Chapter 3

I spent the next week just visiting Corrie and Dane. I truly am getting to like them both, but no matter how hard I try I cannot convince Aidan to let them out of their cells. I haven't asked Jake, but I am completely avoiding him at the moment. I haven't talked to Luke either, but I just want to give him time to consider what I said. If he takes me up on getting rid of his powers, it would be one less thing the rest of us have to worry about. I would rather Aedus just shut them down inside him, not sure I want to suggest that because based on his hostility I am pretty sure Luke will want them gone not buried.

I have also been working with my gifts and I do believe I am getting pretty good with them. Maybe not as good as I need to save the world but that isn't going to happen while I am trapped up in the mountains anyway, and I need the rest of my siblings found before then too. "Oh, hey Rick, what you up to?"

"Hi Kenna, just going for a walk, what you up to?" Rick asked.

"I was just thinking a walk would be great, mind if I join you?"

"You are more than welcome to tag along." He said with a smile.

Over the last week I have come to be very close to Rick. As well as not allowing Corrie and Dane out of their cells Aidan also told me Jake will not allow Rick to go looking for his sister, why Jake thinks he gets to control everything is beyond me. Rick is getting more and more frustrated every day. He doesn't know where his sister is or if she is ok, and Jake is about one order away from getting his butt kicked out of camp as it is. Of course, he is the only one that knows how to fly the damn helicopter which really is what stops us from doing anything and keeps him in charge of where everyone goes, but if pushed there are ways around that too.

"So how is your day going Rick?" I asked companionably.

"The same as every other day while we have been up here." He said with scorn.

"I know what you mean." I replied. "We can't just stay up here and pretend the Restorers don't exist." It is the same conversation Rick and I have had every day this week. But we don't actually know where we are at in the mountains. The only one that does is Jake and he isn't keen on sharing that information. "I just don't know how to convince Jake."

"There is no convincing Jake, which is the problem." He said as he threw a rock in front of us. "His only priority is protecting you and as long as he has you marooned up here he has nothing to worry about."

"Rick I am sorry," I stopped walking and took his hand. "I know this is all my fault."

"Oh, Kenna I am sorry," He said with a shake of his head, "I didn't mean it that way at all."

"It is true though, I am the reason Jake won't let anyone leave." I said as we started walking again.

"No Jake is the reason he won't let me leave. He is being completely unreasonable. He could take me down and you still be up here, but he won't"

"I know it is like we are in his personal dictatorship." I said as I kicked the ground, "You know I don't want to talk or think about Jake, all it does is piss me off."

"You're right, let's go do something fun to take our minds off it." Rick said with enthusiasm.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Swimming!" He said excitedly.

"Swimming? Are you crazy the water up here is cold as hell?" I said as I looked at him with concern.

"True the water in the stream is pretty chilly, but in my walks, I found a nice cave with a hot spring in it." He said with a smile, "I think it will be perfect for swimming."

"You did? That is awesome," I said, "lets go get out stuff and head that way. How far is it? If Jake knew it was up here I am pretty sure everyone would know about it."

He shook his head, "It is about a thirty-minute hike, and I am pretty sure Jake doesn't know about it because it was pure luck that I found it."

"Oh, perfect let's go." I said excitedly.

"Rick you are right, it is quite a hike up here and if you didn't know that opening was there you would never know this cave was here." It is beautiful, the opening is a small crevice hidden behind bushes. Once you go in you would expect it to be dark, but you walk about forty feet in and the cave open ups into a wondrous cavern with an opening in the rock about sixty feet high and a hot spring pool that is at least twenty feet wide. You can also feel the warmth coming from the water the minute you walk into the cavern, it is like a small cozy world away from everyone. "It is amazing."

"Yeah, I found it a few weeks ago and I come here to get away from everything back at the house and I figure you could use a place like this too." He told me as we finished walking up to the spring. "I don't mind sharing with you."

"Yeah, you know I could, let's have some fun and stop worrying about everything." And this started a huge water fight between Rick and me. It is a good thing no one else knows where we are at or they would find this place because of how much noise we are making. I haven't laughed this hard in, well I don't know how long.

Then when I wasn't paying attention Rick picked me up and threw me into the spring. It is a good thing this spring is deep. I came up spurting water and laughing like crazy, and I can hear Rick laughing back on the rocks. "That wasn't fair, that is cheating! Ha ha," I said as I laughed.

"What do you mean cheating?" He said innocently, "I have no idea what you are talking about, you just slipped and fell into the water."

"Yeah I slipped and fell. Good thing I didn't hit my head when I fell ha then." I said cheekily.

"Ha, yeah that is a very good thing." He laughed. "Your wardens would kill me for showing you this place and somehow you managed to slip and fall into the deepest part of the pool."

"Yep I am one very lucky girl." I said as I splashed water his direction.

Rick and I just enjoyed the morning swimming and lounging in the spring. It was the best time I have had since opening my eyes on this mountain, and then my growling stomach interrupted us. "Too bad we didn't pack a picnic; all this rough housing has made me hungry."

"You are in luck, I brought a stash of food up here on one of my other trips. Let's see what we have." Rick walked over to another small crevice and pulled out some jerky, apples and bottles of water. "It isn't much, but it is something."

"It's great, means I don't have to head back down to get my stomach to be quiet." I said as I grabbed some jerky.

We both sat down on the rocks and had a nice little lunch. "This was nice Rick, thank you. I haven't had that much fun in a while."

"None of us have." He said in reflection.

And with that statement we are right back to thinking about our problems. "We will figure this out Rick, I don't know how, but we will figure it out."

"Way to wreck this nice mood." Rick said, "Sorry Kenna."

"Don't be sorry, you gave me a great morning up here, and we both forgot about our worries. We can't forget our problems, but we did distract ourselves for a bit." I pushed him with my shoulder, "We needed this."

"We did, so are we ready to get back down to reality?" He questioned.

"Do we have to?" I whined. "I am not ready yet, let's stay up here a little bit longer."

"Let's." Rick said as he put the food away and got back in the spring.

Rick and I stayed up in our secret spot for a few more hours just allowing ourselves to forget for a little bit and actually have fun.

On our way back to the house Rick and I were a lot more relaxed. "We should do that more often Rick. It really helped me relax."

"Agreed, don't think disappearing every day would work out though," He said, "your wardens would notice, but maybe a few times a week."

"Sounds good to me..." Just as we were talking Jake came walking around the corner and he didn't seem all too happy.

"Where in the hell have you been Kenna?" Jake practically shouted at me.

I stopped in my tracks. "Excuse me?"

"Jake, she was fine, we just went for a walk." Rick tried explaining.

"This isn't your business Rick," Jake shot back at Rick, "are you trying to get her killed!"

What is going on with Jake seriously, "Jake what are you talking about, we are in the middle of nowhere. Exactly how is Rick going to get me killed?"

"Kenna, don't start with me." He turned to me with anger, "You have had me worried sick being missing all day, and I am not the only one that is worried!"

"Rick I am heading in, it would seem my dad caught us doing something bad. I will talk to you tomorrow." At least Jake had the decency to look a little embarrassed by my statement.

"See ya later Kenna." Rick said and walked away.

"Wait a sec, I am not done talking to you Kenna." Jake said, but his voice slowly faded as I walked away. He ran up and grabbed my arm, "Kenna I am not done."

I wrenched my arm out of his hand and glared at him, "Yes Jake, yes you are." I put a barrier between Jake and I and all he could do was watch me storm off.

I don't know how much more of this I can take, I know I never had a father, but I have never been in the market for one either! I slammed my way through the house and to my room. I am sure everyone in the house knows I am extremely pissed off right now, but none of them are brave enough to come and see what is going on. Well Lexi might be, but she will give me a few minutes at least.

That is exactly what she did. Knock knock, "Kenna it's me."

I opened the door, "yeah I was kinda expecting you. Come on it." I said to Lexi as I turned back towards my bed.

"Is your hair wet?" Lexi questioned. "I know you didn't have time to take a shower."

"Yeah, I didn't, I went swimming with Rick today."

"Are you nuts, you will catch your cold swimming in that freezing water!" Lexi worried.

Ok, how much to truly tell Lexi, I don't want to lie to her, but I don't want to tell her where we were either. "I am fine, I am not even shivering, am I?"

"True, well you are tougher than me, there is no way I could do that." She said and easily brushed the swimming thing off.

"Ahha, if you wanted to you could." I told her.

"So, do you want to talk about it?" She asked as she sat next to me on my bed.

"I am gonna kill him Lexi, I feel like I am a teenager sneaking around my dad! Well I assume that is what I feel like, never really had that experience." I was still seething at Jake.

"He is just trying to protect you." Lexi tried to reason with me.

"No," I looked at her with earnest, "he is trying to rule over me!"

"Jake what are you doing?" Aidan asked Jake as he walked up to him.

"Ssshh, I am eavesdropping, what does it look like Aidan?" Jake shot out quickly.

"I really don't think that is something you want to do right now." Aidan told him. "You are on the verge of Kenna burning you alive if her temper is any indication as she stormed through the house."

"She was missing all day, what does she expect?" Jake replied.

"She is an adult, you are treating her like she is a little girl that doesn't have a right to make choices. She does not answer to us and does not have to ever do so. And something else you need to remember is Kenna has more power than any of us. She can do whatever she wants, and truly there is nothing we could do to stop her. The only thing stopping her now is that she cares for all of us." Aidan said as he patted Jakes shoulder, "Jake I will leave you to your eavesdropping, but be careful how much you push her away from you."

"I am just trying to keep her safe." Jake said trying to make Aidan understand.

"I know you are Jake, I know." Aidan said as he walked away.

"I know it seems that way, but that is not how he sees it Kenna." Lexi tried to explain.

"Really, how can he see it any other way?" Kenna spat out, "He has turned himself into our dictator!"

"He is a guy, I have no idea how he manages to see things the way he does. He is just scared he is going to lose you." Lexi said as she placed her arm over my shoulder.

"He doesn't need to worry about that Lexi, he has already lost me!" I said without thought.

Jake took a large intake of breath when Kenna said that.

"Did you hear that Lexi?" I whispered as I walked to my door. I swung it open and who do I see standing there, "What the hell are you doing Jake? How dare you, get the hell out of here, I do not want to see you ever again!"

"Kenna I am sorry.." Jake started to say.

"No Jake we are way beyond sorry, get the hell away from me!" And I slammed the door in his face.

"Kenna are you okay?" Lexi asks with caution.

"No Lexi I really am not okay. How did he go from one of my closes friends to someone I can't even stand to look at?" I pointed to the door. "Lexi he is ease dropping on me now. He can't even respect my privacy."

"Fear can change the way people act Kenna, and Jake is very afraid of you not making it through the trials ahead." Lexi tried explaining again. "Try to keep that in mind before you judge him too harshly."

"Please Lexi, I don't need you siding with Jake now too." I said.

"I don't side with Jake, but you scared us all, so I do understand his fear. I don't want to lose you." Lexi said as she gave me a hug. "Is it safe to assume you won't be coming to dinner tonight?"

"Yeah I am not coming." I said as I threw myself back on my bed.

"Would you like me to bring yours to your room?" Lexi offered.

"Thanks Lexi I would appreciate that." I said through my pillow, "I love you girl."

"Love you to," She said as she walked to my door. "I will see you after a while." She turned back to me as she opened my door. "Remember he is only human."

"Right, I'll talk to you later." I said as she stepped out of my room.

Oh my God, how long am I supposed to take the way Jake treats me? I know Lexi is right and Jake is just reacting out of fear, but I don't deserve the way I am being treated. Aidan is on my side but won't step in between Jake and me. But it has been long enough, and Jake needs to back off. I was having a wonderful day with Rick today and Jake ruined in within seconds of us coming back down to the cabin. I am physically and emotionally exhausted, I don't even know if I will have the energy to eat when Lexi brings me food, was my last thought before I drifted off to sleep.

Lexi woke me a little while later and made sure I ate a few bites, then left me for the evening, and I quickly fell back to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up and still felt like crap, but I have things to do. It is time to go visit Luke, I am still upset about yesterday so why not take it out on him.

I did have to sneak out my window again, but I made it to Luke's cell without running into anyone. Here goes nothing, I enter as I knock on the door. "Hi Luke, did you miss me?" And I just get another evil glare in response. "No, so you haven't given any thought to what I said?"

"It isn't possible." He said with hatred.

He has been thinking about it, "How can you be so sure?" I ask him.

"If it were possible to take the abomination out of me the Restorers would have found a way to do it a long time ago." He said with confidence.

"Ha that is interesting, this abomination is not something the Restorers even understand." I say abomination with air quotes of course, "You can't find a way to shut off or remove something you don't understand."

"I am done talking to you demon." He spit at me as he said. "I will not discuss the impossible with you!"

"Actually, that is good, because no matter how much you try you cannot shut out what I am about to say." I took a seat across from Luke and started in, "the problem with taking your gift away from you," he grunted at the use of gift, "is that it is a part of your soul. If it is to be removed it will take a piece of your soul with it. You may not believe this, but I have spoken with the lord of fire on your behalf."

He looked at me with loathing, "You have spoken to the lord of Fire? More likely you have been speaking to a demon that wishes to take power for himself."

I shrug my shoulders, "You can call him whatever you wish, but if you ever meet him and call him that you probably won't live to take your next breath. So, trust me he really is someone you don't ever want to meet, but he is required to take your fire, but I can tell you I don't know if he will do it. I asked him if he could take away or shut off your fire and the conversation didn't really go well."

"So, you truly believe it isn't possible to remove my fire?" He questioned with skepticism.

"I believe it is, I just have to convince Aedus to do it." I said.

"Aedus?" Luke questioned.

"That is the lord of fires name." Finally, there is a little bit of hope in his eyes. Now I just have to be able to get Aedus to help with this.

"Did he actually say he can do it?" Luke asked with the care he had said anything any time I had spoken with him.

"He didn't actually say he could, but he said he was the only one that could help me with this." I explained.

Luke sat forward and asked. "So, what do I have to do?"

"Wow, you really have been thinking about this haven't you? You are actually being decent." I tried to caution him, "but if we take your power it will take a piece of your soul. We can just shut your powers off instead, so you will not be able to feel it or access it."

Luke shook his head no, "that part of my soul is a taint anyway, shutting them off would still leave me an abomination. I want them gone completely if it is possible." He replied without conviction.

He really doesn't think it can be done but has a small hope that maybe I am right. "Ok, I am going to have to see if I can get Aedus to come help us."

"How long is that going to take?" He asked with fake amusement.

"About thirty seconds if he is willing." Luke just gave me a crazy look. "I can step outside and contact him, or I can do it right here. Somehow, they can talk to me in my head. Would you like me to leave while I try?" Why am I being so nice to someone that wants to see me dead, and telling him information he doesn't need to know about me?

"Here is fine." He said as he sat back with a look like he was just waiting for me to make a fool of myself.

"Aedus? Aedus, I know you can hear me. Aedus?" I swear he is such a jack ass. "Aedus please, I need your help."

"I am aware child."

"Oh, you are..." I asked with scorn.

"Careful," Aedus said, "you are the one requesting my help.

Right, stay focused Kenna, "Ok, will you please come join us?"

"No," was his quick reply.

"What?" I asked in shock, after all this crap he tells me no!

"That creature with you absolute abhors his gifts why should I ever grace his presents." Aedus replied with hate.

I signed and said, "I need your help please. It isn't for him it is for me."

"I did not say I would not help you," Aedus said gently, "but I will not join you in that room."

"He will not come Luke." I said quickly.

"That is because he doesn't exist. You are nothing but a liar and a demon." Luke spat quickly.

Luke probably didn't think I noticed, but he also deflated as he called me names, inside he was hoping this would all work.

I held my hands up, "but he said he would help me he just will not come."

"How am I supposed to believe you? You are an abomination and all you did was sit in that chair like you were meditating." He said as he turned away from me.

"You don't have to believe me, you just have to be willing to allow for whatever Aedus is about to tell me needs done to remove your gift." I answered simply.

"Really? And what exactly is that?" He said without turning back to look at me.

Man, I am really not liking this guy, if this wasn't to also help out my family by protecting them from him I would walk out now. "You know what, I have changed my mind. Why on earth should I help you with this? I will be seeing you Luke." And I just got up and started walking out the door, of course hoping he would change his mind. I almost had the door shut and figured I would have to try again another day, when Luke decided to speak up.

"You will help me with this because you also get something out of it." Luke said in reflection, "If you take the fire away from me then you protect your family from me."

"Aha, you are right." I agreed as I came back in, "but that could also be remedied by allowing your death."

"You have yet to kill anyone in this entire endeavored, I do not believe you have it in you to kill someone." He said with confidence.

"Yet you think I am the devil incarnate. If that is true wouldn't I easily be able to kill you and do nothing to help you?" That made him pause, but only for a second.

"I will concede that a part of you might be good, but there is evil in you and that is starting to take over you. I know you are using your abilities and that is feeding the evil within you." He said with certainty.

"This is not getting us anywhere, are you willing to try and allow us to take the fire from you?" I asked on a huff.

"I am, what do we need to do?" He agreed as he turned back to me.

"Ok Aedus, he is ready. Can you take the fire from him?"

"No"

"I thought you were going to help me?" I asked in frustration.

"I am, but I am not taking his fire from him you are."

"What? How?" I stammered, "I don't know how to do that."

"You listen," Aedus questioned, "are you capable of doing that?"

"Yes Aedus," I said begrudgingly, "I am sorry, what do I need to do?"

"Place the hand I put my mark on to his forehead."

"I need to touch you. I have to place my hand on your forehead is that okay?" I asked Luke with caution.

"I can live with that." He agreed.

I walked over and placed my hand with Aedus' flame on his forehead.

"Now you must search out his flame."

"What do you mean search out his flame?"

"Close your eyes and feel with your senses for his flame. You will be able to feel it."

"You want me to close my eyes with this psycho?"

"I will not allow him to hurt you." Aedus assured me.

"Ok what happens once I find his flame?" I questioned.

"You are going to capture it and draw it out of him and into yourself."

"What! I don't want his flame."

"Calm down child, his flame is not tainted, and if you choose not to keep it you don't have to."

"Ok, here goes nothing."

I closed my eyes and started trying to feel for the flame. Deep breaths, I can feel myself. I can feel my earth, water, wind and fire. Wait there is another flame, it is very faint, nothing like the flame within me. I allow myself to follow the light to the smaller flame, my fire is like a raging inferno this other flame is no more than a candle flame. Aedus said to capture the flame, how do I capture the flame? I'll try drawing it into myself, which is working. I have it, okay now what do I do with it? I can't just release it, I guess I can try and draw it within my flame. Ha there it is, it is within my flame but I can still distinguish the new flame, so I can remove it.

Aedus did I do it?

You did child, be careful with this ability. You can handle the flame but taking the power from someone else can be very tempting.

Thanks Aedus, I don't believe that is a problem I am going to have.

"Luke can you tell a difference?" His eyes are as wide as they go. Something must have happened. "Luke can you hear me? Hello Luke?"

"It's um it's gone."

"What?" Luke turned to me in wonder.

"It is gone Kenna, I can no longer feel it within me." He exclaimed!

Wow that is the first time he has called me by my name. Won't last long once he wraps his head around the idea of being normal, but I will take it. "Luke I will leave you now, but I have one more thing I think you should think about."

"What is that?" He said snidely, and the ass is back.

"You are no longer like me or my kind, but the Restorers will never believe that to be true. If the guys ever decide to let you go my advice is go and start a new life. Stay out of this fight." I try and tell him.

"You just don't want me to tell them anything I learn here." He says with venom.

"If that is what you choose to believe that is your choice. But think on this. If they do manage to kill me and destroy my line who are the next ones they are going after? I know before you were fine with your death being the end of this journey for you, but you no longer have your fire. Are you still prepared to die in the end because they will not believe you are cleansed in their eyes? With that I will leave you Luke, I hope to never see you again," and I turned and walked out of his cell.

"Aedus am I supposed to be this tired? I feel completely drained by this."

"It is something else your body has to get used to. You went into his soul and took out his fire. What you did is not an easy task."

"I don't want to make my body used to that. What do I do now? How do I get rid of his flame?"

"You do not wish to keep it?"

"I do not."

"Go within yourself and draw it back out. I will take it from you."

I did as Aedus said and it actually made me feel better to not have anything of Luke within me.

"Thank you Aedus, I truly appreciate your help in this."

"As you should child."

Yep, still don't like that guy. But at least it made me tired enough I don't have the energy to still be mad at Jake. Oh crap, speak of the devil, that is him coming into the dungeon, and he saw me coming out of Luke's cell.

"What the hell do you think you are doing with the prisoner?" Jake questioned.

"Jake, I don't have the energy for this, and I have been visiting the prisoners all week." I said as I tried to walk past him.

He grabbed me by the arm and turned me back towards him, "You have been visiting the other two prisoners, not him. He hates you and everything you are, why would you take that risk?"

"It wasn't a risk for me, and I don't take orders from you Jake." I said as I took my arm away from him. A"s a matter of fact you are more of a subordinate to me than anything, so why don't you stop trying to run the entire show. Dictator is not your place."

"Me your subordinate, are you serious. If it weren't for me, you and Aidan would be dead already." Jake shot back.

"But as I recall Granny is the one to bring your family into this, and you are supposed to stay in the shadows, not right in my face!" I screamed right back at him.

"I AM IN YOUR FACE BECAUSE I HAD TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!" Jake shouted.

"DULY NOTED AND I HAVE ALREADY THANKED YOU FOR THAT. YOU ARE NOT MY BOSS, FATHER, UNCLE OR BROTHER, AND IN NO WAY DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DICTATE MY LIFE!"

"I HAVE TO, YOU SURE AS HELL DON'T KNOW HOW TO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE!"

I didn't even feel my hand move until I saw it smack Jake right in the face. I have never hit anyone in my life! I can't stay here and listen to whatever else he has to say, I can't do this anymore! I took off running, and I can hear Jake calling me but there is no way I am stopping to talk to him now. This has gone way too far.