Aiden
I surge more power into my forcefield, determined to protect Ember from whatever Disguiser has planned.
I freeze, and my jaw slackens as I stare dumbfounded around me. My forcefield fades away. Both Ember and Disguiser are nowhere to be seen, somehow disappearing like ghosts.
“EMBER?” I run my hands maniacally over my head. “No. No. No.”
Scott… No. Disguiser. Did he take her? What the hell does that mean that Scott is Disguiser? How long has he been masquerading as Scott? Is Scott even alive, or is he a captive somewhere? But my thoughts of Scott dissolve as quickly as they formed. Finding Ember is my only priority right now.
A spot on my neck stings, and I touch it. Some blood covers my fingertips from what seems to be a small cut.
My gaze falls on Ember’s black heels, lying haphazardly on the ground.
My mouth runs dry.
There was one other time when Ember disappeared like this.
“Johnny,” I say, like it’s poison in my mouth.
Electricity zaps from me in all directions, and my lips curl into a snarl. How long did he freeze time for? Ember told me that during the press conference he couldn’t do it for long. Maybe that means he didn’t do it very long this time either. But Susan could’ve shown up and taken Ember anywhere. If that is the case, there’s no way I’ll easily find her.
My heart pounds with panic and fear, threatening to break my ribs.
What do I do? What do I do?
The woods catch my eye, and goosebumps prick my skin. I don’t know whether it’s because of my history of running into villains in wooded areas or if it’s something else, but I’m compelled to move toward the trees. Plus, Scott—no, Disguiser—came from this direction. I scan the endless shadows, hoping for a sign, movement, or anything to tell me if this is the way I should go.
Something at my feet catches my eye: a trail of brown grass leading into the woods. A memory triggers of Ember in the grass underneath me and her heat causing the grass to wilt.
A dire urgency full of heart-wrenching fear pushes me forward. I rush through the tall grass and jump over fallen branches barely decipherable in the darkness. It takes every ounce of my strength not to scream Ember’s name. I can’t risk Johnny hearing me and freezing time again.
My mind races. I don’t understand. Why would Johnny take Ember if the serum is in me? Unless… Did she make some kind of deal with him to save me? To my despair, she would do something like that. I’ll tear apart this entire forest if I have to. I will find her. There isn’t any alternative.
I won’t fail her again.
Darkness surrounds me, making it almost impossible to discern the silhouettes of all the oaks from each other, and makes it even harder to keep track of Ember’s path. The grass thins, turning into mostly moss and dirt. The smell of earth is potent, and it’s eerily silent. My presence keeps the insects from making any noise.
My muscles tense, and I still. Voices break through the silence.
In the distance, three figures stop at an opening in the canopy of trees, letting moonlight shine through. Ember’s back is to me, and Disguiser has her arms pinned behind her. Johnny stands in front of her. His skin is sickly white, and blood is smeared above his lips. Ember said at the press conference that his nose bled right before his abilities failed. Maybe that’s a sign that he’s already used the extent of his time manipulation ability for now.
I crouch, hiding behind a tree not too far away. The smell of bark and moss is extremely strong, with my face near the trunk. I focus on Johnny. He looks almost skeletal with how thin he is, and his camo pants and white shirt mimic sagging skin. There’s a good chance I could take him and Disguiser out easily, but I need to figure out a way to do so without hurting Ember. Disguiser has such a tight hold on her. If I tried to use a forcefield to protect her, I’d probably just trap him inside it with her.
“I still don’t understand,” Ember says. Her dress pulsates red, like it’s a warning of her anger. “Why bother even saying anything to me at the press conference if you were always planning to take me or Aiden? It makes no sense to warn me if, no matter what I did, it wouldn’t change that fact.”
“If you have to know”—Johnny’s face twists in a strange mixture of sadness and discomfort—“I did it for your father. If you had heeded my warning, things may have ended up differently.”
“My father?” Ember’s voice breaks. “What does he have to do with this?”
Johnny pinches the bridge of his nose. “He saved my life once.”
My mouth drops, and my ears don’t believe what I’m hearing. Her father saved him? And this is how he repays him? By torturing Ember like this?
The blue in my veins glows intensely, and I’m thankful that my suit jacket is covering most of my arms or I’d be a beacon in the dark.
“You’re such a softy, Johnny,” Disguiser mocks. His voice is rough and ragged, like the terrain. “You’re lucky you didn’t lose a hand after Mold learned you spoke with her.”
Johnny waves him off. “Minor details.”
Ember slouches. “My father… he… he saved your life?”
The sadness in Ember’s voice fuels my hatred of Johnny.
The moonlight casts hard shadows across Johnny’s face, making him look scarily evil. “During the same attacks that took his life. I was almost crushed by some falling debris, but he saved me by blocking it with a huge wave of dirt.”
“And this is how you repay him?” Ember’s voice grows angrier with each word. “By forcing his only child to come with you for whatever villainous purpose you have planned?”
“I tried to warn you!” Johnny points sternly at Ember’s face. “I thought if I threatened your boy toy, that’d be enough to convince you to back off, but you still broke into Warwick’s office! Did you really think Susan bought your excuse?” He roughly grabs her arms. “I don’t know exactly what you’ve been up to, but you put your nose where it doesn’t belong!”
“I won’t be bullied into not learning the truth about my parents any longer!” Ember shouts. “And Aiden supports me! That’s what loving someone means! Supporting them even when it’s hard and scary!”
“Why don’t you keep that pretty mouth of yours shut, sweets?” Johnny pushes her away and glances around. “Our friends will be here any second.”
Ember thrashes against Disguiser, and she attempts to elbow him in the gut, but he moves just in time for her to miss. Johnny punches her in the stomach, and she gasps in pain.
Red appears in my vision, and my muscles tense, ready to spring into action and pummel Johnny into the ground so he’ll never lay a finger on Ember again.
“Do I have to remind you that you’re putting Eliza’s life at risk also?” Johnny warns. His face is monstrous with rage. “Keep this up, and she’ll be dead!”
I freeze mid-step, my heart pounding even harder.
Do they have Eliza, too?
“You… you bastard!” Ember spits, and I can tell by the tone of her voice that her eyes are probably on fire with her fury. “Black Mold is really heartless enough to kill his sister?”
“He killed your mother, didn’t he?”
I wince at the harsh response, despising Johnny even more.
Ember drops her head in defeat but turns it ever so slightly to look behind her. Almost like she senses me here.
“Hang on, Ember,” I murmur.
A show of sparks appears not too far behind Johnny, surrounding a bright orb. In the blink of an eye, Susan appears with Twisted Bill on her arm. She doesn’t resemble anything like the quiet secretary I met at the beginning of the semester. Gone are her glasses, and her once smooth brown hair now has the texture of a crinkle fry. Twisted Bill looks dressed for a night at a speakeasy, with his black hair slicked back.
My heart sinks. Now I’m grossly outnumbered. The threat of Ember disappearing any second has anxious energy building in my feet and fingertips, begging me to act—to do something to save her now. I grip the tree trunk tightly to keep me still; some bark breaks into my hands. The location device Valentino gave me shines on my wrist. With everything going on, I completely forgot the gift. My finger trails the side, pushing the button to send Valentino my coordinates.
I can only hope she’ll get them in time.
Susan claps her hands together. “Ember! It’s lovely to see you again.”
Ember stays quiet, her eyes focused on the forest floor.
“Oh, dear.” Twisted Bill grins. “Seems she’s too scared to look my way. Don’t worry, darling. I won’t hurt you. Stanley would never forgive me.”
“Like I’d trust you.” Ember keeps her eyes down.
Twisted Bill grabs her chin, forcing her to look up. “Open your eyes, darling. I promise you won’t turn into a human pretzel.”
My vision turns red. Before I can stop myself, I run forward. Blue energy explodes from my hands to create a forcefield between Ember and Twisted Bill, flinging him backward into the trees.
Johnny runs toward me, ready to fight, but I create an energy blast and chuck it at his face. It flies by him as he dodges to the side.
Disguiser screams, releasing Ember. Her hands are mini suns, and her hair is bright red, ablaze with her energy. “You burned my hands, you—”
She blasts Disguiser in his face. He falls hard, like a tree crashing to the ground, and smoke rises from his body.
Ember hurries toward me. “Aiden!”
I recreate the forcefield, surrounding us with a protective barrier from the remaining trio of villains. “Are you okay?” I frantically inspect her.
She nods, but there’s no denying the fear in her eyes. “Yeah, but—”
Johnny coughs. “Why, hello there, Sparky.”
“Sparky?” I tighten my grip around Ember. Even though my forcefield should protect us, I don’t trust any of these people.
Johnny’s gaze falls on Ember as he gets to his feet. His eyes narrow with a threat behind him. “Remember, sweets. If you don’t come with me, you’re also risking Eliza’s life.”
“What are they planning to do?” I ask Ember quietly. “Do you know?”
Ember shakes uncontrollably in my arms. “No. Just that they want me to help them with something.”
“Just come with us, Ember.” Susan walks around Johnny and brushes her hair off her face. “We promise you’ll be treated like royalty.”
“Why do you want her?” I shout. “Especially since I’m the one poisoned with the serum!”
“The serum.” Ember balls my jacket in her fists. Mascara trails her face. “Johnny… he said…”
My forehead lines with confusion. “Said what?”
“It’s not in you, idiot,” Johnny shouts and grips his side, breathing hard. “We haven’t done anything to you.”
His words are a punch in the gut, but, at the same time, they make no sense.
“No,” I gasp. “I’ve been lashing out. Just like Jill did before she fell victim to the curse. It all makes sense that you’d poison me. I overheard the dean. I know all about how I’m the one you really want.”
Johnny snorts. “Sounds like you just need anger management classes to me.”
Time seems to slow, but it’s not because of Johnny’s abilities, it’s my mind trying to process what he’s telling me. All this time… has the serum not been in me? That would mean all my actions, words, and anger… have been my own doing. Or Johnny could be lying to me, wanting to make it out like I’m crazy for some darker purpose.
“And trust me, there’s been some debate about which one of you would be most beneficial to our cause.” Johnny’s eyes darken as his grin spreads. “But recently it was decided that the Guardians’ daughter is the key to the Guardians’ undoing.”
My hold on Ember might as well be cemented to her. There’s no way I’m letting her go.
Johnny walks over and kicks Disguiser’s foot. “Seems like he’s knocked out cold.”
Susan blows a raspberry. “I won’t be able to move him until he wakes.”
“Enough of this nonsense!” Twisted Bill walks by Susan’s side, smacking dirt off his gray slacks.
Ember and I glance away, refusing to meet his eyes.
“Are you willing to risk more lives, Ember? I thought you might’ve had enough loss in your life for a while, but maybe I was wrong.” Twisted Bill’s voice somehow manages to be both charismatic and demeaning. “Or maybe you’re more villain than hero.”
“Don’t listen to them, Em,” I say, catching her eye. “You could be putting more lives at risk if you go with them. We don’t know what they’re planning to do with you.”
Her lips quiver. “I know.”
“Tick tock.” Johnny focuses on Ember. “You have one minute to decide before I’ll decide for you.”
“Aiden.” Ember’s voice shakes. “I–I need to go. I can’t put Eliza in danger.”
“No!” I grip her harder, wishing I could somehow do what Susan can do. “Eliza wouldn’t want you to do this.” I know it’s completely selfish when I add, “And I won’t let you.”
Her eyes soften. “It’s not your decision, Aiden.” She smiles, but it’s broken by the weight of all her grief. “This is my chance to do something. I couldn’t help my parents, but I can do something now for Eliza.”
“No.” Hot tears well in my eyes. “I can’t just let you go with them. I–I don’t know how I’ll ever find you.”
She reaches for my cheek, and I can’t help but lean into her soft touch. She brushes away my tears with her thumb. “Trust that we’ll find our way back to each other.”
“You made me promise that I’d never leave you.” My chest aches, like someone jammed a chisel into my heart. “I thought it was understood that meant you’d never leave me too.”
“Gah,” Johnny gags. “This is too disgusting to listen to.”
I can’t help but glare at Johnny. How could the boy I knew from high school become… this? A villain. Especially one who’s caused so much harm in my and Ember’s life.
And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let him win.
My forcefield becomes a lightning show with sparks dancing throughout it, matching the stars above us.
Ember grows incredibly hot in my arms, and her eyes burn brilliantly with her power.
Just like before when our abilities connected… Everything happens so fast.
Ember’s hand tightens around mine, and an intense heat flows through me, expanding my muscles, and my suit jacket separates at the seams.
Blue sparks twinkle throughout Ember’s body, coursing alongside her thermal energy. Red and orange explode throughout her dress, and a bright orange aurora surrounds us, like a living flame. A burst of thermal energy travels from her up the blue line of energy to the forcefield, and it spiderwebs throughout the barrier.
The temperature rises dramatically around us, like the innards of a furnace.
Susan screeches and stumbles backward. Twisted Bill and Johnny shield their eyes, stepping away from the raging storm growing in front of them.
My body trembles with the amount of energy flowing through me. The thermal energy is foreign and uncontrollable, but my power thrives. Lightning bolts bounce all around us inside the forcefield, begging to be released.
Together, Ember and I can be unstoppable.
Ember squeezes my hand again, and an increased amount of energy from her soars through me.
This time I almost pass out.
Instead of making me feel even more powerful, my skin burns like it’s deteriorating. White spots flash in my vision and every muscle in me screams at me to stop—that my body wasn’t made to hold this intense amount of thermal power, let alone control it. Black threatens my vision, and I drop Ember’s hand. The connection ends, but the thermal energy in me goes mad, like a rabid dog in my veins, and my body is now its chew toy.
I crumble to my knees, screaming in agony.
“Aiden!” Ember grabs me before I collapse forward. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s… It’s too much,” I pant, forcing myself to stay conscious and trying to maintain the forcefield. It flickers like a dying light. Sweat streaks my face. “Your energy. I–I can’t handle it.”
There’s no way I can pass out right now. If I do, I’ll leave Ember vulnerable. I try to get a sense of my surroundings and where the villains are, but I mistakenly look in the direction of Twisted Bill.
His smile, full of malicious intent, stretches from ear to ear when we lock gazes. I can’t look away, like a magnet attaching to a piece of metal.
“No!” Ember’s scream pierces me straight to my bones.
My right arm snaps backward, popping my shoulder out of its socket, and I grit my teeth to keep myself from shrieking in severe pain. The blue line coming from my hand glitches, beginning to fail with the injury.
“Aiden!” Ember desperately shakes me, trying to break the connection between me and Twisted Bill. “End the forcefield! I can’t stop him unless you take it down!”
Twisted Bill’s hazel eyes glimmer in the moonlight. “I hope you’re not too attached to that arm.”
The forcefield dies, against my will, the same moment my arm twists like someone ringing a towel, snapping multiple bones—a few puncture straight through my skin.
Both my excruciating scream and Ember’s terrified one cause birds to scatter into the night sky.
The pain is enough to make me want to die. Blood runs down my arm, and I grow weaker by the second. My eyelids flutter rapidly, but, for some reason, they’re unable to close. They’re still falling victim to Twisted Bill’s ability.
“It’ll be okay, Aiden.” Ember’s voice shakes with her sobs, and she gets to her feet. “Just hang on.”
A bright burst of power leaves her, flaring my face. The blast crashes into Twisted Bill and flips him backward into the air and into a tree, knocking him unconscious. A sense of clarity rushes through me, like I just jumped into an icy lake, refreshing my eyes—but only for a second.
I crash forward, tasting dirt and grass, and my body is completely exhausted and throbbing in agonizing pain. My right arm somehow feels numb at the same time. A metallic smell invades my nose, but I’m losing the will to breathe.
“Aiden!” Ember cries. “No. No. No.” Her auburn hair is wild around her, and her green eyes are filled with fear. Her face is a beautiful mess of mascara and tears. She reaches for my destroyed arm, and her fingers shake uncontrollably. “Aiden, say something, please!”
I want to tell her how much I love her. That she can’t worry about me and has to defend herself, but my lips won’t move. The earth is reabsorbing the thermal energy left in me, and it makes me feel like I’m deflating, losing any remaining life. The pressure in my eyes intensifies, pushing them to surrender to the relief of the unknown void. Death seems to be at my door, encouraging me to accept its cold embrace.
A bright burst of light turns my vision red behind my eyelids.
My eyes snap open when I hear, “I recommend you come with me, without a fight.” Susan has her hand wrapped around Ember’s throat and aims a needle containing a silver substance above Ember’s heart. “If you don’t, you’ll get a full dose of the serum, and we’ll finish off your boyfriend.”