The Quadrants

Chapter 14

Without warning, an unseen force blasted the water clear off Titus's head from behind. The fluid sprayed into the air as a fine mist, and the large boy's body was propelled forwards, sending him to the ground on top of his uncle. With a start, Dante dropped into a defensive crouch—the danger appeared not to be over yet. He swung around, holding up an arm ready to fire, but then... he hesitated. He let his flame linger in his palm. Aurelius backed up a few paces and just stared.

Standing before them, was a girl.

Dante's eyes flicked down to Titus at the sound of his gasping, but just as quickly, he returned his attention to this second intruder.  Just because of her size, it didn't mean she wasn't dangerous. She stood there, still, looking worried. She had saved the boy's life.

"Titus," said Julius from beneath him.

With Aurelius's help, he rolled his nephew off himself and shuffled to his knees. Titus's nose and mouth were clear of the liquid now. To one side of them, the fluid began to regroup, but then, rather than continuing with the attack, it started to trail away. Titus took some shallow breaths. He began moving around on the floor, and let out a long moan before launching into a bout of coughing. Julius kept an eye on the water as it moved across the floor. Before long, it headed up the kitchen cupboards and swiftly flowed back up inside the faucet.

"Titus," said the girl. She started across the room towards him, but she was stopped in her tracks by Aurelius. He grabbed hold of her arms from behind, having snuck up on her while she was distracted. The girl struggled furiously for a few seconds until it was apparent the man's grip was solid.

"Aaarrrrgh," she screeched, when Aurelius twisted one arm, wrenching it up behind her back. "Stop it! You'll break it." Her voice sounded strained, but not uncommanding.

"Who are you? Who sent you?" Aurelius growled. "And don't bother trying to faze, or I'll crack your arm off before you can fade out." He gave the arm another sharp shove as he spoke. She cried out again.

Titus's eyes flew open then, and all at once he sat up with a jolt, looking around. He was disoriented, although some part of his mind remembered there had been danger before he had blacked out.

"I'm Everly Lawson... I go to school with Titus," she squeezed out. Aurelius was keeping up the pressure.

Titus's eyes came to rest on her and he blinked a few times before speaking. "Lawson?" he said, feeling spaced out. "W-what are you doing here?"

"You know her?" asked Aurelius.

"Yeah," said Titus weakly. "That's Lawson."

"It's Eve," she corrected.

Titus slowly found his way to his feet, despite Julius's protests, and stood holding onto the edge of the table to steady himself, wiping at his wet face and hair.

Aurelius loosened the hold he had on Eve and she shrugged herself free. Taking a few steps away from the man, she looked back at him with a snarl, moving her shoulders about and rubbing at them.

Julius stood beside Titus watching the girl. "Aeris?" he asked, although it was glaringly obvious.

Eve nodded.

"You're Aeris?" said Titus in surprise. He was still pulling himself together. He leaned over the table, taking some deep breaths.

Eve nodded and grinned.

Titus couldn't believe it. He had known Eve since first grade, since they were six years old, but with her white hair and pale skin it should have occurred to him much sooner—he felt stupid that it hadn't.

"Thank you for helping out," said Julius. He paused, sighed, and rubbed at his brow. "If you hadn't come along..." He stopped there, frowning and shaking his head. "Well, if there's any way we can repay you."

"No... I'm just glad I came by," she said, shrugging. Eve glanced around the room and her eyes lingered on the hole in the wall and the broken window behind her. "What happened here? Who was that?"

"We don't know," said Julius. "A tracker, no doubt."

Eve's eyes began to dart around the room then, and her expression turned to concern. "Where's Rohan?" she asked, looking towards Aurelius and then Titus, before coming back to rest on Julius. "I followed him here this morning. Did he go home? I didn't see him go."

"He's... out the back," Titus answered. His mind was slowly beginning to work again.

Dante hurried across the room to the back door, as if just realising the danger might not have passed. He slid it open and stepped out onto the veranda cautiously, followed closely by his two brothers, as well as Titus and Eve.

The yard was empty.