TGoF Chapter 6

I walked away from the group and yelled over my shoulder, "Goodnight!"

I heard their responses as I shut the door softly. I walked over to my dresser and grabbed a pair of blue flannel pajamas. When I turned around I jumped back.

"You should've picked the green ones, they look better on you," Calder told me as he walked away from looking over my shoulder.

"What the heck do you want?" I hissed.

"This is gonna sound insane but..." He paused and looked up at me, "I want to explain something and apologize. I'm gonna start for saying I'm sorry. This is where the explaining comes in."

I sighed, "Apology accepted. Let me get changed first." I took my pajamas and crept down the hall to get changed in the bathroom.

When I got back Calder was sitting on my desk chair. He looked bored. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" I shrugged. I led him down to the kitchen. It felt weird without Katie shadowing me but she had took off with others in her pack to be guard dogs.

We walked in and I pointed for Calder to sit. I grabbed two mugs and poured milk into them before adding cocoa powder and microwaving them.

I was drumming my fingers on the counter to fill the silence. I felt oddly calm, even in a room with knives and other weapons while I was with who was practically my arch nemesis.

When the microwave beeped I pulled the door open and grabbed the mugs, setting them on the counter before grabbing spoons and mixing the liquid. When I was satisfied I sat across from Calder and slid him his mug.

"Thanks," he replied.

"Ok. Now explain everything."

"Well... Ok. So instead of our deaths being faked, we were kidnapped from our homes when we were five. That's how we joined The Force. We didn't choose this, and we want out," Calder began.

I raised my eyebrows, "Really? You want me to somehow get you out of... This?"

He sighed and took a sip of his drink. "What I'm saying is we're not all that bad. Who knows what Brogan, the leader, would do to us if we didn't act this way. We're forced to, get it?"

I nodded my head.

"We're actually... Pretty good people?"

"Why a question?" I pressed.

He reached towards me. I stayed rooted to my spot. He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, the strand I'd used to cover up the cut that girl gave me. He brushed his fingers over it, making me flinch. He jumped back, like he suddenly remembered the situation.

"The girl that have you that cut. She's a little rough but once you get to know her she's actually really sweet," he explained.

I grimaced, "Tell that to the stitches I almost had to get."

He nodded and gazed down at his cup. We sat there in silence and I drank my cocoa.

"Damia and the others are ok. I'm not sure what Brogan has planned but it's certainly not a vacation. Maybe a meeting?" He shrugged.

I smiled, "Thanks. They're not dead."

"Yet," Calder mumbled.

I looked at him. He was being secretive.

"Is that everything?" I asked.

"Pretty much."

"I have an idea. Come on," I told him with a grin. I grabbed his hand and tossed our mugs in the sink. Before running up to my room with Calder behind me.

I grabbed my old clothes and ran to the bathroom. I threw those on and went back to my room, throwing my pajamas on the bed and grabbing Calder.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

I laughed, "This is my thanks for the explanation and everything!" I looked back and saw Calder grinning and shaking his head, his eyes were sparkling.

We ran outside and I led him through a path I'd discovered earlier. We hiked up a little cliff I'd found on the west side of the island.

We ran up the to the top. When we stopped we both fell completely silent.

The cliff outlooked the ocean, it was beautiful. You were just above it all, with just a little flora and then a great view of the moon over the ocean.

"Do you like it?" I asked excitedly. I was on what felt like an adrenaline rush.

He grinned, "It's amazing."

"Yeah, well since you're not a bad guy who's out to kill me I can show you stuff like this... I just trust you. It's unexplainable," I responded with a smile. I was looking at the moon but I still saw Calder look at me out of the corner of my eye.

We stayed like that and watched the waves lap over the rocks in silence. Nothing but us, the sound of waves, the smell of salt water, and he glow of the moon. Until I interrupted it all by yawning.

"I should go back before they notice I'm gone... And you can't tell anyone what I said. Just know that when I come next time all of us can break the news, ok?" He asked. I nodded and he walked towards the edge of the cliff.

Before I could ask what he was doing he jumped. I rushed to the side to see him diving into the water. He resurfaced shortly after and smiled at me.

I glared at him and he laughed before swimming away, using his powers to make the water propel him also.

I walked back inside and up to my room with a small smile. For a girl who was sixteen and still hadn't had their first kiss that was pretty cool, even though Calder and I were just friends now.

When I walked into my room I changed into my pajamas and crawled back into my warm bed. I fell right asleep, I felt tired.

I woke up suddenly. I didn't know why, but something startled me. My eyes opened so fast it hurt.

I hadn't been dreaming. It was like I blinked, but in reality I'd been sleeping for hours.

Katie was still away so I got up and stumbled out of bed without her. I rubbed my eyes and stretched, same as always. I walked out into the sitting room and looked around.

I could tell the others were awake so I walked back into my room and got dressed before running down to the kitchen and grabbing a banana.

I peeled the banana and was chewing on it when I heard fighting outside. Naturally I ran out to see what the commotion was.

I was only slightly surprised to see the teenage members of The Force and The Guild fighting.

"What the heck is going on here?" I screeched.

The girls were essentially stunned as was I. Kyden was fighting Calder.

I ran up to them and pled Calder back from Kyden. When Kyden went to throw a punch at him I swept my foot under his legs so he fell backwards.

"Next person to throw a punch I will guarantee will end up worse off than the other!" I screamed. Wiped some of the blood from his nose.

When I noticed Kyden didn't look scraped up I realized it was a one sided fight and Calder was only employing self defense.

"Ok. Now everyone sit down and shut up because they," I pointed to The Force, "have somethings to say."

"Yeah! Just please let us explain and then you can kick us off your island or whatever if you don't belive us. Cassie does!" The blonde boy shouted. I nodded.

"You are coming with me," I told Kyden. He glared at Calder before following me off to the side.

"What do you want?" Kyden asked.

"I want to know what's wrong with you! You've been acting really weird lately and you've been fighting," I explained, poking him in the chest.

"You know what, forget it. I'll try and be more understanding or whatever but it's kinda hard with Damia and them it what seems like a trap," he snapped back.

"Thank you. Now listen," I told him, dragging him over to where Calder was speaking.

He basically repeated what he said last night. When he was done there was silence.

"Can we have a minute to... Talk this over?" Keb suggested. Calder and his friends nodded before walking off.

"Should we believe them?" Ana proposed.

"Yes," I answered immediately. Everyone looked at me. I shrugged, "I just feel like that little speech couldn't be faked."

"Ok... If Cassie says yes then I agree," Ana said. I smiled at her and we looked at Keb.

"I like to give everyone a chance so I say yes. What about you Kyden?"

He sighed, "Fine. If someone proves us wrong don't expect me to agree with what I just said."

I grinned and jumped up, walking over to the others, "Welcome to our home!"

They grinned and I led them over to my friends.

We went back and forth, saying our names. The dark haired girl was Terra, the red head girl was Rory, and the blonde guy was Gwyn.

"Calder, we should get back. I guarantee you Brogan knows we're missing," Rory chided.

"Whatever, Miss Know-It-All," Gwyn teased with a smile. Rory glared at him before he shouted, "Ouch! Why the heck did you burn me?"

Rory smirked, "Sorry not sorry it was an accident."

"It doesn't matter! Let's just go!" Terra shouted, pushing the two towards the small boat they came in.

"Bye guys! See ya soon Cassie!" Calder shouted as he got in the boat.

I blushed and responded with a small wave as they speed off. Calder was steering in the back of the boat with the tiller, so every now and then when you he'd turn back he'd be grinning at me. Of course my face turned as red as Kyden's hair.

"Somebody's got a crush..." Ana taunted in a singsong voice. I widened my eyes and looked at her.

"Who on who?"

"First off, that sounds dirty. Second off, obviously you and Calder in each other!" She cheered.

I scrunched up my nose, "That does sound dirty."

"Save the girl talk for when we're not here! La la la la la!" Keb requested while plugging his ears. Kyden nodded seriously at us.

"Whatever... Wimps!" Ana shouted. Kyden started chasing her around.

Then it all went downhill. Huge, dark clouds rolled in from nowhere. The day grew dark and lighting shot out in the distance flowed by thunder before rain and sleet came down in torrents.

"What's happening?" Somebody shouted. I couldn't tell who it was over the rain and the sound of us running.

"I don't know, but obviously something's wrong," Keb stated.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious," Kyden retorted.

"I said 'obviously'!" Keb bit back.

Ana looked outside through the doorway we were standing inside of, "What if... Something's happened to Damia? She is Mother Nature..."

"I'm gonna go take a shower," I told everyone before walking off. I went into my room and grabbed grey sweatpants and a tee shirt that was bright green and had some surf shop on it.

I wanted to test my poets so after I turned the water on I put it on cold. I concentrated heavily on the water for a minute before sticking my hand under it. The water was warm.

I did a little victory dance before turning the water warm without me having to concentrate and showering, my normal routine.

When I was done and dressed I threw my clothes in the hamper in my room and went downstairs to eat some soup. I found some and heated it up in the microwave before sitting at the kitchen table.

I was finishing up my soup when all of a sudden I heard the main door be flung open.

I ran through the throne room to the hallway, wielding tongs from the kitchen to protect myself. When I saw who it was a dropped the tongs, letting them clatter on the tile.

"Guys, get down to the thrown room!" I screamed to the castle before turning my attention the the problem in front of me.

Calder and Terra were holding the front corners while Gwyn and Ridy had the back corners of a stretcher with Damia on it. They were all drenched in water and Damia looked unconscious, like she was beaten into that state.

"Oh my gosh... Come on," I told them. The grunted while they hoisted the stretcher higher and awkwardly waddled into the thrown room.

"Get a blanket or something to lay her on," Ana instructed Keb and Kyden when she arrived on the scene.

A minute later Kyden and Keb arrived, one holding a soft blanket and the other holding a pillow.

We moved Damia onto the blanket and pillow on the floor while Kyden went and got her some dry clothes for when she woke up and another blanket.

"How will we treat her?" Gwyn asked.

"My sister was a doctor. She taught me a lot so I think I can take care of her..."

"Thanks. Brogan was beating info out of her," Terra paused and swallowed, "we were told to get rid of her body and dump it in the ocean so we came here."

"Good choice. Let's go get you some dry clothes," I suggested.

Rory shook her head, "Brogan will be so angry if we don't get back soon."

"You cannot go out in that weather. Say you took refuge in a cave or something. Keb, stay here and help Ana. I'll take care of them. Ok?" I instructed. Keb nodded.

The Force members thanked me but I said it was no big deal. I went to go to our rooms but passed Kyden so I stopped him.

"Is it ok if the guys borrow some of your clothes?" I asked.

"Yeah. I got bored the other day so I'm the back of my closet are some clothes that I don't think I'll wear. I'm sure there's something in there for them," he answered. I gave him a grateful smile before going to the rooms.

In my room I grabbed some tee shirts and comfy pajamas or sweat pants for the girls to wear, letting one change in my room and one in the bathroom. I did the same with the boys.

When everyone was done I hung up the wet clothes in the bathroom and we went back to where we'd left Damia.

"This storm is not going to pass for a while. Not until Damia is better at least," ana explained.

"You guys should go get lunch. I need to talk to Ana," I said after that. The guys took them to the kitchen where they made lunch.

Ana and I sat there silently before she spoke up, "Damia's in a coma. Half medically induced. She won't wake up for a day or two but she'll be in a lot of pain. She was badly tortured."

"Can I ask you a personal question?" I asked cautiously.

"My older sister was killed in a car crash two years ago. We were driving home from the store at night when a drunk driver slammed into us. We spun into a pole and it fell over the front half of the car. It killed her instantly while I lived with a concussion and a few broken bones."

I didn't know what to say so I said the thing I'd been thinking about for days, "We all have something at home that's made us stronger. Kyden's parents don't seem to be the best of people. Keb's little brother is deaf. Then you're sister."

She looked at me, "Then what's your story?"

"Rocky, my little brother, was born with a hole in his heart. I've always had to watch out for him, putting him first. He's seven and he's almost died three times," I confessed.

"I'm sorry. I can't imagine living with the fear that my brother could die so easily," Ana apologized.

I smiled at her, "Thanks. You should go get lunch. I'll watch Damia."

She understood that I kind of wanted to be alone for a bit. She shuffled into the kitchen so I was alone with the Damia.

Before I knew slow, hot tears were falling down my face. I was crying for everything. It had all just built up and talking about Rocky let the dam burst.

Things streamed through my head. Who'd watch out for Rocky? We should never have let Damia and he others go. How were the others doing? I miss home. How're my parents dealing with my "death"? These things were practically choking me.

I heard footsteps coming but I didn't look up. "I brought you food," Calder said before placing a bowl with soup in front of me. He sat down next to me, where Ana had been.

"Thanks," I choked out.

"What's wrong?" He inquired when he saw me crying. I pulled my sleeve down and wiped away my tears and sniffled before looking at him.

"When you first were taken to The Force did you ever just... Break down?" I asked, avoiding his question.

"Yes. But that doesn't answer my question."

"Lots of things. Does that answer your question?"

"Fine. Eat," he insisted.

I did eat the soup rather quickly, slurping it down. When I was done I stood up, "I think I'm gonna read. I'll be in my room." Calder nodded so I slipped into the kitchen and dumped my bowl in the sink before heading my room. I grabbed my book and got settled into my reading alcove.

I read for a while. A long time actually. I stopped when Rory poked her head in my room. "Can I talk to you?" She asked.

I put my book down and walked over to her, opening the door so she could come in. I nodded, "Sure."

"Sorry about cutting you. Brogan was watching and I forgot about wearing the ring," she apologized.

"It's fine. Calder and I actually had a little moment because of it."

"What happened?" She asked, grinning. I smiled and told her what happened that night.

"It was just a little moment," I shrugged.

"I knew he liked you! Do you like him?" She asked eagerly. I widened my eyes.

"We hardly know each other! Sure he's cute and really kind and sweet and he took the risk of explaining everything to me and me personally..." I trailed off. I bit my lip in thought.

"You two would be so cute together!" She gushed.

I blushed, "I guess."

"Well, I actually came here because we're all having a meeting and I volunteered so I could also apologize and stuff," she explained.

I nodded, "What's the meeting about?"

One word, "Brogan."

I got up and followed her to where everyone was meeting in Damia's office because it had a large table for meetings like this.

I took my seat and Gwyn began bluntly, "We need to take Brogan down."

"Duh," Terra replied, rolling her eyes.

"He's right. We also need to rescue our mentors," Ana piped in.

"Ideas?"

We were all silent, pondering Calder's questions. Keb was going to speak up at one point but stopped himself.

"What if we convinced him one of us was actually bad? Like, we wanted to join The Force?" I suggested.

"It's too dangerous," Kyden shot down immediately.

Rory shook her head, "Its actually not a bad idea. Plus Terra, Calder, Gwyn, and I would watch out for whoever it was."

"Any other ideas?" Kyden asked.

Calder spoke up this time, "I guess we could someone how sneak out your friends here and just not go back?"

"How'd we get them off the island?" Gwyn asked.

Calder shrugged and looked at me, "Then I guess it's Cassie's plan."

"Then we should all go," Kyden insisted.

Keb shook his head, "That's too risky. Plus we couldn't leave Damia here."

"Two go and two stay?" Ana shrugged.

"No, Brogan would get suspicious. One traitor would make more sense."

I didn't care who said that. One of us would be going into enemy territory.

"Kyden, one of us is going. Only one," I said softly.

I shouldn't have said anything. We had to get our friends back, though. Of course we also had to take out Brogan.

"Then I'll go," he responded.

Rory made a face, "You're so opposed to the idea then you volunteer?"

I interrupted before anyone could argue, "My idea, my risk. I'm going."

"We can't and won't let you do that," Ana argued.

"If Cassie wants to do it then let her do it. We'll take care of her," Calder comforted.

"How do we know that we can trust you?" Keb asked.

"We don't but I trust them. It's my life we're putting on the line so it should be me since I trust them."

Everyone was quiet.

"Then it's settled. Cassie-"

"Isn't there some other thing we can do?" Kyden interrupted.

I stood up and pointed at him,"No. I'm going and its final. You need to stop being so stubborn. I don't really give a crap what you want to do about it. I'm going, get over it."

I walked away from everyone. I heard them wrapping things up as I ran somewhere. Anywhere.

I stopped outside the bedroom doors. I glanced at Damia's room and was about to go inside my own when I heard footsteps. I looked over my shoulder to see Kyden.

"Cassie, wait. I'm sorry, I just don't want anything to happen to you," he pleaded.

"Ok. I can handle myself, I don't need you constantly watching over my shoulder though," I replied back before walking calmly into my room.

I sat down on my bed and combed through my hair with my fingers. I heard a knock on the door.

"Go away," I mumbled.

The door creaked open, "I think I'll stay."

I looked over at Calder. He was leaning against the door frame with his hands in his project. Typical.

"What do you want?"

"Something's wrong with you."

"Well, I volunteered to basically become what feels like a spy on a mission to do a rescue."

Calder was silent. He walked over and sat down next to me. "Yeah."

I looked over at him, "Am I an idiot for doing this?"

"No. You're brave and reckless. And courageous," he added.

"What's the difference between being an idiot and reckless?"

"Well, being an idiot is being dumb and stupid. You're smart. You just don't think for the good of others," he explained.

I laughed dryly, "Yeah."

"Hey, you've got Rory and Terra and I," he told me, nudging my arm.

"What about Gwyn?"

"He's a bit of a jacka-"

"I can hear you!" Gwyn interrupted.

He poked his head into the room and grinned. Calder got up and shoved him out.

"See?" I laughed at Calder.

"Yep."

He added on, "Don't worry. We'll look after you."