The Paladins (27 page)

“Nicely done,” I say.

He smiles.

“When did you learn that one?”

“Not sure, but it’s all coming easier. It’s as much about respect and listening to my element, as it is giving orders. We’re partners. Does that make any sense?”

“Yes.” It’s the same for me.

Curious, my mind summons wind, and a stiff breeze immediately answers. The unseen force bounces around my body like a happy dog, waiting for instructions. I wasn’t sure how the elements work for the others, but I feel at one with the air. My breathing slows and the temperature drops. As I concentrate all my efforts on the flame under Gideon’s control, I cover the sphere in a frosty gust. Wind encircles the ball until it freezes over, cracks, and shatters in a puff of steam.

My grin is checked by Gideon’s narrowing eyes. His nostrils flare.
Uh oh.
I was pissing about and now he’s cheesed off again. It doesn’t take much. Maddox has all the patience of an injured wolverine.

Surprise lifts my eyebrows when one side of his mouth slides up. “Oh, it’s on, Wynter.”

I’m up for some sport. “Yeah, well good luck, yank. You’ll need it.”

I dive as Gideon chucks a flare at my head.
Oh, no you didn’t.
I roll and hop to my feet in a ready crouch. To answer his challenge, I summon winds from every direction, gather the power at my torso, and shoot. The gust blows so hard, it knocks Maddox on his arse.

As much as I enjoy the sight, there’s no time to gloat because he’s already rising, and more than that, his hands are glowing. The grin on his face is pure revenge. Odd yellow light shines from his chest, growing brighter. This is bad. Very bad.

The blast shakes the ground as if a furnace exploded. My frame trembles a fraction of a second before I teleport to a safe spot behind him. The grass where I stood a moment ago is scorched and smoking.

Impressive, but now it’s my turn.

The sky darkens as clouds gather at my beckoning. Thunderheads build, fierce and angry. Power courses through my limbs to my fingertips. The sensation is both exhilarating, and I’ll admit, a little frightening. I don’t have a headache, and I’m not the least bit tired.

Energy fills me with a capability that I didn’t earn and don’t fully understand. What if we can’t control what we’ve started? Toying with the elements like this is madness, but the temptation is too strong. Like telling a boy he can’t ride his new bike on Christmas Day.

Whatever I imagine, the wind obeys. Wielding my new power is becoming as effortless as breathing, the energy as much a part of me as any other limb. I feel free enough to fly. No sooner do I
think
than I’m rising on the wind, hovering a few feet off the ground. Another neat trick I had no idea I was capable of.

Gideon whirls to face me and glances up. “Wha … ”

Pride swells as his eyes bulge. I must be damn imposing, floating in mid-air like the Egyptian god Amun. Hell, maybe he had the same gift.

Energy particles circle the atmosphere above us where I’ve collected it. My mind reaches out to stir the air, and the storm obeys. The full force of a hurricane waits in the heavens for my command.

I lift one eyebrow. “Give up?” I hope he’s intimidated enough to back down, but this is Gideon.

“Ha! You wish.” He raises a fire at his feet. Feeding off the dry grass, it doubles in size, quadruples. Flames bend and twist, weaving together until they take shape.

My brow creases as I struggle to identify the still knitting form. The fire moves as though alive, finally consolidating into the head of a giant wolf. The warning I ignored earlier resurfaces. Fun? Hell yeah, but the situation could easily get out of hand. “Maddox, c’mon, mate enough.”

“No. Let’s see what happens.”

He stands on the far side of his burning creation, and while the heat doesn’t affect him, I’m sweating. Hovering two feet above ground, a wave of my hand drives me beyond the too-warm blaze into cooler territory.

“Let’s not.” I hate that I’m the disapproving parent in this scenario telling a kid why it’s not cool to play with matches. Responsible behavior is the antithesis of my old MO, and I’m no choir boy, but I didn’t come this far to end up dead.

“Do it!” he shouts.

“No.”

Coward.
The word is in his eyes.

Resentment blows through me like a chill wind.
Golden boy. Teacher’s pet. Always getting his way.
“You asked for it.”

Pressure builds, and my chest tingles with expectation. Electricity in the air makes the hairs on my arms stand on end. When I drop my hand, wind falls from the sky like a hurtling locomotive. I’m not afraid. Somehow, I sense I’m protected, and I am. When the force strikes, it separates, flowing over me the way water parts around a rock and heads straight for Gideon.

Air hits the earth like Thor’s hammer. And his fire responds. Darting over Gideon, the wolf shields him, enduring the brunt of my attack. Lifting his smoldering muzzle, the beast opens his mouth wide and I see my mistake.

Wind feeds flame.

When my airstream collides with Gideon’s fire-beast, the animal … eats it. I don’t know how else to describe what’s happening. The more forced air the inferno consumes, the bigger it grows. Fifteen feet. Twenty.

The heat is unbearable. I glide further away to avoid incineration.

The wolf gulps air. His head bloats as he ingests more oxygen, expands to bursting. “He’s going to blow!” The words have barely left my mouth when an unseen force punches my chest like a giant fist. I’m a daredevil shot from a cannon, first I fly, then I fall.

My head smacks the ground hard enough to make my ears ring. The sky above darkens, but it doesn’t matter since my lids slide down. Breaths come in shallow pants. I’m sure I’ll pass out, except I don’t. Waves of pain radiate throughout my skeleton. My ear hurts again, and I can’t move, but then again, I don’t really want to …

“You awake?”

Gideon. His voice is muted, as though a blanket covers his mouth. I’d like to hit him, but I can’t lift my arms. “Tosser.”

“Excellent. If you’re strong enough for insults, I expect you’ll live.”

“Sod off.”

“Only proving my point, Wynter.”

When I open my eyes, Gideon lies flat on his back next to me. I struggle to sit up. Everything spins, and I groan.

Fully night, the moon is up in a clear sky that sheds plenty of light to see by. The fire is out. The air cool and crisp. I glare at the perfect, silver orb as if she’s responsible for the ache in my head.

“
…
you must pollute the silver circles of sight. Only then will you be free, for once blind Pan can seek you no more.”

I massage my stiff neck muscles. “Shut it, witch.”

“What?”

“Nothing. How long was I out?” Talking creates white mist in front of my mouth. It’s colder than I thought. When I touch my torn ear, there’s fresh blood on my fingertips.

“No idea. Woke up just before you did.” He sits up, wrapping his arms around his knees and drawing them in.

I don’t remember blacking out, but I must have done. “We never should have fought like that.”

“Why not? We’re getting stronger. We need to test our abilities.” He grins. “Besides, it was—”

“Stupid?”

“Necessary. In all likelihood, we’ll face Pan soon. We have to know what we’re capable of. Understand the weapons at our disposal.”

“Weapons? Will you listen to yourself? What about Rose and Raven?”

“This is for them.” His voice rises. “I’ll do whatever I have to, anything,
everything
to protect Rae. You still don’t get it, do you? We have to use our powers to even have a chance of winning.”

I see his point, but it’s not enough. “And what chance do you think Rose and Raven have if we kill each other
practicing
for a fight? Pan wins them both.” I’m surprised how rational I sound. Although, I guess four years left rotting in The Void will change a bloke.

“Then what do you suggest we do?” There’s defeat in his tone that I don’t recognize.

“I’m not saying don’t practice, just maybe not on each other.” My head falls back, and I stare at the moon. Stars dot the velvet sky, but the constellations are unknown to me. I shiver, rubbing my hands together to ward off the chill.

Gideon snaps his fingers, a small fire flares. With the added light, I note hundreds of fine, red scratches covering his skin. “You look like chickens danced on your face.”

He glances at both arms before sliding a hand down his throat. “Windburn, I think.” He readjusts his weight. “Hurts like a bitch.”

“Sorry?”

“Don’t be.
You
have no eyebrows.”

“What?” My fingers roam my forehead. The hair over both eyes feels patchy and thin. I palm my jaw searching for the five o’clock shadow I’ve started. It’s barely there, the skin beneath raw and painful. “What the hell, Maddox?”

Humor carves a mean smile in his face. “You’ve been singed, my friend.”

Panicked, my fingers grip my hair. Most of it seems intact. I think. A breath hisses out between my teeth as I glance around. I’ll smash his goolies with the first stick I find. We’ll see if he thinks
that’s
funny. “Arse.”

“Never knew you were so vain.” His grin fades. “I very much doubt Raven will care.”

“Look, mate, about that.” I pull a few blades of grass and toss them into the fire. “For now, let’s focus on Rose and Raven. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the support—”

“You keep saying Rose and Raven not Raven and Rose.”

“What? So?”

“
So
, first name implies preference.”

He’s right. Raven is kind and brave, but I’m not in love with her. If I were, I wouldn’t spend all my time thinking of Rose. Not that I’m in love with her either, but I could be. One day. “It’s not going to work between me and Raven. At least, not the way you mean.”

A headshake whips the hair from his eyes. “The witches confused you.”

“No, I know what I’m saying.” I lower my chin and look him square in the eye. “Raven gave me back my life. A life I didn’t appreciate before. It’s like being born all over again to do everything differently. Can you understand?” Maddox watches his fire. “I’ll help her get a start. Anything I have is hers, but—”

“She’d never take your money.”

I smile. “No, probably not, but the offer stands.” I can’t call her sister … or maybe I can now. She’s the sister I never had. The friend I never was to anyone before this place. That’s all changed because of her. “I’ll always be there for her. She’s … well, I don’t need to tell you all she is.”

“No.” The fire changes from orange to blue. “You don’t even know this Rose person. I’m sorry, but she might not survive the extraction.”

I hide my chill behind a weak smile. “Extraction? Is that what we’re calling it now?” He doesn’t answer. “What’s important for this conversation is that I
want
to know her. When I get home, I’m moving out of my parents’ house. Starting my life over, and this time, I won’t waste it.”

The fire glows hotter. “You’ve got it all figured out, haven’t you?”

“I’m beginning to. I’ll go to university, buy a fast car, maybe I’ll meet a girl—somebody like Raven.”

“But not Raven?” He says it like a statement.

Guilt tightens my chest knowing I brought her to this hell while convincing myself nothing would really happen. If it has, another piece of me will die, but—“I won’t pretend I feel something I don’t. Not even for her. Especially not for her. She deserves more than lies.”

His head jerks as though I punched him, and he’s given himself away.

“That’s it! You
lied
to her, didn’t you? Mr. Judge and Jury Maddox told a fib.” It isn’t funny but the hypocrisy is unbelievable. “What’d you do, Maddox, cheat, run over her cat?”

He blows me off with a snort.

“Seriously, what? You’re obviously still strung out on her.” It’s all so clear. I suspected something the night they argued, but I wasn’t sure until right now. “You open your mouth for two reasons: to threaten someone, and to talk about her. Did you know that?”

“I’m not doing this with you.”

“Sorry, mate, it’s too late for that.”

“Fine.” The fire blazes higher and I lean away. His laugh is hard and out of place, and I wonder if he’s finally gone off his trolley. I sit silent as a stone, giving him time.

When he finally lifts his gaze, his eyes aren’t angry as I expected. They’re hollow. “The board took control of Maddox Industries, and shut me out. I can’t take care of her, Cole.”

Cole. Not Wynter.

“I thought maybe you could look after her. She’d be safe with you.”

In his way, he’s put her first, and I’ll be dammed if I don’t admire that. “That’s almost noble, Maddox, if it weren’t so misguided. In fact, it’s the most asinine reasoning I’ve ever heard of.” I pause, in case he wants to deck me.

He doesn’t.

“Who else knows about this?”

“Besides you?” His lips meet his knuckles as he considers. “The board. Jennings. Jamis. Dane, which I’m sure means Maggie by now. That’s it.” He finishes like he’s correctly completed the word
anthropomorphic
at a spelling bee.