Dream Breakers

Dream Breakers (Chapter 19)

Decided to try writing from Gavin's POV for fun :) Enjoy! x

NINETEEN

I descended the stairs quickly, leaving Karsten's house. But not so quickly that I would miss the photo hanging on the wall at my left. It was a nice photo, as photographs go. An old one of Karsten and her father . . . Too-powerful-for-his-own-good Paxton Summers. Karsten, though, seemed younger than she was now, the look on her face being one of innocence. Oh, how things have changed. It was a look I'd seen cross her face a time or two in the short I had known her. She'd obviously inherited it from her dead father as well as her power.

As I trotted out the door, making sure it locked behind me, I pondered the events of the night. I had only ever seen one Breaker do the things that Karsten Summers had just done. And that one other Breaker was Paxton Summers. From what I had been told, Paxton had to undergo much training before he could execute any of those skills. Clearly, Karsten had natural talents in that arena, beyond that of any Breaker before her. Not surprising, in all honesty.

She was strong, and very powerful, and if I managed to turn her willingly to our side, my name would go down in Aphotix history. I found myself wondering for a moment how much suffering she would have to go through for that to actually happen, then brushed the thought aside. It was irrelevant.

The first night I met Karsten - the very same night she had somehow stumbled upon our clandestine Aphotix meeting - I almost had her where I wanted her. Thwarted by a piece of damn costume jewelery, no less - if that wasn't embarrassing I don't know what is.

In the Costa family you're not given much choice other than the option to be a simple kid and live a simple life. My family has always worked for a group of the most powerful families in the Aphotix world. Being an Aphotix Keeper was an honor. Or so they said. Being trained in all forms of combat meant learning the skills of a Breaker at a young age. It also meant learning the dark magic that only Aphotix royalty could teach and access, as well. I'd like to think I'm well-rounded, for my age. Nineteen years old and skilled with any knife, any blade, any firearm that is placed within my reach. I've known since I was eight that my career was more or less set in stone for me. That fateful night when the infamous Daughter of Paxton Summers had somehow escaped me - me! An Aphotix Keeper - basically put whatever image I'd cultivated to shame. Not to mention the Costa family name.

That was why I had to turn her. It had to be me. I had to set this right again.

Yes, I would have to put up with a lot more grueling tasks - high school all over again - if I ever wanted to repair my tarnished reputation. I assured myself it would be worth it. But, I mean, high school?! Had I not gone through that hellish experience once already? The rest of the Keepers would never let me live this down. They would ridicule me the same way they had when news of Karsten's evasion had gotten out.

“I can’t believe YOU LOST HER, GAV!” One Keeper exclaimed. Stud - whose nickname had come from his surname, Studemier - had always been loud and raucous. His bursts of laughter chafed at my reputation. But I was at the top of my game, and far superior in skill and merit than the rest of the Keepers. I outranked them all.

"This girl is only sixteen!" Stud continued. "She barely weighs 7 stone and YOU COULDN'T EVEN BRING HER IN FOR QUESTIONING?" More laughter. "You're pathetic, Costa!"

“Yeah man,” another Keeper by the name of Ace said. No one knew Ace's real name, though he swore that was it. “I thought you were the great Gavin Costa, the youngest Aphot Guard to ever Shatter a dream! Guess not man. You’ve gone soft.”

I silenced them all with a glare, letting the full force of my power wash over them. I didn't often do things like that. My family has a motto - one of many: Never show them all your cards.