“So that will be our only opportunity?” the man Amory addressed as Conrad said solemnly.
“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Amory looked at Avalon with a type of longing I couldn’t define.
“So we better make it count,” Avalon said with more enthusiasm than his older counterparts. “I have full faith in my team, and Ryder and his team as well,” a plan spontaneously formed in my mind.
“I want to help too,” I blurted out, focusing on my own plan to rescue Lilly.
“No!” The entire room yelled at me. Twenty pairs of eyes stared at me as if I had just said the most absurd thing.
“I mean, I won’t mess anything up…. I promise,” suddenly, I felt like the outsider I was. Obviously everyone blamed me for this mission to begin with. I was the reason their friends sat in prison awaiting death. “I know it’s my fault that this mission is even necessary. But I think I can help…. I know I can help,” I tried to explain myself, hoping for a better response.
“I’m sure you could help dear,” Angelica looked at me with a deeply concerned expression and I didn’t understand her emotion. “But we couldn’t risk losing you, it’s bad enough your brother insists on going,” she turned to look at Avalon with the same pained concern.
“It’s not necessary Eden,” Amory put his arm across my shoulder again and I felt him try to use his magic to calm me down. I shrugged it off, persistent that I would go. “Really, our teams are trained in this type of mission; you would only slow them down.”
“But Avalon gets to go. Wouldn’t I make him stronger?” I asked, feeling naïve.
“You cannot go,” Amory replied firmly. “It’s too dangerous. I won’t allow it.”
“Can’t I just tag along then? I could learn from this trip. I won’t get in the way,” I pled my case, desperate to save Lilly.
“Enough. You cannot go. That is the end of it,” Amory said quieter, but with scary finality.
This time I kept my mouth shut, silently brooding, watching the other members of the Resistance nod in agreement with Amory. I knew I was wearing a scowl, frustrated at my lack of independence. It would have been nice to be treated as an equal, just once.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Avalon wrapped up the meeting, but I heard nothing else he said. I had to figure out a way to get to that trial. I had to figure out a way to save Lilly or at least testify on her behalf. I was determined to do it, even if I had to do it completely on my own. Avalon had said something about Kiran going, maybe he would help me.
“Are you ready for the mark?” Amory brought me out of my silent plotting and back to the center of the Resistance.
“What mark?” I asked, completely unaware of what he was talking about.
“She doesn’t want to join,” Avalon joined our conversation as the others milled about in groups of two or three. I got the impression they were all trying to listen to our discussion.
“Why is that?” Amory asked Avalon sharply; apparently not interested in any explanation I would give him.
“Why do you think?” Avalon replied sardonically.
“Eden, you have a lot to learn, young lady,” he said it much like a parent, and I felt instantly resentful.
“What is the mark?” I tried to change the subject away from what I feared was a long lecture on responsibility.
“It’s this,” Avalon pointed to his arm; his school uniform was rolled up to the elbow and revealed the tattoo of a snake wrapped around his forearm eating its own tail.
“You want me to get that?” I exclaimed. There was no way I would cover my body in a hideous image of a masochistic serpent.
“No, not that,” Amory shook his head. “Avalon is a little…. devoted. The usual symbol the Resistance wears is more subtle,” he turned his head to the side and pulled his ear lobe away from his neck. I saw only clear flesh until he touched the part of his neck just behind his earlobe and injected a little magic to reveal the same serpent. The image was much smaller, almost miniscule, but was clear and obvious until he removed the magic. Once the magic was gone, the small tattoo vanished.
“And you all have those?” I asked, enamored with the trick. A dozen Resistance members turned to show me theirs, including Jericho and Avalon. Angelica’s was a brilliant shade of orange, while Conrad and Terrence’s were an army green color. Amory’s was a deep crimson shade of red. And all of the members of Avalon’s team wore ones in white, which stood eerily off their skin, except for Avalon whose tattoo was royal blue.
“What color would mine be?” I asked, with no intentions of actually getting one.
“I am guessing it would match Avalon’s, but we won’t know until you decide to get one,” Amory answered my question, sounding slightly frustrated.
“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.
“The magic we use to apply the mark chooses your color. The magic, in a way, determines the color you deserve. Not that one color is greater than the other; rather it defines the magic you are made of,” Amory put his hand on my shoulder one more time before leaving what had turned into a circle of people, containing mostly Avalon’s team.
“You don’t get to join the team until you have the tattoo. There will be no more fighting for you,” Jericho said as if taunting me.
“She doesn’t get to join the team. Tattoo or not,” Avalon interjected threateningly. He gave Jericho a hard look that Jericho seemed to understand even though I didn’t.
“Avalon doesn’t want me to join the team, because I would easily replace you Jericho,” I deflected my frustration, by turning it against Jericho.
“Oh you think so? Maybe we should have a rematch,” his voice was sarcastic, but his eyes smoldered and I once again noticed how attractive he was. He was taller than Kiran, but his darker hair and darker eyes made him appear mysterious somehow. Any thoughts of attraction I had for him though were quickly forgotten once I remembered Kiran, and then my heart hurt with emotion and a type of longing I didn’t expect.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t catch your names?” I turned off the charm, and turned to face the other members of Avalon’s team, but not before catching a confused look cross Jericho’s face.
“Sorry. Eden, this is Xander, Xavier and Titus,” Avalon made the introductions. I shook each of their hands consecutively, memorizing the magical imprint they left in my fingertips.
Xander and Xavier must be related somehow because they looked nearly identical and their magical current was only marginally different. Xander was slightly taller, but they both had to be close to 6’5 or 6’6. Their hair was long like Jericho’s and Avalon’s and dark like mine. They both had facial hair, but Xander seemed to be a little bit older than Xavier.
Titus was also an imposing figure, only a little shorter than the other two. He also wore scruff on his face; only his brilliant red hair and stockier stature made him look more like a lumberjack than a well-bred Immortal.
“Are you twins?” I asked with honest curiosity.
“We wish,” Xander replied enthusiastically. “Unfortunately, only you two get to carry that cross,” his eyes darted between mine and Avalon’s. When I gave him a puzzled look he changed the subject. “This is my kid brother.” He grabbed Xavier around the neck and pulled him into a headlock. Xavier zapped Xander’s foot with a shot of magic forcing Xander to let go and let him stand up. They pushed each other playfully until Titus stepped in, grabbed both of their heads and slammed them together. I cringed when I heard the crushing sound the impact made. They seemed unharmed however and shook it off, rejoining the circle with smug smiles on their faces.
“So why haven’t I met you before?” I tried to refocus the group away from physical violence.
“Technically you have met us before,” Jericho spoke up. “Remember the rooftop?”