by Sophia Sharp
“The seekers told us a lot,” Liz said, and I jumped, startled out of my thoughts.
“Like what?” I asked.
“Well, they wanted to wait for you to recover before showing us anything, but they said that all of us has the potential to use the crystals like you do.” Liz couldn’t keep the excitement out of her voice. “Even Ashley! They said she would have recovered her ability on her own before long, but Aeryth took her aside and healed what she had done to herself, too!”
“That’s marvelous,” I said.
“Aeryth said it was like a muscle sprain,” Liz continued. “When Ashley pulled on too much of the crystal’s power – back when she didn’t have the best opinion of you – she strained her ability to link to the crystals. It would have come back eventually, according to the seekers, but with Aeryth’s healing, it didn’t have to wait.”
“Unbelievable,” I said. “I’m really happy for her. These women really do know a lot about the crystals, don’t they?”
“They know everything,” Liz stressed. “They said they’d teach us as soon as… well, as soon as you woke up.”
“I just think it’s remarkable they would agree to teach us anything after what’s happened.”
“What do you mean?” Liz asked.
“I mean, everything that we brought upon them,” I replied. “They’re not going to be able to stay here anymore, are they? Not when there are people out there who know where the village is now.”
“I never thought of that,” Liz answered solemnly. “You’re not blaming yourself for what happened, are you?”
“How could I not?” I sighed. “Without us, the people here would have continued their idyllic lives without a single worry. But look what happened with our arrival.”
“With Chris’s arrival,” Liz corrected. “Him and his dad. Without us, without you specifically, who knows how much worse things would have turned out?”
“What I don’t understand,” I said, “is why the seekers didn’t fight back against Chris and his dad. If they know so much about the crystals—”
“They couldn’t fight back because they don’t keep their crystals with them,” Liz cut in.
“Huh?” I frowned. “What do you mean? I saw Aeryth heal Chris before my eyes. And they healed Rob before, and me after.”
“I gave her my crystal,” Liz admitted. “They don’t keep their crystals on them because they don’t need them, Tracy. From what I understand, they try to do as much as they can without them. Not because they’re frightened of anything – no, of course not that – but rather, because they don’t want to grow reliant upon them. The seekers respect the crystals’ powers, and with that respect comes the strength to stay away from them when need be.”
“That’s how they explained it to you?”
“Uh-huh,” Liz confirmed.
“That’s interesting. Hey—do you remember Arthur’s warning?” I asked suddenly. “Arthur senior’s warning, that is?”
“From his letter?” Liz asked. I nodded. “How could I forget? Everything about that night seems like it’ll be etched in my mind forever. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you to find him there on your own…” she trailed off, and gave a strong shudder. “The warning? Of course I remember. ‘Be forewarned,’ ” she quoted, “ ‘the crystals lead to neither peace nor freedom. Make haste to close this chapter of your lives. It is something I could never do.’ What about it?”
“I just thought of it now, when you were talking about how the seekers don’t keep their crystals with them. There’s power in the crystals that others will try to exploit. We’ve seen it firsthand with Chris and his dad. Maybe that’s why the seekers stay away from their crystals.”
“Maybe,” Liz said.
“And, if nothing else, I think Arthur senior was right about one thing.”
“Which is?” Liz asked.
“The crystals cannot lead to peace. Not while there are people out there who know about them. I think we’ll be in danger for as long as knowledge of them remains in the world. Other people will want to use us for our powers. I think that’s what the warning meant.”
“What are you suggesting?” Liz asked.
“Nothing,” I said. “Just something we need to be aware of. And maybe—”
I cut off as the door banged open. Instead of John, who I was expecting, in the doorway stood a plump woman with a graying bun of hair on her head. She had a spotless white apron on, and didn’t hesitate before walking in carrying a large tray. She smiled warmly at me, and I was reminded instantly of my grandmother. The tray was covered by a cloth, but tantalizing food smells wafted out from it anyway. I could smell freshly baked bread, buttered fish, baked potatoes, and even some kind of vegetables. It smelled delicious.
The woman set the tray on the bedside table and took the cloth off. My stomach growled and my mouth watered at the sight of the food. Everything that I had smelled was there, in even larger portions that I expected. There was even a slice of chocolate cake at the side! Greedily, I reached for the tray, but the woman stepped in my way.
“Careful now,” she said, but not unkindly, “I know you’re hungry after what you’ve been through, but you need to pace yourself. You wouldn’t want to stuff down all this food only to hurl it up moments later because your stomach can’t hold it down. Take your time, and enjoy it.”
“Thank you,” I said curtly, casting an anxious look around the woman to my tray. Take my time? I felt like I could wolf down the entire tray in minutes and still want more! Besides, I had to finish the food so I could see Rob quickly. That was my priority above everything.
“Liz?” the woman said. “Aeryth called for you. She’s waiting downstairs. Hurry now, you wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.”
“Oh!” Liz exclaimed, and shot straight up. Aeryth must have made quite an impression on her to elicit such a response. She ran to the door – ran! I’d never seen Liz run for anybody before! – but paused just before leaving. “One last thing,” Liz said, turning to me. “Just something I thought of. I don’t think the people who came after us really know what the crystals can do. The government force who trapped us in the cabin, I mean. The truth is, we don’t even know. At least, not until the seekers teach us. The people who were watching the cabin might suspect there’s value to the crystals, but there’s no way they know exactly what it is. I just thought of that. Maybe we can use that to our advantage.” And with that, she ran – ran! – out the door.
The woman who came in with the tray watched after her. “Quite a group of friends you have, dear,” she said to me.
“I’m sorry,” I said, “I don’t even know your name.”
“You can call me Silvia,” she said, striding over to close the door. “I am the Third.”
The Third? What did that mean? I frowned at her in my confusion, and she gave a gracious laugh.
“I am one of the seekers, child. I came here to speak with you. The Third is simply my position in our group.”
“Oh,” I said. Did the title mean she was the third most important person from the top, or was it something else? And then I realized – she was one of the seekers! Right here, in my room, talking to me! “Oh!” I exclaimed again. Suddenly, I became uncertain how to act in front of her. I had so many questions, but I didn’t want to be rude, either. Should I call her by her first name? Or by the title she gave me? What would she think of me if I said something stupid? I didn’t want to embarrass myself before of her. She seemed important, else she wouldn’t have given that title. And she had a certain presence around her…
“Relax, child,” Silvia laughed. “I’m not going to bite.” She picked up a plate from the tray – the vegetables, I saw to my dismay – and handed it to me along with a fork and knife. “Take your time,” she cautioned once more.
I took the plate from her, and realized that my hands were trembling. Not from nerves, but from an outright weakness. I placed a forkful in my mouth, and my taste buds came alive. Stea
med vegetables never tasted so good! I swallowed quickly, burning my tongue a little, but right away had the next portion on my fork. Silvia laughed merrily as she watched.
“You’re not one for following instructions, are you?” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “I say slowly, and you race ahead if this is your last meal in the world.”
“Sorry,” I said between mouthfuls, “but this is very good!”
“Well, take your time,” Silvia said again, and walked over to take a seat on the lone chair at the foot of the bed. I had to shift to be able to see her. “We’ll talk once you finish your meal.”
I nodded, and put my fork down to spear another bunch of vegetables, but to my surprise it grated against clean porcelain. I looked down, and realized with a start that everything was already gone! I gave Silvia a sheepish look, but didn’t waste any time replacing the empty plate with the one that held the baked potatoes. I felt like I could eat and eat and eat and never be full.
Silvia watched as I ate, nodding approvingly every time I glanced up at her. I lost myself in the food for a moment, the tastes and sensations dancing on my tongue, but as I ate, a melancholy mood came over me. This was the first hot meal I’d had since leaving Oliver Academy. Except now, I was almost certain I could not return to the school. At least, not anytime in the immediate future. Not until all the things that brought me to this village were resolved. Eventually, when everything was resolved, I might be able to return to Oliver Academy along with everyone else. But a resolution to the mess we were in seemed like it would be a long time coming.
I was surprised when I returned my current plate to the tray and realized that there was nothing left. The hole in my stomach felt just as big now as before I’d started eating. Silvia must have seen my disappointment, for she gave another of those hearty laughs.
“Why, that’s more than I could eat in an entire day!” she exclaimed. “Two days, maybe. But I imagine you’re still starving?”
“Famished,” I admitted.
Silvia sighed, but gave a little smile. “Such is the way of healing with the crystals. You’re going to feel that hunger for a number of days yet. But you mustn’t eat more than we give you. Everything has to be perfectly rationed for your body to fully recover. Eating too much – just as eating too little – will impede the natural healing your body has to undertake.”
“I guess it’s better than the alternative,” I said wryly, trying to make a joke. Instead of laughing, Silvia just frowned at me.
“A poor joke, my dear, considering the alternative would have cost you your leg,” she said seriously. Then she waved it away with one hand. “No matter. That is not what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Rob!” I exclaimed suddenly. I was strong enough to walk now, at least I thought I was, and I had to see Rob! Proper decorum with Silvia flew out the window in the face of the urgency I felt at that. “Can I go see him?”
Silvia smiled. “I take it you are fond of him?” I gave a curt nod. “You can see him soon enough. I won’t take more of your time than need be. But there are things I do need to talk to you about.”
“Right,” I answered. “I’m sorry. I should have known better.” Silvia was one of the seekers, and obviously important. She knew so much more than me, and I itched to pick her brain, but… not right now. Seeing Rob was the priority. Yet, by the same token, I had to show her the proper respect. “What did you want to talk about?”
“Well, the first is what we’re going to do about the boy who’s life you saved.”
“Do you mean Chris?”
“Yes, Chris.” Her mouth twisted in distaste much as Liz’s had before. “You spared his life, but I cannot imagine he will be thankful. Not with the way he will have to live.”
“I don’t care,” I said stubbornly. “I can’t have a death weighing on my conscience. I could not have let him die when he could have lived.” It didn’t matter what he did, or who he was… I had caused the circumstances that would have led to his death, and I would have done anything in my power to prevent his death. Which I did, in truth.
“You do not regret your decision?”
“Not at all!” I said firmly.
Silvia merely nodded. “You are strong, Tracy. Chris will resent you for the choice you made for him.”
“He already resented me,” I said. “It doesn’t make a difference. As long as I saved his life, I could care less what he thinks of me.”
“I would not dismiss him so easily, my dear. He has shown what he is capable of. To you, to us. As long as he lives, you will always have to watch your back.”
“As long as he lives,” I nodded, “I can do that. Where is he, anyway?”
“He is housed in a separate building, away from anybody else. One of your friends is watching him.”
“Who?”
“Eve. She took a particular interest in keeping watch over him after what he had done.”
I smiled on the inside. I wouldn’t expect anything less from her. “Is he awake?”
“No, he’ll be out for days, yet.”
“His recovery is certain, though?”
“He will live, yes,” Silvia said.
“And what about… Rob?”
Silvia’s smile faded. “If he awakes, he will do so before Chris. But it is out of our hands, now. He will have to fight tooth and nail to recover from the gunshot wound, no matter the healing we did.”
“He will do it,” I said under my breath. “I know he will.”
“What was that, dear?”
“Nothing,” I said. “Is there anyone else watching Chris? One of the seekers, I mean, or the villagers? He could still be dangerous, and his father is out there. He knows where we are.”
Silvia’s mouth twisted with distaste again. “His… father… left the boy for dead after the confrontation with you. I doubt he comes back for him now.”
My eyes widened, as I realized just what that statement meant. Chris’s father knew about the village. Just because he failed in getting what he wanted from here once, did not mean he wouldn’t try again. And next time, he could bring more people with him. “Your home is ruined,” I said. “People know where you are. You are not hidden anymore. What are you going to do?”
Silvia smiled knowingly. “Do not fear for us, child. Our village has survived this long. Do you think this was the first hardship we faced? People are what make a village home, and we are all unhurt. We will move on from this place, and we will persevere.”
“Not the first hardship?” I asked. “Surely, nothing like this has happened before?”
“Since the turn of time there have been others who have wanted to harness the power of the crystals for their own decadence,” Silvia said sagely. “We have protected man from his worst capacities by keeping the crystals out of reach. By keeping the crystals hidden, we protect humanity from itself. This was not our first hardship, and it will not be the last. The seekers always find a way to persevere, and we will do so again. But! This is not the time nor place for that type of talk. Once you have fully regained your strength, we will gather you and the other girls and tell you more of what we know. Until then, you need to rest. You cannot have undue worries on your mind lest it hinder your recovery.”
“Of course,” I agreed.
“Now, I’ve taken enough of your time. In truth, I just wanted to see you well enough to walk on your own before I let you go. You want to see Rob?”
“Yes!”
“Go out the door, through the hallway, and to the very last door to your right. That’s where you’ll find him. But you mustn’t try to wake him yourself. A premature awakening could kill him.”
My breath caught in fright. Was his condition really so delicate? “I’ll be quite as a mouse,” I promised. I started to get up, but then thought of something I had been trying to figure out for a long time. “Silvia? Can I ask you a question before I go?”
“Of course.”
“Why women? Why are women the only ones who can use t
he crystals?”
“Ah,” Silvia smiled. “You have an inquiring mind, I see. But you might as well ask me why water is wet, or sand is dry, dear. Such is just the nature of things.”
“But there must be something that separates women from men, to make it possible?” I pressed. “Isn’t there?”
Silvia smiled a mysterious smile. “Yes, of course there is. My belief is that we are simply more in tune with the world than men are, and that is what allows us to use the crystals. We are stronger, in a way, in that particular way, that lets our minds form the link to the crystals. Men might be physically stronger, but we have our special strengths, too. Now, you should go. Rob is waiting.”
I nodded, and went to the door. Just as I was about to open it, I heard Silvia call my name again. “Tracy.”
“Yes?”
“I do not know exactly what led you here, or who the people threatening you are, but based on my conversations with your friends, I know one thing: those people will do everything in their power to get to you. And if they do, they will use you.”
“I know,” I said sadly.
“There is a way to still save yourself from them, I believe. I can tell you, but first you must promise me that what I say now does not leave this room. At least, not until I decide the knowledge can be shared.”
“Of course,” I said, turning around to look at her. “What is it?”
“The only way to protect yourself completely,” she said quietly, “is to destroy the crystals.”
I took in a sharp intake of air. Destroy the crystals? I could never do that! Not when there was so much to learn! Not when there was so much to find out!
“It is the only way to peace,” Silvia continued, “if that is what you truly want. Now, remember: you can tell no one of what I said.”
“Of course not,” I said again.
“Run along, now,” Silvia prompted. “I wouldn’t want to keep you from anything important.”
Wordlessly, I nodded, and opened the door. The wooden hallway outside wasn’t large, and I saw that there was a flight of stairs on one side leading down to the main floor. My legs were a bit wobbly, so I leaned one hand against the wall and started for Rob’s door. Destroy the crystals? Was the woman mad? The shock of her suggesting something like that was unbelievable! And she was supposed to be a seeker, one of the few women in the world who could actually use them! Surely, she could realize how precious they were, how important it was to keep them safe! You could not simply throw away a gift like that! The thought of destroying the crystals… it was ludicrous! Preposterous!
