ICE (The Benders Series) Read online

  For a few more minutes, Kenna managed to keep up with the Colewell. And just when she was about to complain about being out of breath- and out of shape- she saw it.

  Kenna stopped in her tracks as the scene before her. In the small clearing stood a large igloo. Baffled by how such a structure could stand in the fifty-degree temperatures, Kenna inched closer to examine the magical ice. Clear as the finest crystals, the ice stood strong and resilient, even glistening in the sunlight that managed to sneak through the canopy and into the clearing. The igloo stood thick, the ice colder than any she’d ever touched before.

  “Do you like it?” Jon asked, seeing her enthrallment.

  “It’s amazing. You made it?” Kenna had only ever witnessed the smaller versions of his ice bending. But this, this ten foot high, twelve-inch thick igloo was something she never imagined he could create.

  He laughed a little at her question. “Of course, it was easy,” Jon mocked as he took her by the wrist and guided her toward the frozen entrance.

  “I didn’t realize you could do anything on such a large scale,” she explained as she examined the igloo from its interior.

  “You didn’t think I could only shoot out little icicles, did you?” he teased. Kenna shrugged her shoulders at the question as she supposed she didn’t know what to expect. “Anyway, the real surprise is over here.”

  He sat down on a quilt that had been spread out on the cool grass that served as the floor of the icy structure. And from underneath it, he pulled out a pizza box.

  The aroma immediately made Kenna’s mouth water. “Jon you can’t eat pizza. It’s not nice to torment me like that,” she laughed.

  “Come sit,” he insisted, still holding the box.

  She sighed but reluctantly sat on the quilt next to the Colewell. “It really smells like pizza. You’re really killing me.”

  With her level of disappointment reaching an all-time high, Jon opened the box to reveal just what was inside. And it was just that. “Pizza!” Kenna practically shrieked seeing the cheesy goodness that lay inside the cardboard.

  Jon could not help but to be totally amused at her reaction. “Yes,” he chuckled. “Your half is warm, and my half was sitting on an ice block. You said you really liked it so I thought we’d give it a try.”

  As ‘cheesy’ as it was, it was probably the nicest thing Kenna could ever remember anyone doing for her. She was so thrilled that tears of happiness began to glisten in her eyes.

  “It’s just pizza,” Jon mocked as Kenna threw herself at him for a tight hug. “I swear there’s no jewelry or anything like that!”

  But Kenna was too touched to care about his modesty. She let out a little sniffle and returned to her seated position next to him.

  “Well we should eat before your half gets any colder,” he suggested seeing that she had calmed a little.

  Kenna nodded as Jon proceeded to hand her a slice of the Italian goodness.

  “How did you know that I like plain cheese? Normally I prefer spice, but I like pizza as plain and simple as ever,” she couldn’t help but ask as she took that oh so perfect first bite of pizza. Her taste buds began to tingle, her tongue in an almost heavenly muscle spasm as it touched the steamy, cheesy goodness.

  “Well you are pretty immature, so I figured you’d just like cheese…” He caught a quick glare from her as she gulped down the first, indescribable bite. “Just kidding. I asked your dad the other day.”

  Kenna choked a little as she took another bite. “You asked my dad?!”

  Jon remained amused. “Yea. I told you I’m not scared of him. And besides, I’m trying to get on the guy’s good side. Surprising his daughter with pizza is perfectly harmless.”

  Kenna couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear at his explanation as the pair devoured the pizza.

  “You know,” she said while he closed the box and tossed it aside, “this is probably the best date I’ve been on in my entire life. Don’t get me wrong, all dates with you are great, but throwing in pizza…the bar has been set pretty high.”

  He put his arm around her as they continued to sit inside the enchanted igloo. “My way of saying thanks for taking everything so well. I was afraid when I told you. I really didn’t want to lose you again,” he admitted while placing a quick but tender kiss on her forehead.

  “To be fair,” Kenna recalled with a touch of resentment. “You chose to lose me in the first place. It wasn’t like I left you.”

  He nodded. “I suppose. I made a mistake. But it’s a mistake I won’t make again.”

  Pleased with his response and in no mood to linger on her hurt feelings, the girl quickly changed the subject. “So if you can build something like this, then what else can you do?” she asked while glancing around the beautiful ice castle.

  “There’s a lot actually,” he smirked. “Well, like I told you, I’m full blooded, so I can do a bit more than most ice elementalists.”

  “Like?” she interjected with a curious smile.

  “Like I can create giant ice shields, shoot ice bullets or daggers faster and stronger than most. I can make it snow, I can freeze an entire section of the river relatively easily. Which is what I would have done that day you fell under if I had seen you walk so foolishly out onto the thin ice,” he mocked. “But I suppose it was more dramatic to dive in after you, huh?”

  Kenna rolled her eyes. “Yea that was back when you were a complete jerk who wouldn’t even look at me.”

  “I told you, you were intimidating, beautiful, made my heart race. Still do,” he rejoined, trumping her attempt to make him feel guilty. “And your statement is entirely false anyway. You know I had trouble keeping my eyes off you.”

  Kenna tried to hide the fact that her face was growing warm and was likely blushing red. “You are such a butt,” she said. “Can’t you let me even pretend to be mad at you?”

  “I just brought you pizza,” he defended. “I’m pretty sure that makes up for everything, right?”

  She tried not to laugh but did anyway. “I suppose it does.”

  The igloo grew quiet as Kenna rested her head on his sturdy shoulder and once again took in the remarkable sight that was the inside of the ice. Every inch of it seemed to twinkle. Honestly, if she were going to describe it in one word, it would have been magical.

  It was Jon who eventually broke the perfect silence. “Kenna,” he sighed. “I don’t want to freak you out or anything, but I guess,” he paused, clearly becoming a little nervous, “I guess I never know what tomorrow is going to bring and,” he stopped again, and Kenna could hear his heart racing and his body trembling just slightly, “and I don’t want you to say anything back, but you should know that,” he paused a final time and took a deep breath as if to signify that he was officially going to jump from the high dive, “that I love you. And someday I want to marry you.”

  Though she was expecting him to reveal some other kind of bizarre secret, what he said was twice as shocking and powerful as anything he could have been hiding. The statement caught her so off guard that she had no idea how to respond.

  Love? Marriage? Those were such intense and mind-boggling words and words that Kenna had protected herself from for years. And as happy as she felt when she was with Jon and as much as she cared for and respected him, she couldn’t help but hold onto that fear and cling to it like a baby monkey clings to its mother. But then, how could she not say it back? Wouldn’t he feel completely rejected?

  Interjecting upon her rather panicky thoughts, Jon added, “And you know. I think I know how you feel about those words, so if you aren’t ready to say that, that’s totally cool. I can wait til you are ready. I just wanted you to know how I felt, you deserve that.”

  Kenna was still quiet. Sure, maybe she was in love with Jon. In fact, she knew she probably was. But to say it? To hold herself to that standard? To take the plunge? She knew she wasn’t ready for it.

  She took a deep breath. “Thanks. It means a lot to hear that. I just…”
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br />   “It’s fine,” he said to combat her nervousness. “Don’t say it if you aren’t sure that you mean it. So, any other questions for me about bending and what have you? I’m sure you’ve thought of some.” He very nonchalantly changed the subject as he took a stand and helped her from the ground.

  “Yes actually,” she breathed, finding herself relieved as they left the igloo. Jon proceeded to hold his palms out towards the ice as if he were enchanting it in some way. “Um, for example, what are you doing now?”

  He didn’t answer at first, his eyes and hands focused towards the ice. But after a brief moment, he relaxed his hands and began to walk away from the structure. “I had to move the cold air that surrounded it,” he explained. “That way it melts and no one just stumbles upon a supernatural igloo.”

  “So you can create cold air?”

  “Sometimes. I can decrease the temperature slightly most of the time. I wouldn’t be able to create air like that in Florida or anything,” he said as they began to walk out of the clearing and towards a more defined path.

  “And you can freeze water I assume?”

  “Obviously. Assuming it’s not boiling. That would take a long time to freeze,” he explained. “To be honest, I’m not even one hundred percent sure what I can and can’t do. My mother has taught me what I know, and that’s it.”

  “I see,” Kenna replied. “So crazy question. Could you, like, freeze the blood in my veins?”

  Jon laughed a little at the morbidity of her question. “You would come up with something like that,” he chuckled. “I can’t. But I have heard of it being done by some of the most powerful ice benders in existence.”

  “Fascinating,” she said while taking his arm. “And one more question?”

  “Yea?”

  “Do they call you snow miser?” she asked sarcastically.

  “You did not just quote A Year Without a Santa Claus,” he said, unable to hide his appreciation for her wit.

  “But I did,” she confirmed with a flirtatious smile.

  “That would make your dad heat miser?”

  “No, if he were the heat miser then you two would be step brothers, and I wouldn’t be able to date you,” she argued quickly.

  “Only you would think of that,” he retorted. “And speaking of your father. I suppose he’s told you all about flame bending then?”

  Kenna shook her head as they continued on their hike, arm in arm. “No actually. He doesn’t really want to talk about it, I think. He says he’s out of practice and that there was nothing he could really show me. Quite frankly, he always changes the subject when I bring it up.”

  “That’s probably because he doesn’t want to admit that flame benders are evil,” the Colewell replied matter-of-factly.

  “So you think my dad is evil?” Kenna was entirely insulted by such a statement. Bashing her father was no way to reach her heart.

  “No,” Jon corrected, “I think he was evil, but changed his ways. Can’t hold that against him.”

  “And why would you say something like that? What evidence do you have to make such a statement? Because if you for some reason think that you are above my dad, you can go ahead and think again,” she shot back angrily as she removed her arm from his.

  “So you are going to defend the man who didn’t tell you that you were a flame moiety? The man that lied to you for your whole life? Did you ever think that he lied to you to protect himself? To hide all the terrible things he’s done?” he contended as he came to a halt on the path. “I told you that I thought I was walking into a trap. Why would I have said that if I wasn’t expecting you or your father to attack me?”

  Kenna had stopped too and managed to fold her arms across her chest. “Maybe ice benders are the bad guys, that’s why. Maybe you are just spying on me and my dad.”

  “Why would your father allow you to date me if he thought I was a villain? He knows full well that flame benders are always the instigators,” he argued again, a little irritated that she would attack him after such a wonderful date. “I brought you pizza. Bad guys don’t buy pizza!”

  Kenna glared at him but quickly felt her face begin to soften. Jon had just told her that he loves her, that he might even want to marry her someday. And here she was, questioning his integrity. As stubborn as she was, she knew that she was in the wrong.

  She took a deep breath. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “You’re probably right.”

  “I am right,” he almost yelled back at her. He let his anger fade too though and once again began to walk the path. Kenna took a stroll next to him but couldn’t bring herself to take his arm.

  “So why do you say that flame benders are evil?” she asked, a little timid as she could see that he was still a little upset.

  He sighed. His sigh a form of relief for both of them. “Not all flame benders are evil, I suppose,” he admitted. “But most of them are. They don’t believe that ice and flame should coexist like they do. They say the world would be better without ice benders and without ice in general.”

  “But it’s all just talk? Do they try to melt polar ice or something?” she asked innocently, decided that she would indeed take his arm again.

  He looked at her as she did it. His expression not an angry one, but a loving one. “Mostly,” he said turning his gaze forward again. “We’ve been on the edge of war for quite some time though. My mother was a peace guardian at one point, and she said ice and flame always seemed to be on the brink of battle. But as far as I know, nothing has happened, or at least not in a decade or two.”

  “What happened a decade ago?” Kenna inquired, her curiosity always growing.

  “There were assassinations. Several ice benders died, but the flame benders never took credit for the deaths. We all know it was them, but there was just no evidence. And ice benders, being the more peaceful group, decided not to act on their suspicions and just wait to gather more evidence. Evidence that never came and the attacks seemed to stop,” he explained. “Or at least that’s the story I know.”

  “I see. So, you don’t think my dad was in that crowd or anything, do you?”

  He shrugged his shoulders as they turned to take a path that would lead them back to his truck. “It’s tough to say. There are only so many full blooded benders out there, and your father is one of them,” he said. “I imagine that he was high up on the chain at one point.” He could see the look of disappointment come over her. “But I guess my mom and I are full bloods, and we aren’t exactly in the loop. My mother was at one point but took time off to raise and teach us. Kinda like your dad.”

  Kenna appreciated his comparison, but none of it sat well with her. She knew her father had done a lot of traveling for business at one point and that he did altogether hate the idea of flame bending now. Those two facts made her feel like he’d done and seen a lot in his time as a bender.

  “I suppose,” she agreed. For some reason, she felt as though she couldn’t pass such information on to Jon. The last thing she wanted to do was further strain their relationship.

  “But I suppose it’s getting late,” he noticed. “I suppose I should take you home?”

  “Yeah,” she sighed. For how high the highs of the evening had been, the lows were certainly low. As happy as she’d been, now she was very worried. Her head was swirling with thoughts of her father being a plotter or worse, a murderer.

  “Sorry,” Jon apologized as they reached the truck. They’d both been silent for the last several minutes of the walk back. “I didn’t mean to say that your dad is a bad guy. Obviously, he’s not now, and that’s what matters.”

  She nodded but the worry was still spelled out across her face. “Just a lot to think about,” Kenna commented, not wanting to seem too distressed.

  “I know. I don’t mean to throw everything at you,” he replied. “But I am an asshole, so what do you expect?” he joked.

  And it was just enough for Kenna to let a small smile escape her determined frown. As Jon shifted his truck into
drive and made the short trip back to the Rosen household, the pair managed to make lighthearted conversation.

  Kenna took a deep and dreading breath as he parked. She stepped out of the vehicle, as did Jon, and he walked her slowly across the street.

  “The stars are beautiful tonight,” he pointed out, seeing that Kenna remained overwhelmed with the information he’d passed on to her the evening.

  Kenna stopped in the middle of the road and looked up.

  It was true. The stars were shining as brightly and breathtakingly as ever. Somehow, the view managed to sooth her, if only for a moment. “They look like snow,” she said, captivated by the twinkling lights that hung so effortlessly in the blackened sky.

  “A lot of them are fire, suns even,” Jon said as he took her hand and looked upward with her. “Even our sun is made of fire. So clearly not all fire is bad.”

  Kenna left out an unintentional laugh. “Yea, not until you get too close, and it burns you to ash.”

  Jon smiled. “I suppose that’s fair. But still, as far as you are concerned, I’d prefer not to keep any distance.”

  She rolled her eyes at the sappy statement. The Colewell laughed, too, the romantic words too corny for him to keep a straight face for long.

  Despite their reactions, Jon still saw it as a perfect moment. As she glanced up at the stars again, he reached for her face and drew her upward for a soft and tender kiss. Though the kiss may have literally burned from the heat, the sparks that they felt shoot through them at the touching of their lips was enough for both of them to let out a euphoric shiver.

  “Worth it every time,” he said as they opened their eyes and stared deeply into the others.

  Kenna smirked as she flung her arms around him for a brief hug. “I don’t feel like going home,” she said as she let him go and stepped backward towards her house.

  “You should sleep. And stop thinking,” he shot quickly. “Don’t worry too much.”

  Kenna rolled her eyes again and took yet another deep breath. “Easy for you to say,” she replied as she began to walk away from the handsome boy.

  “Have a good night. I love you,” he said again as she disappeared into the darkness and through the entry door.