Run To Earth (Power of Four) (24 page)

“Yeah,” Aaron replied, “of course I have.” When Matthews pushed him in the school grounds one time, he cut open his palms and knees pretty bad.

“Did it leave behind a scar?” Ella asked.

Aaron shifted from one foot to the other. “Dunno,” he mumbled.

“You don’t know if you have any scars, Adams?”

“I don’t spend a lot of time examining my knees,” Aaron replied.

Ella smirked. “Have a look now,” she said. “Take a good look at yourself. Find me one, just one tiny little scar, a blemish whatsoever anywhere on your body.”

Her eyes trailed his bare chest, prompting Aaron to look down at himself. His skin was smooth, not a mark of any kind in sight, and flawless – just like it always had been.

“Mages don’t scar,” Ella repeated slowly, but her voice had gone quieter. She looked down at her tattoo, her fingers gently traced the lily above her navel. When she looked up at Aaron, her eyes were glistening. “We choose what scars to wear.”

***

After dinner that evening, Aaron and the twins stayed at the table, talking with Ava and Alan, gleaning as much information as they could about Elementals and the war between mages and demons.

Aaron saw a few of the kitchen staff carrying baskets of vegetables into the Stove while Mary stood at the door, hurrying them in.

“What’s Mary doing?” he asked. “We’ve already had dinner.”

“She’s getting the soup on,” Alan said.

“Soup?” Aaron asked. “At this hour?”

“It’s for tomorrow,” Alan replied.

Aaron thought it was strange to start preparing for soup the night before, but he didn’t give it much
more thought. He went back to his discussion about underage Hunters and their recovery period after a Q-Zone kill.

“It’s never more than three days,” Alan explained. “Usually they can recover quicker than that, but this time they were up against Lycans.” He gave a little shudder. “Those things are the nastiest of all demons.”

“Are Lycans really all that common?” Sam asked.

“Very common,” Alan said. “You wouldn’t know it. Lycans walk both realms. You never know who is a Lycan.”

“Except on the nights of the full moon,” Sam pointed out. “You’d know then.”

“Not even then,” Alan said, with a shake of his head. “Lycans aren’t werewolves. They don’t have to turn when it’s the full moon. They can if they want to, but they’re not forced to.”

“Lycans aren’t werewolves?” Rose asked, surprised. “I thought it was just another name for werewolves.”

“Werewolves are dogs,” Ava said. “Lycans...” She paused. “They’re demons.” There was something in her voice, a pain so bright that Aaron felt it pierce his heart.

“You’ve come across Lycans?” he asked, even though a part of him already knew the answer.

Ava nodded, her blue eyes glistening. “My family was killed by Lycans,” she said. “I saw it, watched it happen.”

“Ava,” Rose gasped. “I’m so sorry.”

“How did you escape from them?” Sam asked.

“I didn’t,” Ava replied. “I was only ten when it happened. My mum...” She choked on the word, forcing herself to go on. “She tried to fight, to keep the Lycans away from me and my brother.” Her eyes glazed as she recounted the memory. “She couldn’t stop the beast, not for long. It went for my brother after it...it finished with her. I still remember it, how it attacked him, tore him apart.” She closed her eyes and a tear dropped down her cheek. Aaron had the unbearable urge to wipe it away. He forced himself to stay where he was, his hands clenched into fists by his side.

“I’m so sorry, Ava,” Sam said.

Ava sniffed and wiped at her cheek. “It’s okay,” she said.

“How did you get away?” Aaron asked.

“Ella arrived with a group of Hunters,” she replied. “She was only thirteen then, but she saved my life. She brought me here to Salvador, and ever since then she’s been looking out for me.”

Aaron understood why Ava had tied the black thread onto Ella’s arm. She was the Hunter who saved Ava’s life. That was their special bond.

“Ella was hunting when she was thirteen?” Sam asked incredulously.

“Most Hunters start when they’re thirteen,” Alan answered.

“But isn’t that too young?” Rose asked.

“Maybe years ago, when Hunters had to be of age,” Alan replied. “But nowadays you can start hunting the moment your core wakes up.” He dropped his voice lower. “I reckon we don’t have a choice any more. The way things are going...” He scrunched up his face. “It’s a case of all hands on deck, and maybe, just maybe, we might make it through.”

“How come you don’t go hunting?” Aaron asked.

Alan looked surprised. “Me?” He shook his head. “I don’t have the stomach for it. Can’t handle a gun.” He shrugged. “Thought about being a Lurker, like my old man, but I don’t know. Maybe one day.” He fished out a small ring – a simple gold band, like a wedding ring. Etched on the inside was Aric’s mark and a simple circle with the letter K inside. Aaron figured it stood for ‘Kings’, Alan’s surname.

“I use this sometimes,” Alan said, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. “When I miss him too much. I use the ring to see him. To see what he was like.” He puffed out his chest and smiled. “Imagine myself in his Lurker uniform. Makes me feel good. I imagine when I become a Lurker, the others will point at me and say, ‘There goes Kings’ little lad, looking just like his dad.’” He smiled. “It gets me through most days.”

Rose was staring at the ring. “Sorry, Alan, but did you say you use the ring to see your dad?”

Alan nodded. “Yeah, I use the flesh memories.”

“Flesh what?” Sam asked.

“Flesh memories,” Alan repeated, then seemingly remembered their lack of knowledge for all things mage. He quickly continued, “Sorry. Flesh memories are snippets of moments, stored on items mages have touched or used. Like, this is my dad’s ring.” He held it up. “He used to wear it, so it’s touched his flesh. Anything that my dad did while wearing the ring, a snippet of that event is stored on the ring. When I touch it, I can see the memory in my mind.”

“Can all mages use flesh memories?” Aaron asked.

“As far as I know,” Alan replied.

“Is it only you that can see your father’s memories or can any mage see it?” Aaron asked.

“Anyone can see it,” Alan said, then somewhat reluctantly, he held the ring out to him.

Aaron reached over and took it.

Nothing happened.

“Did you see anything?” Sam asked, breathless with anticipation.

Aaron shook his head.

“You have unlock it,” Alan said. “It doesn’t work by just touching it.”

“What do I unlock?” Aaron asked.

“The memory,” Alan replied.

“How?” Aaron asked.

Alan looked lost. “You...you have to pick the memory.” He gestured to the ring. “Like...you have to....You imagine it and then...you...” He paused. “I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve been doing it for years, so it’s like second nature to me.”

Aaron handed the ring back with disappointment sitting heavily in the pit of his stomach.

***

Aaron and the twins made their way upstairs to their rooms. Sam and Rose climbed the stairs at once, eager to get to their beds after another tiring day. Aaron was trailing behind them when Kyran walked out of the living room. Aaron turned to see Kyran lock the front door, securing the cottage for the night.

Aaron wondered if Kyran would maybe, perhaps, help him. He had seen plenty of moments in his dreams where Kyran was guiding him. But he had also seen one particular dream where Kyran blatantly refused to help him. He gave himself a mental shake. The dreams were not real, and neither were they going to be. Mages weren’t seers. At least, he hoped not.

Kyran turned from the door and stopped at the sight of Aaron just standing there at the stairs, staring at him.

“What?” he asked, being rather short with him.

Aaron ignored it. He cleared his throat. “I was wondering,” he said, “if you could help me with something.”

Kyran’s eyes widened, his eyebrows raised. “What?”

“I need to figure something out.” Aaron turned away from the stairs and faced him. “But I can’t work out how to do it. Could you help me?”

Kyran looked completely thrown. “What did I do that made you think this is okay?”

“Just...listen, please.” Aaron came down the steps and walked forward. “I was talking to Alan and he told me about flesh memories.”

“Yeah, so?”

“So, I was wondering, how do you unlock a memory?”

Kyran paused, watching him with curiosity. “What memory are you after?”

Slowly, Aaron reached into his pocket and pulled out the letter his mum had left him. It had been in his pocket when he got hit with the lake water. As a result, it was now damaged, with the ink smudged in various places. That in itself didn’t upset Aaron. He had read it so many times, he knew the words by heart. He held the crinkled paper up.

“My mum and dad left this for me,” he explained. “Since they obviously touched the letter, I wanted to see the memory attached to it.” Aaron hoped if he could figure out how flesh memories worked, he might be able to see what happened the night his parents left. What they said and did when they wrote the letter.

Kyran stared at him. “Why would you think I would help you?” he asked.

Aaron actually had no good answer. He shrugged. “I dunno. I just reckoned you would.”

Kyran breathed out a sigh and closed his eyes, shaking his head. “Alright,” he said and looked at Aaron, gesturing to the letter. “Hold on to it with both hands.”

Aaron grasped it tightly, his heart somersaulting with excitement.

“Take a deep breath in,” Kyran instructed.

Aaron pulled in a breath and slowly let it out.

“Close your eyes.”

Aaron did.

“Ready?” Kyran asked.

“Yeah.” Aaron nodded.

“Now say out loud, ‘Immababoonsass’.”

“Imma baboons a–” Aaron stopped and opened his eyes to glare at Kyran.

Kyran grinned, winked and pushed past him, going upstairs.

“Baboon’s ass,” Aaron called after him

16

The Full Moon

The next morning Aaron awoke feeling downright miserable. His body was sore and heavy. A headache bloomed just behind his eyes. His fingertips were tingly, suffering from pins and needles. He forced his eyes open and looked around the room. Sam and Rose were still sleeping, their soft snores breaking the silence of the room. Aaron tried to sit up but his stomach rolled. He felt feverish, his skin hot and clammy. His body protested to even the thought of getting up. Aaron just lay there, groaning softly at the way his body ached. It was an hour before Rose awoke.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, seeing Aaron’s flushed face.

“Dunno,” Aaron croaked. “Think I got the flu.”

“The flu?” Rose frowned. She got out of bed and came to his side. Holding a hand against his fevered brow, she tutted. “I told you to change out of your wet clothes.”

“I did,” Aaron protested.

“Yeah, after you stood around chatting to Ella,” Rose scolded. She seemed to feel bad almost immediately. “I’ll ask Mother Mary to make some chicken broth. It’s really good if you have a cold or the flu.”

Aaron’s stomach clenched as he remembered his mum’s chicken broth. She used to make it for him, without fail, any time he was feeling poorly. It always cheered him up. The memory made his eyes burn.

“Yeah,” he muttered, forcing himself to speak past the tightening of his throat. “Cool, thanks.”

Rose left the room, and half an hour later Sam woke up. He went through the same routine as Rose: asking Aaron what was wrong and chastised him for staying in wet clothes too long before promising to take care of him.

“You got changed the same time as me,” Aaron argued. “How come you didn’t catch a cold?”

“I’m stronger than you,” Sam teased. “You’re just a little baby.”

“Sod off.” Aaron said.

Sam only laughed before heading to the door. “I’ll bring you some orange juice. It’ll fix you right up.”

“Orange juice?” Aaron asked.

“It’s really good when you’re sick,” Sam assured him. “I’ll just run to the Stove.”

Aaron was left on his own. He lay quietly, trying to ignore his thumping headache. He wondered if Armana would be able to get rid of his headache. Maybe she could take away his fever or cold or whatever it was he was suffering from too.

A gentle knock on his door made Aaron look around. He found a smirking Kyran leaning against the open door, hands tucked into his pockets.

“Morning,” he said in greeting.

Aaron groaned in response.

“Feeling good I see,” Kyran said.

“What do you want?” Aaron asked. He had very little patience left in him to be antagonised.

“Just wanted to see how you’re coping.”

Aaron looked at him with a furrowed brow and bloodshot eyes. “Coping?” he asked. “With what?”

“The full moon,” Kyran replied. “It’s the day of the full moon, and judging by that completely stupid look on your face, I’m guessing you have no idea what that means.”

Aaron didn’t say anything.

“You know what the moon is?” Kyran asked.

“Yes,” Aaron hissed. “I know what the bloody moon is!”

“Good. What does it do?” Kyran asked.

“I’m not in the mood for a science test right now,” Aaron said, reaching up to massage his forehead. “Leave me alone.”

“Gladly,” Kyran replied, “but after you answer my question.” His voice steeled, making Aaron open his eyes and look over at him. “What does the moon do?” Kyran repeated.

Aaron sighed. “Lots of things,” he replied. “Raises tides and affects the earth’s solar orbit and rotational speed.”

“Well done.” Kyran grinned. “Now, wanna take a guess what the moon does to mages?”

“Dunno.”

“Obviously,” Kyran said. “Try and work it out. If the moon can rise the tide, what do you think it can do to mages and their power?”

Aaron’s eyes narrowed as he tried to figure it out, but his fevered state didn’t help his flailing concentration. “I...I don’t know,” he said.

“Do you know what the full moon does to humans?” Kyran asked.

“Yes,” Aaron replied tersely. “Nothing! It doesn’t do anything to humans.”

“Wrong answer,” Kyran said. “You know, it’s a disgrace. You’ve lived your whole life with humans and you still know so little about them.” He smirked at Aaron’s glare. “The moon doesn’t only pull on oceans,” he said. “On nights of the full moon, the gravitational pull makes the blood rise to the brain, making some humans downright crazy.” He looked rather happy at Aaron’s stunned expression. “Now, think about that and apply it to mages.”

Aaron swallowed painfully as realisation dawned on him. “The powers,” he said quietly. “The moon pulls our powers.”

Kyran slowly nodded. “On the day and night of the full moon, our powers are drained from us,” he explained. “It makes us weak, ill, unable to fight. Never wondered how it’s always on the nights of the full moon that the crime rates in the human realm are at their highest?” he asked. “It’s because the mages are at their weakest on these nights. We can’t be there to protect the humans and every demon in this universe knows that. They come out in full force, knowing no mage can stop them, not when the full moon is out.”

“So there’s going to be attacks in the human realm tonight?” Aaron asked, horrified.

“Most definitely,” Kyran replied.

“We can’t do anything about it?” Aaron asked.

“Can you get out of bed?” Kyran asked.

Aaron glared at him. “You seem to be doing okay,” he said, his tone accusatory.

Kyran grinned. “I’m stronger than you,” he said. “You’re just a little baby.”

Aaron gaped at him.

“The walls are very thin.” Kyran said in explanation. “And mages have excellent hearing.”

***

It turned out that Kyran was right. All the mages were ill today – every single one. Sam and Rose, who had gone out to get some soup and juice for Aaron, found that no one was well enough to do any chores. The Stove was unoccupied. The orchard was deserted. The farmland was left to its own devices. The only ones not in their beds, groaning and moaning about headaches and fatigue, were Sam, Rose and – strange as it was – Jason Burns.

“How come you’re not ill?” Sam asked, managing to make the question sound like an accusation.

“Is only the mages tha’ get ill,” Jason said, setting out the table with the soup Mary had prepared the night before. “I ain’t a mage now, am I?”

“You’re not a mage?” Rose asked, surprised. “So what are you?”

Jason stopped to look over at them, before shaking his head, chuckling loudly. “Cannae yeh tell?” he asked. “Am a human.”

“Human?” Sam was stunned. “You’re a...a Shattered?”

“Aye,” he said, a little quietly, his eyes dark even in the sunlight. “I came ’ere aboot twen’y years ago.” He shrugged. “Ended up stayin’ forever.”

***

The day and night of the full moon passed. Aaron, begrudgingly, spent most of it in bed, under Rose’s insistence. When he awoke the following morning, he felt light-headed but otherwise fine. His headache was gone, as were the aches and pains in his body. He emerged from his cottage feeling weary and tired, but no longer ill. He tilted his face up, warming it in the sun’s bright rays. It felt good to be out in the sun again.

A bright flash signalled the opening of the Gate, and Aaron looked over to see Kyran walk down the path. Aaron hadn’t seen him since yesterday morning. Aaron had figured Kyran was resting in his room, like other mages. Kyran’s head was lowered, hands tucked into his pockets and he walked at a slower than normal pace. It seemed as if he was drifting along, lost in his thoughts.

“There you are!”

Ella’s sharp cry snapped Kyran out of his daydream and he blinked at the enraged girl charging up to him.

“What
the hell were you thinking?” Ella snapped. A hard shove accompanied her question.

Kyran looked perplexed. “Excuse me?”

“You did the same thing last month,” Ella said. “You know going off on your own on the full moon is the single most
stupid
thing you could do.”

Kyran screwed up his face in annoyance and waved a hand at her. “I don’t need a lecture.” He began to walk away.

“Agreed – you need a kick up the backside!” Ella followed after him. “You do realise going out of a safe zone on the
one
day you’re vulnerable is not the brightest idea?” she asked. “Especially as all the demons on this freaking planet are out looking for idiotic mages that would do exactly that.”

Kyran sighed, bowing his head in defeat. “I told you, Ella, I have to go.”

“It’s risky and stupid.”

“It’s my family,” Kyran said quietly. “And I don’t have a lot of it left.” He met her grey eyes. “And if they want to be together on the nights we are at our weakest, then...” He shrugged. “I have to honour that.”

Ella fell quiet, but her hard stare never left him. “Bring them here.”

“They won’t come,” Kyran said. Then with a small smirk he added, “Too damn proud, not to mention stubborn.”

Ella smiled a little, shaking her head at him. “No surprise. They’re related to you.”

Kyran grinned at her, but it was missing its usual charm. Aaron watched Kyran walk to his cottage, noting the aura of sadness about him, until he disappeared behind the blue door.

***

Salvador quickly fell back into its usual routine, with mages going off to work in the orchard or the farmland and the Hunters training in the ring, to get back into shape after spending so many days recovering from the Q-Zone hunt and the effects of the full moon.

Aaron and Sam were back in the orchard, hard at work, while Rose spent her days at the Stove. Unlike the boys, Rose wasn’t progressively getting better at the chores. If anything, she seemed to be going in the opposite direction. Since she walked into the Stove this morning, nothing had gone her way. It was only midday and she had broken two plates, tipped over a bucket of milk and cracked a teapot while pouring hot water into it. All in all, a very bad start to the day.

By dinnertime, Rose had had enough. And so, it seemed, had Mary. She politely asked Rose to take a break and go to sit at the table. As Rose sat with her head in her hands, Aaron and Sam arrived, grinning in satisfaction from completing another day’s work. Rose told Sam and Aaron about her horrible day.

“Why are you such a klutz?” Sam asked.

Rose glared at him.

“Way to be sensitive,” Aaron whispered across the table, before turning to Rose. “Don’t worry about it. Everyone has days like that.”

Rose shook her head. “I can’t get anything right,” she said. “Everything I touch ends up either breaking or burning.”

“You’re just not a kitchen person,” Sam said.

Rose turned to him, mouth thinned and eyes narrowed.

“What?” Sam asked. “I’m trying to help.”

“Then stop,” Aaron suggested. “I think you need a break, Rose. Take a few days off.”

Rose shook her head. “I barely do anything in the Stove,” she said, sounding miserable. “Just peel potatoes or wash vegetables.” She shrugged. “How can I ask for a break when that’s all I do?”

“Why don’t come with us to the orchard?” Sam suggested. “There’s nothing you can break or burn there.”

Rose whacked him on the arm.

“You had that coming,” Aaron told him.

“Damn, what’s wrong with you?” Sam asked, rubbing his arm. “You need some chocolate or something. That’ll cheer you up.” Then added under his breath, “And weaken those violent tendencies.”

“Oh, chocolate,” Rose moaned. “I could kill for some chocolate.”

“Happy place, Rose,” Sam teased. “Go to your happy place, quick.”

Rose raised a fist this time, aiming a punch, but Sam quickly pulled her hand down, smiling apologetically at her.

“I’m only teasing,” he said. “What’s up with you today?”

“I’m not in the mood.” Rose pulled herself free from Sam’s grip.

All the way through dinner, Rose’s mood seemed to get darker. By the time tea and coffee was served, Aaron couldn’t take any more of Rose’s miserable look. He got up and hurried over to Mary’s side as she handed out steaming mugs.

“Mary?”

“Yes, Aaron?”

“Do you have any chocolate?”

Mary paused, frowning. “Chocolate?” she asked. “You mean hot chocolate?”

Aaron looked back at Rose, who was watching him. Slowly, she shook her head.

“No,” Aaron replied, turning back to Mary. “Chocolate. As in a bar of chocolate.”

“A bar?” Mary looked really confused. “Sorry, Aaron. I’ve never heard of bars of chocolate,” she said.

“Leave it, Aaron,” Rose called, shaking her head. “It’s fine.”

Aaron could see it wasn’t. Her shoulders were already lifted, hands balled into fists and brown eyes slowly glistening. Mary stepped towards her, realising Aaron was asking on her behalf.

“I can make you some hot cocoa.” she tempted.