Too young for war

chapter 7

Nouria's headquarters are both strange and beautiful. They have no need to hide underground, because she's found a way to imbue objects with her power—an evolution of our abilities even Castle hadn't foreseen.

She says her abilities not only have the power to blind, but that she can also use light to warp sounds.

Which I think is so cool.

I take Aaron's hand, as I smile up at him when he looks at me.
I take Ella's hand too, as I don't want her to feel left out.

Plus, if she and Aaron gets married, which I really hope will happen, she will have to get used to sharing him.

I'm not letting anyone take Aaron away from me, I don't believe he would let that happen anyway.

Ella looks at me too and I smile up at her too.

"Are you two okay?" She asks, squeezing my hand.

I nod, Aaron does too.

Aaron offers her a distracted smile and vague apology as we begin walking again, but—

wait.

Finally, I ask feeling excitement building up in me.
"anyone happen to know what day it is?"

When someone respond, I look up at Aaron with a huge smile on my face.

Tomorrow is his birthday.
He will be twenty years old.
Tomorrow.

I let go of their hands and run over to kenji.

"Kishimoto!"

"Elena, where are you going—" Aaron asks me as I stop.

"that's a secret I'm only telling kenji, at least for now." I tell him as I run up to kenji again.

I think Aaron knows, we never did much in his birthdays, I tried to make the day funnier, and a little better, but since I couldn't bake, there was no cake, no muffin cake as he would give me on my birthdays.

"What is it kiddo?" Kenji asks me when I'm standing in front of him.

I wave for him to come closer.

"can you help me with something?" I whisper in his ear.

"sure, what do you need help with?"

"you need to help me make the best birthday party ever!" I tell him still whispering.

"for who?"

"Aaron-" I say, "please kenji-"

he thinks about it, then nods.

"I will see what we can do."

"Would you prefer a chance to shower and change before reuniting with the others?" Nouria is saying.

"Yes," Aaron says quickly. "I'd really appreciate the time to rest."

"No problem. We meet for dinner in the main tent in two hours. I'll show you to your new residences." She hesitates.

"I hope you'll forgive me for being presumptuous, but I assumed the three of you"—she looks at Aaron and Ella, to me —"would like to share a space. But of course if that's not—"

"Yes, thank you," Ella says quickly. Her cheeks are already pink. "We're grateful for your thoughtfulness."

Nouria nods. She seems pleased. And then she turns to Kenji and Nazeera and says, "If you'd like, I can arrange to join your separate rooms so that y—"

Kenji and Nazeera respond at the same time.

"What? No."

"Absolutely not."