Playing With Fire (Power of Four Book 2) (26 page)

“You coming Rose?” he asked.

Rose shook her head. “You go, take care of Armana,” she said. “I’m going to stay here for a bit.”

Sam gave her a look but then nodded. Rose watched as Sam and Aaron guided Armana down the street. She turned to the calm water of the lake. She stood staring at it for a few minutes before walking in the opposite direction to where the boys had gone. She wasn’t going anywhere in particular. She just wanted a walk to clear her head.

Her feet seemed to have a mind of their own because before she knew it, Rose was walking into the orchard, past the trees full with ready-to-eat fruit. She saw very few workers picking fruit and filling baskets. It was that time of the day when most of the work was done and the mages had retired to their cottages for a little rest before dinner.

The telltale sound of a gun going off broke the tranquillity. Rose panicked and turned, but she couldn’t see anyone. The mages continued working, ignoring the shots that were being fired at regular intervals. Giving in to her curiosity, Rose hesitantly walked forward, trying to see what was going on. She had to walk deeper into the orchard before she spotted Alan and a few other young mages, hurling fruit into the air and then shooting it. Target practice. Rose let out a breath and smiled.

Standing next to them, encouraging them, was Ryan. He held up a hand and Alan lowered his gun. The rest did the same. Ryan said something, grinning the whole time. The Hunters-in-training shared proud looks. Ryan turned and led the team away. They all went, dropping their guns into one of the baskets on their way out.

Rose waited until they were almost out of sight, before making her way over and peering into the basket. The assortment of black and silver guns made her feel queasy. She stepped back. She turned to look in the direction Ryan had led the young mages, but they had already disappeared out of sight.

Something caught her eye and Rose paused. She stared at the tree, the very same one she had once sat under and talked so casually to Kyran. She walked towards it, breathing in the scent of fresh mangos. She looked up at the dangling fruit – beautiful sun-kissed mangos hanging ready for the picking. She smiled sadly, remembering the time Kyran had fast-tracked their growth and lowered the branches, before picking one out for her. She lifted a hand, trying to get to them but they were out of her reach. She dropped her hand and just stood there, staring at the fruit.

Slowly, very gently, the branch began to dip. Rose felt like her blood had turned to ice. She couldn’t move. She stared in shock as the branch lowered, bit by bit, until it was almost touching the top of her head. The mangos swung before her, now at eye level. She could easily take one, but Rose kept her hands firmly by her side. Gathering every nerve she had, Rose turned around, her heart beating erratically in her chest.

She knew he was there, even before she saw him. The branch coming down like that, just like it had once before at his command, was enough to warn her. But more than that, Rose could actually feel his presence. It prickled her senses, making her breath catch in her throat.

She found his vivid green eyes waiting to meet hers the moment she turned. Rose forced in a breath. Standing across from her was Kyran Aedus.

24

Desperate Pleads

Rose didn’t move. She stared at Kyran. He looked surreal standing under a tree, dressed in a plain white shirt and dark jeans. His expression was unreadable. Rose would have convinced herself she was imagining him if moments before the branches of the tree hadn’t bowed down to her, offering her its fruit.

Kyran lifted his head and it was just that smallest of movements that cemented his presence for Rose. She stepped back, her heart pounding. Kyran’s gaze moved to the dangling fruit behind her. He looked back at her and smiled. Rose felt her heart leap and break at the same time.

“Aren’t you going to take one?” he asked, gesturing to the mangos.

Rose took in a slow breath, and then darted to the basket Alan and his friends had dumped their firearms in. She pulled out the first pistol she touched and turned to aim at Kyran with shaky hands.

“I’d rather take one of these,” she said, her voice trembling as much as her hands.

Kyran didn’t move. He gave the black pistol in her hands a small glance before looking at her.

“Rose–”

“How did you get in here?” she asked.

Kyran didn’t say anything but gave a pointed look to the ground. Rose saw the white robe, crumpled in a heap at the foot of the tree Kyran was standing under.

“Lurkers have a design flaw,” Kyran said quietly. “It’s hard to make out who is under the hood.”

“Why are you here?” Rose asked, fearing an entire army of vamages had come with him.

“I came for you,” Kyran replied.

Rose had to force herself to keep the gun steady.

Kyran took a step towards her. “Rose–”

“Stop,” she instructed. “Stop right there.”

Kyran paused. “Just hear me out.”

Rose shook her head. “I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.”

“I never lied to you.”

A choked breath left Rose, full of hurt and disbelief. “You never lied?” she asked. “I lost my parents when I was very young. I miss everything about them – my dad’s strong arms, my mum’s laugh–” She stopped, fighting back the sob that was clawing up inside her, desperate to get out. “You didn’t
lie
?” she asked again, with tears stinging her eyes.

Kyran didn’t say anything.

“You lied to my face about losing your family,” Rose said. “How could you, Kyran? How could you sit there and listen to me talk about my parents?” Anger had replaced the shock and fear, giving Rose the strength to say everything that had been eating away at her ever since she learnt Kyran’s truth. “How could you face me, talk to me about my parents, when you’re the one who...? You...” She had to stop; she couldn’t go on.

“Rose.” Kyran stepped towards her.

“You took me to their
graves
,” Rose cried, angry tears glistened in her eyes. “How sick are you? You took me to my parents’ graves when you’re the reason they’re in there!”

“I didn’t do anything to your parents,” Kyran said.

“That’s the problem,” Rose said, and her voice broke. “You didn’t do anything, Kyran. You could have saved them but you didn’t. You could have stopped the vamages attacking my house.” Tears streaked down her cheeks and the pistol was shaking in her hands, but it was still aimed at Kyran. “You were there and you didn’t do anything. You stood back and let the vamages murder my parents!”

Kyran’s expression hardened. He strode towards her. Rose gripped the gun tighter in her hands, trying to hold the thing steady, but Kyran was already right in front of her. His hand came up and Rose knew he was going to knock the gun clean out of her grip. But instead, his fingers rested on top of the pistol and he guided the gun forward, resting the barrel against his chest.

“If you really believe that,” he said in a quiet voice, “then go ahead. Pull the trigger.”

Rose stared at him, too shocked to react. His eyes were on her too, waiting, holding the weapon against his heart.

“Go on, Rose,” he prompted. “Kill me, if you really believe I would stand back and let your parents die.”

Rose’s finger was on the trigger. All it would take was one small pull. A shot fired by her would kill him. She could do it. He was surely lying about this, like he lied about everything else. But when Rose looked at him, she saw nothing but sincerity. His eyes were clear, no shadow of guilt lurking there. His grip was on the gun; he could push it away from himself, yet he held it steadily to his chest.

Rose’s grip slackened from around the gun, and the sob she had been fighting so hard to keep back broke out of her. She dropped her head, her shoulders shaking as her hand fell away from the pistol, leaving it in Kyran’s grip.

Kyran threw the gun aside and then his hands were on Rose’s shoulders. He tried to pull her into his arms, but Rose stood rigid, refusing to succumb into his warm embrace.

“Rose…” He whispered her name and Rose cried harder, her heart aching.

“Don’t,” she pleaded, not sure herself what she was asking him not to do.

Kyran’s hand cupped her cheek and he gently lifted her tear-stained face, so she had no choice but to look at him. Vivid green eyes met hers.

“I never lied to you,” he repeated. “Everything I told you was the truth. I’ve always been honest with you.” He held her tear-filled gaze. “By the time I got to your house, there was nothing I could do to help your parents.”

Rose squeezed her eyes shut, and another wrangled sob came from her. Kyran wrapped an arm around her, leaning in so their foreheads touched.

“I tried, Rose,” he whispered. “I tried to help, but it was too late.”

He pulled away and Rose looked up at him, wanting nothing more than to believe him.

Kyran’s hands touched her shoulders again, before trailing down both her arms, making Rose tremble. He held her hands. “I’m not what everyone says I am, Rose,” he told her. “I’ve not done the things they blame me for. I am the Scorcher, and I am Hadrian’s son, but I’m not the monster they all make me out to be.”

“What are you, then?” Rose asked.

“My father’s son,” Kyran replied. “I do what my father asks of me. He wanted the key that unlocked his powers. That’s why I came here, to get what was rightfully his.”

“His powers were locked for a reason,” Rose said.

“Yes, and the reason is more complicated than Neriah would ever admit.” He let go of her hands and pulled away a few steps, closing his eyes and shaking his head. “I’m not...This isn’t why I came here.”

“Then why did you?” Rose asked.

Kyran looked at her for a long minute. “I came to warn you,” he said. “You need to leave, Rose. You need to take Aaron, take your brother and get out of Salvador. It’s not safe here. You need to go to the City of Marwa. That’s the only safe city.
Stay
there,” he instructed. “Don’t let Aaron leave, no matter what. Stay in Marwa and you’ll be safe.”

“Why is Salvador not safe?” Rose asked. “What are you–?”

She paused, her eyes widening as she picked up the faint sound of laughter coming from past the trees. Kyran turned his head, intense green eyes searching the orchard. He spotted the crowd of boys coming in their direction, led by a chuckling Ryan.

Kyran turned back to look at Rose. “Please, get to Marwa,” he said. “Stay there and you’ll be safe.”

“Why should I believe you?” Rose asked. “How do I know you’re not laying a trap? Maybe Marwa is the city that’s not safe.”

Kyran looked at her for a moment before stepping closer and resting his hands on her arms. “You don’t have to believe anything I say,” he said, “but if you can, believe this and this alone.” He cupped her cheek gently and whispered, “Believe that I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you.”

Rose was sure he was going to lean in and kiss her, but Kyran pulled back. In a matter of seconds, he had picked up the Lurker’s robe and put it on, the hood lowered over his face. He was gone before Rose could completely process what he had just said to her.

***

“Go over that again,” Ella said. “
Kyran
was here?”

Rose nodded wearily. “He said he had come to warn me. He told me Salvador wasn’t safe.”

Ella turned to look at her uncle, but Neriah was silent, looking deep in thought. Ella’s eyes moved to the only other Elementals in the room, Christopher and Aaron Adams. Both looked shocked. The other person with them in Neriah’s cottage was Sam, and he wasn’t shocked – he was livid.

“I can’t believe this,” Sam fumed, pacing the floor, hands balled into fists. “How could he just walk in here?” He paused to look at Ella with angry eyes. “You lot should do something about the security of this place,” he said. “It’s
severely
lacking!”

“What can we do?” Ella asked. “Kyran’s a mage. We can’t ward the Gate against mages now, can we?”

Sam didn’t say anything and returned to pacing.

Ella turned back to her uncle. “What should we do?” she asked. “There’s nothing we can add to the Gate that’s not already there. Plus whatever Glyphs we put on, Kyran can easily remove.” She paused, biting her lip. “Should…should we start an evacuation?”

Neriah turned to meet her eyes. “Salvador is our sanctuary,” he said. “If the place we seek shelter is not safe, then where is?”

“Marwa,” Rose said quietly. “He said Marwa was the only safe city.”

Ella let out a derisive snort. “Yeah, right. As if Marwa’s never been attacked before.” She shook her head, her eyes closing tight.

Aaron’s heart skipped a beat. It seemed the attack that cost Aaron two members of his family had taken someone from Ella too.

“We have to do something,” Chris said, speaking to Neriah. “We can’t just ignore his warning.”

“Question is,” Neriah started, “why is he warning us at all?” He looked to Rose, studying her with sharp eyes. “Why did he come to you?”

Rose gave a small shrug. “I–I don’t know.”

Ella looked at her but didn’t say anything. She dropped her gaze to the floor.

“He’s toying with her,” Sam said furiously. “He did it before and he’s doing it again.”

“Sam,” Rose started.

“Oh come on, Rose!” Sam stopped to face her. “Tell me you don’t see through this. Tell me you don’t know this is an obvious trap.”

“What kind of a trap?” Ella asked.

Sam turned to look at her. “He told Rose to get Aaron and me, and go to Marwa. It’s obvious that Salvador isn’t the city they are planning to attack – Marwa is.”

Ella shifted, looking unsure of Sam’s theory. “Okay, lets just say that’s true. Why would Kyran want you three in the target zone?”

“Why the hell not?” Sam asked. “He’s twisted. He’s been playing with my sister’s feelings, all the while knowing what he did to our parents. He probably thinks Aaron’s got that...that legacy thingie, so he’s trying to get rid of him.”

Aaron’s protest was halfway out of his mouth, before he realised that what Sam was saying could, in fact, be true.

“I don’t know, Sam,” Rose said quietly. “It didn’t look like he was lying.”

Sam stared at her with wide eyes. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked. “All he’s done is
lie
to you.”

“I know,” Rose said. “But I’m just...I don’t know...I felt–”

“That’s the problem,” Sam cut her off. “Don’t feel, use your head!”

“Alright.” Aaron stepped in front of Rose. “That’s enough, Sammy,”

“No!” Sam snapped. “It’s not enough. After everything –
everything
– that’s happened, she still wonders if he’s lying or not?” He looked at his sister before taking a few steps towards her. “Rose, he stood back and let vamages kill our parents. How can you possibly think about trusting him?”

Rose opened her mouth to speak but words failed her. She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I...I don’t know...I just...He said that he tried to help and I...I don’t know…I want to believe him.”

“He’s messing with you,” Sam said. “He’s trying to get into your head. You heard what Skyler said. They saw him in that memory they got from that vamage. Kyran was in our house that night. That piece of crap stood there while vamages killed our mum and dad!”

Rose turned to look at Ella.

“I’m sorry, Rose,” Ella said quietly. “It was a partial memory. We didn’t see more than a few seconds, but Kyran was there.”

Rose had tears in her eyes. “He admitted that he was there but…but he said he tried to help–”

“He’s lying!” Sam snapped.

“You don’t know that, Sam,” Aaron said.

“It’s obvious,” Sam replied. “He’s not going to admit he stood back and let his vamages murder our parents! He’s lying to cover it up.”

“No, I don’t think he is,” Aaron argued. “He told me the same thing. He said by the time he got to your house, it was too late.”

Ella turned to him with a frown. “When did he tell you that?”

Aaron stilled. A sense of cold dread filled him. He hadn’t told anyone that Kyran had come to see him in the City of Hunda. He looked around the room to find all eyes were on him, narrowed in confusion.