Game Of Lightning

Chapter Six

Damien's POV-

Aria leads us to the library, the same library where we stole those books. "Annie," I whisper and she walks over to me. "Maybe we should return all the books we stole from this library."

She laughs and says, "Maybe. Maybe Aria won't mind."

We end up in the library as Aria sends someone to get Beck, Jade, and Mom. We wait until they get here, in an awkward silence. Finally, they arrive and Aria says, "So, tell me everything. From the beginning."

We all tell her everything, each adding tidbits here and there. "That's . . . interesting to say the least," Jade says to us. "Maybe she wants to do good."

"I don't think so," I reply. "Light does, not Aralynn. Aralynn doesn't care about any of us."

"I meant Light," Jade says. "She is trying to help you guys even though she can barely get away from Aralynn."  

"Aralynn told us that she wanted a spell that only Rangers can use," I say. "And we don't know what that spell is. She didn't tell us what spell it was."

"Aralynn isn't like us," Scarlet says. "She's pure evil."

"And what are you trying to say?" Beck says.

"She has her purposes for what she is doing," Scarlet says angrily. "Yes, she is evil, but she has her purposes for being evil. She probably thinks what she is doing is the right thing."

"No," Ari says, shaking her head. "She knows she is doing wrong."

"I wonder if she feels any guilt since she has Light in her," Annie muses. 

"Probably not," Ember says. I notice that Aria has been very quiet since we got here. "You OK Mom?"

"Yeah," she says, shaking her head. 

"Wait," Annie says slowly. "This just clicked. I'm Light's half-sister, aren't I?" 

"Yeah you are," I tell her. "Maybe you have some sort of telepathy."

She laughs and says, "That would be cool but it wasn't in Magical Properties." 

"How do you know about Magical Properties?" Jade asks. 

"Uh, no reason," Ember says nervously. 

"We totally didn't steal books," Ari says and laughs nervously. 

"I have noticed missing books," Scarlet says grinning. 

"Did you guys steal my books?" Aria says, looking slightly peeved.  "My ancestors collected these books and so have I!"

"Well, we used them on our adventures to learn about . . . anything really," Ember says with a slight attitude. 

"You will not talk to me that way," Aria says. 

"I wasn't even the ones who stole them."

"Who did?"

"Shun and Annie."

"Well, if it was for your adventures and to learn things, then that's fine," Aria says. 

"Oh, you get mad at me, but not them?" Ember says. "I see how it is."

"Ember!" Annie says, eyes widening in shock. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!"

"Ember, you will not speak to me in that way!" Aria yells. "You're grounded." 

Ari, Annie, and I lock eyes. This isn't good. I look around to see Aaron and Rafi standing a ways behind us, trying not to look like they are eavesdropping. "Aria," Ember says, using her moms name, "you cannot ground me. I am too old for a grounding." 

"I can too ground you," Aria says, sounding like a two year old. 

"Dad!" Ember says desperately. "Tell her that she can't ground me!"

"I'm . . . I'm not getting in this," Beck says. 

"Ember, since you are grounded, you cannot do anything that has to do with Aralynn and finding Nailea," Aria says and Ember makes a noise.

"Light is my friend!" Ember protests. "I can go after her if I want to."

"I forbid you too," Aria says. 

"Wow," she says quietly and runs off. Rafi runs after her, leaving us alone with the mad mother, scared father, and amused aunt of Ember's.

I clear my throat and say, "Well, are you going to go after her?"

Aria turns to look at me. "Why would I?"

"She's clearly hurting," Annie says. "We lost Shun and she took it harder than any of us."

Ari gives Annie a look but I ignore it. "I uh have to go," Jade says. She runs off as well.

"We're just losing everyone, aren't we?" Scarlet says.

Aaron laughs, joining us from the shadows. "What's wrong with Jade now?" Aria asks, frowning.

"You don't even know what's wrong with your eldest daughter?" Ari asks, turning on Aria.

"I actually do," Beck says, finally joining the conversation. "She told me she knew Shun when he first came to the capital. They became friends when he accidentally knocked her down. That's all she told me."

"Why wouldn't my daughter tell me something like this?" Aria asks.

"Maybe because you've been to uptight," Scarlet suggests.

"I have not!" Aria yells and then steps back. "OK, maybe I have."

Aria rubs her head. "I--I need to check on my daughters," she says.

"We still need to talk to you," Annie interjects. "Why didn't you tell us about the secret society of Rangers?"

"Because I didn't want you guys to know," Aria says. "They are supposed to be secret."

"Mom!" Ember yells. Aria looks at the doors of the library and we see Jade and Ember looking pale.

"What is it?" Aria asks.

"You've gotta come here and look," Jade says. We all walk there and they lead us outside of the castle. I notice a casket on the ground.

"What's this?" Beck asks.

"It came in a flash of lightning," Ember says grimly. "And there's a note."

She hands Aria the note as I look around the casket. Its just a simple wooden one. I open it slightly and I scream. "What is it?" Annie asks.

"A person is in here. And she is alive."