Reckless Magic

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

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

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

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

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

“I don’t even know where to begin,”he replied almost nervously, ru

“Start with why you have tried tokill me…. twice,” I inquired casually, holding up two fingers before grabbingsome 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 bitand 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 willchange.”

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

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

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

“Eden, you don’t have to be inpain. It’s called magic. Why don’t you try using it?” he nodded in thedirection of my cut up leg and I felt like an idiot. Oh, yeah. I focused myblood, allowing the magic free reign to flow. The electricity pulsed through myveins, heating my blood and healing my body. Instantly I felt restored andrejuvenated. 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 anybuilding. Jer- my companion got a little overzealous. He was just pissed thathe was getting beat by a girl. He fully expected you to recover, but you, Ithink, forgot to use your magic again,” I blushed, realizing that my fall fromthe top of the gymnasium didn’t have to be fatal. I had had the power to bejust fine. “We all were shocked when you just kept falling. I don’t know whatwould have happened to you if that half and half hadn’t Time-Slowed to catchyou; but then again Jericho got a little too excited. And if it weren’t foryou, he could have finished the job, but you absorbed the majority of the blow,protecting him,” Avalon just used so many words that I didn’t understand and Ihad so many questions now I didn’t even know where to begin.

“Half and half? Time-Slow? What doyou mean absorbed the blow? Speak English; and for goodness sakes, who isJericho?” I squinted at Avalon confused, but he only laughed at me.

“I forget that you were raisedhuman,” 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 islike a slang word we use to describe someone like Kiran. Someone who is half Witchand half Medium; his family specifically breeds this way in order to ensuretheir bloodline and their power. They think if they use the two dominant Immortalitiesthey will stay more powerful than the rest of us minions,” his voice drippedwith sarcasm and irritability. “Time-Slow; that’s like something only Mediumscan do. It’s one of the things that separate Witches and Psychics. Kiran hasthe ability to slow time down without slowing himself down. He caught up withyou in air because he slowed you down. They can only do it for a limited amountof time, but you can see why it would be useful.”

“And Jericho?” I asked, mentallyticking off my list of questions.

“I shouldn’t have used his name.But anyways, he is part of the Resistance,” Avalon grabbed a handful ofcrackers and shoved them into his mouth like he was suddenly hungry.

“The Resistance?” I asked; alooming feeling of foreboding washed over me. If a Resistance was involved,there was no such thing as an easy solution.

“Yes, the Resistance. The onlypeople left brave enough to stand up to this tyra

“Ok, slow down again. So who is inthis Resistance? Are you only trying to kill Kiran? Or the whole royal family?What exactly is the purpose of this… Resistance?” my list of questions justgrew longer and longer the more Avalon tried to explain.

“I can’t tell you who is in theResistance until you join it,” he paused to wink at me and give a suggestiveraise of the eyebrows. “It has to be kept completely secret otherwise theywould hunt us down and execute every last one of us. I’m serious Eden, metelling you this is a gigantic risk; even saying the word ‘Resistance’ isenough to get us thrown into a Romanian prison. You can’t just run off and letyour boyfriend in on all of our secrets. I mean it: mental lock-down,” helooked at me with such distrust that I felt ashamed.

“I’m not an idiot Avalon; Iunderstand that,” I rebuffed, defensively.

“I know you’re not an idiot; I amjust not sure whose side you’re on,” when I gave him a dirty look he answeredmore of my questions. “And yes we are going after Kiran. But it is mainly tosend a message to his father, who would, of course, be our next target. The kidcan’t do much damage yet, especially when he is so distracted with you; but oneday he’ll hold the keys to this Kingdom and I refuse to leave the fate of allImmortals in the hands of a Kendrick,” I blushed at his reference to me;completely in denial that I could be that much of a distraction to anybody.

“Avalon you haven’t answered herlast question. What exactly is the purpose of our Resistance?” Principal Saintentered the kitchen arms full of brown paper bags. The smell of Chinese foodfilled the room and as soon as he set the bags down on the counter I snatchedone and pulled out a paper parchment filled with Crab Rangoon. I tore the legsoff of the crab shaped pastry and devoured the fried goodness.