Chrysalis: The Emergence of Emery (The Gifted Series Book 1) (3 page)

I can’t pull my eyes from Sicily as she bounces along. Her movements are excitable, like a bunny on speed. She somehow manages to ‘people watch’ while walking through the shops, I see her eyes roaming and scanning everyone as I struggle to keep up. We’re in the mall, and it’s a task trying not to lose her,
and
maneuvering around crazy-ass shoppers at the same time.

“Here!” Sicily chirps, looking back at me, while entering yet another shop. I roll my eyes at her back in jest. I can officially say I’m over having a girly shopping day. We’ve already bought more than enough clothes and shoes. Hair products I’ve never heard of, as well as make-up I don’t need. It’s all been added to the growing collection of belongings I apparently can’t live without.

“This has to be the last shop, Sicily,” I complain in an overly whiny tone and she grins at me.

“Don’t tell me you’re tired. I won’t believe you.”

I frown at her reply. “O-kay… ” Drawing the word out, I turn away, ready to creep outside. I want to find somewhere to sit, while she carries on her shopping extravaganza. The idea of letting her go it alone, while I sit and wait, is as close to bliss as my imagination will stretch right now. We’re at the point where she’s shopping for herself more than anything. She doesn’t need me, and I really don’t want to be here.

Sicily is great, in small doses. That’s not me being mean, she’s just… a lot. I’m used to being alone. I’ve gone from having no one, to being thrust upon a bunch of people that I don’t even know. On top of that, Sicily is probably the most overwhelming person I’ve ever met. She’s lovely, just a bit much over an extended period of time, when truthfully I don’t really know her at all.

This group of people, specifically my brother—I still can’t get my head around that—they all seem so
cool.
I’ve never been part of the
in-crowd
. Actually, I’ve never been part of
any
crowd. I usually avoid people at all costs, being the butt of cruel jokes so many times over the years has cemented my place in society. There’s also the fact that I’ve never had any friends. Any time a new person started at our school, it was explained to them that being friends with me would be social suicide. I’m so used to it that somewhere around sixth grade it just became the
norm
. I don’t know any other way. I don’t think I’ve said so many words to one person, or had someone speak to me so much in one day since…

Molly and Jenny.

Their names pop into my head involuntarily, and I glance over at Sicily. She either doesn’t read minds or she’s giving me my privacy because there’s no response from her.

“Emery, where are you going?” I turn around and look straight into Sicily’s narrowed eyes.

“I was just going to go outside and sit down. I’m tired and sooo over shopping,” I whisper the last part, but watch as hands move to her hips, and she starts tapping her foot.

I’m thinking she heard me.

“Emery! This is supposed to be a fun girly day!” She stamps her foot and I know my eyes widen. Biting my lip to stop myself from smiling at her childish behavior, the realization hits me, Sicily
is
like a child. That’s why she can be quite draining. She constantly asks questions, or chatters away. She likes to get her own way and throws a fit when she doesn’t get it. Spoilt brat springs to mind, but the childlike sweetness in her manner allows her to obtain things others wouldn’t be able to. And although I have only spent today with her, I can already see she uses it to her advantage, often.

“Sorry
,
Sicily. I’m done. I’ve not had a girly day before.” I watch as her eyes soften and she pulls her hands from her hips. “I’ve loved it, but I’m tired… and, well, to be honest, I want to speak to Elijah. He owes me some answers,” I explain, noticing her eyes light up at the mention of Elijah.

“You’re right, I’m sorry, I get carried away sometimes. Let’s go back,” she replies quickly. I watch her. The feeling in my gut is telling me she really wants to get back to Elijah, but I have no proof that’s really how she feels, not that it matters. Getting back is my ultimate goal, so it’s a win.

The house isn’t home, but I don’t miss where I’ve been living. Having been bumped from one home to another, a mixture of foster places and children’s homes, I’m at the stage where I’m about to leave school and need to stand on my own two feet. The last six months haven’t been easy, living at the only children’s home in the county, meant more ridicule from my peers at school.

I have no family, well until Elijah. I only know that my parents died when I was a baby. I’ve been alone ever since. I had Molly and Jenny for a couple of years when I was younger, but they were blood sisters, a family member came and rescued them. Ultimately, my life has been lonely since then.

Sicily grabs my hand and drags me forward, down the side of a shop into what looks like a cut through. I feel an emotion pass through me. Nerves? It’s nervousness I feel, but it’s not me I’m feeling it from.

“Are you nervous?” I splutter to Sicily before I can engage my brain.

She stops suddenly and turns to face me. “I hate that Elijah can do that. It figures you would also be able to read people, too.” She’s talking to me, but her eyes keep flitting over my shoulder.

“What? Read people? And what do you keep looking at?” I ask spinning around.

The moment I do I’m trapped. I’m unable to move anything, not even my lungs, so I can’t breathe. I feel my insides seizing, and my chest actually hurts, like I’m in a vi
s
c
e grip. I hear hollow laughter, and as my breath is released, I cough out a harsh breath just as a figure walks toward me. The rest of my body remains frozen. As a dark blur moves into my line of sight, I can see it’s a guy, about twenty, with auburn hair and silver eyes. He’s tall and broad, but as my eyes are frozen I can’t roam his outline or his face at great length. I can only pick up bits as he moves in and out of where my eyes are fixated.

“So… you’re the famous Emery. After all these years, here you are in the flesh. Finally.”

I can’t see the smirk, but I can hear it in his voice. I can also feel arrogance and evil radiating off him. I try to reply, even though I have no idea what I’m going to say, but all that comes up from my throat is a strangled noise.

He laughs again. “You really are clueless aren’t you? Hmm… that will make my job easier. More boring. But still… easy is good. And I’ll be rewarded massively for you. A daughter of the Laird.”

There’s noise behind me and before my brain can take in his last comment, I remember Sicily is back there.

“Now, Sicily, you know it’s rude to interrupt.” He tuts at her, then clicks his fingers. I hear a thud but can’t look to see if she’s okay. “Now, what shall I do with you?” he asks, moving into my personal space. “So pretty, it’s a shame.” He leans forward and runs his fingers down my cheek. My stomach starts cramping, but not because of what this guy’s doing. “I should introduce myself. I’m Zeit,” he tells me as his fingers travel down my throat. They stop when he reaches the collar of my new top.

The first outfit Sicily made me buy today, I changed into immediately so I could throw away the clothes from last night. He tucks his fingers into my collar and yanks it down, tearing it open.

Great, that’s another top I can’t use again.

“That’s better.” He smirks, so close that I can see his face in detail now. Before I have the chance to study him three things happen at once.

My stomach twists and turns and I feel like jumping beans are inside my body.

I hear a loud growl.

Then see a flash of light.

“Zeit, you better run while you can.” Elijah’s voice is loud, and as Zeit moves out of my space, I’m released from the stranglehold I was in.

Before I can drop to the floor, I’m caught in strong arms and I look up to see Kade. He’s not looking at me. Instead, he’s looking back up to Zeit.

“Stay down. Don’t move,” Kade snaps angrily, never tearing his eyes away from Zeit as he places me on the floor. Just like that, in a few words, I feel like a naughty school girl. Like somehow, all this is my fault. Elijah quickly moves to my side as I sit up looking back over my shoulder at Sicily.

“Is she?” I say no more.

“She’s fine. He just put her to sleep,” Elijah answers.

Another one who can put people to sleep. How many are there?

“Not as many as you would think,”

“Get out of my head,” I grumble, but he just smirks at me. I look past him to Kade. He’s fighting with Zeit. Well, it’s kind of a fight. Kade has Zeit pinned against the wall. He punches him, then moves to slide his hand around Zeit’s throat, dragging his body up the wall. Zeit puts his palms up and shoots a dazzling red light out of his hands, straight into Kade’s chest. Kade just laughs at him. Suddenly, I hear a scream and see a woman standing at the entrance of the alley. Kade drops Zeit, who wastes no time in running away from us, his laughter ringing through the air.

“Quick, come on,” Elijah says looking between Sicily and me.

Kade jogs over. “Grab Sicily,” he orders Elijah, while holding his hand out to me. I reach for him and feel a zap shoot between our fingers. I glance up to his face and see him narrowing his eyes at our joined hands as he drags me up. “Try to keep up,” he snaps. Then before I know what’s happening, he’s running and I’m desperately trying not to fall.

In what can be no more than three minutes we’re back outside the house. I look around, but can’t see Elijah and Sicily.

“It will take them longer to get here. Especially with Elijah having to carry her. She was still out cold,” Kade answers my unasked question.

“We… that was… I mean…” I can’t seem to pull my thoughts together. Confusion addles my brain as I stare at Kade in bewilderment.

“When you work out what it is you need to say, then come find me,” Kade snaps, walking inside. Leaving me with more questions than answers.

Once again I’m alone, and even though I’ve only been in the company of others for less than twenty-four hours, I already know I don’t want to go back to feeling alone again.

Not anymore.

I’m still standing outside when I hear a whirring sound. Feeling a gust of wind on my left side, I turn toward it and suddenly Elijah is there with Sicily in his arms.

“Emery? I thought you’d be inside?” he says the words like he hasn’t just run over ten miles while carrying someone.

“Yeah, well, I’ve only just arrived,” I answer, shrugging and look down at Sicily, still sleeping in his arms.

“You couldn’t have. Kade is way faster than me.” His eyebrows pull together and he shakes his head.

“Well, maybe he had to slow down for me?” I offer.

He shakes his head again and looks at the ground, mumbling to himself. “No, you wouldn’t ever slow him down—” He’s cut off mid-flow as the door opens.

“Get inside.
Now.
” Kade’s words are like a lash across my back. He turns away, stalking inside and I look to Elijah, who sighs.

“Come on, he’s right, we should go inside.” He turns to leave but I can’t move my feet.

“Elijah,” I whisper.

The moment he looks at me his eyes widen. “Kade!” he shouts, but before the name has left his lips Kade is already out here. A gold flash lights the sky. Then he’s in front of me.

“Inside
now!
” he shouts back to Elijah, who looks torn, but nods his head and moves inside still holding Sicily. Kade turns to me. “Wrap your arms around me.”

“What?” A million emotions are running through me, and I know they’re not just mine. Although, I don’t understand how I instinctively know that. It’s too much to think about right now.

“Your arms, wrap them around me.
Now.
” he demands stepping closer.

I do as I’m told and hold onto him. I haven’t held anyone for, well… forever. Not like this. The second I’m latched onto him, his hands slip around me. Immediately, I relax, and I know without any doubt that I’m protected. Warmth starts prickling my skin and seeping into my bones.

“Close your eyes.
Feel
,” his hot breath whispers into my ear. I succumb to his order easily and without question, and as soon as I do, my feet free themselves. I’m pulled up and carried, much like Sicily, but I know the arms holding me belong to Kade.

The moment we’re inside I hear the door click shut and Kade say, “You can open your eyes now.” He lowers me to the floor and I look up to him. His eyes capture me as they move over my face. Then he slips his hands from my body, takes a step back, turns, and walks away.

“Emery…” Sicily’s voice is soft and cautious. I turn around to face her. “I’m so sorry we got into that situation. I should’ve known. I wasn’t careful enough.” Watching as she fiddles with her fingers, I notice the childlike gestures shine through again.

“Sicily, I appreciate you saying sorry about the situation, but you have to understand, I don’t
know
what
that
situation even was. I know nothing. Nobody is telling me anything, and I’ve had enough.” As I step away from her she grabs my arm, but I wrench it free and continue walking. I can’t leave this place, at least not tonight. I understand that I’m in danger and whatever quirks I do have, they don’t include being suicidal. Making my way back upstairs while ignoring the tingles, I slam the door behind me, attempting to cocoon myself in the bedroom I’ve been given. Within minutes there’s a tap at the door and before I can say anything it opens. Elijah appears in the doorframe.

“I could have been changing,” I tell him flatly.

“No, I would have sensed it.” His reply doesn’t even surprise me which is scary. “Can I come in?” he asks.

“If I say no are you going to come in any way?” I counter.

“Probably.” He grins at me as I roll my eyes, so I close them and lay down on the bed. The door clicks shut and the bed depresses as he sits next to me. “I’m sorry. I know I haven’t been very forthcoming.” I open my eyes and stare at him raising an eyebrow. “Okay…” he holds his hands up, “…not forthcoming at all.” I close my eyes once again. I want to know everything, but I’m already so confused. I know my life before was lonely, but at least it was structured, there were no expectations. Every day was the same, even down to the words which would inevitably be spat at me, from the jocks and cheerleaders at school.

No.

Feeling sorry for myself is
not
going to help me. I sit up and push myself backward until I’m leaning against the headboard.

“Tell me,” I demand, pulling my legs up to my chest, wrapping my arms around myself and resting my chin on my knees.

“We’ll do a bit at a time,” Elijah says. I can see he’s waiting for my reaction. But I’m too tired to care much anymore. Something is better than nothing. So my face stays blank.

His shoulders sag and he turns, looking over to the window. “You’re nearly nineteen. I’m twenty. As you know we’re siblings, there was only ever you and me. We lost our parents, but they had powers, as do we. However, back then, only I displayed any abilities. It seemed like you were never going to come into your gifts.”

He rises from the bed and walks over to the window, lifting his arm above his head he places it against the wall and leans down looking out of the glass panes. A far off gaze blanketing his features as if he’s reminiscing.

“Because it was deemed you didn’t have any gifts, it was decided, the best course of action was to allow you a normal life, away from all this…” he moves his hand gesturing outside, then continues, “I’ve watched you my whole life. Even when I was young. I started displaying my abilities when I was only two. I’ve developed them well. I’m strong, one of the strongest, and as such I’ve been asked to move away from here on more than one occasion.” He stands and turns to me. “But I couldn’t leave you. You’ve never known me, but I’ve always known you. I’m a stranger to you, but you’re my sister… completely and I love you.”

My chest compresses at his words and I feel my heart pick up speed.

“Stop,” he says as he moves back to the bed, sitting down and grabbing my hand. “You need to calm down, I don’t want to have to put you to sleep again.” My eyes widen and my heartbeat doubles its speed in response to his words. “I’m serious Emery, you can’t control your powers right now, and you need to calm your heartbeat down before you do something accidentally. Like last night with those boys. Breathe deep… come on… in and out.”

I let his words wash over me and close my eyes taking in deep breaths through my nose, letting the air pass out of my mouth slowly. I can feel my heart calm.

“Wow, that was quick. When I first came into that power it took me ages to calm myself,” he tells me, pride tinging his words.

“What power?” I gasp out, noticing that he said the heart rate was attached to a specific power.

Elijah chuckles. “You caught that, huh?”

I nod in response. I’m trying not to go back to the part where Elijah said he loves me. I need some time to process that.

“You know that we have powers, that
you
have powers. There are many different gifts, probably more than any of us know—”

“Who’s
us
?” I interrupt him.

He folds his arms across his chest and grins. “What answer do you want first?” he replies.

“Urm… the power.” He smirks at me. “
Then…
the other one.” I grin and he laughs. It’s a deep, genuine laugh. The realization seeps into me, I could have had this my whole life. I could have had him, which means it’s been kept from me. Suddenly my body goes cold.

“Don’t,” he snaps, his laughter stopping abruptly.

“Don’t what?” I mimic him.

“Whatever it is that you’re thinking, whatever made you go cold and stiff, stop thinking it. You can ask me anything, I will attempt to answer you and try to calm your fears, but you need to ask me.”

“I thought you could read my mind?” I taunt.

“Only when you’re thinking something consciously in your head. It only works when you’re basically having some inner dialog with yourself. It’s hard to explain.”

His answer doesn’t make sense to me, but I don’t question him. I need his continuing explanation of everything, and I’m not going to get it if I keep interrupting him.

“Are you ready for more now?” Elijah tips his head to the side, awaiting my reply. I nod, which makes him grin. “Okay. The power you used the other night. You saw a light before you touched those guys, right?”

I nod and swallow. I remember their bodies dropping to the floor.

I killed them.

“Stop it. They weren’t good people,” he replies.

“They might have been. They may have grown up, got better.” My voice is raspy as I force the words from my mouth.

“No. The guy that attacked you today? They were like him,” he tells me, his eyes narrowed, anger swimming in his pupils.

“How do you know?” I reply.

“Emery, you’re making this explaining gig real hard. Can you be quiet, just for a minute? Let me get some stuff out, yeah?”

I smile at his complaint. Now he looks like a big brother.

He closes his eyes and shakes his head. “The power is called Revive. It can bring someone back to life, or jolt their hearts to kill them. This power runs throughout your whole body. When you get worked up it can appear without you wanting it to. In time you’ll be able to summon it at will. It was running through your body the night those pieces of scum attacked you. When you touched them they were effectively zapped with a high voltage. Even if you hadn’t touched them yourself, the same thing would’ve happened the second they made contact with your body. And it can be any part… they could have touched the tips of your hair, and it would have still ended the same way.

“You were live, Emery. Like a live wire and they were basically out of time. Had they
have
of
realized that you’d come into your powers they would’ve been more careful. The power you felt today when you were attacked and again outside the house, it’s called Earthing. They Earthed you. Pulled your life force into the ground, basically freezing you to the earth.”

Elijah stops and rubs his hand down his face. “I should never have let you go with Sicily alone. I didn’t think it through, I just assumed they wouldn’t attack you in public. Sicily feels bad, she pulled you into that alleyway, she knows better than that. Still it’s done now.” He sighs long and hard.

“How did you know that we were in trouble?” I question.

Elijah rubs the back of his neck. “That’s harder to explain. We could feel you.”

“We?” My stomach starts clenching, then a knock at the door causes me to jump.

“Elijah. You need to come downstairs. Debrief. Bring your sister.” Kade’s voice growls through the door.

“Is he ever happy?” I ask, quickly biting my lip when I realize, yet again, my mouth has gotten away from me.

Elijah smiles at me. “Rarely. Although one day I hope that might change,” he answers, staring into my eyes. “Come on. Let’s get downstairs.” Elijah stands holding out his hand.

“But… I still have loads of questions,” I complain, pouting.

“That won’t wash with me, Emery. We already have a pouter in the house, we don’t need another.” Winking, he grabs my hand hauling me up, and pulling me down the stairs.

Great. This place is driving me nuts, I’m surrounded by crazy people.

“I heard that,” Elijah mumbles with humor as I find myself, yet again, following him blindly.

Understanding still eluding me.