Reckless Magic (31 page)

The students filed past me, following
Kiran’s limp body into the gymnasium. Principal Saint knelt down
beside me, offering his tuxedo jacket. I took it, grateful for
something to wrap around myself. The jacket was enormous and
thankfully hung down past my miniskirt which had been ripped to an
indecent state.

“
Were you attacked again?”
Principal Saint asked grimly.

I nodded my reply and heard him curse
under his breath. He said something about calling my Aunt. I didn’t
object, but realized that I was missing the sound of sirens in the
distance.

“
Has someone called 911?” I
asked in a hoarse whisper, barely able to hear my own
voice.

“
No Eden, we have our own
ways of healing,” no sooner had he spoken this then a long black
limo pulled in front of the school and the teachers once again
carried Kiran’s limp body over the hole imprinted in the shape of
our fall and into the back seat of the car.

“
I must go with him. Your
Aunt will be here soon,” Principal Saint put a hand on my shoulder
and squeezed it gently. “I’m glad you’re all right Eden.” I watched
him quickly get into the passenger’s seat of the limo and then the
vehicle drove away.

The rest of the students waited until
Kiran’s “ambulance” was out of sight before walking to their own
respective limousines. An eerie silence settled over us, except for
a few of the other girls who cried like me. One of them in
particular, who could not control her tears was Seraphina. Adelaide
and Evangeline helped her to a limo alone and I realized that
Talbott must have gone in the other car with Kiran.

A pang of guilt hit me and my heart
dropped to my stomach as I realized that I was the reason Kiran was
on the rooftop to begin with. If he had been with Seraphina like he
was supposed to, the attackers probably wouldn’t have found
occasion to assault him. It was because we were alone on the roof
without his body guard that they found their opportunity. And then
it was because of me again that Kiran sacrificed himself over the
ledge of the building.

“
Are you alright?” Avalon,
dressed in his tuxedo again, was at my side.

“
Don’t,” I said simply, but
my one word was filled with all of the rage I felt.

“
Eden, there are things you
don’t understand,” he knew I had figured out it was him on the
roof.

“
I don’t want to understand.
I don’t want to be anywhere near you,” I spat out the words like
venom. I saw Aunt Syl approaching in her red convertible and looked
around, realizing Avalon and I were the only ones left standing in
front of the gymnasium.

“
It’s time that you do
understand. I can’t lie to you anymore,” his voice was soft and
sad, but it wasn’t enough for me to listen to. I waited impatiently
for Aunt Syl to drive up. “Kiran has to die Eden. We have to
destroy his bloodline in order to survive.”

“
I don’t know what you’re
talking about,” I refused to turn and look at him; all of the
energy from the battle had turned to hate and focused completely at
Avalon.

“
His bloodline is the reason
we are so weak. The reason we die. They’ve closed off the magic. By
not letting us marry whomever we choose the magic is confined to
one type of Immortal or the other. The magic can’t be free, and
because it can’t be free we are all going to die. Maybe not today,
maybe not tomorrow, but eventually every Immortal will fade out of
existence. And if that is going to happen, I’m going to start with
the source of the problem,” I shook my head as if refusing to
believe what Avalon claimed was truth. “They take and kill whomever
they choose and then imprison the rest of us to ensure their
bloodline and their immortality. But it affects them too and so I
call for their blood to be shed. Every king before Kiran has made
it worse for our people. I want to cut it off at the source before
we all die, can’t you see that Eden?” his voice was pained and full
of emotion.

“
Why him? Why not his
father? Kiran’s not even king yet,” I finally addressed his
accusations.

“
But he will be one day. And
he will be no better than his father. Probably worse. Have you
asked him about Lilly? Have you asked him what his father is going
to do to her? Have you asked him why he won’t testify on her behalf
even though she fought to save his life? No you haven’t. You’ve
bought into his lie just like the rest of them,” he raised his
voice with passion.

“
Oh, but I should buy into
your lie. I should just believe exactly what you say, although
you’re the one trying to kill me!” I shouted, enraged
myself.

“
I have never tried to kill
you; I’ve only tried to protect you! And yes you should listen to
me, because after all I’m your brother damn it! Your twin brother!”
That was it. I couldn’t listen to him anymore. I was overwhelmed
with information I couldn’t discern from fact or fiction. The
events of tonight had been too traumatic to even process his words,
let alone believe them.

Thankfully Aunt Syl pulled up the
drive. I put my hands over my ears like a little girl and ran away
from everything I didn’t want to face anymore. I threw myself into
Aunt Syl’s car and yelled at her to drive. After she obeyed, I let
out all of the emotion once again in fitful sobs, trying to wrap my
head around the words Avalon just shouted at me. Could he really be
my twin brother?

30.

“
Eden, there is someone here
to see you,” Aunt Syl’s voice whispered softly but firmly in my
ear.

My room was completely dark, and I was
comfortably wrapped in my comforter, surrounded by feather pillows.
I groaned a response and rolled over. She patted my back
maternally, before standing up to open my bedroom door and allow
whoever was here to see me, inside.

I heard Avalon’s familiar voice and a
wave of nausea swept over me. He was speaking to my Aunt about
accommodations or a spare room or something I couldn’t quite make
out. I heard my Aunt turn the lamp on, creating a soft glow of
light not strong enough to hurt my still sleepy eyes. I peeked one
eye out from the pillow I had my face buried in and saw Avalon
fidget tentatively in the doorway.

“
Well you might as well come
in; you have a lot of explaining to do,” I struggled to lecture
through a horse whisper. In the last twenty four hours I had begun
to accept the fact that he was my brother. This was the first time
he had tried to speak to me himself since he told me, but I decided
it was something I always knew deep within. At least I understood
there was something internal that tied us together, although I was
unable to put a word to it. Much like when Principal Saint came to
explain my immortality to me, Avalon was now here to explain our
connection.

“
You’re not mad at me?” he
asked quietly and walked to the end of my bed, standing awkwardly
and playing idly with the bed frame.

“
I wouldn’t say that. But at
least I’m not planning on turning you over to the authorities,” my
voice grew stronger than a whisper, but maintained its’
hoarseness.

“
Would you like some tea, my
dear?” Aunt Syl offered from the doorframe.

“
Yes, please,” she gave me
an encouraging smile and disappeared down the hallway. “We’ll be
down in a second.” I called after her, feeling suddenly awkward
with my brand new brother alone in my room. Who knew what I had
lying around on the floor?

I crawled out of bed stiff and sore.
My knee and shin throbbed dully from the bloody gash covering them.
My hair was tangled and wild, I had yet to shower; and my skin was
filthy. Aunt Syl was kind enough to let me sleep through the past
day; I supposed sleep was how I emotionally healed.

I staggered out of the bedroom, but
not before grabbing a hair tie that I worked my human-kind-of-magic
with; pulling my tangled locks into some type of vice grip on the
top of my head. I noticed the green dress from last night in a
crumpled heap by my door; I glanced down quickly to make sure I was
actually clothed. Thankfully I had an oversized sweatshirt and
shorts on. I didn’t remember putting them on, but it didn’t really
matter at that point, at least I was dressed. I grabbed the dress
off of the floor with full intentions of burning it when I got to
the bottom of the stairs.

Avalon followed me silently. On the
way to the stairs we passed the guest bedroom and I noticed
suitcases in the middle of the floor. I was not sure what to think
of them, but was completely focused on the warm cup of tea waiting
for me in the kitchen.

I tossed the dress into the fireplace
casually as we walked by it on our way to the kitchen island. I
lighted the wood with a flick of a switch positioned on the wall
next to the fireplace and glanced back to make sure the dress
worked as kindle for the flame.

Once in the kitchen, I pulled out a
stool and impatiently waited for the water to boil on the gas
stove. Avalon followed my example and sat down on the stool next to
me. Aunt Syl brought out a plate of fruit and cheese and crackers;
some of my favorite munchies. I gratefully grabbed some grapes and
shoved them into my mouth. I was starving.

“
Amory is bringing over some
Chinese food…. King Fong’s,” Aunt Syl explained tentatively and
then smiled sympathetically. Great. Although I was excited for the
lo mein en route, I wasn’t especially ready to rehash the rooftop
battle for Principal Saint, especially when it indicted
Avalon.

“
So.… spill it,” I commanded
of Avalon, giving him a sideways glance before reaching for some
more grapes.

“
I don’t even know where to
begin,” he replied almost nervously, running his hands through his
longer locks. I realized now that our hair and skin were the same
color; our noses nearly identical and our smiles the exact likeness
of each other. Only our eye color was different; mine almost black
like our hair, and his green like the color of emeralds.

“
Start with why you have
tried to kill me…. twice,” I inquired casually, holding up two
fingers before grabbing some Wheatables and gruyere
cheese.

“
I have never tried to kill
you!” Avalon nearly stood up defending himself. “I’ve only ever
tried to kill him; you just give us good opportunities to attack, I
guess,” he calmed down a bit and flashed an amused grin. “You
always get him alone, where he is unprotected. Unfortunately you’re
still fighting on his side. But I’m hoping that will
change.”

“
I don’t think it will,” I
disagreed. “There will never be a time when I can just sit by and
watch you kill Kiran,” I nearly choked on my words; realizing my
brother’s true intentions for a person I had strong, but
indefinable feelings for. Albeit I was not sure what those feelings
were, but without a doubt they were definitely not
murderous.

“
We’ll see,” he argued back
and when I opened my mouth to say something, he continued quickly,
“Like I was saying, I have only done everything in my power to
protect you; that includes doing my best to keep you away from
him,” Avalon refused to use Kiran’s name.

“
Everything in your power…
does that include throwing me off a building?” I rubbed my sore
bones to prove my point.

“
Eden, you don’t have to be
in pain. It’s called magic. Why don’t you try using it?” he nodded
in the direction of my cut up leg and I felt like an idiot. Oh,
yea. I focused my blood, allowing the magic free reign to flow. The
electricity pulsed through my veins, heating my blood and healing
my body. Instantly I felt restored and rejuvenated. The gash on my
shin and knee completely disappeared in seconds; and the bruises
that moments ago painted my skin, vanished.

“
Thanks,” I
mumbled.

“
I didn’t throw you off any
building. Jer- my companion got a little overzealous. He was just
pissed that he was getting beat by a girl. He fully expected you to
recover, but you, I think, forgot to use your magic again,” I
blushed, realizing that my fall from the top of the gymnasium
didn’t have to be fatal. I had had the power to be just fine. “We
all were shocked when you just kept falling. I don’t know what
would have happened to you if that half and half hadn’t time slowed
to catch you; but then again Jericho got a little too excited. And
if it weren’t for you, he could have finished the job, but you
absorbed the majority of the blow, protecting him,” Avalon had just
used so many words that I didn’t understand and I had so many
questions now I didn’t even know where to begin.

“
Half and half? Time slow?
What do you mean absorbed the blow? Speak English; and for goodness
sakes, who is Jericho?” I squinted at Avalon confused, but he only
laughed at me.

“
I forget that you were
raised human,” Avalon laughed again. Aunt Syl gave him a side
glance, disapprovingly. It’s not like I was raised by wolves, give
me a break.

“
Explain,” I demanded
simply.

“
Ok, let’s see. Half and
half is like a slang word we use to describe someone like Kiran.
Someone who is half witch and half medium; his family specifically
breeds this way in order to ensure their bloodline and their power.
They think if they use the two dominant immortalities they will
stay more powerful than the rest of us minions,” his voice dripped
with sarcasm and irritability. “Time slow; that’s like something
only mediums can do. It’s one of the things that separate witches
and psychics. Kiran has the ability to slow time down without
slowing himself down. He caught up with you in air because he
slowed you down. They can only do it for a limited amount of time,
but you can see why it would be useful.”