The Keepers of Azera ( Book 1 of the Keepers Trilogy)

Chapter 10

"James?" I call, even though it's pointless. He can't hear me now; he's too far away. I sigh in frustration and run after him, calling his name. "Come back! What do you mean you knew? About what? James?"

When I can't find him, I turn back and go to my dorm. I can't figure things out. Maybe they found out a way to travel through space. Maybe our enemy was using them as a shield of sorts.

A thought flickers through my head. No-a flashback. A familiar-looking face looking into another unfamiliar face. The unfamiliar face staring back blankly. It lasts less than a second. But when it is over, I find myself sprawled on the ground, staring at the legs of a chair. I pick myself up from the floor and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. A girl, barely fourteen years old, with long brown hair, pale skin, and large grey eyes. I stare at the reflection; she stares back. I touch the mirror; bony spider fingers touch back. I see fear flicker through her eyes. I feel it flicker through me.

(This is how I imagine Callie.)

I sit down hard in a chair. Where had I seen that face before? A younger version of him, probably, but it must've been in real life, because I don't remember seeing him in a flashback. But the only place I would've seen him before was here. In the Training Base. I bury my face in my hands. Who? Who is this mystery man?

I gasp loudly and look up. "Of course!" I whisper. "Of course! Why else would they block him from my mind if he didn't have to do with the war?"

***

I keep this idea to myself for days, but I know James is thinking the same thing. The only thing I say to him is that it's amazing how we go back to regular life right after something major happens.

"I guess it's because we have nothing else to do," he replies, which effectively ends the conversation before it can begin. I watch him for a few moments. He pretends not to notice me until thirty seconds pass. "Why are you staring at me?"

I shrug. It's Rest Day, two weeks after the trip. I have a book open on my lap, and James is...well, James was staring off into the distance, apparently lost in thought. But now that I've left him without an answer, he returns the stare. Finally, I look up from the book. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Is there something wrong?" James asks.

"Huh?"

"Is there something bothering you?" He looks at me with concern. "You haven't been yourself lately."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I dunno, you just seem quieter. Like...I don't know. Are you okay?"

I stare at the book in my lap, but I don't read it. "I had a flashback...a couple weeks ago." I begin to tell him about it, and my thought on who the enemy was. I tell him my theories about why humans are here, and my guess on what his-the enemy's-attempting to do. When I finish, he's silent for a few moments. "Callie, I triggered that flashback."

"You what?!"

"I triggered that flashback," he repeats. "I can do that, you know."

"How?"

"The same way we Blocked them. We can actually trigger certain flashbacks, certain events. It's premonitions we don't have any control over."

"But why? Why would you trigger that?"

"You know why."

I think about it for a moment. "You wanted me to figure it out. So it's true?"

"I think so," James says cautiously. "You certainly have the right theories. But his intent...barely anyone knows that."

"How many other people do we know have his power?"

He doesn't answer the rhetorical question. I pick up my book and continue reading.

"It must be nice," James says.

"What is?"

"Being only fourteen. Not having to worry about the war."

"I do care about the war."

He shakes his head. "You don't have to yet. You don't even know the full story."

"Nor do you," I shoot back. "You just told me that there's only theories."

"You don't know about the status of the war. You don't know how close the fighting is. You don't know the death toll. But I do. And I can't share it with the Keepers. None of us Guardians can. Do you know how stressful it is?"

"I know that the fighting's pretty close. And Astrid most likely knows the death toll."

James looks me in the eyes. "You have no clue," he whispers, "about what's going on. And I wish I could change that."

"So change it!" I yell at him. "I'm so done with all these half-answers! You know exactly what's going on! And not just these stupid theories, either!" I'm angry at him, at the Trainers for thinking they can keep us in the dark. Well it worked-until they brought our attention to the war.

"This wasn't my decision," James says just as angrily. "I've probably told you more than I should. My personal opinion is that you guys should know what's going on-especially the older group, because-and I just found this out-when our forces run low, we'll send them out. And when we do, they'll be in the dark. There are ten-year-olds who know more about the war than you guys, which is stupid, because you are the future army. The Trainers are trying not to scare you guys, which-"

"Well, knowing that there's a war going and not knowing anything about it, that's not nerve racking at all," I say sarcastically. "We're super relaxed, not knowing a single damn thing."

"Yeah, that was my argument. It's scaring you guys more-well, I don't think the younger group is bothered, they've barely started training-but anyhow, it's even more terrifying not knowing what's going on."

"You know what I don't get?" I ask.

"Probably."

"Why do they start training so young? Why do they pick Keepers at a young age? I was picked before I could string two words together. Training doesn't start until we're six. Why the gap?"

"Do you know how Keepers are picked?"

I shake my head. James sighs. "Okay. Really? How do you not know something like that?"

I shrug. "How are they picked?"

"Well, they usually pick two children of Keepers-in your group, that would be you and Masan- and then the other three, usually it's because of their intelligence level. Simon was picked so old because his family was very poor, so he couldn't get a brain scan until he was four years old, and he showed to have one of the highest intelligence levels ever recorded. Intelligence level-like human IQ-is set at birth. You gain more knowledge, but your intelligence stays the same for the most part."

I let that sink in. "So I was picked purely because of my father?"

"Genetics. I knew your dad-he was the one who suggested that I become a Guardian-and he was very smart."

I already know the whole story of why James is my Guardian. After my parents got married, they moved to Tierra, right next door to James, and he and my dad really hit it off. Parents have the choice of picking their child's Guardian, and they asked James.

"Why aren't Northerners often picked?"

"That I really don't know. Your mother was very smart, so why wasn't she picked? I have no clue." He glances at the clock. "Are we gonna get some lunch or are we gonna sit around and chat our lives away?"

"Food. I'm hungry."