Playing With Fire (Power of Four Book 2) (29 page)

“You’re not going to hurt him,” Kate said at once.

“I’m telling you, Kyran’s not your son,” Ella said. “He can’t be.”

“And I’m telling you he is,” Chris argued.

“There’s one way to find out,” Neriah said. Everyone stopped to look at him. “Chris,” Neriah started, “if you can wield the Blade of Adams, then you are the legacy holder and Kyran isn’t your son.”

“And if I can’t?” Chris asked.

Neriah took a moment to answer. “Then Kyran is the legacy holder for Earth, as well as Fire and Air.” He met Chris’s eyes. “And that means our problems just got three times bigger.”

***

Kyran stormed his way into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him. He ran a hand through his hair and cursed, closing his eyes tightly. He pulled off his coat, yanking it away with aggression.

“Whoa, easy there,” came a silky voice. “You don’t want to rip your iconic Elemental coat of honour now, do you?”

Kyran didn’t turn to see who was in his room. “Get out, Layla,” he glowered.

Layla smiled and leant against the door frame. “But I just got here.”

Kyran turned to her. “I said,
get
out
,” he growled.

“Or what?” Layla asked. She sauntered over to him. “What’re you going to do, Scorcher?” She stopped before him, tilting her head up to gaze into his furious eyes. “Burn me?” She inched closer. “Go ahead,” she whispered. “Let those sparks fly.”

Kyran grabbed her by the arm and hauled her towards the door.

Layla giggled. “Okay, okay, I was just playing,” she said quickly. “I only came to tell you that Hadrian wants to see you.”

“I don’t care why you came,” Kyran said, “but if I find you in my room again, I’ll make you pay.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Layla smirked.

With a snarl, Kyran pulled the door open and threw Layla out. She knocked into a strong chest, and a pair of arms closed around her, steadying her. Surprised, Layla looked up to see who had caught her. Hadrian stood holding her, but his gaze was on his son. Kyran stared back with darkened eyes, his jaw clenched. He turned without a word, but left his door open.

Layla stepped out of Hadrian’s embrace but the vamage kept a hand around her arm.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Hadrian said to her. “Don’t aggravate him. Stay on this side of the door.”

Layla smiled. “Really, Hadrian?” she asked. “You’re going to put restrictions on me when I’m indoors now?”

Hadrian’s hand came up to brush her cheek. “I’m only trying to keep you safe.”

Layla held Hadrian’s gaze. “He won’t kill me,” she said. “You’ve instructed him not to, and he would rather die than go against your word. I have nothing to fear.”

Hadrian looked at Kyran’s room and smiled. “Layla,” he whispered. “When it comes to Kyran, you have plenty to fear. Just like the rest of this realm.”

He gently pushed her towards the corridor. Layla left quietly, not looking back.

Hadrian stepped forward and knocked on Kyran’s open door. Kyran didn’t look around at him; he was busy unbuckling the holsters and belts from around his torso and arms, dumping his array of weapons on his bed.

“Let me put these away,” he called. “Then I’ll give you the debrief.”

“There’s no need,” Hadrian said, walking inside. “Machado already did.”

Kyran didn’t say anything, but the way he roughly threw his dagger belt onto the bed told of his anger.

“Kyran?” Hadrian started.

“I’ll get it,” Kyran said, without facing him. “The Blade of Adams will be ours, okay? You don’t need to worry.”

“I’m not worried,” Hadrian said. “But maybe I should be, since my son won’t look me in the eye when he makes promises any more.”

Kyran turned around with an agitated sigh. “I’ll get it,” he repeated, holding Hadrian’s gaze. “Alright? I’ll get the third Blade, so the only one left will be Neriah’s. There, you happy?”

Hadrian didn’t say anything. He walked over to Kyran. He reached out and lifted Kyran’s chin, tilting his face to the side a little, to study the bruise on his cheek. The bruise that Machado reported was the result of the blow Christopher Adams delivered. Kyran pulled away, turning his back to Hadrian. He picked up a handful of weapons and headed to his cabinet to store them.

Hadrian watched him quietly. “Are you going to say anything?”

“What do you want me to say?” Kyran asked, stacking his blades and pistol magazines into the wall-mounted cabinet.

“It’s been six months,” Hadrian said. “Six months since they’ve returned and you’ve yet to say a single word on the subject.”

Kyran continued to put away his things. “Because I have nothing to say.”

Hadrian stepped closer. “I would rather you say something,” he started. “Get it out of your system.” Kyran remained silent. “I can’t imagine how it must feel,” Hadrian said. “After fourteen years, your parents have come back to this realm.” He saw the way Kyran tensed. Hadrian watched him closely. “Seeing them again, it must be confusing. I can understand if you want to go to them, talk to them–”

Kyran slammed the cabinet shut with such force the door was left dangling from its hinges. He turned to face Hadrian with clenched fists. “What is
wrong
with you?” he asked.

“You can’t fool me, Kyran,” Hadrian said calmly. “I brought you up. I can tell you’re struggling–”

“Yeah, struggling to figure out what’s going on in your head!” Kyran cut across him.

“They came back,” Hadrian said. “After fourteen years, Chris and Kate are back. Are you telling me you don’t want to go to them?”

Kyran looked like his patience was fraying, thread by thread. “You need to stop this,” he said, taking a step towards him. “Alright? Just stop. I’m not going anywhere. I’m always going to be here, by your side.”

“Kyran–”

“I’m not their son,” Kyran said, his voice fierce, his eyes fiercer. “I’m
your
son and your son alone.”

Hadrian smiled. Something shifted in his hazel eyes, brightening them. “You have no idea how good it is to hear you say that,” he said. “I was afraid, in the surprise of seeing your birth-parents again, you may have forgotten what it was I asked of you when I took you in.”

“I remember,” Kyran replied. “I haven’t forgotten anything.” He held Hadrian’s gaze. “There’s no struggle on my part, Father. No desire to return to anyone. I’m staying with you.”

Hadrian straightened up to stand tall, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “Good,” he said. He turned to go downstairs. “There are a few hours until sunrise. Rest, and I will see you at the table for breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry,” Kyran replied.

“And I don’t care. You
will
eat,” Hadrian replied. He stopped at the door to turn and look at him. “And, Kyran?” His eyes darkened and the gold specks glinted. “Heal that bruise before you come downstairs.”

Kyran nodded.

“And the next time any being strikes you,” Hadrian said, “I expect you to bleed them out, no matter who they are.”

Kyran didn’t say anything but gave a slow, very reluctant nod.

Hadrian smiled and walked out.

27

Testing Bonds

The large arch windows facing the back of the mansion were Hadrian’s favourite. If he stood close enough to the glass, it seemed as though he was outside. Hadrian was silent, his hands tucked behind his back. He watched as the rising sun streaked the sky red. It was going to be a beautiful day. His eyes scanned the thick, lush greenery. He had chosen to live at this particular location for Kyran, to keep him close to his true element, so he could draw comfort from it. But Kyran very rarely did.

From the day Kyran decided to bury his past and take on a new identity, he had made an effort to distance himself from anything that reminded him he was, in fact, an Adams. At the beginning of his training, Kyran had refused to learn anything that involved the element of Earth. But Hadrian had chipped away at his resolve, urging him to use what strengths he had. Eventually, Kyran gave in.

Under his careful training, Kyran had become a force to be reckoned with. Hadrian couldn’t help but beam with pride at how versatile and powerful Kyran had become under his guidance. Three out of the four elements were under Kyran’s complete control. He could play with fire, move the earth and bend the air.

But that didn’t mean Kyran had made peace with his past. It hadn’t escaped Hadrian’s notice how Kyran refused to go anywhere near the City of Marwa – the place that had once been his home, where memories of his family remained. Hadrian never pushed him. He was perhaps the only one in the entire realm who understood Kyran’s pain. After all, the City of Marwa had once been his home too. The difference was that Kyran chose to leave; Hadrian had been thrown out.

A knock sounded on his door. Hadrian didn’t turn, but called for Machado to enter. He always knew when it was Machado; his knock was always so hurried and urgent.

The door opened and loud steps clicked on the marble floor, but Hadrian still didn’t face him.

“Sir,” Machado started. “We’ve received confirmation. Preparations are almost complete. We are set to execute the plan.”

Hadrian smiled. “Good,” he said. “Ensure everyone understands what it is they have to do. Mistakes won’t be tolerated.”

“Yes, sir,” Machado replied.

Hadrian waited, but Machado didn’t take his leave. Hadrian finally turned to see the vamage standing there, looking uneasy.

“Is there something you wish to ask?” Hadrian said.

“Sir, I was just wondering…” Machado swallowed hard. “The Scorcher – it was clear that he’s against this. He won’t be happy when he finds out.” The glittery blue eyes held fast to Hadrian’s. “What will you tell him?”

Hadrian took a step towards him. “Are you afraid of Kyran, Machado?” he asked.

Machado dropped his gaze to the floor. “I’m afraid of his capabilities, sir.”

Hadrian stared at him. Then the corners of his lips turned upwards. “Good,” he said. “You should be afraid of Kyran, and especially of his capabilities.” He shook his head. “Go. Do what I’ve asked of you. Kyran won’t touch you – you have my word.”

“With all due respect, sir,” Machado said, “the Scorcher may not wait to consult with you before taking out his anger.”

“Kyran won’t do anything to you, not before talking to me,” Hadrian said. “And when he does, he’ll find what happened was nothing more than a profitable coincidence.” His eyes hardened. “I never gave you these orders. You never left with a team. It was an opportunistic attack, one that gave us what we needed the most. Kyran will be pleased with the result, even if he doesn’t agree with the way it was achieved.” He tilted his head to the doors. “Now go and arrange the happy accident.”

Machado nodded. “Yes, sir.” He was about to leave when he paused. “Sir, the Hunters we will take care of, but you never stated what you would like us to do with the others.”

Hadrian paused for a moment, then said, “Kill them.”

Machado nodded. “How many, sir?”

Hadrian’s eyes darkened. “All of them.”

A smile finally came to Machado’s face. He nodded and quickly left the room.

Hadrian turned back to the window, to admire the beauty of the dawn once more, before making his way to the dining room, to have breakfast with his son.

***

The hours passed in a blur for Aaron. He found he didn’t do anything the whole day but just sit and think, trying to work his mind through everything he had learnt the previous night.

Absent-mindedly, he watched Ella lead a group of Hunters past the Gate, armed with their weapons, riding their motorbikes. He had seen Skyler do the same not an hour before. He found himself wondering what had happened – what would warrant two sets of Hunters leaving within an hour of each other. On any other day, Aaron would have asked around until he got an answer. Today, Aaron couldn’t convince himself to get up. He knew the likely answer, anyway. Hadrian had declared war on them. His vamages were probably wreaking havoc somewhere. It would explain why the Hunters were leaving with haste. Aaron closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

His dad had left earlier that day with Neriah and a whole army of mages, travelling to the Blade of Adams. This was the acid test – to see if Kyran was, in fact, the legacy holder for Earth. If he was, then Chris wouldn’t be able to wield the Blade, rendering him drained and out of commission for a few days. If not, then Chris would be returning to Salvador with one of the four mightiest weapons of this realm.

They could do as many tests as they wanted but Aaron knew the truth. Kyran was the legacy holder for Earth, because Kyran was Ben. He was Benjamin Adams, Aaron’s older brother.

Aaron couldn’t explain how it was that Ben survived the brutal Lycan attack, or how it’s even possible for Ben’s blue eyes to change to vivid green, and why his parents felt Ben die when he didn’t. But somehow, Aaron just
knew
Kyran was Ben. He could feel it, deep inside him, a certainty that no amount of conflicting evidence could shake.

Aaron felt the bite of the wind at his cheeks, but he stubbornly stayed where he was, sitting at the doorstep of their cottage.

The door opened behind him.

“Hey,” Kate called. “What are you doing sitting here alone? Where’s Samuel and Rosalyn?”

“They’re at the Stove,” Aaron said. “They wanted to help clear up after dinner.”

Aaron knew it was an excuse. Sam and Rose just wanted some space, so they could discuss the possibility of Kyran being Aaron’s brother in privacy. Aaron didn’t really mind. He needed the solitude to figure things out himself.

Kate rubbed her arms against the chill. “You want to come inside?” she asked.

“In a minute,” Aaron replied.

His mum sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling him in for a hug. “I know this is a lot to take in,” she started quietly. “It’s a lot for us, too. I never thought...” She paused and took in a breath. “Finding out that Ben is alive… It’s a miracle that I never imagined.”

Aaron wasn’t surprised. He could never forget the memory he had watched. He saw for himself how brutally Ben had been attacked. The Lycans had torn chunks out of his body. They had thrown him from one to the other, catching him with their sharp teeth. If not the injuries and blood loss, then surely the poison from the Lycans’ fangs would have killed him. How could anyone, let alone a child of four years old, survive something like that?

Kate rubbed his arm, mistaking his trembling for being cold. “You sure you don’t want to come inside?” she asked. “It starts to get quite cold in May.”

“Weird that,” Aaron mumbled. “Supposed to be summer in May.”

“In some parts of the human realm,” Kate corrected. “But in this realm, it’s the end of autumn.”

Aaron sat with his mum for long, silent minutes, before clearing his throat.

“I wanted to ask you something,” he said. “Dad kept saying he couldn’t feel Kyran. How does that work?” He shifted out of her embrace so he could face her. “I mean, how do you know if someone is a part of your family? What is it that you feel?”

Kate took in a deep breath, hugging her arms to her chest. “It’s a feeling deep in your bones,” she said. “When you’re physically close to someone from your bloodline, you have a familiarity that you can’t ignore. You’re comfortable around them, you feel at ease. But this bond should still be felt when physically away from each other.” She closed her eyes. “Right this moment, I should be able to feel both my sons. I should be able to sense Ben’s presence, no matter how far away he is.” She sighed. “But I can’t. The only one I can sense is you.” She looked at Aaron. “I feel a void, a deep empty space where Ben’s supposed to be.” She shook her head, reaching up with one hand to caress her forehead. “I’ve felt it for fourteen years. I’ve walked around with a hole in my soul, just like your dad has, but all this time, Ben was right here.”

Aaron looked down at the ground, not able to watch the pain on his mum’s face. “Tell me more,” he said quietly. “About this bond.”

Kate took in a breath and dropped her hand into her lap. “Simply put, Aaron, the bond is what tells you who your family is. You can sense when they’re around. It’s like you can recognise them by their footsteps alone. If they’re in trouble, you can feel it.”

“And if you call for them…” Aaron started quietly. “If you ask for their help, even if they’re in another city, in another zone, they can hear you?”

Kate smiled. “They can’t actually
hear
you, in the proper sense of the word,” she said. “But that’s what it’s named, ‘hearing calls’. But it’s more like they can feel it. If you call out to someone in your family, they know you need them. You don’t even need to raise your voice. You call for them in your mind and they will hear you.”

Aaron didn’t say anything.

“We should go inside,” she said. “It’s getting chilly.”

Aaron nodded but he didn’t move.

Kate paused for a moment before leaning over and kissing his head. “Don’t stay out here for too long,” she said softly, getting up and going into the cottage.

Aaron sat for a few minutes, trying to take it all in. That’s why Kyran had come the day Rose got attacked by a hell hound. Aaron, in panicked desperation, had called out for Kyran and he had come running, even though he hadn’t been in the same zone. When Aaron asked how he knew they needed help, Kyran had replied it was because Aaron was wearing his pendant – a necklace Hunters wore to keep in contact with Scott and each other during a hunt. But Aaron knew he had lost his pendant before Rose had got attacked. It had been nagging Aaron ever since, how Kyran heard his calls for help. Now he knew. Kyran hadn’t heard him; he had felt him. Kyran felt the pull when Aaron, his younger brother, called to him. And just like so many times before, Kyran had come to his aid.

Aaron got up. The wind ruffled his hair. The sun was getting ready to set. For a moment, Aaron just stood there, motionless, eyes staring at the empty street. Then he stepped forward, instead of turning to go indoors, and headed towards the Gate.

Aaron walked through the forest until he was sure he had left the Gateway leading to the Gate of Salvador far behind. He couldn’t risk anyone coming to, or going from, Salvador seeing him.

Aaron stopped at a small clearing. The air felt warmer here. Aaron had no idea if it was because he was this deep in the woods or because he had been walking for so long that he had built up a sweat. He went to a short tree stump and sat down. For almost ten minutes, Aaron did nothing but sit there.

The last six months he had been in this realm, he had spent four of them with his brother without knowing it. All his conversations, his time training, every moment he’d spent with Kyran flashed through his mind. The morning after they met, Kyran had interrupted Aaron when he was introducing himself. Aaron had been so surprised that Kyran knew who he was. When he’d asked how, Kyran had smirked and replied, ‘
You look like your father.
’

Aaron tried to imagine what it must’ve been like for Kyran, to see his brother and recognise him because he resembled their father – the father that had left him and disappeared from the realm.

Aaron had been forced to wait for four months in Salvador, not knowing where his parents were, when they were going to come back. Kyran had waited fourteen years.

Aaron remembered Kyran trying to convince him to give up on his parents, that they weren’t coming back.

‘Ace, they’ve done this before. Your parents ran out on this realm and didn’t look back for fourteen years.’

‘Yes, but at that time they didn’t leave behind their son!’
Aaron had replied.

Aaron cringed. He closed his eyes, shaking his head at what he had unknowingly said. He thought about the way Kyran had changed the subject then, taking him away to train. At the time, Aaron thought Kyran had done that for him, to distract him. Now, he wondered whether that distraction was for him, or for Kyran himself.

Aaron let out a heavy breath. Kyran had looked out for him, risked his own life to save him from a collapsing Q-Zone, taken him away from Skyler’s beatings, protected him on hunts, stood before him, shielded him – Kyran had done it all, not because Aaron was an inexperienced Hunter, but because Aaron was his younger brother.

‘You think that’s why I call you Ace?’
Kyran had asked.
‘To make fun of you?’