If I thought I hated Flynn before, I hated him even more now. And if I’d thought Cael’s idea of training was horrible, Flynn took it to the next level.
“Come on,” Flynn called out in his authoritative voice. Ugh, I hated that voice. “Ten more.”
Ten more what? Pull ups. But on multiple things. I was currently doing pull ups on a tree branch. Once you pulled yourself up you had to do a little flip thing and land on the ground in a fighting stance. Asher and Monty had regular pull up bars, Shayla was on a branch on the tree next to mine, and Kendall, Campbell, and Cael were doing pull-ups on various parts of the house.
Sweat was dripping into my eyes. I gritted my teeth and pulled myself up. The blisters on my hand had blisters. I had splinters and my muscles were burning. There was no way I could do ten more of these. Wait… pull yourself together. You have to do this. Flynn was watching me, a look on his face like he could hear my internal debate. I was not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me fall out of this tree and die.
I suffered through ten more, my teeth clenched so hard together I’m pretty sure I needed new molars. I landed the last time and almost fell on my butt. Had there really been someone there that needed a butt whooping’ I’d be dead right now. But there wasn’t so I wasn’t but I needed an outlet for all the rage in my system.
“Do you call that a fight stance?” Flynn asked me.
“No,” I said, breathing deeply. Even my legs were burning. My abs were burning. Even though I was scantily clad in cheerleading shorts and a sports bra I was still sweaty. “I call that my thank-god-its-over stance.”
“And you just earned everyone a mile run,” Flynn said.
Everyone groaned and shot me a dirty look. I straightened and tried to bring in more air. I think I was having a heat stroke. “You know what, bite me,” I said. “No one appointed you leader of boot camp.”
“No one voted for boot camp,” Shayla said, bent at the waist, sweat dripping off her flushed face. “Holy frick, you act like we’re newbs.”
“You are newbies,” Flynn said. “Have any of you taken on fairy armies?”
“Have you?” I asked dryly. “I notice that we’re all working our butts off and you’re supervising.”
“If you’ve got a problem I can leave.”
I made a face. “You can’t. You’re already associated with us. We have to win which is probably why you’re pushing us so hard. I would just like to say I don’t need freakishly large muscles to do my job. You haven’t even let us show you what we can do.”
“Everyone run,” Flynn said, eyes cutting holes in my face. I couldn’t feel my face from all the jaw clenching so he could do whatever he wanted.
We all groaned and took off. Flynn caught me by the arm. “You can do your mile in a bit,” he said. “Don’t you ever undermine my authority like that again.”
“You have no authority,” I said. “We’re all equals. And we deserved to be treated like equals. Give us a shot. Doing pull ups aren’t going to get us prepared, going out and fighting and doing our jobs is what hones our skills.” I left out the part where if anyone was going to have authority, it should be me. I was the queen. Maybe not in this realm but it had to count for something.
I tried to move past him to do my running, not that I wanted to run, and he blocked me. “Seriously, jerk,” I said. “I’m not in the mood for your constant crap. Unless you want your face in that pile of dirt there, I suggest you step off.”
“Step off?” he repeated. “You are so juvenile.”
“Oh, ouch,” I said dryly. “That one cut me deeply.”
“I am trying to assess your weaknesses. You dragging your feet and not giving your all aren’t helping me.”
I glared at him. I’m sure I made a wonderfully menacing figure with the sweat and the flushed skin and the hair that was in a frizzy ponytail and had sweated to my face. “You can’t assess our weakness off of that crap. We were all doing that when we were six.”
“Yet you can’t do them now.”
“We’re doing them,” I argued. “But it’s a hundred degrees out and you’re not giving us a break.”
“Do you think that assassin is going to give you a break just because it’s hot out and you’re tired?”
“Look,” I was fast losing my patience. Let’s face it, I had not started out with much patience. “You’re losing their morale here. You and Cael don’t seem to understand that we’re humans. We have human feelings,” I was gesturing widely with my hands. “You constantly telling us that we suck and we’re all going die horrible, painful deaths make us believe that we suck and we’re going to die horrible, painful deaths.”
“What do you suggest I do?” he asked condescendingly.
“First off,” I got into his face. I was sick of playing second fiddle. “Stop treating me like I’m a stupid little girl. I am the Queen and I’m the best goddamn Seeker around. Second, you are no longer solely in charge. I get to have some say in the matter.”
Flynn looked me over, seeming to take my measure. I was straightened to my full height and I was controlling my breathing so I didn’t look like a fool. “Fine.”
I was all prepped for a major fight so I was slightly disappointed when he just agreed. “Fine?”
“Yeah. But you need to tell me everyone’s weaknesses so I can assess how to prepare them for battle.”
“How do I know you’re not going to take these little weaknesses and run to the enemy?” I was just being a pain but it was a legitimate question.
“Like you said, they’ll gun me down on sight now that I’ve been associated with you. I need to fix the weaknesses so I can win and get on with the rest of my life.”
I sighed and turned to survey the tired group running a mile. Cael and Campbell were in the lead, obviously competing. It was a guy thing. “Well, I assume you know Cael and Campbell’s already, since you’ve worked with them.” That whole previous relationship thing was totally bugging me. I just wanted to KNOW. They wouldn’t tell me anything. It drove me nuts.
“Yes. Campbell doesn’t take it seriously enough when fighting. He’s still in that invincible stage. And Cael is so concerned with watching over Campbell that he forgets to watch his back. And now that he’s got his own personal Seeker I’m sure he’ll get spread even thinner.”
“Campbell and I can take care of ourselves,” I said snappishly. These people frustrated me.
“Never said you couldn’t. Now get to the weaknesses. I shared mine, you share yours.”
Kendall was on Cael and Campbell’s heels, probably saving her energy to pass them last second. “Kendall’s weakness is her competitive streak. She is bent on doing better. She is trying to outdo you, me, and the Otherworldly. And she knows she’s good but one day it’s going to get her in trouble.”
“Okay.” Flynn nodded, taking in what I was saying.
Asher and Monty were next. Ash was obviously trying to keep Monty going. “Asher’s biggest weakness is Monty. He’s so busy watching her back that he leaves his wide open. And Monty’s weakness is probably her temper. She gets out there, something doesn’t go the way she wants it, and she just snaps, not thinking of the consequences.” I looked at Flynn. He was watching them running back towards us. “And Shayla’s weakness is she knows what she’s supposed to do, and she wants it to go by the book. She always had to work harder at it than the rest of us so she is so book-learned that she isn’t street smart.” There. That had been harder to assess my friends than I’d thought.
“Good. I can work with that. Go run and we’ll meet later to discuss what to do from here.”
“That’s all I ask,” I said.
“Don’t you want to know what your biggest weakness is?” Flynn called after me as I took off on a jog. I wasn’t going to kill myself running. I paused. “You’re too polite.”
Ha. That was a lie.
As I finish
ed my mile alone I pondered that. I was not polite. Yeah, I’d let my boyfriend walk all over me but contrary to what my friends think, I’d never slept with him because I knew he didn’t respect me enough. And now I was letting him screw me over in front of the entire town. He’d gotten me fired and I’d just taken it. And with this whole Whisper thing. I could have told them to shove it but instead I’d taken my mission like a good little girl. I was always worried about what people were thinking about me so I went above and beyond to let them get their way so they liked me. Flynn was right and he’d only known me for like two days.
I went inside and sighed at the glorious feeling of air conditioning. I went straight to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. Ah, cold, clear, goodness. I almost felt human.
I went into the living room and there were the rest of my inmates. Yes, I was comparing this whole experience to prison. They were stretched out, more asleep than awake, obviously exhausted. This training was taking its toll. If we got attacked right now, they would probably sleep right through it. Well, not Flynn… Where was he? And Cael was missing too.
“Where are the two generals?” I asked.
Sadly everyone knew who I was referring to. “Out in the barn, looking over the weapons.”
“Oh goodie.” I turned, bottle of water still in my hand, and went back outside.
I was halfway to the barn when my Fairy senses spiked. Something was up. Immediately I booted up my powers. If there were problems I had to handle it on my own. The people in the house were probably too out of it to hear an altercation let alone get here in time to help, and who knew what Cael and Flynn were up to. They were probably having a training battle and would never hear me.
I could go back to the house, run to the barn, or stay here and take it like a man. I made my choice. “Come out, come out, whoever you are,” I sang, tossing my water bottle to the side.
A tall blonde emerged out of the trees. I was impressed. Who knew someone could hide among those widely spaced, thin trees. That was talent. And she was dressed like an assassin. Leather pants, black of course, black heels, and a black vest. That was it. Just a vest. It revealed her flat stomach and muscular arms and much of her… well, you know. Great. My nemesis was a ho.
“Hey Princess,” she said, whipping out a knife. “Nice to finally get rid of you.”
“Um, it’s Queen, first off,” I corrected. “And it’s nice to meet you too, face to face.” I was so screwed. I was still scantily clad in my shorts and sports bra and I had no weapon.
She smiled and threw the knife at me, with no warning. I guess that’s part of her job description. I dove to the side and then realized I should probably be getting that knife. I turned and she was already there, punching me in the face.
I took a step back and that’s what saved me. She slashed with another knife and my spleen and other assorted vital organs would have been on the ground. As it was she grazed me so I had this thin trickle of blood across my abdomen. Now I was mad.
I kicked her in her stomach and she doubled over. Before I could kick her in the face she was straightened and aiming a kick at me. I blocked it with my arm, which really hurt, and tried to throw her off balance. She just used me as leverage and kicked me under the chin with her other leg. I hit the dirt and she went to tackle me, but I used her momentum and my legs to roll her over me. Then I was up and in my fighting stance.
She rose to her feet and smiled. It was a psycho smile. It seriously chilled me to the bone. This girl liked to fight, she liked the blood, and she liked to kill. It was disturbing. “Well, pretty girl, you fight pretty good. I like a challenge. I’ll be seeing you later.” With that she turned and disappeared the way she’d come.
“Well,” I called after her. “I fight well.” She was skanky and she had poor grammar. The things I had to deal with.
A split second later the barn door opened and Cael rushed out. “Are you okay?”
I was still waiting for the assassin ho to come back and get me. I couldn’t believe that she’d just given up that easily. “What?” I asked, somewhat thrown off by the sudden change.
“Flynn and I saw everything. You did great. Flynn wouldn’t let me out. He said you needed to learn. But you handled her. And you’re hurt.” He came to a halt in front of me. “You’re bleeding.”
“It’s already healing,” I said. “And there’s another scar for the collection.” I said that last one kind of bitterly. I hated my scars. I always tried to hide them because I thought I looked hideous. But it had been too hot to hide them under layers of clothing today.
“Every scar is a story,” Cael said, grabbing my arm and leading me to the barn. “I’d like to hear them someday.”
“I bet you have some pretty good ones too,” I said, still on Fairy alert. I really didn’t want her to slash me again.
Cael opened the door and Flynn was waiting. “You’re too polite.”
“Oh bite me,” I said, heading for the medical aid cupboard. “I’m alive.”
“The moment she came out, you should have rushed her. You let her get the opportunity to throw a knife at you.”
“My bad,” I said, wiping away the blood trail down my stomach. “I thought I handled her pretty well. I do have one question though.”
“What?”
“Does she not know it’s a hundred degrees out? She was wearing leather for pete’s sake.”
Cael was looking at me strangely. “Cort?”
It sounded like we were in a cave. Everything was all echo-y. The room’s edges started spinning. “Uh oh.” I said, before everything went black and I started falling forward. Hopefully Cael or Flynn would be nice enough to catch me before I face planted it. Who was I kidding? Here comes another broken nose…
I came to an unknown amount of time later, in my own bed. Well on top of my bed. I was still in my nasty workout clothes and the new cut was a scar across my stomach. That had healed fast.
I heard an unfamiliar sound and turned to it. My head only twinged a little, so that was progress. Cael was sitting at my desk, flipping through a book. I sat up and groggily held a hand to my head. It felt hollow again. “What are you doing?” Translated: Why are you in my room?
“This is my room too, remember?” Ah, yes, he was my babysitter. “Blondie poisoned you somehow, probably with the blade. You blacked out and I healed you and brought you up here.”
“I could really hate that girl,” I said, sliding my feet over my bed to the floor.
“She’s trying to kill you. I think that it’s ok for you to hate her.”
“Well, when you say it like that.” I wanted to stand up but figured Cael would either flip out or I would fall on my face. This reminded me. “Did I break my nose?”
“No. I caught you right before you hit the ground. I’m going to be using my fast reflexes a lot around you, Calamity Cort.”
I made a face at him. Then I looked closer at the book he was flipping through. “Are you reading my diary?”
“I wouldn’t call it that.”
“What? A diary?”
“No. I wouldn’t call it reading. More like studying, getting attuned to your inner workings.” Cael got to his feet, probably because he knew I was going to kick the crap out of him. “I just can’t figure you out.”
I got to my feet and moseyed over to my closet. Ah, clean, good-smelling clothes. What to wear, what to wear. I waved off his help. “Seeker, teenaged girl, what’s so hard to figure out?”
“Well, I didn’t know that you were a cheerleader and had dabbled in gymnastics. I also didn’t know that you had siblings. I didn’t know that you and Shay call yourselves twins. I also never would have suspected that you would document every innocent you lost to an Otherworldly.”
I focused really hard on my clothes. Great, now he was all attuned to my inner workings and I still had no clue how he worked. And some
of that stuff had been super personal. I should have been mad but mostly I was embarrassed. He probably thought I was some weakling. “It makes what I do have a purpose. As you now know, I don’t exactly want to be a Seeker.”
There was a knock on my bedroom door. Before I could even say to enter it was swinging open. “Oh, good, you’re up,” Flynn said briskly. “Get ready.”
“For what?” I asked. My hands were itching to put on those comfy sweatpants and a baggy t shirt.
“We’re going on an educational field trip.”
I nodded. Right. Instead of that comfy outfit I grabbed my skinny jeans and a deep plum cami. Then I grabbed a black little half sweater thing that had three quarter sleeves. It was my Seeker-gone-professional look. “Please leave the room,” I said politely.
Cael and Flynn looked at me. “I need to change,” I said.
“We’ll keep our backs to you. Your little training outfits don’t leave much to the imagination anyway. We need to go over the game plan.”
“You’re not going to leave, are you?” It was more a statement than it was a question.
“Nope.”
I rolled my eyes and stepped into my miniscule closet, shutting the door. “You know, you guys are really pushing the personal boundaries.”
“Oh, shut it,” Flynn said. “So the fieldtrip is to prove that you all have weaknesses.”
“You all?” I repeated, pausing in stepping into my jeans. I lost my balance and fell into the wall.
“Cort?” Cael asked upon hearing me hit the wall.
“I’m good.” I made a face. Way to go, graceful. “And apparently so is Flynn.”
“Someone has to stay out of it and assess. I’m sure yours are right on the dot but I want to be able to confirm it for myself. I also want to see some of the dynamics at work.”
“So where is this field trip taking us so that seven of us get to show our skills?” Cael asked.
I pushed open the closet door and stepped out. Just in time. I’d been getting claustrophobic in there. I turned to look over my shoe choices. I picked my favorite heels. If Flynn had any say in the matter I was probably going to need all the luck it would bring me.
“Do you ever not wear black?” Flynn asked.
“What’s wrong with black?” I asked. “It goes with everything. It doesn’t stand out. It doesn’t show blood. It makes me feel tough.”
“It makes you look like an assassin.”
“Did you see the assassin that got me earlier?” I said. “She did not look like this.”
“She was dressed in black,” Flynn pointed out.
I rolled my eyes at him and headed out of my room. “Dressed is a term I’d use loosely in that case.”
“Who was loosely dressed?” Campbell looked up attentively.
I looked at him and shook my head. “Hope everyone is ready for a field trip!” I called.
“Yes,” Shayla cheered from the next room. She bounded in, bouncing up and down. “Finally, some fun.”
Flynn looked at her, eyes slightly narrowed. She looked like she was going to apologize. Then she shrugged. “Don’t give me that look,” Shay said. “You know your little training sessions have been the exact opposite of fun.”
“Where is this field trip going?” Monty asked. “I need to know what to wear.”
“Ask Flynn,” I said.
Monty looked at me with a mildly ‘Are ya kidding me?’ look. Clearly any field trip Flynn had organized didn’t bode well with her. “Well, since you’re in your Seeker gear I guess that means I should get in mine too.”
“Do all of you dress like you, Killer, or are you special?” Flynn asked me.
“I don’t even remember what they wear,” I said. It had been over a year and a half since they’d all turned in their powers.
Kendall came back downstairs, dressed completely in black. With her dark hair and dark eyes, she looked super edgy. Now she looked like a killer. “I like your shoes,” I said with a smile. I had the same pair, also in black.
Cael and Flynn shook their heads at us. Obviously Kendall and I intimidated them in our little Seeker outfits.
Shayla was down soon after, in faded denim jeans, a dark green V-neck shirt, and tennis shoes. “Finally,” Flynn said. “Sensible footwear.”
“Oh look, Master Flynn approves,” Shayla said. “Now I feel like I should change them.”
“Come on, Monty,” I yelled impatiently. “We’re going to train, not to get a date.”
She came bounding down the steps. She was the anti-Cortland/Kendall. She was wearing skinny jeans and black heels, not as high as mine or Kendall’s, and a bright pink V-neck. I sighed. “Pink?”
“Someone has to offset your negativity,” she said. “What are we all waiting for, come on.”
I was still shaking my head as I locked the door behind me and headed to the car. I was the lucky one who got to sit in the car with Flynn and Cael. The two downers. I had grabbed Shay and she was now unhappily sitting next to me. Campbell was sitting in the passenger seat. With three naturally chatty people you would think that we could have overpowered Team Silence-is-Golden but we still lost.
“Where are we going?” I asked Flynn, leaning forward from the middle seat.
“That’s not important.”
I leaned back and sighed. Cael gave me a small smile and squeezed my knee. Wait… No, that must not be right. He probably meant to pop my knee cap out of place to teach me not to question the fearless leader. Yeah, that had to be it.
About two hours later we were pulling onto a little dirt road. There were thick woods on either side of the car. It was the middle of the afternoon but under the cover of the trees it was dark, mysterious. This field trip was going to be interesting.
Flynn drove about a mile farther on the “road” and finally pulled over. Asher pulled the other car up next to him. “We have to walk the rest of the way,” Flynn said, pulling the keys out.
We all piled out of the cars and silently grabbed our gear out of the trunk. Flynn silently shut the trunk and turned to the rest of us. “About a mile in to there,” he nodded at the woods to our left, “there is an old barn. You will know it when you see it. That is where we are headed. You are going to want to be as silent as possible getting there.” And then he was gone.
“How did he do that?” Shayla whispered to me.
I shrugged and stepped into the woods.
Considering that there were eight of us wandering around in that underbrush, we were silent. I managed not to swear out loud as I got caught on a tree branch. Good thing I was raised a country girl, although I rarely had to hunt down Otherworldlies in the woods. And turning on my Seeker senses helped too, making me lighter on my feet and I could sort of sense where would be the best place to step next.
Finally this ramshackle, greyed barn was visible. Around it there was a sort of clearing. Dusk was starting to fall, adding to the scary movie vibe that was being put off. I already hated this field trip. I’d seen this scary movie, and I did not make it.
I stopped where I was, because I so did not want to step out into that clearing because only Flynn knew what was waiting for us. I decided I’d just wait until I found someone else. Then they could step out first. Noble, right?
I was leaning silently against a tree, bored out of my mind when suddenly I sensed that I was not as alone as I thought I was. I forgot the annoying bugs that had been tickling my bare shoulder every few minutes as I straightened and tuned in to my fairy senses. “Simmer down, Cort,” came Cael’s voice.
“Where are you?” I asked, peering around. This was slightly creepy. I was pelted with an acorn. “What the-?”
“Look up.”
I craned my neck and saw Cael sitting on a sturdy branch, leaning against the tree trunk. “How long have you been there?”
“I was here a little bit before you. I decided to wait and
see how observant you are and after tickling your neck every thirty seconds with my untied shoe lace, it got boring.”
I just stared at him as he landed lightly on his feet next to me. Sure enough, he knelt to tie his shoe. “You are such a jerk.”
“You would have done the same thing.”
I looked at him silently. He did have a point. “Why were you hiding up there?”
“Because Flynn is trying to teach us a lesson and I really didn’t want to learn it by myself. Now that I have backup, I’m ready to take on the clearing.”
“I’m not stepping out there first,” I said.
“I wasn’t going to make you.”
“Oh, well.” I felt stupid. And bad. I should be braver than this.
Then Shayla stepped out into the clearing, about ten feet away, and the decision was made for me. I decided to be funny and ninja rolled out of the woods and landed in a Charlie’s Angel pose. Right in front of Flynn. He looked at me, clearly not amused. “That was cute,” he said flatly. “And now you’re dead.”
“Sorry for trying to lighten the situation,” I said, standing up and dusting myself off. “I forget that you are the official ambassador for anti-fun.”
Monty and Ash stepped out a few moments later. Kendall stepped out too, looking a little bored. “As much as I love the wilderness, can we get the ball rolling?” she said.
“Where’s my brother?” Cael asked.
“The city boy is probably lost,” Kendall said. “Chill out.”
“Cam can take care of himself,” I said to Cael, trying to diffuse the situation. “He probably just got turned around or tripped over a branch or something.”
Cam chose to step out at that moment. “Is it possible to be attacked by squirrels?”
We all just stared at him silently. I mean, how you comment on that. “No, seriously,” he said. “I was walking minding my own business and suddenly these acorns are being tossed at me. The entire time I was getting here I was getting pelted with acorns. The only possibility is the squirrels.”
I had turned to look at Cael suspiciously. “I had nothing to do with it,” he said, holding up his hands innocently.
“Can the field trip be over now that Campbell has fought off the evil, acorn tossing squirrels?” Monty asked Flynn. She was looking bored and ticked. And she hadn’t even been attacked by an assassin today.
“Follow me,” Flynn said mysteriously.
We made our way across the clearing, Flynn slightly in the lead, directed towards the barn. Not that I didn’t trust Flynn, but I didn’t trust Flynn, so I had my Seeker senses kicked on. I looked to my right and Kendall was doing the same. I’m sure Cael had some glowing eyes behind me. We three were definitely the most suspicious, the ones who wanted to be prepared.
Flynn swung open the barn door, silently, then motioned for us to step in. I did so not like this but there was really no choice. I stepped in first. I really had to fight to control the gag reflex. Instead of the comforting dusty smell that most barns had, this one smelled like rotting meat and molding food. There was that nasty bitter smell that I recognized as blood.
I was on my toes. There were stacks of hay in two of the corners and numerous stalls that could be hiding any number of things. The lighting sucked, only the sun shining through the holes in the roof and sides of this ancient structure. Basically, visibility sucked.
I sensed everyone standing behind me but didn’t turn, instead keeping a lookout. Maybe Flynn and Cael would be impressed.
“What are we doing here, Flynn?” Cam asked.
“Training,” Flynn answered. I half turned in time to see him slam the door shut and then climb up into the loft above.
I turned back around because within seconds Otherworldlies were roaring and practically coming out of the woodwork. One of the stacks of hay toppled as five of them erupted from it. I was right about the stalls hiding things. From right off the top of my head I’d say we were trapped in a barn with thirty angry and/or hungry Otherworldlies.
I whipped out my short sword and quickly stabbed the one that popped out of a hole in the floor right in front of me. These were like hyenas in a human on steroids form. Nasty, muscular, and pointy teethed. Not a good combo.
I jumped over the hole and flipped another one over my shoulder, quickly turning to stab it before it got up. I turned back and ducked as one lunged at me. I sliced at its legs and rose to stab the one rushing at me. My sword was knocked from my hands because of its forward momentum and it fell to the floor and was kicked to the hole in the floor. Not only was my hand now numb but my sword was gone. Bring out the dagger.
I quickly ripped the dagger from its spot strapped to my ankle, which took some talent considering I had to stop and kneel down to unstrap it, all while Otherworldlies and startled Fairies were fighting around me. I rose to my feet and got knocked over by one of the creatures. Instead of letting it tear me to pieces, I rolled to the side.
I got to my feet in time to help Shayla take out a particularly large one. Then I ducked and she got the one that had bowled me over. “Nice teamwork,” I gave her a high-five.
By now the others had taken out their fair share. I bent to clean off my blade. Cael called out a warning. I half turned and saw the other stack of hay bales falling towards me. This was going to hurt. I flattened myself to the ground and closed my eyes. That didn’t make it hurt any less. I felt something heavy trod across the hay bales, therefore my back, and I struggled to decide if I wanted to just stay here and die or try to get out and face Flynn and Cael. Both of whom would blame me for being squished.
I felt someone moving hay bales off of me and I moved a little. I think I must have smacked my head against the floor a little harder than I’d thought because it felt all hollow. “Cort?” I heard someone calling. “Cort, are you ok?”
Finally the bale right above me was lifted up and tossed to the side. I turned my head a little bit. Cael and Asher were bending to lift me out. “Ow,” I said. “Ow. My spine is not meant to bend like that… Ow.” They ignored my protests and just lifted me out.
“That popping sound you heard,” I began, somewhat sitting on the toppled bales. “Yeah, that was my spine.”
All conversation stopped when Flynn suddenly did a flip out of the loft and landed gracefully on his feet in the center of the barn. “So what did we learn?”
I raised my hand. “Hay bales hurt.”
“You’re a huge jerk,” Kendall said, sitting down, nursing her arm. One of them must have sliced her.
“I brought you here to make a point,” Flynn continued as if we hadn’t said anything. It must have been rhetorical. “You each have a weakness that will hinder us in battle, and perhaps ruin our chances of winning. Does anyone want to guess what your weaknesses are?”
Monty was standing, leaning against a stall frame. Once Ash had gotten me out of the hay he went back to her side. “Monty-?” he began. I’m sure he was going to ask if she was hurt but Flynn cut him off.
“Ahha! So Asher here knows that the vivacious Montgomery is his biggest weakness.”
“How am I his weakness?” Monty demanded. Her fair face was flushed, a sure sign that she was getting worked up.
“Yes, tell us, O Wise One,” Shayla chimed in.
“Had Asher not dropped everything to help Monty when things were getting the least bit difficult, Kendall would not be hurt right now. He wouldn’t have gotten thrown into that hole and Monty would have gotten a lot more experience.”
“You can’t predict what might not have happened if one person had done something different,” Monty stuck up for Asher.
“Then we have Miss Monty. The Otherworldly dodges you and you get mad and go after him with a vengeance. How did that backhand to the face feel?” Obviously Flynn had seen everything. I really didn’t approve of how he was tearing into my team but I didn’t want to draw his attention to me.
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“Now, speaking of backhands to the face, Cael, maybe if you weren’t in Cam’s bubble the entire time he wouldn’t have accidentally hit you. And Killer Cam, next time recognize that you’re not the only one fighting and try not to show off.” Cael showed no reaction and Campbell just nodded. He looked like he really wanted to flip Flynn off though.
Flynn turned to me and Shay. “And now for the two who stopped in the middle of a battle to high-five. Congratulations, you take the dumb move prize for the afternoon.”
“It was towards the end of the battle,” I disagreed.
“Also, Shayla, step outside the box. The Seeking books do know a lot but the basic moves don’t always work. And Corty,” I grimaced at him because I hate when people call me Corty. “Next time hay bales start tipping towards you, don’t flinch and hold still, get out of the way. And maybe that would work better if you paid attention.”
He turned in a circle, taking in our faces. I personally wanted to hit him but that wouldn’t be setting a good example. “I feel like I’m forgetting someone…” His gaze stopped on Kendall. She was the picture of defiance, arms crossed, jaw jet. He was really going to dish it out to her to see what she could take. “Ah, yes. Kendall. The next time that you so blatantly throw yourself in harm’s way, I will personally deal with you.”
“You’re going to punish me?” Kendall sneered. Flynn was in for it now. “You drag us out here and practically lure us into a trap. Then you sit on the sidelines and observe. And then you have the nerve, the audacity, to critique us…”
“And your point would be?” Flynn asked, sounding a little bored. I wanted to hit him.
Kendall took one step towards him and threw a punch at his face. He never saw it coming. She hit him so hard that he fell back and hit the edge of the stall. Flynn fell to the ground, out like a light. “My point is you’re a jerk.” She spun on her heel and stormed out of the barn.
“Uh, she has the keys,” Asher said to Monty.
“Aw crap. Go,” Monty and Asher were gone.
Shayla looked at me. “I’m sorry but I do not want to be in the car with him again,” she said apologetically, already slipping out the door. Cam nodded and was right behind her.
“Is he still alive?” I asked Cael, not bending to check on him myself.
“Yes.”
“He deserved it,” I mused out loud. “He also deserves to stay here and make his own way back.”
“Maybe. But that would be the wrong thing to do.”
“So how are we going to haul him through the woods?” I asked. “I’m all for dragging him but that could cause even more damage.”
“You grab his legs and I’ll grab his arms,” Cael said.
Cael grabbed Flynn under the arms and I picked up his legs. “He’s heavy,” I said, not able to lift him up very far.
“Just keep him off the ground and don’t let him hit anything.”
Ten minutes later we’re puffing through the woods, Flynn still blacked out. My hands were all sweaty and cramped up so it was hard to keep a grip on him. I dropped a leg and it dragged because Cael kept walking. “Hang on,” I said. “Lost a leg.”
Cael sighed and stopped walking backwards, waiting for me to get a better grip. “This sucks,” I said to Cael. “Next time Kendall gets to haul him out of here. She got all the fun of hitting him and we do all the dirty work.”
“If Kendall were the one carrying him out, probably his body would stay here,” Cael said. “Never to be seen again.”
“Tree.”
“What?”
“Tree,” I repeated. Too late. He ran into the tree.
Cael glared at me. Apparently I wasn’t doing a very good job of warning him when there were objects behind him. But when I was the one walking backwards I didn’t walk fast enough. Cael was just going to have to make up his mind. “I tried,” I said pettily. “Don’t blame me.”
“You are no help at all.”
“Well, if you’re so good maybe you should have eyes in the back of your- branch.”
“What?”
He hadn’t ducked and a branch had smacked him in the back of the head. I earned myself another death glare. “It’s not my fault that you aren’t reacting fast enough,” I said. “There’s the car. Try not to back into it.”
“Finally,” Cael said.
After struggling briefly to fit Flynn into the back seat we finally got him in and shut the doors without slamming it on any arms, legs, or noggin. We’d driven my car again. Although Flynn had driven us down here, my spare keys were in my pocket. I dangled them from my hand. “Looks like I’m driving.”
“Cortland,” Cael sighed like I was his biggest burden to bear.
I didn’t allow him to argue, I just got into the driver’s seat. I started the car and rolled down the window. “I could just leave you here if that would be easier on your man ego,” I said.
Cael rolled his eyes and walked around to the other side and got in. “It’s not my ego that doesn’t want you to drive the car. It’s the statistics that go to show that guys are better drivers.”
I flipped him off and started the car. I then proceeded to turn on the radio. My hand was barely back on the wheel before Cael was turning it off. I slammed on the brake and he jerked forward. “Let me lay down the law,” I said, turning to face him. “I don’t believe I’ve ever gotten around to that. My car. I’m driving. I choose if we talk or if the radio is on. Touch my radio again and I will rip off your hand and beat with you it.” My serious face left no room for debate.
Cael was probably trying not to laugh at my horrible excuse of a threat but it didn’t matter because he didn’t argue. I hit the gas and turned my radio back on.
The car wasn’t any less silent but at least I had the radio to keep my distracted. By the time I hit the interstate the minor aches and pains from being squished were gone and I was left with feeling tired. Soon it was dark. The bounds of taillights in front of me, glowing red in the night and the headlights coming towards me didn’t make anything better. Those cars were full of normal people, normal kids who didn’t have to deal with all the crap that I had to. We were right outside a major city so the interstate was fairly crowded. The sight of all those headlights and taillights made me feel so alone.
“You’re being really quiet,” Cael said out of the shadows of the passenger seat. I’d thought he was asleep.
“Yeah, well I figured you’d have a mental breakdown if I left the radio on and tried to talk to you,” I said sarcastically. I flipped on the turn signal and slid into the other lane. The exit that would take me off of this interstate, onto a lonely highway that basically had no traffic and was more my speed was coming up fast.
“I’m tougher than you think I am,” he said easily. “And I think you’re tougher than Flynn and I give you credit for.”
“Imagine that,” I replied.
“I, for one, would never have pegged you for the type of girl who gets in the fast lane on the interstate. I would have guessed you were one of those ones who sets your cruise right at the limit and never passed anybody and all the other drivers swear at you as they signal to go around.”
“My dad taught me how to drive too,” I said.
“Your dad taught you a lot of things.”
“Yeah. Thanks to him I can clean my own fish, ride like I was born in the saddle, and I can tell you about every football team in the county.”
“Sounds like you’re Miss Small Town Sweetheart.”
“I probably am,” I admitted. “I love the small town life. Everybody knows everybody, I got to do more in school than most kids in big cities, and there’s no horrible traffic.”
“They’re just diamonds and rubies,” Cael said absently, settling back. “Sorry, Cort, but I got to sleep.”
“Go ahead,” I said, glancing at him. My dad said the same thing about head lights and taillights. I’d never
heard anybody else say that.
In no time at all I was breezing through my small town. A car full of teenaged boys drove past, flipping me the bird. Burke’s cronies. Luckily for them I had more serious things on my mind.
I turned off on the road that would eventually wind around to my house. My phone started ringing and I had to shift a little to reach it in my back pocket. “What?”
“Don’t bite my head off,” Kendall snarled. “I’m just calling to make sure you’re on your way home, not stranded in those woods.”
“We’ll be home in like five minutes,” I said.
“Is he with you?” There was no doubt who in my mind Kendall was asking about. The disgust and irritation in her voice kind of gave it away.
“What was I supposed to do?” I asked, the irritation evident in my voice. “Leave him out there in the woods somewhere?”
“Yes,” Kendall said, echoed by four other voices.
I didn’t even reply, I just flipped my phone shut. “I appreciate you not leaving me out in the woods somewhere,” came Flynn’s voice from the backseat.
I looked in the rearview mirror and jumped. He was sitting up, looking remarkably bright-eyed considering he’d just been knocked out. I hadn’t even heard him move. “Yeah, well, don’t thank me. I wanted to ditch you before we ran into the first tree.”
“Lies,” Cael yawned, sitting up straight in the passenger seat. “Cortland never ran into a tree. That was all me.”
“Whatever. I got to give that girl props, she sure knows how to hit,” Flynn said, rubbing at his jaw. “It still hurts.”
“She did have a point,” I said. “If she hadn’t done it, I probably would have gotten you eventually.”
“Two of her friends hit me, so consider yourself lucky.”
Cael and Flynn weren’t prepared for me to slam on the brakes. I cannot be held accountable for what happens when I have an epiphany. “That’s what our problem is,” I said out loud.
“Your horrible driving?” Flynn asked, holding his head. “Thanks for giving the concussion back.”
“No prob,” I said, putting my car in park. “We’re not a team.”
“Ok?” Cael said slowly.
“How can we fight together if we can’t even get along? We don’t do anything all together; we’ve all got out little cliques. We need to be one unit if any of us are going to make it out.”
“And what do you suggest?” Flynn asked.
“Tomorrow I’m in charge of training.”
-Chapter 6-