Chapter 9: Cassandra

He waved his right hand across the other elements, and they moved to the side. The dark sphere pulsed and seemed to be alive. "As much as society has labeled witches and warlocks as evil practitioners of darkness, truth is, most who practice magic are fearful of dark magic. But it's because they don't understand it. Yes, it represents evil, but a master of magic knows how to sense it, temper it, and eventually balance it either as a single element or in a combination with the other elements." Aeden bounced the sphere between his hands and then turned his attention to me. "Hold out your hands."

I hesitated but then remembered his words about being a master of magic. If I wanted to be a supreme, then I had to understand all the elements. I held out my hands, and Aeden placed the sphere just above my palms.

Surprisingly, the energy from the sphere soothed my soul. I studied it and then closed my eyes, searching inside the sphere. It rocked back and forth, the pulsing erratic. Something was wrong. I saw darkness and then suddenly felt the sphere being lifted away. I opened my eyes to see Aeden had taken the sphere back. "I was losing control. I could sense it way before I felt it."

"It takes time to learn the dark arts, Cass. And along with time it also takes patience and want." He brought his hands together, and the sphere disappeared. He then levitated once again. "Meditation is the key to finding control of your elements. Join me."

"I'm supposed to find the guys and discuss where else we might find the relics."

"You seem skeptical of my ways."

I shook my head, about to tell him that wasn't true. But it was, sort of. "I guess I've been tricked by so many over the past four years that I'm skeptical of everything and everybody." I started away and then stopped. "I really do want to learn. I understand what I'm destined for, and I have embraced that destiny. I just want to know I can trust people."

"I know the people who have betrayed you. I'm sorry it happened. But to be at peace with yourself, you must take what you've learned from those experiences and find opportunity for growth."

"You trust us, I'm sure," Dash said as he and the others joined us. "Aeden teaching you something new?"

"We were just about to meditate," Aeden said. "The four of you are welcome to join us."

"I'm good," Dash said, and made a face. Getting him to sit for more than a few minutes was like trying to keep a dog from chasing a squirrel.

"It's been a long time since I last meditated." Kyler found a grassy place around us and took a seat, matching Aeden's lotus position. The others followed Kyler's lead, and I was left standing alone. "I'm ready when you are."

"I guess we're meditating." I sat between Aeden and Braeden. I placed my hand on Braeden's leg and got no reaction. His mind still weighed on his vision of me dying.

"Close your eyes and concentrate on your own center of being." Aeden's voice dropped a couple of notches to serene.

I did as Aeden asked and then began searching everyone's energy.

"Stay within yourself," Aeden said. Somehow, he knew I'd gone searching.

I withdrew from the guys and did as Aeden requested, staying within myself and searching my soul, finding peace in all that I had become. I found happiness in the memories of my mother and father. I found happiness in all the things I did as a kid and all the things that led up to the moment of sitting in the garden with Aeden and the four men who'd sworn to protect me. I found true happiness within that would make all things outside me more tolerable.

"I'm going to bring the five of you to my center and show you all the elements. I will show you how to use them as separate entities, but also how to use them together." He began humming, and I suddenly felt myself rising. I assumed we all were.

I felt an odd energy from the outside, but I managed to stay within, watching the six of us gathering in a circle, Aeden juggled three spheres: water, earth, and fire. The guys didn't look impressed, but I knew better. Aeden tossed the water and fire sphere into the air, and they hung there, swirling and pulsing inches above his head.

"Thus far the five of you have used the Earth element in a physical way. But you need to understand the Earth element is more than throwing dirt at an enemy. Remember that Earth provides stability and a solid foundation to the body." He placed his hands against the Earth sphere and then pulled them apart, elongating the sphere and creating a montage of images. "Earth is also where you will find wisdom, knowledge, strength, growth and prosperity." Within the elongated sphere we saw math calculations, words in different languages, and saw some of the greatest thinkers to ever grace the planet.

Aeden moved his hands closer, returning the sphere to its regular form. He then handed me the sphere. "I can feel its power," I said. My mind expanded, taking in all the things the Earth element had to offer. I began to understand so much more. I understood why people around me and the things they had done. I saw the universe and all the things within its walls. Planets and stars and other beings. We were not alone in the vastness of the universe.

Though we levitated, I could sense the ground beneath us shaking. My energy fluctuated. I looked around the circle and saw the confusion on everyone's face but Aeden's.

"He's here!" Aeden scooped the Earth element from my hands, and suddenly the six of us were frozen in place.

I opened my eyes to find Edius and another man floating not far from where we sat. The man came closer while Edius backed away.

"Stein," Aeden said. "I should have known you would work for someone like Edius."

Stein landed on the ground and checked our hands to be sure we were really frozen in place. He moved in front of Aeden. "Not everything is as it seems, my old friend." He turned to Edius. "They are secure!" He then moved in front of me. "So you're the little devil causing so much trouble."

"And you must be one of Edius' slaves that he orders around." I let a smile slip across my lips as his smile evaporated. If nothing else, I knew how to get under someone's skin.

"Good afternoon, Cassandra. I see you've found a most formidable mentor." Edius glanced at Aeden and then knelt in front of me. "You can stop all of this. Yes, you. Give yourself up to me. Walk away from these fools and stand by my side the way my son and daughter wouldn't." He shot a spell at Oliver, but the spell was blocked and sent over the trees. "You said it was safe!" he yelled at Stein.

Estelle ran toward us as Edius and Stein lifted from the ground and darted away. Estelle quickly cast a spell, freeing us from the icy mess Edius and Stein had created. I started after the two men, but Estelle grabbed my arm. "Not yet," she ordered. "We need to trap them in their own game. They had prepared a rapid escape today."

"He's brought the fight to us," Aeden said. "He's become braver than we thought he might."

"I think we need to share the task of meditating." Estelle addressed the others, "Everyone okay?"

"I was just about to open a can of whoop ass on him." Dash winked at me and ignored Estelle. We were all still having a problem of accepting her on our side.

"You found something?" Aeden held Estelle's hand, suggesting that maybe the two had something going on behind the scenes.

Estelle squeezed Aeden's hand. "We found a piece of the relic. You should really come and see for yourself."

Aeden and Estelle, still holding hands, led us from the garden. We glanced back at the sky, expecting Edius to be watching us.

"Why does he want you so badly?" Kyler asked.

"Because she's the Chosen One." Oliver dropped back next to me. "Ever since the relic took over, he's done nothing but talk about finding the Chosen One. He believes the Chosen One is the only person who can dethrone him and take away his dark magic."

"I'm not going to let that happen," I said.

"You may not have a choice, Cass." Oliver walked ahead, leaving us in silence.