Hidden One

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Why are you here?"

"To save you."

"That's not specific enough."

"That's all you're going to get."

Tessa slammed her fist down on the table, frustrated. "Do you want to die, Kas? Because everything you've said in here will count against you."

He sat back in his chair, resting his hands on his stomach in a relaxed position. The only things in the room were a small cot, a table, and two chairs. Tessa sat on the table, legs swinging back and forth beneath her before resting on the chair in front of her. Kasper had pushed the other chair against the wall and currently sat facing her, completely at ease. It was putting Tessa on edge.

"I know that, Tessa. If I could tell you, I swear I would. But you just don't understand-"

"I don't understand?! Forgive me for being slightly skeptical while I listen to the man who condemned me for something I couldn't help that I don't understand. Not to mention that I'm sure it would be very, very easy for me to understand if you would just explain." She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I won't judge you, Kas. Please believe me on that. You still mean a lot to me, even though I'm with Demetri. You're still important to me."

Suddenly he stood, walking toward her with slow, measured steps. The chair prevented his advance, but he got as close as he could before stopping before her. She'd taken off her button-down, sitting in nothing but her short cargoes and a dark blue tank top. His hand came up, and he gently ran his finger along the new, slightly tender tattoo on her shoulder.

"You've mated." He said quietly. She nodded, swallowing slightly. He sighed and stepped away. "I knew. I knew you'd end up with him. It doesn't hurt anymore."

He smiled, brushing her hair away from her neck before leaning in to kiss her shoulder, just a little higher along her neck from the tattoo. She reached up and threaded her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, hugging him close to her. She wrapped her other arm around his shoulders as he placed his hands around her waist, hugging her tightly against his chest as he rested his mouth against her shoulder.

"I'm going to let you go. I'm happy for you, Tess, and I hope you'll learn to trust me again." She nodded against his chest,  hugging him tighter a moment before letting him go.

"I do love you, Kas. But like a brother, not like the way you loved me. I would very much like to have a brother. Now tell me just what you've done to yourself that caused this drastic change in power. I've never felt anything like you, Kasper."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was rogue for awhile. I guess that's what you'd call it, though I didn't think it happened to Benders. It...awoke some kind of power I'm unsure of. I've not really tried it out yet."

She closed her eyes a moment, reaching out to feel his powers again. "You feel almost...like Alexander." She murmured, opening her eyes. "He has more concentrated power, because he can bend three elements. You...I need to take you outside." Suddenly she was yanking him toward the door, pulling it open and meeting Demetri's stern gaze.

"Teresa-"

"Not now. I'm in the middle of something." She absently pushed him out of the way, going down the stairs and out the front door with Kasper in tow. She could hear Demetri and Cecilia calling her name, but she was too distracted to care.

"Stand here." She said, positioning him square in front of her with a bucket of water next to them. She pointed to it. "Bend that."

He gave her an uncertain look. "Tessa, I'm an Earth bender. And they're calling you."

"I've seen you bend more than Earth." She said, remembering her first encounter with him. Kai had clamped a hand over his mouth, but pulled away with a small cry of pain seconds later. Tessa remembered that Kasper had exhaled just before. "I've seen you breathe Fire. I don't see why you shouldn't be able to bend Water."

"Breathing hot air is a lot different from generating and bending Fire, Tessa. All I did was create a short breath of hot air, I can't even keep it up for very long."

There was an irritating buzzing noise in the back of her mind, like a gnat that wouldn't leave her alone. She waved her hand near her ear impatiently, and it stopped.

"All the same. Bend." She would not let up until he at least tried. With a sigh he relented and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm his mind. Opening them again, he raised his hand toward the bucket. Almost languidly, a small tendril of water rose from the bucket, shivering and writhing as Kasper struggled to keep it aloft. Moving his hand smoothly to one side he pulled the water from the bucket, raising it higher into the air before straightening his fingers to freeze the water in midair.

A shout was heard from the right, coming from one of the Shifters chopping firewood. It wasn't particularly loud- he was just calling to one of his friends- but it was enough to break Kasper's concentration, and the water splattered across the dirt. He sighed heavily, hunching his shoulders in fatigue.

"Now try Fire." Tessa said after a moment, too caught up to give him a real chance to catch his breath. He scowled gently but generated a small flame that licked along the tips of his fingers before disappearing from his pinkie. This had taken a lot less energy from him, proving to Tessa that he'd done this before.

"And Air." She said, looking at him intensely.  He gave her a look of his own.

"Tess, it's impossible to bend a natural opposite..."

"Try, Kas. Don't argue."

A feeling of expectation settled over them as Kasper planted his feet shoulder-width apart and placed his hands, palms together, on front of his chest. He took a deep breath and pushed his hands forward sharply, a large gust of wind almost knocking Tessa off her feet. As if was she had to drop to her knees, laughing in wonder and at Kasper's expression.

"See?" She said. "I told you."