Playing With Fire (Power of Four Book 2) (28 page)

There was no denying it. Skyler was a darn cute baby. Both Skyler and Ben looked adorable in their small shorts and sandals. Their bare chests and rosy cheeks told how hot the day must have been.

Aaron’s gaze moved from Skyler to the man behind him. He had his hands around Skyler’s waist, supporting him in case he fell. There was a wide smile on his face as he looked at Skyler with warm blue eyes. There was no question about who he was but Aaron still asked, to be sure.

“That’s Joseph, right? Skyler’s dad?”

Kate nodded, her smile small and sad. “Yeah,” she said quietly. “That was Joseph.” She took in a big breath. “A world apart from his son.”

Aaron looked at the picture of baby Skyler and smiled. “He’s not all that bad, once you get to know him.”

“Here, let me show you something else.” Kate took the frame from Aaron, putting it flat on the table. “Look.” She pointed at someone in the background of the photo. Just to the left of the picture, behind Skyler’s dad, was a woman. A very familiar woman. Aaron was certain he had seen her before, but he couldn’t figure out where.

“Any guesses as to who she is?” Kate asked. Both Aaron and Rose stared at the woman with a little girl in her arms. “That,” Kate tapped the photo, “was Lily Afton, Ella’s mother.”

Aaron realised he had seen her photo on Alaina’s wall. She had been standing next to Neriah, next to her brother.

“Ella looks so much like her mum,” Rose said, staring at the picture. “Wow, she’s beautiful.”

“Yeah,” Kate said. “Lily really was beautiful, inside and out.”

“Is that Ella?” Rose asked, pointing at the little girl in Lily’s arms.

“It is,” Kate confirmed.

“Oh man.” Rose smiled and picked up the frame, holding it close to examine it carefully. “I can’t wait to show Sam.”

Aaron looked at the photo: at Ella with her mother, Skyler with his father and his dad with Ben. He didn’t want to think about how each pair was left broken. Instead, he focused on the smiles and the joy the picture had captured, at a time when all the Elementals were together, living in the City of Marwa.

***

The fight wasn’t a fair one. There were too many vamages and not enough Hunters. The darkness of the forest was lit up with gunshots and fireballs. Kyran hadn’t stayed for the fight. He had instructed his vamages to ‘deal’ with the Hunters but not to kill them, before moving towards the Gate.

Chris fought valiantly, taking on two, three, even four vamages at a time. He knocked them out, using the darkness to his advantage by throwing trees at them that they couldn’t see coming. The Hunters with him were holding their ground, using their powers and familiars to fight the vamages.

Chris got a moment’s pause in fighting and turned to the glowing Gate. His heart leapt in his chest when he saw Kyran about to reach it. Chris grabbed the pendant dangling from the chain around his neck.

“Scott! Where’s your back-up?”

“
They’ve passed through the portal,
” came Scott’s reply. “
They’ll be there any second.
”

“Kyran’s about to drop the Gate,” Chris said. “I can’t wait for the Hunters. I need to stop him.”

Chris ignored Scott’s warning for him to hold on and wait for the new team of Hunters to reach them, and ran towards Kyran. He saw Kyran lift his hand, about to touch the Gate. He frowned with surprise. He’d been sure the Scorcher would drop the Gate, not simply try to open it. Chris raced forward and raised a hand, taking aim.

The ground at Kyran’s feet sunk into itself, taking Kyran with it. How he did it Chris didn’t know, but in the blink of an eye, he found Kyran rising upwards. The ground he was standing on elevated back up, the sinkhole gone.

But it was all the distraction Chris needed to get close enough. He came to a standstill, his chest heaving and brow sweaty, and his gun gripped tightly in hand.

“Kyran, stop!” he called, taking aim as Kyran once again reached out to the Gate.

To his surprise, Kyran did.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Chris said. “So please don’t give me a reason.”

Kyran turned to look at him. “You don’t want to hurt me?” he asked. “Why is that?”

Chris faltered. He didn’t want to mention Alex.

Kyran looked down at the ground and shook his head. “It’s funny,” he said. “I don’t want to hurt you either.” He met his eyes. “Doesn’t mean I won’t.”

Chris moved, dodging the jolt of fire Kyran threw at him. It hit the tree behind Chris and the entire thing went up in flames. Chris took refuge behind another tree. He gathered his nerves and told himself he had no choice. He had to stop Kyran. Any second now, the back-up Scott had promised would arrive and the numbers would tilt in their favour. Until then, he had to keep Kyran away from the Gate, away from the Blade. If the Scorcher got to the Blade, no one would be able to get past his defence. Chris took in a breath and leapt from behind the tree.

***

Kate brought out more things from the box. She showed Aaron a toy train that had the letters
B-E-N
on it, a small blanket that used to be Ben’s favourite, and a handkerchief that had the words
Benjamin Adams
embroidered in gold thread.

“This was a gift from James when Ben was born,” Kate laughed, holding out the handkerchief. “He wasn’t very good with kids and what to get them. We used to joke that’s why he didn’t get married and have any of his own.” Her fingers trailed the letters of her son’s name and she shook her head. “God, we were so mean.”

Aaron looked at her but didn’t say anything. He dropped his gaze back to the last framed photo in his hands. He couldn’t bring himself to let go. It was a beautiful shot of Ben with Alex and Alaina, on the beach that was outside Alaina’s house. They were standing in the water, and behind them was an incredible curved tower of water, a perfect wave surfers would give their arms and legs for. It was caught by the camera at that precise moment, or maybe Alaina had frozen it like that for the background of their picture.

Ben had one arm around Alaina’s neck and the other around Alex’s. He was sitting on Alex and Alaina’s joined hands, held up between them. He was laughing. The jubilation on Ben’s face was as stunning a sight as the rest of the picture. Dressed in swimming trunks and a hat, Ben looked close to the age he was in the memory Aaron had watched. Aaron wondered how long it was after this picture was taken that Ben and Alex died. Was it months? Weeks? Days?

He glanced at his mum, but she was busy going through the box, pulling out more of Ben’s things. Aaron looked back at the picture. Something caught his eye. He brought the frame closer, eyes narrowed to try to make sense of what he was seeing.

“Rose?” he called. “Where’s the photo of Skyler and Ben?”

Rose handed him the frame and Aaron quickly took it, studying his brother. It was there too. The same thing, exactly in the same place.

“Something wrong?” Rose asked, seeing Aaron’s expression.

Aaron took a moment to reply. “I’m...I’m not sure.” He raised his head and called to Kate, “Mum? What is this?” He held up the photo and pointed to a tiny black mark on Ben’s chest.

Kate looked up, her eyes already tearing up as she looked through her deceased son’s things.

“That’s nothing,” she dismissed. “It was a birthmark.”

“What kind of a birthmark?” Aaron pressed.

“It was nothing, Aaron,” she said. “Just a small spot, though it looked more like a blemish. I swear, the first time I noticed it, I thought something had irritated his skin. There was a strange red outline to the dark spot.” She shook her head. “But it was just a birthmark.”

Aaron was staring at her, his heart thumping in his chest. He remembered seeing Kyran after he saved Rose’s life from the hell hound attack. Aaron had walked in on him before Kyran got a chance to button up his shirt. He had seen what he thought was a tattoo, a simple black circle on the left side of Kyran’s chest, with a slight red tinge around it.

‘
Nice tat,
’ he had remarked and Kyran had only smiled in return.

Aaron dropped his gaze to the two photos before him, both of them with Ben’s exposed torso, both of them showing a small black circle on the left side of his chest.

The sound of his mum’s choked sob made Aaron look up. He saw what his mum had pulled out from the box: a plush toy of a monkey, wearing a sleeveless red and gold jacket with matching shorts. A small plaster was on its forehead and a bandage on the very tip of its long curved tail.

“This was his favourite,” Kate said quietly, holding the stuffed toy. “He used to love the puppet shows.” Kate held the toy in her hands. She smiled even as tears welled in her eyes. “When I was expecting you, we would openly discuss what to name you,” she said. “Ben would insist we involve him too. We would ask him, ‘What are you going to call your baby brother, Ben?’ and he would hug this toy tight to his chest, laugh and say…” She paused. “‘Ace,’” she whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek. “‘I’m going to call my brother, Ace.’”

Aaron turned to look at Rose who stared back at him with wide eyes. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as realisation filtered through the shock.

But for Aaron, shock didn’t even begin to cover it.

***

Chris’s attack had knocked both him and Kyran to the ground. Chris managed to get the upper hand and held Kyran down, instructing the roots and vines to grab hold of him. They latched on to Kyran, doing what Chris commanded. Not even a heartbeat later, though, the roots and vines slid away from Kyran, recoiling fast.

Chris’s moment of confusion got him a solid hit right across the face, whipping his head to the side. Before he knew what was happening, he was on the ground and Kyran was on top of him, holding him there.

The sound of numerous motorbikes cut through the air and Kyran stilled. Headlights appeared in the woods, cutting through the darkness. The Hunters had arrived.

Taking advantage of Kyran’s distraction, Chris swung his fist, catching him across the cheek and throwing him to the ground. Chris took Kyran by his collars, trying to keep him pinned. His rough grab pulled Kyran’s shirt, popping several of the buttons. The glow of the Gate they were fighting in front of gave enough light for Chris to see the dark circle on Kyran’s chest.

Chris stilled, his eyes widened at the unique mark, at the mark he couldn’t possibly mistake. His stare moved to rest on Kyran’s face and his fingers slackened their grip.

“Ben?”

Kyran stopped struggling. He met Chris’s shocked eyes and, for a moment, he just stared at him. Then the green of Kyran’s eyes darkened and he shoved Chris back. Kyran got to his feet, but his attention had shifted to the Hunters that had come roaring to join the fight.

“Fall back!” Kyran commanded the vamages. “Fall back, now!” He turned from the Gate and ran, without giving Chris so much as another glance.

The vamages disappeared into clouds of mist and soared into the sky.

Chris watched Kyran, unable to move, unable to speak. It was as if someone had pulled the earth out from under him and Chris was falling, powerless to stop, unable to find solid ground.

A few of the Hunters ran to him and dropped to his side.

“Chris, are you okay? Are you hurt?” one of them asked.

Chris didn’t say anything. Guns clicked next to him and he turned his head to see Ryan and Omar take aim at Kyran’s retreating form.

“No!” Chris cried and jumped up, pushing Ryan and Omar back. “Don’t shoot!” he said, standing in front of the Hunters. “No one shoot!”

He turned around just in time to see Kyran swallowed up by the darkness. “That’s my son,” Chris said, his voice breaking. “That’s...that’s my Ben.”

26

The Ones Left Behind

The Elementals gathered in the Hub, along with a very confused Scott, trying to make sense of what Chris had told them.

“It’s a trick,” Scott said, standing next to the round table, looking at Chris in disbelief. “It must be.”

“It’s not a trick,” Chris said, pacing the floor and running his trembling hands through his hair. “It’s him. He’s Ben. Kyran is Ben.”

“Do you hear yourself?” Ella asked. “Are you aware of what you’re actually saying?”

Chris didn’t answer and continued to pace up and down the Hub.

“This is perfect,” Skyler drawled, the only one seated in the room. He leaned back on his elbows to the bench behind him. “I couldn’t ask for better entertainment.”

“Shut up, Sky!” Ella snapped.

Neriah looked at Skyler but didn’t say anything.

The sound of rushing footsteps echoed from beyond the door before it slammed open. Chris stopped and turned, seeing Kate, Aaron and the twins burst into the room. Kate’s face was flushed, her eyes wide and her breath laboured. She ran to him, leaving Aaron, Sam and Rose at the door.

“Chris!” She stopped before him. “Chris, he – Aaron – he, he said...” She couldn’t speak. “Kyran...He has – he –” Her hand lifted to touch the left side of her chest. “Aaron said he saw...Kyran has the...the...”

Chris held Kate’s hand, his eyes welling with tears. He nodded. “It’s him,” he said. “It’s our Ben.”

Kate stared at him. She shook her head a bare fraction. “Chris,” she breathed. “I felt him die.
We
felt him die. How...how can he be alive? How could he have survived that attack?”

“I don’t know,” Chris said, shaking his head. “But I saw the mark on his chest. It’s him, Kate. He’s alive.” He cupped her face in his hands. “Kyran is Ben.”

Droplets fell down Kate’s cheeks, but her eyes were still on her husband. She trembled and her breath rushed out of her, turning into a sob. Chris pulled her into his arms, holding her close. Kate cried. Muffled words of gratitude left her as she clutched at her husband.

Aaron wanted to go over to them but he couldn’t move. The sight of his parents, broken by sheer relief that their son was still alive, was as painful a sight as it was joyful.

“I hate to do this,” Ella said, stepping towards Chris and Kate, “but you both need to stop and think about this, okay? Kyran is
not
your son.”

Kate pulled out of Chris’s arms and turned to look at Ella, her face tear-stained. Chris kept his arms around her.

“I saw his birthmark,” he said.

“It was dark,” Ella argued. “How can you say for certain what you saw?”

“I saw it!” Chris said angrily. “I wouldn’t mistake that mark. It was him. Kyran is Ben. He’s my son.”

Ella turned to look at Neriah with exasperation. “Neriah, please,” she said. “A little help here?”

Neriah took in a deep breath and turned, his hands still clasped behind him. Quietly, he asked, “Can you feel him?”

Chris faltered. Kate stiffened next to him.

“Neriah, I know what I saw–” Chris started.

“What about you, Kate?” Neriah cut him off and looked at her.

Kate swallowed hard and gave a small shake of her head.

Neriah turned back to Chris. “I think that settles it, then.”

“He’s my son,” Chris insisted.

“Then why can’t you feel him?” Neriah asked.

“I don’t know!” Chris snapped. “I don’t understand how...I can’t...” He stopped and took in a long breath. “I can’t feel him but he has the same birthmark, and his resemblance to Alex, and he’s a part of Aaron’s Inheritance and...and the way he looks at me...” He held Neriah’s gaze. “He’s my son, Neriah. I can’t feel it but I
know
it.”

“Your son was attacked by Lycans,” Neriah said. “There is no way he survived. The poison would have killed him, if his injuries didn’t.”

“He must have been healed in time,” Chris said.

Neriah didn’t say anything. Ella looked pained, glancing from Neriah to Chris. She pulled in a breath and stepped towards Chris and Kate.

“I get it,” she said softly. “I know what it’s like. I’ve dreamt of moments like this; moments when those I’ve lost have come back to me and it was all a great big misunderstanding, but…” She paused. “But things don’t work like that, not in real life. Those who die, don’t come back.” She held Chris’s eyes. “You’re desperate to believe your son is still alive, so much so that you’re ignoring everything that proves that he is in fact dead. Lycans killed your son. You felt him die. Neriah
buried
him.”

“There were many children massacred that day,” Chris said. “Maybe Neriah buried another child, thinking he was Ben.”

“Chris, come on,” Ella said. “Don’t you think Neriah would be able to tell if it was Ben or not?”

“To be fair,” Neriah said. “What I buried that day was little more than mangled flesh. There was no way to identify him.” He looked at Chris, holding his hopeful gaze. “But he was found next to Alex, dressed as Ben had been.”

“It could have been anyone,” Chris insisted. “Ben’s clothes weren’t that distinct.” His face paled and it looked like he had to force himself to speak, but he pushed on, “When I found Alex, there were a lot of bodies around him. I thought I saw Ben next to him too, but…but it can’t have been him, because my Ben is still alive.”

Neriah didn’t argue, but he looked away from Chris.

Kate suddenly paled, her eyes widened. She grabbed hold of her husband’s shirt. “Oh God, Chris!” she cried. “We left him.” Her red-rimmed eyes were wide and full of fear. “We...we
left
him. We felt Ben die and we left the realm. Ben was here, all this time. He’s been here for
fourteen
years!” She shook her head in abject horror. “Oh God, what did we do? What did we do?”

Chris looked just as broken by guilt. He hugged Kate, unable to say anything as regret consumed him whole. “We’ll make this right,” he managed to whisper. “We’ll do whatever it takes but we will do right by Ben, I swear.”

“Alright.” Skyler sat up. “I’m just going to go ahead and ask.” He pointed a finger at Chris. “If Kyran is
your
son...” He glanced to Kate before looking back at Chris with a smirk. “…why does he look so much like your brother?”

Kate turned to Skyler with wide eyes, first surprised at the question, then outraged at the insinuation.

Chris glared at him. “That’s enough from you,” he warned.

Skyler held up both hands, grinning. “Hey, look, I’m just asking what everyone else here is thinking.”

“Plenty of children are born with a resemblance to their aunts and uncles,” Chris said.

“A resemblance, yes,” Skyler said. “But from what I hear, Kyran is a spitting image of your deceased little bro.” He smirked widely, his eyes moved to Kate. “I can sense there’s a story here.”

The ground shook and then cracked. It went from the door to Skyler. The bench behind Skyler snapped in two. Seeing red with fury, Aaron shot across the Hub. He would have launched himself at Skyler with everything he had, if Chris hadn’t grabbed hold of him.

“No!” he told Aaron. “Don’t.”

But Aaron was lost in his rage. His slitted eyes were locked on Skyler, who had been forced to his feet, the smirk wiped off his face.

“
Watch
your tongue,” Aaron warned. “Or I’ll rip it right out!”

Skyler’s surprise turned to amusement. “Come on, Aaron,” he chuckled. “You can’t tell me it’s not weird that your so-called brother looks exactly like your uncle and not your dad?”

“That’s my mother you’re insulting!” Aaron spat, struggling against his dad’s hold.

“Well, maybe your mother should do some explaining,” Skyler said.

Aaron lost it. “Son of a–!”

“Enough!” Neriah’s voice boomed across the Hub, drawing everyone’s attention. Neriah turned to Skyler, his expression one of fury. “The next time you open your mouth, it better not be to spew more vile rubbish!”

Skyler held back his smirk and dropped his head. Chris let go of Aaron but stayed by his side, in case Aaron went for Skyler again.

Neriah looked to Chris and Aaron before his gaze moved to Kate. He nodded at her. “My apologies to you, Kate,” he said. “I know you cared for Alex like a sister would. Skyler had no right to disrespect you.”

Kate shot an angry look at Skyler before turning to Neriah and nodding. “Thank you,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense, though.” She shook her head, reaching up to rub at her forehead, as if warding off a headache. “I always imagined Ben to grow up to look very much like Chris, like Aaron. I don’t know why he looks like Alex. He
shouldn’t
look like Alex.” She held Neriah’s gaze. “Ben had my eyes. How can his eyes have changed from blue to green? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“None of this makes sense,” Ella said. “Think about it. If Kyran really is Ben Adams, then how did he get the legacies from Hadrian?”

No one had an answer. They looked to each other, confused.

“There must be an explanation,” Aaron said. Like his parents, Aaron too had no doubt that Kyran was Ben, despite Ella and Neriah’s argument.

“There is,” Ella said. “But it’s not the one you want to hear.” She turned to Kate and Chris. “Did Hadrian know about Ben’s birthmark?”

Chris frowned. “Why are you asking?”

“Maybe the mark you saw wasn’t real.”

“What do you mean?” Kate asked.

“Did Hadrian ever see Ben’s birthmark?” Ella repeated.

Kate shared a look with Chris. “Yes. On warm days, Ben used to run around without his top on. All the kids did. Hadrian lived in Marwa, so he probably did see it at some point.”

Ella bit her lip. “Then, don’t you think that the mark that Kyran has could be a tattoo?” She looked at Chris. “Maybe Hadrian noticed as Kyran grew up that he shared a resemblance with Alex Adams. Why Kyran looks like Alex I have no idea, but maybe Hadrian convinced Kyran to get a tattoo just like the birthmark Ben had?”

“Why would he do that?” Aaron asked.

“For this exact reason,” she said. “Look at us. We’re standing around, discussing the possibility of Kyran Aedus, the Scorcher, being Benjamin Adams.” She shook her head and turned to look at Chris. “You felt your son die. That right there is all the proof you need to know Ben is dead.” She shook her head. “Kyran is not your son, Chris. Being the legacy holder for Fire and for Air, which Hadrian stole, proves he’s an Aedus by blood.”

Chris held her eyes. “Legacies or not, I know Kyran is my son,” he said.

Something clicked in Aaron’s mind.

“The legacy,” he said, drawing everyone’s attention. “Of course, that’s why I don’t have it.”

“Aaron?” Kate held on to his arm. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m not the legacy holder,” Aaron said. “It was never supposed to be me. Naina said, ‘
The legacy is with its rightful holder.
’ But she never said Dad was the legacy holder. I assumed it was him, but the legacy has always been with Kyran because he’s the rightful holder.” He smiled as it all finally made sense to him. “The legacy was Ben’s but everyone thought he died and so figured the legacy went back to Dad and then transferred to me when my core awoke. But Ben didn’t die. So
Kyran
is the legacy holder for Earth. That’s why I couldn’t wield the Blade.”

Chris turned to Neriah, who looked rather thrown.

“Wait, just hold on a minute,” Skyler started, his earlier mirth and amusement gone. “So you’re saying that Kyran has the legacy for Earth, Fire
and
Air. He has
three
legacies?”

Ella had her hands in her hair. “This can’t be happening,” she said. “There’s no way Kyran has all three legacies. Please, God, that can’t be true.”

“It very well might be,” Scott said. “I was going crazy trying to figure out how Kyran could’ve possibly got out of those cuffs. Ella surviving his attack proved that Kyran is in fact a mage, but no mage can break out of the inhibitors.” He held up a finger. “But, if Kyran does hold more than one legacy, then he can overpower pretty much any restraining device we have.” He looked to Neriah. “A mage, an Elemental, the legacy holder – whoever it is – can only hold
one
legacy,
one
power, an affinity to
one
element. That is the belief we have been working with since the very beginning. And the cuffs are only capable of blocking one power. But Kyran, by wielding both the Blades of Aedus and Avira, proves a mage can hold more than one legacy. That is how he broke out of those cuffs. We were inhibiting one of his powers, but he still had another one – maybe two.” He shook his head. “It’s no wonder I couldn’t lift the rocks he put down when he trapped you in a fight,” he said to Neriah. “Being the Controller, I can cancel out the ring when an Elemental sets it up, but I can’t cancel out what a multi-legacy holder sets up.”

“One of those legacies is
mine
,” Skyler said. “And I don’t care what I have to do, I’m getting it back from him.”