Chapter twenty-three

[Val's POV]

"You look horrible," I blatantly noted as Derrek entered my apartment and kissed the side of my head.

"Thanks, you look beautiful." He smirked as he fell heavily onto the sofa beside me. For the past week I would find Derrek looking over the same water damaged books, reading the same things and trying to make out what was barely legible. After he explained to me how he managed to retrieve the books I brought my dad's books to his apartment and we both would read over them, hopefully trying to connect some sort of information.

To be honest, I didn't want to. I didn't want to know more about Stingers and try to understand them. In all honesty I wanted to get as far away from them and anything to do with them as possible, with the exception of my dad's books – but that was more for sentimental purposes than actually finding information. I would find myself just staring at the words, not really seeing them, because I just couldn't handle the thought of their abilities. It made me wonder too much about the abilities that were forced on me last year, the feel of hatred and rage that seemed to come along with it. I tried to forget about how I had even used them, and the thought of the pain that I seemed to like causing someone else.

I gulped and took a deep breath. I looked up to see a slight crease between Derrek's eyebrows as he re-read the History book once again. I could, and yet couldn't, understand why he'd want to know as much as he could about the history of the Abled and even Stingers themselves, but not to the point that he had to pour over the books every day. He said he felt as though something was missing, but to me the 'something missing' was Malum's mind. Malum had completely lost the plot and that was the reason all this was happening, not from something in the past.

"Derrek... maybe you should just give up looking through these books? Even for tonight. I feel like we never get to spend actual time together. All this time spent on reading about the Stingers is making me sick." I said softly. It was true too, the thought of Stingers made me slightly nauseous.

Derrek looked up, his eyes seeming a little blurred out, then gave his head a little shake. He pulled an apologetic face and shut the book with a snap. "Sorry Tadpole, I just can't help the feeling that-"

"...something's missing. I know." I smiled grimly, "But we've gone over new and old information and there's nothing to connect to Malum and why he'd want to create the Deviants or even why he seems intent on getting to me. It's been days since we've heard anything from Mr Obsidian about Malum, maybe the scout returned to him and they decided it wasn't worth it...?" That I wasn't worth it, I silently added in my head.

The look that flitted across Derrek's eyes made it obvious he didn't believe that for a second, but he nodded anyway and lightly tossed the books onto the coffee table. "Let's for a walk. Get some fresh air."

Ever since the Deviant was spotted lurking in the forest, Mr Obsidian had banned anyone from leaving the campus. He discouraged walking the campus alone if it could be helped, and I would occasionally see him popping his head into some of our classes before leaving again without a word. Derrek and I took the stairs down instead of the elevator and walked in comfortable silence. As we continued to walk down soft echoes reached our ears and we slowed our steps, curiously listening to what seemed like an angry whispered discussion.

"-worked for us! Why, why do you keep refusing to do the same for her?!" Cameron's familiar voice angrily questioned.

"For two main reasons, Cameron. One, when we transported you all with us from the Stinger hideout back here we didn't do it consciously. It was a matter of pure adrenaline and we aren't even sure if we can do it again without something terrible happening to her." Chimera's voice replied sternly.

"We came back here fine!" Cameron disagreed a little hesitantly.

"The other reason," Evanesce's voice added, ignoring Cameron, "Is that she is dangerous. Don't give me that look Cameron, you know it to be true. She nearly killed you. She is dangerous and even if we could transport her here, we wouldn't-!"

A sudden loud thud echoed up the staircase followed by a choked squeal and feminine shouts. Derrek and I quickly shared a look and ran down the stairs two at a time before finding Cameron holding Evanesce by the wall with his hand against her sternum. His eyes were blazing as he lowered his head to stare straight at Evanesce as Chimera's useless hits on his back didn't faze him. He refused to let them get close to each other rendering their abilities useless.

"Cara. Is. Not. Dangerous." He whispered angrily. "She is peaceful. She is shy. She hates her abilities and the only reason you think otherwise is because of a psychotic maniac!"

"She was our friend too, Cameron." Evanesce spat.

"Well, some friend you are! You have the means to get her back here but you refuse to do it! If you were a real friend you'd do everything you could to save her!"

"Cameron!" Derrek shouted sternly slowly walking towards Cameron. Cameron's head snapped to us and his jaw tightened. "Are you okay Evanesce?"

Evanesce stood straight behind Cameron's hand, no emotion showing, but nodded stiffly. "I'm fine. Cameron is not really hurting me."

Derrek nodded and turned back to Cameron. "Come on, man, let her go. She doesn't mean any harm."

Cameron didn't move. He didn't move to let Evanesce go but he didn't retaliate aggressively either. Chimera and I stood to the side, not knowing what to do. I knew that Cameron was suffering emotionally from Cara being captured and taken over by Malum, but I had no idea that he would stoop to going behind everyone's back to try and have the shadow girls transport her here... especially when she was dangerous, just like Evanesce had said.

"Don't make me make you let her go..." Derrek warned, his sharp gaze not wavering from Cameron's.

I watched as Derrek's words seemed to have triggered Cameron's anger more and in a split second I saw Cameron's free hand tighten to a fist and went to turn towards Derrek. I swung my arm into a high arc and swooped it down, using the moisture trapped in the staircase to create an ice wall between Cameron and Derrek, then with my other hand mimicked the same move to create an ice wall between Cameron and Evanesce, separating his hand from her chest and blocking anyone from getting hurt.

Evanesce slid away towards Chimera and together they swirled around, darkened and turned into a shadow again before flying into a shadowy corner and disappearing with a howl. This all happened within a few seconds and as soon as the shadow disappeared Cameron's fist made hard contact with the ice wall between him and Derrek, shattering it down the stairs.

He was breathing heavily and moisture blurred his eyes. He looked like a broken man and I felt my heart break for him. "Cameron..." I said quietly, raising a hand towards him.

"Just don't, Val..." He replied softly, then stooped down the stairs.

I slashed my hand through the air and the wall of ice and remaining shattered ice melted to water. "I can't believe Cameron would ask that of Chimera and Evanesce."

"I guess it's lucky for us that they are definitely on our side then... if they were still being controlled by Malum that would've been a perfect opportunity for him to get her in without any problems." Derrek replied.

I nodded and couldn't help but remember the pleading in Cameron's voice as he overlooked any danger to everyone else in the campus just to have Cara away from Malum. "Should we tell someone?" I wondered aloud, already sure what the answer would be.

"No, somehow that kind of information would be leaked to The Control and the Elementals are barely safe from judgement from them as it is. Sicilianna would have a field day knowing what Cameron just tried to do!"

That was so true. My mind wondered to the bits and pieces of readable history about the newly formed Control from the books upstairs and couldn't help wonder if our Control now was any different from the one that started the government all those years ago. They had changed the laws that the Abled kings had in place for centuries because there had been a massive shift in history. Now it was happening again, yet, instead of altering laws or creating new ones. The Control of this generation is sticking rigidly to laws that cannot be applied to Elementals or even Deviants because they were completely different to Ableds.

My head was hurting. It was a good thing it was the weekend because I absolutely refused to do any homework or studying. It was bleak for Mr Obsidian to think that trying to act normal and have classes go as normally as possible would make everyone forget that we could be attacked any moment, all depending on whether Malum deemed it the right time or not.

The next time Derrek and I saw Cameron between classes he was walking with his hands in his pockets with his head down. "Cameron!" I called out. When he didn't look up I called his name again only to see him quicken his pace. I sighed, he'd been avoiding us as much as he could but I really wanted to talk to him about what had happened in the stairwell.

"He doesn't want to talk to anyone." Bree, Sophia and Helena walk up next to me and Bree nodded towards where Cameron disappeared around a corner. "He knows the danger that could've happened if Cara was magically transported here, but I think it reminds him of when he and Cara were separated when we were all captured by Malum down in the caves."

"But I'm not angry at him, I just want to talk to him. He needs someone to talk to don't you think? All his pent up anger and depression can't be good for him." I replied.

"He'll come around, Val. Just let him handle it how he can until he wants to talk about it. There's not much else we can do." Bree shrugged.

"This weather is crazy isn't it?" Blake piped in as he joined us. He was staring outside at the overflowing lake and dark forest as the rain slashed brutally as it had been for weeks now. "Wait... what are they doing?"

We all turned to look outside where Blake was staring out, just undercover, protected from the lashing rain Mr Obsidian was talking to the shadow who would nod slowly every once in a while. The dean nodded and gestured to the forest, looking back at the shadow as it nodded again. With a final nod the shadow turned and quickly flew through the rain, across the fields and into the forest where it disappeared into the darkness.

"What is Mr Obsidian making the shadow girls do?" Helena wondered out loud.

"I don't know, but looks like The Control are wondering the same thing too." I noted as I watched Sicilianna storm up to the dean followed by the other three and jab angrily at where the shadow disappeared. The conversation between them seemed tense and if the sparks of fire flickering from Sicilianna's shoulders were anything to go by then I would've guessed that she definitely didn't agree with whatever Mr Obsidian was up to. After a furious ten minutes Sicilianna stormed away when it looked as though Tatiana, Marco and Gabriel wouldn't take sides and the rest of them slowly dispersed.

"Now I'm really curious as to what Mr Obsidian is up to..." Derrek pondered.

The rest of us moved away from the window and started towards our next class. Derrek, Helena and I were no longer attending the Elementals Skills classes and had been allowed to go back to our own Skills classes. I shook out my hands and readied myself for the lesson, Ms Flumine may seem calm and gentle but due to our circumstances now she had added so much pressure on the students and by the end of her classes I was barely able to walk. Thankfully, because of the ongoing rain Water-ableds were stronger than normal and I recovered quickly. Derrek and the other Fire-ableds, however, were suffering greatly from it.

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A/N

Dear readers,

I have joined Inkitt in the hopes of widening my book exposure and sharing my stories with more of the book-addicted on a new platform! I have unpublished my last few chapters on Wattpad after many years and have published them on Inkitt for free. I will add the link to continue reading these last few chapters in the comments. I honestly hope you will continue to support me and my ever lasting wish to publish these books into a real physical book one day. I will also add the link in my bio.

So much love and thanks!

Nix <3