Chapter 11 - Eolas

"I don't know about this Rhydian," Liam said to me nervously as I placed the can on top of his head.

"Look, just trust me ok? I know exactly what I'm doing. Just don't move."

I walked back to the others and caught the ball that Jimi threw to me as he said, "there's no way you can do this."

I walked back a bit more and then turned on Eolas. Then I let Jimi blindfold me. Of course I could still see everything. I took a deep breath and Jimi told me to go for it. I threw the ball as accurately as I could and I heard a satisfying clink as it hit the can off Liam's head. I laughed at my victory and was immediately surrounded by all the guys. As soon as I could get away from them, I looked over to Maddy and saw her glaring at me. I just winked back.

He gave me an infuriating wink and then walked off with all the boys. I caught up and shouted to him, "oi! Oi, you!"

"Hey, Mads." He replied with a cocky little smile on his face.

"Don't 'Hey, Mads' me. What just happened?"

"I've been putting in a lot of practice."

"This is me." He was still laughing at me, "I know what we can and can't do and what you just pulled off, it's not on the list."

"You're a real pain, you know that?"

"Uh-huh." I nodded.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Spill."

"Not here. Meet me in the woods after school." He said before grinning and sauntering off.

After school I went straight to the woods, eager to teach Maddy how to use Eolas. I waited in a tree until she got there and then, when she walked under me, I jumped down. She turned calmly.

"What's going on Rhydian?"

"Just do what I say."

Maddy raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"Right, copy me," I knelt down and put my hand on the ground and she did the same, "focus on my eyes."

"Ok." She stared hard at me and half closed her eyes in concentration.

"Ok, don't get all creepy on me. Just relax. Breathe."

Maddy shook her head and opened her eyes properly again.

"Mum told me that the Wildbloods call it Eolas. She said you can't just look, you have to feel. Feel what's under you, feel what's around you, and if you can you'll connect to your oldest instincts, your primal nature, and then you'll know what Eolas is."

"Shh!" She interrupted, "I'm trying to focus here." Maddy looked down with a really worried look on her face, her eyes widened and she looked like she was about to cry.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"I can see everything! Hear everything! This is amazing! I smiled at her and she gave a devilish grin back and stood up. Suddenly, she pushed past me and started running. And I wasn't smiling anymore.

"Maddy! Maddy, not that way! Maddy, wait!" She didn't listen to my shouts but just carried on running so I started after her, "Maddy!"

"Whoo!" She shouted in delight as she jumped over a log.

"Maddy!" She stopped suddenly and put her hands over her ears. Then she looked up and saw the power lines and frowned. She fell with her hands still over her ears.

"Snap out of it!" I told her.

"I can't!"

"You're too near the pylon." She gave me one last pleading look before her head fell backwards and her hands relaxed from their position over her ears. I shook her trying to wake her up. What had I done? Maddy's parents would kill me, kick me out of their pack, and probably never let me near Maddy again!

"Maddy? Maddy?" I shook her again, "wake up!"

She sat up suddenly, her hair over her face and asked me in a really innocent voice, "what just happened?"

"Seriously, Maddy, you've got to be careful with this stuff."

"I know."

She leant forwards and hugged me whispering into my chest as she did so, "thank you."

"It's ok, I was worried about you, I thought you weren't going to wake up."

"I'm sorry."

"Look, it's not your fault, I shouldn't have taught it to you. Your mum will go crackers when she finds out anyway."

"We don't have to tell them."

"Yes, we do. What if it happens again and they don't know what's happened to you? I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you, Maddy."

I moved her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Then I placed my hand on the side of her face and softly kissed her in the forest.

A/N: Thank you!