KIngdom of Embers (Kingdom Journals Book 1) Read online

  “How is this possible?” He spun, hitting his head on the pole. “Damn.” He put his hand to the bump. “That’s going to need some ice.”

  “Here, sit down.” I put my hand on the already swollen area, glad Orm had thought it important for me to learn how to heal almost any injury. Healing the broken capillaries, I removed my fingers.

  “Whoa.” He rubbed his hair. “Can you hurt people too?”

  “Yes.”

  “So, that kid at school?”

  “I could kill him with a flick of my finger.”

  He leaned against the clothes behind him, putting as much distance between us in the small space as possible. “Why would you tell me this?”

  “I’m being honest. I would never hurt anyone.”

  “Why are we in here?”

  “Steel blocks the transmission of magic. I can’t risk other witches finding out about me or you.”

  “Why not?” Question after question followed, and I answered him without hesitation. Although forbidden to name Orm, I told him I had a trainer.

  “And that’s why you have allergies? And warm skin?”

  “No, that’s different.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

  “I couldn’t tell you unless I knew you were a witch.”

  “How did you know I was?” He raked his hand through his hair.

  “The other day at lunch when you saw me through the window, you gave off a little magic.”

  “And that’s why you decided to tell me.”

  “I tried teleporting with my trainer, and it didn’t work. I couldn’t repeat what happened with you.”

  “So, there’s still something else special about us.”

  “Right. I think magic is part of it but not all.”

  He looked down at his feet and then up to the ceiling.

  I ran my hands down his arms and clutched his wrists. “I can help you learn magic.”

  He leaned down so our faces were inches apart. “Does this mean we’re definitely not siblings?” One side of his mouth curved up.

  “I guess.”

  “That’s a good thing.” His hands pushed my hair from my forehead.

  I bit my lip, not knowing what to do.

  He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and back to my gaze. “So, should we try it? The teleportation thing?”

  “You need to try something simpler first.”

  “Like the air thing?”

  I searched the closet for something small. Finding a golf ball on the floor, I held it out to him.

  “Try to levitate it.”

  “You’re joking, right?”

  “No. Focus on the ball and the air between your hand and the ball and push the ball up with the air.”

  “So, I’m using air to lift the ball?”

  “Yes, focus.” I fitted my hand under his.

  “No helping.”

  “I won’t.” Placing my hands on my knees, I looked into his eyes. “Concentrate on the air under the ball.”

  “Okay.” His lids closed, and he took a deep breath. Within seconds they were open again. “Can’t we try the teleporting thing?”

  “No, you have to build your strength.”

  He shut his eyes. Watching the ball, I grinned. It rose a centimeter above his hand. “I don’t feel the ball on my skin anymore.”

  “It’s floating.”

  His grin widened, and the ball fell to his palm and rolled to the floor. “Whoa. I feel like my head is going to explode.” He cupped his hands to his head.

  “I’ll get some water.”

  Returning with a glass of ice water, I found him levitating the ball again. I snatched it from the air. “You’re going to pop a blood vessel. A big one I can’t heal.”

  Sweat glistened on his pale skin. Handing him the glass, I felt his forehead. “You’re freezing.” Goosebumps formed on his arms, and he started to shiver. I ran my hands up and down his biceps, trying to warm him.

  “For once your hands feel good. I’m going to take a hot shower.

  I waited on his bed, anxious about his reaction to performing magic. Towel drying his hair, he emerged from the bathroom with a fresh shirt and jeans.

  “How’s your head?”

  “Better.”

  “Come here.” I patted the bed, and he sat in front of me. Placing my fingers on his temples, I sent calming, healing energy into his head.

  His hands wrapped around my wrists and brought them together. Opening my eyes, I saw his face mere inches from mine. “We have to figure this out. I’ll go crazy if I don’t know.”

  “We will.” I jumped up and grabbed a laptop from his desk.

  Over the next four hours, between breaks for snacks and stretching, we scoured every website we could find, hunting for obscure facts on witches, spirituality, tethered souls, Hinduism, and being reborn. We played basketball with his mini-hoop and video game sports like at the arcade.

  “So how did I get this way? How did you get this way?” he asked as we lounged on his bed.

  “My dad is or was a witch.”

  “It has to be my dad. But I’ve never sensed that hum around him.”

  “I can cloak my magic. I do everywhere except my home.”

  His watch beeped. “It’s midnight, but I don’t want you to go.”

  I bit my lip. “I could stay. I’m supposed to be sleeping at a friend’s anyway.”

  “Why did you lie?”

  “I’m not really allowed to date much. Mom would think this was a date.”

  “It could be. Date much, or date at all?”

  “I’ve been on one lunch date. Two if you count group outings with friends.”

  “Wow, that is strict.”

  “Yeah.” I turned over, not wanting to talk about Mother’s rules.

  “I’d like you to stay. I mean just hang out or whatever. I’m kind of freaked out by all this. I have a sleeping bag.” He jumped up and pulled one off the top shelf of his closet.

  Within an hour he could barely keep his eyes open, and I watched as he drifted into a deep sleep. His chest moved up and down over and over again. A sense of responsibility descended on my psyche. I had awakened magic in him, and it was my job to keep him safe. Why did I have the feeling he wasn’t? It was like the sense had always been there. I wondered if it stemmed from our experience with Ivy. Wherever the reason, I knew to trust it.

  A few hours after falling into my half-sleep state, I heard a key in the lock and jumped up. Shaking Hunter, I put my finger to my lips as he opened his eyes. I pointed to his door and put the finger back on my lips, motioning for silence. His eyes got wide as his mother’s voice floated in from the living room.

  “Hunter, wow, you cleaned. It looks amazing.” Her keys hit the table, followed by her bag.

  Sliding the window open, I hopped onto the fire escape. “Wait.” He pinned my hands to the windowsill.

  Leaning through the opening, he pressed his lips to mine. The cool thin skin felt as soft as I’d imagined it would.

  “Hunter,” his mother called from inside the apartment.

  Opening my eyes, I saw his were wide with hesitation. I couldn’t help but smile as my lips tingled with the lingering impression of his mouth. Kissing him once more, I waved goodbye and hurried down the ladder to the next level. Hearing him shove the sleeping bag into his closet and then his mother knock on his door, I jumped to the ground. Glad he hadn’t seen my get away, I scanned the block for witnesses. Seeing none, I leaned against the cold brick of his building. My head buzzed with adrenaline, and I laid my fingers on my lips, still heavy with the imprint of his. What did this mean? That he liked me? That I liked him? I hadn’t hesitated to return his kiss.

  My phone dinged, and I pulled it from my bag.

  WISH I’D KISSED YOU LAST NIGHT. BUT I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP KISSING YOU IF I HAD.

  I read and re-read the message again. There had been several instances when I’d thought he might kiss me, but he’d backed away. I
’d let the moments pass too, unsure of his feelings for me.

  IT WAS A WONDERFUL KISS. I’M GLAD YOU WERE MY FIRST.

  WHOA. I AM SO HONORED TO BE YOUR FIRST.

  With even greater drive to figure out how we were connected and why, I made my way to Fahim’s bookstore. The streets were quiet, and the sunrise made the buildings sparkle as it reflected off the windows. I wished the city could always be as quiet. “City of Angels,” I whispered, thinking of Orm’s words.

  At the back-alley door, a hard rap produced a red-eyed and pale-faced Aaron.

  “What are you doing here? I’m under strict orders not to give you any more blood.”

  “I wanted to look through the books.”

  “Okay.” His eyes cut up and down the street, and he stepped back to make space for me to enter.

  “You look worse for the wear,” I commented to Aaron as he followed me down the dark hall.

  “Something’s brewing, that’s for sure.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Don’t know. Weird energy. Going to be a doozy of an Allhallowtide.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Well, if you are Catholic, it is the triduum of All Saint’s Eve, All Saint’s Day, and All Soul’s Day.”

  “Like Halloween. It’s over two months away. What do we have to do with that?” I spun to face him.

  “Those would be questions for Fahim or Chalondra. I’m just the help, and I’ve had a long night.” He ran his hand down the back of his neck and shifted his weight between his feet, and I made a mental note to ask Fahim.

  Entering the front room, I slid the ladder to the back corner and started on the top shelf. I scanned the titles and leafed through those of interest. Still, I found nothing more than the spiritualist information that predicted the awakening of the sword of Longinus in 1999 along with a saber bearer who would bring freedom to enslaved peoples. But what groups were denied their freedom in 1999? My brain churned through the riddle, turning it over and over. Even if it meant those born in 1999, what people suffered in present day?

  The clinking of a key in a lock brought me out of my thoughts. I looked to the door and saw Fahim and Eden enter.

  “Well, hello young one, you’re here early or late, depending on your perspective.”

  “What’s Allhallowtide have to do with vampires?”

  “Been talking to Aaron, have you?”

  “Sorry, that was rude. How are you?”

  Fahim chuckled. “That’s okay. Vampires honor our dead like any other person. That’s all you need to know.”

  “What aren’t you telling me? What is Aaron concerned about?”

  “Witchy business brewing, rumors flying. Makes vampires nervous.”

  “Why?”

  “Every creature watches out for those more powerful than them.” He shrugged, turned, and shuffled back to Eden. And thus the reason for the edict that half vampire half witch beings were forbidden, I thought. I represented the most powerful race of beings ever.

  “I’ll be making tea if you have more questions.”

  Over two hours in, I’d picked up every book on the top two rows. Seeing Chalondra on the sidewalk, I decided I’d done all I could for the day, Mother would be expecting me anyway.

  “Going, child?” Eden asked as I stopped in the doorway of the office.

  “Yes.”

  “Come by in the afternoons, and we’ll have Dimitri and Aaron work with you on some skills. They should be able to find some abandoned buildings. You should at least know what you’re capable of.”

  “I’d appreciate that. Thanks.”

  I left the shop, still processing the night and kiss with Hunter. Scared to admit to Sophie that I’d kissed someone other than Nick, I texted Kaylie about my night.

  She messaged back right away. You MOVE, AND YOUR MOM LETS YOU START DATING, YOU HAVE YOUR FIRST DATE AND FIRST KISS WITH DIFFERENT GUYS THE SAME WEEKEND? WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DOUBLE DATE TOGETHER. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GO TO HOMECOMING AND PROM TOGETHER.

  I KNOW. CRAZY. BUT WHAT DO I DO?

  WHO DO YOU LIKE?

  HUNTER, BUT I THINK I WILL BE TOTALLY OSTRACIZED IF I BAIL ON NICK, I replied checking my path as I walked.

  STAY SORT OF FRIENDS WITH NICK THEN.

  IS THAT POSSIBLE?

  TOTALLY.

  OK. THANKS. I sent. She caught me up on all her drama and everything back in San Ramon as I walked home. Praying that my story of the sleepover with Sophie didn’t get compromised, I called to Mother, Elizabeth, and Orm as I walked in.

  “In the kitchen having brunch.” Mother’s voice echoed through the condo.

  Dressed in a business suit, she sat sipping coffee and watching the news at her normal spot.

  “Do you have to work today?” I asked as I kissed her cheek and sat beside her.

  “No. We have work. We were invited to a Dodgers baseball game. We need clothes. I’ve been studying these magazines.” She held up a few tabloids. “Something casual but classy. Will is taking us out in an hour.”

  “Who invited us?”

  “A friend of mine,” Mother said.

  “You have a friend?”

  “Well, she’s a new friend and has a son your age. I thought it might be fun.”

  I cocked an eyebrow at Mother, wanting to ask when her name and fun had been used in the same sentence.

  “We leave in an hour,” she said to me as I left the room.

  Happy my cover hadn’t been blown, I made my way to my room. The flowers from Nick sat on my dresser, and guilt stirred in my chest. I’d have to be honest with both him and Hunter eventually.

  Monday came with the complications of seeing Nick and Hunter. Talking with Nick, I remembered what a sweet guy he was. But when I saw Hunter, sitting on the bench in our secret garden, my heart flipped in my chest. As I reached him, he stood, leaned over, and planted a soft kiss on my lips.

  “Wow.”

  “Was that okay? I mean, we sort of ended things on that note yesterday.”

  “Yes.” I beamed at him, thinking he may be the most beautiful person I’d ever seen. “Can we talk?” I sat on the bench.

  “Oh no. If this is ending already, I’m standing for a quick exit.”

  “No, no.” As concisely as possible, I told him about Nick and how we were going to Homecoming together with our friends.

  “So, this guy likes you?”

  “I think so, yes.”

  “And you like him.”

  “As a friend.”

  “Okay, I’m good.” He took my hand and pulled me to him, kissing me again. It wasn’t a quick kiss, and I felt tingly from head to toe.

  “Yep, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop kissing you if I started,” he said when the kiss ended.

  I bit my lip, not knowing what to say next.

  “You’re blushing.”

  “Am I?” I felt my cheek. “We should eat.”

  “Yes, food is good.”

  We sat on the bench and ate our lunches. I told him about Fahim’s bookstore and how I’d searched for more information. Hunter had done some research too, and we compared notes. But in the end, there wasn’t much more than we’d found before.

  “I could come help you go through the books,” Hunter suggested as we walked out of the gate.

  Air caught in my lungs as I pictured Hunter, smelling of fruit and honey, in a room with those wild vampires. My mouth began to water, and I spun to stand in front of him.

  He blinked, and I realized I’d moved too fast, but I had to impress upon him how dangerous it would be. “You can’t ever go there. Promise me you won’t. There are some really scary people that hang out there. Until your magic is stronger, you have to stay away. Do you understand?”

  His palms went up. “I am officially freaked out enough by your tone right now that I will listen to you.”

  Realizing my nails were digging into my palms, I relaxed my stance. “Okay.”

  “How did you move that fast?” He bent over and whi
spered in my ear. “And when can I learn more magic. I’ve been practicing a little at a time with the levitation thing.”

  “That’s good for now. Maybe this weekend.”

  His lips formed a smile, and he caught my hand. “My mother works every weekend. You can lie and tell your mom you’re sleeping at Sophie’s again.”

  “That is tempting. I’ll let you know.”

  His phone beeped. “Dang. See you tomorrow?”

  “Yes.” I smiled at him.

  “Good.” He kissed me and then turned and jogged away.

  “Hey, you got some bony shoulders there,” Ganby said when I passed his desk in the classroom. “The bruise on my arm is already purple.”

  “Well, maybe you shouldn’t make fun of people when they’re sick.”

  “Nah, it’s too fun.”

  My heart rate skyrocketed, and I gripped my backpack. Don’t react, I thought, that’s what he wants. Ignore him. Taking a deep breath, I focused on the teacher as he called roll.

  After two periods, I found Nick and told him I had some research to do.

  “Darn, I thought we could get some homework out of the way so we could do something fun tonight.”

  “Oh, I have gymnastics and my tutor after cheer practice anyway.”

  “So, what days are you free?”

  “This week? None, sorry.”

  “No worries, maybe we can hang out after the game again.”

  “Maybe.” I hedged. “I’ll catch you after school.”

  “Okay.” He waved as he walked into his classroom.

  I walked as fast as I dared to Fahim’s. “Okay, I’m ready for vamp training.” I set my bag on the office floor.

  “Let me get Aaron and Dimitri. I’m getting too old for jumping about.”

  Following Fahim to the back room, we passed Chalondra’s office. I shivered as the wave of magic hit me. She winked and smiled, I guessed acknowledging my reverence of her powers.

  “Sirs,” Fahim called to Aaron and Dimitri. “Your pupil.”

  “Finally, something fun to do,” Dimitri answered.

  “Teach her the basics. She doesn’t need to be a warrior, just a survivor,” Fahim instructed.

  “Whatever you say, boss.” Dimitri saluted. “Let’s go, young one.”

  I followed them out the back door and down the alley a couple of blocks to an abandoned building. As soon as we were inside, they sped off, returning with a couple of smelly, dirty humans across their backs.