by Jess Bowen
She stayed in his mind, content to feel this love for the rest of eternity. She watched through his mind as he examined her every feature, always finding each one beautiful. She still couldn’t understand it, even here, immersed in his mind. She couldn’t see what he did. His gaze caught her eyes, and she felt him smile. He could always tell from the look in her eyes when her mind was no longer behind them.
You’re intruding. His thoughts sounded clearly in his mind.
Phoebe watched her body sigh from his eyes. She always found this strange. She could still control her body even though her mind was somewhere else. It was intriguing to watch. She commanded her lips to move. She could hear his thoughts, but he could not hear hers. Cassius and Phoebe were working on that particular area of her talent, but it wasn’t going well.
“Does it matter? You hide your secrets well.” Her voice was soft, barely a sigh. His ears were the only ones to pick up her words.
But it’s not really fair. You see what I see, feel what I feel, and yet here I am, stuck on the outside looking in, he replied.
Phoebe could feel his longing to read her thoughts, to see into her mind. There was nothing interesting there. He leaned in closer as if he would be able to hear her thoughts if he were nearer to her. She could smell the rainwater scent of her skin through his nose. A wave of pleasure washed through him.
You always smell so good, he sighed pleasurably.
She could see her cheeks flush. “I hadn’t noticed,” she made her body say as her eyes glanced away.
He picked up on the sound of her voice and savored it. She heard his thoughts comparing her voice to the melodic sound of water dancing over stones in a small brook, and he was making another comparison she couldn’t grasp. She fought against the wall blocking her, but it was futile. He smiled again as her brow furrowed in concentration and her eyes narrowed in frustration.
You really should stop fighting. Maybe those are things you would be better off not knowing, he suggested.
“Maybe you should let me be the judge of that,” her lips replied.
He saddened. One day I will have to do that, but for now, it’s best this way.
Her body sighed again. It was pointless. That was even more frustrating. With anyone else, she could have gotten to their secrets by now, but Dorian was just too good at keeping her out. She guessed he deserved his privacy; everyone had secrets now and again. She lost herself to the full force of his love again before pulling back to her own body. The effort was starting to wear on her energy, so she wouldn’t have been able to stay much longer anyway.
She lifted her downcast eyes back up to him, and he smiled again. Her heart stuttered. “I’m sorry. I know it frustrates you,” he said.
“Frustrated is a bit of an understatement,” she replied.
“What would you say then?” He threaded his fingers into hers, which had been previously twirling a stand of her hair.
Phoebe scowled. It required a lot of effort; it was hard to be anything but content when she was looking in his eyes. “Irritated beyond what should be allowable for any one human being.”
He chuckled. “In that case, I guess I should be glad you have the capacity to handle the irritation of quite a few human beings at once.”
He was impossible. But she couldn’t make herself get angry like she wanted to. Her ability to handle intense emotions had been up for debate since the disaster that was the Earth Tournament. She still couldn’t think about the incident without cringing. She was glad that her thoughts were silent. Her cringing wasn’t due to the fact that she had very nearly killed someone, but because she had not succeeded. She hated to admit it, even if only to herself. The others thought she would feel guilty, but she just couldn’t bring herself to feel that way. They hadn’t seen the explicit thoughts in Kali’s mind.
They hadn’t seen Kali’s dark desire to have each one of them burning and screaming in agony as she enjoyed the torture. They hadn’t seen themselves begging for mercy. They hadn’t seen Dorian tied with Kali in every way possible as they celebrated Phoebe’s death. Of every mind Phoebe had come across, Kali’s mind was the most explicit; her fantasies were the most defined, every detail as if it had really happened.
Just the memory of her dark fantasies made Phoebe’s stomach turn and started her blood boiling. The murderous rage bubbled up again as each vision flashed through her mind before she could stop it. Red infringed on her vision, and her body stiffened as the rational part of her mind fought against the rage. She hadn’t been quite truthful earlier, even to herself. She did have a secret. No one knew the anger that possessed her at the thought of Kali. It was probably good that Dorian was extremely overprotective, or Kali might not still be breathing somewhere in this palace.
Dorian sensed a change in Phoebe’s eyes. Ever since she had discovered this feeling and how strong it was and how the others worried when she was unable to hide it, she had succeeded in keeping her outward appearance calm as she waited for the storm to pass. Only her eyes gave her away. Dorian was usually the only one who caught it, because he was the only one who watched so closely. As she looked at him, his face became blurred as another of Kali’s fantasies flashed into her mind, one of the most vulgar ones.
Phoebe took a deep breath, fighting against her desire to hunt Kali down right at that second. Something as soft as silk brushed Phoebe’s cheek and a smooth honeyed voice whispered to her. Slowly it brought her back. The anger faded as she felt Dorian’s skin against hers and heard him coaxing her back to sanity. His face came back into focus, and she saw concern evident in his eyes. She smiled when she thought it could be genuine enough to ease his concern.
“Sorry, I must have zoned out,” she said, keeping her voice light and casual.
Phoebe knew he didn’t believe her, but she felt the others’ eyes on her and knew he wouldn’t press the matter in front of them. He knew how she hated feeling weak. Her anger, although it gave her inhuman strength, power, and speed, was a weakness, and she hated it.
He played along with her charade, but she could tell he would not forget. “Daydreaming again?” He smiled lightly.
Phoebe nodded. Finally the door opened, and any attention that might have been focused on her was quickly averted. She had almost forgotten why they were here. They were situated at the far end of the room with Cassius and Maya pacing in front of where they all sat. The rest of their companions were settled around their feet as they, unlike their owners, patiently waited. Phoebe’s excitement skyrocketed again and flushed out what was left of her anger.
Five figures stepped out. They were much cleaner than when she had first seen them. It was now easy to decipher each of their unique characteristics. There was a tall, thin man with graying hair. He must have been the father, because he had a child clinging to each of his hands. There was a boy who looked to be about six and a small girl with bouncing blond hair who looked to be around three.
Next, a woman appeared. She was obviously the mother. She, too, was thin with graying hair pulled up. She carried a small bundle, the newborn baby girl, who was fast asleep. Phoebe could just barely see a thick tuft of red hair sticking out of the baby’s blanket. The entire family looked like they had been emaciated, but after eleven weeks of plenty of good food, they were starting to fill out nicely.
Lastly through the door came a broad shouldered, powerfully built man with black hair. Although he had many scars that gave him an almost terrifying look, Phoebe could see from his eyes that he was quite gentle. He wore dark clothes and heavy boots that made the floor shake slightly with every step he took. He was no more than twenty-five, by Non-Magic years. Although she was standing, Phoebe let Cassius and Dorian go ahead to welcome them all first. Her yearning to speak with these people became almost unbearable as she waited. Phoebe needed to speak to these people, needed to ascertain how they were doing for herself. Here were people strong enough to defy the oppressor outside these walls.
The scout still had a report to give. The
elves had only had enough time to gather that there was no immediate danger and that they should be expecting no one else before the family and scout had to be locked in isolation. They had been scheduled to come out of isolation two weeks earlier, but the baby had contracted a minor virus and they had been kept in longer as a precaution.
Phoebe grew impatient as Cassius and Dorian made their formal introductions and welcomed the new family. She heard them introduce the rest of them as she passed through the thin shield over her mind. She felt everything the second she was free. Ethan was as impatient and excited as she was. Lucy had mixed feelings about the scout; she was thinking of her brother who had been lost to the same occupation.
Jared was sensing each of their powers and talents. Phoebe skipped over that; it wasn’t important right now. Evan was measuring himself against the scout, who was to join Dorian for their instruction. He was excited about the new arrival, but he couldn’t help but compare his own bulging muscles to the scout’s. Cynthia was watching the children; her heart broke at the scared looks on their faces.
Phoebe skipped over Dorian, knowing it would distract her. Cassius was gathering information, and finally she entered the father’s mind.
Cassius is very kind. Did I expect otherwise? This place is beautiful. It feels so safe. My children will be safe here. I will be able to feed them, and they can run and play. They can smile. Look how happy everyone is to see us. I didn’t know there were still such kind people in this world. My children are safe. They are full, they are happy, and that’s all that matters.
Safe. Yes, it was safe here. Phoebe’s throat felt oddly tight after hearing the man’s thoughts. He thought nothing of himself. He wanted his family to be safe. Phoebe moved on to the mother’s mind.
Such beautiful, wonderful people. And they are happy to see us. I can’t imagine it. I never thought people were still so good. The children will be safe here. They will be able to smile again. Mia will never have to live as Christopher and Millie have; at least one of them can live without fear. At least one of them can grow with trust in their heart. Trust that this world is not truly lost after all.
Again, the woman’s thoughts were only for her children. Phoebe’s body reacted, and her throat constricted further. She continued to the small boy’s mind.
I hope they won’t hurt us. Daddy will protect us. He always has before.
Tears fell down Phoebe’s cheeks. To have such a small child worried about his life stabbed at her like knives. To know that he had faced something that may have taken his life had his father not been there horrified her. She continued to the small girl.
Daddy. Mommy is close. Mommy has Mia. Christopher is here. Oh, such pretty animals. I hope I can pet one.
The girl was concerned. She kept checking to see that her family was close, taking inventory. But she was still innocent. Phoebe had one last mind left to explore and just enough time to do it. Cassius was finishing his introductions. She turned to the scout. His expression was kind, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth. It took her a second to realize that she wasn’t hearing or feeling anything from him. She checked quickly. She was definitely free of the shield that protected her mind. She could feel every other emotion around her.
Phoebe turned back to the scout. She briefly caught his name, Hector, through Cassius’s introductions as she tried to get into the man’s head. She fought against his mind. She couldn’t even seem to pass through the physical barrier of his skin. She exerted as much force as she could muster. Nothing. She composed herself; she didn’t want to frighten the children. Still she fought against the blank wall that seemed to be blocking her completely. She started to panic. What was wrong with her? Why wasn’t her talent working?
She began to explore others’ minds, starting with the one closest to her. The baby was dreaming of colors and faces. The mother was still overflowing with gratitude for the safety of her children. Even Dorian wasn’t able to completely block her. Normally the powerful emotions contained in his mind would stop her, but she was so thoroughly distracted that she barely processed the feeling before moving back to the scout. Still nothing. Phoebe tried going in through the back of his head, his eyes, his ears, everything. Not a whisper of a thought or a twinge of emotion escaped his closed mind.
She retreated back to her own head. She was so confused. She had to put it aside, though. It was time to greet the family. The man, Philip, shook her hand first. Phoebe smiled kindly at him and welcomed him. He was embarrassed and didn’t say much. She then knelt to be eye-level with the children. They were the ones for whom she needed assurance of their well-being. The boy and girl both concealed themselves behind their father’s legs. It was easy for them to do; they were both still very thin. Phoebe decided to start with the girl first. She would be more open to speaking to her. Sapphire stood beside Dorian, but Bree was huddled by Phoebe as usual.
She picked him up, and he shrunk to the size of a teddy bear. The small girl peeked around her father’s legs in interest. Phoebe smiled at her.
“Hello,” she said quietly. “My name is Phoebe, and this is Bree. Would you like to pet him?”
The girl poked her head further out, and her eyes were alight with longing. She watched Bree as he snuggled into Phoebe’s arms. Even the small boy poked his head out a little.
“It’s okay,” Phoebe whispered. “He loves to be petted and play games.”
The girl stepped out from behind her father and watched Phoebe cautiously. Phoebe held Bree out, very slowly, and stopped. The girl hesitated before extending her hand. Bree, as impatient as his Master, quickly closed the few inches to nuzzle her hand. The girl gasped and jumped before realizing the bear meant her no harm, and she put her hand back on his head. Bree nuzzled her again, and she giggled. Bree shrunk even smaller and climbed into the girl’s outstretched hands and nuzzled her face. She giggled again.
“What’s your name?” Phoebe asked.
The boy poked his head out further, and his eyes looked slightly envious.
“Millie,” the girl replied quietly.
“Millie,” Phoebe repeated. “I like that name.”
Millie smiled widely as she stroked Bree, who hummed contentedly in her arms. Cynthia knelt beside her and introduced herself to Millie as Phoebe turned to the boy. Sapphire sauntered over to her, curious about what was going on. Phoebe silently signaled her to retract her horn and shrink to an appropriate size. Sapphire liked to flaunt her horn. Phoebe didn’t blame her; it was exquisitely beautiful. It was also rather dangerous, though, so when she was around children, she always made sure it was safely retracted. The boy watched Sapphire curiously as she shrunk to the size of an average dog. His hand twitched. Sapphire’s silky soft, glimmering fur was begging to be touched.
“It’s okay,” Phoebe assured the boy. “This is Sapphire.”
Sapphire stepped forward. The boy only had to reach his hand out a couple of inches to touch her. Cynthia had brought Beau and Sadi over for Millie to play with along with Bree. The small girl’s laughter warmed Phoebe’s heart. Evan sat on the floor with Cynthia and Millie, and he was telling her a story about Bree. Jared, Ethan, and Dorian talked to the scout while Lucy and Cassius talked to the mother and father. The small boy looked up to his father, who nodded in encouragement, before he finally stretched out his hand to pat Sapphire. That’s all it took. A smile stretched across his face. It made Phoebe extremely sad to realize that these were probably some of the first genuine smiles these children had ever had.
“What’s your name?” she asked the boy.
He was still smiling as he looked up from Sapphire. “Christopher.”
Phoebe smiled in return. “I like that name as well.”
Sapphire seemed quite happy where she was, and Phoebe stood up as Christopher moved to join his sister and the large group her cheeriness had attracted. Only Dorian, Ethan, the parents, and Hector were left on their feet. Phoebe turned to the mother. She would have shaken the woman’s hand, but she was ho
lding her small baby securely in her arms.
“She’s beautiful,” Phoebe commented as she looked at the round face of the sleeping baby. “All of them are.”
The mother blushed. “Thank you.”
“My name is Phoebe. It’s so nice to have you and your family here.”
“My name is Rose. Thank you so much; I can’t tell you how grateful we are.”
“We are grateful to have you here,” Phoebe replied.
Rose blushed again and smiled before kneeling down at her daughter’s request. Philip was also called down by Christopher. That left one person for her to greet. Phoebe left the protective shell of her mind again. She could feel all the happiness and security of the room around her. She commanded her body to move forward and shake the man’s hand.
“You must be Phoebe. I’m Hector. It’s nice to meet you.” Hector’s hand was very large and completely covered Phoebe’s when he shook it.
She smiled. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”
She fought against the barrier to his mind. There was no way to get around it. She still felt absolutely nothing from him. Not the slightest sound escaped his mind.
“It is a far greater honor for me to be meeting you,” he replied.
He had to be thinking something. Phoebe fought against the barrier again, but there was no sign of weakness, no spot that yielded to her talent. Her energy was starting to drain from the effort she was exerting to get into this man’s mind. She could feel Dorian step up and wrap his arm around her waist, and she heard his thoughts from a distance.
Who are you listening to now? he thought curiously.
The sound of his thoughts distracted her. They carried the same smoothness of his voice. She gave up on Hector’s mind for the moment and retreated to her own before she stood there too long without answering.
“An honor to be meeting me? I haven’t been out risking my life to save anyone. The honor is all mine,” Phoebe said.
