The Cypher Wheel

by Alison Pensy

  “Faedra? Are you alright?” Faen leaned forward so their faces were level. She looked at him and gave him a weak smile.

  After taking a deep, calming breath, she replied, “I'm fine, thanks.”

  That wasn't entirely true, but until she had a chance to figure out what just happened and what she just felt, she didn't want to worry him unnecessarily. The hatred hadn't been aimed at Arawn, as she had first thought. No, the all-consuming hatred, that someone in the crowd was feeling, was aimed directly at her.

  She gave the crowd one more suspicious glance before returning her attention back to Etyran and his invisible captive.

  “Arawn may kill you if you tell me,” he growled, “but I will kill you if you don't.”

  Etyran jerked again, as if restraining a struggling body.

  “Etyran!” Faedra snapped. “That's quite enough of that. You will do no such thing. There will be no more killing, do you hear me?”

  Etyran glared at Faedra, obviously not appreciating her giving him orders.

  Faedra felt her blood start to boil and sensed Faen taking a step away from her.

  “Do I make myself clear?” Faedra enunciated each word with equal menace.

  Etyran's glare changed to surprise for a split second before reverting back to his menacing facade. “As crystal!” he spat. “And there's no need to do the glowy eye thing at me. You know it freaks me out.”

  So, that's why he looked surprised. Faedra didn't actually realize that's what had happened but her newly acquired powers were constantly manifesting themselves in different ways.

  “Okay, then,” Faedra said, blinking her eyes a few times, hoping to push back whatever was glowing there. She looked at Faen. “Gone?”

  “Gone,” he confirmed.

  Faedra turned to address the invisible person who was still being restrained by Etyran.

  “Well, I guess we will just have to wait for whatever spell Arawn has cast on you to wear off. I don't think we are going to get very far talking to an invisible person. Obviously, Arawn sent you to follow us so you could see how to get to the caves. It seems he knew we would try and rescue Todmus's family. Makes sense he would send a spy.”

  “What are you going to do with me?” the voice asked.

  “Find somewhere secure to hold you until the spell wears off and we can keep an eye on you,” Faedra answered.

  “You will be waiting a very long time,” the voice contradicted.

  “What do you mean?” Faedra asked.

  “It's not a spell.”

  “What do you mean it's not a spell? It's the only way you could be invisible,” Etyran stated.

  “Is that so, Lightbender?” the voice said with a hint of smugness.

  Faedra saw confusion war on her friend's face. She could feel his heart race and a whole mixture of feelings rushed from him, making her feel dizzy.

  “You lie!” Etyran growled.

  “No, Lightbender, I do not. You know it is the truth, you sensed me on the stairs, I saw you.

  “Liar. You lie!” Etyran shouted. He shoved the invisible person at Faen. “Hold her!”

  Faen gave Etyran a startled look as an invisible body was thrust at him. He quickly put his arms around it, watching as Etyran stumbled backwards. Etyran's expression was full of confusion and sadness. Faedra drew her eyebrows together, asking her friend a silent question.

  Etyran closed his eyes and shook his head. “No, she lies,” he said before pushing through the equally confused crowd and stumbling out of the main chamber through the tunnel towards their rooms.

  “Etyran?” Jocelyn called and took off after him.

  Faedra looked up at her Guardian who was now restraining the see-through prisoner by her wrists. “What is going on?” she asked.

  “Well, I cannot be certain, but I would hazard a guess that our friend is no longer alone in the realms.”

  Taking a while for the penny to drop, Faedra responded with, “Huh?”

  “It would seem that our new friend here,” Faen dipped his head to acknowledge the person he was holding, “is also a Lightbender.”

  Faedra's brain caught up and her eyes opened wide “No!”

  “Yes,” responded the bodiless voice.

  Faedra stared, speechless, at the space in front of her Guardian for a moment before her brain kicked in. She looked around the crowd of bemused faces, searching out one in particular. She saw the one she was looking for in the front row, standing in front of Allora and Skylar. Faedra moved towards her.

  “Carina, do you have somewhere secure that we can hold our uninvited guest?”

  “Yes, we do.”

  “Faen, please could you take our invisible guest and follow Carina. Stay with her, I'll be back in a little while.” Faedra made a move to exit, which prompted the gathered crowd to part swiftly to either side of her.

  “Wait, where are you going?” Faen asked.

  Faedra stopped and turned to face him. “I need to talk to Etyran.”

  Faen nodded before moving his captive around to follow Carina in the opposite direction of his charge.

  A few minutes later, Faedra was climbing the ladder that led to Etyran's room. When she got to the top, she saw him sitting on his bed. He was slumped over, his arms resting on his thighs, head hung low. Jocelyn was sitting next to him, her hand on his back. She looked up as Faedra made an appearance in the opening to the room and gave the Custodian a weak smile.

  “Knock, knock,” Faedra said, announcing her presence to Etyran.

  Etyran breathed a heavy sigh and slowly lifted his head.

  “I suppose it would be a stupid question to ask if you know anything about that girl down there?”

  “Yep, stupid question,” Etyran replied. “Until just a few moments ago, I thought I was the only one of us left.”

  Faedra felt confusion and then a stronger feeling of hope coming from the Lightbender. She knew then that Jocelyn would be in for some disappointment and gave a heavyhearted sigh herself. She never liked to see anyone she loved get hurt, but, in this case, it seemed inevitable. Faedra's thoughts were halted when Etyran suddenly sat bolt upright, his face resolute.

  He pushed himself off the bed and made towards the entrance. “I need to talk to her.”

  Faedra stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “Oh, no you don't.”

  “Let me pass, Faedra,” Etyran said, his features hard as rock.

  “No. You need to calm down, and she needs to calm down. You can talk to her tomorrow.”

  “You can't stop me,” Etyran threatened, pulling himself up to his full height as he crossed his arms over his chest.

  Faedra raised her eyebrows at him. A few months ago his stature alone would have intimidated her into backing down, but with the power she now possessed, no one was getting past her if she didn't wish it. No one, she quickly reminded herself, but Arawn.

  Etyran glared at Faedra for a moment, indecision warring on his face. He knew only too well that Faedra could flatten him where he stood, or worse still, not be able to control her power and burn him to a crisp. Faedra could feel his energy go from one of adrenaline fueled determination to resigned deference. He took a step back and lowered his arms.

  Faedra lowered her voice when she spoke. “You can talk to her tomorrow; it will be better after you've both had time to calm down and had a good night's sleep. We all need a good sleep; we've had a long day. I know you, Etyran. You'd hate it if you went in there tonight and said something you regretted. Just sleep on it, okay?”

  Etyran's face softened. “Yeah, you're right. As usual.” He gave Faedra a wry smirk. “Where did she come from, though? How did she get here? And, more's the point, who is she?”

  Faedra moved forward and put her hand on Etyran's shoulder. “We'll find out. But please promise me you won't try and get any answers out of her tonight. She's scared, you know. I could feel it and it wasn't just because you were grappling with her on the floor. She wasn't scared of us. No, this was a different t
ype of fear, deep rooted. She's been afraid for a very long time. I intend to find out why and who it is that she’s so scared of.”

  Etyran inclined his head. Faedra knew he wouldn't break his promise, she could feel that, too.

  “Jocelyn, would you stay here with Etyran for a while?”

  Jocelyn stood up and took hold of Etyran's hand. He looked down at her and smiled. “Come and sit down,” Jocelyn said as she took a step back to the bed again. Etyran followed her, looking a little like a lost puppy.

  A pang of sadness hit Faedra in the gut at the sight of Etyran. This revelation had certainly knocked him for six. “Thanks,” Faedra said, before turning around and descending down the ladder.

  Although she had just told her friend not to talk to their uninvited guest that night, she had no intention of following her own instructions. She had to at least make sure the girl was unharmed and given some food and water before she herself would be able to rest that night.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Faedra met Faen's uneasy smile as she wandered down the carved out corridor that led towards the conference room they had been in earlier that day. A little way past the entrance to that room Faen was standing outside a heavy door, waiting patiently.

  “Has she said anything?” Faedra asked when she reached her Guardian.

  “Nothing,” he replied.

  “I'd like to speak to her.”

  “Would you like me to accompany you?” Faen asked.

  Faedra sensed he was trying to hide his apprehension from her but she could still feel it. She put her hand to his cheek and smiled. “No, thanks. I'll be fine. Hopefully, she will talk if it's just me.”

  Faen closed his eyes for a second and inclined his head. “I will be here if you need me.” He took hold of Faedra's hand and lowered it from his face as he stepped aside. “Be careful.”

  “Always.”

  Faedra's hand slid from her Guardian's as she stepped forward and opened the door. She pushed the heavy wooden door open just enough for her to squeeze through and gave her Guardian one more poignant look before closing the door behind her.

  Faen resumed his position in front of the door.

  The tiny room was sparsely furnished. A long wooden bench that doubled as a bunk ran almost the length of one wall. A chair and small table rested against the other wall. The glow from a candle cast warming flickers across the walls and the ceiling. Faedra leaned back against the door. She couldn't see the girl, who chose to stay invisible, so she decided to try something. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander. Her eyes moved about under their lids. Faedra sensed the girl's energy as soon as she stepped in the room but couldn't pinpoint its location. She let her mind relax a little more until, to her astonishment, she could see the outline of the other occupant through her closed eyes.

  The hazy orange glow of a figure sitting down lit up the blackness behind her closed eyelids. The figure had her hands in her lap and was looking up at Faedra. A second passed and she looked back down at her hands.

  Faedra was starting to enjoy the optimization of her given power. She was finding that there was no end of ways she could now manipulate the energy within and around her. She opened her eyes and the outline disappeared, but Faedra knew where the other person was now and moved to sit in the chair opposite to where the girl was sitting on the bench.

  “Are you hurt?” Faedra asked.

  She heard a shuffle.

  “No,” came the reply.

  “Would you like something to eat or drink?”

  “No.”

  “You've caused quite a stir,” Faedra continued.

  Another shuffle.

  “Who are you?”

  After yet another shuffle, Faedra decided she couldn't stand talking to thin air so she closed her eyes again and relaxed her mind. A moment later the girl's hazy figure came back into view. She was looking at Faedra, her head cocked slightly to one side.

  “Will you at least tell me your name?” Faedra asked. Trying to get something, anything out of the stranger.

  “No.”

  Faedra, realizing something was odd, looked down at her ring. It was not warming up or glowing. She scrunched her forehead as she gave it a tap. “Huh. That's odd,” she said to herself.

  “What is?” the girl asked.

  Faedra looked up. “Hmm? Oh, err, nothing. Must be on the blink, that's all.” She gave the ring one last tap, then shook her head. “Look, are you sure I can't get you something to eat or drink?”

  The figure cocked her head to the other side.

  “Why are you being so nice to me?” she asked.

  “I have a tendency to blow things up if I don't control my mood, so I find it helps to be nice. That way I don't hurt anyone.”

  The figure straightened up and scooted herself back until she was leaning up against the wall, legs crossed in front of her. Faedra smiled.

  The girl drew in a breath of realization. “Can... can you see me?” she asked.

  “I can see your outline,” Faedra told her. “Yet another of my Savu-enhanced powers I've just discovered,” Faedra mumbled to herself.

  “It's weird talking to someone with their eyes closed.”

  “Well, if you'd show yourself, I wouldn't have to close my eyes. It's even weirder talking to thin air,” Faedra retorted.

  “Fair point,” the girl conceded, then quickly changed the subject. “What was it like fighting Savu?” the girl asked.

  Faedra opened her eyes, saw that the prisoner was still invisible, sighed, and closed her eyes again. “Scary. Truth be told, I've never been so scared in all my life.”

  “I bet you don't have to be scared anymore, though. That must be nice,” the girl mused. She dropped her head with her words.

  “Me? You must be joking,” Faedra said. “I'm scared of everything. I'm scared that I'll hurt someone I care about. I'm scared that Savu's evil is inside of me and one day I won't be able to control it. I'm scared this power will consume me.”

  “Really? You hide it well,” the disembodied voice said after a moment of thoughtful contemplation.

  “Thanks. So, can you tell me what you're so afraid of?”

  The outline stiffened and puffed herself up to sit straight and tall. “I'm not afraid of anything!” she snapped.

  “Hmm. You forget who you're talking to. Fear is coming off you in waves, and it's not aimed at me.”

  The outline slumped and a moment passed in silence.

  “What are you going to do to me?” the voice asked, trying very hard to hide her nervous tone.

  “I don't know yet. I guess that depends.”

  “On what?”

  “Don't know that either.”

  “Are you going to hurt me? If you are, just get it over with.” A hard edge returned to the voice.

  Faedra got up and opened her eyes.

  “I just told you, I don't hurt people I care about.”

  “Why would you care about me? You don't even know me.”

  “Because of you, one of my best friends is no longer alone in the realms,” Faedra said as she walked towards the door.

  “Faedra?”

  Faedra turned, she tried to hide her amazement as the Lightbender unwrapped herself, revealing long blonde hair that flowed in sleek waves beyond her waist. She had pale skin accentuated with a hint of pink in her cheeks. Her beautiful blue eyes shone under the cover of long lashes and her nervous smile revealed a row of perfect white teeth behind pouty pink lips. Her slender frame pushed itself off the bench. She was wearing a long tunic over trousers, belted at the waist with slits up the sides to make maneuvering easier. Surprisingly, she wasn't carrying a weapon, something nearly everyone in the different realms seemed to do, and, to Faedra's knowledge, one had not been confiscated from her.

  Oh, God, Etyran won't stand a chance when he sees her, and, sadly, neither will Jocelyn, Faedra thought as she returned the girl's smile.

  “It's Alyssa. My name that is.” Alyssa lowered her eyes.
“And I really would like something to eat and drink.”

  Faedra grabbed the door handle. “I'll see to it that someone brings you something. We'll talk more in the morning after we've both had some rest. Good night, Alyssa.”

  Faedra clicked the door closed behind her and was greeted by her Guardian who was waiting outside the door. She slid the bolt home securely.

  “How did it go?” Faen asked.

  Faedra looked up at him, drank him in for a moment. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to collapse on her bed. For a moment she said nothing, just gazed at her Guardian's expectant face. Then she took a step forward, and with a heavy sigh, wrapped her arms around him and nestled her cheek against his chest.

  “I need a hug.”

  After a fleeting moment of hesitation Faen wrapped his arms around his charge and cocooned her in his embrace. It had been such a long time since she allowed him to hold her like this; her action had taken him quite by surprise. She felt good there, and now that he had her there, he never wanted her to leave.

  “I'm too bloody young for all this stuff, Faen,” Faedra mumbled into Faen's chest, her voice vibrating against his skin. “I should be out clubbing or partying, or something. Not saving yet another realm from yet another bad guy.” She pulled her head away from his chest and looked up at her Guardian. “It's too much responsibility.”

  Faen bent down and scooped the Custodian off her feet.

  “What are you doing?”

  Faen started down the corridor towards the main chamber. “Taking you to bed.”

  Faedra raised her eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

  “To sleep, Faedra,” Faen verified. “You are exhausted, as am I.”

  “Oh.” Faedra could feel some heat warm her cheeks. She needed to drag her mind out of the gutter for a moment.

  On their way through the main chamber, Carina approached giving Faedra the chance to ask if someone could take Alyssa something to eat and drink. Carina told her she would see to it right away. After agreeing to meet up in the morning and exchanging their 'good nights', they carried on in opposite directions.