“This is where I was last night?”
“Yes, this hall not only leads to the storage room, but a gym and another library,” Callon explained.
The cool draft made me shiver, or maybe it was the gloom from the dark shadows…
“So why keep it under lock and key?” I asked. A gym and storage room didn’t seem like it needed to be guarded.
“This library contains information that doesn’t need to fall into the wrong hands.”
I twisted to see inside a well-lit room as we passed. It had small, high windows giving it light. Gym equipment filled the space, and a punching bag oozing sand lay on its side. Had Colt come here to work out? I wondered how many other secrets the manor held.
“Like?” I asked.
“Like enchantments, things that protect the manor.”
“Like?” I repeated.
“Secrets of the rings, Timeless information that Marcus could use against us, things like that.”
“Oh.”
We rounded a corner and stopped at another set of metal studded doors. They resembled something from a medieval movie. Callon touched the door with his hand and spoke just above a whisper. A lock snapped open, and he twisted the handle. Instantly I was hit with the smell of dust and leather. We stopped just inside the doorway.
“The door has a spell?” I looked at the tarnished handle.
“Of course.” Callon pressed me forward.
Would Callon give me the spell someday? I felt giddy. It was my turn to learn, to understand about the Timeless. Would it make me happy, or bring more despair?
I looked around at my new surroundings. Dark wood shelving lined the walls, and several bookcases were neatly arranged in the center, all filled with books.
“Ah, here she is!” Dex rose from a chair near the fireplace. “I’ve been waiting for you, Cheyenne.” A mahogany desk with a small green lamp lay behind Dex’s chair. The light’s pull swung back and forth.
Callon kissed me on the cheek. “I’ll leave you to it. Have fun.”
He turned and left, and the heavy doors clicked closed. Dex pointed to the upholstered chair across from him. He sat on the edge of his chair while he stoked the fire and added another log.
There were no windows in the room—to protect the information or preserve the books, I guessed.
“I assume Lilly’s told you why we’re here, Cheyenne?” Dex asked.
“To learn Timeless history,” I replied. I was starting to feel the warmth from the fire and shifted my legs closer.
“Correct. I felt it was time you knew some of our most important secrets, given your position as Kvech leader.” His hazel eyes softened. “I really wish we could’ve gone through this sooner. It might’ve helped. But we’re here now, so we’ll go through everything I think you need to know.”
“I’d like that.”
“If Lilly and I had raised you…” He trailed off, deep in thought, then released a heavy sigh. “Anyway, feel free to ask questions if you don’t understand. I’ll try and explain as best as I can.”
I nodded, anxious to get started.
Dex dropped a large leather-bound book onto the small table and flipped it open.
“I want to start with marriages.” He looked up. “I want you to understand your betrothal first, since that has caused you the most heartache.”
I swallowed. Memories of that day in Dex’s house after my trip with Colt rose to the surface. I quickly pressed them down. What was done was done. I couldn’t dwell on it.
“It’s not just some random thing, Cheyenne. There is purpose behind it, and it’s deeper than you realize. The Kvech are the ruling clan for a reason. They bring stability to the Timeless,” Dex said.
“What do you mean, bring stability?” I asked.
“You have seen for yourself what we—you—are capable of. Callon’s ability with memory, Daniel’s jumping, Andre’s aura sensing, Maes’ shifting, your own powers with air…these have all been inherent with the clans since their original founding. But over the last few centuries, and especially since the war with Marcus began, our powers have waned.”
“Waned?”
Dex sighed.
“It is rare now for a Timeless to inherit powers. This becomes particularly important for the clan leaders, whose job it is to regulate the power between clans. They need stronger powers for this purpose, but in order for this to happen, they also need to choose strong partners. This is why marriages are arranged.” Dex paused. “Are you following so far?”
“I think so,” I said, rubbing my temple. It was quite a lot to take in. “How do the clan leaders control the clans’ power, then?”
Dex offered his hand, showing his Coltooro ring.
“The rings,” he said. “These allow us to merge our powers with the other clan leaders, so we can plug the weak gaps with strong ones.”
I nodded. Strong with the weak; a theme Brogan loved to repeat. It made sense. It also explained why Callon had been so upset when I’d gone to open the safe deposit box in Helena. I always thought my Kvech ring was just a symbol of being Timeless. Yet both that and my Servak ring were far more important than I could’ve dreamed.
“Look here,” Dex said. He pointed to the book again. “This is a listing of all the clan leaders throughout our history. It’s a pairing, strong with the strong, though the Kvech lines are a bit more complex.”
I pulled the book closer, scanning the page. The Coltooro and Consilador clans were listed with the most recent leaders, their spouses and children. There were also blotches beside some of the older names. I pointed to them.
“What are these?”
“At one time we had each leader’s power listed, but it fell into the wrong hands and their powers were used against them.” Dex lowered his head. “It was heartbreaking to know that someone we trusted would go as far as they did.”
“Was Marcus behind it?”
“No. Makhi was.”
“Makhi?” That name sounded familiar.
“Makhi was Marcus’s father. He was a good man, once.”
Dex quieted for a moment as he gathered his thoughts and moved back in his chair. I blinked. This topic seemed to have made him uncomfortable. Finally he sighed.
“What am I about to tell you is very important, Cheyenne,” Dex said, his eyes intent. “You won’t like some of the things I say, but hopefully it will help you understand.”
I nodded and sat back myself, curling my legs beneath me in the comfortable chair.
“The Kvech are the Keepers of Power. Their rings are the strongest, but it wasn’t always this way. At one time, the clans were equal, and there was no fighting. Powers were maintained through family lines, because they were arranged accordingly.”
“So what changed?”
Dex hesitated. “Your grandfather, Jorell, Sahara’s father. He was a very powerful Timeless, known for his abilities with enchantments. The original enchantment here was modified by him for Kieran, Callon’s father.”
I nodded.
“A long while ago, something happened between Makhi and Adalmund, Qaysean’s father. They both wanted to stop the clans’ powers from disappearing, but this divided the clans. Five of the clans gave a portion of their power to the Kvech, as Adalmund and his family were known to be pacifists. We trusted the Kvech to regulate the balance. Makhi was angry with this, as he felt he should have been chosen instead.”
“So that’s when the Quaysaar and Servak joined the Sarac,” I whispered.
“Yes, and this was what would eventually lead to war. Makhi then convinced Jorell to experiment with his enchantments to increase their power…increase Makhi’s powers. Makhi was determined to prove Adalmund was the wrong choice, and he wasn’t afraid to do this by force.”
“What happened then?” I sat up, captivated by the story.
“This is where the rings come in again,” Dex said. “In addition to allowing the clan leaders to maintain balance, they also protect them, as otherwise they’d go
mad. Jorell and Makhi’s experiments bypassed the rings, granting them stronger power, but at the cost of their minds. Jorell eventually betrayed us, using the clan leaders’ powers against them. This is how the Sarac have gained so much strength, and why we have struggled to defeat Marcus. He is draining all of us, and if he isn’t stopped soon, we will have nothing left.”
I sat back, absorbing everything that had been said.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me this before?” My mind went back to my visit to their home. So much heartache and pain could’ve been prevented if only I’d known!
“Because you weren’t ready to accept it,” Dex said. “You’d barely learned you were Timeless. It would’ve been cruel to throw all these facts upon you as well. We all saw how strongly you felt for Colt, and Callon was going to break the news gently, but then you overheard us…”
He trailed off. I sighed. I wish they hadn’t worried so much about what I could handle, but I had to take the blame for some of this as well. My pride back then hadn’t let me ask the questions I needed to.
“In hindsight, we probably should have told you as much as we could, and for that I am sorry, but now I hope you understand something of the battle we’ve been fighting.”
I looked at my hands and began twisting my Servak ring. If they’d relayed this information behind the marriages, I might not have fallen so hard for Colt. But even if they had, it would’ve been too late. I’d fallen for him long before my mind admitted it…my heart had known all along.
“You see, Cheyenne, your mother was betrothed to Marcus before Makhi and Jorell went mad. The Servak were the first to notice their powers waning, so they hoped an alliance with the Sarac would counter this.”
“But she married Qaysean.” I looked up. “So it was almost the same thing, right?”
“Essentially, yes,” Dex said, “but Marcus has all the knowledge from his father’s experiments. He knows how to subvert power, and has been punishing the Servak since.” He pointed to my Servak ring. “The Servak are now weaker than ever, and if balance is not restored soon, they will lose their powers forever.”
I bit my lip. “So if I marry Callon, I can bring the balance back?”
“Yes,” Dex said “Both to the Servak and to the Consilador.”
I blinked. “Consilador? But Callon’s just as strong as I am…”
“It relates to Callon’s father, Kieran,” Dex said. “He was murdered, and the Consilador clan ring was lost for a time. By the time Callon retrieved it, it had lost a lot of its power. His clan, too, needs to be restored to its former glory.”
I sat back and once again looked at my Servak and Kvech rings. The puzzle pieces began to fall into place.
“You said Callon’s ring lost power when it went missing,” I said. “But my Kvech ring was hidden in a safe deposit box, yet it still has power?”
Dex twisted in his chair.
“Why don’t we look at the rings as batteries,” he suggested. “The Consilador ring and the others are like half-charged batteries. Their powers will drain away quickly. Whereas the Kvech ring is like a fully charged battery. It will take longer to completely drain it.”
“So my ring has lost some of its original power?”
“Yes, but like all batteries, once it’s on the charger, it will eventually regain full strength.”
That made sense, but… “But Callon’s had his ring for a long time right? Wouldn’t it be recharged already?”
“He didn’t always wear it when it was originally returned, and it takes longer the older a Timeless is.”
“So how does a Timeless age? I mean, do your powers remain with you until the end?” I said.
“That’s a bit complicated. You see, when we first become Timeless, we age one year for every one hundred human years, until we reach the age of four hundred, then it all changes. Once we’re four hundred, then our aging switches to one year for every ten years. Got that?”
I nodded. “So like a Timeless menopause?”
Dex chuckled.
“I never thought of it like that, but yes, I suppose so. But that isn’t the only thing. After four hundred years, we begin to lose our powers, and our rings lose their strength.”
“So that’s why Lilly said she used to talk to animals,” I said, remembering our conversation while petting the horses.
“Yes, she did at one time, but her power has waned.”
“And the reason why the rings need to be passed down…” I trailed off.
I rubbed my forehead. There were so many rules, exceptions and…I sighed. And Dex had no heir to pass his ring down to; Marcus had killed his son, I was sure, with this intent in mind.
“But you don’t have an heir,” I noted.
“I don’t.” His brown eyes saddened. “But I’m looking for a Coltooro heir that is worthy to step up,” he breathed, “it will diminish my powers a great deal, but it won’t completely take them. The clan will survive.” He looked up. “The problem of this waning power can only be fixed once the Sarac stop draining the power of the clans.”
There was so much more to being a Timeless than I realized. And then another thought hit me. All this power and restoration had so many implications.
“I was hidden away because you thought Marcus would see me as a threat. But in actuality he didn’t—he saw me as a way to further boost his power. When you found me, I was a threat to you.” I stood and moved closer towards the fire, staring at the flames. I understood now why Brogan didn’t like me, why Maes pushed me the way he did…why Callon didn’t give up hope.
“I’m a threat to the entire Timeless race,” I whispered, “A highly volatile explosive weapon.”
“You are a daughter, sister and friend whom we have come to love.” Dex stood and pulled me into a hug.
“But if I fail, I’ll bring destruction upon us all.”
“You won’t fail, Cheyenne. We won’t let you.”
He wouldn’t let me, but honestly, the only way to prevent me from falling into Marcus’s hold would require one thing. I stepped back.
“I have to marry Callon as soon as possible.”
Dex sighed. “I wish it were that easy. Because you’re Kvech, you can only marry under the summer solstice, which takes place in June.”
“Why?”
“Because if a Kvech unites their power without the counterbalance of the sun, it would kill their partner.”
I stared at him for a moment. Callon would…die?
Dex reached out. “Breathe, Cheyenne.”
I inhaled, not realizing I had been holding my breath. I plopped into the chair. November had just barely arrived and June was months away. If Dex knew I could only marry under the summer solstice then…
“Marcus knows about this, doesn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why he’s been inactive. He’s planning something.”
“Most likely, but you’re safe here.”
“Not if Colt’s out there and Marcus is controlling him,” I said. “The Tresezes passed through the enchantment, which means others could as well.” Panic began rising. “We can’t just hide out here and hope for the best, we—”
Dex held my shoulders. “We are working on it Cheyenne. Once we get word from Tre and Jayna, we’ll have more accurate information. We can’t just charge out of here because we think Colt might be alive. We need to have proof.”
“And a plan of rescue.”
I leaned over the table and began flipping through the manuscript again, stopping on the Kvech. My fingers traced my parents’ names. What would it have been like to be raised by them? I wouldn’t have had this huge gap, this misunderstanding about the Timeless race. I would’ve grown up knowing who I was and what was expected of me…and I would’ve either been killed or united with Marcus.
A shiver ran down my spine.
They’d done what they thought was right to keep me safe. I had to quit faulting them, and what had been handed to me. I just needed to absorb as much
knowledge as I could before we faced Marcus. I knew he wasn’t the forgiving type, and I’d promised myself no more failures.
The first thing I needed to do was talk with Callon. I’d been so naïve, always trying to rebel against his orders. But then again, he’d kept so much from me. It wasn’t like I had the chance to make an informed decision. There were times in Montana when Callon seemed as though he wanted to tell me more, but I was too busy trying to find my own path, not realizing what truly lay before me.
“Thank you, Dex,” I said. “I need some time to think things through.”
“You’re welcome, Cheyenne. I’d like to arrange a time to meet again, and we can go over more.”
I left the library and found my way down the dreary hallway. The heavy doors creaked, and low murmurs echoed in the hall. I peeked around the corner. Andre and Maes were talking quietly in the sitting room. For someone who denied she and Maes were an item, she didn’t seem to mind spending time with him.
I smiled. Maybe one day Maes could be happy. He’d suffered enough. It was time to make amends and fix the mess. Hopefully over time, his ring’s power would be restored.
I headed down the hall and opened the main library door. Layla looked up from her book. She was snuggled up against Brogan, who was viewing a video on his phone. He didn’t bother to look up.
“Are you looking for Callon?” Layla asked.
“Yes.”
“I think I saw him heading upstairs.”
“Thanks.”
I quietly exited the main library, pulling the door closed behind me. Upstairs, Callon’s door wasn’t completely closed. I pushed it open, peeking around the corner. He was sitting in a chair near his fireplace, his head down.
“Callon?” I said softly.
He didn’t reply.
I took a step inside his room and quietly closed the door. He must be concentrating, perhaps reading.
“Callon,” I repeated. Again he didn’t reply.
My soft-soled shoes made no noise on the thick wool rug as I neared, but a snap from the fire caused me to jump. Callon still hadn’t moved. I stood to his side; he was staring at a picture of himself and Colt.
Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel Page 19
