The Beginning Of The End

Chapter 26

"No," Jaylon breathed, and before Thalia or I could stop him he was running up between rows of gravestones, turning his head this way and that, searching for... what? The newest grave?

"Should we-" I started, but stopped when Thalia took off after him. I watched her go, telling myself I should follow, that I shouldn't go off on my own, but something about the way they had gone felt wrong. It was like there was some other force pulling me to the right along the border of the graveyard.

I started walking, not after Jaylon and Thalia but around the border. I kept going like there was a tugging inside of me pulling me closer. It was the same sort of feeling I got often when I was with Jaylon, that connection that I could just feel so strongly.

I had been walking just a few minutes, and I realized that this graveyard was much bigger than I had thought. There was also a hill in the middle, and I couldn't even see where my two companions had gone. I carried on around the edge, not really looking at the names on the older graves around here. But then there was a twang, a difference in the tug in my gut, and I jerked my head up. In front of me, about halfway up the small hill, a figure was kneeling in front of a gravestone, his head bowed. I walked towards him slowly, not wanting to interrupt. The tugging feeling pulling me towards him was getting stronger and-

He looked up and his eyes, sparkling blue eyes that shone with tears, met mine. It wasn't like that first time I'd felt the connection, really felt it, with Jaylon. Then I hadn't been able to help myself from going to him, from embracing him, and it had been like we were enveloped in some sort of warm, comforting fire. Now, I could resist it. As I stood staring at this young man who had now gotten to his feet and was standing in front of me, though I felt as though something was pulling me towards him I didn't feel as though I had to obey. Even so, I really wanted to...

"Isn't this an interesting place to meet," he said with a small, sad smile, looking around.

"Yes, it is rather," I murmured, intrigued by the strange feeling inside me and not paying all that much attention. But those blue eyes, the curly blond hair, the tall, lean but muscular body and that jawline; they were all so familiar...

"Lucas?"

"Do we know each other?" He asked, taking a step towards me.

"Yes. I mean, no." I frowned and looked away, trying to think. "I'm with Thalia and Jaylon."

I looked back up to see that his eyes had widened with shock.

"They're here?" He demanded, and then suddenly he reached out and grabbed my hand. I could feel, beyond the strange sizzling feeling the connection I felt seemed to create where our skin touched, the thrum of magic in his veins. He ripped his hand away from mine like he'd been burned and stared at for a moment then seemed to give himself a mental shake as he turned back to me.

"It's not safe for people like you to be wandering around here," he said urgently. "My brother too, and Thalia. She hasn't found them yet, but it's only a matter of time."

"Who hasn't found them yet?" I asked. "What about you?"

"She already has me!" He burst out angrily, though his anger was not directed at me. He calmed himself quickly and lowered his voice. "I can't escape her. She has leverage over me and besides, she'll always be able to find me again after she's done it once. It's not safe for me to be around other witches or warlocks that she hasn't found."

"But we came all this way looking for you," I said, taking a step towards him but stopping when he took a step back. "We saw something happen to you. You fell, outside Banana Pepper Cafe. Someone did that to you."

"That was her," he said, his voice very low. "Listen, I'm going to leave. Please don't tell them you found me. It's better off for all of you if you just stay away from me." He took another step back from me, this one seeming almost involuntary.

"We're trying to gather all the kids from the twelve families," I said suddenly. I was grasping at straws, trying to get him to stay because... Why? Why did I want him to stay so badly?

"Don't tell me anything!" He burst out, walking backwards quickly and almost tripping over a gravestone. "The less I know, the better for you lot. If she thinks I know something about the others she can get into my mind and dig it out!"

"Just come with us," I pleaded. "You'll be safe from her."

"No, I'll put the people I care about in danger," he spat. He spun around, ready to run, get away from me, but then he stopped. I followed his line of sight and saw why.

Standing there on the top of the hill were two figures, one slender and feminine, the other one I would be able to recognize anywhere.

"You can't leave now," I whispered. "They love you, what do you think it'll do to them if you just take off?"

"I'm trying to protect them," he said, his voice strained. I could almost see the mental battle going on inside his head, but I guess staying won out. Jaylon and Thalia were now making their way quickly down the hill towards Lucas and me, and Lucas seemed to want to go to them.

Somehow, Thalia reached us first and, with a squeal, she took a running leap from a few metres back and practically launched herself at Lucas. He caught her, his arms holding her up as she buried her face in his neck, her arms and legs wrapping around him like a koala bear. I felt a pang of something inside. Jealousy? No, that was stupid; I was with Jaylon.

"You found him."

I jumped a little, not having noticed Jaylon get this close to me.

"Uh, yeah," I said. "Have you ever seen Thalia act anything but mature and sensible? I feel like I should be documenting this moment."

Jaylon chuckled, reaching over and intertwining our fingers.

"You don't want to go talk to your brother?" I asked softly. He shrugged, looking worn out.

"Thalia was right, I don't even know him anymore," he said. "It's been fifteen years, he probably doesn't even care about me anymore. That's probably why he never came home."

I opened my mouth to reply but someone beat me to it.

"Hello, little brother," Lucas said, and we both looked up to see him standing just in front of us, grinning.

"Hey," Jaylon said, cautiously returning the grin. And then they were hugging, clinging to each other like they were still the little kids they were when they had been separated.