The Time Hopper

Convincing Arguments

He screamed, and naturally, I screamed back. After the first few seconds, it was clear that he had calmed down from the shock of seeing me, but he didn't stop screaming and neither did I. It had turned into an impromptu screaming match, and I had always enjoyed those. In Riley's defense, he put up with it for a good minute before finally stepping in and yelling at us. 

"Stop screaming!" He bellowed at us both, shutting us both up. We exchanged a look, silently talking about how stuck up the Irish boy could be. Before I could actually say anything, Took had stepped forward and wrapped me in a fierce hug, so tight I could barely breath. I hugged him back just as tight, understanding his fear and sadness, because he thought that he had lost me, and I him. When we broke apart, tears shone in his eyes, and his voice was choked when he spoke again. 

"Bloody hell, Sadie, they told us Obsivian had you. That you were dead." He forced out, clapping me on the shoulder in a scolding manner. I gave him a shaky smile. 

"Well, they were half right. I walked straight into his trap. If Riley hadn't come to save me, I probably would have died." Or worse. After all, Obsivian seemed to think that breaking my mind and controlling me like a puppet was more merciful than outright killing me. I wouldn't tell Took, or any of them, about my grandfather. Not yet, at least. One thing at once. I needed to get them away from Consequences, to the sanctuary, before I dropped that bombshell on them. Took probably wouldn't care that much, but the other's were harder to read. It might destroy what little trust they had in me, and that could cost them, and possibly me, our lives. 

"Farm boy to the rescue, eh?" He said sharply, quirking an eyebrow at Riley as I heaved a very loud sigh. For some reason, Took had never liked Riley, even though the Irish lad had never been anything but friendly with him. Riley shrugged, his eyes narrowing. 

"She would have done the same for me." He answered evenly, though his tone was wary. Took scoffed and I punched his arm. 

"Oi, I would have!" I argued with him, not happy to let their weird little feud spill over onto me. As it is, I only stayed out of theirs because Riley was a big boy who could fend for himself, and that would only last for as long as their fights were kept verbal. 

"Well, you shouldn't. He's just a human. You're more important." I scowled and shoved Took with all my might, spilling him onto the ground. 

"Shut up! You wouldn't think this way if you'd ever left the valley and made a friend!" I told him, shrugging Riley's hand off of my shoulder when he tried to reign me in. Took scoffed again, standing back up and not retaliating. 

"You're lucky that I'm glad your alive, or I'd make you dance for that." He threatened me, touching the chain around his neck that housed his powers. I snorted. 

"That might have worked when we were younger, Took, but it won't anymore and you damn well know it. Same reason I can't take you travelling in time." I snapped back, not caring for his threats. To be fair, I had never been able to take any of the other children of the elements travelling through time, even though Took and Lucas had been able to use their powers on me. Consequences had always explained it away as my powers being a little more absolute than their's are. If I focused enough and managed to slow down or pause time, that could have affected them when we were younger. 

Now, though, we were too old. Our powers had bonded with us too strongly, and now we were too strong to be affected by other elementals, though other brands of magic still worked on us. Took knew that as well, but he was angry now, and I saw his eyes flick to Riley in what I hoped was an unconscious threat. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my knife, flicking it open and holding it up between us. 

"Try it, Took. I can play with blood too." I told him, making him raise his hands in a mocking surrender. 

"Alright, Sadie, I wasn't actually going to do it." I wasn't sure I believed him, but I put the knife away anyway, partly because Riley was now hanging onto my wrist to stop me from doing anything.