Run To Earth (Power of Four) Read Online Free PDF Page B

realm.”
    Aaron was shaking his head, his mind screaming in denial. “This is...this is insane,” he argued.
    “It’s difficult to believe, I know,” Chris said softly, “but think about what happened today. Everything you saw. Does any of that make sense?”
    Aaron fell quiet. Did it make sense? No. The ground opening to trap the out of control car, the white mist dropping from the sky and the way it chased them, the men who stepped seemingly out of thin air – It couldn’t be explained, not by rational means. Aaron’s insides twisted, his heart frantically beating against his chest. Mages? Powers? Was it really possible? He glanced up to see the sincerity in his dad’s dark green eyes. He swallowed heavily.
    “You’re not joking?” he asked, half hoping he was.
    Chris shook his head. “I’m not.”
    Aaron’s mouth dried. “A...a mage?”
    Chris nodded. “Different, not human, but we have humanity, Aaron. We’re the same in most ways.”
    Aaron nodded, holding on to that small truth. They had humanity. They were still humans...sort of.
    “Those...those men.” Aaron asked quietly. “Who are they?
    Chris’s expression twisted into one of anger. “It’s a long story, Aaron, and not one that I want to get into right now.” He brushed a hand through his hair, letting out a slow breath. “I promise I’ll tell you everything, but we don’t have much time. We have to leave. Those things are looking for us. They know where we are, and they are just waiting for the right moment to attack.”
    Aaron nodded, his heart beating wildly. “What are we going to do?” he asked.
    “Go somewhere safe,” Chris replied. “Mike’s in the other room, explaining all this to Samuel and Roslyn. As soon as he’s done, we’re going to leave.”
    “What?” Aaron asked. “You’re telling Sam and Rose about me? That I’m a...a mage?”
    “They have a right to know, Aaron.”
    “A right to know?” Aaron’s eyes widened. “I’ve just been told this two seconds ago and it’s about me ! Why are you telling my friends?”
    “Because your friends are a part of this now.” His mum spoke from the corner. “You unleashed your power in front of them. They witnessed it. Now they’re involved.”
    “My power?” Aaron asked, turning around to look at her. “What are you talking about?”
    “What happened today,” Chris said, “what you did, that was an example of instinctual reflux–”
    “What I did?” Aaron asked incredulously. “Dad, I didn’t do anything!”
    “The car, Aaron,” Chris said. “What happened to the car, that was you. Your instinctual reflux is a flow of power, one that opened the ground to stop the car from running you over.”
    Aaron went rigid, as if someone had doused him with ice-cold water. His mouth opened and closed but not a sound left him. Slowly he shook his head. “No,” he breathed. “I...I didn’t...”
    “It’s okay.” Chris rested a hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “It was out of your immediate control. I already told you, it was instinctual. You reacted to save yourself. It’s okay.”
    “That...that driver?” Aaron’s heart twisted. “Oh God. I...I killed him!”
    “No, you didn’t,” his dad replied. “I checked on the driver after...after leaving the Masons.” He shifted in his seat. “She was drunk and had passed out at the wheel.”
    Aaron thought it would make him feel better to know that no lasting damage had been done by his hand, but it didn’t. If anything, his stomach curled tighter.
    “How did you get her out?” he asked.
    “I pulled the car out,” Chris replied, “then fixed the ground. I couldn’t have the authorities confused–”
    “You pulled the car out?” Aaron asked. “Fixed the ground? How? How could you–?” He paused, eyes widening. “Wait. Mages, do they have...magic?”
    “No,” Chris replied, with that half smile again. “It’s not magic, Aaron. It’s much more than that.” He moved to sit next to him.