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“This is Akina. Her element is sublimation which means she can make you blind in battle. To do this she uses her ability to manipulate elements of the weather, more often than not, mist.” Ember looked at her. Cora felt fear snake along her neck and shoot down her spine. This was a woman who could affect her ability. She didn’t like that, not one bit.

“She surrounds the enemy with fog. That is why we have our communication devices. Be very careful when near her.”

Ember paused allowing this information to sink in. Cora was already having difficulty breathing. She didn’t need to see the three other people to add to the stress she already felt. She looked at her mother and could see her distress.

“Mum, I don’t think you should be in here, what with y
our condition and everything...
” Cora urged.

“Yes love, she’s right,” Ayden agreed.

“No. I want to see what my baby is up against.” She stroked Cora's face and looked at Ember. “You can continue.”

Ember nodded. “Melitta is next.” She pointed to the woman next to Akina on the board.

Cora's mother murmured under her breath but she didn't catch any of it. Cora was too busy focusing on Melitta, her vibrant blonde hair hung long and wavy down to her waist. Her beautiful face looked directly into the camera like she knew someone was watching. Her cheekbones were carved high; her baby blues were wide and seductive.

“Her power is acedia,” Ember continued, “
do not
let her touch you. One touch from her and your element is taken. However, over the past few centuries she has tried to find a peaceful resolution, she is rather averse to fighting. I guess she doesn't like damaging that pretty little face of hers,” Ember sneered, “but if she doesn’t find peace, if we persist in our defence, she will weaken us by taking our power.”

Ember moved across to the other side of the board. “Evander,” she smiled but it was tight and unnatural. “You may think he looks like a male version of yours truly, what with all that white hair. But he has one of the meanest streaks-”

“So do you,” Tabitha smiled.

“Yes, well,” Ember smiled and focused her attention back to the group. “He will try and persuade you to see his way of thinking; that their decision is for the best. If you don’t listen, and we won't, he will use his element which is magnetism. Now, I've seen him use this in the past few months and believe me when I tell you that he is very clever, very strong and he finds great joy in crushing his victims. He interrogated two people because they didn't give him the answer he required, he forced their bodies together. There was so much pressure... Amid their screams, I watched their bodies crack and break.”

Her mother grabbed her hand and squeezed. Evander's eyes, a merciless, cold steel seemed to search her out and glare at her. She could feel the acidic mess churn around her stomach. How could you stop someone from using that power on you? He could do everything he wanted without them taking a step.

             
She looked at Jack who hadn’t moved since Ember had started with her presentation. His face was almost without expression but she could see the hard set of his jaw and the intense focus in his eyes, she saw the concern and worry there.

“Last but not least, Varick.”

             
The shape of his face was that of a tear drop, the sharp point ending with his chin. His eyes sat too close together, but what made Cora’s blood run cold was the colour of them. They were pure black. His hair was perfectly cut, just touching his shoulders, and was also black in colour. His nose was too long for his face and his lips were too big. He was the epitome of evil.

“He is the unofficial leader of the Corenthio Coven. There has never been an official leader of course but Varick controls the group in his own way. He makes the decisions and the others seem to follow. It was his final decision to come here and
visit
you both.”

“Oh, when you say
visit
, I automatically thought of something pleasant. What you really meant to say was that they are coming here to kill us,” Jack sneered.

“Yes,” Ember answered ignoring Jack’s sarcastic remark. “But you are prepared to fight him. You are prepared to fight them all.”

“How can we win when they are so strong, so powerful? There are four of them and eight of us and I still feel outnumbered,” Cora whispered.

“We need to do everything possible to live. We will die saving you two if it comes to that,” Ayden said, determination in his voice.

She didn't want people to die. She didn't want this. She wanted to scream, stomp her feet and run away.

“This is my fault, I caused this. It all began back at the shop.” Jack shook his head.

“No, Jack. I did this too. We attacked each other.” She took his hand and squeezed it. She wouldn't allow him to take the sole blame for this.

“Varick controls electricity.” Ember turned back to the board making them focus once again. “This is a powerful gift; I believe you could be as strong as him in years to come, Cora.”

She didn't have years to come, she wanted to add.

“He kills people by using a single strike, it holds around 30,000 amperes. This will strike you dead in an instant.”

The room was silent. They were probably digesting this information. Ember didn't hold back. Her choice of words were straight to the point.

             
She looked at the board memorising each face and the details below their pictures until it was burnt to memory. How much did they really know about these people? Ember had done her homework but that wasn't enough.

“Wait, Tabitha, it said in my book that you were apprehended by the Corenthio Coven when they came to see my mother, is that true?”

“Yes. It is true. Gosh, I nearly forgot-”

“How can you forget something like that?” Cora asked astonished.

“Time affects us all, details, events become vague distant memories. Your mother was questioned about the scandal involving Thomas. I ran to her aide.” She shook her head looking annoyed. “For her to deal with the four of them on her own was unthinkable. When I arrived I was more uncooperative than they would have liked so Varick struck me. He hadn’t used enough force to kill me; he simply wanted to shock me. I was placed in the corner of the room surrounded by an electrical shield. Once they had completed their questioning, they left. I would say thirty minutes passed before the shield evaporated.”

“Is there anything we can do to prepare against such powerful elements? How can we fight against electricity and magnetism?” Jack asked.

“We have to do everything we can. The only thing I can suggest is to constantly move, never remain in the same position longer than necessary. I did, and that was my mistake.”

Cora looked back at the board focusing on Varick. She’d wanted to know who was coming after her and now she did. But now that she knew them, she wished she didn’t. Isn’t that always the case?

“Is this where you’ve been all this time?” She directed the question at Ember. The whispering, the hushed conversations with Tabitha now made sense.

“Yes. It's easier for me to travel and get back here without interfering in the workings of our group. We needed more information on them. Tabitha thought it best that I went. If that has offended you, I'm very sorry.”

“I'm not offended but I don't like being left out of the loop. In future I need to know all of this. I just hope we don't have another situation like this.”

“Of course.”

She nodded. “I want you to leave the board here. I need to see them. It will help me prepare.”

“I'm going to head back home,” Eli announced. “I still need to speak with Clay if he's there. Do we need to hold a disciplinary meeting?” Eli looked at Tabitha.

“I’m not the one to make that decision.”

They both looked at her and Jack.

“Well, I think he might have learnt his lesson, or at least I hope he has. We still need him when we face the Corenthio Coven. I'm not that stupid. If he does it again or speaks out of turn again, he is gone, is that understood?”

Cora was silent. He sounded so authoritative. 

“Yes, I think that is more than acceptable. Cora?”

“I agree. What with everything that is happening we need everyone we can get.”

“Right, that’s fine. I will discuss his options with him. See you all soon.”

             
Eli walked to the door and was followed by Clio who had remained quiet during the evening. She didn't have a clue what Clio thought of Clay's outburst. The woman was a closed book. She nodded her goodbyes to everyone as she left the room. Others moved in the room signalling their goodbyes. She stood up and hugged Tabitha.

Ayden led her mother out of the kitchen, no doubt away from the board of terror. Jack stood up next to her.

“How’s your hand?” She reached for his hand to look at it, the contact making her pulse jump. There was a nasty cut on one of his knuckles.

“The swelling makes it look worse than it is. How is your head?

“It hurts a little but the numbing cream Tabitha gave me has worked wonders.”

“He needs to apologise to you.” His eyes latched on to hers refusing to let them go.

“It doesn’t matter, not in the great scheme of things. We have bigger things to deal with right now.”

“I understand that but he still needs to apologise. If it wasn't for the Corenthio Coven I would have let him go.”

She nodded her head. She would have done the same thing in his position. He put his arms around her. She automatically tucked her head underneath his chin and breathed deep, he smelt like mud; obviously he’d rolled around in the stuff.

“Everything’s going to be all right,” he whispered.

Her throat tightened. She'd held the tears back all night but she couldn't do it anymore, they rolled down her cheeks silently. She didn’t know if it was going to be fine. He kissed her nose brushing away the tears that were running along her cheeks. His lips finally found hers and ever so gently lingered there.

“Want to watch a DVD?” she asked.

He nodded his head.

             
She snuggled up next to him on the sofa; putting her head on his chest as his arm came around her making her feel safe. Images on the screen blurred with colour and motion. The film did nothing to take her mind off their situation. She couldn't forget the faces or wondering what damage they could cause. She couldn't help but wonder which one of them would end her life. Which face would be her last?

 
PIECE OF CAKE

“Mum, I’m going to the training ground. If anyone needs me you know where I am.”

“Okay, love.” 

She pulled her hat over her ears bracing herself for the coldness that was going to hit her as soon as she stepped outside. Since waking up that morning the wind had been her constant companion, it was still howling and bashing against the house. Sleet had been added to the mix during the last hour but luckily that had just stopped. She couldn’t altogether honestly say whether it was just the weather or her emotions shifting things.

             
The ground was icy underfoot as she walked towards the little path at the side of the house that led to the training ground. It wasn't an intended path but trudging down it every day had turned it into a muddy dirt path. Stuffing her gloved hands deep into her pockets for any extra warmth, she put her head down and walked that little bit faster.

             
She stopped at the end of the path and admired her view. Jack was stood facing a line of large pieces of bark, huge broken bits that had fallen when Clio had destroyed the area. He looked at the ground where they lay, silent soldiers waiting for their command. She held her breath as she watched them slowly levitate upwards.  Each was parallel to the other as they made their way skywards. As they approached the height of his head, he lifted himself. She could see one or two of the pieces wobble, he stopped and cast his energy further out. The bark rejoined the others as he began to climb again.

             
He moved around the large trunks and started casting his energy to other objects that lay on the floor. Several large branches joined him. Huge rocks zoomed from beneath the undergrowth, flying into the air. Her feet instantly lifted off the floor as his energy wrapped itself around her body.

“I knew you were there,” he grinned at her happily.

She floated across to him having no other option.

“Hi, beautiful.” 

His energy felt warm as it vibrated around her. He pulled her body into his, the warmth taking away the chill of the morning. His toned arms wrapped themselves around her waist. Leaning into her, he kissed her slowly making the warmth spread from her chest to her toes.

“Show off,” she muttered when she got her breath back.

“So, what shall we do today?” He gave her a suggestive wink which made her insides turn to mush.