by H. D. Gordon
Finally, we broke for air, but Kayden still didn’t let me go. He bent his head down and rested his forehead against my own. I squeezed my eyes shut, and heard him sigh. Then, in that soft Scottish accent of his, so very close to my lips, he whispered, “Oh, Warrior.”
That’s when my right mind prevailed, and in regaining myself, I snapped back from this Kayden-wonder-world. In control again at last, I turned on my heel, and made my way over to Tommy’s Mercedes. But, I didn’t put the car in drive until Kayden opened the passenger door, and took his place beside me.
Nelly
I only sweat when I get really, really nervous. So, right now, as this uptight warrior led me across the grounds to the Council building, to where the Queen was waiting for me, I was producing a very unladylike amount of perspiration. I’d already thought up the lie that Alexa, ever so helpfully, had said to come up with regarding her absence, and even though it was a weak one, it was all I had. So, now I just needed to calm my mind so that I didn’t royally mess this up. Worrying would only make things worse.
I had done a tiny Search on the warrior that walked ahead of me, but it had proved unfruitful. He didn’t know why the Queen had requested me. He was simply following orders. But, I did pick up a few other interesting things from his head before I’d pulled back out of it.
His name was Simon. He had just recently been promoted to the position of the Queen’s messenger, and his soul was practically glowing with pride over it. At nineteen, he was now the youngest warrior on the Queen’s staff, and he intended to fulfill his duties with all the loyalty of a well-trained dog. He’d risen to the position underhandedly, but I couldn’t really blame him because he’d been raised that way. But, these things were just side notes. The thoughts and feelings about the warrior that he had replaced were what interested me.
Mark. The name made bells of recognition sound off in my head, but it took me a minute to pinpoint how I knew it. Then it came to me. Mark was the warrior that had last fought in the arena against Kayden. He’d lost very badly, and the sight of this had sent Alexa running from the Arena to check on Mark when they’d carried him out. He’d surrendered before Kayden could deliver the final blow, and that is something that’s highly looked down upon at Two Rivers, so most warriors fight to the death. More importantly, Mark had been Alexa’s friend. This meant he was someone that I might need to speak to, and yes, to Search. I marked the information down in my head to return to later. I had to focus fully on the task at hand first.
The walk from the school buildings to the Council building was not a long one. Two Rivers was a large city, but it was built for easy foot travel. Perfectly paved pathways led off in every direction, with slow-speed roadways running parallel to them. But most people seemed to prefer walking, and it was easy to see why.
All of the architecture was unique and beautiful in its own way. Some of the buildings had mosaic facades, with mismatched, colorful pieces that came together to make a highly aesthetic whole. Others appeared older, but in a way that seemed classy and almost planned. They were made of polished stones, lacquered wood, earth-toned clays, and rainbow siding. Around each one were beds of the brightest flowers I’d ever seen, manicured grass, fountains, and statues of people I had to assume were of some sort of significance. The lampposts that lined the walkways and road were stout and green, and at night, or on a dark day like today, smaller multi-colored lights that were set into the ground illuminated everything.
Of course, the trees on the grounds were beautiful as well, but something about them just struck me as odd. This was the middle of the Pine Barrens, so blooming cherry blossoms and old weeping willows seemed incredibly out of place here. Well, actually, now that I thought about it, it all seemed out of place; the whole city. The tall pines and part marshland that we’d had to trek through to find the city, and surrounding it in all directions was the thing that drove this strangeness home. I never went into those trees; beyond the city limits of Two Rivers, and into the real forest. It kind of freaked me out. I knew Alexa had gone into them, though. And now she was gone.
As I was thinking all this, we were already heading down walkway that led to the steps of the Council building. Straight ahead of me was the building itself, by far the most impressive structure I’d seen at Two Rivers. It was enormous, with large silver doors, wide stone steps lined with robed statues that were almost as tall as the building itself, and green, lush lawn all around it. A huge mural of a silver sun, identical to the one on Alexa’s shoulder, was set into the face of the building, just above the generous silver entryway. White roses bloomed all around it, filling the air with floral. In the bright sun, I knew that the various surfaces that were silver would reflect in a nearly blinding manner from certain angles, giving the Council building a kind of heavenly glow.
But today it was raining.
As Simon led me up the steps to the large silver doors, I pushed all thoughts away and concentrated on nothing other than not freaking out. I could do this. Yes, the Queen was a strong Searcher, but I was stronger than anyone I’d met. I would tell her my planned lie, and if I felt her try to “check” and see if I was telling the truth, I would stop her. I wasn’t in complete control of most of my abilities, but I could manage that. No one has ever been able to get past my walls.
Still, I hoped she didn't try to Search me. If she did, I would have to pretend that I had no idea. Maybe she would just think that I had a particularly strong mind. What else would she think? Certainly not that I was half Lamia.
We were in the foyer now, and the inside of the building matched the out. White roses sat in silver vases on silver tables along the walls. Two ivory staircases curved up either side of the room and ended in a joined landing. Silver framed pictures hung on the walls and the glass ceiling overhead let in the weak light of the day. A crystal chandelier hung from the center of it, somehow defying gravity with its size. The only thing in the room that wasn't white or silver was the blood red runner rug that rested over the marble under our feet.
Simon led me over to the side of the foyer, where a large, and of course, silver door was set into the wall. Another warrior stood outside of it, studying me intently as we approached. Simon gave him a nod, and he resumed his straight-ahead stare.
You may go in, Miss Montgomery, Simon told me, and I noticed then that his voice had a slight nasally sound to it that matched the thoughts in his head.
Thanks, S- .
I stopped. If this were a movie, my slip up might have been comical or mysterious. But in real life, it would have been just plain stupid. I needed to get it together.
I pretended to cough a little, and then repeated, Thanks, sir. I probably sounded like an idiot, but at least it wasn't a stupid idiot. Simon just raised his eyebrows and nodded politely toward the room in which the Queen was surely waiting. I grabbed the knob and pushed it open, stepping inside and shutting the door behind me. My stomach seemed to shrivel a little when it clicked into place.
I turned around and surveyed the room in which I stood. I could sense that the Queen was sitting somewhere to my left, but like with everything else in Two Rivers, the room was gorgeous enough to warrant an appreciative once-over.
The entire west wall, from floor to ceiling, was windows, looking out onto a bright garden. There were more flowers in the room, but not just white roses. There were lilies, like the ones that had appeared on my sister's arm after she killed the Lamias the night that they killed our Mother. Another silver sun, like the one on the building, and also on Alexa's arm, hung above a beautifully crafted desk against the far wall. In the near center of the room, to my slight left, was a sitting area, with a plush couch, two equally plush chairs, and matching coffee and end tables. This was where the Queen waited.
I turned toward her to find her sharp eyes studying me over the rim of a delicate teacup. I made my way over and bowed my head. Your majesty, I said. I was glad when my voice didn't falter.
The Queen studied me for a moment longer, an
d I couldn't help but return the favor. I could see why Alexa wasn't fond of her. She was more than intimidating. With gray hair pulled back into a tight bun, watchful blue eyes, a slightly pointed nose and thin lips, she just had a quality about her that could only be described as harsh.
Nelliana, she replied, Thank you for coming. She put on a smile that seemed out of place on her face and gestured for me to have a seat.
I could imagine what Alexa had thought when the Queen had called her in for a meeting like this to tell her that our Mother was indeed dead. Well, I could more than imagine. I'd seen the memory in Alexa's mind. As I sat down on the comfortable couch across from the Queen, I wished I hadn't brought up that memory right now.
I pulled my head together and answered, No trouble at all, your majesty.
The Queen nodded. When she just sat there, sipping her tea, I also remembered that in her meeting with Alexa she hadn't been forthcoming. She liked to test people out for a bit; make them speak first.
I said the first thing that came to mind that seemed natural enough. Is everything alright, your majesty?
She studied me a little more over her cup. Then, she set it on a saucer on the coffee table between us and released a heavy breath. Well, you see, I was hoping you could tell me that, she said.
I had to stop myself from reaching up and checking to see if the sweat that seemed to be pouring from my underarms had made its way through my blouse. It was all I could do to keep from fidgeting, and my hands felt hot and clammy. I couldn't wait until this was over. I was too much at a loss of words to say anything. I couldn't think of the right response to that. So, this time, my silence forced her to speak again.
It seems your sister has gone missing, she added.
The way she was watching me reminded me of the nature shows I'd seen where the lion watched the antelope a few moments before it attacked. Only, the Queen was the lion, and I the antelope. My words still didn't come, and she was forced to continue once more.
We just want to eliminate the worst possibilities, you understand? If she was taken against her will or something of that nature I would send out a search team. But if she just took off on her own &.well, that's a different matter.
At these words, that muscle in my mind reared up. I clenched my teeth together and swallowed hard twice. My mind seemed to want to Search the Queen, and it wasn't really inclined to ask my permission. This was what I had been worried about, and by the time I was finally able to rein it back in, a headache was touching my temples like hot pokers. It was all I could do not to grab my head and shriek in pain.
It must have been written on my face, because next she said, Is everything alright?
After a moment, to my immense relief, the pain subsided. I cleared my throat. Yes, sorry. Just a migraine, I guess.
She studied me for so long that I began to shift a little in my seat. I see. Well, do you happen to know the whereabouts of your sister?
No room for silence now. I felt like it, but I decided not to take a deep breath. Luckily, the lie came tumbling from my mouth before I could second guess it.
She went to visit a friend, I replied, Well, not really her friend, but a friend of our Mothers. She's a little bit older, and I guess she's not doing too well. She's raising a little girl and she asked Alexa if she could come and help her out for a while.
That sounded believable, right? God, I hoped so.
I see, said the Queen.
I relaxed a little at these words, but it was short lived. What the Queen did next caught me so off guard that I almost made a huge mistake. She almost slipped through my walls.
She was trying to Search me.
Alexa
We were on the road for half an hour before either of us spoke. Kayden didn't look over at me, and I didn't look over at him. But, when my hands began to tremble a little on the steering wheel, he finally broke the silence.
Let me drive, he said.
Normally, I don't respond well to commands. I don't like being told what to do by anyone, even if it's something that I know I should do. But, right now, I didn't have the strength for an argument or even a flippant remark. All the horrors of reality were finally settling over me.
Not only had I left my sister in a town of lying, manipulative vampires and wolves, and run off on some mission to save my Mother, that I wasn't even sure was really alive, I'd become a murderer.
Yes, that was it. Sure, I'd made a mess of my own life, and I'd killed the Lamias before, but that had been in true self-defense. And, Lamias were monsters. It could be argued that the man I had killed was a monster as well, but the self-defense thing was a little shaky. I could have just gotten in the car and driven away after I'd incapacitated him. But, I hadn t. Instead, I'd murdered a person.
Oh, and let's not forget that I'd also just cheated on my boyfriend. Today was shaping up to be a great day indeed.
So, no, I didn't give a smartass comeback when Kayden told me to let him drive. I didn't say anything at all. I just pulled onto the side of the road, threw open the driver's side door, and traded places with him.
When I was settled in the passenger seat of the Mercedes, I told him to just follow the GPS set into the dashboard and closed my eyes. But, when the blackness behind my lids allowed for too many unwanted thoughts, I opened them again.
Kayden noticed my despair, and tried to make small talk. He's not the kind of person who does that. Is this Tommy's car? he asked.
Yep & where'd you get that bike?
Stole it.
I raised my eyebrows at that, and he glanced away from the road and over at me. What? he asked.
Nothing.
He shrugged. There are worse things I could do.
I didn't respond. He was right, and we both knew it. He must have felt bad about saying that, though, because then he mumbled, Sorry, I didn't mean anything by that.
We stopped trying to make small talk after that.
Kayden dug into his pocket, holding the steering wheel with one hand, and pulled out a small blue pill. He handed it to me. Take this. It'll let you sleep. I'll wake you when we get there.
Again, I didn't argue. Sleep sounded like the best thing in the world to me right now. I took the blue pill and swallowed it dry. About twenty minutes later, I was fast asleep. And, by the grace of God, I didn't dream at all.
Nelly
I have never in my life experienced an assault like the one the Queen was delivering right now. If I had been a normal Searcher, even a strong normal Searcher, she would have slipped past my mental defenses and stolen whatever information she wanted without me being any the wiser.
But, I was not a normal Searcher. So, I knew exactly what she was doing, and so did the muscle in my mind. In fact, it was offended; offended that anyone could think that I was weak-minded enough to be penetrated. Weak emotionally? Sure. Weak physically? Sure, that too. But weak-minded? No siree. Through that muscle, I was able to watch her mind's attack in a way that seemed almost tangible.
Soul Searching is an interesting thing, and no one knows this better than I. When I see souls, it is usually an odd conglomeration of thoughts and feelings and desires. If I choose to, I can see memories as that person sees them. I can know their pasts, their deepest secrets, and sometimes, usually not by my own volition, I can insert some things of my own. I can make them think things they wouldn't have thought by themselves, and even remember things that never happened; things I made up. I can force my will on them. But, these things are pretty rare, and since I don't practice them to help them grow stronger, I'm not that good at it. Most of the time, I just see the outline of the soul. Not in a way that could be called an aura, with colors and such, but in a way that I just know. With certain people, like Alexa and Kayden, it can be hard for me to ignore the feelings of their souls because they are incredibly strong and powerful. Luckily for them, that strength is also what keeps other Searchers out of their minds. But, for me, it's like staring directly at the noonday sun.
Since
coming to Two Rivers, I've had an opportunity that I've never had before. I've been able to practice my abilities with other Searchers. In fact, were encouraged to practice them in classes designated for just that purpose. Unfortunately, most of the time, I just have to concentrate on suppressing my abilities, so that no one becomes suspicious of me. And, as a result of that suppression, my mind has been acting out. Right now, I was kind of glad for it.
Because watching the other students attempt such things in approved classroom settings was like seeing a smoky haze drifting toward an open window; uncontrolled and almost always missing its mark. Watching the Queen's Search was like seeing an angry bull charge toward a red cape. I hadn't overestimated her; she was incredibly good at it. If my mind hadn't acted for me, I would have been a moment too late to stop her. Her charge was light-speed fast and concentrated perfectly, and my insulted mind lashed out with a brick wall. She slammed into it so hard that I almost winced. That muscle in my head sat back, pleased and temporarily satisfied.
If there had been someone else in the room, even a Searcher, they would have no idea what had happened. The Queen's stab at my mind lasted all of a second, and after my superior defenses had shoved her away, I knew that she was too wounded to try again. Slamming full force into a wall that you didn't think was solid enough to stop you always hurts. But, it hurt me too. After all, my tainted soul was the thing that had been slammed into.
A few small moments passed before either of us even dared to breathe. I'll give her this; she was admirably stoic. But, maybe that was because she had no choice but to be. If she grabbed her surely throbbing head and shrieked in pain, she would be confirming what she'd just tried to do. And, I too had to act as though I felt nothing, so as not to give away the fact that I knew about her failed Search.
