Free Mortal Obligation by Nichole Chase

our sleeve.”
    No one said anything at first. Instead, they all turned to look at Paden. He was leaning against the wall, his hands stuffed in his pockets.  If you were able to ignore his mouth hanging open, he seemed completely composed.

 
     
 
     
Chapter 9
     

     
    “Er,” was all Paden managed to say before crossing his arms across his chest and clamping his lips shut. Ree raised a hand to her lips to hide her smile, but Weylin was not so discreet. He pointed at Paden and gave a loud whoop of laughter, making Paden shift his feet and grumble under his breath.
    “Can you imagine? Paden, the super immortal?” Weylin chuckled. Everyone else was grinning, but they were all looking at Paden with interest, while he was obviously trying to ignore the stares. Ree felt a little relieved at not being the only one that was different from the others. So far she felt like everything was based on her, dependent on her, and yet she was the one that was human. The only one that could not heal quickly, that was still fragile like a human. She looked down at her hands lying in her lap. They seemed just like hands to her. Not delicate, but certainly no super powers either. Just like the hands millions of other people used every day: farmers, artisans, lawyers, doctors, and grocery clerks. Yet her hands had been surrounded by green power. They had shot light at monsters and changed the lives of her friends forever.
    Her stomach began to churn, and she tried to redirect her thoughts. She stood up and stretched. Her shoulders were tense, and she had a slight headache building behind her eyes. She needed to move and to think about anything other than immortals. Otherwise she was going to be sick in front of everyone.
    Sophie seemed to understand. “Why don't I give you the tour, Ree? Let you see the house and get some food. It should be daybreak in a few hours. Then you will all be able to go back to the mainland and get your things. I’ve readied rooms for everyone.”
    “Whoa, readied rooms? Are you saying  we have to stay here?” Weylin asked, incredulous.
    “If you want to learn how to control your powers, then yes.” Diakos walked to the door and motioned for them to follow her.
    “We have lives. Family, school, and friends. We can't just disappear,” Paden said irritably.
    “I can help with the parents and the school, to some extent. Tell your friends you have a job, tell them you're sick.  Tell them whatever you have to, but make sure you are back here on this island before nightfall. You may be immortal, but if you are injured too severely you can die. You have much to learn if you want to survive – if you want the planet to survive.”  She said nothing else on the matter, just led the others to large, well-appointed rooms. Ree was hard-pressed to not be amazed at the opulence of the home.  It seemed to go on forever. Dark wood floors ran through the house. Arches and pillars formed the entryway into every room. There was even a servants’ wing. Though she didn't see any servants, she knew someone must take care of this large estate.
    Finally, Sophie led her into a huge kitchen. Along the back wall, there was an eight-burner stove and stainless steel appliances. All of the woodwork, including the large center island, was beautiful dark wood that seemed to almost glow. Sophie walked over to a large double cabinet and opened the door to reveal an industrial-sized refrigerator and freezer. She grabbed a pint of ice cream and smiled at Ree sheepishly.
    “My guilty pleasure.” She motioned for Ree to take a closer peek into the fridge. “What would you like?”
    There were a lot of things to choose from, but she went for the basic sandwich. She grabbed some turkey and cheese, then dug around for some mayonnaise. Sophie pointed at some bread on a rack in the corner and Ree grabbed the pumpernickel. After throwing the ingredients together, she sat down on a stool across from her boss and took a large bite. She ate