Aaryon simply smiled, giving Troy a nod.
‘Well, it has everything to do with you.’
My eyes traveled back to his, ‘What do you mean?’
‘Back in New York…’ he began, and I now noticed that it had become the same, battle torn scene where I ended his life. His hand tightened around mine. ‘Even when you were at your darkest point, you were still you. You sent me here.’
‘I don’t understand,’ I searched his eyes and then looked up at Aaryon.
‘When you killed him that night, Ace, a part of you was still in there. You didn’t destroy his soul, you sent it here. To your plane.’
All of this was so much, my brain wasn’t keeping up, my mouth grew dry and the tears continued.
‘I’ve been waiting for you here.’ Troy said softly. ‘I’ve missed you.’
‘I’m so sorry, Troy.’ I broke down and buried my face in his chest when he pulled me against him. ‘So, so sorry, oh God.’
‘Hey,’ he cooed, sweeping his fingers through my hair, ‘I’m not, you survived, Ace, you came back, that’s all I wanted for you.’
‘I, I don’t know how to—’
‘You don’t have to do anything, you lived.’
‘I’ve wasted so much time, I’ve wasted my life.’
‘You kidding?’ He chuckled, wiping my tears with his thumbs, ‘You’ve kicked ass, you’ve faced so much, grown so much, I’m so proud of you.’
I smiled through the tears.
‘Seriously, Aaryon and I have been up here watching you, you’re like this badass terminator chic, and I get to say I know you.’
‘You’re such a dork.’ I laughed through a sob.
‘Maybe, but you’re a real hero, Ace, and I know you don’t think of yourself like that.’
‘How can I?’ I shrugged, ‘I’ve done so much wrong, failed so many people, Troy, I failed you.’
‘You didn’t. You gave me some of the best memories, yeah you drove me crazy, you kind of brood a lot, but you’re my closest friend, Ace, you always have been and I would do it all over again if it meant you got to live.’
Aaryon squeezed my shoulder gently and nodded.
‘You’ve both been watching me?’
‘Yes, trying to look out for you as much as possible.’ Aaryon explained.
‘You’ve seen what’s been happening down there?’
‘I have.’
‘And you didn’t think I needed help?’
‘What I thought was irrelevant, I wasn’t able to.’
‘Explain.’
Aaryon stepped back, his slender body falling into a comfortable stride, ‘Walk with me.’ He nodded to us.
As we caught up, Aaryon swept his hand over the war-torn scene and before my eyes, the buildings repaired, the sun grew into a tiny orange dot on the burnt horizon, it was dawn.
My eyes searched the scene. Downtown New York. Brand spanking new, like me, and like me, there was no evidence of any battle taking place.
‘What is this?’ I asked Aaryon.
He walked a few feet ahead, his face was turned up to the sky. Troy close behind.
‘Aaryon, where am I?’ I joined them.
‘You don’t recognize it?’
Drawing my eyes up to the sun, I recoiled. This couldn’t be real. I, I died, in Illarion’s arms, I felt myself die.
‘No? Still nothing?’
‘This can’t be real.’ I shivered.
‘It isn’t.’ He agreed. ‘But it was the best way to ease you into this life, and to have Troy welcome you to it.’
I cast Troy a quick look, he was so normal and happy.
He chuckled, like he’d heard my thoughts.
‘This life?’ I looked at him. ‘You mean the afterlife.’
‘Not per se, it’s more of a next life.’
‘Next life?’
‘You’re going to be in control of your own plane now, Ace, you will be able to come and go as you please, but for now while you’re still learning. This was the best place to bring you to.’
‘Home sweet home.’ I muttered.
Troy twisted his fingers through mine again and urged me forward. ‘We have a lot to tell you, but for now, you should get some rest, the jetlag can be a bit, well, jet-laggy.’
‘No kidding.’ I cocked my brows, ‘But I think I want to know now.’
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’ Aaryon said in the kind of tone your dad would use when telling you that the date you’re having with the bad-boy next door is not happening.
‘Well,’ I muttered. ‘I’m dead, and I feel like this is the least you can do for me.’
He looked away and I could have sworn I’d seen him cringe.
Whatever he meant about not being able to help me was a serious conversation which I wouldn’t let him walk away from, but for now, I wanted whatever answers he could give me.
Aaryon clasped his hands together and nodded.
Together, the three of us walked, the sun seemed to rise quicker, move higher on the horizon than natural while everything else seemed to go slower, except us, we seemed to be the only normal thing here.
‘You should sit,’ Troy said, gesturing to the park bench.
I knotted my brows and sat.
Aaryon on one side, Troy on the other.
‘That night,’ Troy began, ‘When you killed me, you sent me here.’
I swallowed hard.
‘But that’s not all.’
‘Okay.’ I murmured.
Aaryon, squeezed my shoulder, ‘The reason you’ve felt like you could never go up against Dalca on Earth is because you lost a part of yourself.’
Troy drew my attention to him. ‘A part of your soul, your power, imprinted itself onto me, and when you sent me here, you pushed my soul, with that part of yours, here.’
‘Holy shit.’ I looked at him. ‘Seriously?’
‘Yeah, babe.’ He smiled, sweeping my hair behind my ears, ‘I kind of have these abilities now, not as strong as you or even normal Sensitives, but some.’
‘Enough.’ Aaryon said.
‘Enough for what? What are you talking about?’ My eyes shot to his.
Neither said a word, but I would bet my worldly possessions— which reminded me, I hoped someone took care of my little convertible—that they weren’t telling me the truth.
‘Troy?’ I turned his face to me. ‘What is he talking about?’
‘With the power you’ve given me, Ace, I’m your wild card.’
‘My what?’
‘The card that’ll help you win this game.’
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Illarion
Isucked in a sharp breath and pushed past whoever tried to stand in my way. There was nothing that anyone could say to me that I was interested in hearing.
Aurel ran after me but all I heard was the commotion of Alex shoving him back and blocking his path to me. As Aurel continued to yell for me to wait, I kept walking.
Matt silently crossed the parking lot and stopped beside me when I reached the car.
‘Can I do anything?’ He asked. He looked as bad as I felt, bloodshot eyes, emotions all over the place, anger and grief weighing him down.
‘No, thank you for everything.’ I said quietly, ‘For being her friend, for looking out for her. For all the things that count.’
Tears welled in his eyes and he looked away for a moment, nodding silently to himself.
‘Take care, Matt.’ I shook his hand.
He turned to leave and then stopped abruptly. Before I even turned around, I heard Alex yell and then saw Aurel stalking toward us. I pinched the bridge of my nose. I did not have the time or energy for this.
He stopped a few feet away and I saw now that his nose was broken and when I looked behind him over his shoulder, I spotted Alex nursing his face. Jesus Christ.
Aurel’s eyes were bloodshot, red rings surrounded his very blue irises and in the pale light, I noticed the dark shadows under his eyes.
‘Move.’ I muttered, keeping my eyes on the space between him and my car. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.
Matt made a move, but I pressed my hand to his shoulder, forcing a tight smile. I could handle this. He nodded and hesitantly walked away.
‘Just wait.’ Aurel breathed. ‘Please.’
‘Get the hell out of my way.’ I ground out, each word harder than the last. ‘Now.’
‘Illarion—’
‘I won’t say it again.’
He moved toward me. ‘I can’t begin to imagine what—’
‘Don’t.’
‘Brother…’
‘I lost my fiancé today.’ My voice cracked and I finally looked up at him. ‘You do not get to talk to me about what I’m feeling right now. You and I, Brother, will never be friends again.’ I spat. ‘Get the hell out of my way. Now.’
His eyes locked onto mine and his jaw set into a hard line.
He stilled and anger spread out through me.
‘I’m so sorry.’
‘I don’t want to hear it, Aurel.’
‘I never meant for—’
A cold laugh left my lips.
‘She still cared about you, even after everything. Did you know that?’
Pushing the reality of what all of this meant, out of my head took a lot more effort than I imagined. Aurel battled internally with the guilt and the gravity of what he’d done while I plotted how I was going to take them all down. The government, the Agency, everyone who stood in my way.
He turned his gaze down and away from me and when I felt his resolve dissipate, I stepped closer, lowering my voice so that there was no mistaking that what I was about to say, was for him.
‘She was meant to be my wife,’ I whispered. ‘And because of you, that will never happen. She will never smile again, she will never swim in the sea again, she will never grow old and live her life.’
He flinched and I looked him square in the face.
‘If you come anywhere near me, I will rip your heart out. Move.’
He backed off and I gave him one last look and got in the car. I pulled out of the parking lot and sped out onto the road.
***
Ace
Aaryon was a tough teacher, to say the least. He wasn’t kidding when he said we were going to start training and Troy, a smart ass as usual, sat on the side and watched with a smirk every time I got my ass handed to me.
I was strong but damn, I couldn’t compete. He kicked my butt repeatedly and I quickly became acquainted with the concrete beneath me.
‘Come on, Ace!’ Troy laughed, ‘You can kick his ass.’
As I forced myself up to my knees, I sucked in another sharp breath, wincing as the pain sliced through me. I had just enough energy to roll my eyes and stick my finger up at him.
‘Get up.’ Aaryon said, folding his arms behind his back.
I groaned, each movement was agony and he wasn’t easing up. ‘Weren’t we meant to take it easy?’
‘This is taking it easy.’
My ass.
‘On your feet, Ace.’
‘I’m doing it.’ I muttered.
Each movement reminded me that this was my life now. Everything I’d known before, everything I’d done, was over.
Everything inside me screamed for a chance to mourn, to grieve, to do anything but push and forget and work. But I couldn’t. There was no time for that.
When I struggled to get to my feet, Troy laughed and Aaryon stepped forward impatiently.
‘Now.’
‘Are you trying to kill me?’ I hissed.
‘You can’t die.’
‘Sure feels like I can.’
‘You can feel pain. That’s normal for you.’
‘You can’t?’ I sighed, incredulous.
He shook his head. ‘Your pain is imprinted into your DNA—it’s the human part of you.’
‘If it helps, I can feel pain too.’ Troy chimed in.
‘Gee thanks, and no, it doesn’t.’
He laughed again.
‘But the human part of me is dead.’ I muttered to Aaryon.
He remained silent, but his eyes gave something away.
‘What are you not telling me?’ I asked, dusting myself off for the hundredth time.
He turned his head, but I saw that same look flit across his eyes before he did. Troy also looked away.
‘Guys?’
‘You need to focus on this fight.’ Aaryon was trying to shut me down. Oh hell no.
‘You need to stop lying to me.’
‘It’s irrelevant at this point.’ He said.
‘What is?’
‘Focus, Acacia.’ He brought his arms up, readying for another round.
‘Don’t call me that.’ I spat, ‘And, no. Aaryon. I want answers, now.’ Troy got to his feet and inched toward me. ‘Don’t bother siding with him.’
He backed down.
‘You need to bring your head back into the game.’
‘What are you hiding?’ I demanded.
When Aaryon remained silent, I stepped forward.
‘Tell me.’
‘Your body can be saved.’ Troy said finally, causing Aaryon to look like he was about to have an aneurism, if that could even happen to Beings.
He brought his eyes to mine which I’m sure were as wide as saucers right now.
‘What the hell does he mean it can be saved, Aaryon?’
‘If they preserve your body, you can return to it, if you learn how to harness your power.’
‘You were going to let them bury me? And keep me here forever?’
‘Burial wouldn’t be so bad, the decomposition isn’t an issue, they are planning cremation.’
Anger heated up my cheeks. I shook my head and stepped back; I couldn’t catch my breath. Fear quickly coated my insides and consumed me.
There was no way I could reach Illarion or Aurel…or anyone, I couldn’t tell them. Oh my God. They were going to get rid of my body and I would never get a chance to tell Illarion.
‘You have to stop them!’ I shouted, aware of the panic rising within me. ‘You have to tell them that I can come back!’
His eyes lightened to a soft grey, the light under his skin pulsed steadily.
When he failed to reply, I stepped forward. ‘Please, Aaryon. Please don’t let them cremate me.’
When he ignored me, I gripped Troy’s shoulders, ‘Please, Troy, please help me.’
He took my hands in his and smiled, the kind that said he was trying to let me down easily.
‘Dear God, no,’ Tears spilled onto my cheeks. ‘Please, please don’t let them do this.’
‘I can’t do anything,’ Troy said softly. ‘I’m so sorry.’
Tendrils of fear coursed through me and Aaryon appeared at my side in an instant, ‘You need to calm yourself. Every emotion is going to be heightened for you now.’
‘I can’t—I can’t do this.’ I clutched at the fabric around my clothes and pulled the jacket off, tossing it aside.
‘Breathe, Ace.’ Troy said urgently.
But between his hands gripping mine and Aaryon trying to hold me down, I scrambled away from them both and fell back on my butt.
Aaryon’s eyes flared bright white. ‘You’re going to push yourself before you’re ready. Breathe.’
I couldn’t. I couldn’t slow my breaths and I couldn’t calm down. Beside me, Troy’s face appeared and then Aaryon’s, but I couldn’t make out anything they were saying. All that sounded in my head was my blood rushing.
Helplessness dawned on me and the previous effort I’d made of being strong and accepting of my fate, crumbled before my eyes.
I threw my hands in front of me, trying to steady myself.
Aaryon knelt beside me and pressed one hand over my heart, and the other on my back.
‘Breathe.’ He said firmer this time. ‘You’re going to harm yourself and I won’t be able to help you then.’
Warmth started to spread through me
at the two points where his hands made contact with my skin and slowly, all the fear and panic started to simmer down.
‘Do something, she’s going to lose it.’ Troy’s voice broke through the chaos. ‘Please, Aaryon, help her!’
A broken breath escaped my lips and then I collapsed.
Without a chance to gather my thoughts, I felt a warm, consuming feeling wash over me. And then I was out.
***
Sun, warm and comforting, a soft whirring sound, the heater. My hand instinctively reached up and shielded my eyes. When I blinked them open, I saw that it was in fact sun and the whirring was in fact a heater. I looked around.
I was in some sort of room, none I recognized, and I was in a bed. A really soft and comfortable bed. I groaned into the pillow, God it felt like a lifetime since I’d felt comfortable and safe, like it was just me in my own head and not on the verge of a cataclysmic meltdown.
‘You’re awake.’
My eyes shot to the left, Aaryon’s concerned face blurred in and out of focus.
I blinked a few more times.
‘You were close to pushing past this plane.’ He sat down beside me in the bed. ‘I had to take action.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘You, like me, can travel between planes; you can also travel across time. But not yet, you’re inexperienced and you could have gone somewhere where I couldn’t find you.’
‘Oh.’
‘Considering we’re doing all of this to keep you hidden, that would have been a bad outcome.’
‘You haven’t told me why I’m not joining Dalca in this big battle you all knew was coming.’
‘Ah. Yes’
‘And please don’t shut me down again, I’m not really coping with all of this, I just want to know what my life has been, what I died for.’
‘That’s fair.’ He said. ‘And you’re right, it is the least I can do for you since I couldn’t help when it mattered.’
‘And you’re going to tell me why, right?’
‘Yes.’
I breathed out, looking up at him again, this time my focus was perfect, clearer than it’s ever been.
‘I’m going to give you a crash course, as you’d call it, in Celestial Beings and Divine Sensitives.’
I sat up, propping myself against the wall and crossing my legs.
‘When the Celestial Beings created two equals, a daughter of Darkness and a son of Light, a separate entity was created, this entity is called the Source. The Source is everything and it is nothing, when we need it, it can be a portal, when we must hide, it becomes a shield, when it’s harnessed for good it’s a powerful ally, but likewise, if it is harnessed for evil, it becomes an unstoppable weapon.’
Jack of Hart- Wild Card Page 46