Chapter 8 - Odikinesis: The ability to manipulate feelings and emotions of war

Janes' POV

I woke up early to go find Edur. I trusted him to know the weapons around here really well. “Edur!” I yelled. He screamed like a little girl and fell into a pile of trash.

“Jane?! What in the name of darkness!?” I helped him up.

“I need to ask you something.” He groaned.

“At this hour?” He rubbed his eyes.

“Do you recognize this?” I handed him the arrow and he chuckled.

“These get shot at me all the time.” He said, running his hands along the head of the arrow. “Can I keep it?” I rolled my eyes.

“Sure, just tell me who’s arrow that is.” He raised an eyebrow.

“It’s just an Ironside arrow, so could be anyone who lives on this Island I guess.” I exhaled, I figured as much.

“Well consider it a gift.” I turned around, as he smiled. I needed to go find Con.

Cons' POV

I lingered in my house for a while before my paranoia got the better of me and I ran into town to see if I could find Jane. She was out in the open walking towards me, it was as if she was daring someone to attack her. She nodded her head to my right, and I followed her into the healing house. “Is everything okay?” I asked as she shook her head.

“That arrow could have belonged to anyone, I have no leads, Conrad I think I’m going to leave this island first thing tomorrow-”

“What?!” I practically screamed, she frowned. “You can’t leave now,” I whispered. She shrugged.

“The person trying to kill me should follow me off this island-”

“Why would you want that?” She smiled.

“Because then no one will get hurt, I can’t have you all dying because of me-”

“What about Dark Well, there are people there too.” She sighed.

“But I know Blacklock, the only people there that I care about are behind castle walls, and trust me when I say, they don’t need my protection.” I frowned.

“Jane, I want you to be safe, I will never sleep again knowing you’re out there either dead or alive.” She reached over to hold my cheek, I leaned into her touch.

“You are my family Conrad, Neve, Tristan, Valery, even Edur.” I chuckled. “If I’m putting you in danger being here, I’m going to leave.”

Janes' POV

I ran my thumb over his cheekbone and looked into those golden eyes, sighing as I stood up. “I’ll come back for you, all of you, after I get this taken care of.” He gripped my hand.

“I won’t let you!” I raised an eyebrow.

“Let me?” He stood up and looked down at me.

“Jane, you are the biggest pain in my ass, but one of the only ones, I can’t lose you, not now.”

“I have to go.” I walked outside, he quickly followed.

“No, wait!” I ran off, I couldn’t change my mind, I couldn’t play with their lives, they aren’t mine.

Cons' POV

I shook my head, I didn’t want her to leave. “Hey, bastard!” I turned to be hit in the face with water, it burned my face, I was crippled to the ground. Diomedes grabbed me. “I’ve been waiting all day to get you alone, without Jane or Tristan here as your bodyguards.” I shook my head, it was finally happening, Diomedes was going to kill me. He dropped me to the ground and kicked me in the side, I felt my blood come out of my nose and mouth, he punched me in the face, and my vision lit up all white. “Nothing to say?” He laughed. I choked standing up, and spit on his shoes.

“I imagined this moment being better,” I said. He growled at me and gave a signal with his hand.

“Con look out!” I side-stepped and an arrow split my side open, Tristan came running over. I fell to my knees. “Father stop!” Tristan screamed, hitting the guards, they grabbed him. “Con!” He screamed.

“Take him to the great hall, I’ll talk to him later,” Diomedes ordered. A few men gagged him and took him away, I knew Diomedes would never hurt him. Diomedes leaned down and pulled me up by my hair. “I saw Jane fix Valery after I sent her to kill you, then save you from my arrow.” My eyes widened, and I glared at him. Jane was never the danger, she was in danger because of me, not the other way around. “Pretty one isn’t she, too bad she has to go-”

“Leave her alone.” I gasped. He laughed.

“Or what.” I was losing consciousness fast, my fire had already died out. “Go get Jane, I want him to see me kill her,” Diomedes said. I couldn’t even hold my eyes open. I was dragged to the outside of town, and thrown in the mud, I let my last tears fall, knowing I couldn’t save anyone.

Janes' POV

I paced in the woods, Con was right, what if they didn’t follow me, and ended up hurting them and I couldn’t fix it. I heard a small splash, and laughter, I hid behind a tree and looked over a barrel to see two men walking away, I frowned, I got closer and saw a hand in the mud, my eyes widen, I dropped to my knees in the mud, two orange eyes stared back at me, my eyes watered. “Con?” My voice shook, he focused on my face, his face filled with panic.

“Diomedes.” He said. I shook my head.

“He did this to you?” I cradled his head, he blinked.

“Tristan’s in trouble-” He coughed up blood. “You have to run-” He started coughing again. I held my finger to his lips.

“I understand, don’t talk, I’m going to fix this.” He blinked again and my vision turned cloudy. I folded my arms under him and lifted him slowly. I could barely hold him, I took slow, shaky steps into the forest, I set him down, behind a hill in a small valley, He grabbed my hand. “If you die on me, I swear to Crepuscular I will kill you in your next life,” I said. “Focus on the tree, don’t you dare close your eyes, do you understand?” He nodded, I ripped my jacket and tied it around his abdomen. “Don’t lose focus,” I said, backing away. I had to find Neve, Edur, and Valery.

I ran out and to Tristan’s house, Diomedes' men were everywhere, I saw a streak of blue and followed the dress over to a tree, Neve sat there reading a book, I grabbed her wrist.

“Jane?-” I covered her mouth and she ran with me.

“You have to find Valery and Edur right now!” I whispered. She looked me up and down. “Neve now, don’t let any of Diomedes' men see you, go!” I stared her in the eyes so deep I could see her fear-ridden soul. She nodded. “See that hill, meet me on the other side.” She took off, her shoes left at my feet.

I ran back to Con. I stopped at a window in the healing house and jumped in, I had to find Terra fast. I rounded a corner, blood pooled at my feet, Terra’s brown hair was matted to her forehead, and her head was dented in. I wanted to throw up, she was dead. I shook my head, I followed my mud trail and burned it leaving no trace.

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“Con?” He shifted his gaze to me, I shakily exhaled. “This is going to hurt.” I grabbed my knife handle and broke it off. I wrapped it in cloth and put it in his mouth, so he didn’t bite his tongue or scream. I grabbed his arm and pulled, he jerked as his arm landed back in the socket.

“Jane?!” I heard Valery yell, I stood up and the three of them came over, they gasped when seeing Con. “What?!-”

“Diomedes tried to kill Con, and he took Tristan, I need you to hijack a ship to get us out of here.” I pointed to Valery. “Then we're gonna go get Tristan if you trust me at all you will go now!” Valery was like me, she knew, she slowly backed away. I grabbed Edur’s hand and pushed it into Con’s side. “Keep pressure here.” I grabbed Neve. “Rip your dress, we need to wrap him up.” Neve surprised me when she removed her entire skirt to reveal pants.

“Always ready to run.” She said, I smiled.

After about an hour of fixing him up, he was becoming stable, even though he passed out from the pain. Valery returned saying she has a small ship enough to get us to Dove Shire. I felt for Con’s pulse again. I nodded to Edur, he lifted him. “Remember to keep an eye on him, don’t let him get up, and when you get to the ship-” Neve stopped me with her hand.

“We’ve got it, he’ll be fine.” Valery showed them the way, as I felt stiff, this was all my fault.

“I know they're in the great hall,” Valery said. “I heard people at the docks talking about an emergency meeting there, probably to find and kill us.” I sighed.

“Okay, you grab Tristan while I distract them-”

“That’s suicide for you-”

“Valery, this is my fault, and we don’t have time to argue.” She nodded slowly. “Get him to the ship, if I don’t show in twenty minutes, leave without me, head to Dark Well, and at the border tell them you know Jane Stevens and need to talk to Jon Stevens, they’ll let you in.” She nodded again, I grabbed my sword.

“Truly you are the bravest person I will ever know.” I nodded, as I felt my eyes water. I jumped into the open.

“Hey, heard you were looking for me!” I yelled, Diomedes was nowhere to be seen, probably out looking for me himself, I saw Tristan look up and he was tied to the wall. His face was red from crying. All the men turned to me. “Really, no reaction!” I lit my sword on fire. That got their attention, probably what Diomedes told them about me, they jumped up.

“It’s her, get her!” I stabbed the first guy that ran at me in the gut, I pushed him over and used his body as a shield, a sword impaled his head, stopping inches before my face. I saw Tristan run out the back with Valery, I smiled. No more holding back.

Cons' POV

My whole body burned, as I was set on a bed. “Jane?” My voice was raspy.

“No I’ll give him the water, you look out for Valery and Tristan.” I tried to move, as I heard the door close. “Con it’s Edur, I’ll give you ice not water, open your mouth.” I listened to him, it evaporated in my mouth. “You’re going to be okay.”

“Where’s Jane?” I asked as he exhaled.

“Her and Valery are going to get Tristan, they’ll be fine-” I quickly sat up, Edur grabbed my shoulders. “Woah!”

“They're going to die!” I screamed, Neve ran in and grabbed my other arm. “I have to help them!-”

“There’s nothing you could do!” Neve shouted, that’s when I really felt my pain, my side felt like it leaked my very soul. I fell back to the bed. “It’s okay, sleep Con.” I blinked several times and my eyelids gave out.

Janes' POV

I inhaled, I had never used my powers on this scale before, but it came easier than I expected. “I will burn you into Crepuscular’s lap myself!” I screamed, fire came pouring out of my arms in waves, I saw red, the sound of their screaming made me more powerful, I felt a cold presence climb up my back; Water, I panicked, I was hit in the back of the head, I felt ropes being tied around my body, my body screamed, the water felt like needles made out of shards of glass.

“Get Diomedes, he won’t believe us!” Someone yelled. I thrashed, I couldn’t let anyone know. A sword sliced down the side of my face.

“We tried to do this the easy way, killing Con nice and clean but you wouldn’t have it now he will die slowly.” I grit my teeth, they were after Con this whole time not me.

“You’re a demon!” He lifted my head. “Yet you couldn’t save your boyfriend.” I closed my eyes, rage built in me ready to pop me like a balloon. “No one will ever know he existed, but your bastard family will go down in history as a bunch of demons!” The fire erupted from my eyes, I burned from the ropes and used the wind to grow my fire, burning everyone in the building. I punched a hole in the sky and filled it with screams and black smoke.

“No one will ever know you existed!” I screamed, bringing the building down on top of them. I fell to the ground, I looked around and the building was gone, nothing but ashes. I quickly stood up. I had to get to the ship, I opened my coat and called the wind to push me. I tripped and stumbled, landing face first.

“Jane?!” My one good eye looked up at a blurry Neve. “You’re alive!” She hugged me, and I pushed away. “Sorry, Valery!” Valery came running down.

“Holy shit.” She grabbed one of my arms. “How did you do that? you saved us.”

“We have to leave now,” I said, they nodded, and set sail.

“Jane!” Edur said, taking me from them, my legs barely worked. “You okay?” I frowned.

“Do I look okay?” He smiled. He took me into a room.

“Jane?”

“The one and only.” I was enveloped in a hug, Tristan, his short brown hair barely reaching my chin, I heard him sobbing.

“I saw Con get beaten.” I looked up, willing the tears to stay in my eyes. “You saved him.” I cried.

“Are you okay?” I asked, he pulled away, his face was a wet mess.

“No, my father did this, he tried to kill Con.” I looked over his head to see Con wrapped up on a bed, Tristan followed my gaze and pulled me over to him. “Edur says without you Con would have died.” Edur patted my shoulder, several tears fell from my face, entering the cut, I pulled back.

“Here.” Edur grabbed a piece of fabric and wrapped my head. “Con woke up right before Tristan and Valery got here, he tried to go find you both.” I smiled, then frowned.

“You guys have to help the girls, we need to get far away from here now,” I said, Edur and Tristan put me in a chair. Edur quickly left. Tristan grabbed my hand and cried more. “It’s going to be okay, do you trust me?” I asked, He nodded and wiped his nose before going over to Con and kissing his forehead, and leaving. I pulled my chair over to the side of Con’s bed, I checked his pulse, then unwrapped his arms, they had him wrapped so tightly I thought he could barely breathe, I unwrapped his side, my sloppy stitches crossed his otherwise scar-less skin. I grabbed fresh bandages and rewrapped him, his chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. There was nothing else I could do, I looked out the small window to see if any ships were following us, I could barely see in the dark, my powers were drained. I couldn’t move the ship forward, I laid my head down on Con’s bed and gripped his hand.

Cons' POV

I tried to lift my arm but something pinned it to the bed, I opened my eyes, a slender hand grasped mine, and hair covered the persons face, I reached over and pushed the hair away and saw Jane’s beautiful face, I could’ve cried, I rubbed her hand to make sure she was real, I thought for sure she was dead. Even in the poor light, I could see her face was badly beaten and her clothes looked burned. She slowly sat up. “Jane?” She looked at me and smiled.

“Hey, handsome.” I reached over to touch her face.

“Are you real?” She laughed and reached over to touch my face.

“Did you really think I would let anyone kill me?” Tears pooled in my eyes.

“I thought you were dead.” She gripped my hand tighter.

“No, Valery got Tristan out of there, and I got out too, Everyone is fine.” She moved her chair closer to me, I kept a firm grip on her hand.

“You saved my life.”

“And yet you tried to kill yourself to come after me.” She smirked. I blushed. “I was going to offer you a home in Blacklock.” She said, my eyes widened.

“What?” She sighed.

“You, Conrad, deserve someone who values you.” I felt more tears. “And the people on that island never did, but I do.” She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I gripped her shoulders. “Con I’m so sorry, I was selfish, I thought everyone was after me, it stopped me from protecting you.” She cried. I sobbed.

“Jane you saved my life anyways, if it wasn’t for you I’d be so lost, I’m so glad you came into my life.” I sobbed, she pulled away. Her shaky hands wiped my tears away. “Jane-” A shock wave hit the ship like a punch, Jane sprang up.

“We’re under attack.”

Janes' POV

I held Con to his bed. “If you try to help, I will give you a fate worse than death, for the love of Chiffron stay here,” I said, he nodded, and I ran to the deck.

“What’s happening?!” I yelled, Edur pointed to a lone ship firing cannonballs at us. “They must have sent ships in every direction to try and find us.” Valery nodded, she turned to Tristan.

“Stay inside with Con.” She said I agreed.

“He just woke up, keep him in bed.” Tristan nodded and ran away. I saw little lights coming towards us. “Hide!” I yelled, as flaming arrows hit the ship and the mainsail, I climbed into the sails and quickly put out the fires around the ship, the wind picked up and pushed us, I added mine, we were moving much faster and further away.

“Jane, Dove shire isn’t far, we can make it there by morning at this rate!” Neve yelled. I nodded, and sat in the sails, Edur stirred, he seemed very focused.

“I can keep watch!” I yelled. “Go check on Con and Tristan.” Valery and Neve went inside. I focused my mind on the wind on the sails, and pushing other ships away, the wind seemed more powerful than ever.

Cons' POV

Tristan ran in and hugged me, we heard yelling before Valery and Neve came in. “Everything okay?” I asked they nodded.

“Edur and Jane are going to keep watch and lead us to Dove shire-” Valery said.

“Wait, Dove shire?” Tristan asked. Neve nodded.

“We have to get off the seas, Jane told me we’ll head for the Dark Well border when we get to land.” Valery continued. I sighed, traveling in Dove Shire will be very dangerous once word gets out about us.