Warrior (Book Three of The Silver Society)

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

Beth awoke the next morning in Kevin's arms. Freeing herself from her sleeping brother's embrace, Beth walked into the bathroom. She studied her reflection in the mirror for a moment, feeling lost.

"Happy birthday, Bethany," she whispered. Wiping fresh tears from her eyes, Beth sighed. She walked into her bedroom and began to get dressed. She was careful to be quiet, as Jade was sleeping in her usual spot, with Bastet curled up at her feet and Joey asleep in her arms.

Beth selected a pair of sweatpants and a comfortable t-shirt. She pulled her hair into a ponytail. She walked downstairs, still careful not to wake Jade or Joey up.

Kevin was awake now, and he was doing his morning workout in the kitchen while he made coffee. He didn't hear Beth come in. To his shock, as he put out his arm in one of hid favorite Martial Arts moves, Beth countered with the exact reaction a professional would have had. She did it again as he tried a different move.

Confused but fascinated, Kevin did not stop practicing. He had never sparred with Beth, who normally couldn't throw a punch to save her life, and he was very surprised by this new talent of hers. When they finally stopped, Kevin was gasping for breath. Jade had woken up at some point, and she stood staring at the two of them.

"Wow, Beth!" Kevin said. "Where did you learn to spar?"

"I don't know..." Beth replied. "It just sort of came to me. It was almost like second nature, but I've never done anything like that before."

The paperboy threw a newspaper through the window. Beth caught it in her right hand without looking up. She gasped and dropped it. "What's happening to me?" She asked.

"I think we need to go see Alex," Jade suggested.

"Happy birthday, by the way," Kevin said awkwardly.

"Yeah... From me, too," Jade added in a soft, somber tone. The mood in the house was anything but happy, but it seemed wrong not to acknowledge Beth's birthday.

"Thanks," Beth replied sadly. "Guys, this is really freaking me out..."

"Look, I'm sure there's a logical explanation for your new skills," Jade said. "We'll figure it out."

"Happy birthday, Aunt Beth," Joey said as he joined them. He smiled at her and put his arms out, indicating he wanted her to pick him up. Beth knelt down and scooped Joey up into her arms. He wrapped his arms around her neck and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"You sad," Joey said after a moment. It was strange for him to see Beth so full of sorrow.

"I'm okay, Joey," Beth replied.

He kissed her cheek again and said, "Love you."

"I love you, too, sweetie." Beth sighed. "I can't go to school today. I really can't."

"Of course not," Jade replied. "You just lost your parents, Beth. No one will expect you to be there."

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to do... I need to plan a funeral, right? And notify people? That's how this works, right?"

"I'll handle all of that," Kevin said. "I'm the older one. Besides, it's complicated with deaths like this."

"We can't cover it up," Beth said in horror. "I mean, we just can't... Please, Kevin, promise you won't have them erased?"

"Oh, Gods, no. I couldn't do that even if I wanted to. They were too important to the community. It would take way too much work. It would be easier to say they died in some kind of car accident or something, and that mom's body was burned to ashes in the crash..." He paused, took a deep breath, and tried not to flash back on his mother burning to death.