Chapter 8...Denying

"That's childish," Kylen commented walking off into the living room. 

     I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I followed closely behind him. He grabbed a small backpack and a brown paper bag with food. I took the time to wear the backpack that he had handed me properly. 

     "Where are we going?" 

     "We are going for a walk through the woods and hopefully make it unto the main road without being detected, hitch a ride from a beautiful woman who has a crush on me into town and to my new home we go," he listed, checking his watch.

     I was a baffled, blinking idiot. "Aren't you married," I nearly yelled but found some self control. 

     Kylen glanced at me briefly and then at an empty space at the wall. "It's complicated," he eventually said softly. His brows were furrowed and a deep frown was on his lips. 

     I nodded. 

     "Anyways, we have an hour and 3 minutes before she passes by," he explained, walking towards a door that I hadn't noticed before. It was a second entrance into the kitchen that led outside. 

     I followed Kylen out of the house. It was still very dark outside with only the moon light illuminating our surroundings. 

     "Do you have flashlights," the little girl who was afraid of the dark asked. 

     Kylen ignored my question and began walking towards the tall, dark and scary woods. I struggled not to trip over any twigs or step on the back of his boots as I struggled to see the path that he was following. I groaned. 

     "I need new glasses," I grumbled. 

     "No, you don't," Kylen retorted, entering the sea of trees. 

     An owl hooted from a far and crickets sang a continuous symphony. I felt as if I was going camping in a potentially terrifying forest. A small light blinked. My heart jolted upon until the moment I realised that it was only a firefly. I released a sigh of relief holding my chest. I struggled to see where I was putting my feet, since the large trees blocked the light of the moon. I could only see the shapes of the trees, the silhouette of Kylen's body and a few places illuminated by the moonlight that forced its way through the broad leaves of the trees. 

     "I have vision problems," I said hastily, stepping on the heel of Kylen's shoe when I heard a twig snap. 

     He paused and turned towards me. I couldn't see the expression on his face but I bet he was pissed off and most likely irritated. 

     "I'm sorry," I muttered an apology, taking a wobbly step back. 

     "Your elven blood is strong. You should be able to see deep into the woods without a flashlight." I swear he said that last sentence in a mocking tone. 

     I blinked at the poorly lit forest floor. My vision was a little better since I unlocked my magic but some things were still very foggy. I had tried to read the tag of a pair of denim shorts and failed. Maybe it was the magic in the air. My mother did tell me of the wonders of Eta. She always spoke of the pristine air while complaining about the bland stale air of Earth. She loved to compare things and people. 

     "Just relax and trust me…your mother does," he said, holding my shoulders. 

     I pursed my lips and nodded. I stepped to walk by his side and we continued into the woods. After a couple of minutes, my vision surprisingly adjusted to the darkness and I questioned if I ever really needed my glasses. 

     When I was child my magic had become a beacon for my father to track me. 'My dark signature,' my mother had called. A feeling that allows you to sense others with my tainted blood. For years I was mad at my mother for locking away what I loved the most about myself until I discovered that she wasn't only protecting me from my father. There were many others who wore the smiles of friends but had the heart of enemies. 

     I turned to glance at Kylen. 

     "How close were you to my mother?" 

     I suspected that he had anticipated the question because a knowing smile graced his lips. He shrugged. 

     "We hated each other at first. She was the only one capable of putting a snob like me in my rightful place. Ah, she was irritating," he started with a reminiscent smile. "She was my best friend, actually. Save for the few times I contemplated killing her," he continued massaging his neatly trimmed beard. 

     "Well that took a dark turn," I muttered with wide eyes. 

     "No, no, it was something we talked about alot," he said with a wave of his hands as if it was no big deal. 

     I shook my head, pulling the duffle bag closer to my chest as it became heavier. 

     "You know sometimes I imagine history repeating itself but taking a different turn than your mother and I did, with you and Shane." 

     I listened closely as Kylen took his time choosing his words carefully, only to understand why when he finished. I shook my head, ready to object when suddenly a blinding light obscured my vision. 

     "Well it would be damn hilarious if y'all saw this in the history books and ignored it or is this that different turn," a masculine monotone voice said, mockingly.  

     I flinched, staring wide eyed at the ginger haired man that stepped from behind a tree before us. He wore a black and navy blue uniform with a firearm strapped to his waist and blade sticking out of his boots. As he stepped closer to us, I noticed more similarly clothed people step from behind the trees. 

     "Shit," Kylen cursed…only it didn't sound like him. 

     My head quickly snapped to the person standing beside me. I gasped, slapping my hands over my mouth as I stepped away from the familiar person. My eyes darted from the ginger haired man to the guy who I may or may not have a crush on. 

     'Calm yourself, I'm using a glamour to conceal my identity." I narrowed my eyes as I struggled to catch the few words streaming out of his mind.

     "And he's the best you could come up with," I whispered, unable to focus so that I could send the thought into his mind. 

     Cassian-his dad-Kylen rolled his eyes. 'We are the same height and we share the same bone structure and blood. I could go on but you might get uncomfortable,' he telepathically informed. 

     I groaned, stomping my feet. 

     "Care to share," the ginger said, pointing the flashlight back and forth between us. 

     "She's just being childish," Mr. Cole said, pointing his thumb at me. 

     I gaped at him. I wasn't the one wearing my son's face. That sounded really weird. 

     "So is that why you are walking about the last known sighting of the fugitive Kylen Cole," the tall man said accusingly. 

     I glanced towards Kylen, who casually shrugged. I instinctively hit him on the shoulder. He was as caught off guard as I was. 

     "I-I'm sorry," I directed towards Kylen stuttering, the man was extremely scary even though he wasn't wearing his own face. "I-the portal that we took dropped us off right here in the woods. We…um…we were just returning to Elverton…after escaping the fire," I said hesitantly. It was very hard to catch up with the shifting images flashing through the ginger soldier's mind. His name was Sam and he had 3 dogs. 

     I gripped my head as a skull splitting ache went through it. 

     "Yes, we are very tired. Almost didn't make it back," Kylen added, grabbing my shoulder to steady me. 

     Sam didn't believe us right away but after comparing a picture on his tablet to Kylen's head, he decided to guide us to the main road. Kylen finally took the duffle bag from my hands, with a complaint of course. 

     "You are young and strong. I shouldn't be carrying your bags for you," he grumbled. 

     "And you shouldn't be wearing that face," I muttered under my breath. "How are you wearing that face?" I asked genuinely curious. 

    "My mother was a witch. Why does this face bother you so much?" 

     I didn't answer but my mind did betray me when our very heated kiss resurfaced. I quickly shook the thought away. This is not Cassian. 

     "Because it's weird!" 

     "Because you like this face, when you look at it you feel this unexplainable pull that has your mind going places that it shouldn't," he said. 

     I groaned. "Shut up!" 

     "Yes, that's the one. The irresistible pull," he continued to talk, completely blocking out the people around him and just loving every second of my discomfort. 

     "I don't want to have this conversation with you. It is very strange given our current situation, don't you see that," I tried to explain without being mean. A few of the soldiers were glancing at us as we bickered. 

     "But it's necessary, you need to understand that this world is different from the one you grew up in. In this world a cosmic energy binds us to those that we share a destiny with." 

     "And how do you know that we share a connection," I said, glancing into his eyes, referring to Cassian and I, of course. 

     Kylen smiled and tilted his head in my direction. "I'm pretty sure that you can answer that one by yourself," he said cryptically. 

     Mr. Cole was hinting that Cassian and I were soulmates but what he failed to realise was that not all soulmates were lovers. So, what we kissed! I blamed it on hormones and confusion. You don't fall in love in a day or after one kiss. 

     Love was patient and slow. It was a pure connection established by trust and hope. It was looking into someone's eyes and seeing a perfect future despite the darkness and the pain. It was caring for someone more than you take care of yourself. It was watching the world burn just to see them again. 

     Well that was love for me. I wasn't sure what having a mate was like and the thought of being someone's fate…scared me.