Immortal Fire - Book One

Hayden led us to a large room with gym mats on the floor and boxing bags in the corner. There were also beams near the roof that had safety harnesses attached. In the opposite corner of the room, there was a silver cabinet that was closed and had swirling patterns engraved into it. It reminded me of the patterns back at home on the mantel in the living room.

Hayden strolled over to the middle of the room and waited with his arms folded over his chest, watching me. Walking over to Hayden, I could not keep my eyes off the cabinet.

“What is in the cabinet?” I asked.

“Weapons, but you will only train with those at a later stage,” he said. I was still staring at the cabinet and Hayden noticed.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Those patterns on the cabinet, they’re the same as ones that are on our mantel at home…” Hayden looked at the cabinet and then back to me.

“Those patterns are called Ishka. They are to protect Elven weapons from anyone who is not an Elf. Those could only be in your home if your parents had Elf weapons stored in your mantel.” He said seriously.

I could not believe that I had been so blind all these years to all the signs that had been right in front of me. I was not going to start feeling sorry for myself again, so, turning my head back to Hayden, I forced a smile.

“So, what do we do first?” He smiled back and then spun, dropping low and knocking my legs out from under me with his. I landed flat on my back in less than a second. Staring up at the ceiling in disbelief, Hayden bent over me, blocking my vision. Shit.

“We start with you learning to avoid being put on your back unless you like that kind of thing…” He was smiling as if he had just made the funniest joke and was impressed with himself.

Helping me up, he took a step back and had a look of all business on his face.

“It is especially important that you never let your opponent get you on your back. It is one of the most vulnerable positions that you could get yourself into.” He was circling me now like a predator. “Secondly, never turn your back on an opponent; it makes for an easy kill.” I spun fast trying to keep my front to him as he circled. “Everyone has a ‘tell’ before they attack, today while we train, I want you to try to figure out mine.”

Little did he know that I had already picked up on his little tells over the past few days and I was planning on using it to my advantage.

“Ok, so how do I avoid going on my back like just now?” I asked. We never stopped circling each other and I was not going to lie; it was a rush.

“Try to find my tell and anticipate my move, if you get it right, try to take the energy that I’ve put into the attack and shove it back at me with a counterattack. I’m sure you have heard of kinetic and potential energy; you’re a smart girl, you’ll figure it out.”

I nodded and got serious. I was taking Hayden Levi down. Remembering that I saw one of the safety harnesses was above me, I knew what to do.

“Bring it on Elf boy.” I grinned and so did he.

Hayden’s muscles tensed twice just like I knew they would just before he attacked. Jumping and grabbing a hold of the safety harness hanging above me, I pulled my legs up just as he would have knocked them out from under me, dropped, and kicked him in the chest that he fell on his back. The look of shock on his face was priceless as he lay on the matt looking up. Bending over him and smiling as he had done to me; I felt such joy in beating him when he thought I would not be able to.

“What the hell was that?” he asked incredulously. Helping him up now, I was still smiling.

“That was me kicking your ass like I said I would.” Hayden took a step back and eyed me.

“How did you know that I was going to attack so soon? You shouldn’t have been able to pick up on my ‘tell’ after just one attack.” He looked at me baffled.

“That was incredible. Not even our best guards have been able to do that, never mind the fact that you remembered the harness was there after looking at the room once. I even forgot that it was there.” I felt my face flush.

“Um, I don’t know, I just did…” I replied timidly. I also was not going to admit that the only reason I knew his tell was because I could not keep my eyes off him.

“Well, let us continue. I want to see what you are capable of now that I’ve seen you do what you just did,” he said.

We continued for the next few hours, and I do not know who was more shocked at my abilities. Every attack that Hayden came at me with, I anticipated and bested him. He seemed impressed yet annoyed at the same time. Taking a break, Hayden handed me a bottle of water as we sat on the mats in silence. He was the one to speak first after a while and it surprised me.

“Aria, do you have any idea why the Elders wanted me to touch your mark and why it glowed?” he asked. Taking another sip of water, I shook my head as I did not know...

“I don’t know, but it was something really important, you could see it on their faces. I also don’t know why it’s so important we stay apart except with training...” We looked at each other.

“Do you know why?” I asked. He took a sip of water and looked away.

“I have an idea, but I doubt that it’s true. I hope that it’s not true…” he said. That did not sound good.

“What is it?” I was leaning close to him now.

He looked me in the eyes for what felt like an eternity and then at my lips. My heart sped up in my chest and I thought that he was going to kiss me. He did not. He looked away and got up.

I tried to hide my disappointment. He held his hand out for me to get up. In taking it, the mark burned again, but I was used to it now and welcomed it.

“I have a plan to find out what they aren’t telling us.” He looked around to make sure no one was nearby and then back to me. Dropping my hand, he turned and indicated for me to follow him to the desk near the door.

He was acting so strange. He grabbed a pen and scribbled it on a piece of paper. He shoved it in my pocket as he turned. I was about to take it out while he was walking away but he stopped and shook his head. Alright then..., I guessed I would read it at home. Putting the note back into my concealed pocket, I headed after Hayden. He was grabbing our bottles of water up from the ground.

“Are we done already?” I asked. To be honest I did not want to leave. I enjoyed this time with him.

“Yeah, I think I’ve had my ass kicked by a girl enough for one day,” he said, chuckling. He was smiling as he handed me my water bottle.

“Well, I did warn you,” I said

“Yeah, yeah; just don’t think that it’s going to happen again. I have my reputation to uphold.” He winked and started walking towards the door and held it open for me. I loved it when he was his sarcastic self like this. It was the only time that the world did not seem to be bringing him down. I also knew now that the cold, tough side he put up for the guard and Elders was just that, it was not who he was but who he needed to be sometimes.

We walked back to my house, and it was far too quick for my liking. I had not realized just how long we had been training until we were outside of the gym. The sun was setting. Walking up to my front door with me, Hayden waited for me to enter and stayed outside.

“Thanks for today, it was fun.” I smiled and it was true.

Never in my life did I consider myself tough or the fighting type. I always thought people who trained in martial arts were insane, but now I got it. He was leaning against the doorframe with his muscular arms folded.

“No problem. You did well. You impressed me.” Those words made my heart swell.

“Anyway, I have to go... Bye Aria.” He stood and started down the path. I stood and watched him go. He carried himself well and with confidence as he headed down the street. And damn, but that uniform did his ass justice… I could not help but notice how every girl and even the older women watched him. I was not surprised, he was extremely good-looking, yet I felt a pang of ugly jealousy creep up inside of me. Squashing the insane feeling, I closed the door and headed inside to the bedroom.

I threw myself down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Today I surprised myself at training. I had moved like someone who had been fighting their entire life. Realizing that I had not sent my parents a text yet today, I headed for the lounge and grabbed my cell. I let them know that I was ok and decided to tell them that I knew everything…

With a sigh, I then headed to the bathroom. Another shower was in order after the workout that I had gotten today. Bending over to remove my boots, something poked out of my pocket. It was the note Hayden had written at training and I had forgotten about it.

Straightening up, I unfolded the piece of paper and read it. Hayden was going to go and find out if the idea he had about the mark and Elders rules were true tonight. He was also going to sneak back here afterward so that he could let me know what he had found out. There were also instructions to burn the note so that there was no way that anyone could find out. I was going to go to the kitchen to burn the note when an idea crept into my head.

Chucking the paper into the sink, I looked around for anyone that might see it. It was a ridiculously paranoid move, but I still checked anyway. Staring at the paper, I concentrated on my palm. There was nothing. Sighing and trying again, I started to feel a slight tingle. Concentrating harder and facing my palm towards the paper, my mark glowed. With a jolt, a blast of Angel Fire shot from my hand and incinerated the paper to nothing. There was not even ash or the smell of burnt paper.

“Fuck yes!” I squealed and jumped up and down. I quickly covered my mouth with my hands, realizing how idiotic and loud I was being. Calming down a bit, but still in a great mood for frying the piece of paper, I turned on the shower and got undressed. Pulling the braid out of my hair, I turned to see how long it had gotten and froze.