoiding looking at my parents.
“Get the hell out of this house. You’re not welcome here anymore.”
The heat completely left my skin and I was on my feet.
“What—Dad, nothing was going to happen.”
“Get out, Stone.”
Stone? Oh, no. . .
Dad was by our side the next moment, grabbing Zach’s arm and yanking him toward the door.
“Dad!” I shouted, following them, only to have Mom place her hands against my arms. She effectively trapped me in my own room.
“Mom, please. You know me!”
She said nothing, and I heard Dad and Zach going down the stairs, and then the front door slammed shut.
“Mom, what’s going on?”
She still didn’t answer me, and then Dad reentered the room. He slammed the door again, making me flinch. He looked at me, still very angry. I crossed my arms.
“You had no right to do that,” I told him.
“No He was disrespecting you!”
“Zach wasn’t disrespecting me!”
“He was going to!”
“No, he wasn’t! We weren’t going to have sex!”
Dad flinched at the word.
“Emma, no matter how you feel about him, now, you—you have to wait,” Mom said slowly.
An exasperated yell left me.
“Mom! We were kissing, and yes, it got a bit heated but I’m not ready for that. Zach knows that.”
“He didn’t seem to want to wait today, Emma,” Dad fumed.
I closed my eyes, taking a breath before I looked at them.
“Zach would do anything to hurt me. You know that.”
“Do I? He had his hands all over you!”
“James—”
“But he wouldn’t push me to sleep with him if I wasn’t ready, and I’m not. Zach is not that sort of person. I love him more than the air I breathe, but I’m not ready for that. Why won’t you believe me?”
“Because of what we just walked in on. Now, because of that, and your mother agrees with me. . . You can’t see him anymore.”
My anger bristl
ed.
“You can’t do that,” I said, voice shaking.
“Yes we can, Emma Fitch! We’re your parents—”
“I don’t care! I’m eighteen, you can’t tell me what to do!”
“But you’re living under roof! Our rules still apply to you! End things with him!”
“Things? Dad, you know a whole lot better than that. We have been together for years; what we have is not a thing. He has put himself between me and At—”
“Dammit, Emma! This isn’t up for discussion! While you are under our roof—”
“Then I’ll move out.”
They faltered; they weren’t expecting that.
“You can’t—” Mom started.
“Yes, I can.”
“You’re choosing some boy over us?”
“Not some boy. I’m choosing my life over you. I’ll be out of here in a week. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like some time alone. I have a lot of things to pack up.”
After seeing that I wasn’t giving up, they left and I Magically locked both of my doors.
Zach?
Em—I’m really sorry.
You’ve nothing to be sorry about. Are you home yet?
Yes. Your dad’s arguing with my mom. He’s. . . very vocal.
We need to talk about everything. Can I come over?
Now?
Yes.
But your parents—
Think I’m staying in my room packing. I’ll explain later.
Err—hold on. After a few seconds, he carried on. My mom says it’s fine. She believes me that we weren’t going to do anything. Come into the backyard.
I’ll be there soon.
I slipped on my flats and my jacket and then vanished. Zach had just entered his backyard when I appeared and he came to me. After he hugged me, we sat on the porch swing.
“What did you tell them?”
“What I told you last month: that I’m not ready.” I shrugged. “They didn’t believe me.”
“I am so sorry, Emma. I wouldn’t have—”
I took his hand in mine, stopping his speech.
“No matter how much we’ve gone through, we are still teenagers, Zach. They should have understood. . . remembered that sometimes we kiss that way. But they didn’t, and now they want me to end what we have.”
He stiffened and I stomped on his foot.
“Zach Stone, you should know better than to believe I’d listen to them. I’d rather give up air.”
Starlight (The Lightning Strike Trilogy Book 1) Page 17