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  Like easing open the tap of a water faucet, she let a little bit of power flow up into her arms, using it to increase her speed. That small amount was enough to allow her to keep up and block Caitlin’s strikes with ease. A little more would make her faster…

  “Excellent! That’s good for today girls,” Aunt Sylvia said.

  Giving Eren a wink and the thumbs up sign, Caitlin stepped toward the shore.

  Eren’s energy dropped. “But I just figured it out!”

  Pride sparkled in Aunt Sylvia’s brown eyes. “You did, and it was great. But if I don’t get us back before the pizza delivery boy arrives, we’ll miss dinner.”

  A smile pulled at Eren’s lips. Yeah, that and she’d probably destroy some poor bread dough trying to do it herself. But now that Eren had it down, the water wasn’t freezing and she didn’t want to stop. Thoughts of both Luke’s letter and the upcoming tournament made her stomach churn. She wasn’t good enough yet, she didn’t want to stop.

  “Did I mention I got ice cream and a girl’s movie for us to watch?” Aunt Sylvia asked as she handed Caitlin a towel.

  Pushing down with her energy to launch her, Eren jumped, leaving a trail of water droplets as she cleared the twenty feet to the bank with ease.

  “No, you didn’t,” she said as she snatched a second towel from Aunt Sylvia.

  Sylvia’s raised an eyebrow, lips tight as she fought back a smile. “Oh, well I did.”

  “Aunt Sylvia! I might have got the lesson faster if I’d known that.”

  Behind Sylvia, Caitlin made a face and shook her head. But it was too late; the words couldn’t be taken back. Sylvia’s face turned serious and her eyes narrowed. Shaking her head, Caitlin balanced on one foot as she put her sock on.

  “And that’s exactly why I didn’t tell you,” Aunt Sylvia said as she stepped closer. “You have to find the motivation inside yourself, not from trivial things.”

  “But Aunt Sylvia, you and grandfather are always telling me to think of my Society first, and girl time is good for the Society,” Eren half-joked.

  The hard line of Sylvia’s jaw didn’t relax, which made Eren’s playfulness wilt a bit.

  Caitlin cleared her throat loudly. “I’m gonna run ahead so I can hit the shower before dinner. Meet ya there.”

  Before Eren could get out a word of protest, Caitlin took off, leaving her glaring at bouncing blond curls as she sped away. It was totally unfair that she got to escape the lecture, even if Eren had been the one to provoke it. In hopes of shortening the inevitable, she pulled her shoes on as quickly as she could.

  Aunt Sylvia looped an arm through hers as they started to walk, slowing her down. Her energy hung heavy about her. So much for making this quick and relatively painless.

  “By finding motivation inside yourself you are thinking of your Society first.” The tone of her voice made it sound as though that were only the beginning of a very long lecture.

  Stifling a groan that she knew would only make matters worse, Eren steeled herself.

  “Focus during fighting is the single most important thing for a warrior channeler to have.” She took a breath and Eren jumped at the chance, knowing that with Aunt Sylvia, she wouldn’t get many.

  “But I’m not just a warrior channeler.”

  Sylvia nodded and squeezed Eren’s hand tight. “True. As a healer channeler and a Rector as well, you must also possess compassion and wisdom.”

  Knowing she didn’t want a verbal reply—and probably wouldn’t give her time for one—Eren just nodded.

  “Your and Aiden’s ability to control both sides of a channelers’ power is the biggest thing to happen to our kind in nearly a thousand years.”

  Eren leaped in on the end of the last word, determined to stop her. “I know Aunt Sylvia, the ancient prophecy.”

  Sylvia stopped walking and turned Eren around to face her. Sadness and concern swam within her chocolate colored eyes.

  “Our ancestors may have been a bit savage at times, but they weren’t fools. Their prophecies have come true in the past and they need to be taken seriously. I just want to make sure you’re prepared. It’s the only way I can protect you,” she said, dropping her watery gaze at the last part.

  Guilt wrapped around Eren’s heart and squeezed until she let out a shuddering breath. Even after almost a year since her parents’ murders, it was still hard to have someone care about her so much. Wonderful, but hard.

  “I know,” she said in a voice that was barely more than a breath.

  The half-frozen yellow and orange leaves beneath her hiking boots suddenly captivated her interest. If she looked up at her aunt’s face, into her eyes that looked so much like her mom’s, she’d start crying and she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop. Harder than having someone care about her, was caring about them.

  “How can I possibly be ready in time? Most channelers have been training for years,” she said.

  Lilting laugher made her look up. Aunt Sylvia’s huge smile bewildered her.

  “Honey, the war won’t necessarily start in 2012, only what sets it into motion will. It could be something unseen by most. The actual battle might not start for years,” she said.

  The weight of the apocalypse lifted off Eren’s chest, allowing her to breathe, even if only for a little while. Maybe she and Aiden would have a few years together before all hell broke loose, maybe a few dozen.

  “Then there’s time,” she whispered.

  “Yes, but you still have to train hard. For now, dinner,” she said as she threw an arm around Eren’s shoulders.

  It would do no good to argue about how she wanted to spend her time, she knew. Closing her lips against a reply, she nodded and let her aunt lead her down the forest path. This was one bit of good news that she was determined to enjoy, even if it meant holding her tongue.

  “The elders shall teach the young.

  In this manner our ways shall never be lost.”

  ~from Life In A Society

  Chapter 22

  The next few days blew Aiden’s expectations away. Together, the four of them tracked a herd of deer, watching them from a distance. They were like ghosts amid the spruce trees, the deer never knew they were there. Using the creatures’ energy made it effortless to track them and keep up with them. So easy, that they took time to stop by the river and fish in the afternoons. Zolin made spears out of branches and was unflinchingly patient in teaching Aiden how to spearfish. While he couldn’t come close to matching Fane’s skill level, he did manage to catch a few. Knowing they’d be taking down the deer with bows and spears, he did his best to become at least competent.

  On the fourth night when they returned to camp, Zolin used a rake to carry hot coals out to the sweat lodge. He stretched a blanket across the small opening and then began a prancing kind of dance around the lodge. Aiden and Fane gravitated toward him, sitting down on a nearby rock to watch.

  “What’s he doing?” Aiden asked.

  “He’s honoring the elements, earth, air, fire, and water. It’s a very old Mayan dance, much older than grandfather. Next he’ll ask the powers that be to bless the hunt. Then our sweat will begin,” Fane explained.

  Fascinated, Aiden watched Zolin dance about, stomping his feet in a catchy rhythm and raising his hands to the darkening sky every now and then. He chanted softly, a sound that was both ancient and beautiful. With his long dark hair unbound and flying about him, it wasn’t hard for Aiden to imagine his ancestors doing the same dance thousands of years ago. The chant and dance reached a crescendo that ended with Zolin dropping to all fours and slapping his hands on the ground. Slowly, his eyes focused on them.

  With a nod from Zolin, Fane stood and shed all clothing, save for his shorts. Aiden quickly did the same as Alin walked up on their right.

  “The sweat is to cleanse your body and purify you for the hunt. You must let go of all your demons and think of honoring the earth and the deer,” Alin said.

  “Is the sweat your people’s tradit
ion too?” Aiden asked.

  “No. But we honor the Mayan ways since they have invited us onto their land to hunt. Besides, the cleansing is amazing,” Alin admitted.

  Together they approached the lodge.

  “You may enter,” Zolin announced in a formal voice as he swept aside the blanket covering the entrance.

  It was dark, incredibly hot, and filled with steam. They must have been watching him dance for longer than Aiden realized. He sat down where Fane pointed. The ground was sandy beneath him and the heady smell of spruce was thick upon the air. The soft glow of Alin and Zolin’s life energy told him when and where they sat down.

  “Allow your thoughts to turn inward. Confront that which has been bothering you and overcome it,” Zolin instructed in a soothing voice that still held some of the cadence of his chant.

  A long moment of silence passed before Aiden could allow his thoughts to turn inward. The things that bothered him weren’t things he liked to think about. Anger welled up within him as his mind turned toward his cruel adopted father, his indifferent foster father, his dead parents, and Eren’s dead parents. His chest tightened and it became hard to swallow. Every beating he’d endured replayed in his mind, every moment of fear, pain, and humiliation. This sweat was starting to seem like a very bad idea.

  Steam hissed up from the coals as someone poured water onto them, flooding the room with more steam. The weight that settled on Aiden’s chest wasn’t entirely from the thickening air.

  Shame and fury gripped him with the strength of a tornado, threatening to tear him apart. He didn’t feel worthy of Eren, let alone worthy of the massive power that he possessed. Vibrations wracked his body as he struggled to contain his power. Tears streamed down his face, and soon he couldn’t tell them from the sweat that poured.

  Zolin began to sing, a low, chanting sound that reverberated through the lodge. Its beauty and purity drained all the pain, anger, and shame from Aiden as though it was drawing it out of him. Soon, there was nothing left in its place but peace. His power retreated in the wake of the most profound calm he had ever felt. For the first time, Aiden felt like the horrible parts of his life might really be over. He saw how lucky he was, not only to have Eren, but to be so accepted into her family as well.

  Sometime later, the blanket covering the opening was thrown aside and moonlight filtered in. Zolin and Alin stepped out. Aiden rose and quickly followed Fane. The cool air felt wonderful and the night looked so crisp, Aiden thought for a moment that maybe it was a dream. It seemed too perfect. Then he realized that if it were a dream Eren would have been here.

  “Off to the river with you lads, you stink!” Alin said.

  Aiden had to kick it into high gear to catch up with Fane as he took off into the trees.

  Finally, bathed and refreshed, they sat around the campfire and discussed how the hunt was going to play out.

  “You two will travel ahead to the mouth of the small valley. We’ll get the herd running into the valley. The cripple and the old doe won’t be able to keep up, but they’ll separate to increase their chance of survival. I’ll take down the doe. Aiden, you take the cripple. Don’t underestimate him, though. He has a huge rack that makes him dangerous. Which is why you’ll need to keep him distracted, Fane,” Alin explained.

  “The cripple and the old doe?” Aiden asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Taking out the biggest and strongest only weakens the herd,” Zolin said.

  “We don’t trophy hunt for that reason. Well, that and the biggest and strongest usually have the toughest meat. Still, don’t underestimate your quarry. Aim true,” Alin said.

  Their wisdom blew Aiden away. He’d never really thought of it like that.

  “Yes, Sir,” Fane said after swallowing his marshmallow.

  “As long as Fane can keep him distracted you’ll have a clear shot at his neck. If you get the artery, great. If not, try to aim high enough that you take him out at the shoulder and stop his momentum,” Zolin told Aiden.

  Smiling, Aiden looked at Fane and nodded. “Oh he will, Sir. Thank you, I’m honored that you’re letting us take one down,” Aiden said.

  He had complete faith in Fane, he could dodge and weave like no one Aiden had ever seen. No to mention they’d been working on their technique together.

  “My brother should have taken you hunting when you first came into your power. This is overdue,” Alin said.

  His eyes were filled with a mixture of anger and sadness and it hurt Aiden to see it. It wasn’t Alin’s fault that his brother had treated Aiden so horribly, and he hated that Alin felt responsible for it. If anything, Aiden felt like he should be the one who was sorry, sorry for Virgil’s death. In a way it was Aiden’s fault he was dead. But that was one thing he could not bring himself to regret. People made their own choices, and Virgil’s choices—not Aiden’s—had led to that end. Aiden knew that and had found peace in it.

  “Enough strategy, time to get some sleep,” Zolin said.

  After saying their goodnights, he and Alin rose and made their way over to their sleeping bags. Licking sugar from his lips, Fane extended the bag of marshmallows to Aiden. Despite the great dinner they’d had, his stomach rumbled at the sight. He took two.

  “How many bags of these did you bring?” he asked as he placed a marshmallow on the end of a sharpened stick.

  “Three.”

  Aiden laughed. “You really like these things don’t you?”

  “We don’t have them in Romania, which is one more thing I love about America.”

  For a while they roasted marshmallows and talked about everything from the girls to the hunt.

  Once his father and grandfather were fast asleep, Fane put his roasting stick down and gave Aiden a serious look. “My father isn’t just trying to make up for what Virgil did to you. I know it seems like that sometimes, but it’s more than that. He cares about you, Aiden. He considers you family.”

  The warm feeling of belonging spread through Aiden, constricting his throat, and it was a moment before he could answer. “I know, but thanks for saying it. You guys are so awesome for inviting me on this trip.”

  “Let’s see if I can get Caitlin’s saying right, ‘don’t mention it.’ It just wouldn’t have felt right if you weren’t here,” Fane said.

  The way he smiled made Aiden forget all about Virgil. Fane was the brother Aiden had always wished Luke would be, only better. Even Aiden’s wildest imagination couldn’t have conjured up a brother so light-hearted and selfless. Tonight everything seemed right with the world.

  “A bonded Society can take decades

  to create, therefore others may covet

  and threaten what you have.”

  ~from Life In A Society

  Chapter 23

  The shadows of dusk stretched across the road before Eren, bringing a chill that wasn’t entirely about the temperature. She felt the weight of eyes upon her back, but when she turned to look she found the winding country road empty. Or was it? It was hard to tell with the dancing shadows caused by the wind swaying through the spruce boughs.

  A shiver crawled across Eren and she zipped up her hoodie, trying to convince herself she was only cold. But after a long, hard workout with Caitlin, the sweat had barely begun to dry on her body and, if anything, the cool air felt good. So much for fooling herself.

  The edge of town wasn’t far away. She forced her tired legs to speed up. Working out in the forest had seemed like such a good idea hours ago when it was light and she was in Caitlin’s company. Upon finishing, they had gone their separate ways because Eren had to go back to her grandfather’s to get her mail and water the plants and Caitlin was going into the Irish part of town.

  The memory of that day by the river with Aiden—and those eyes in the forest that had been watching her—came back unbidden. Her breathing sped up to match her racing pulse as her eyes flicked to each side of the road, searching the underbrush. What if it was an animal again? Could she fight it off if it was unde
r the control of a channeler? Her parents hadn’t been able to. The broken yellow lines in the middle of the road ticked by almost painfully slow. It took every bit of her control to choke down her fear and keep her pace at no more than a walk.

  In only a few more turns, the edge of town came into view. Soon her footfalls were pounding on the sidewalk. Surely an animal wouldn’t follow her into town, unless it was under a channeler’s control. Another glance behind her revealed only a dark forest and an empty sidewalk. The adrenalin still pumping through her from her workout gave her a touch of courage, making her want to stop and call out. To avoid looking like a crazy person to anyone who might glance out their windows, she resisted.

  Bridget had something to do with this, she was certain of it. Maybe she had someone following Eren to try and scare her. She tried, and failed, to slow the rapid drumming of her heart. The pressure of those eyes was too much; she gave in to the desire to run.

  Only a few minutes later, she was fumbling with her keys and opening the door to her home. Ducking inside, she slammed the door behind her and threw the deadbolt. She leaned back against the door and focused hard on getting her breathing under control. As it slowed, her fear faded and she started to feel silly. With a shake of her head, she dismissed the whole thing as paranoia and went into the kitchen to start watering the plants.

  When she was finished, she dashed upstairs to get a few things from her room. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, she saw a residual energy trail that was orange and red. She didn’t know anyone with energy that color, at least not anyone that should have been in her house recently enough to leave a trail. Her heart thudded harder with each step she took up the access ladder to her attic suite. Fighting back the impulse to turn and run, she forced herself to keep moving forward. A good Rector wouldn’t run. She wasn’t about to let her fear rule her when people depended on her.