Heir of Aphrodite - 1 Heroes of Us

13 - KAYLA

Taylor was leaving, but asking us if we wanted to join her. I looked at Aaron, and found his eyes searching me. When he saw me looking, he quickly looked away.

"Aaron?" I asked, grabbing his attention. "Can I talk to you?"

I saw Aaron gulp, but he smiled anyway. "Yea, sure." Walking towards the living room Aaron followed me.

I faced him, crossing my arms. He rubbed his neck, looking anywhere but me. "You seem nervous," I said, trying to hold in a smile.

He let out a nervous laugh. "You could say that." Aaron rubbed the back of his neck again. Guess he didn't see that I was teasing him. I laughed, receiving a curious look. "What? What's funny?" Aaron asked defensively.

"Just you," I replied, biting my lip to stop from laughing again.

Aaron tilted his head. "I'm sorry, but what do you find so funny about 'just me'?"

"I was teasing you, stupid," my hands went to my hips, "but apparently you're not only stupid but blind too."

Aaron smiled to himself. "So that's why i'm funny to you?"

I nodded solemnly. "Totally the only reason."

The gears in his brain started turning before it dawned on him. "Hey!" Aaron scowled before breaking into a smile. "You're not as perfect as you think, Kayla."

"Oh really?" I asked, crossing my arms playfully. He nodded. "Care to inform me?"

The boy smiled. "Nope." He looked back at Taylor. "It looks like they're leaving soon." Aaron faced me again, his eyes glassy. "I guess this is it?"

"Yea, I suppose," I replied before an idea popped into my head. "Unless.."

Aaron looked at me, question in his eyes. "Unless what?"

"Unless you come with us."

His eyes grew wide. "And leave Luke? Leave this place?"

I nodded. "It's your choice, i'm not trying to pressure you or anything. Just an idea."

The blond boy thought for a second, before smiling at me. "I'm coming with."

I almost jumped up and down with joy, but held it in. "You sure?"

He smiled, not trying to suppress his happiness at all. "Completely sure." His smile faded a bit but was still there, "How are we even getting wherever we're going?"

"I have an idea," I replied, "do you know how to build? Use tools, all that jazz?"

Aaron nodded. "Yea, a little."

I smiled, "Perfect."

The two of us joined the others. Chase eyed both Aaron and I. "What's with your smile, Kayla? You're making me nervous," Chase asked.

I tried to suppress my grin. "It's called a plan, my dear little brother." Chase grumbled about how he wasn't that much younger than me. (It doesn't matter the little time difference, i'm still older. Just shut up, Chase!)

Taylor pushed to stand in front of my brother. "What's your plan, genius?"

"I'm getting there, death girl," I told her. "Aaron and I were talking and we came up with a plan. Wait, first, Aaron care to tell them?"

Aaron stepped closer, taking a breath. "I'm going with them. Kayla asked me while we were talking and I decided, why stay here while you three went off and explored the world. That's something i've always wanted to do, and now I can." He looked at Luke who in return a looked like he has been shot multiple times in a row. "I'm sorry, Luke, i'll be back sooner rather than later."

Luke took a step back, bumping into Alice. She rested her hand on his arm, seeming to calm his nerves down. "No, it's fine. Just don't think the others won't think of you as an enemy once you leave. I won't and Alice won't, but the others, they will. They'll try coming after you guys."

"I'm just helping out my sister, if anyone asks. It's the least you can do, don't you think?" Aaron asked/told Luke and Alice.

Alice nodded, and quickly kicked Luke's shin making him nod too. "I was going to nod even without your kick, Alice."

I glanced at him. "You have a sister?"

Aaron shook his head. "Nope," he said, "I do have a cousin though. Does that work?"

I laughed at him, making him smile. "Not even remotely the same thing, Aaron."

"Oh well," Aaron shrugged.

Taylor cleared her throat. "Plan?"

I was slightly angered. "Okay, do you have a problem with me all of a sudden?"

"Yes," she replied. Not the answer I was hoping for, but okay.

"And why is that?" I asked.

Taylor sighed. "I'm going to have to keep up with the magical Kayla Strike throughout this whole thing. How is anyone supposed to do that? If the legends are true about you, which so far they are, you and your brother are meant to do great things. What if i make the two of you fail that destiny? Huh? What do you think the rest of the world will think about Aaron and I? The Strike twin's sidekicks. Yea, no thanks."

"Why don't you have a problem with my brother then?" I asked, sass seeping into my voice. "Chase's a Strike too."

Taylor's eyes became clear. I didn't even realise they were foggy until they did. "What?" she asked, groaning slightly. "Why does Kayla seem mad at me?"

I almost yelped at a shadow that danced around her. "What's that?"

Everyone looked at me. "What are you talking about?" Chase asked. Aaron was the only one whose eyes were wide, his mouth open.

"How do you not see it?" Aaron asked, pointing behind Taylor.

Chase, Luke, Alice, Jack and Lindsey still didn't understand. Taylor's eyes went foggy again. That caught Chase's attention. "What just happened?" he asked.

I growled. "That's what I was asking!"

Something swept through my head, my breathing hitched as it took over. "The girl seems right and now for your truth. Eight shall go forth and unite the houses, one shall stay in the land of the corpses, one is a curse that could ruin all, two have the heart to prove to all, when there's a choice that has to be met, it could be everyone's final breath."

I gasped, collapsing onto Aaron. "Kayla?" he sounded frantic, but my voice wasn't working. My mind drifting off into nothing. He pulled me closer and the last thing I heard was him whisper my name.