The Wards

Chapter Nine

~Aeryn~

Around 9 o'clock, everyone had found their medallion partner. There were 15 pairs of one boy and one girl. I spent the entire meeting helping people find their partners. I may be a nice person, but it was exhausting. Everyone who I assisted thought it necessary to either tell me about their powers, or give me their ideas.  That was probably my least favorite part of being kidnapped, I decided.

When I got to my room, I sat down in the chair across the TV, and looked around. What can I move with my mind? I wondered, noticing a remote, the pillows, and the lamp. I concentrated on the remote, and imagined it in my hand. A second later, it was there.

"Oh my goodness! This is awesome!" I screamed, jumping around. I was glad I was alone, because I still couldn't believe it. I could move things with my mind. After a few more minutes of reorganizing my room without standing, the phone rang. I smiled while answering.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Aeryn, this is Leif. I have to tell you something. It's important," his voice sounded nervous.

Oh no, I worried, he's going to tell me he hates me and that I'm the worst medallion buddy ever, "... yeah?" I asked.

"Umm, well, I figured out our power. We can move things with our mind. It's telekinesis. Don't be mad, it was on accident but we can figure it out together and..." I interrupted his nervous rant with my laughter.

Still laughing, I pondered why I thought he'd hate me. I was just nervous, I decided, and answered, "Leif, I already figured it out. I would've told you, but I didn't see you at all during the meeting. I was helping people, but we can talk about it tomorrow."

"Okay," he breathed, "that's good. I just figured we should work with our power together."

"Yeah," I slowed my laughing to a light chuckle, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Good night Leif."

"Sweet dreams, Ryn," he muttered, then hung up.

I jumped on the bed, and rolled over where I could hide my smile in the pillow. He called me Ryn. I'm going to have to talk to Jet and Jaya about this tomorrow, I thought while I drifted off to sleep with a slight smile on my face.

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As soon as I awoke, I headed towards the meeting room in search for Jet and Jaya. Before I even entered, I heard Jet interrogating someone.

"What are your intentions with my friend!?" She asked. Oh no, I thought, she's talking to Leif.

But when I walked in I saw Nikolas answer with a small smile, "why, I just wish to get to know her."

I heard a chuckle and saw it was Leif. He met my gaze and mouthed, I'm next.

"Okay," Jet said to Nikolas, "what Ward are you from? How old are you? What is your actual name?"

"I'm from the third Ward, I'm 17, and my name is Nikolas Day. Happy?" He answered, then whispered to Jaya, "she's protective, isn't she?" And earned a chuckle.

"I heard that," Jet said, but turned to Leif, "now you."

"Whatever do you need me for?" Leif muttered sarcastically.

Jet ignored his sarcasm, "I don't know about you. You seem too... nice. I guess I'll ask easy questions," Leif visibly relaxed (Jet can be intimidating), "give me your age, Ward, and name. First and last. Now."

"Leif Tanner, Fifth Ward, 18. Anything else?"

"Hmm," Jet tapped her fingers together, "no," she declared, and pointed at both boys, "now leave. We need girl time."

Leif looked like he wanted to protest, but was too scared. Go, I mouthed, and shooed him. He smiled and shrugged, as if to say I tried, while Nikolas said goodbye to Jaya as dramatically as possible.

Once the boys left, Jet motioned Jaya towards me. "Wha?" She questioned, but realized what Jet was siliently communicating, "oh! Nikolas and I kind of, sort of figured out our powers."

"What are they?" I asked excitedly.

"Well, Jet called it hypnosis, but Nikolas said charm. Anddd we also can speak any language."

"That's awesome!" I exclaimed, then, when it was quiet, decided to add, "I'm getting better at moving things with my mind. This morning I had the bed five feet off the ground."

"Does Leif know what your powers are?" Jet asked.

"Yeah," I said, then muttered, "he called last night to tell me, then we planned to talk about it today."

Jet threw her hands up in the air, "we've been out of the seventh Ward for less than a week, and you both have men at your feet?"

"That reminds me," Jaya spoke, scooting towards Jet, "who is your medallion buddy? Is he cute?"

Jet paled. My, my, how the tables have turned, I thought, deviously. Out of the three of us, Jet was the one that cared very little about romance, and even less about talking about it. "I don't wanna talk about him."

"Spill," Jaya's voice sounded. I felt an overpowering urge to do as she said.

"His name is Knox. Knox Faur. He said he was from the second Ward. I may have learnt more, I went to bed shortly after introductions," Jet then shook her head, as if exiting a trance, and said towards Jaya, "you suck. Don't do that."

"Did you just...?" I half question, assuming she'd understand.

"Yeah, I did," She confirmed using her power to get Jet to talk. She then rolled her eyes at Jet, unhappy with her answer, "what was he like?"

She gave Jay a hard glare, but gave in, "He was nice. A bit sarcastic, but who am I to judge?"

"How do you feel about him?" I questioned.

"I'll answer that as soon as you tell me how you feel about Leif," then she turned to Jay, "and how you feel about Nikolas."

"You're no fun," Jaya muttered.

Jet shrugged. I laughed. "Okay, Jay. I think we can ask Jet something else. We could talk about her power?"

"Yeah, Jet. What do you think it is?" Jaya leaned towards her, curious.

"Um, all I know is that I'm sneakier than normal. Like, invisible but not."

"Like a shadow?" I suggested.

"Yeah," Jet nodded, "a broad way to define what I can do would just be 'stealth'. I'm just stealthy."

After that, we stayed quiet. It was a lot to take in. First, we were kidnapped. That escalated into a huge ordeal about figuring out powers and medallions, and completing trials to save our keepers. And we don't even have an idea what the trials will be, I mused. As if answering my unspoken question, all the screens in the meeting room lit up. Seconds later, a message appeared:

The first trial starts tomorrow.

Speaking of things escalating...