Blaize and the Maven: The Energetics Book 1 (7 page)

She took Nixie in her arms and spun her light frame around.
 

“I knew you'd do it.” As Nixie's feet touched the floor again, she stepped back and wrinkled her nose. “Put you through your paces did they? You need a shower.”

“I haven’t slept or eaten for nearly two days. A shower’s on my list, but I want some food first. I feel too buzzed to sleep.”

“Do you want a fruit shake? Or I could put a fruit salad together? You don’t want to eat too much too quickly after a fast.”

“A fruit salad would be great, thanks.” Blaize eyed the light blue hammock hanging in the corner of the balcony. "Mind if I hang out here?”

“Of course. But you have to tell me all about it as you do
—
and don’t fall asleep.” Nixie went into the kitchen and asked over her shoulder, “Did Mom manage to keep a straight face?”

Blaize settled into the hammock. “Pretty much. She didn’t change her expression even when I was almost poisoned to death.”

“What?” Nixie ran back onto the balcony, a mango in one hand and a knife in the other.

Blaize laughed. “I’m fine. Now, anyway. It was harder than I thought it would be. I don’t know what they used, but it was difficult to dig it all out of my system. I managed it, but it was closer than I would have liked.”

“I don’t know how Mom stayed impassive through that.” Nixie shook her head.

“I don’t think she’d have let me die …" Blaize's brow wrinkled, "but it doesn’t matter anyway. It’s done.”

Blaize rocked herself in the hammock, one foot out and balanced on the floor to give her a little momentum. She filled Nixie in on all the details while she worked her way through two bowls of fruit salad.
 

An hour or so later, when Blaize’s eyes felt heavy and she and Nixie had hashed through every detail of the trial, Blaize heard the soft crunch of tires on sand. The car's headlights raked the balcony as it parked under a larger house nearby.

“Mum’s back. Are you going to talk to her? It doesn’t look as if she has anyone with her. She must have dropped the others off at their hotel after supper.”

“I should probably have a shower before I speak to her.”

Nixie shook her head vigorously, her silky black hair flying around her face. “Don’t be silly! She’s your Aunt as well as your Maven. She’ll want to talk to you straight away to discuss how it went.”

“And give me some feedback no doubt.” Blaize winced. She loved her Aunt, but Fai didn’t make any allowances in their Maven-Adherent relationship for their family connection.

“Off you go. Pop back later if you feel like it.” Nixie poked Blaize in the side.

Blaize rolled out of the hammock and stretched. “Okay. I'll see how I feel once I've had a chat with her. I'm pretty desperate for a shower and some sleep.”

Nixie put her hand out to squeeze Blaize’s, but Blaize pulled her into another hug. Usually, Nixie was the demonstrative one. This time, Blaize was more than willing to share her happiness.

***

Blaize walked to the main house and caught sight of herself in the car’s windows. She winced at her tangled hair and the crumpled clothes that had been stored in the scooter’s seat compartment. But Nixie was right, Fai would want to see her as soon as possible. And Blaize wanted to see Fai and thank her again for the long years of training that had finally paid off.

Blaize rang the cowbell that served as a doorbell. Its resonant sound vibrated through her, and she took a deep breath, still a little spaced from the last couple of days.

When the door opened, Marius stood before her. He smiled and took her in strong arms. As he hugged her tight, he said, “Blaize, love, congratulations. I knew you could do it. Not an easy crowd to impress but you managed it.”
 

He squeezed her again before he let her go.

A big man compared to Fai’s slight build, he had several inches on Blaize, who at five feet ten inches wasn’t small for a woman. He had a broad chest, with an imposing bulk when he chose to wield it that way. Which he rarely did. He was one of the kindest men Blaize had ever known—a man who had acted as a father to her since her own had died when she was nine.

She realised she was still standing there. “Sorry, Marius. I’m exhausted, I was miles away. Thank you.”

He grinned and nodded. “After my first Chakra trial, I slept for two days straight. Of course, you're shattered
—
but I’m so glad you came over. Fai and I need to talk to you.”

Blaize wasn’t too tired to catch the seriousness in his tone. “What’s the matter? Is everything alright?”
 

She hoped there wasn’t a problem. She didn't have the energy for an important discussion.

“Everything’s fine. Come through to the living room.”

They moved into a spacious room on the right, with big open windows that let in the cool night air. Cushions were scattered across the floor, with low tables next to them. Fai sat near one of the windows but rose to her feet when they came in. She put her hands on Blaize’s shoulders and looked into her eyes, examining her deeply. Blaize shuffled, and Fai sighed and opened her arms. Blaize stepped into them and put her arms around her aunt.

When she looked up at Blaize, tears shimmered in the corners of Fai’s eyes.
 

Blaize's eyes widened. “Aunt Fai, what’s the matter? I’m fine, I made it; you should be happy.”

She put her hand up to the other woman’s cheek and wiped away a tear.
 

Fai nodded. “Blaize, darling, I'm so proud of you.”

Blaize's throat tightened.
Huh.
She wasn’t sure she’d ever heard Fai say that before. Blaize drew away, and said, “Let me get you some water.”

Marius, who'd watched till now in silence, shook his head. “Sit down, both of you. There are things to discuss. I’ll get the water.”

Blaize frowned. Something was going on. Fai returned to her seat and beckoned Blaize to follow. Blaize sank down onto a soft, flat floor cushion from India. On the walls were Chinese and Thai wall hangings, their only common ground bright colours and strong prints. As most energetics did, Fai and Marius had moved around in their long years together, and their house was a showcase of the best of all their travels.
 

What does Fai need to tell me?
A small spike of anxiety hit Blaize, chasing away some of the grey fog in her brain.

“You did well," Fai said. "You worried me with the poison, but your finesse with the energy on the first task was beautiful.”

“Thank you, Aunt Fai.” Blaize's chest loosened.

“But your drive and competitive nature was noted by the judges. You must keep your ambition and anger under control. Your power is too strong to be combined with any kind of aggression. Huo was able to get under your skin too easily.” Her voice was gentle, but the rebuke still stung.

“It’s under control. I just wanted to pass the trial and make you proud.”

Fai pursed her lips as Marius came back into the room with a jug of water and some glasses. He put them down on the table before he levered his body next to Fai. He leaned against the wall next to the window and put his arm around his wife. Her posture didn’t change, but she inclined her head towards him a fraction.

“Fai, Blaize knows to be careful with her power
—
you trained her, after all. And her power can only help her in her journey,” Marius said.
 

Blaize looked at him. “What journey?”

His face was innocent. “Your journey through life.”

She narrowed her eyes. The spike of anxiety grew. There was no tiredness now. “What do you want to talk to me about?”

“Your Ajna Chakra training,” said Fai.

Blaize frowned.
That has to be a joke.
She kept her tone light. “It’s a bit soon for that isn’t it? I’ve just passed Manipura.”
 

Fai and Marius exchanged a glance.
Not a joke.
Blaize was confused now, as well as anxious. Energetics always had a break between their dominant and auxiliary training. She’d been looking forward to spending time on the island, and then working as a Warrior, capturing Rogues.

“You can have a month off to relax and recharge," Fai said. "But we want you to continue with your training soon.”

“A month? After five years of training? You want me to have a month off and then spend another five years training? I want
—
I need
—
more.” Blaize’s voice rose. She took a breath and closed her eyes. “Maybe this isn’t a good time to talk about it. I’m really tired.”
 

She could barely think straight. She wouldn't win an argument with Fai feeling like this.
 

“The decision is made.” Again that soft tone, with undertones of steel. “You’re a strong energetic, and your control is good, as you’ve shown in the last twenty-four hours. But you're still ruled by the emotions of Manipura
—
and yet you have access to Ajna. When you harness the power of your mind, you could be one of the greatest leaders we’ve ever seen. Perhaps even a Circle member one day.”

Blaize blinked. “There’s no rush for that. Grandmother’s tough. She won’t be going anywhere for years.”

“Child, Grandmother is one of the older energetics. She’s tired and ready to step back from her leadership role. There’s no rush
—
for her, another ten, twenty, thirty years is nothing, but we need to push you along more quickly than we discussed when you were young. You are her chosen successor, and the family supports that choice
—
but only if you have the best possible grip on your power. Until now you have focused on your dominant Chakra, Manipura. Your personality and attitudes are shaped by this. You are passionate, vibrant, and powerful. But,” she held up a hand to forestall any comment from Blaize, “you can also be quick to anger, volatile, stubborn, and you love to have the last word.”

Blaize scowled, and then tried to wipe the scowl off her face as she registered the content of Fai’s words.
Damn. Boxed in.

“I’ve loved training with you Aunt Fai. Well, mostly,” she corrected herself and her lips quirked up. “I’ve learned so much from you. And I’m proud to be an energetic, a member of our family, and now a Practitioner member of Manipura Guild. But I wanted some time to do other things. To be out there, using the powers I’ve developed, without someone looking over my shoulder all the time."
 

Fai's face was impassive, Marius's sympathetic. Neither looked as though Blaize's arguments were changing their minds. She tried again.

"To go from you to another Maven means going from one person being responsible for me to another. Plus, who would it be?" She struggled to keep her voice even given what Fai had said to prompt it, but with those last words it rose and cracked a little. "It’s not as if there are loads of Ajna Mavens. It’s got to be a very short list. And none of them are based on the island, or even in Thailand. … Are you sending me away?”
 

“Of course we’re not sending you away Blaize, my darling. But if you’d worked in the human world again, or as a Warrior, you would have left us,” Marius said.

“I could have come back whenever I liked. If training for Ajna’s anything like Manipura, I’ll be too busy to come back for a while, won’t I?” The idea hurt. The island was her home. And after so many years of intensive training, she'd looked forward to time to relax. Time to recharge.

Fai nodded.

“So it’s like sending me away.”

“A very old, good friend of mine has offered to train you,” Marius said.

 
Fai seemed to wince at this, but Blaize wasn’t sure why. Blaize’s growing sense of confusion told her there was still more going on here than she was being told, but she didn't have the energy to think of the right questions to puzzle it out.
 

“His name is Cuinn. You met him when you were young. You may not remember. I grew up with him in Ireland when I was a young man. We had some good times together, he and I, and Fintan later on.”

Fintan, she knew
—
first as an honorary Uncle, and then when she'd been training for her Manipura
—
as a colleague with whom she'd been on several Rogue runs. But she'd never heard of this other man.

“Quinn? With a Q?”

“It’s spelled with a C. He was born in Ireland, same as me, a couple of hundred years ago,” said Marius. “That’s how we know each other.”

“If you were so close, how come he hasn’t visited for a decade?” demanded Blaize.

“He had some challenges in his personal life about fifty years ago, and he hasn’t been very sociable since then. He’s a powerful Ajna-Muladhara mix. He could have been Guild Leader if he’d wanted, and he’s been a Master for many hundreds of years. He’s been Maven to several energetics.”

Blaize’s lips flattened. He didn't sound like much fun. Powerful but disinterested in people. He was probably arrogant to boot. “But he’s feeling sociable again now?”

“Something like that." Marius gave a slight cough. "He lives with his cousins Tierra and Adam, a couple of hours outside Vancouver, Canada. Adam’s not there much of the time, as he travels with his job, but Tierra keeps house and makes it a home. She’s wonderful, Muladhara-Anahata, and loves to look after people. I think the two of you will get on.”

Blaize was less sure. She was an action-taker. The things she enjoyed most in life were physical
—
sports, martial arts. She loved setting goals and challenges. She didn't think that she'd have much in common with a homebody like that.
 

“So it’s already been decided? And everyone knows but me?” Blaize struggled to hide her hurt feelings and got to her feet.

“Blaize. We’re trying to give you the best possible chance to develop your energies, and evolve and grow to be a truly great energetic. To fulfill your potential as a leader. You’ll be part of safeguarding the future of our race, and you owe it to yourself as well as everyone else to take every opportunity to harness your powers.” Fai spoke from the floor, but Marius got up as Blaize had. He leaned down and stroked a hand over Fai's dark hair as he stood beside her still, seated form.