by Jamie Magee
Chapter Fourteen
Out of the silence, I heard my guitar riff. It started to grow louder and louder, its vibration became my heartbeat, the rhythm of my breaths. I used the lyrics as a ladder and crawled out of the pits of hell I’d fallen into.
I heard Draven screaming my name. I focused on his hypnotic voice. It gave me reason to climb my ladder faster.
My eyes flew open to see his panic stare. I stayed focused on his fearful green eyes and pulled myself out of the illusion I was in. Draven wrapped his arms around me and pulled me up. I’d fallen to the floor. Aden was at our side looking for an enemy to destroy. Nana was standing near us with sorrow and pride drenching her expression.
“How did this happen?” Aden demanded.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Draven. I thought if I did, I’d slip away again and that terrified me. He kissed my forehead and pulled my head to his chest. Nana didn’t answer Aden. She stepped forward and caught my gaze.
“Go get her a glass of water, both of you, and take your time.”
“No,” Draven said, holding me tighter.
“Draven, five minutes. Trust me, son.”
“Five minutes,” he growled.
Aden nudged him to go, and I watched them whisper to each other as they left the room.
“Never jump into a memory. You could be trapped there forever,” she warned.
“It was a reflex. They were after mom. She’s not conditioned for this.”
“Your mother is more conditioned than you will ever understand.”
I stared at her with questioning eyes. She looked away, hiding her thoughts from me.
“You’ve been tested. They needed to know how aware you were. If you had become a threat.”
“They feared something,” I said remembering the vibration that changed the tone from offence to defense.
“You assume their awareness of powers equal or greater to their own is a victory?”
Arguing that at the very least, they knew I was better left alone never had a chance under Nana’s glare.
“Now they will prepare. They will exercise your known weakness.”
Shame exploded inside of me.