Careless Magic book 1

Chapter 34

Avalon wrapped up the meeting, but I heard nothing else he said. I had to figure out a way to get to that trial. I had to figure out a way to save Lilly or at least testify on her behalf. I was determined to do it, even if I had to do it completely on my own. Avalon had said something about Kiran going, maybe he would help me.

"Are you ready for the mark?" Amory brought me out of my silent plotting and back to the center of the Resistance.

"What mark?" I asked, completely unaware of what he was talking about.

"She doesn't want to join," Avalon joined our conversation as the others milled about in groups of two or three. I got the impression they were all trying to listen to our discussion.

"Why is that?" Amory asked Avalon sharply; apparently not interested in any explanation I would give him.

"Why do you think?" Avalon replied sardonically.

"Eden, you have a lot to learn, young lady," he said it much like a parent, and I felt instantly resentful.

"What is the mark?" I tried to change the subject away from what I feared was a long lecture on responsibility.

"It's this," Avalon pointed to his arm; his school uniform was rolled up to the elbow and revealed the tattoo of a snake wrapped around his forearm eating its own tail.

"You want me to get that?" I exclaimed. There was no way I would cover my body in a hideous image of a masochistic serpent.

"No, not that," Amory shook his head. "Avalon is a little.... devoted. The usual symbol the Resistance wears is more subtle," he turned his head to the side and pulled his ear lobe away from his neck. I saw only clear flesh until he touched the part of his neck just behind his earlobe and injected a little magic to reveal the same serpent. The image was much smaller, almost miniscule, but was clear and obvious until he removed the magic. Once the magic was gone, the small tattoo vanished.

"And you all have those?" I asked, enamored with the trick. A dozen Resistance members turned to show me theirs, including Jericho and Avalon. Angelica's was a brilliant shade of orange, while Conrad and Terrence's were an army green color. Amory's was a deep crimson shade of red. And all of the members of Avalon's team wore ones in white, which stood eerily off their skin, except for Avalon whose tattoo was royal blue.

"What color would mine be?" I asked, with no intentions of actually getting one.

"I am guessing it would match Avalon's, but we won't know until you decide to get one," Amory answered my question, sounding slightly frustrated.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"The magic we use to apply the mark chooses your color. The magic, in a way, determines the color you deserve. Not that one color is greater than the other; rather it defines the magic you are made of," Amory put his hand on my shoulder one more time before leaving what had turned into a circle of people, containing mostly Avalon's team.

"You don't get to join the team until you have the tattoo. There will be no more fighting for you," Jericho said as if taunting me.

"She doesn't get to join the team. Tattoo or not," Avalon interjected threateningly. He gave Jericho a hard look that Jericho seemed to understand even though I didn't.

"Avalon doesn't want me to join the team, because I would easily replace you Jericho," I deflected my frustration, by turning it against Jericho.

"Oh you think so? Maybe we should have a rematch," his voice was sarcastic, but his eyes smoldered and I once again noticed how attractive he was. He was taller than Kiran, but his darker hair and darker eyes made him appear mysterious somehow. Any thoughts of attraction I had for him though were quickly forgotten once I remembered Kiran, and then my heart hurt with emotion and a type of longing I didn't expect.