CHAPTER 10

Another Warning

A WEEK LATER

A week ago Jay had acquired the wizard stone and implanted it in Jessamine's chest, just as she did with Jack Swift. His mother remembered every spell she had ever learned, but she still had to make a recovery. Thankfully she was recuperating fast. After she had lost her weirstone she had starting looking a lot older than she usually did. Jess used spells to hide aging, and she started using the spells almost immediately after getting a new wizard stone and she looked twenty years old again. Jay never did ask her how old she really was, he didn't really think it mattered just that she was a wizard again.

Jay was riding his horse through the woods when a huge snow storm picked up and made it almost impossible to see. But he knew these woods like the back of his hand; they were after all the same woods he trained in when he was fourteen. The warrior was headed back to the house when he heard someone scream at the top of their lungs.

Oh great, he thought, what now? But wait a minute, that didn't come from the direction of the house that came from deeper in the woods.

He headed towards the scream and what he found surprised and amused him. Two terrified teenage girls were huddled below a tree.

"What are you two doing in my woods?" he asked, jumping off his horse.

"N-nothing," one of the girls said.

The one that spoke had shoulder length brown hair, and green eyes, the other had black hair that came down to the middle of her back with brown eyes.

"Well you were obviously doing something other wise you wouldn't be cowering under a tree in a blizzard," Jay said raising an eyebrow. "Well come on, let's get you two out of the cold before you catch a cold or freeze to death."

He helped the two girls onto his horse then grabbed the reins, but froze for a second when he heard a twig snap deeper in the woods.

"When you two get to the house just go in. Oh, and a friend of mine is there so make sure you holler or something so she doesn't freak out and try to kill you."

"Aren't you coming with us?" the brown haired girl asked.

Without answering he said 'home' to his horse and hit it on the butt. The mare took off towards the house at a dead run, the girls screaming at the sudden take off. Jay watched the spot where the horse had gone through the trees and bushes. Then he opened his palm, closed his eyes and concentrated. When he opened his eyes his sword Charger was in his now closed palm. The warrior turned and faced the area where he heard a twig break. A man that was Jay's height walked out of the trees. Jay's eyes widened when he realized who the person was.

Aaron Ross

"What are you doing here?" Jay asked.

"I see that sword is treating you well then," Aaron said with a smirk.

"That wasn't an answer to my question," Jay said, tightening his grip on the leather handle of his sword.

"Well I was looking for you and Jessamine Longbranch. I found you so I guess that means that I'll find her if I follow you."

"What do you want with Dr. Longbranch?"

"Stop playing games, I know she's your mother. I'm not stupid, you look just like her!"

"Yeah well, I'm not just gonna take you to her willingly."

"Then I guess I'll just have to force you," Aaron said, drawing his own sword.

Aaron's sword was a long broadsword with a deadly gleam about it. The older warrior rushed at Jay, with the sword poised for a strike. Aaron swung his sword and Jay parried the strike. Then Jay swung his sword and cut Aaron's arm open but the Air Force general didn't even flinch. Out of no where Aaron's fist smashed into Jay's nose, shattering the cartilage. As blood poured down his face, Jay kicked out, trying to hit Aaron. The soldier caught the young surgeon's leg and brought the handle of his sword down hard. Jay yelled in agony as he heard and felt the bone in his leg snap.

Then Aaron knocked Charger from Jay's hand, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him into a tree, splintering the wood.

"You'll stop helping Jessamine Longbranch if you know what's good for you," Aaron said with a deadly tone, his face just inches from Jay's.

He placed his sword against the main artery in Jay's throat, and getting in his face.

"Fuck you!" Jay yelled

"What is Jessamine having you do for her?"

"Nothing! I just helped her with a small thing, that's all!" Jay choked out.

"And what was that small thing, hm?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Tell. Me."

"Fuck. You."

"Why do you care some much about her? She abandoned you as a newborn baby!"

"She's my mother! I don't care what she did in the past, what matters is what she does now, not then," Jay said glaring at the older warrior.

Aaron just glared back, not saying anything.

"Why do you hate her so much, since we're on the subject of feelings for my mother?" Jay said with a snide tone.

"Jessamine Longbranch abandoned me as well. She made me think that she was in love with me then one day she just left without a single word."

Jay's eyes widened.

"I know why she left you," he said, quietly.

"Why?"

"Ask her yourself, I'm not sure I should be the one to tell you," Jay said with a smirk. Aaron had said the same thing to Jay when the young warrior was fourteen after he had asked who his mother was.

Aaron punched Jay hard in the stomach then squeezed his neck harder and unexpectedly threw him into a tree across the clearing. Jay went clean through the tree, the large pine falling over with a loud crash.

"Have fun trying to get through these woods with a broken leg," Aaron said, putting his sword in its scabbard and walking away.

Jay forced himself to sit up and whistled long and loud. Two minutes later his horse came galloping through the trees. He grabbed onto a tree branch and heaved himself up, then grabbing the saddle horn; he pulled himself up into the saddle, his leg throbbing with each beat of his heart. When he reached the house, he saw Jessamine on the porch drinking a glass of wine (as usual). She smiled when she saw her son in the distance but the smile quickly faded when he and the horse came closer.

He was covered in blood.

When the horse came to a stop in front of the porch, Jay fell from the saddle. Jess had quick reflexes and caught him before he hit the dirt.

"Leah!" Jessamine yelled at the top of her lungs for her daughter.