Claimed by Twelve

Heartbeat

"Again." Pax motioned toward the water. Aidin stood behind him, arms crossed.
"I. Can't." I ground my teeth and let the danger flash across my eyes.
      "I know you can." Pax narrowed his eyes at me.
      "Unless he's just scared." Aidin interjected. I wasn't sure why he was even here. "Maybe the Gods chose wrong."
My anger boiled. How dare he talk like that! The Gods has chosen me! Me! I gritted my teeth as I focused on Aidin. I felt the water behind me but I ignored it. I needed the air.
      Aidin stood straighter as he felt it. The air started to swirl around his feet. He let his arms hang as he met my eyes. He smiled. Then everything went black.
I stopped. No. I wasn't dead, I wasn't unconscious. It was just darkness. I heard Pax's sigh. "Aidin. We're suppose to teach him control. Not get him to attack us."
"To gain control you have to let go of fear." Aidin answered from my left. "He hasn't."
I closed my eyes. They were still talking but I didn't listen. All Twelve gods huh? We'll see about that. I listened to my heartbeat.
Ba bump.
Aidin was right. I did fear the power I had.
Ba bump.
I needed to let go.
Ba bump.
I needed to focus.
Ba bump.
I searched inside of me, feeling each piece of power I had.
Ba bump.
I focused on it.
Ba bump.
I let go of the fear.
Ba bump.
I let go of what I might do.
Ba bump.
I let go of the past.
Ba bump.
I let it all go.
Ba bump.
I opened my eyes. It was still dark. Aidin and Pax's voices were close again, still arguing. I smiled and held out my hand. I focused on it, evening my breathing as the small ball of light started to grow. Pax and Aidin stopped arguing as I looked at them. My anger still boiled in my veins.
      I narrowed my eyes as water flew toward Aidin. He took hurried steps back as Pax launched himself at me. The water hit Aidin at the same time Pax hit me. My focus on the water slipped as Pax pinned me.
      "Julian!" Pax's blue eyes were hard. I stopped fighting him and glared back. Maybe if I could pull the water back....
      "Stop. This isn't control." Pax spoke softly. I hesitated. "Jules. This is anger. You can't let it control you."
      I panted as I closed my eyes. As much as I hated to admit it, Pax was right. I opened my eyes again and found Aidin standing behind Pax. He was soaking wet. I felt a small pang of regret course through me. Small.
      "Pax." Aidin was pulling Pax off me. I stayed on the ground even after Pax was standing. "We should tell him." I looked at the two curiously. Tell me what?
      Pax glanced back and forth between Aidin and me. He sighed as he offered a hand to help me up. "Fine. But you let me do the talking. You're terrible at it."
      Aidin held up his hands defeat. "Talk away." Pax walked toward the door and I followed him. Aidin was close behind me. I was surprised when we went back to our room. I followed Pax as far as his doorway. I hesitated until Pax sighed and dragged me inside.
      His bedroom was much different than mine. Everything was dark gray. The bed, the floor, the walls. The few specks of color in the room were on the nightstand. Pax approached one of them, picked it up, then placed it in the middle of the room. The press of a button and water started to spray out from it.
      I opened my mouth to ask Pax a question but was cut off when Aidin threw something shiny toward the water. Pax's voice cut through the silence that had followed since we entered the room.
      "Show me Hades."