Chapter 11
Music Choice: Raise Your Hands - Ummet Ozcan
Dani was opening up her shield from her bracelet, as she was getting ready for the fight in Paige’s room. Dani’s shield was created by Alex, made into the form of a simple charm on her bracelet. When Dani twisted the charm three times, the shield would burst out, still somewhat attached to the bracelet. The charm and the actual shield were almost identical; both golden with intricate designs.
Paige’s Training Facility was like a library, shelves upon shelves of books and scrolls. A single red wooden desk and a comfortable desk chair sat in the middle of the room. It reminded Dani of Zeke’s Training Facility back at her House.
“So you’re really doing this?” Paige asked. She looked despairingly at Dani; worried about possible injuries Hazel would have to heal. Paige was playing with her curly black hair, twirling it around her finger.
“Yeah, she doesn’t scare me.” Dani answered, focused on her shield, as she wiped it clean, and admired its newfound shine. Dani tied her hair back into a sleek high ponytail.
“You should know, Violet has some abilities that help her on the battlefield.” Paige said, getting up to help Dani adjust her shield.
“What abilities?” Dani asked, suddenly curious. If she can camouflage, that shouldn’t be a problem.
“She can read minds and thoughts. She knows what you’re going to do as soon as you think it. That’s how she wins.” Paige informed.
“A Telepath. Well, that’s gonna make things difficult, but not impossible.” Dani said confident, as she withdrew her sword.
“Also, Violet doesn’t battle with a sword.”
“Then what does she battle with?” Dani asked, immediately think she would use throwing knives. It seemed more Violet’s style.
“A bow and arrow.”
“Shit.” Dani muttered. Bows and arrow combat is difficult to defend against. They are fast, and if that’s the opponent’s weapon of choice, they must be good with it. “I’m just gonna have to deal with it. I got myself into it.” Dani then slashed her sword through the air so fast, that all she could see was a blur of silver.
“This blows. You were the first girl Ash brought home that I actually liked.” Paige answered, shocking even herself. All the girls Ash normally brought back to the House were airheads. Danielle was actually bright. And that was why Paige approved. A girl has to be able to think for herself.
“Violet, please think about what you’re doing.” Asher pleaded. Ash and Violet were talking in her Training Facility. Asher was begging Vi to change her mind.
“Calm down, Ash, I’m just giving this girl a proper welcome.” Vi said, pulling her bow out of her quiver.
“She’s different.” Asher said, surprising Violet.
“What’s so different about her, Ash? Is she smarter? Doubt it. Is she prettier? Please. The only thing that shocks me is that she actually beat you and she isn’t the size of a gorilla.” Violet responded, pulling the bow back with her silver-tipped arrow.
“Vi, just please go easy on her.” Dani was prettier, smarter than anybody Ash had ever met. And he really cared about her. More than anything. Because she gave him something to try and earn. It was really unusual for a girl to deny him, let alone flat-out hate him. That trait made Dani unique, made her special.
“I never go easy on anyone.” Violet said, releasing the bow, the arrows hitting the bulls-eye on her first try.
Dani and Violet entered the circular field facing each other this time, since they knew who their opponent would be. The field was in the House’s backyard. It felt like spring, a little warm, but not intolerable.
Violet was holding her bow in her right hand, her quiver over her left shoulder. Violet was wearing the same thing she was wearing earlier, all black, her hair down.
Dani was holding her silver sword, twirling the handle in between her fingers, as the Iridesce House surrounded the field, Asher and Paige standing on Dani’s side, while Kyle and Hazel stood on Violet’s. Her shield was now tied tightly onto her left forearm. Dani was ready.
Benji stood in the center of the field, checking to see if both warriors were ready. They nodded.
“GO!” Benji shouted as he withdrew himself from the field.
Dani began circling the field. How would she fight the Telepath? First step: Don’t think, just do.
Dani lunged left, scratching Violet’s left arm, tearing through her leather sleeve. A single drop of blood fell onto the field, and then the wound healed. Violet eyes squinted, focusing on Dani, but Dani knew better. Only a single thought ran through her mind.
Don’t think, just do. Think ballsy.
Violet tried all she could, but something was not working. She could not read Dani. Again. Violet pulled her bow back, the silver-tipped arrow aimed at Dani’s leg. As the arrow cut through the air, Dani could see it coming clearly, and her hand dropped the sword to the ground, as her right hand quickly lowered itself to stop the arrow from touching her left leg. Her movement was so quick and fluid; Violet took a step back in utter shock. Dani broke the arrow in two, and let it fall to the ground. Dani’s ears heard the sudden gasps from the gazing Flight. All she could do was smile, and think the only thing she could.
Don’t think, just do. Be instinctive. Gutsy.
Violet was amazed. She’s definitely different. And smart. Violet pulled her bow and arrow back, ready to aim, pointing her arrow at her knee. But that’s not what she was going for. Lose the sword, lose the fight. She was going to switch her aim at the last second, go for her right-hand with her sword.
Dani could read Violet’s face. Violet was getting tricky. And cocky. She looked as if she would aim for her knee, but she wouldn’t. She already tried that and failed. So where would she aim? Her abdomen? Her hand? Her shoulder?
Violet suddenly pulled her arrow up at Dani’s sword, and released. Dani didn’t have time to think. She tucked her body and rolled over, lunging to her left, and right back onto her feet.
Violet, realizing she was up against someone who knew about her mind-reading skills, cut off all energy going to that particular skill. She focused on her eyesight. But by the time she refocused her energy, she no longer saw Dani in front of her. Where did she go?
A sudden whoosh was heard behind Violet. Dani had cut the straps attaching Vi’s quiver to her shoulder. Her arrows. Dani had taken them all, rendering her bow useless. Dani moved so fast, Violet couldn’t keep track of her.
Dammit. Violet thought, knowing she had to forfeit. No weapon, no fight.
Dani was smiling, holding Violet’s quiver in her right hand, her sword in its holster, and her shield still on her left forearm.
“Surrender?” Dani smirked, as she held the arrows in her hand. Violet slowly nodded, as she stood helpless and defenseless.
“That was amazing!” Hazel shouted, running towards Dani and gave her a hug. Dani was surprised by the sudden display of warmth.
“That’s one hell of a lass!” Kyle pitched in.
“How did you pull that move with you catching the arrow aimed for your leg?” Benji asked.
“That was spectacular, Dani!” Ash chimed in, as the rest of the Flight circled around Dani.
Violet, cut through, picked up her bows, and stood right in front of Dani. Vi stuck her hand out, and Dani took it. “You’re a great fighter, but I have a question.”
“Shoot.” Dani said, smiling. “Pun intended.”
“How could you block my Telepathy?” Violet questioned.
“Wait… you couldn’t hear my thoughts at all?” Dani asked, confused. Well, that was a waste of effort.
“No, it was completely silent. I couldn’t hear anything. And you had to have thought something.”
“I did. I thought ‘Don’t think, just do’ the whole time.” Dani answered. Violet was so confused; she tried to focus on her reading her again, but failed.
“You might actually be one of the few Angels who are immune to Telepaths. Some power Angels, and Cherubs are, but you haven’t even specialized yet. Lucky you.” Violet determined. “No Telepath could read your mind or its thoughts. Your mind is truly your own.”
“Thanks. I’d like to keep it that way.” Dani quipped.
“Yeah, you definitely want to. Violet can be... invasive with her talent.” Ash said, standing closer to Dani, their shoulders up against each other. “Any wounds or are you good?”
“I’m fine, but we still have those questions.” Dani said, looking at Ash, his sparkling blue eyes made her almost melt, her heart doing flips. If only he saw her the way she saw him.
If only she saw me the way I see her. Asher thought, her chocolate brown eyes and her thick black lashes made him reconsider every other girl he’d been with. She had this amazing effect on him, something he’d never experienced before. Those other girls suddenly disappeared from his thoughts. The only girl he saw was Dani. And that was the only person he wanted to see. That much was clear.
“What questions?” A rough but feminine voice boomed through Asher and Dani’s thoughts. Violet.
“Right, um, we should probably go inside.” Dani said, breaking eye contact with Ash. The group started hiking back to the House, and walked inside.
The House was very similar to Dani’s, designed for modern efficiency. The House was simple, elegant, and chic, with black and white as the most prominent colors. Occasionally a spot of red or green would be sighted; each Angel had its own Training Facility, clearly labeled, and a wooden spiral staircase led up to the top floor, where the members of the Flight would sleep in their bedrooms.
The House sat down in the living room, where there was a black boxy sofa, and a simple mahogany coffee table in the center. There were some colorful pillows located between each seat. Dani and Asher stood up in front as the rest of the House took their seats.
“So, the reason I’ve been so AWOL lately is because shortly after I met Dani, we found a body.” Asher blurted out. The gasps and looks of shock and despair were exchanged among the House. “It was Kat’s body.”
“Wait… Kat as in Katherine Andrews from the Evermore House?” Hazel asked, her eyes widening. Katherine was like a family friend. Keith would be devastated.
“Yeah, we just came from their House and delivered the news. We were told that the last thing she had told her House was that she was going to hang out with someone from the Iridesce House.” Dani answered. “Was it you, Hazel?” She shook her head, no.
“When did she go?” Paige asked, trying to think back.
“She had disappeared about a week ago, and had died on the night of September 29th to the morning of September 30th.”
“That’s around the same day Keith left.” Paige perked up.
“Where is Keith?” Ash asked, suddenly realizing his friend wasn’t there.
“We thought he was with you. But now that you’re back and he’s not, I’m starting to get worried.” Vi said.
“Did Keith and Katherine know each other?” Dani asked.
“He might have, but I doubt it.” Hazel answered, her head dropped into the palms of her hands. “How could this happen? Who would do something like that?”
“We don’t know but that’s what we are trying to figure out.” Ash responded, kneeling before Hazel.
“‘We?’” Kyle inquired. “What d’ya mean ‘we’?”
“Me and Dani’s House are working together to find out who’s responsible.” Ash answered.
“We’re going to help. We want to know what happened, and we are probably gonna be able to help you more than Asher can.” Benji piped up, talking directly to Dani, his lip curled upward. Was he trying to flirt with Dani? Ash thought. He better not be.
“Are you all sure you want to? Help, I mean?” Dani asked. They all nodded in unison. Dani looked to Ash, who simply shrugged as if to say, “If they want to.” “Alright. If you all insist. I guess you all should meet my House, then. Especially since we’ll be working together on this.” Dani declared.
“And what is your House?” Violet asked.
“The Ivory House.” Dani replied, as they gathered in the circle, hand in hand, and teleported to her House.