The Seal

30

"Charlé and Josef are on their way back," Deyja came into the room, nervously announcing.

Ziof nodded. He had been deep in thought about the military strategies he learned and watched from his father. "Good, thank you, Deyja."

Deyja nodded and turned to Ezeriah. "Anything from Jaxton?"

Ezeriah shook her head. "Nothing lately."

"Hope he's okay," Deyja picked at her shirt.

Did their connection upset her? Definitely. Was she trying to be a bigger person? As much as she could. To Deyja, Jaxton was hers but turns out, it was all in her head. It was hard to wrap her mind around that, especially when they were together for years. She was trying.

"Yeah, me too," Ezeriah softly agreed.

"I'm glad you keep my brother safe," Aiken looked at Ezeriah shyly.

"I-I don't know about safe. We're just able to communicate." Ezeriah tucked a strand behind her ear.

A smaller, more innocent Jaxton stood before her. With big thoughtful eyes, just like his brother, Aiken held a aura of authority and power that he didn't even know he had.

He dropped his eyes with a frown. "If he's not safe, he'll tell you. And you'll save him."

"I'll do everything I can." Ezeriah promised.

"Aikey, you gotta remember, she's the one they are wanting to hurt," Li gently told him. "She's the priority. It's what your brother asked. We love him just as much as you do, but this is what he'd want."

"Klei is on her way," Yelun looked up from his make-shift metal bombs he was currently wiring.

"Thank goodness," Deyja leaned back exasperated.

"My brother will be fine," Aiken mumbled.

"I'll bring him back," Ezeriah smiled warmly at him.

He lifted his small mouth upwards with fear and hope in his eyes. "Okay."

There was a knock making them all stiffen up. Ziof stood up immediately with his weapon and walked towards the door. He gave one last glance at his friends before opening the door. There stood Charlé, Klei and Josef much to their relief.

"The skewing bodies are in the left wing. There's easy access from these chambers to there. I'd say fifteen minutes to get there. Security will need to be disembodied. The military will need held off. The rest of the team is blending in, give us the go and we'll gut anyone who stands in your way and the bodies can be awakened,"Josef walked in and gave the message.

"That sounds... too easy," Ziof frowned.

"Hakwey doesn't know we're here to collect the bodies. He thinks we're here to kill him. Or so the sources claim. No security has been tightened in the left wing, in fact the security is more out on the streets scouting for us." Klei told them all.

"You were there when Jaxley woke me and got taken away," Ezeriah blurted.

Klei nodded sadly. "I was. He knew they were coming, but you were more important."

"Thank you. You risked your life for Jaxley and myself," Ezeriah gulped.

"He spoke many many wonderful things about you. And the future. I believed. And now I see," Klei's hazel eyes held Ezeriah's.

"This has got to work," Ezeriah turned to Ziof and Yelun. "What if they flip the switch? And try to control me?"

"They don't know it, but it's Jaxley's blood that gives them control. A device in you with his blood gives them the capability to control you." Klei turned to Aiken. "We now know it's a bloodline thing. What if Aiken can disable it?"

Aiken looked up from his wire truck Yelun made him. "Me?"

They all nodded.

"Yeah, buddy. Can you try disabling the device?" Li asked him.

Aiken took the book out of his jacket. "Her picture is in here."

He flipped through blank pages before landing on another blank one. He pointed at the plain white sheet of paper. "See? I guess my dad sketched it. It's Ezeriah."

Ezeriah looked at the page. "Can you make me see it? You have to give me permission."

"You have permission to read what is written on these pages," Aiken handed her the book.

Slowly words bled onto the page revealing a sketch of her with her golden aura around her and the golden glow in her eyes. And written under her name was the word magnificento.

"I want you to win." Aiken whispered. "No Antiona blood in you will control you any longer."

Ezeriah began shaking uncontrollably.

"Ezeriah!" Deyja rushed forward grabbing her.

All the air in Ezeriah's body left her and she no longer could breath. She gasped trying to take in a breath but her lungs weren't working. A sharp hot flame ran down her back making her shake harder. Her head began to pound so hard she felt she'd explode. Then, suddenly, warmth trickled down her nose and she was calm.

"You okay?" Deyja asked wiping away the blood from Ezeriah's nose.

Ezeriah nodded. "Thank you. Yeah, I'm okay. That was... Scary."

Charlé was in awe. "The blood is dispelled from your body. The Academy no longer controls you."

Ezeriah gulped. "We'll find out here real soon."

"Yelun, Li, send the message that we're ready." Ziof commanded.

"And so the war begins," Deyja whispered.