was the first time in days that Sam and Rose sounded, just a fraction, like their old selves again.
***
After unpacking their pitiful amount of clothing and possessions, Aaron, Sam and Rose stepped out of the cottage to explore Salvador.
“You’ve really not been out here?” Rose asked as they walked towards the lake.
“No,” Aaron replied, “apart from the first day. My dad took me with him when he went looking for his friend.”
“Is that Drake? The one mentioned in the letter?” Rose asked.
Aaron nodded.
“What’s he like?” Sam asked.
Aaron shrugged. “Quiet. Doesn’t get involved much. The only time I see him is at mealtimes.”
“Does everyone really sit at that table?” Rose asked.
“Yeah,” Aaron replied.
“Isn’t that a little...weird?” she asked. “I mean, the whole village sits together to eat? What’s wrong with eating in your own houses?”
“No clue.” Aaron shrugged.
“Maybe it’s because none of the houses have kitchens , ” Sam pointed out.
“I’m sure they could build one, if they wanted,” Rose argued. “It’s not like–” She stopped short, staring ahead.
Sam followed her gaze and his eyes widened in amazement. “Whoa,” he breathed.
Aaron smiled as his friends stood, taking in the sheer beauty of the lake. The vast, glassy pool of a blue so rich it beggared belief. The green of the surrounding trees reflected in the lake, giving some areas of the water a beautiful shade of not quite blue and not quite green. There was something about the stillness of that water that calmed Aaron. A serenity that he had never experienced before. A simple glance told him Rose and Sam were affected too. Gentle lines curved around their mouths, lifting their lips up. Rose let out a soft sigh.
“It’s a sight, isn’t it?” Aaron said.
Sam nodded. “Does anyone else have the urge to jump in?” He looked around at a frowning Rose and Aaron. “Just me then?”
Aaron chuckled and all three turned to walk away. They headed towards the orchard, while Aaron told them what happened when he went there with his dad.
“Wait, that Drake guy said it wasn’t safe here?” Sam asked. “But your mum said the opposite in her letter.”
“That’s what I don’t get,” Aaron said as they walked down the path.
“How can it not be safe?” Rose asked. “The people – I mean, mages – they don’t seem dangerous.”
“I don’t know about that,” Aaron said. “They’re not exactly the friendliest bunch.” He thought specifically about Skyler and the crowds of mages that sat at the table and stole glances his way, but never spoke to him. “Other than Mary, no one’s even bothered to speak to me.” He paused before adding, “Correction, Skyler spoke to me but I would much rather he just ignore me like the rest.”
Rose shivered. “That’s the boy who moved us?” she asked. “He gives me the creeps.”
“That’s ’cause he is a creep,” Aaron said. “Reminds me of Matthews. The same attitude, the same smirk, the same I’m-gonna-beat-you-to-within-an-inch-of-your-life type of look in his eyes.”
“Let him try,” Sam glowered. “There are three of us against him.”
“He has a whole gang, Sammy,” Aaron pointed out. “All the same as him – big, with more muscles than brains, I bet.”
“I don’t know about that,” a voice said from behind them, making all three turn around. A young boy with copper-brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail stood smiling at them. “Skyler’s pretty smart and, unfortunately for the rest of us, he knows it.”
Aaron recognised him. He was the boy who set the table with flying plates. Aaron had seen him do the same every day for all three mealtimes.
“It’s rude to eavesdrop, I know,” the boy continued, his sparkling hazel eyes crinkling in amusement, “but I couldn’t help myself.” He stared at Aaron. “You’re Aaron Adams, aren’t you?”
Aaron nodded slowly.
The boy rubbed a hand down his shirt
***
After unpacking their pitiful amount of clothing and possessions, Aaron, Sam and Rose stepped out of the cottage to explore Salvador.
“You’ve really not been out here?” Rose asked as they walked towards the lake.
“No,” Aaron replied, “apart from the first day. My dad took me with him when he went looking for his friend.”
“Is that Drake? The one mentioned in the letter?” Rose asked.
Aaron nodded.
“What’s he like?” Sam asked.
Aaron shrugged. “Quiet. Doesn’t get involved much. The only time I see him is at mealtimes.”
“Does everyone really sit at that table?” Rose asked.
“Yeah,” Aaron replied.
“Isn’t that a little...weird?” she asked. “I mean, the whole village sits together to eat? What’s wrong with eating in your own houses?”
“No clue.” Aaron shrugged.
“Maybe it’s because none of the houses have kitchens , ” Sam pointed out.
“I’m sure they could build one, if they wanted,” Rose argued. “It’s not like–” She stopped short, staring ahead.
Sam followed her gaze and his eyes widened in amazement. “Whoa,” he breathed.
Aaron smiled as his friends stood, taking in the sheer beauty of the lake. The vast, glassy pool of a blue so rich it beggared belief. The green of the surrounding trees reflected in the lake, giving some areas of the water a beautiful shade of not quite blue and not quite green. There was something about the stillness of that water that calmed Aaron. A serenity that he had never experienced before. A simple glance told him Rose and Sam were affected too. Gentle lines curved around their mouths, lifting their lips up. Rose let out a soft sigh.
“It’s a sight, isn’t it?” Aaron said.
Sam nodded. “Does anyone else have the urge to jump in?” He looked around at a frowning Rose and Aaron. “Just me then?”
Aaron chuckled and all three turned to walk away. They headed towards the orchard, while Aaron told them what happened when he went there with his dad.
“Wait, that Drake guy said it wasn’t safe here?” Sam asked. “But your mum said the opposite in her letter.”
“That’s what I don’t get,” Aaron said as they walked down the path.
“How can it not be safe?” Rose asked. “The people – I mean, mages – they don’t seem dangerous.”
“I don’t know about that,” Aaron said. “They’re not exactly the friendliest bunch.” He thought specifically about Skyler and the crowds of mages that sat at the table and stole glances his way, but never spoke to him. “Other than Mary, no one’s even bothered to speak to me.” He paused before adding, “Correction, Skyler spoke to me but I would much rather he just ignore me like the rest.”
Rose shivered. “That’s the boy who moved us?” she asked. “He gives me the creeps.”
“That’s ’cause he is a creep,” Aaron said. “Reminds me of Matthews. The same attitude, the same smirk, the same I’m-gonna-beat-you-to-within-an-inch-of-your-life type of look in his eyes.”
“Let him try,” Sam glowered. “There are three of us against him.”
“He has a whole gang, Sammy,” Aaron pointed out. “All the same as him – big, with more muscles than brains, I bet.”
“I don’t know about that,” a voice said from behind them, making all three turn around. A young boy with copper-brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail stood smiling at them. “Skyler’s pretty smart and, unfortunately for the rest of us, he knows it.”
Aaron recognised him. He was the boy who set the table with flying plates. Aaron had seen him do the same every day for all three mealtimes.
“It’s rude to eavesdrop, I know,” the boy continued, his sparkling hazel eyes crinkling in amusement, “but I couldn’t help myself.” He stared at Aaron. “You’re Aaron Adams, aren’t you?”
Aaron nodded slowly.
The boy rubbed a hand down his shirt
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