Spectral Vibrations

by Mercy DeSimone

  Surprised, I frown slightly. "I'm thirty five yarns. And I was fostered at the Prizm Quarry. Why? Where are you from?" I ask in return, watching a shuttered expression cross his face.

  "How did you come to be one of Amet's apprentices? He rarely spent time in that region." Jasper asks. His curiosity is obvious but I sense there is more behind it than just mere curiosity.

  "Amet found me when I was orphaned," I explain, "he took me to Prizm to be fostered. For whatever reason, he used to check up on me periodically, and ask about my progress. When I showed an interest in healing, he offered to mentor me... and Laz."

  While it's obvious Jasper is listening I sense deeper thought churning through his mind before an arrested expression flashes across his features, stopping him in his tracks. "You were part of the Diamond massacre!"

  I can't fathom why he is so disturbed by the thought; everyone knows how horrific the killings were, and how many Krysalins were lost, but it's not like he was responsible.

  "Ummmmm... yes, I believe I just told you that." I watch him carefully, his thought patterns have turned chaotic. The buzz of his emotions are scattered. Frowning, I wonder if I need to intervene. Touching his arm gently, I reach out with my senses trying to flood calm to his.

  "Jasper, would you like me to help calm your aura?" I offer using my most soothing professional tones, watching him flinch slightly when I touch him.

  "No," he says turning away again abruptly, as he begins to lead me once again. "That won't be necessary."

  "So," I offer hesitantly, "would you like to talk about what happened in there earlier?"

  "I don't know what you mean," he says with a stoic expression. "I saw you flounder before the Counsil. Which if you'll take my advice is not the best strategy," he says wryly. "You might want to pay better attention tomorrow. Trust me, they're not as benign as they'd lead you to believe."

  "That's quite cynical for someone who has the responsibility of guarding them," I offer in turn. "Why keep that position if you don't find honor in it?" I'm curious why such an obviously fierce warrior would spend his days on such a ceremonial position.

  "Surely, your skills would be an asset enforcing the borders, or leading our warriors?" His snort of laughter is clearly less out of amusement than directed at his own motivations.

  "When your father is a Counsil member, your choices become limited." He laughs again, but there's clearly a bitter edge.

  "Carn is your father?” I ask in surprise. "That means you're in line to take your place on the Counsil one day!"

  I stare at him in awe. How must it feel to grow knowing that you will one day be accepting at least partial responsibility for your people? His look of obvious disgust brings me back to myself.

  "You're not much of an empath, are you? I would say that you have a much better chance of ending up on the Counsil than I do, but your lack of understanding clearly shows that we're both pretty much a lost cause."

  "Why would you say that? About yourself, I mean. Any Counsil Member with offspring surely would be expected to pass their role down to their blood? No one passes up a blood bond!"

  "You're not so young that you can't be that ignorant of the way our world works!" he says with frustration. "I'm not bonded! If I haven't boosted at this stage, the chances of it happening now are almost nonexistent."

  He looks away as if lost in thought. "There's plenty of younger guards just waiting for their chance to take my place. And they're welcome to it."

  Straightening his massive shoulders, he again resembles a fierce warrior. "I will honor my father and be his sword until his Unlightenment. Then I will serve as I was meant to, with my honor and my ability to crush any enemies."

  "But I connected to your energy, before, in the chamber," I protest as I try to keep to his pace again.

  "Really? Are you connected to my energy now?" he asks over his shoulder, continuing his pace.

  "Well, no," I say, because I’m not any more. "But, that's.."

  "That's because there is no connectivity," he snorts dismissively. "That's what will continue to define my service. Don't worry, Healer. You're not expected to heal what can't be healed."

  Stopping abruptly, he gestures to a door. "This is your chamber. Feel free to call the staff if you need anything. You've been barred from communicating with anyone outside of the residence until after your evaluation. A message has been sent to your bondmate. Good Light!"

  Turning away, he hesitates briefly before turning back again. "And forget you ever heard this from me, but don't trust the Spectrum. Believe me, you're not up to their games. You'd be much better off going back to your bondmate and your research." As if concerned that he's said too much, he turns abruptly and stalks off without looking back.

  The room is luxurious in a way that a cell could never be; the sense of space alone is overwhelming. I miss having something as simple as Karma here to greet me. And not being able to feel Laz's soothing vibration close by has me on edge. I wonder what he was told. Is he also sitting on his sleeping platform aching to feel my vibration just as I'm missing his?

  Falling backward onto the platform, I consider snuggling down and trying to stay focused on what the testing could possibly consist of. I've always been a good student, and I perform well under pressure, but I like to be prepared. It's one of the things that Laz and I have in common.

  My eyes sweep the room, admiring the furnishings, before spying the books in the corner. Squealing slightly in pleasure, I jump to my feet and fall to my knees as my feet get entangled in the covering. Groaning to myself, I thank Vishna that no one was there to see my lack of grace. That probably wouldn't instill too much confidence in my abilities, although… maybe that would be a good thing. I sweep that fleeting thought aside almost as quickly as it enters my mind because I know it’s unworthy. I pride myself on my knowledge and abilities, it’s hard to imagine deliberately dulling my shine.

  Crawling forward a few more feet until I can finally untangle myself enough to stand, I reach for the bookcase and draw my fingers across the bindings, thrilled to feel the leather beneath my hands. Most people process information by downloading from a technical archive directly to their neural stimulator, but I've always loved the feel of old parchments.

  After ending up at the Prizm center, it was something that I used to feel connected to my mother. She used to have a few bound copies of the old histories that had been passed down from her father. In fact, it was one of the things that initially brought me to Amet's notice. I was tucked into the corner of the library engrossed in some old histories when he literally stumbled across me.

  Flashback

  A tremor shakes the shelf above me as feet suddenly press against the side of my thigh and a book tumbles toward my head. Throwing myself to the side, my head connects instead with a shin, the thunk making me wince and rub my ear where it connected to solid bone.

  "Ouch!" I say as a hand quickly braces itself against the shelf above, before righting the physical being who has clumsily invaded my space. Piercing violet eyes peer down at me with a perplexed expression.

  "Where did you come from? And why are you hiding down there?" he asks in puzzlement.

  “It's quiet down here," I say from my position on the floor, squaring my shoulders to defend my space. "No one disturbs me here.. at least, not until you ran into me."

  At his slightly reproving expression I drop my eyes and begin to gather the books around me, rising to my feet to feel less intimidated by the elder before me. A hand reaches out to take one of the books from my pile before I can pull them close to my chest like I imagine one would an offshoot, warm and protected in their embrace.

  "Why are you reading these dusty, old relics?" he asks, examining the titles. "Surely there are more exciting stories to be enjoyed?"

  "But these are about us," I say seriously. "How can we protect ourselves if we don't know how to recognize the danger?" Doesn't he understand how important it is to KNOW things?

  The violet gaz
e sharpens as he continues to search my face as if trying to solve a mystery. "What is your name?" he asks as I suddenly feel soft tendrils of power curling around me, causing a slight shiver down my spine.

  "I'm Tanzy," I introduce myself, watching his eyes widen as if in recognition, and a smile breaks across his features lighting the violet of his eyes.

  "Tanzy, I can't believe how you've grown," he says heartily as another small pulse of energy works its way along my silica, and I squirm at the attention.

  "I'm sorry, Healer, should I know you?" I feel foolish asking the question since he so clearly seems to know me. I'm even more disconcerted when I see his face fall and he coughs briefly before replying.

  "I imagine that perhaps those memories are difficult for you, Tanzy. My name is Amet. I'm the one who brought you here."

  I'm puzzled as to his meaning when it suddenly hits me. I feel a cold flare of sweat along my spine as I recall impressions of that night. But that's all they are, impressions. Whatever it was that I saw that night, I've carefully tucked it away into the recesses of my mind where I don't need to examine it.

  Warmth floods across my senses as I remember the elder in front of me and focus my attention back to him. Smiling gently, he reaches out to grasp my chin as if examining my face for remnants of the child who came here broken and alone.

  "Well, you seem to have done well here," he says clearing his throat and turning the spines of the books to examine the titles more closely. "What are your plans, Tanzy?"

  "I imagine the same as everyone," I say seriously, "learn what I can to be of best service to our people." Shrugging my shoulders, I continue, "I'd like to become a healer but I don't seem to have that power. But maybe I can help in the healing centers. Do you think that's possible?" I ask shyly. Quirking a brow at him I realize I'm about to miss an invaluable opportunity if I don't take advantage of the fact that an obviously talented healer stands before me.

  His serious expression as he studies me has me shifting my weight from one foot to the next in anticipation, until the silence stretches to the point of becoming uncomfortable. Gathering my books close to my chest again I begin to step backward in anticipation of a quick getaway, the exit clearly in view, when he stops me once more.

  "Why don't we see what kind of ability you have? I'll talk to your monitors. You can start training with me after the end of this session." Turning abruptly, he walks away without waiting for my agreement as I rush off to tell Laz the news.

  Choosing a book on the Origins of Krysalis, I'm reminded again of the day I met Amet in the hololibrary, and stunned to realize I had been reading this very book. Opening the cover, I'm overwhelmed by the smell of parchment. Amet used to tease me about my obsession with holding books to my nose and smelling the pages. I just laughed and maintained that was the best way to 'feel' the emotion of the writer and the readers who came after.

  As an empath you get used to reading the emotions of people on a visceral level, but I always believed that I could also feel the emotional fingerprints left in items; especially if someone was experiencing strong emotion when they handled it. Amet would shake his head and laugh, but I know what I feel, especially when it comes to books.

  This particular book has a faint sensory signature, one I realize is familiar. Tears rush to my eyes as I recognize Amet's energy woven into the pages, and an overwhelming feeling of sadness is replaced by anxiety. Lifting the book to my nose I spy my name written on the next page, in Amet's spidery penmanship.

  "What in the universe…?" I wonder as words begin to unfold and I'm lost in the message clearly written for me.

  Tanzy,

  I know you don't understand yet, but you are the key that will bring us to the future. I've chosen carefully for you and set you on the path. As long as you trust your instincts and those chosen to guide you, we can build a new future together. I hope to be with you, but if my plans should go awry, know that this was inevitable from the day I found you, and that it's time for a new order to begin.

  Amet

  Stunned, I stare at the page, reading the words over and over again, overwhelmed by grief. He planned to be here with me. What the Zirc is going on? The back of my knees hit the edge of the platform as I land heavily again, this time with the book in my lap as I stroke the pages, searching for remnants of Amet's energy. But it's been too long; there's nothing left but words now - words that make no sense. It’s as if by reading them, the rest of Amet’s essence has fled this world to reunite with his soul.

  The sight of a marbled blue jar tucked away on a high shelf captures my attention as I focus on the unusual color. Next my eyes pick out a small painting of a chameleon just like Karma that resembles one I gave to Amet as a joke, telling him he needed a Karma of his own. Struggling back up onto my elbows I begin to recognize more objects in the chamber, finally realizing that these must be Amet's old quarters.

  Anxiety floods my being as I wonder what I'm doing here. It's like I'm in the middle of a game in which no one has explained the rules, and yet Amet leaves me a message telling me that I am the key to the future. If the future means now, then we're all in trouble, because a key can only open the lock that it matches; and Amet's letter left no mention of where to find it. Let's hope that it finds me.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Titan

  Impatiently, I pace my quarters waiting for the tempest to come. It would be amusing if I didn’t realize how much I shared his sentiments now. I’ve been observing Tanzy for several yarns, ever since Amet’s Unlightenment, when it became clear that someone was trying to topple the Spectrum and we were charged with finding the roots of rebellion.

  It just seemed cruel to tell Jasper about Tanzy when he had finally let go of his obsession. Even more so when I would have to admit how fascinating I found her to be. Watching her bond with that geode, Laz, has been infuriating. It’s obvious she could be so much more powerful with the right bondmate. Obviously, even Amet knew that, which is why I’m puzzled that he worked so hard to forge their bond.

  At this point I’d settle for just the chance to feel her vibration and stroke her aura for a while, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Tanzy, it’s that she’s loyal to Laz. I’m annoyed to realize that he’s just as loyal to her - it makes it that much harder to dislike the male. What I wouldn’t give to be able to feel her being the way the Universe intended.

  The entry chime sounds and I square my shoulders to face Jasper’s wrath as he stalks through the doorway. I’m surprised by the hand that slaps the side of my head, knocking me off balance as I stumble into the table behind me.

  “Zirc, Jasper!” I massage the side of my head to calm the ringing in my ear. “Keep your extra digits to yourself, will you?”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t warn me! How long have you known they were summoning her here?” The absolute rage in his voice takes me aback.

  “Not long. I’ve been watching her for a while, but I didn’t know someone was going to pull her directly into the fray.”

  “How long, Titan? How long have you known where she was?” The look Jasper gives me has me second-guessing my choices now. The reality is, once I saw her in person, I didn’t want Jasper to know where she was. I preferred to keep my own obsessions to myself.

  “Since shortly after Amet’s Unlightenment.” I admit, bracing myself for the explosion. I’m surprised when Jasper continues to just glower at me.

  “What would you have me do, Jas? You knew she was bonded and you had finally stopped talking about her. I thought you had finally stopped thinking about her.”

  “You’re such a shard, Titan! You know that my honor demands that she is mine to protect. I let the memory of her go because she was bonded and she didn’t need protecting. The minute that changed, you should have told me.” Stalking to the cart in the corner of the room, he pours a tall glass of amber intoxicant, swallowing it in one large gulp, before throwing the glass to the floor to shatter into a million fragments.

&
nbsp; “Zirc, she’s beautiful! That Violet aura of hers just glows with energy.” His tone lowers in resignation and I know the moment has passed.

  “I feel it, believe me.” Slapping him on the shoulder I pour my own glass before settling into a deep chair contemplatively. “What I wouldn’t give to meet her on another world, under different circumstances.” Looking at him, I see the mutual hunger in his expression as we acknowledge our shared desire for her.

  “I finally understand the obsession,” I admit wryly, “although how you ever got there when you only ever saw her as a small offshoot is beyond me.”

  “Don’t look at me like that.” I can’t help but smile at Jasper’s offended tone. “You know I was simply responding to her need for my protective energy. Zirc!” His tone is aggrieved as he paces the room like a caged beast. “Had I known how beautifully resonant she would become, I would have never let them keep me away from her.”

  “Well, she’s ours to protect now, so get your head on straight! Because she’s become a target whether she knows it or not - and we’re not going to allow what happened to Amet happen to her. Obviously, someone else has been digging through the journals and realizes that she could be the key that unravels this whole structure, even if her own research hadn’t already put her in the crosshairs. We need to watch the players and devise our own strategy.”

  Looking him directly in the eye I ask, “Are you in?” knowing that the question is purely rhetorical.

  I receive a snort in answer as Jasper stalks back toward the door. “Vishna knows, I don’t have much choice. At least I’ll get to indulge my obsession in person this time.” Shaking his head, I hear him mutter, “I don’t know if that’s better or worse,” before the door slides shut.

  Tanzy

  A soft knock on the door wakes me from my reverie, sunk in the memories of my time with Amet and worrying over his mysterious letter. I didn't realize how much time has passed, and my stomach gurgles softly as it reminds me that it's time to eat. Although the thought of trying to force food past the knot of anxiety that has formed in my stomach is daunting.