Leden’s words had barely brushed my mind before hands were on my waist. Aros lifted me onto her back, letting his touch linger on me. I found myself leaning down and pressing my lips to his. Just like every other time he’d kissed me, the desire his touch evoked just about knocked me over, and I almost toppled straight off Leden.
“Looks like you might still have the power to roll her, Seduction,” Coen noted, from where he stood with his pantera.
The pair exchanged a look, and my body tightened.
“It’s stronger than I expected, since Willa is no longer a dweller,” Aros admitted, his eyes meeting mine again. “I thought she’d be able to resist at least a little bit more now.”
Siret took a step closer. “I think our emotions heighten the powers. Willa can definitely handle our abilities now, we all know that. I’d say your love for her, and hers for you, is elevating the draw of Seduction.”
“So, I’m going to need Coen and you together,” I blurted out, before slamming my mouth closed.
Something shimmered almost visibly in the air between Aros and me. Coen was too far away, but I could see the way his eyes darkened. It was like energy, lightning, electricity … and I was about half a click from getting off Leden’s back. Siret quirked a brow at me, but he didn’t seem upset.
This is not the time. Leden’s voice was tinged with amused impatience.
“Are you sure?” I murmured back.
“She’s sure, Soldier.” Siret winked at me and then moved to his own beast.
With a snort and shake of her head, Leden thrust her wings out to the side, before leaping high into the air and taking off across the sky like we were being chased. I could sense that her mind was now focused on the task at hand, so I tried not to think or speak.
At first, I watched the world below, riveted to the beauty of Topia, but after a few clicks of staring down at the scenery unfolding below us, my stomach started to roll with nausea. I mainly focussed ahead after that, only peeking over my shoulder on occasion to make sure that the Abcurses were there.
They’re still there, Leden assured me.
“Are you going to tell me more about this truth I need to learn?” If she was talking, it must be okay for me to talk as well.
There is only so much we can share with you. Some of it you have to learn for yourself. All I can do is send you on the right path.
One sun-cycle, I decided, I would find a friend who was less cryptic.
Amusement from Leden flittered across my mind.
By the time we landed in the fields where the pantera lived, my butt was numb. When I slid off Leden, my legs almost collapsed for a moment, before I was able to straighten again. I wandered closer to the creek that Leden had landed beside, feeling an insane urge to touch the water again.
It will always draw you.
I didn’t acknowledge Leden’s statement, even though I really wanted to know what she meant by that. Why did it draw me? How could I possibly have had this water before, if there was none of it in Minatsol?
“Heavy thoughts?” Yael’s face appeared next to mine in the reflection of the water, followed by the others. The six of us stood there for a click as I admired their perfect reflections.
“I’m just trying to figure out my connection to all of this,” I told them. “The panteras … this water. The answers are here, I just need to dig deeper. I know we came here for Cyrus, but I feel like there’s something here for me, too.”
The mortal glass.
I wasn’t sure which one of the winged creatures had whispered that in my head—we were now surrounded by them. It really didn’t matter, though, because the end result was the same. I needed to stare into the glass again. I needed to uncover the answers it held. Last time had been a history lesson … maybe this time the history would be more personal.
Leden was right behind me, and I turned to her. “Can you please take me to the mortal glass?”
I thought you’d never ask.
We walked to the mountain, and then paused at the entrance. Coen took my right side, Rome on my left, and I realised that I was rarely between the twins like that. They were both so huge that it made me feel extra small, but also safe. I was protected between them. Having been alone so much of my life, always on the outside, it was an odd concept to be the centre of something. To feel like I was important. And because I could, I reached out and captured their hands.
We all moved together into the cave, the other boys close behind. The panteras didn’t follow us this time, and I briefly wondered why, before deciding that it didn’t matter. I had the Abcurses with me. The cave felt different this time. Familiar, like it was a piece of my history now, and stepping back inside brought old memories to the surface of my mind, memories that I couldn’t properly grasp, memories that didn’t even seem to belong to me. On my last visit, I had struggled to see through the darkness of the cave, but everything was much clearer this time.
“Wow,” I said, blinking as I stared. “Undead eyesight is so much better than dweller eyesight.”
“I really wish she’d stop saying undead,” Aros groaned.
Siret snorted. “You haven’t suffered until she starts talking about it while you’re naked.”
Aros was silent for half a click, before shrugging. “Still worth it.”
No doubt I was blushing, but thankfully we were now at the mortal glass, so the focus shifted from my sex life to the glittery surface. Just like last time, the scars and gashes from whatever asshole had hacked at the wall were visible, but as we stared into the glass, the bleeding stone disappeared, replaced by an image of a kingdom, slowly settling into view.
The castle was perched high on a hill. Very similar, actually, to the cliff at Champions Peak. The ocean behind it had rolling green hills on every other side, and a small village of stone houses scattered all the way down the cliff into the valley below. The only difference was that there were no dead zones around this land. Everything was green and thriving.
“Do any of you recognise this place?” Yael asked, his voice low.
“I think it’s Minatsol,” Coen replied.
Our view, at that point, was from above, stretching all the way along the countryside. Then, in a swirl, the scene zoomed in closer. My head spun as we sped through the gates of the castle and into the stone building. Once inside, I was able to focus again. The interior was decadent: tapestries covered the stone walls, rugs were piled onto the stone floors, and greenery climbed through every open window, sunlight streaming after it. Not even the richest of sols—the most talented of beings—had homes like that.
We reached a set of closed, ornately carved double doors. The carving depicted a scene of what appeared to be a crowd surrounding a couple who were elevated on a low dais, their arms in the air—
The doors slammed open. On the other side was a bedroom the size of most sol houses or at least five dweller houses put together.
“This is just getting weird now,” Siret grumbled. “If someone is having sex in here, I’m out.”
I didn’t answer, too fascinated by what we were about to see. The scene continued to zoom closer until we were beside the huge bed, piled high with furs and blankets. There was a woman right in the centre of the bed, propped up on a mound of pillows. She was pale and sweaty, her long dark hair a tangled mass. Her beauty was apparent, even with her face screwed up in pain. She let out some low gasps and then the man at her side came into view. He was handsome, tall, and broad-chested. He also wore a look of complete and total devastation.
“My love, please hold on.” His voice echoed from far away. “The healer is almost here.”
She gasped in and out, her words hoarse. “I fear they will be too late. The babes are not patient.”
It was then that I noticed her stomach, mostly hidden beneath the furs, but clearly round and swollen. She had said babes … twins. I glanced toward Rome and Coen. It was still impossible for me to believe their mother had twins and triplets. Lucky she was a god.
Unfortunately, the woman on this bed—despite her beauty—was not.