The Disappearing Fields

Chapter nineteen

+Haven+

The snow continued to pile. I could touch the snow caked on the ground from my window in my room. It hasn't even been 24 hours. This is man made. Or something. It's not natural.

Flopping on my back, I started at the ceiling. I don't regret not going to see Elliot, but now that I'm clearly thinking and not staring into Niko's hyonotizing eyes, I know I should have put the greater good over a 2 year old.

And yet there's a feeling deep inside. I would let the world burn as long as Niko and Kaz were okay. Okay that's a lie. Maybe them plus Ziek and Elliot and Alex, and Cinnamon, Melon, Tabby, and maybe Tyler. I guess I'm pretty selfish. As long as I'm alright screw everyone else. In the end though, no one would be happy if the world burned. So I can't let the world burn.

Not that it's in danger of burning or anything. Just freezing..... I need to get out of my head.

Hopping off the bed, I head down the hall to the room Kaz and Niko share. The door was opened, so I peeked in.

This room was a guest room, it was originally supposed to be mine but I liked sleeping in with Tabby, she was always so warm. But then she decided to make the big office downstairs her room and I was too lazy to walk downstairs after showering up here. So I stuck to our old room.

Either way, I never actually spent any time in here. Never cared for it. But seeing Niko curled up on the blue king sized bed and kaz staring at something in his hand, I kinda wanted to have one big camping party in the room.

"Hey Kaz, whacha doing? "

He looked up at me before looking back at his hand. "Something's not right. "

The tone of his voice scared me. It wasn't mean or angry but eerie. Walking up behind him, I saw the red lines in his palms. "What are those? "

"One is my essence line, one is my Destined 's line and the other symbolizes my oath to the Fade and their King, Lord Irenaeus."

I frown. There's a red line going through the middle of his plan in a diagonal. At one end there's two lines entwining before one fades out. Then, there's a bulky red line going up his thumb pad. That's all.

"I only see two. "

"Exactly" he grips my hand and the usual crackles I hear are more intense. Now it sounds like..... Fireworks and the rush of heat feels like I'm standing on the outside of a ring of fire.

Using my index finger, he pokes one of the entwining lines, it responds by glowing.

"That's your line. It's gotten longer, because you've gotten stronger and brighter because you're closer. "

"Hmm. Why do you have a line for me but I don't? "

"You do. Yours just has to be viewed in the light. Come." Without waiting for me to move, he drew me towards the window where the full moon shone through. The night sky was full of slowly moving stars.

Kaz grabbed my wrist and pushed up my left sleeve, revealing my arm. A few seconds of moonlight exposure, silver lines began shimmering it's way from my wrist to my elbow. It curves and waves from one side to the other. It had multiple tendrils and loops. It didn't look like anything I've ever seen. Even without knowing what it was, it was beautiful.

My mouth fell open. "Look at that. It's so pretty. "

"It is. You see, these two are your elements. This one is for Niko. " before of could question him, he continued. "Being part Sole, you'll have one for all your blood relatives you've meet. "

"Oh. " I had uttered suddenly conscious of his chest against my back and the rising pit of annoyance in my guts.

He, obvious to my thoughts, continued, tracing his finger over the marks as he explained. "This one right here is mine." His lite up gold as he touched it. It was by far the longest, nearly touching my elbow. "While this one is your mother's. "

That shocked me. "Like Tabby or "

"the Sole queen. You've had to have meet her. You spent the first few years of life with her. " Kaz said with a snall smile on his face.

"So why is yours so faint? " I had noticed that his line was jagged and barely visible unless he touched it.

"My Essence has been cut off. "

I spun around so fast I gave myself whiplash. "Are you for real ? Why? Who? When? How? "

He smiled without amusement at my reaction before tilting his head toward the ground. The snow? "I'm positive it's the snow. The only person strong enough to do this is Lord Irenaus. "

I frowned. I could see how snow and fire wouldn't mix. They would destroy each other. The snow would melt and become water with fire near. But the water could put out the fire but it would also evaporate. The Fade king has snow essence. I've never heard of that before.
"What are we supposed to do? Without your essence you're vulnerable. "

All the worst case scenarios played in my head before Kaz sadly smirked my way. "It's okay Haven, I won't cause you any trouble. I can take care of myself "

Trouble? Did he seriously think I was worried about this Lord what's his face? I didn't give two flying fladoodles about him. I find myself in trouble every single day. What's another enemy to add to the mix?

"I don't care about the trouble, dummy. I thought we were a team, although your the brawn while I'm the brain. Without your essence you can't use your fire. Then without that you could get hurt or die dum dum. I can't just let you die Kaz. Maybe there's another way to get you the essence you need. There has to be, I'll get started looking." I need to hit the books. I'll research, I have to find something. With that, I trudged towards the door.

"Haven. " Kaz grabbed my arm and yanked me back. A frown creased my eyebrows. And I crossed my amrs. We don't have time to be standing here talking.

Almost as if sensing my thoughts, he smiled and pecked my forehead. The warmth of his lips seeped in and I couldn't stop my mind from wandering yet again if mine we're just as warm and soft.

He placed small kisses down the bridge of my nose. Each one of them send blood rushing to my cheeks. After kissing the top of my nose, he pulled back and smiled. "I appreciate your concern and all but I'm fine."

It took a moment to find my head and ride it of the fire he had lite "No you're not, Kaz. If, what's his face can cause all this then he already knows where you are. And if so he could attack any time now and you can't defend yourself and I can't protect you. You can't leave me kaz." I don't want to lose another dear friend. I couldn't stop the tears from leaking nor my hands from shaking. I can't lose Kaz, I won't. I don't know what I would do without him.

Warm hands cupped my face and his thumb wiped away the stray tears. Staring into his charcoal eyes, I watch the red flecks dance along with several emotions. Before one emerged that chased all the others away. "Don't cry, I'm not going anywhere. " he whispered before closing the gap between us.

His lips caressed mine and they we're warmer than they felt against my forehead. My heart slammed against my rib cage and my eyes closed on their own accord. I gave in to the nagging feeling in my gut and found myself lost in his kiss.

Slowly, I came to my senses when a shrill whine assaulted my ears. Jumping away from each other, we faced the source of the sound. A withering Niko.

Seeing the small boy shaking with hercky jerky movement, scared the hell out of me. "Niko! "

Kaz beat me over to him and scooped up the boy. "Nikholas what's wrong? " he didn't answer. The fear was evident on his face.

Instincts kicked in and I took charge. "Take his temperature, the thermometers in the kitchen cabinet. If he has a fever then we'll need to take him to a doctor. In the meantime, I'll call Tabby, she'll know what's up. "