by Hanna Peach
“Why?”
“We call her the MemoryThief. She steals memories from people but she doesn’t destroy them, so they become her own. They say that she has been stealing memories for several hundred years. Now she is confused as to who she is, where she is, or even what century it is. She rambles on such nonsense. Don’t let her touch your head. She’ll steal a memory from you.”
“What was that poem she was reciting?” Alyx thought it had sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite remember.
“It’s part of a poem by Tennyson. When she chants it, it brings your happiest memories to your forethoughts, which makes it easy for her to access and steal. Some time ago she started stealing only happy memories.”
“Why is she here, then?”
“It’s the sanctuary’s code; we provide refuge for all Seraphim outside of the Elders’ society. Are you heading to Tobias’s office?”
Alyx nodded.
“Let me escort you.” Jordan took her arm before she could protest.
Chapter 7
Tobias’s office was essentially a small library with shelves upon shelves of books and Threads. Tobias was sitting behind his glass desk as Alyx and Jordan entered. Alyx flinched when she saw that Israel was already sitting there.
Alyx turned away from the table and moved across to the shelf filled with various objects. “What are these?” she asked, picking up a glass orb. Unlike the soulglobe, this globe was clear and hollow.
“They are glass containers,” Tobias said as he appeared at her side. “The glass is made by one of our resident FireTwirlers who melts sand, then it is air-blown by an AirWhisperer. These smaller ones with lids are for your trinkets; these open ones are for flowers.”
“They’re beautiful,” she said as she picked up one of the smaller globes and turned the cool glass over in her hand.
“Thank you.”
Alyx put down the glass and picked up a small coin-like object.
“Those are MirageWeaver-infused Alchemist metals with a touch of MemorySong. I call them Miragecharms. You can attach them onto small things and create your own temporary mirage by pressing here and holding the image of your wanted mirage in your thoughts. They’re an evolution of the larger pieces we installed around the grounds to hold the ward up.”
Alyx turned the piece over. It was light and cool in her fingers. “Tobias, that’s genius.”
“I like to create new ways of working with our magics.” Alyx hadn’t thought it possible, but this confident man looked almost bashful.
He pulled Alyx over to a shelf of blades, grinning like a child. “These are my latest projects.” He picked up one of the blades, turning it so that the metal caught the light. “I’ve infused the Alchemist-blend blades with different magics. Here, touch it, but do it lightly.”
Spurred on by Tobias’s enthusiasm, Alyx reached out with the tips of her fingers. As soon as she touched the blade, she gasped and drew her hand back. “It’s hot.”
Tobias grinned. “It’s infused with FireTwirler. Similar to your bloodink tattoos, the magic needs to be re-infused after it is all used up.”
What beautiful examples of the magics working together. What could they create if they were to work together more often? What other ways could they make things better? Magics working together was not something that Alyx ever remembered being taught was possible, yet here was the proof.
The doors to the office opened, followed by a small whirlwind of noise. Marin and Lukas had arrived along with two seraphelles she didn’t recognize. Marin appeared to have calmed down somewhat, but he still glared at Israel from across the room.
Alyx was introduced to Vix and Dianne. Dianne was tall with flaxen hair and a strong jaw. Alyx detected suspicion in Dianne’s eyes. Vix, however, grinned radiantly. Vix was shorter than Dianne with an athletic build. Her short hair, almost white, flared about her head like silver flames. Her eyes were a radiant blue, clear as if you were looking through peepholes into the sky. Alyx was reminded of a cat by the way Vix moved and by the way her eyes darted over Alyx, taking all of her in.
Tobias directed everyone to chairs around a large round table that occupied a corner of his office. Alyx took the empty seat next to Jordan. Jordan stretched one arm across the back of her chair, brushing her back. Alyx caught Israel staring at them as she leaned in closer to Jordan. “Did Vix used to be a lightwarrior?”
Jordan nodded. “Good catch. Vix used to be one of Urielos’s flock leaders.”
Tobias cleared his throat. Jordan settled back, but he left his arm around the back of her chair.
“We’ve all heard about what happened to poor Zia,” Tobias said. He turned to Israel. “Israel, perhaps it’s best that you explain to the room about the significance of how she was murdered.”
All the eyes around the table fixed on Israel. Israel nodded and spoke into his lap. “I think it’s a call for me to show myself.” He paused. “It’s what I did. I carved ‘Adere’, the name of a friend of mine who became Darkened, on the stomach of a Darkened I killed as a way of trying to get Adere to show herself to me.”
Marin growled and a murmur started between Dianne and Vix.
“Please...” Tobias said as he raised his palm for silence. “I have more to say.” The room fell silent. Alyx’s stomach began to turn. “There has been a report of another Black Stone theft. This time the Merlion, the national monument in Singapore, has disappeared.”
“Was the statue made of Black Stone?” gasped Vix. “I thought the Merlion was white.”
“The local FreeThinker community has confirmed that it was Black Stone coated in a glazed polymarble,” said Tobias.
Marin’s fist slammed against the table. “Something must be done. The more Black Stone that the Darkened acquire, the more weapons against us they have, the more of us will die.”
“I don’t think that’s even in question, Marin,” said Tobias. “The question is...what do we do?”
There was a silence. It hung heavy like a dark cloud full of ready thunder.
“What if...” it was Israel who spoke. Alyx looked over to him. Their gazes locked and Alyx had to look away. “What if we stole the rest of the Black Stone...before the Darkened do?”
Marin spoke, “Impossible.”
“No, wait a minute Marin,” said Tobias. “I think Israel is onto something here. Steal it before they do.”
“But we don’t even know where the rest of the Black Stone that returned to earth is,” Marin complained, crossing his arms. “How the hell do we even begin to find out?”
“Well, the Darkened seem to have a source, so…” said Alyx.
Tobias raised his hands to try to soften the mood in the room. “I’ll send out swallows to the other FreeThinker communities worldwide. See if any of them know of the location of any Black Stone pieces. It may take a few days to hear back from them. In the meantime we just keep up our training and never leave the community unless you are with someone, okay? Don’t take any unnecessary risks. Anyone else have any other ideas? Come and see me straight away if you do.”
Tobias adjourned the meeting, promising to call them back once the swallows had started returning with news.
Alyx stayed in her chair as the others stood up and started making their way out the door. She felt a blush of awkwardness come on when both Israel and Jordan looked like they were both lingering behind to talk to her.
Israel frowned at Jordan, who stared back, looking slightly amused. Turning to Alyx, Israel said, “I need to talk to you.”
Alyx tried to keep her tone neutral. “I need to talk to Tobias now, so it’ll have to wait.”
Israel’s face hardened. “Fine.” Shooting another suspicious glance at Jordan, he left the room.
“I can stay if you like,” Jordan said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Alyx was hyperaware of his touch. “I’m fine. I’ll see you later.”
Jordan turned to leave, but then he stopped. “Perhaps you’ll have dinner with me tonight?�
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“Dinner?”
“The community usually has dinner together in the dining hall, but we could take our dinner out onto the little deck outside where there are some smaller tables. We should be left alone there for the most part.”
Jordan was pleasant company. And he seemed to be going out of his way to be friendly with her. It also meant that she could avoid that talk with Israel. “Sure,” Alyx said.
Jordan flashed her a smile. “Great. I’ll see you soon.”
* * *
“So, Alyx,” Tobias said after they were alone in his office. “You had some questions for me?”
“I wanted to ask about my mother. She fled Michaelea about seventeen winters ago, when I was born. Her name is Elise Perrin. I heard she was in Egypt somewhere. Please, tell me you know her.”
Tobias frowned as he repeated her mother’s name under his breath. “Sorry, I haven’t heard of her. But I shall include an additional message with the swallows that I send out to our contacts in the known Egyptian communities. Do you know what she looks like?”
“I have been told that she looks very much like me.” Symon and Jovanna had told her this many times. Snapping back to the present she said, “Why do you ask?”
“Sometimes new FreeThinkers will change their names. It’s very likely if there has been a traumatic reason for leaving. Sometimes it helps to leave their old life behind.”
Alyx remembered Mason and his Clan of the Saints, street pirates who helped Israel and her escape two lightwarriors who had almost captured them. The clan members took on a new name when they joined the Saints for that very reason. They had called Israel “Scrapper” and had given her the name of Dark Angel.
“I will send a description of Elise and details about when she turned Rogue as well,” said Tobias. “Don’t worry, Alyx. We’ll find her.”
Alyx breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
After all this time...she would soon hear news about her mother. Perhaps she may even get to meet her. It felt almost unreal. Alyx suppressed a small bubble of joy – she shouldn’t get ahead of herself now.
Dearest Yael,
I fear the Elders have killed you.
No. I know in my heart you are alive. I would know if you died. A part of me would have died, too.
Lukas tells me stories of the last Rogue genocide. A lot of them were killed, but they were able to save many. Oh my love, the stories make me shiver. How could our Elders do this to their own people, their own race? Are we not all Seraphim? Do we not dance under the same sky, cry into the same earth, laugh into the same wind?
It has been several weeks now and you still do not come. But I still have faith.
Love always,
Siana
Chapter 8
Dinner out on the balcony with Jordan was lovely. The sky was clear of clouds and they could see more stars out here than in Saint Joseph. The only sound was a distant quacking. Jordan had explained that the grounds at Aradale were extensive with a pond and a creek. Alyx made a note to explore the Aradale property when she could.
Jordan had thrown a red cloth over a small round table and lit a small stubby candle. “Sorry I couldn’t find a white tablecloth or a better candle.” Alyx waved these things off.
The food was a simple stew, but it filled her up. Jordan made her laugh more than once, and it was a light relief from everything she had endured recently. Alyx almost succeeded in not thinking about Israel. He’d probably have a fit if he saw them now. Good, a voice inside of her spat. Stuff Israel and what he thought.
Alyx smiled and bit the strawberry Jordan offered her. Jordan rubbed a drop of juice from her lip with his thumb and she tried not to notice the odd feeling in her stomach.
“There’s somewhere I want to take you,” he said.
Alyx started. “You mean…just the two of us?”
Jordan smiled. “I don’t mean like that.”
“Oh.” Alyx felt a sense of relief. How silly was she?
“Where I want to take you, we might be able to get some information about Samyara or the Darkened.”
“Of course.”
“But you’ll have to keep this to yourself.”
Alyx couldn’t help the apprehension that began to coil in her stomach. “Why?”
“Not everyone would agree with our going where we’re going.”
* * *
Later that night, Alyx pushed through the curtains of her open window. Jordan and Alyx agreed that they would return to their respective bedrooms pretending to turn in for the night, then meet on the roof. So here she was, sneaking out of her bedroom, feeling as if she was sneaking out of Michaelea again.
Jordan was already there as she came over the rise of the roof. He squeezed her shoulder in a greeting. Then, silently, he lifted off the tiles towards the sky. She followed.
Jordan led them to the outskirts of a city nearby that he called Buda-pesth. The city rose out of the horizon before them as they neared it, the domes and spiked roofs piercing the inky sky. Alyx imagined that it was these spikes that had pierced the holes in the sky which allowed the stars to shine through.
Jordan and Alyx touched down in a corner of a dark street of what appeared to be an industrial area. Alyx glanced around. Buildings and warehouses lined this wide street, but there was no light coming from any of the windows. There appeared to be no one here.
“I thought you said we were going to a bar? What are we doing here?” she whispered to Jordan.
“Purgatory is a bit different from most places on Earth.”
“What does that mean?”
“Well, for starters, you can get to Purgatory from Nordlingen or, indeed, anywhere. But for safety reasons I always make it a point to enter from a different city. Just in case someone follows me out.”
“What?” Alyx shook her head, totally confused.
“You’ll see.”
Jordan took Alyx’s hand and led her across the street. They stopped in front of two buildings, number 11 and number 15. “Number 13. We’re here.”
Alyx raised her eyebrows. She didn’t see a number 13 anywhere.
Jordan stepped towards the crease in the buildings between number 11 and number 15. Something shimmered. But before Alyx could speak, Jordan pulled her through a slip in space.
Alyx found herself walking forward through a dark tunnel for some distance. At the end was what looked like a wall of black water that Jordan disappeared through. She followed, her heart beginning to thump.
Alyx blinked against the increasing brightness and her feet hit polished floorboards. Then her jaw dropped as she looked around. It looked like any other bar – dim, grungy. Not that Alyx had spent a lot of time in bars. But that wasn’t what shocked her. Under a cloud of smoke hovering below the ceiling were Seraphim, the Darkened with their dual-faces, and creatures with rust-colored skin, claws and teeth.
Alyx recoiled and pulled Jordan back. “What are you doing? There are Darkened in here. And demons. Real demons,” she hissed.
“Relax. This place is enchanted. They can’t hurt you.” Then Jordan gave her a half smile. “Unless you consent to it, of course.”
“What?”
“Try and hit me,” Jordan said casually.
“Have you lost your damn mind?”
“No.” Jordan chuckled softly. “Just do it.”
She studied him for a moment. “Let me get this straight. You want me to hit you.”
“To prove my point, yes.”
“Okay, but I’m not responsible for any pain I may inflict.” Alyx pulled back her fist and raised an eyebrow at Jordan.
He was actually smiling as he tilted his jaw towards her. “Don’t hold back.”
Alyx gathered the energy in her arm and…she couldn’t move. “What the hell?”
“I told you. Now can you stop mucking around so we can check this place out?”
Alyx stared at her fist as if it was a separate entity. She tried punching out again, but again the arm did
not move. It wasn’t that she felt any resistance; it was as if the arm wasn’t hers and she was unable to control it.
Jordan took her hand from the air and pushed his fingers through hers. She was still too stunned to protest. He pulled her through the bar, weaving between tables as they went. They walked past a table of real demons, scaly and red-eyed. Alyx watched them warily. They didn’t seem to notice her.
She whispered to Jordan, “You said something before, about how no one could hurt you unless you consented to it.”
“That’s right.”
“Why would anyone consent to being hurt?”
“Some people like to experiment with pain during sex.”
Experiment with…during… Alyx blinked, fighting off a blush. “Are you serious?”
“There’s a fine line between pleasure and pain.” He grinned. “Supposedly.”
Alyx was still trying to wrap her head around this concept when they reached the bar. Jordan pulled her close to him. Alyx could feel herself tense.
“Try to loosen up,” he said into her ear. “It helps if we just look like we’re in here for a good time.”
His breath, tickling her neck, was sweet. A kind of mint? Alyx couldn’t help but glance down at his mouth. She couldn’t help but notice that his lips were thinner than Israel’s. Dammit. She wanted to slap herself. Was she always going to compare everyone to Israel? Would his shadow cast over everything she did? No. She couldn’t let him haunt her like this.
Alyx glanced up and saw that Jordan had noticed her eyes on his lips. A small smile tilted one corner of his lips. Jordan leaned towards her. She felt like she should move away, but for some reason she didn’t. A curiosity grew… After Israel, what would another man’s lips feel like on hers?
“You look...” he paused, his lips inches from hers, “…thirsty.”
Jordan winked at her and broke their gaze. Alyx felt the expulsion of air from her lungs. Jordan nodded to the bartender and held up two fingers. The bartender nodded back. Alyx frowned at Jordan when he returned his gaze to her.
