Ember (48 page)

“I have no idea why I'm affecting your
spell.”

The juice caught in my throat, he actually
answered.

I turned up. “Maybe because you helped me the
first time?” His head was shaking before I even finished.

“No. Artisans have done that before, and
there are never any side-effects.”

“Maybe because I'm a girl.” I tried.

He shrugged in a “could-be-it” sort of way
before looking off.

Thoran
had
told me that I was the
first he'd heard of.

Jaden tapped his fingers carelessly on the
table, causing my pulse to quicken.

I scoffed then, head shaking at myself.
Maybe because I'm in love with you.

Darn it, Evelyn!
I almost slapped my
head then and there in front of him. That was completely
inexcusable! . . .this was getting bad.

I sunk to take another sip from my sip
worriedly.

Jaden continued popping his dates rather
obliviously.

“It's
still
going,” complained Ikovos,
dropping in beside Jaden.

The darker boy eyed him. “Took you long
enough.”

Ikovos ignored him.

After wincing at his mention of the rain I
smiled. “Did you have a nice shower?”

He grabbed a hunk of bread. “Yeah, it was
good
. Hot. The fixtures are so nice, the way the water comes
out and —”

“If you're going to describe you showering
experience anyways, I think she could have just stayed with
us.”

My eyes widened, dropping down.

Ikovos turned his head over slowly. “You're
just jealous that you didn't get one.”

Jaden scoffed. “Right.”

After a few seconds to make sure it was safe,
I looked back to Ikovos pleasantly. “So, Jaden said you wanted to
sort of go over the day?”

“It was
supposed
to be more of a
subtly brought up topic . . . but, yeah.”

Jaden leaned back carelessly.

Ikovos lightened facing me. “It was pretty
eventful, I just want to make sure you're okay with
everything.”

“Yes,” I assured, head bobbing immediately.
“I had a great day. I expected I would be helping out with some
different things, but really I just got to have fun and mess
around.”

Ikovos smiled then lifted a shoulder. “You
helped.”

I eyed him with a playfully dubious look.

“Moral support,” he offered.

I laughed.

“Even
I
could have come up with
something better than that,” scoffed Jaden, giving him a sideways
glance. Then he went back to studying the room.

Ikovos just rolled his eyes.

I pulled my cup closer, taking another drink
from my straw and contemplating. “I wonder why Thoran did have me
come . . .” I looked up to Ikovos. “Did he tell you?”

“No—” his head shook “—and the man is a
mystery to me. Jaden would know better what he's thinking.” He
pointed a thumb over.

Jaden's eyes grazed Ikovos, but he didn't say
anything.

“He made it sound like you guys would be
really busy when you got back,” I tested slowly, tracing a drip on
the outside of my glass.
More like he'd flat out told
me.

Jaden didn't respond.

“I doubt it's as bad as he made it seem,”
allotted Ikovos with a quick smirk. “We'll still have plenty of
time.”

I warmed at this . . . I don't think I'd
realized how much it had been affecting me.

The band finished their song then. A few
groups around the room clapped or called out requests for new
titles. Just after the next one started, Jaden's face seemed to
harden, eyes turning over to me.

“What else did Thoran talk to you about?”

My throat constricted.
Not this
again.

Ikovos didn't help me, scoffing behind his
cup. “Good luck trying to get an answer to that.”

Jaden's gaze hardened even more, his
backwards lean straightening up just slightly.

“Just . . .” I threw a hand out innocently “.
. . just magic and training, coming here, the thing that happened
in the Meoden dimension . . .”

“That's it?” Jaden narrowed.

I met his eyes
.

I'm not going to lie, but I don't want to
talk about this now.

I stood up abruptly. “I've got to go give
Tanis his food.” Then grabbed the box off of the table.

“Not alone you're not,” said Jaden, standing
up to match me. Then there was another pause.

My eyes hardened. “Fine—” Ikovos smirked,
obviously entertained “—I'm not talking though.”

Jaden darkened.

I smiled quickly to the other boy, then
turned to start off.

Jaden followed immediately behind me.

The one time I glanced to check his
expression, it was fiercely intent. My teeth tightened. He wasn’t
going to let this go as easily as Ikovos . . . but I wasn't going
to be able to talk about what the Meoden had done to the boys
without losing it . . .

Not with them there.

When we reached the room, he went in first as
before.

I waited the hall. When he came out I gave
him a mocking look. “Is it safe?’

“What did he tell you, Eve?”

I walked past him brusquely. “I told you that
if you came up we weren't going to talk.”

“I never agreed to that.” He followed me.
“And I think I have a right to know if it involves me or
Ikovos.”

“Why?” I argued, opening up the box and
arranging the bits of nuts and fruit on a pillow. “—when you don't
seem to think I have a right to hear anything about it from
you
.”

He darkened instantly.

Dang it, Evelyn, you just confirmed that you
know something.

“Because it's none of your business.”

Like heck it isn't!

My eyes shut. “I'm tired.” I tried to calm
myself with a slow breath. “I'm going to sleep now.”

He scoffed. “It's only nine.”

I stood up and turned around, meeting his
eyes boldly. “Tell Ikovos I said goodnight, please.”

His brow fell.

I moved past him towards the door.

“Hey, I'm not leaving till you—”

I stopped him with a meaningful look. My hand
was on the open doorframe and there wasn’t a shred of softness to
my expression. He held my eyes for a long second, then walked
forward.

“Fine.”

I nodded as he past. “Thank you.” Then I
closed the door behind him firmly.

. . .Well, that conversation had sure
escalated quickly.

I walked back over to the bed to wake Tanis
up to eat.

God, why didn't I want to talk about this so
badly anyways?

The little ball of velvet fur woke up
happily, springing over to his spread of yummy treats.

Maybe I just don’t want to spoil the day . .
.

A quick intake of breath told a different
story. I ignored it, filling Tanis a dish of water and hopping in
the shower instead.

The fixtures really were nice.

After brushing and weaving my hair into a
long braid, it seemed to have grown a lot since I joined the order,
I went back into the room.

Empty and quiet.

I walked over to the window and pulled back
the curtain. It was still raining, even heavier now. I watched it
for a while, then crept over to the bed, pulling back the heavy
blankets and slipping in.

I hit the lights.

Then turned sideways.

Tanis was roaming around all over the room. I
guess he liked the place too.

I sighed and focused my thoughts on falling
asleep.

About an hour or two later, I was still in
the exact same position, and not the least bit tired.

. . . It really was stupid to go to bed this
early.

With a heavy sigh I pushed off the covers and
skidded over to the door. I was in my pajamas, but they weren't
that night-ish looking so I thought I'd be good. I just needed to
stretch my legs.

Carefully, I opened the door, looking down
both ends of the hall.

No one.

I stepped out, heart beating unnecessarily
loud considering the situation. My grazed the wood door that led to
the room across from mine. I think I was mostly afraid of being
caught wondering alone.

I stepped off to the right to see what was
down the other way. My feet padded softly on the velvety carpet. To
each side as I passed there were doors followed by a random
painting or other nondescript decoration. The light came from
candled lamps above.

I turned down a couple halls. When I reached
the end of the last one there was a dark stairwell going down.

Maybe not the smartest path.

A small window ahead flashed white, followed
quickly by a loud rumble.

Thunder . . . now it was going to be
impossible to get to sleep.

Biting my lip, I headed down the stairs
calmly. I figured I could wrap around on the second or first floor.
There wasn't a further level though, it stopped at the second. It
was darker here, and the floor plan of the rooms was different. No
rug.

I tip-toed on a bit, passing some closed
doors. Then I saw a sign that read “second story bar” with a
forward arrow.

Wow, this place must really be big if there
are two bars.

I kept forward, more confidently now that I
knew I was headed at least somewhere. The lighting stayed dim. I
passed a large, rectangular, gap in the wall, tables within, then
looked to the open door that was down a bit further.

Must be the bar.

I looked back through. There were still a few
people inside.

I better not stop.

I had almost passed the door when a familiar
tone stopped me in my tracks.

“. . . the extra trips to town, and the
moves, it just seems fishy.”

Jaden.

My heart caught.

“You think there's something they're not
telling us?”

And that was Ikovos. I must have passed them
through the window and just not noticed.

I quickly moved out of the doorway against
the wall, so that I could still hear.

There was a pause.

“It wouldn't be the first time,” noted
Jaden.

They got quiet again. I could hear them
setting their cups on the table-top, but that was it beside the
rain and thunder outside.
I hope they don't come out.

“Either way,” continued Jaden, “when we get
back I'll be finding out for sure.”

Another pause.

“What about Evelyn?” asked Ikovos.

I swallowed.

“What do you mean?” replied Jaden.

“Will you tell her?”

My face narrowed, but I didn't hear anything.
He must have responded with a nod or a shake.

Darn it!

Unable to stand it, I turned around and bent
up, peeking my head above the hole.

“If something starts with Demian . . . the
lodge won't be safe for her.”

That was Ikovos. I saw them now, they were
sitting across from each other on a benched table. Two drinks in
front of them, the window behind.

“It never has been,” said Jaden tersely. It
was too dim to see his expression clearly, but he looked out
towards the window.

“It'll be worse.”

Another pause.

“It's not our decision,” said Jaden.

“That didn't stop you before.”

My breath hit the wood in front of me.

Jaden looked to him. “It's different now that
she can use magic. Master Thoran will be more involved.”

“Like their meeting.” Ikovos scoffed.

Jaden's head bobbed. “Yeah . . .”

“She knows about the other boys for sure,”
said Ikovos, folding his hands together and leaning forward on his
elbows.

“And us?” His head was down now. My eyes
widened.

Curse it, Evelyn, this is not the type of
conversation you eavesdrop on.

“She would have acted differently,” began
Ikovos. “She doesn't know. . . . She might be assuming we're no
different than the others, though.”

“It's better that way.” He was staring hard
at the table. “Let's just drop it tomorrow.”

If I'd had something in hand I would have
thrown it at him.

Ugh! I can't take this anymore.

“I'm good with that,” said Ikovos.

Then they both took drinks from their mugs.
Finished

That is until I placed my hands firmly on the
table.

“We need to talk.” I said it clearly, and
leaned in with a bold pose to match. Jaden responded first.

“What are you
doing
here?”

“Were you listening?” Ikovos quickly
followed.

“Yes . . .” I couldn’t think up a good
defense “. . . and I know it was wrong. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to
at first. I was just walking past.”

Jaden's gaze turned livid. “Walking past? . .
.”
uh-oh
“. . .
Alone?
”

“What did you hear?” asked Ikovos, saving me
from responding to the much scarier boy.

I relaxed slightly, checking the room. It was
empty apart from us.

“Nothing. Not that I didn't already
know.”

Ikovos turned down.

Jaden shook his head. “I can't believe you
were wandering alone after all I said.”

“Jaden, that's hardly what matters here,”
said Ikovos, eyeing him.

The dark boy caught his gaze, it was much
more severe than his own anger over my disobedience had been. He
leaned up.

“Right. You're going back to bed.”

“What?—” I straightened “—No I'm not!”

He stood up. “Yes, you are.” Then he walked
towards me.

I took a few steps back, thinking he was just
bluffing, but he kept coming.

“Ikovos!”

The blond boy eyed him listlessly. “Jaden,
just relax.”

Jaden ignored him, pinning me against a
table. I put a hand up to his chest.

“Why won't you just
tell
me?”

His eyes hardened. He pushed my hand off,
reaching behind me to shove me towards the door. “I already told
you, it's none of your business.”

I scraped along defiantly, then clenched my
teeth. “I think you're just scared.” It was just a mumble, but he
stopped immediately, spinning me around to face him.