Marked

by Jasmine Derriman

  “So…what do you know exactly?” I asked him with a small frown.

  “Again, not much. She was born in England and lived just outside of London and she received her mark when she was seventeen, which from accounts from a close friend of hers, was an element mark, water, I believe,” he told me.

  “An element? Like mine is? I mean it is fire,” I asked him.

  “Well, yes exactly, and apparently she was quite impressive from accounts told from others. She learnt how to use her mark to its full extent. She was highly regarded as an Insigne, and was ranked highly too. When she was twenty-two she got her second mark, this time it was invulnerability, meaning her skin was tough, it’s almost like immortality. It was when she received her second mark did the council realise what she was. She was sent to search for the dagger and she found it from what I’ve read,” he explained to me.

  “And she helped stop the war? Or at least delay it, right?” I frowned.

  “Well, yes. She used the dagger for good. She only gave more marks to those that she thought deserved it, those she really trusted. She believed that the heavens had been right for taking marks as not everyone deserved all that power, and together, they helped put the…war on hold,” Henry nodded.

  “Why…just on hold though? Why didn’t she end it?” I asked him.

  “Well, that’s a great question and unfortunately I don’t have much evidence of what it was exactly. This diary…,” Henry muttered as he picked up one of the books, “is a diary from her best friend at the time, Charlotte, who seems to write that it was because during a battle fought, someone she cared about was injured, or she was injured, it’s very hard to tell the diary entry is extremely vague.”

  “And that’s all you have? A vague story of Annabeth’s past that barely tells why she didn’t stop the war when she had the chance?”

  Henry looked at me and curled his lips together. He slowly put the book down and got up from the table. I watched him as he walked towards one of the bookshelves and moved some of the books aside and picked something else. I realised it was tiny dark blue leather bound book all held together by a piece of skin wrapped around it.

  “This,” he said as he held it towards me, “is the only diary I have of Annabeth’s. I believe there are more but I cannot find them anywhere, and believe me I’ve looked. The only problem is this is most likely the last diary she ever wrote.”

  “And what makes you say that?” I said, tilting my head slightly.

  “She writes it, on the last page,” he admitted. “She doesn’t write anything of the war though. She only talks about moving, here to America, to somewhere outside of New York, which is where you are from I believe?”

  “Um yes, actually,” I nodded at me. “Guess she and I have more in common that I thought. Could she do what…I can do with the marks? Like what I did with your mark?”

  “From Charlotte’s diary, yes, but only once she received her second mark,” Henry admitted, “and I know…”

  “I don’t have second mark,” I nodded.

  “Yet,” Henry added.

  I frowned at him as he put the diary in front of me as moved back to sit down in the car he had been.

  “Yet? You believe that I’m like Annabeth?” I asked him surprised.

  “I believe it’s time for someone to emerge like her and I believe it could be you, yes,” he nodded. “From what I’ve heard and seen you can do already, it definitely seems possible that it could be true.”

  I sighed. “It all seems too surreal, since the day Isaac saved me I’ve been nothing just confused.”

  “Isaac knows little enough to help you though,” Henry shrugged a little.

  “You don’t like Isaac, do you?” I asked him. “Cause he seems to have this grudge for the council or something.”

  “No, I do like Isaac, I’m not the council member Isaac is endlessly feuding with,” Henry admitted. “That is Oden. When Isaac came here and we saw his mark and we all realised that it didn’t do anything, Oden forced us to vote on whether or not to vote for Isaac to stay and train or kick him out. Isaac was determined to prove himself to us so he trained…harder than I ever seen anyone train in my life. Everyone but Oden voted to keep Isaac in, and Oden was not happy about it and he made the clear. Oden never let Isaac rise in the ranks, he would never be number one and Isaac hated him for it. He didn’t treat him like an equal and it was never fair, we all tried to help but Oden has a power over all of us. When it came time to place him, the rest of us managed to find a way to place Isaac somewhere decent. I don’t think he realised we weren’t all against him, but he’ll never trust any of us. Bringing you here, must’ve been hard for him,” he added.

  “I think it was, but he still knew it was for the best,” I admitted.

  “Well, it probably is,” he agreed. “Here, I want you to have this.”

  I frowned at what Henry was holding in front of me. It was Annabeth’s diary, and the only diary of hers he had. It was clear from the time I had spent with Henry that Annabeth had become his life’s work. He had spent time researching where she was from, tracking down her friend’s diaries, and he was just handing me the only he had.

  “Oh, I couldn’t,” I shook my head quickly.

  “No of course you can,” Henry insisted. “You are more than likely just like her, and this diary might help you…believe that you can get your second mark, and even find that dagger. All this research is great but there’s really nothing here I can tell you that will help you find it, or understand yourself.”

  I hesitant to take the diary from him, but I also found myself wanting it. I was hesitant because I knew of the council’s will to make me get my second mark and even find the dagger, but I oddly trusted Henry. Eve seemed to as well, so I didn’t think he was giving it to me because of some agenda. I wanted it though because he was right. If this was really what I was facing I would need something to help understand it, and who better than the woman who had gone through it before me.

  We didn’t talk for much longer Henry and I, we didn’t have time to because Eve came back before I knew it. I thanked him and followed Eve back up to the library.

  “So, did you like Henry?” Eve asked as we walked through the big oak doors of the library. “He’s very nice. He’s seems really helpful too.”

  “He is,” Eve agree as she sat on one of the chairs at the table, and I followed suit. “He’s not like the other council members, he cares, and he only wants the best.”

  “I kind of got that,” I nodded. “I mean, he gave me Annabeth’s diary. The…only he has.”

  “Wow, seriously?” Eve sat up surprised as she looked at the book in my hands. “I heard he had it, and it’s always interested me…do you mind…if I…just quickly?”

  “Oh, of course,” I said handing it to her. “Be my guest. I’m kind of anxious to read it anyway.”

  “Why?” Eve frowned as I handed her the book.

  “I…I’m here because I just found out I’m an Insigne, but I may not just be an insigne, I may also be this really powerful one who can find this long lost dagger, and give people more power. Oh, did I mention demons are constantly trying to kill me for it? I just…he told me Annabeth gave up because someone she loved got hurt…and if that happened to me, I think I could end up just like her. I’m not strong.”

  “Oh, don’t say that, Lily,” Eve shook her head. “You have no idea what you are yet, and no one expects you to know yet. This is scary, and hard, but you are braver than you know. The night you came here, you could’ve let Isaac deal with that demon alone, but you didn’t, and you know why? It’s because you are brave and you are strong and you are starting to believe in who you are, and it will take time but you will figure it out. I believe that.”

  I nodded at her and slightly smiled as he opened the diary. I could see her admiring it, but I wanted to ask her something that was bothering me.

  “You know…Isaac well, right?” I asked her.

  “Well, of course,�
�� she nodded.

  “Henry told me why he hates the council so much,” I told her.

  “Ah,” she said looking at me. “I enjoy being here, working for them and learning what I can, but how the treated Isaac sometimes makes me feel ashamed.”

  “So no one really knows what his mark does?” I asked her. “Not even with all this books?”

  “No, and trust me I have looked,” she told me. “Isaac used to spend hours with me going through books about marks, hoping his might show up, but there isn’t any luck. It’s not on record anyway, but most of history is documented.”

  “What if I saw his mark?” I said slowly.

  “Oh…I didn’t think of that. I guess it could work,” she shrugged. “There’s no grantee though, you don’t know how that mark thing works. It might not work.”

  “So what are you saying?”

  “I’m saying, maybe try and sneak a peek at his mark, don’t get his hopes up, because as much as he doesn’t like to admit, he is sensitive about it.”

  I smiled back at Eve slightly in assuring way as I leant back on the table sitting on the edge of my chair. I realised then Eve wasn’t looking at me now, but at the door. I followed her gaze to the giant set of doors at the front of the library to see Isaac. He stood quite casually at the door but at the moment I realised I suddenly knew more about Isaac then he knew. I had learnt about his time at the council and he had no idea I knew any of it.

  “You two seem like you are working hard,” Isaac said, walking over to us. I was thankful he hadn’t just heard our converstation

  “We were,” Eve said plainly. “She’s a fast learner.”

  “I know she is,” Isaac nodded glancing at me. “That’s why I wasn’t worried about being here too long.”

  “Well, at this rate you could leave whenever you want,” Eve told him, as she stood up.

  “Good,” Isaac acknowledged, “but for now you need to come with me.”

  “And where are we going?” I ask him, not moving from my chair.

  He breathes heavily like he’s afraid to tell me. “The council have requested a meeting with you.”

  I feel myself breathe out heavily at his words. It’s almost an instant reaction for me. I feel my palms turn sweaty and my whole body clam up.

  “W…why?” I manage to find words.

  Isaac shrugs a little. “Other than the obvious, they want to speak to you, Lily.”

  “And what if I don’t want to go?” I asked him quickly.

  “You can’t refuse their request, Lily,” Eve said softly as she shook her head a little.

  “You would,” I said directly to Isaac.

  This made Isaac smile a little. “Yes, but you are not me.”

  I swallowed as I shook my head a little. I don’t know why it makes me so nervous, but suddenly I felt terrified. I saw how Isaac handled the council, and he’s strong and stubborn, I know I won’t be the same. Maybe it’s because I know what they are going to ask me. They going to ask me about the dagger, like a demon would, and despite everything I was learning, I still had no answer for that.

  “I will be with you,” Isaac spoke breaking my silence as he walks towards me.

  “Me too,” Eve said confidently. “If they let me in.”

  “Come on.”

  Isaac held his hand for me. I feel myself breathe and as I breathed I looked Isaac. Slowly I lifted up my hand to put it in his, and the moment I did I felt a warmth come over. I felt safe with him, I felt like he really could protect me from anything, but I knew I couldn’t rely on myself. Eve said I was strong, and I needed to believe that I could be strong. I needed to strong.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I walked at an average pace, a pace that allowed me to stay close but slightly behind Isaac. I didn’t want to leave his side right now. He knew what to expect and other than the half meeting I had over-heard, I really had no idea what to expect. Eve was close by my side; I don’t doubt she could tell how nervous I was. I didn’t want to be nervous, I really didn’t, but I couldn’t help. I had no idea what I’d say to them, I had nothing really to say if I was honest with myself.

  We reached a corridor that I definitely hadn’t been down before. Isaac’s pace slowed and I let myself bump slightly into him to make sure that I stayed as close as I could to him. He didn’t even react to me and I suddenly realised that I’m not even focused on him anymore.

  We were at the end of the corridor now, in front of a set of doors. The doors were similar to doors of the library, far too big for the average person at least, but there was something else about these doors that had me captivated. These doors were not wood like the library doors; they almost appeared to be made of gold, but not nearly as bright. I wasn’t drawn to the colour though, I was drawn to the only other feature of the doors.

  The doors were covered in marks. They were completely covered, head to toe, and they weren’t in any particular order, or even in rows or columns. My head was starting to spin the longer I looked at them. Every time my eyes caught a glimpse of a mark my mind jumped into over drive. I realise I was subconsciously working out what the mark was, but before I would allow my mind to do so I was looking at a different mark. They were all their in my head, just swirling around. I could see them all, mark after mark, and it was making me dizzy and confused.

  “Oh come, Marcus.”

  Eve’s voice was the only thing that allowed me to snap out of the trance that my mind was slipping into. I tore my eyes away from the door and immediately felt light headed and regretted moving so fast.

  “Nope, I’m sorry, Eve.” A man, I had not noticed until now stood at the door to the right with his large musclier arms crossed over his chest. “You know I have to follow orders, and the orders were only for Lily and Isaac to enter.”

  “Are you okay, Lily?”

  I had been blinking quite furiously trying to make my light headiness disappear, and it wasn’t exactly working. Isaac was looking directly at me now, and I figured I had probably turned pale or something, enough to worry him slightly. I mustered up the strength to smile weakly and nod at him and he nodded back at me.

  “Fine,” Eve said as she stepped away from the man, before she turned to me and smiled slightly. “Good luck, you’ll be fine, I promise.”

  I didn’t look at the doors until they opened, as I didn’t want to have to lay my eyes on that many marks ever again. Isaac walked in before me and my feet didn’t move until his did. The room I now stood in was slightly familiar, but my view I had from the secret room did not do the room justice.

  Like the library, the roof was high-raised, but unlike the library the roof turned into a white dome and I could see the faintness gold touch to the middle of the doom. A window lined the back room, and like every other window it was completely white, not even a reflection could be seen. I heard the doors shut behind us and I let myself peak back at the door, now relieved to see that the back of the door was a simple wood.

  “Won’t you two come sit?”

  My hiding spot had never allowed me full view of this room, or full view of its occupants for that matter. I realised I had been right in thinking that all its occupants were male. The table I had been able to make out was quite large in width and the four men lined the other side of the table, space even in between them. I realised two chairs had been laid out opposite them of us to sit on.

  Again, I waited for Isaac to move and when he did we both sat calmly down on the chairs placed for us. Isaac sat up, with his shoulders pressed back slightly, he was trying to look intimidating, and that was something I couldn’t do. I felt my shoulders slump slightly and my hands joined together to allow me to fiddle with my fingers, a nervous habit of mine. My eyes caught onto Henry who was at the edge of the table to my right. He gave me the slightest nod, and I realised that I shouldn’t mention out meeting from earlier.

  “Let’s make this fast, alright?”

  The man directly opposite me sighed when Isaac speaks. This man appeared tall ev
en in his chair. He had dark hair, and he had grown a bit of weird bit of facial hair, making his face appear round. He didn’t seem old, but he didn’t seem young either, his skin was slightly damaged but he also appeared quick musclier. The man on his left was definitely older, and his tell sign was the grey colour his hair had turned and the wrinkles forming under his eyes. The man on his left was again old, but not as old as the other man. He had balding signs going on, and he seemed to be thinning slightly. The man back over on the right of the table was nearly the same as the first man. Not to young, older than Henry, he had a thick head of hair, good sized muscles and a strong stature to him.

  “We will try to keep this…short then,” the man said, glaring directly Isaac. “First of all, it is nice to meet you, Lily, my name is Odon. This here is Ares.”

  He gestured to the older man on his left and then to next man. “And this is Starck. We would like to talk about the situation at hand.”

  “What situation at hand? Because if you ask me, you are the one that created the situation,” Isaac said dully.

  It was quite clear how this meeting was going to go, and I wasn’t going to be doing much of the talking, even though it was my meeting, not that I minded one bit.

  “We would like to tell Lily that we do not expect anything from her,” Henry spoke, surprising me. “We do not have the full prophecy; in fact what we have does not give much indication of who can control the dagger. At the moment, what you are, Lily, is hope. There is no proof.”

  “You called her in here to tell her that,” Isaac said, with a small eye roll.

  Even I just wanted to glare at Isaac at this point. He had a tendency to make an already tough situation tougher, and even slightly more awkward.