The Leader

The Leader: Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty One: Talia

Liam and I were watching as Maya gave Caleb the gift of never aging, and we could not only see, but feel the love between them. Now we sit in my room, wondering if our love is anywhere near as great. The book is on the end of my bed, and I can't help but flick through and find my page again.

"You should try it," Liam says to me.

"What? It kills people."

"Do it on someone evil." I shake my head, because no matter how evil a person is, it should not be my job to decide whether they live or die. Liam hears my thoughts and wisely drops the subject.

"Tal, if Caleb and Maya have something stronger than us, so be it. But I know I love you, and to me that's all I need."

"I love you too, but what if love isn't enough?" I ask, making him pause for a moment.

"I don't care. I will make sure it's enough, Tal. We don't need anything else, because we have each other." I look down at my hands, and I let my passion out by making flames appear. This time they're blue, because they keep getting hotter.

"Oh, shit!" I say, jumping up. I accidentally rested my hands on my blanket, and now it's about to catch on fire. I stop the flames in my hands and cover that part of the blanket with them instead. The heat doesn't burn me, and the flame dies as it loses its oxygen supply. I look at my hands and there is nothing different about them, no burns or anything. I've already gotten used to the heat of my flames, because it doesn't actually hurt, but it's more like the heat of electric energy flowing out of me. I lie back on my bed and close my eyes, ready to sleep and then endure another day at school, because I can do it with Liam.

At school for the next two weeks- the final two of the first term- Liam and I are debating whether we should go to get Initiated. We voice our conflict with Caleb and Maya, and both of them assure us that we need to go. Apparently we're weak and cannot take care of ourselves if we can't access our angel forms. Well, according to Caleb, anyway. He's smart, he's annoyingly logical, and he is way too overprotective of Maya. We finally decide to go, and Liam has an idea to do something before then. In our last week we spend in Australia, Liam organizes a huge party. It's his eighteenth birthday soon, and he wants to celebrate it. Everyone turns up, including Maya and Caleb, and basically the whole school, but Ethan and Santia turn down the invitation. Everyone drinks, even the sixteen year olds who shouldn't, and soon it gets out of hand. Caleb and Selene, the terrible twins, share an annoyed look and then they both stand at a door.

"Hey, boys, follow me!" Selene calls out over the crowd. Every single boy in the room follows her as she leaves through the door, including Liam.

"Girls, over here," Caleb yells, even louder. I feel a strong tugging sensation, and I can't help but move over to him with everyone else. This must be his magnetic talent. We leave, and then Caleb disappears, and with him the pull. Maya yanks me back inside the building, and then goes and gets Liam. We then lock the doors and have our own mini party. I lose count of how much alcohol Caleb downs, and yet he's still perfectly sober. Maya doesn't drink for some reason, and Selene gets completely wasted. Liam is content to just hold my hand the entire time, and I follow the rules, considering I'm not eighteen for another two months. Long after the music has stopped, Caleb and Maya are still engaged in a complicated dance that is a blur to my eyes. They gaze at each other the whole time, and they both glow eerily. Caleb puts a hand on Maya's cheek, and then one of the doors break. In comes the boy Ian, and he is giving Caleb a murderous look. Caleb calmly steps back from Maya and bows at the waist.

"Caleb," begins Ian. "I hope you weren't about to renounce my marking of this girl here. Because, we could fight right now if you'd like. What say you?"

"I say I'm allowed to be friends with her, and I haven't broken any rules. Look, the mark is still black. When it turns silver, then we will fight. You can leave now."

"No," Ian replies in a menacing tone. "I don't want to go anywhere without my girl. Come, Maya." Maya gives Caleb a questioning look, and he pushes her towards Ian. "I said come!" Ian says forcibly. He has not raised his voice, yet his words still seem to echo around the room, bouncing off every wall. She walks slowly and casually to his side, yet she is shaking in anger.

"What do you want with me?" she says angrily.

"Come now, don't be like that. We will have to live together for years, remember. I think it's time you take your place by my side, yes?" I hear her mumble something that sounds like "Queen Esther" and then she puts a hand on his arm. They both disappear, and I see Caleb nearly die. He withers like a flower, something he would never do in front of Maya. He just lies on the floor and sobs, and nothing we say or do can get him up. I pity him, because I cannot imagine what it would be like if something came and took away Liam, keeping him close enough to touch, but if we do then it could kill everyone I know. Caleb slowly sits up, and he catches my eye.

"I'm going to do it. I don't care anymore whether I die or not. If I stay here I will most certainly die, but if I go out and do it there is a chance of survival. Will any of you help me?" he asks. Selene goes white.

"Caleb, no-"

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch who took away the girl I love," he concludes, and immediately I nod. I will join him, and I will fight if it kills me. No one deserves to have their free will taken from them, especially not Maya. Maya, who always does the right thing; Maya, who always puts her friends first; Maya, who always tries to help anyone who needs assistance; Maya, who gave me a chance, even though I never deserved one. I will fight, and I will fight for her, and for her freedom. Liam squeezes my hand, and I know he will fight for her too. Selene nods to her brother, willing to fight for him. Our army isn't huge, but at least we have one, and it's a start. Let the war begin.

Liam and I cancel our trip to England, because we do not have time to go there before Caleb declares war on the most powerful half-angel in the world. First he needs a strategy, and it will be difficult to make one. If we had Maya here it would be easy, because we could just ask her to find out which plan will work in the end. Instead, Caleb calls the only other person that can help us: Andy. Him and Selene send out a magnetic signal every day, and apparently he continues to make his way towards us. Finally they announce that he's boarding a plane to Australia. Liam and I ask for the help of Adam, Ethan and Santia, and any other half-angels we know that could be of use. Caleb and Selene spend all day calling hundreds of 'halfies' they know, and soon we run into new people every day who are hanging around town. Finally Andy comes into our area, and Ethan and Adam go out to explain our dilemma. He comes immediately with his brothers and speaks to Caleb. We aren't allowed to listen, but they are in a room for fourteen hours, talking nonstop. When Andy comes out, he is grinning. He has obviously made a large contribution, and I wonder who Caleb promised to let him kill. Andy seems to have healed from his heartbreak over his and Maya's relationship, and he's starting to become proud and cocky all over again. At least we know he's happy, so he won't make any stupid decisions when he needs to think clearly... I hope.

"Hey, Talia," he says joyfully. "You ready to kick some royal butt?" I can't help smiling at this amusing question, and Andy laughs with glee.

"Of course I'm ready," I reply. "I just don't think anyone else is yet." And no one is. For the next two weeks, Caleb and Selene disappear to unknown places, missing heaps of school and drawing attention to themselves. This is because they are searching for some strong half-angels they know. Finally they admit that they need help, and so they give the rest of us jobs. Santia and Ethan are the most popular people at school, so they are going to round up anyone there who has any talent, even just some brainiacs who may be oblivious to the situation. Liam is sent around Australia with hundreds of different addresses, and Adam and Andy go to Britain again. Selene and I are meant to go to Europe together, but then we have a surprise visit from Ayla, who announces that she is willing to help Maya. She is instead chosen to accompany Selene, and I will go with Caleb to America, where I have never been in my life. Caleb assures me I'll be safe with him, though while we prepare to leave he doesn't talk about anything that isn't business. I sigh. This is going to be a long trip.