Fire Moon

7

DAYS HAD PASSED. Then weeks. They consisted of a blurred mixture of training, cooking, reading and sleeping. I barely saw August. I only saw him when I was going to bed and he would come into his room to get clothes. He looked even more tired every day. 

The snow had almost completely disappeared, the pond no longer steamed and the air wasn't biting anymore. I was going to miss winter.

They had all the windows open when I walked into the training room. The soft spring air swirled around the room, taking away the violence of the atmosphere and it stopped my movements. The peace of it froze me.

"Who the hell is this?" asked a lanky woman across the room. Her eyes were the colour of school chairs, plastic muddy blue and she had her lips in a pressed line, gawking at me.

"I could ask you the same thing" I eyed Bain who stepped over to the lanky female and I almost laughed when he grabbed her hand.

"This is Olivia" he smiled at her and suddenly it clicked.

I gasped, "Is she—" my words died in my mouth as Alice aggressively shook her head behind them.

"Is she what?" Olivia snickered.

I forced myself to smile, "Is she staying here?"

The Oracle nodded, reluctantly I thought and he gestured between us, "Olivia, this is Eden."

Her hair was the colour of hay, a warm sickening yellow and she was playing with the ends when she turned away from me and sat down near Alice.

Alice stood and pulled me out of the room. I was in shock, "I don't understand."

Her short hair was half tied up and little strands were escaping as she shook her head again, "Apparently they met the night of the Solstice and because Olivia doesn't have a mate either, they were talking and now they're like together" her nose was crunched up in disgust at her words.

My frown felt harsh on my face, "I thought it was your mate or nothing?"

"It supposed to be" her amber eyes were on the training room doors and she huffed out a laugh, "How do I know so much? I'm not the one who even lives here."

It was in a playful tone but the air around us thinned at the mention of it. We hadn't spoken about it yet, about how I left home and now suddenly live here. I hadn't told her what exactly happened at home nor had she asked since. Alice just accepted it and didn't ask any questions. Deep down I think she's scared to ask because I would tell her the truth.

I laughed and shrugged, "How's everyone at home?"

Her small arms crossed, "Yeah okay, mum actually comes out and speaks to me" a small smile stretched over her face, "Dad is even in a better mood."

I didn't hide my surprise, "That's good then."

"When are you coming home?" her voice was so small that I almost didn't hear her. Her amber eyes burning into my dark ones, "We miss you, E."

"I know" my response was a mere whisper, "but I have to stay here and train for Cameron."

"Cameron doesn't exist" her tone was sharp, "you saw it for yourself, Cameron is dead and so is the Burn Notice."

I didn't want to believe it. We hadn't heard anything from my father about new threats or messages. It's been dead silent. I knew Cameron was dead and Sawyer didn't send the Burn Notice. We should be safe now. Except there is this dull nagging feeling in my gut, like the threat is not over and the real threat is someone else entirely.

Our attention was drawn to Quinn who exited the training room, coming right for us, "We're training outside today."

I frowned, "Me and you?"