The Unseen (Book one of the Ro, James, and Alicia trilogy)

Chapter 6

All my dreams the past few nights have consisted of Alicia. Her red mane around my face, her small frame pressed mine. I loved her, told her I chose her...but fell in love with the enemy. How does that work? James has been training me with my powers day and night. I'm improving greatly.

We've been working with the elements. First we were starting off with me lifting droplets of water off the lake, then to making waves, bigger and bigger, dance. Fire was easy, all I had to do was feel the fire in my veins and not think. It just happened as though my body liked the fire.

The earth came easy to; twisting vines to create traps and moving the trees to take out my plastic enemies. Air was tricky but I figured it out. I was now

levitating small items then swirling rocks and boulders in a deathly tornado. The tornados were small ones I sent to kill the dummies on their own or big ones that encompassed us both letting me take the attack head on, sucking the air from him or extinguishing his magic in a snap.

The days passed and I'm feeling safer and safer with James. He's kept his distance when I need it but has also stuck around any other time. He's my rock, my captor and my lover. I am not allowed to leave the area until all my powers are mastered, and then we'll play a sort of safer Hunger Games. I'm far from mastering my powers but it's getting there.

I am sitting on the roof twirling the leaves around me in a slow dance when I detect a noise. Honestly, I don't know how I heard it but I did, so I crouch down low on the roof and stop swirling the leaves. The surrounding forest is quiet but I keep myself on my heels and fire sparking at my fingers.

Snap! It's coming from the left side. From my position I pivot in the noises direction and wait. The chimney hides me from anyone's view. I bend the light away from me, just like I was taught, and I am invisible to the naked eye if I stay still.

Crunch! They have stepped out into the

opening, I can tell by the closeness. I don't move, I don't breathe and I sure as hell don't blink.

A whistle, close to a bird call, sounds through the forest and I hear another person step out of the trees. This one I can see; he's short, military cropped black hair, baby blues and a built frame. His ears are slender and pointed and he snaps out elongated canines. He looks directly at me but doesn't see me; his gaze goes right through me. I'm scared stiff and James went out to run some errands. Carefully, I slide a dagger from my boot and angle it at a 45 degree angle. The short man looks away at last and walks to his friend around front.

I drop the light back into place because if I move they will see ripples in the sky and know someone was here. On silent feet I shimmy to the front and lay on my stomach. The light bends around me and I'm invisible once more. When I see the other guy, I freeze. It's Max, Alicia's brother.

He's buff and he has slender pointed ears just like the other fey man. His eyes scan the roof, skimming over me and then he skims the forest.

"We need to find her and fast, Alicia is so shaken up by this she can't even eat," Max states flatly. "You take the roof and I'll take the inside."

The short man nods but speaks. "What are we gonna do when we find her? We can't just take her. Her trust and bond to James has obviously strengthened and her skills are more than likely better than the last time. What if she doesn't want to come with us? What if she's fallen for the enemy and wants to fight with her father?"

Max's eyes sparkle, "Then we take her the hard way and make her see it our way. Alicia was so in love she's killing herself because Ro is gone. We need Ro before her father gets her."

A presence appears behind me and I feel my invisibility stabilize so I twist around and throw the dagger. James catches it right above his heart. I hold a hand to my heart and stand. He walks over to me but doesn't touch me.

"You scared the shit out of me," I whisper. "What is happening?"

He looks solemn. "Max is a half-breed prince. He's bloodline is full and pure and mighty but, you're stronger than him. He's trying to kill you. That conversation was staged. I have been shadowing Alicia for three weeks now and she's doing fine; eating well, sleeping and even has a new girlfriend."

My heart stutters but not in jealousy, in

happiness that she found someone new. I smile and kiss him lightly. He doesn't kiss back. I'm terrified because his eyes have narrowed into slits and they pierce through me, just like that arrow the short man shot. James turns around and goes into combat with the short deadly man. My knees give way and I collapse. James cries out in anger but the world is silenced and my vision is red.

I tear the arrow out the way it came and try to heal. Every bit of magic in me is healing the arrow wound, stitching the skin together on its own. I'm weak now but I'm still sucking air into my lungs. Max is now on the roof with an arrow pointed at James. Quickly, I hop to my feet and let out a growl of rage. Max turns the arrow on me but doesn't have the opportunity to shot. I pounce on him and pin him down with my knee on his throat. Arrows hit me but don't penetrate the skin. They bounce off of me like bullets bounce off of metal. I cloak all of us in darkness and shine a light on everyone.

My eyes dart to James and the short man locked in combat. "That's enough," I whisper onto the wind. They are still fighting and Max tries to move but I press on his neck harder and he stops.

I clear my throat, lift my head and straighten my spine. "I said that is enough," I hiss at them in an

authoritative voice. They freeze and turn to me. My hand grabs Max by the collar of his shirt and the light fades back upon us. I lift Max up so he meets my eyes.

"Max, er, Prince Max, you will leave here with your accomplice and," I lean to his ear and say only for him, "if you try to kill me again shit will go down." My voice has turned back to mine and I speak to him with authority but as if I haven't changed.

"You're still the same, Princess, still the same," he says. I drop him to the floor and kick his side.

"Don't test me Max, I don't care if I loved your sister and I don't care if you're of powerful blood, you do not treat a female like that." I kick him again. "Ever, now get out of my sight."

He scrambles up and spits on me before leaving. James has to hold me back so I don't go after that douche. After a few deep breaths James lets me go. I sink to my knees and twirl the leaves around me again. The noise helps drown everything out. James sits next to me staring at my profile but all I can think about is that she moved on and her brother tried to kill me. My life is a huge mess.

I stop the leaves and James hugs me to him, holding me tight against his chest. I bury my head

against his chest and he begins to hum. It's a soft hum to an upbeat song. It's familiar but I don't remember the name of it, so I pick up my head and ask.

"What's the name of that song?"

"Don't you worry child by Swedish House Mafia," he replied going back to humming.

I closed my eyes and laid my head on his chest, feeling the moonlight dance over my skin. Opening my eyes, I saw James staring at me. I smiled and laced fire between my fingers. The flames danced and I watched as James stared at them as if he was a little kid. The fire snaked around my forearm, expanding its dance of pure beauty and light. He smiled as it laced between his fingers, connecting us.

James's eyes sparkled with happiness in the harmless firelight. His eyes met mine and his smile grew. He jumped up, placing me on my feet as he did so. I laughed as I wobbled from his excitement. He grabbed my hands in his and pulled me to him. I placed my feet on his and we rocked back and forth. I used the wind to create music. It sounded like his humming and he smiled.

James and I stepped off the roof and danced on air. It was nerve racking at first but then we continued and I couldn't help but laugh in adrenaline and love. All

my hate for him diminished and was replaced by love and joy. I kissed him with such need he didn't react at first, but within a second he kissed back. Our feet landed softly on the cold earth and he pulled back. My wind faded and I smiled up at him.

"My little wolf," he murmured.

"My moon," I murmured back. He smiled a bright smiled. He is my moon. Without him, I wouldn't be his wolf or his princess. In every way he's my prince, even if he's just a warrior, he's my warrior.

And I'm never going to let him go.