Mark of Four (23 page)

Alayne jerked her gaze up to meet Jayme’s, and saw the question in the depths of his brown eyes.
Do you love me more than Kyle?

Her cheeks grew even hotter. She dropped her gaze. “I thought it was obvious that I’d chosen you, Jay.”

“You chose me.” Jayme put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face. “But Kyle still pulls at you, doesn’t he?”

Alayne licked her lips. “It doesn’t matter, Jay. I’ve made my decision, and it’s what I want.”

He didn’t say anything as his chocolate eyes searched hers, and then he leaned close and gently kissed her.

When he pulled back, Jayme said cryptically, “Sometimes, answers show up later, and just at the right time.” He touched her cheek lightly with his fingertips. “Layne, I’m sorry about all of this. If we hadn’t gotten into this mess, Marysa would still be here.”

Alayne’s eyes blurred with tears, and she pulled away from Jayme. “Nobody’s doing anything about Marysa, Jay. Sprynge isn’t managing it; he does nothing but look with puppy dog eyes at me and tell me he’s sorry. Manders is holding the school together, but he isn’t actively searching for Marysa; he’s got so much on his plate, something is sure to spill off. Kyle says the High Court will never give in to the Casters’ exorbitant demands. It’s up to us to save Marysa.” She swallowed any more tears, frustrated with herself for showing weakness, but knowing Jayme would understand. “Will you help me?”

Jayme didn’t hesitate. He squeezed her hand. “Of course. I’m feeling better now, and I’m going to do everything in my power to help. It’s not much, but I’ll be your support.”

Alayne sniffed and nodded as she studied her fingers. “Thanks,” she managed. Guilt tinged her thoughts; she’d told Daymon about her search for the Vale, but she couldn’t bring herself to mention it to Jayme.

Jayme stood and pulled Alayne to her feet. “It’s amazing how much better I feel. I’m gonna get Felycia to discharge me tonight so I can sleep in my own room.”

Alayne laughed shakily. “Good luck with that.” She looked down at his hand and wove her fingers through his. “Okay, well, I need to get you back to Felycia, and then I want to hit the library.”

Jayme’s eyebrows winged upward. “What for?”

“I—I’m way behind in my classes.” She’d nearly said she was returning to search for information on the Vale. But Manders had explained a lot of its history. A little gratitude welled inside her, immediately replaced by irritation.

Jayme noticed. “What’s the matter, Al?”

Alayne sighed and explained most of her conversation with Manders in his office.

“And then he had the nerve to sit there, look me straight in the eyes, and tell me that my mother has lied to me my entire life!”

Jayme’s hand squeezed Alayne’s as they moved toward the chute. “What did you do?”

“To be honest, I got so mad, I told him I had work to do and pretty well shoved Kyle out of the way so I could get out.”

Alayne entered the chute and hit the button for the common care ward. As the car rocketed upward, Jayme said, “You’re still mad.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes! He had no right to call my mother a liar. I mean, sure, she’s got her issues, namely paranoia, but honestly, she’s not a liar.”

“Yeah, that would tick me off, too.” The chute opened, and Jayme took her hand as he led her into the ward. “But ...
is
she an Elemental?”

“Jayme! Don’t you think I would know if my own mother were an Elemental? We went over this the day they took me for my screening. I had Elemental tendencies, but neither of them did.”

“Well, it
is
really rare for someone to have Elemental genetics when their parents are Naturals. I mean, I don’t even know if it’s possible.”

“My mom said it was. But oh wait, I may have just decided that my mom is a liar.”

“Calm down, Al,” Jayme soothed. “You don’t need to bite my head off. Most likely, Manders is mistaken or somehow got some wrong information. But, hypothetically, consider what would happen if he were right.”

“What? Then my mother would be a liar, and I would be hurt and wouldn’t trust her anymore, and that would be the end of a good—well, sort of good—relationship.”

Jayme held up his free hand. “What if, say, your mother
is
an Elemental, but didn’t tell you because she wanted to protect you? Because maybe she knew some things that are dangerous to know.”

Alayne stared up at Jayme, thoughts racing through her mind. She took a deep breath and blew it out in a controlled thread of air. “If you had told me this before your trip to Cliffsides, I would have written you off as a lunatic with way too much imagination. But now...”

Jayme shrugged. “It
is
just a theory, Al. But maybe it would be worth checking with your mom. Just in case.”

“Probably. But it’s a conversation I want to have in person. It’ll have to wait for the end of the year.”

“
D
id
you find the Vale yet?” Macy Foy's pale, dull face blinked through the mirror shard.

Alayne shook her head, shock still sparking through her. “I'm working as hard as I can on it. Where are you?” She asked the same question every time Macy contacted her, and as usual, Macy ignored her.

“Are you close?”

“Close to what?”

Macy sighed. “To finding the Vale.”

“How do I know I'm close until I actually find it? I said I'm working on it.” Alayne angled the glass, hoping she would be able to see past Macy to Marysa, but Macy's head still filled up the entire shard.

The woman's dead eyes didn't blink at the rancor in Alayne's voice. “You need to work faster. Marysa will have a miserable night now as a result of your failure.” Her right eye twitched.

“Please, no, Macy! I'm trying, I really am.” Alayne could hear the desperation in her own voice. “Please, don't hurt her. I'll have it soon, I'm sure.” Alayne’s mind flew back over the list of areas she'd searched. Maybe she'd missed it. Maybe she'd looked right at its hiding place and had skipped over it in her exhaustion and mental turmoil. She had no idea what the Vale even looked like.

Macy just shook her head. From behind her, Alayne heard the scuffle of something moving and a sharp hiss. A shrill scream followed.

“Marysa? Marysa!” Alayne gripped the mirror. “Macy, what are you doing to her?”

Macy's face faded from view, and all Alayne could see was her own horrified expression. “Show me Marysa,” she ordered the glass. She watched as the glass clouded. A purple haze drifted across it before it focused on Alayne's reflection once again. Whatever forces shielded Marysa from the mirror's magic were too powerful.

Tears streaked Alayne's cheeks. She placed the shard back into the box and stretched out on her bed to drift into waking nightmares.

Where are you, Marysa?
Alayne slept fitfully, exhausting herself as she tossed and dreamed of Marysa’s screams.

She rose exhausted everyday. She had been tempted to skip all her classes in her frantic search for the Vale, but she realized that doing so would only result in expulsion, and then she really
wouldn’t
be able to continue. She forced herself to go to classes, listen to lectures, take notes, and practice her elements, but as the weeks dragged by, mental and physical despair took their toll. Her grades slumped, any vitality she’d once had slipped away. Jayme warned her that she’d make herself sick.

The media was relentless. Their airbuses, shuttles, and boats still lined Clayborne’s perimeter, and somehow they’d gotten word that Marysa had been close friends with Alayne. Messages cluttered Alayne’s media account, requesting permission to meet, all of which Alayne ignored. She couldn’t jog as far as she was accustomed, because as soon as she hit Clayborne’s property line, the media attacked like voracious wolves.

Marysa’s parents’ letters, though less aggressive, perhaps hurt more. Marysa’s mother sent several worried notes, wondering if Alayne had heard anything more, commiserating with her on the absence of her daughter, spilling ire about the High Court to Alayne’s sensitive ears.

Don’t you understand?
Alayne thought as she read the notes.
It’s got little to do with your work with the Natural Equality Act and everything to do with the Vale.

The letters went on to say that the family didn’t blame Alayne at all for Marysa’s disappearance at Cliffsides. At the end, Marysa’s mother always included a post script:
If you hear anything, please call us, morning, noon, or night.

Jayme had moved back into the boys’ dormitories at the beginning of February, and now he accompanied her to all her classes. Kyle made himself scarce. Alayne rarely saw him anymore, and she hated it. Then she felt guilty for hating it. She mentally beat herself up each night before she went to bed as she warred back and forth with herself about maintaining a friendship with Kyle without being faithless to Jayme. Most days, she ached for Marysa’s comforting hugs and wise advice.

O
ne brisk February morning
, Professor Grace took the Throw-Casting class outside to a nearby field. The weather was still cold, but the sun shone down through the brittle air, making the students shade their eyes. They gazed at the professor standing on a fence post near the field.

“You all have done well to throw your element bends as far as you have.” Professor Grace’s tiny voice was almost lost in the open air. “But the walls of the classroom are a poor limit for your potential. I want you to learn distance.” She clapped her hands and pointed.

“Today, I will be dividing you into groups of four. Two from each group will stay in this field here,” she motioned behind the fence where she stood, “and the other two in the group will go to the field behind that tree line. You will
not
be able to see each other. You must use your senses that you’ve developed over the year to find your teammates and to bend the elements in their general area. Higher grades will be awarded to those who are the closest to their marks.”

Alayne glanced at Jayme, attempting to pull herself out of her mental lethargy. “You’ll do well with this one. Remember the arboretum when you threw that whirlwind at Daymon and the others?”

Jayme shook his head. “I was watching from the hedge. I could see what I was doing. This is going to be harder.”

Professor Grace walked down the line, randomly grouping the students. When she reached Jayme, she pointed to the girl on the other side of him. “Mr. Cross, you’ll go to the other field with Miss Cadell. You’ll be throw-casting to Miss Worth and Mr. Houser.”

Alayne stiffened. She heard Daymon’s sharp intake of breath. Professor Grace misunderstood Alayne’s reaction. “Don’t worry, dear. It won’t kill you to be out of Jayme’s sight for one class period.”

Alayne blushed. “No, ma’am.”

Professor Grace clapped her hands. “Okay, class, two of you from each group to this field, and the other two start hiking!”

Alayne took a deep breath and climbed the fence into the field in front of her. She felt Daymon’s presence behind her. She waved goodbye to Jayme as he and Jordyn took off for the opposite field.

Wading through the waist-tall grass was easier as other pairs plowed through in front of them. Alayne and Daymon stalked the crushed trails. Daymon’s head was bent, his eyes intent on the ground in front of him. He’d managed to put a ten-foot space between the two of them.

They found a clear spot far from the others, and Alayne stopped. Daymon grudgingly stopped as well, though he kept the space between them.

At last, Alayne spoke. “Are you scared of me, Daymon?”

He whipped his head up, his eyes burning as he glared at her. “Are you kidding? Scared of you? In your wildest dreams.”

“Then why are you avoiding me?”

“Avoiding you?” He laughed incredulously. “I avoid you because I don’t
like
you. We have a history, or did you forget? Isn’t that reason enough?’

“It wasn’t the whole first part of the school year. You didn’t like me then either, but you went out of your way to make me miserable.” Alayne stopped as Professor Grace stood near the tree line to give further instructions. She could barely hear her, but she understood that they were to begin “finding” their partners in the other field.

“What about me scares you?” she asked bluntly as soon as Professor Grace wasn’t looking.

“Nothing.”

“You practically ran away from me when I cornered you in the gym.”

“I told you, you don’t scare me,” he snapped.

“Does it have something to do with the pool incident?” That was when his treatment of her had changed. He’d gone from sneering at her at every chance to completely ignoring her. Maybe she
was
the one he’d been discussing with his uncle when she’d overhead their conversation. But once again, the same question flooded her mind.
Why?

Daymon’s jaw tightened. “No. Aren’t you supposed to be finding your boyfriend with your crazy magic skills?” He nodded toward the trees.

“Magic?”

“You heard me.”

“What
are
you talking about, Daymon? I bend elements. I’m an Elemental. Just like you.”

“You’re a Quadriweave.”

Though Alayne had already been sure he knew, the blood still drained from her face.

Daymon stalked toward her until he was close enough to wrap both hands around her throat if he had chosen. His sapphire blue eyes glared stormily into hers. “A Quadriweave who has ties to the Vale. And
that
makes you magic.”

“So
now
you’re going to tell me where the Vale is?” Hope surged through her.

Daymon immediately stomped on the idea. “Don’t mess with me, Alayne, I mean it. You have no idea what you’re getting into or what I’m capable of.”

Alayne’s defenses surged, and she spoke before she thought. “Don’t mess with
you
? Don’t
you
mess with
me
. Fine, you’re right, I’m a Quadriweave.” She shocked herself with her own admission. Marysa knew. Dorner had known. But she hadn’t even told Jayme.

He’s saved your life. More than once.

He’s still an awful person.

He lost his parents at a terribly young age. Maybe you feel sorry for him.

Maybe ... or maybe he’s not the monster you’ve always thought.

Alayne relaxed her battle stance. “Anyway,” she muttered, “what does being a Quadriweave have to do with you?”

His eyes shot sparks. “Everything,” he said between clenched teeth.

“Mr. Houser, Miss Worth, let’s see what progress you’ve made.” Professor Grace’s chirpy voice interrupted the intensity, and Alayne stumbled backward. “We’re—we’re working on our strategy, Professor.”

“Well, let’s see it,” Professor Grace encouraged. “Give it a shot. I’ll watch your group from the tree line.” She hurried away, and Alayne shook her head. She closed her eyes, searching the elements for a sense of Jayme’s presence. She knew him so well by now, he shouldn’t be too hard to find. She reached first for a large grouping of air elements, sure that they would be in abundance around an Air-Master. As she searched, she heard a shriek of wind from the other field.

Professor Grace whirled from the tree line, an amazed grin stretched across her face. She clapped exuberantly. “Well done, Mr. Houser! Full marks. Alayne, I expect you to come up with something by the time I come around again.”

Alayne blushed. She whirled on Daymon. “What did you do?” It wasn’t fair; how had he found them before her?

“Put your boyfriend and his partner into a wind tunnel.”

“You better not have hurt them.”

Daymon rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. I seriously hope you have a better opinion of Jayme than that, or you won’t last three months.”

Alayne bit her lip. “Why do you have that tattoo? Where did you get it?”

Daymon had leaned down to tie his shoe, and his fingers paused for a fraction of a second. He finished tying, then stood to face her. “What tattoo?”

“The one on your back. The Quadriweave symbol.”

Daymon stepped close again, but Alayne didn’t feel as threatened this time. “How do you know about that?”

“Jayme saw it and told me.”

Daymon’s face, so angry a moment before, smoothed completely, all trace of emotion gone. He shrugged. “Just a tattoo.”

“Can I see it?”

Daymon’s eyebrow cocked and for the first time, Alayne saw a trace of amusement light his eyes. “You want me to take off my shirt? What’s your boyfriend going to say?”

“No—not—” Alayne stopped, miffed that he’d tangled her tongue. “I want to see the tattoo. Will you
please
just show it to me?”

He chuckled. “Show it to
you
, a Quadriweave? Are you kidding?” He glanced over her shoulder. “Grace coming. You better come up with something quick.”

Alayne wildly searched the other field for where Jayme would be. She had to calm down; Daymon had ruffled too many feathers. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, and let herself feel. In the far corner of the field, the familiar sense of Jayme’s person exuded itself among the air elements.

“Miss Worth? Have you got anything to show me yet?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Alayne kept her eyes closed.

“Go ahead, please.” Professor Grace’s voice was farther away. Alayne assumed she must be heading to the tree line. She concentrated on collecting the water element from the surrounding air above Jayme’s presence. Borrowing from her Air-Master skills, she cooled the temperature of the surrounding air enough to form ice-crystals in the small cloud and then let them fall gently around where Jayme stood.

“Nice job, Miss Worth.” Professor Grace nodded her approval. “I see you made up for your mistake earlier. Please be ready when I first call on you next time, all right?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Alayne watched Professor Grace walk to the tree line and cross over to the other field. “Guess it’s our turn now.” She turned back to Daymon.

He watched her warily from where he had backed several feet away. Alayne moved closer to him, determination tightening her jaw.

“Listen, Daymon. My best friend is out there somewhere, and unless I can find the Vale, then I will never see her again, and I leave her in the hands of the Shadow-Casters to get tortured, maybe even killed. I think
you
know something about the Vale, and I want you to tell me. Right now.”

Daymon’s face, already serious, shadowed even more. For the first time, uncertainty flickered in his eyes. He crossed his arms in front of him. “Or what?”

“I’m a Quadriweave, remember? I blew Crede’s tornado to smithereens when he threw it at me. I know you saw it, and I know you know what I can do, so don’t think I won’t use all four elements to put a little pressure on you.”

“Do you really think I’m scared by that? Oh no, the almighty Alayne is after me. Watch her pelt me with an ice storm. Maybe blow a little fire in my face.” He narrowed his eyes, dropping his arms to hang loosely at his side. “I’ve got news for you, Layne. What I’m part of is way bigger than any threats you can make.”