Under A Blood Moon (Elemental Enchanters) (30 page)

“Damn. So they’ve been warring for over three-hundred years?”

“Yes, but about thirty years ago, Corbin showed up extremely weakened and Savina killed him. No one knows what happened to him, but everything was at peace until recently when Devon Maunsell escaped the Cruciari.”

“What’s that?”

“A prison for Enchanters that’s completely surrounded by water. They negate your powers once you enter.”

“How did he escape?”

“I don’t know, but Savina and Colden seem to have a theory that they apparently don’t think we’re capable of hearing it.”

Ava couldn’t believe how honest
she’d been with him, or how much she had told him. She was digging a hole for herself deep in the earth.

“
Devon is creating an army to seek revenge against Savina and Colden for killing Corbin and imprisoning him and his counterparts. He wants all our powers for himself so he’ll be the strongest Enchanter alive.”

“What would happen if he were?”

“He’d carry out Corbin’s vision of having an Ephemeral-free world.”

“So where do I or Xavier or Seth fit in with all this?”

“He’s using Ephemerals in his army. Meaning, he’s changing them into Enchanters. That’s what Trudy, the woman from last night, was trying to do to you. Milo, the man, was compelled. He had no idea what he was doing.”

“So Seth is a
n Enchanter?” His voice rose.

“
He’s a Halfling. Part Ephemeral, part Enchanter. But he was coerced into it.”

“And Xavier did that?”

“Savina seems to think Xavier is just doing as he’s told as well. I don’t believe it though.”

“
Do you think he did that with all of them in his group?”

“I know he did. Or someone compelled them.”

He shook his head. “Why didn’t they make me an Enchanter? Or Halfling?”

“I think you can protect yourself. Savina seems to think you’re a Paramortal, an extraordinary human. She couldn’t read your mind last night.”

“She can do that?”

“Unfortunately. I overheard Xavier talking about someone who wouldn’t budge. I think they were talking about you. How did you stop them from getting inside your head?”

“I don’t know. I just wanted out of there. I refused to give them what they wanted. But if I could protect myself, I don’t think I would have come out of that place with as many broken bones as I did.”

“It might be a mental thing. I really don’t know. It’s all speculation.”

He shook his head. “That’s crazy to think. How old are you? Are you immortal?”

“
Enchanters aren’t immortal, we just have longevity. And I’m still seventeen. Once we grow into our adult bodies, the aging slows.”

“
How old were you when all this began?”

“
Technically, when I was born. My mother was an Enchanter, who belonged to Savina’s Aureole. But we all met Savina and Colden when we were seven.”

“
What happened when you met them? Did your parents just take you there one day?”

“For me, it was right after my mom died
. I saw Savina sitting on a bench one day. It was uncanny how much she looked like my mom. She took my hand and led me to the Manor. I wasn’t afraid of her, but when I got there, I got scared and didn’t want to be there. She and Colden wiccaned us that night.”

“What does that mean?”

“It just means to discover our powers.”

“
How does that happen?”

“She
and Colden drew blood from each of us, we drank it, and then we saw these amazing illusions in the glass ceiling. I’ll never forget it.”

“What
kind of illusions?”

“They represented our powers. There was the sun, moon, the earth, ocean, fire, and the wind.
We are the Elemental Enchanters, the rarest of our kind and all in the same coven.”

“So if
Devon wants all your powers, does that mean you all are the strongest?”

“In theory. We’re still young and very naïve.”

“How are you okay with all of this? I mean, were you conditioned from day one that this would be your life?”

“
Not me. I’m sure if my mom was alive, then yes. I struggled with it for so long because it meant I had to give you up.”

“Are
Enchanters and Ephemerals not allowed to be together?”

“It’s difficult. I’m breaking my oath by telling you everything. But my dad recently told me he was a Halfling. My
mother had to convince her Aureole that they belonged together. My dad loved her so much that he gave up his Ephemeral life to become an Enchanter.”

“How
does a human become one?”

She hesitated. “The
Ephemeral drinks blood of the Enchanters, ingesting bits of their powers.”

“
So your dad has powers?”

“They’re fading. They do that when your offspring develops their power. If you never have kids, you become strong like Savina and
Aaron.”

“
What about Corbin? Why didn’t his powers ever weaken when he had Colden?”

“Because Colden never developed his ability.”

“Why doesn’t he live his life as a human? I mean, what does he do?”

“He can do
most of things that all Enchanters can, but doesn’t have a unique power. And he isn’t very strong.”

“How does he stand that? Everyone around him is powerful.”

“He hated everything his father stood for so much, that he’ll do anything to keep us and the Ephemerals safe.”

Peter peered out the window, and Ava wondered what he was thinking. Instead, she just kept driving. Impatiently waiting for him to say something.

“What will happen to you now that you’ve told me all this?”

Her dream
of Savina and her Aureole about to kill her came back to her and it made her shudder. “I don’t know.”

“
It’s something bad, huh?”

“
I could incur a harsh punishment. I didn’t talk to them before telling you all this. And I took you today, which Savina won’t be happy about at all.”

“Would they hurt you?”

“They could. I don’t know what my penalty will be.”

“But you haven’t done anything wrong. Think about it. If you hadn’t saved me, I would have known about
Devon and you regardless.”

He had a point. “But since we did save you, you weren’t going to know anything. You would have been safe.”

“And how long do you think it would take for Xavier to come after me again? Especially if Savina had erased my mind. I wouldn’t know who he was or that he was bad.”

“She said she would have kept you safe.”

“What does that mean? Was she going to ship me off somewhere like I was in some sort of witness protection?”

“
Possibly.”

They were both quiet for a long while. The rain stopped as she pulled her car onto an exit ramp. She made a turn and drove
on to a long, high bridge. The crystal blue ocean partially shimmered below them under the partly cloudy sky. Once she crossed, she drove through the long hotel strip, found a public part of the beach, and parked her car in the small lot. The beach was deserted, especially since there was a hurricane threat. She got out and Peter followed as the wind picked up, whipping her hair in her face.

“I can’t believe we’re at the beach,” he said. “It seemed like a short drive. How fast were you going?”

Ava shrugged, tucked her hands in her hoodie pockets, and trudged through the white sand toward the water. “I don’t know.”

“
You mentioned those illusions reflecting your powers. Which one was yours?”

She felt her lips
twitch into a smile. “The ocean. I’m a Water Enchanter. I can conjure it, imagine people downing in it, and breathe underwater. Remember that day it snowed?”

“Yeah.”

“I turned the rain into snow. I can’t make it rain or anything, but I can turn water into ice or make it boil. At least, I think I can. I haven’t really tried.”

“Wow
. What about the others?”

“Thomas
is fire. He can create it.”

“
How did he burn you?” He gritted his teeth, pointing to her arms, which had already healed.

“
Because he can’t seem to control his anger, he grabbed me by the arms and squeezed. It felt like he had wrapped my arms in hot coils.”

He shook his head.
“I can’t believe he did that to you. What can the others do?”

“
Melissa is an Earth Enchanter,” she said. “She can move dirt, rocks, and things like that. And can poison people. Lance is the Sun, and can absorb powers. Gillian is the Moon, and controls minds.”

Peter stopped.
“Did she mess with me?”

She turned and met his frightened eyes. “No.
”

“
But she could?”

Ava nodded
. “That day you and Thomas fought, he threatened he would get Gillian to mess with your mind. That’s why I didn’t correct you when you thought I was still in love with Thomas.”

“But when he kissed you—.”

“That was Gillian making me feel that way,” she said and then stared out among the building waves. Red flags flapped hard in the wind cautioning anyone to go into the water. The constant thunder of the water colliding with itself calmed her. The salty air blew in gusts as seagulls and pelicans glided above in search of food. A large pelican landed on the water, and waded, like a duck in a pond. Its eyes watched the fish below, waiting to grab one.

“That day in the hallway
,” Peter said. “When all those guys walked up to you…”

“She did that
, too. We’re not supposed to harm or kill Ephemerals. But Gillian likes to play.”

“This feels
so surreal. Like a dream.”

“I promise you, it’s not.”

“Well, at least I understand a bit more.”

“You
must
keep this a secret. No one can know.”

He reached inside her pocket, pulled her hand out, and intertwined his fingers with hers. His hand was cold, but she warmed it.
“I promise. I won’t tell anyone.”

The pelican dipped its long beak into the water and pulled it back out, lifting it to the sky to swallow its meal
. Ava crossed her legs and sat in the sand, and Peter followed.

“
Okay, so you accidentally killed this Ephemeral guy when you meant to off the girl, right?”

“Yes.”

“How—how were you going to, you know…?”

“Drown her.”

“What happened? I mean, why didn’t it work?”

“She put images in my head so I couldn’t focus.
”

“
Like what?”

She looked down
and her eyes watered. “She made me see my mom die again.”

“
What?” he shrieked.

“I realize
now she was murdered.”

He cursed. “H-how do you know?”

“She gave me the killer’s memory of that day. Not mine. She made me feel as if I were the one who made the lightning…” Ava shook her head.

He cursed again.
“Was the killer there last night?”

“No. Kristen was there. She can produce lightning.”

Peter took a deep breath. “Does this mean Seth has an ability, too?”

“Yes.”

“Is there any way to save him? I know he’s a good person.”

“I think I finally convinced
my coven that Xavier isn’t a Halfling and that he and Trudy made the Ephemerals into Halflings. Since we didn’t kill Trudy, she and Xavier have gone back to Devon. Colden led an Aureole to find him, but I haven’t heard the outcome of that yet.”

“Would it all be over if
Devon were dead?”

“
One could only hope.” She turned her head back to the ocean. The dark clouds speedily passed over them, covering the sun completely. “How are you not freaked out?”

“
I was last night. But now that I understand more.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter to me what you are.”

“Just what I do.”

“No. It isn’t like you’re out there killing people for no reason. You are protecting humans and yourself. Besides, haven’t you noticed? I’m so much in love with you that it’s overpowering any other sense I might have.”

Her heart skipped a beat.
“Oh, Peter.”

“This
Devon guy won’t win. He won’t take you.”

“I hope.” She stood and moved closer to the edge of the water. “I wanted to explain everything to you to give you a choice instead of Savina taking it from you. I’m hoping this will give you a reason to leave.”