Reluctant Hero (The Dunamis Covenant Book 1) (7 page)

Chapter seven

Thomas woke up at one-thirty Saturday afternoon; he hadn't fallen asleep until almost seven in the morning. He hadn't pulled an all-nighter like that since junior year, although he didn't think anyone had ever pulled an all-nighter like that. Secret organizations, shape shifters and elves, a person that could change into an eagle; all trying to kill him. He was beginning to come to terms with the feelings of betrayal he had felt yesterday. He knew Abby really believed she was trying to keep him safe, but he still wasn't thrilled with how she decided to go about it. He trudged down the stairs into the living room. The first thing he noticed was Abby. She had her hair in a pony tail, and was wearing a green sports bra that made her eyes look even greener than usual, and black spandex pants. She also had on green running shoes. He realized that green must be her favorite color, and then he realized he really didn't know much past third grade about his alleged fiancée. She had an iPod Shuffle strapped to her arm, and he was told her headphones also acted as comms so she could stay in constant contact with the safe house. She was supposed to be jogging around the neighborhood, but she was instead running surveillance. She looked so good he had to look away. It was difficult to be so attracted to a woman you couldn't be with.

Abby left the safe house with a wave, and Thomas proceeded to the kitchen to look for some food. Asa's friend was there with two other men so he decided to introduce himself. Except for the second floor, this safe house may as well have been the same as the other one. There was no decor, and a bare minimum of furniture. He started to get anxious for something a little homier and it had only been one night.

"Hi guys, I'm Thomas, or TJ to Abby.

Asa's friend replied, "I'm Stephen and these two young Paladins are Samuel and Jacob."

"You can call us Sam and Jake," Jacob added and held out his hand. "Are you excited to begin your training today?" He asked with an enthusiasm Thomas didn't feel.

"I don't know if excited is the exact word I would use. This whole Ethereal thing is still pretty new to me and I'm not sure where I fit in. I've also been told there's some kind of spell placed on me when I was a little kid that makes me more cautious than I should be. Asa seems to think that the return of my early memories is weakening the effects of the spell and that I should be back to normal, soon. The problem is, back to normal won't be normal for me; so I guess I'm just trying to adjust and take it all as it comes."

"Well, if Malachi doesn't drive the caution from you, it can't be done." Sam added.

"Who's Malachi?"

"He is the chief trainer of our clan. Anyone in our clan with any skill has learned their craft from Malachi. Asa is off to pick him up at the airport now. They should be back within the hour."

"So wait, I can't do my bike ride?"

"If you still have the energy to ride your bike after Malachi is finished with you, I will believe the hype about you being the child of destiny," Jacob said while Stephen just shook his head.

"What child of destiny? What are you talking about?"

"I think it would be best if Asa told you." Stephen replied in an even, but wary tone. Sam and Jake had grown very quiet.

"I think it would be better if someone told me now!" Thomas insisted a little bit louder than he intended. He was growing weary of all of the important details that were getting left out. Why could they not just tell him everything at once instead of all of the intrigue and lies. It was one shocking revelation after another with these people. This was already difficult for him, and not knowing what he needed to was making it worse. "Just rip the band-aid off already, someone needs to tell me everything or I'm done." When no one said anything, he threw his hands up in the air and stalked out of the room. He was beginning to hate Ethereals. He hated their lies and secrets, he hated their rules and he hated the soulless safe house he was cooped up in.

Fifteen minutes later, Abby knocked on the door and slowly entered his room. She had just finished her surveillance run and had no doubt been told by Stephen what had occurred. She was glistening with sweat from the run and he began to feel warm himself.

"So, you heard about the prophecy," she asked as she sat on the bed next to him.

"Not really, I heard that I'm supposed to be some child of destiny or something. I have no idea what that means or what the prophecy is, or anything. Is there a reason you people have to torture me with glimpses and half truths while always leaving the important details just beyond my reach? Have I done something to offend the Ethereal race? What's the deal?" He was so frustrated he could scream, but he didn't want to take any of it out on Abby after learning how sensitive Shifters can be, and everything that had happened yesterday. He felt like they were almost to a point of forgiving each other, and he didn't want to risk it. He looked into her piercing jade eyes and thought he could lose himself forever in them.

"Thomas, I'm really sorry about misleading you, and not telling you who I was. If I had it to do differently, I would."

"How about we pretend this week didn't happen and we just start over." He was so attracted to her, and maybe it was the bond, or maybe it was how good she looked, but he no longer wanted to be angry with her.

"That's a great idea. Thank you. I'll even show you some pictures of us when we were little. You really don't remember me? How about Staten Island, PS29, do you remember any of it?

"I kind of remember Staten Island. I almost remember PS29; it's more of an impression than a memory. It was a red brick building, right? Maybe three or four stories?"

She grinned and replied, "Yep, four stories, right on the corner of Victory and Slosson. See, you do remember."

"Almost, but it's really just a vague picture."

"That's all right, it will all come back." Abby was gentle when she placed her hand on his arm and began to rub it back and forth in a rhythmic motion. She looked him in the eye and replied, "And don't worry, we will sit down with Asa as soon as he returns, and you can ask him anything you want." She left her hand on his arm, hoping to have a calming effect.

"That's just it, Abby!" He leapt up, causing her to awkwardly withdraw her arm. "I don't want to ask him anything. If I ask him things he only has to answer what I ask, I want him to tell me everything I need to know! This way, I won't keep getting hit with these bombshells. Every bit of this is new and difficult for me and you guys are prolonging the agony. Every time I come to terms with something, something else pops up and then it's the same process all over again. I don't want to keep going through this, I want it to be done so I can accept it and move on already. This isn't easy for me." He knew this attitude was a bi-product of the artificial cautious nature he had been given. It was the main reason he liked working at the post office, when his route was over, it was over. He didn't need to worry about something important that he'd missed popping up later.

She stood and moved to comfort him. She placed her hand on his chest and looked him in the eye. "All will be revealed when Asa returns, trust me," she replied while her hand remained on his chest. He was so attracted to her and she looked so good. Then there were those eyes. He started to lose himself until he couldn't stand it anymore; he leaned in to kiss her gently on the lips, and she kissed him back. A few minutes later the pain retuned and Thomas' frustration returned with it.

"I can't stand this, Abby, how do we make this pain stop?"

"Once the betrothal ceremony is complete it will stop," she began. "But we need to get you trained before that."

"Why...?" Thomas began but was interrupted by Asa's arrival.

He studied them with a hint of disdain. "Clean yourself up, Abby, we will all speak in the living room in ten minutes." He closed the door behind him. Thomas left next and Abby went to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Ten minutes later they were all assembled in the living room. Thomas sat near the door with his backpack at his feet. He planned to make a break for it if he didn't like what he heard. Thomas looked over at the man called Malachi for the first time. They hadn't even been introduced yet. He noticed the Paladin's size first. Malachi had to be at least six foot seven, and over two hundred fifty pounds. He was powerfully built, and his eyes were an icy blue. His head was shaved as was his face, and he had a tattoo of fire on his neck that looked like it continued under his tight, black shirt. Malachi's face seemed to be formed into a permanent sneer, and Thomas decided he didn't like the man. In fact, Abby was the only Ethereal he had met to this point that he did like.

"So, what is it you would like to know? What would you like to ask me?" Asa began with a weary look on his weathered face.

"That's the problem Asa; I don't know all the things I would like to know. Here's what I would like to ask you. Please tell me anything and everything that has to do with me in this so-called Ethereal world. Everything, all at once, don't leave anything out!"

"That could take a while," Asa replied with an aggravated shake of the head.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing we're cooped up in this house then." Thomas mused with an annoyed look on his face. "I want to know all about my parents, and what this betrothal spell is all about. I want to know what the prophecy is all about. Are my aunt and uncle even my aunt and uncle or are they just players in this game that has become my life? I need to know everything. No more lies." He had never been more serious when he added, "And, Asa, if one more important detail gets conveniently left out I swear I'll go find Devlin myself and ask him. Something tells me he'd be happy to fill me in!"

Before he realized what was happening Malachi had leapt across the room and had him pinned to the wall with a sword at his throat. "If you ever attempt to make contact with Devlin in any way, I will kill you, boy! Do you understand?" His grip was like a vice on Thomas' arm and his sword was mere inches from his throat.

Abby screamed, "Let him go, Malachi! He didn't mean it." Jake and Sam held her back, a look of shock pasted on their faces.

Thomas glared at Asa and yelled, "Well here's another important detail you failed to mention. If I don't do what you want, you'll kill me? Get off of me, Malachi!"

"You don't tell me what to do, boy! Do you understand?" Malachi was enraged and he kept Thomas pinned to the wall. He had never been a believer in the whole child of destiny thing anyway, but he knew this kid wasn't it. "Let's be clear on one thing. From now on, you do exactly as I say, when I say it, no questions asked. I own you! You do that, we'll be fine. If you don't—" He slid his sword across Thomas throat without cutting him, but without easing up on the pressure. Then he smiled as if he were enjoying himself. "Now I want you to say it. Right now, out loud: I will not make contact with Devlin." He looked over to Abby who was still being restrained and winked. Thomas thought Malachi's goal was to humiliate him in front of Abby and everyone else. Asa just sat there and watched it all happening, which made Thomas even angrier.

"Leave him be, Malachi!" Abby yelled again, but this time Malachi laughed at her. Thomas felt himself starting to get really angry. He felt his arms begin to tremble with strength, and he was scared. He didn't know what any of it meant.

"Say it, boy, or I can take your head and be done with it. I don't believe in this stupid prophecy anyway." He laughed and pressed harder against Thomas chest.

Thomas looked back at Malachi's intense eyes, brought his arms up quickly in front of his sword and grabbed him by the collar. "I said, get off of me!" he shouted. Then he threw Malachi across the room and into the wall. Everyone looked stunned by the display of strength Thomas had just shown, but no one was more shocked than Thomas. "I don't need this!" he yelled. "I don't need any of this; and I don't need any of you!" He grabbed his backpack off the floor and was out the door before any of them could say a word.

*****

Stephen was helping Malachi, because he appeared to be injured. Thomas' throw was hard enough that when Malachi hit the wall, he dislocated his shoulder. Asa ran out to the yard to try and track where Thomas had gone. Abby could not believe what had just happened.
What was Malachi thinking attacking TJ
?

Abby came up alongside Asa and said, "I have to go after him, I can bring him back."

"You had better hope so; it may already be too late. He should not have threatened going to Devlin. That was most unwise."

"He was just frustrated, he wouldn't have done it. He was just trying to convey the importance of having all of the necessary information, Asa." Her tone let him know she thought it was all his fault. "Malachi overreacted, too. He should not have put his sword to TJ's throat."

"No, that was ill-advised," he agreed. "You just find him and bring him back. I will smooth things over with Malachi. On the bright side, he seems to have overcome his caution and he is stronger than any of the council believed him to be."

Abby couldn't believe this was happening. She fixed Asa with a look that showed both concern and fear, then she asked, "Will the council really order his death?"

"If he will not join us, or seeks out Devlin, they will have no choice." Abby didn't know what to do, she was in essence being forced to choose between her loyalty to her betrothed and her loyalty to her people. She hoped for both of their sakes that she could convince Thomas to come back.