Run To Earth (Power of Four) (34 page)

“Like Earth,” Aaron said. “But that ground ripple thing doesn’t look basic.”

Kyran laughed. “Trust me, babies born yesterday could do it.”

“Thanks,” Aaron remarked as they reached the table. “You know how to make me feel better.” He took his usual seat, across from Sam.

“You’re welcome, Ace.” Kyran grinned and sat next to Ella.

Sam frowned and leant over the table. “Ace?” he asked.

Aaron rolled his eyes. “He thinks he’s being funny,” he explained. “He keeps calling me Ace, to mock me because I can’t do anything right – yet,” he added hastily.

Sam sat back, throwing Kyran an annoyed look. “Git,” he muttered.

“Annoying git,” Aaron murmured back.

“An annoying git who can hear you,” Kyran said, without looking in their direction.

Aaron and Sam ducked their heads, grinning at each other.

“Where’s Rose?” Aaron asked, glancing to the empty seat next to Sam.

“In the Stove,” Sam replied. He played with his food, glancing every so often at Aaron. Finally, he cleared his throat. “Scott came to see us,” he said quietly. He met Aaron’s worried eyes. “We got his permission. We’re going to a Q-Zone in five days’ time.”

***

“Scott?”

Scott looked up from the round table, dark-circled eyes widening at Aaron.

“Aaron?” he said. “What are you doing here this late?”

“I wanted to speak with you,” Aaron said. “About the Q-Zone.”

Scott nodded. “I can understand your concern,” he said, before sighing loudly. “Truth is, I’m more than concerned myself. I feel like I’m fighting my natural instinct by sending Sam and Rose out there–”

“I’m going too.”

Scott paused, his mouth left hanging open. “I’m sorry?”

“To the Q-Zone,” Aaron explained. “I get it. You need to do this to get the vamages. Sam and Rose’s offer is too good to turn down. I get all of that.” He paused, holding Scott’s gaze. “I just wanted you to know that I’m going with them.”

“I can’t allow that, Aaron. You’re not trained yet,” Scott said.

“Are Sam and Rose trained?” Aaron asked.

“Aaron.” Scott stood up from his seat and walked around the table to come to Aaron’s side. “They’re going to be surrounded by Hunters the whole time–”

“Good,” Aaron said. “Then I’ll be surrounded by them too. ’Cause wherever my friends go, I go.”

“It’s too dangerous and I can’t risk you,” Scott said.

“But you can risk Sam and Rose?” Aaron asked. “Or is it that you don’t care about the lives of two humans?”

Scott’s face coloured with anger, pink spots in his pale cheeks. “You know that’s not true,” he said. “I value the lives and well-being of humans above everything else.”

“Then prove it,” Aaron said. “Send me, a mage – better yet, an Elemental – where you’re sending the humans.”

Scott fell still. His mouth clicked closed and he straightened up, staring at Aaron intently. Aaron turned and walked to the door. “It’s not going to work,” Scott said. “You’re not getting permission by challenging me.”

Aaron paused at the door. “I’m sorry, Scott,” he said, turning around. “I think you misunderstood me. I’m not challenging you, and I’m not asking for your permission, either.”

Scott smiled as he slipped both his hands into his pockets. “A mage needs the permission of the Controller to go to a Q-Zone hunt,” he said. “It’s the rule.”

“Maybe,” Aaron said. He reached behind him and pulled out a thin book that had been rolled and stuffed into his back pocket. “But thanks to this, I now know that an Elemental doesn’t follow the same rules as mages.”

Scott eyed the book, his expression turning grim. “What is that?” he asked quietly.

“One of the books I found in the store,” Aaron replied. “It’s the case study for the trial of one Perves Giovanni.” He noted the faint shiver the name brought to Scott. “It makes it pretty clear that the Elementals rule this realm.”

Scott didn’t say anything. He didn’t deny it nor confirm it. He simply stared at Aaron with wide blue eyes.

“Elementals don’t listen to anyone,” Aaron continued. “They do what they want. They make the rules, the decisions, and they don’t have to get anyone’s permission. ”

“Not completely,” Scott replied. “The Elementals have to listen to one another.”

“Good,” Aaron said. “Because I’ve already spoken with Skyler and Ella, and they–”

“Not them.” Scott shook his head. “You have to speak to the oldest Elemental, which happens to be Neriah,” Scott explained. “And Neriah would never give you permission to enter a Q-Zone with next to no training.”

Aaron stepped closer, staring Scott straight in the eyes. “Then unless Neriah comes in the next five days to tell me I can’t do it, I’m going with my friends.”

“Aaron,” Scott began, desperation in his voice.

“You don’t want me to go?” Aaron asked. “Then take Sam and Rose out of this plan and I won’t go. But if you’re sending my best friends to face demons, then I’m going with them.”

***

The days slipped past in preparation for the vamage Q-Zone hunt. On the big day, Hunters arrived from all over the realm with the same enthusiasm as before. But when they learnt of Aaron’s involvement in the Q-Zone hunt, along with Sam and Rose’s, nervousness seemed to take the place of their excitement. None of them, it seemed, wanted to risk the humans – a notion Aaron agreed with.

In preparation for the Q-Zone, Aaron had trained endlessly over the last five days. He practised with Kyran from dawn till dusk, working until his exhaustion made his legs give out from under him. He put all his effort, his strength, his sheer determination to protect his friends into his training. He managed to make the ground shake, even crack a little, but it was barely enough to sway the targeted trees. He was left with heavy disappointment and a burning tingle in his fingertips.

“Just stick by our side,” Ella told him, as Aaron stood with his arms held out, letting Ella and Zhi-Jiya fuss over him, tightening the straps across his torso and back. “You’ll be fine.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about,” Aaron said.

Ella paused to look up at Aaron before doing up the buckle at his side. “Relax,” she said. “
Your friends will be fine. They’re going to have me, Skyler, Kyran and Zulf surrounding them – and you for that matter.”

“I still can’t believe Scott’s letting you go,” Zhi-Jiya said, buckling another holster tightly around his upper arm. “You have to jump through all sorts of hoops to get Scott’s permission for a Q-Zone hunt.” She studied Aaron. “What’d you do?”

“Nothing,” Aaron replied. “I just told him he couldn’t stop me since I’m an Elemental.”

Ella whistled, sharing an amused look with Zhi-Jiya. “You used the Elemental card?” Ella asked. “Never knew you had it in you, Aaron.”

“It’s not like I enjoyed it,” Aaron said. “Scott’s always been pretty decent to me. I didn’t like forcing him, but...” He trailed off before letting out a sigh. “They’re my best friends. I can’t let them do this on their own.”

Ella and Zhi-Jiya didn’t say anything but continued tightening the buckles. Aaron looked down at himself.

“I look weird,” he said. He could only make out the top of his blue vest. The rest was hidden behind the criss-crossing straps of leather that had various slits and pockets for weapons.

“You look like a kid playing dress up,” Zhi-Jiya said.

Ella laughed. “I think you look cute.”

Aaron wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, that’s what a Hunter wants: to look
cute
.”

“Hey, idiot.” Ella tapped him lightly on the head. “You’re not a Hunter – not yet and, by the looks of it, not ever.”

“Hey,” Aaron protested. “I’ve only just started training.”

“True,” Zhi-Jiya mused, buckling a holster onto one of Aaron’s thighs. “Just ’cause Kyran’s naturally gifted doesn’t mean he can work miracles.” She looked up and winked at Aaron.

“You got the right tutor, though,” Ella said. “Listen to Kyran and do what he tells you. You’ll be thankful for it.”

“He’s that good, is he?” Aaron asked, already knowing the answer.

“Kyran’s unbelievable,” Zhi-Jiya said. “Not many can go up against an Elemental and still walk away.” She smirked. “Especially an Elemental like Skyler.”

“Has Kyran ever defeated Skyler?” Aaron asked.

Ella shared a look with Zhi-Jiya – one that seemed to say, ‘Did he seriously just ask that?’

“No one can defeat an Elemental,” Zhi-Jiya explained. “Except perhaps another Elemental.”

“But Kyran’s come pretty close,” Ella said. “He seriously knows how to use his core.”

“No wonder Skyler doesn’t like him,” Zhi-Jiya said, amused.

“Seriously?” Aaron asked. “Skyler feels threatened by Kyran?”

“Wouldn’t you?” Zhi-Jiya asked. “If you, being the Elemental for Earth, met someone who was
almost
as gifted as you and used the power of Earth with
almost
the same natural ease, wouldn’t that bother you?”

Aaron refrained from pulling a face. “I think everyone knows more about the power of Earth than I do,” he grumbled. “But if Skyler is that uncomfortable with Kyran, how come he lets Kyran go to all the hunts?”

“Kyran is just that good,” Ella said as she snapped his gun holster around his back. “As much as Skyler would just
love
to refuse Kyran permission for hunts, even he can’t deny Kyran’s got talent.” She shrugged. “And if he gets too stupid, which does happen every now and again, I step in and give Kyran permission.”

She tightened the last strap and moved away, giving him a look all over. She nodded her head in satisfaction.

“Now the fun part,” Zhi-Jiya said, rubbing her hands together in glee. “Pick your familiars, Aaron.”

Aaron looked to the shelves lined with all sorts of weapons. He didn’t have a clue what kind he should go for. He moved to the cabinet that held long, shiny swords. He reached out for the nearest one, when Ella grabbed his wrist, halting him.

“You’re not strong enough for swords yet,” she said, pulling him back. “How about these instead?” She nodded towards the other shelves – the ones that held a selection of firearms.

With a twisted knot in his stomach, Aaron walked over to the shelf and stared at the guns. His heart thudded and his palms became sweaty. He kept his hands by his side, not finding it within him to lift a pistol out.

“Do I really need that?” he found himself asking.

“Not at all.” Kyran walked into the hut. “Only if you want to live through the hunt.”

Aaron let out a strained breath, willing himself to reach out and take one. But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t do it. With a sigh, Kyran picked one up: a black and silver semi-automatic pistol with Aric’s mark sitting proudly on both sides of the grip. Kyran picked up the loaded magazine and slid it inside with a resounding click. He reached over and slotted the pistol in the holster attached to Aaron’s waist.

“Don’t be afraid to use it,” he warned.

Aaron couldn’t find his voice, so he gave Kyran a nod. When Kyran moved away, lifting out weapons for himself, Aaron walked over to another shelf. He stared at a shiny silver dagger with a dark mahogany handle. Carefully, Aaron reached into the glass cabinet and took the blade off its hook. He held the weapon in his hand and took in a deep breath. He waited but nothing happened. He wasn’t catapulted into a memory, like he had when he touched the sword on Drake’s wall. Aaron frowned at the blade, shifting its slight weight in his hand.

“Nice,” Zhi-Jiya commented, coming to his side. “Very good choice for your first blade.”

Aaron put the dagger down. “I don’t want it,” he explained. “I was just looking.”

Zhi-Jiya picked up the same dagger, testing its weight in her hands. “I’ll take it then.”

Aaron watched as she slid the blade into one of the slits on the leather band strapped across her torso.

“Can I ask you something?” he started. “Does everything have flesh memories?”

Zhi-Jiya shrugged. “Pretty much.” She reached up to tug her long ponytail tighter. “Why?”

“I didn’t see anything when I touched that dagger.” He pointed to her pocket. “But I touched a sword and I saw a memory, even though I wasn’t looking for one.”

“Flesh memories are weird.” Zhi-Jiya moved along the shelf picking up more blades. “They work in different ways for different things. The sword you touched had a memory that was in some way connected to you. That’s why you saw it without even searching for it.” She slid a dagger out of its sheath and held it up. “If it has nothing to offer you, it won’t show you anything. If you want to see everything it holds, you have to open the memories yourself.”

“So, theoretically, I’ll see memories on items if they are connected to me?” Aaron asked. His hand crushed the letter that was resting in his pocket. “Without actively looking for them?”

“Depends,” Zhi-Jiya said. “It’s not the thing itself that holds the flesh memories that has to be connected to you. It’s the imprint of the flesh on the item. Mages can pass memories onto one another too, like for example, you saw a memory but you want to share it with me. You would just touch my forehead and bring forward that memory and I would see it in my head.”