Chapter 9 Revelation

So here I was in a bedroom with the hottest guy I have ever seen (who is probably a psycho killer or rapist or both)......in a night gown. On a scale of one to ten I'd rate my decision making a negative zero. Nice one Jade. Looking down at my body, I used my hands to touch myself, feeling for aches. I felt ok, no aches or pain (in places I can see anyway). I breathed a sigh of relief. But that doesn't mean he's off the hook. I looked up at him.

Oh wow. The intensity of his stare was mesmerizing. His green eyes glowed. I gulped. Did it get twenty degrees hotter in here? Focus Jade. I shook my head. Time to get answers. But first I need to change outfits.

"Where are my clothes? I would like to wear them please"

He remained silent for a while, "Your clothes are currently drying off in the bathroom. You can have them back when they're completely dried"

"Drying off? Why? I don't remember going for a swim"

"No you didn't. But you sweated a lot during your unconscious state. You were starting to smell funny so I had to take them off, wash and change you. You're welcome"

I stared at him. What the hell is wrong with this guy? Wash and change me? Like a baby? Ok the sweating thing I believe but washing and changing me? He took off my clothes. That means...... Oh no! I felt my face turn red.

"I didn't look or touch where I wasn't supposed to if that's what you're worried about" he said.

I sighed "If I can't get my clothes now can I at least wear something other than this?" I asked gesturing towards the night gown.

He raised a brow "I'll see what I can find in the closet"

He got up and walked to the closet throwing it open with more force than anticipated.

Hmmm someone has been working out. Those are some lovely buns.

Lovely? What has come over you Jade? This is not the time to drool over your supposed 'kidnapper'. It's time for answers and answers I will get.

He closed the closet door and walked back to the bed holding some clothes in his hands.

"These are the only ones I could find in your size" he said handing them to me.

I took the clothes and examined them. It was just a black leather trousers and a black shirt.

"OK I have to ask. What's with you and black? All you wear is black. Is it some sort of fetish thing?"

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. Had I blinked I would have missed it.

"I have no fetish thing as you say. All Watchers are required to wear black when on patrol in this realm so as to blend in with the darkness. That's when we operate. Call it a uniform"

"Watchers? What are you watching?"

"We protect the Gate. We make sure no humans get into our realm"

"So basically you're telling me that you are not human"

"Yes"

O..... k either he's crazy or I am because at this point I'm ready to believe anything. I glanced at the door. If he has super speed, I won't be able to make it there on time. I mean the guy just said he's not human so maybe he has superpowers or something. After all he did control the minds of everyone in school. So running is not an option. Guess I'll have to play along then. It's the only way for me to get answers.

"OK here's how this is gonna go down. I'm going to change clothes and when I get back I need answers. Whatever I ask, you will provide answers. Please I'm tired of running and I'm tired of having sleepless nights and crappy days. You will tell me everything I need to know. Is that clear?"

He stared at me. Like really stared then he smiled. I mean really smiled, teeth and all. If I thought him hot before boy was I wrong. This is blow-your- lid off hot. He had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. It made him look sexy and dangerous at the same time.

"Whatever you say"

I nodded and got up. With the clothes in hand I headed towards the bathroom. Without turning back, I knew he was looking at me. I could feel his eyes burning.

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I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding as soon as I stepped into the bathroom. I quickly closed the door and bolted it with my back against the door.

I took a quick look around the bathroom. It was a modern style bathroom with a ceramic tub, toilet and sink whose handles and heads were gold painted......or was it real gold?. I moved forward to get a closer look. It looked real alright. Damn! How rich was this guy?

I took off the night gown and took a quick shower and put on the pants and shirt. As I made my way out of the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I paused and stood in front of the mirror. I could barely recognize the person staring back at me. First of all it wasn't just my pupils that were black, it was the whole thing whites and all with a fleck of red in the middle. My hair despite the fact that I just washed it, was disheveled. My lips were pale and dry and my cheeks looked hollow.

What was happening to me?

As I continued to stare at my reflection, I couldn't help but wonder; what was happening back home? Has my dad freaked out when I didn't return from school? What about Chloe and the others? Have they gained their memories yet?

Ok that's it! The time for questions is over. Now I get answers.

I marched out of the bathroom and ran into a solid wall.

A pair of strong arms stopped me from falling backwards and I looked into the most beautiful green eyes ever.

We continued to look into each other's eyes. His green swirling with my black and red. It was as if our souls were connected. The atmosphere charged. I could feel every strand of hair on my body rise and I swear I could feel his too. I felt a bolt of electricity shoot through me and I yelped. He released me immediately as if I shocked him, and I fell backwards landing on my butt.

"Ow! If you're gonna rescue me do it right will you", I said rising to my feet.

He stared blankly at me "Come we have work to do".

He led me out of the bedroom into a f**ked up version of a living room.

It looked like someone mixed every horror movie ever in a bucket and threw it all over the place.

The walls and floor had the same creepy pattern with a swirl of different colours that don't match. It made my eyes turn.

There were two black chairs that looked like they belonged in the 14th century positioned opposite each other with a small round table in the middle. Apart from the single light bulb hanging from the ceiling, the room was devoid of any decorations.

Damn this place is depressing. Someone should fire the decorator.

The smell of smoke drew my attention to the fireplace which was made of stone.

As I stared at the flames I felt drawn to it, like it was calling to me.

Memories of that afternoon flashed before my eyes. The smoke. The fire. I was burning but it didn't hurt. It felt good. Powerful. Invincible. I needed more.

The sound of fingers snapping drew me out of my daze. I saw Alex standing in front of me, with a worried look on his face.

"Are you alright? I lost you there for a second"

I nodded. I felt hot. I looked down at my hands and saw that my fingertips were black.

I quickly put my hands behind my back so he wouldn't notice.

"I'm ok. Let's talk" I said, moving towards one of the chairs.

Alex followed and sat on the other chair and I followed suit.

"So what do you want to know?" He asked so casually like we were discussing the weather.

"Everything"

He spread his hands, "Ask and it shall be answered"

"Ok. Who am l? Who are you? Where am I? Why are strange things happening to me? Am I an alien with supernatural abilities?"

"Whoa calm down, one question at a time. Which do I answer first?"

"Ok then first of all tell me where we are"

"This cabin is the Watchers safe house. We stay here when on missions in this realm"

I stared pointedly at him. He rolled his eyes and continued, "Watchers are an elite group who undergo years of vigorous training and are handpicked by the kings of the four kingdoms of Axalia to guard the gate separating our realms amongst other assigned tasks"

I leaned back against the chair and crossed my hands.

"So what you're telling me is that you're not from this world, you're from Axalia you say. And what pray tell is Axalia and what does that have to do with me? Why are you here?"

Alex sighed, a frustrated look on his face, "I guess I'll have to start from the beginning"

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I sat quietly across from Alex silently waiting for him to continue his story. I unfolded my hands and let them rest on the arms of the chair. I watched him. He looked so relaxed, casually leaning back, watching me watch him. I didn't know what to make of what he just said. He was not human. That explains a lot. But it also explains nothing.

"Well go on, I'm waiting", I said impatiently.

He was quiet for a while, studying me with those intense green eyes of his.

"First off, my true name is Aliaksei Thorne and I am from the kingdom of Umbra, one of the four kingdoms of Axalia. I was assigned as a Watcher by your grandfather the King Varian Erephos to keep an eye on you, bring you back to Axalia should you display any otherworldly abilities"

I stared at him trying to absorb what I just heard.

"So...you're saying my grandfather is a king, so does that make me a princess? Does that mean my mother came from Axalia? And I'm supposed to believe I'm part of this...what? Fantasy story?"

He sighed and rubbed his face with his hands, obviously frustrated.

"It's not a story, Jade. Axalia is real. It's been hidden from the human world for centuries, guarded by the Watchers. Axalia has four kingdoms each with their distinctive elements which its residents are masters of. Your grandfather is the king of Umbra, the Kingdom of Shadows and your mother, his daughter was the princess. So yes that also makes you a princess"

"O......k. Wait a minute your real name is Aliksi?"

"Aliaksei. But you can call me Alex"

I nodded. So my instincts were right. I knew there was something fishy about his name and everything that concerns him. At least I was getting some answers. So basically I'm royalty. Wow. Who would have thought that plain Jade had royal and maybe otherworldly blood running through her veins? Suck it Mirabel.

"So my mother comes from Umbra and her father is the king. So what happened to her? Was I born in Umbra?"

He nodded, "Yes you were. From what I have been told after your mother died trying to protect you, your grandfather sent you away to the human realm under the protection of your human father. In order to keep your identity secret, the king cast a spell on your father and grandmother so they wouldn't remember who you truly are and where you come from"

So that's why grandma acted strange when I asked about my mother. It was all a spell. That kind of made me glad. At least she wasn't keeping secrets on purpose. But hold on. Dad gave a warning about my birthday. If a spell was cast on him to forget why then did he warn me?

"If a spell was cast on my father as you say, then he shouldn't remember anything about my mother or her origins, right?"

"That's right"

"But my dad gave me the same warning you did about my birthday. How did he know what was going to happen if he can't remember anything? And he also told me that my mother was from Milwaukee and her parents abandoned her. That is definitely not true, right?"

"The spell must be wearing off or must have worn off a while ago", he said rubbing his jaw.

"His Majesty has to be told immediately. Besides the spell was meant to distort his memory. He remembers your mother, he just doesn't remember where she really came from and who she really was. So anything he told you about her was just his brain trying to fill in the blanks"

If the spell wore off, that means dad remembered everything. But why didn't he tell me? Why did he decide to continue keeping a secret he knew I needed to know? He was aware of my display of supernatural strength considering the incident that happened with Tom Fraser, yet he still decided not to tell me anything. Didn't he think I could handle it? Didn't he trust me enough? I partially blame myself though. If I had opened up to him about the strange events going on in my life, maybe he would have said something and maybe I wouldn't be here sitting across from the most beautiful face I have ever laid my eyes on. I guess I'll call that a win for me.

What was it about Alikseee....Alese.....Alexa.....Alex it is then, that made me so electrified? Anytime he touches me (either by accident or on purpose) I feel this jolt of electricity and my heart beats faster. His scent....his wonderful intoxicating scent makes me dizzy with happiness. I have never felt like this with any guy before (well I have never been with any guy before) so I wouldn't know the difference between love and infatuation. I guess there's a first time for everything.

"Jade"

I opened my eyes (when had I closed them?). He was staring at me with a look of concern and something else.... I can't tell.

"Where did you go?"

"Nothing...... I mean nowhere. I'm here"

He raised an eyebrow.

"O.....k, so you said my mother died trying to protect me. Protect me from what?"

"I don't have all the details. His Majesty is in the best position to tell you everything you need to know. But I can try my best to explain to you the only way I can"

I nodded," Ok then, I'm all ears"

He was quiet for a while as if he was having second thoughts. Please don't fail me now.

Then he began, "Axalia is divided into four kingdoms. Each kingdom has its distinctive elements or Eeos as we call it, each with its sovereign ruler. There's the kingdom of Umbra, where I can from and where you come from. My people can bend shadows to our will, control minds and we have telepathy"

"So you really controlled the minds of the kids at school?"

He nodded, "Yes. That's how I got into the school. I made the principal think that I was an exchange student"

"Did you also control me?"

He hesitated, then answered, "I can't control you. You're special Jade. Your unique abilities does not allow your mind to be controlled. Besides it is forbidden to control the minds of our fellow Umbran, unless the king says otherwise"

I was a little relieved. He couldn't control my mind. So that means my reaction to him was all me and I followed him into the forest of my own free will. I must be losing it.

"Do go on with your story please"

He nodded and continued, "The people of the Kingdom of Lumis have the ability to control light, sunrays and fire. Some are said to have telekinesis. They are considered the polar opposite of Umbra. Then there's the Phantom Kingdom who spend most of their lifetime in the spirit realm. They also exhibit what is called astral projection and are excellent healers. There are a rare number of them that can even fly. There's the Kingdom of Agile whose people have the power to lift very heavy objects, punch through walls and are fast as lightening"

"Punch through walls you say? Fast as lightening. I may have destroyed someone's car with my fist once and sometimes I find myself moving from one place to another without taking a step. And don't forget that I almost set my school on fire. What does that mean? Do I come from the Kingdom of Agile too? Is that even possible?"

"Like I said, you are special. You exhibit the Eeos of all four Kingdoms. I don't fully understand how or why, only His Majesty has the answers. My job was to watch you. Should you display any Eeos, bring you back to Axalia"

"So you're saying I'm the Avatar"

He stared at me clueless, "A what...?"

I rolled my eyes, "Never mind. So how do I control these powers? You saw what I did to Tom, what I did to the school. I don't want to hurt anyone"

He rubbed his jaw, "There are rumors of an artifact that is said to have the power to capture, contain and control Eeos"

I leaned forward, "For real? Can it really help me control my powers? How do I get this artifact?"

"I can't say for sure, like I said they're just rumors"

My heart sank. I was really putting my hopes on this said artifact. If it could do as Alex said, I can get rid of these powers for good. I don't want it. I didn't ask for it and I don't want to hurt the people I love.

"I have said all I can. If you are not satisfied, the king is in the best position to give you all the answers you need"

"Can I ask one more question? It'll be the last I swear"

He sighed, "Go ahead"

"Earlier on in the forest you said we were being watched. Who was watching us? Are we in danger here?"

He nodded, "There are some people in Axalia who knows about you and want to use your powers for their own selfish needs. These people are dangerous, Jade. Most of them are from the Kingdom of Umbra. They just don't want your powers, they want to control it, and you. And they would do anything to get it, destroy anyone who gets in their way"

I stood up angrily, "Why me?! I don't even know who I am! I can barely control my powers, let alone stop a bunch of shadow manipulators. I didn't ask for any these. Why should I trust you?"

His face softens as he continued to watch me.

"Because I made a promise to the king. He trusted me to protect you, to help you find your way back to Axalia when the time came. Whether you trust me or not, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

I sat back down and stared at him, emotions swirling. I was torn between fear, anger, and the strange pull I felt toward Alex. I followed him this far, so I guess I did trust him.

"So if I want all my questions answered my grandfather is the only one who can help me?"

"Yes"

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I guess I have no other choice. This is it. If I want answers, if I want to keep my family safe, even from myself, I have to go to Axalia. No going back now.

"Ok then, I'm ready. I'm ready to go to Axalia"