Fated Volition (#Wattys2015)

Chapter Seven

Part Two

Evangeline

New Direction

When Evangeline woke, she had hoped to speak with Gavin before he set off on his own, but he had already left. Ryhan was still asleep and Evangeline was not sure how she would take his sudden disappearance. She could not imagine how difficult things must have been for Ryhan at that moment.

Not that learning about her own power had been easy, but at least she had time to adjust and grow with it. Thrust into a life she did not even know she was destined for, Ryhan struggled to cope. Evangeline felt a very strong connection with her that went beyond their elemental link. An almost sisterly affection that was strange yet comfortable for her.

Ryhan would probably argue that she was not someone that really needed looked after, but somehow Evangeline sensed that she needed her protection. Ryhan was strong, but she was also naive about many things. She gathered and packed the few things she could while waiting for Ryhan to wake. Tekkah would have made their journey much easier, and she hated leaving without her horse.

Convincing the tribe to let them, leave was not an easy task and there were many things left behind that she would have liked to bring. Staying any longer would have meant some sort of punishment for Ryhan. While the Mastion people knew the ways of elemental magic, they did not take interference in their customs lightly. It was best for everyone that she left when she did.

Ryhan started to stir, and Evangeline realized she was holding her breathe in anticipation of her waking. Reminding herself to be patient, she felt a calming wave wash over her. One of her greatest assets was her ability to recognize and control her emotions. She could not control other people's emotions.

Help them to focus and control their power, yes, but the way they thought and felt was beyond her reach. Her brother however seemed to have more of a grasp on that power than he let on. While he could not use their powers himself, it did not take Evangeline long to notice that he could stop Ryhan from using her power completely.

It seemed that he had almost an opposite effect than her. The spirit element allowed her to shape, mold, and create things, which is why she could heal and move objects. It gave her an understanding of the other elements and how they work on a deeper level than even the other girls could understand.

Gavin seemed to have the same understanding, except he could break them down, and block them out. Unsure of how aware he was of it, she had confronted him about it after witnessing him in action. He had blocked Ryhan from using her power, and Evangeline wanted to know if it was intentional. He had assured her that it was not, but something in her gut told her differently.

Evangeline could not sense a connection with Gavin, at least not in the same way she could with Ryhan and Alexandra. If he could block her as well that would make sense, but she did not think he had the ability to. Linked, they shared the same power. Even if it was opposite sides, it was the same coin nonetheless.

That must have been the reason why they could not effect each other. Something was troubling her. If Gavin could block Ryhan's power, why did he allow what happened back at the village to take place. She hoped that her worries were foolish, she hoped that, more than anything she had wished before. Not just for Ryhan, but for them all.

Yawning, a sleepy Ryhan looked around the camp. If the lack of Gavin's presence affected her, she did not let on and for a moment, Evangeline admired her strength. However, her admission the night before that she would no longer use her power concerned her. She hoped it would not take long to show Ryhan that she should embrace her gift, not fight it.