227 P.F.

Ava gripped the radio her father gave her for emergencies tightly in her hand. Her eyes darted from Gideon to the tree line. His demeanor had shifted ever since she confronted him.

He better not be messing with me. She thought to herself as she recalled the goofy duck he had done when she called his name. She set her jaw and narrowed her eyes as her thumb ran over the groove of her radio button. There was also that fake warning to watch out when there was nothing there.

“If this is a joke Gideon, then it’s not a funny one.”

He looked back at her exacerbated. “I know you can’t see them yet, but I swear to you that I’m not lying!”

Ava pursed her lips in consideration. “If you’re truly certain, then stick close to me. My dad will rescue us.”

Gideon recoiled at the suggestion and looked all around her as if disgusted by the mere suggestion of her father providing help. Anger boiled up within Ava at his response.

“Is getting help from my family such a big deal?”

Gideon continued his walk backwards breaking eye contact with her while keeping his distance. “It’s not a big deal… You’re just uncomfortable to be around right now.”

Ava bristled at his comment.

“Uncomfortable!?” She hissed.

Gideon blinked at her and remarked, “That’s not what I meant. You’re marked.”

“What…?” Ava said. “What do you mean marked?”

Gideon hesitated under his retreat. He seemed to be weighing and choosing his words carefully to Ava. Finally, he sighed as he said, “I can see the vitava flows already. At least, I think it’s vitava. Right now, whatever is out there.” He pointed off into the distance while looking into her eyes. “Whatever those things are. They have their jagged flow all over you.”

Ava stopped following Gideon and cupped the radio close to her chest. She shivered in disgust at the idea of being covered in some unseen flow from what Gideon had described. A tremor threatened to break her voice as she said, “You’re lying. You must be lying. You’re too young to be able to work with and sense the vitava. Father said we wouldn’t even be able to sense the vitava until puberty. You must be lying!”

Gideon gestured for her to calm down and lower her voice. “Shh. Peace. I’m not lying.”

He looked around Ava towards several trees warily before looking her in the eyes. His tone dropped down a level as he said, “I’m telling you the truth. They’re closing in on us. We need to-”

A piercing howl cut through the night air eliciting a shriek from Ava and a curse from Gideon. Instinctively, she pressed down on the emergency radio sending out the signal.

Three short chirps and a long beep echoed out from her palm.

Ava looked from her radio up to Gideon. “Hurry! If they’re coming, then you need to be holding onto me!”

Gideon looked at her with a confused expression before he asked, “Why? What do you mean?”

“You claim to be able to see the vitava but you know nothing about actual summoning magic!” Ava shook her head in disbelief and reached a hand out to Gideon. “We don’t have time for this. Get over here!”

She could already feel the flows flooding into her body, a pure sense of life filling her. “It’s happening! Grab on before it’s too late!”

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Gideon pulled back from her outstretched hand. He glanced up into her eyes with fear and then down to her shoes.

“They’re tying you down…” Gideon muttered. “Whoever is summoning you has their vitava tangled up with them…”

Ava blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

But then she felt it. A jerking motion from the life energy flooding into her. There would be a pull followed by a jolt like a line going taught before settling down. Pull. Jolt. The sensation was sickening. She looked up back at Gideon who was no longer looking at her.

Instead, he was now looking past her into the trees. She turned around to follow his gaze. An icy cold wave crawled down her spine as her eyes settled upon a pack of red leathery skinned hounds or wolves. She wasn’t sure which they would qualify as.

She whirled around and saw that Gideon was already back pedaling. He stopped for a moment as their eyes met. Tears threatened to burst forth from her.

He’s the faster runner. I won’t make it if he leaves me.

He seemed to see the fear washing over her face and screamed, “Run!”

His command broke her momentary paralysis. She squeezed her eyes shut to clear the dampness from her vision and ran.

He waited a moment and gave her a wide birth as she ran past him. Oh no. He was telling the truth. I really must be covered in their vitava. We’re going to die!

Panic pumped adrenaline into her system. The moisture in her mouth seemed to vanish as her heart thumped loudly in her ears. The two of them were running side by side.

Howls chased after them in the dark. The pounding of feet and paws echoed through the night as they ran for their lives. Gideon’s face was twisted with anguish and fear as he looked over his shoulder while keeping pace with her.

“Run faster!”

She gasped for air. I’m running as fast as I can!

She kept smashing the emergency radio hoping against hope that she would be rescued. Another surge of energy flowed into her as the growling howls of their pursuers grew closer.

Again, she felt the pull of a summons.

Again, the summons was blocked.

She let out a cry of frustration as the yapping and howling sounded as though they were right on her heels.

“I don’t want to die!” Ava screamed.

Her vision became a blur as something impacted her knocking her down onto the ground. A spike of pain from her side flared throughout her mind. A howling scream echoed above her as Gideon quivered in pain.

She blinked away her painful tears. A third wave of energy flowed into her, filling her with a wonderful blend of joy spiked with her adrenaline. She gasped at the euphoric feeling as she reached out for Gideon.

Her hand seemed to stretch out for eternity, never getting closer to Gideon. She could feel the pull of the summons working this time. A tipping point had been reached. She felt herself pulled into a void of darkness before reality popped back into existence depositing her onto a marble floor.

She gasped in deep breaths of air as one of her family’s summoners shouted in joy, “We got her!”

Footsteps rushed to her side as hands grasped her shoulders to pick her up.

“Miss! Are you injured?” Shouted one of the men.

Hands moved about her checking for signs of injury as Ava tried to process everything that had happened.

“I’m… I’m fine.” Ava whispered. “Maybe a bruised side from…”

Her eyes darted up in fear. “He was left behind!”

“Who?”

“Gideon! Gideon was left behind when we were attacked-”

“Prepare the response team.” Boomed a voice from across the entryway to her family’s summoning room. There stood the grizzled commander under the employ of the Mercer family, Garret.

He strode forward as the guards scrambled out of his way. His gray eyes bore down on her before he made his best attempt at a comforting smile. “Don’t worry Miss Mercer. The signal has been sent to your father. His summons for the response team should follow shortly. Rescue is on the way.”

She nodded her head in response to his words as her eyes traveled down to the toes of her shoes. She grabbed her legs with her arms tightly and curled up into a ball. Her imagination ran wild with what could be happening every second they delayed.

He’s dead…

Someone gently guided her to her feet and walked her out of the summoning room. She vaguely recalled guards gearing up with her family’s hunting rifles.

If only I was faster…

At some point she had been escorted into the kitchen of their estate. A steaming cup of tea sat on the table before her. She stared vacantly as someone placed a blanket around her shoulders.

If only I hadn’t hesitated…

She absentmindedly reached out for the tea. She focused on the warmth radiating from the cup. She sipped gingerly at the soothing brew.

I should have left him alone. Maybe he would have run away sooner had I not been there. I should have listened to everyone else and just left it alone. She worked her way through her thoughts with sips of her tea. He was cheating though. Using the vitava already at his age is just not fair.

She blinked at her last thought. Why am I like this?

She pushed away the tea and pulled the blanket tighter around herself. What’s wrong with me!?

She sank in on herself and tried to make herself as small as possible. I hate this feeling. I don’t want to be useless. Never again.

She stared darkly at the cooling teacup in front of her.