Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
Freshly bathed and dressed in clean clothes, we’re standing at the precipice of what could be the most dangerous part of our mission. I hold tightly onto the small pin, drawing just enough energy from it to lead us to the portal. With a nod to Mine, we start our journey.
I can’t help but feel a slight twinge of apprehension as we move forward. Mine must sense my unease, for he gently grabs my hand and pulls me closer to him.
“You’re awfully quiet. Do you regret what happened?” he asks softly.
I bite my lip, averting my gaze.
“I don’t regret it, but…” I trail off.
His expression softens as he tilts his head down to look at me.
“I’m embarrassed,” I whisper, my cheeks flushing with heat.
“Why would you be embarrassed?” he questions, his voice laced with concern.
“How can I not be? I…I…I behaved like a feline in heat,” I admit, a flush of embarrassment flooding through me again.
A small smile tugs at the corners of his lips and his eyes sparkle with amusement.
“A feline in heat?” he repeats, raising a brow.
“Don’t you dare make fun of me!” I playfully jab my elbow into his side.
“Ouch! Fine, fine. I won’t make fun of you,” he concedes with a chuckle. “But really, there’s no need to be embarrassed. What happened between us is completely natural?—”
“But—” I try to interject.
He cuts me off with a finger pressed lightly against my lips.
“Answer this. Do you want me to kiss you again?” he asks quietly, his eyes searching mine.
Without hesitation, I nod. How could I not want more of his intoxicating kisses?
With a mischievous glint in his eye, he leans down and presses a quick peck against my lips.
“Then there you have it,” he says with a grin. “You should never be embarrassed with me, my tiny darling. Never.”
“All right.” I smile shyly. “But remember. You promised your courtship would not interfere with the mission,” I remind him sternly, my brows furrowed as I search for the right word. “As such, I would ask of you to temper your…”
“My…?” he prompts, a teasing glint in his eye.
“Your appeal,” I say firmly, trying to quell the fluttering in my stomach his charm and playful banter caused. “Please tone it down so I can focus on the matter at hand.”
“Right. I must not distract you with my handsomeness and my skillful kisses.” He grins, leaning closer to me.
I elbow him playfully, trying to hide my own smile.
“Eyes on the road,” I scold, though my lips curl up in amusement.
“Minnie, would it cost you too much to admit that I’m handsome?” he asks with an exaggerated pout. “Or that you all but melted in my arms?”
“I will neither admit nor deny,” I reply coyly. “The matter is adjourned.”
“Cruel, cruel female.” He sighs dramatically, pressing a hand against his heart. “See, my heart ailment has now returned.”
I roll my eyes at his theatrics. Though I may still be learning about human customs and emotions, I am not as gullible as I once was.
“If your heart ailment is truly so serious, perhaps I should leave you behind,” I suggest slyly, stealing a quick glance at him. “I wouldn’t want you to get any sicker. Traveling through a portal can be quite strenuous, especially for someone with a delicate human constitution.”
He blinks in surprise before recovering with a grin. It seems he didn’t expect such a response from me.
He suddenly stops, his eyes closed and arms outstretched, taking deep, measured breaths. The sun casts a warm glow on his face as he basks in the open air.
“What are you doing?” I frown, checking my watch. “We’re on a tight schedule.”
“It’s gone.” He sighs in relief, a smile spreading across his face. “I am now cured. Let us continue.”
“Just like that?” I raise an eyebrow skeptically.
“I think it’s the fresh air. But also your presence,” he says, turning to me with a soft look in his eyes. “It’s like a healing balm to my heart, Minnie. And I have a feeling another kiss from you would ensure my ailment won’t come back for some time.”
“The mission?” I tap my foot impatiently.
“Just one more kiss. Think of it as charity,” he pleads, practically batting his eyelashes at me— I used that technique first!
Smirking, I stop in front of him and rise up on my tiptoes. He closes his eyes expectantly, but instead of kissing him on the lips, I place a gentle kiss over his heart and hold it there for a moment.
“There. My charitable duty is done. Now let’s get going.”
He gives me a puppy look—he does that quite often, though I’m not sure why. It does make him endearing in an odd way, but he needs to learn that such blatant cuteness doesn’t easily sway me—well, maybe just a little.
After his heart is miraculously cured, we get back into the car and start driving toward the location of the portal. Mine unfurls a map in front of us and asks me to point out where the portal is located.
I focus on the energy of the pin, being careful not to use too much as I must conserve some for any unforeseen circumstances that may arise in Aperion. Since Mine is coming with me, and he is only human, it is my responsibility to protect him.
“Over there.” I point to a spot on the map.
“A field. Figures,” Mine mutters under his breath. “Luckily, it’s not too far from here. We should be able to reach it before nightfall.”
The sun begins to dip lower in the sky, casting a golden hue over the green fields and scattered trees. The roads are empty save for a couple of cars here and there. And as we make to exit the county, we come across a military checkpoint.
Mine flashes his credentials and we are quickly let through.
“We’re getting closer,” I tell him. The portal’s energy signature is becoming stronger.
Mine glances at the map and traces the location with his finger.
“We’ll need to stop the car here and continue on foot.” He points to where the main road meets the field.
As we get there, he parks the car by the side of the road and we start toward the field.
When the energy signature of the portal is at its strongest, I borrow some power from the pin and sprinkle it around us to reveal a dark blue swirl of light.
“And this will take us to Aperion?” Mine questions pensively.
“It can take you anywhere. But you’re lucky you’re with me since I can direct it to take us to our destination.”
“We just go inside?”
I nod.
“But before…” I trail off as I borrow a tiny bit of energy from the pin and tap his forehead. “This should help you understand the language of Aperion for a short period of time.”
He nods thoughtfully.
“Come.” I grab his hand and step into the portal.
He opens his mouth to say something, but I’m already pulling him inside. The blue light surrounds us and in a matter of seconds, we’re expelled on the other side of the portal.
I stumble around to find my footing, but Mine catches me in his arms.
“Huh,” I whisper. I’ve heard that mortals have a hard time when going through a portal for the first time, usually involving dizziness and nausea. But he seems perfectly fine.
His gaze is sharp as he looks around, taking in his surroundings.
“Where are we?” His voice is laced with disbelief as he surveys our surroundings.
I gently extricate myself from his embrace and take a moment to look around. He keeps a firm grip on my arm as if afraid to let go.
A bustling crowd of people surrounds us, all engaged in their daily activities. The air is filled with the sounds of chatter and laughter, creating a lively atmosphere. In front of us, a line has formed outside of a shop, with people eagerly waiting for it to open.
“This is… Aperion?” He raises an eyebrow skeptically. I can tell he’s not impressed with the seemingly mundane surroundings.
The buildings here are much shorter than the ones in London, only three stories high at most. But they are made from a unique grey brick that gives them mystical properties. Only those invited inside can enter, making each business feel exclusive and secretive. Well, that, and it also serves to keep conflict to a minimum, though there is one exception. The military can come and go from any building in Aperion.
“We’re in a small town at the edge of the Capital of Polemos. I suppose it’s not too glamorous,” I add pensively.
“These people are gods?” He points to the bustling streets. The sound of laughter and conversation fills the air, mixed with the clanging of pots and pans and the calls of street vendors. In the distance, we can hear the faint sound of music coming from a nearby street performance.
I shake my head. “Only about ten percent of the population of Aperion is descended from deities. The remaining ninety percent are called s’Aperiotes and while they have some spiritual energy, it’s minimal and does not translate into any abilities. There is, of course, the rare case in which a s’Aperiote has an unusual spiritual energy,” I explain.
“I suppose I was expecting something different.”
“Aperion has a very strict hierarchy. At the bottom are the s’Aperites, often treated as second-class citizens due to their lack of abilities. Power is everything and the hierarchy is determined by who holds the most of it. Sitting atop this pyramid are the Supremes, followed by the monarchs of each Royal House, then the nobility, military leaders, and minor deities. These upper classes all possess abilities and our laws prohibit those with abilities from mating with s’Aperites, although accidents do happen, and that is how you get the rare s’Aperite with abilities. But that is only possible among the minor deities since conception only occurs if both parents’ levels of spiritual energy are similar,” I continue.
“The only advantage s’Aperites have is that they are not really bound by our strict mores. They can mate among themselves without outside interference, though they do require the permission of the Higher Office of their Commune before they are allowed to marry. Although they have more freedom, they still have to answer to Aperite laws. That means that they have a certain…dislike for deities. So let’s not advertise who I am to anyone around, all right?”
Mine is staring at me.
“Your world is strange.”
I shrug. “Your world is strange to me, too.”
“Where to now, then?”
“We must make our way to the Capital on foot,” I declare, my voice echoing off the surrounding buildings.
His eyebrows shoot up in disbelief. “On foot? How far is that?”
I nod firmly. “Yes, it’s just over there,” I respond, pointing west and gesturing toward a cluster of tall structures piercing the sky in the distance.
His mouth falls open in shock. “There?” he repeats incredulously.
I give a curt nod. “Yes, it shouldn’t take us more than a day,” I state matter-of-factly.
He stammers, struggling to process the information. “A day? Did you just say a day? On foot?”
I raise an eyebrow at his reaction. “You’re a military man, Mine. Act like it,” I scold before striding forward.
“Wait a minute. Surely you have some sort of transportation? A car or something?” he protests, scrambling to keep up with my pace.
I sigh and shake my head. “We do have access to vehicles, but using one would risk drawing attention to ourselves as only elites are allowed to ride in them. Horses would cost us money we don’t have. So walking is our only option.”
“Minnie! This is ridiculous,” he complains loudly.
My patience wears thin and I turn sharply toward him, hands on hips and giving him a stern look. “If you’re going to continue whining, perhaps I should have left you behind after all.”
He lets out a string of curse words under his breath.
I narrow my eyes at him. “And if you think walking on foot will be too difficult for you, I’ll find you another portal and you can head back to Anthropa.”
Suddenly, he grabs my hand and starts marching forward with determination. “Don’t you worry, Minnie. Walking is one of my specialties,” he declares confidently.
Humans , I shake my head in annoyance.
As we stroll through the bustling streets, I can sense the eyes of the locals following us with curious glances. It takes me a moment to realize it’s because of our attire. My simple cotton gown, dyed a deep emerald green and adorned with delicate embroidery on the bodice, instantly gives away that I am not from here. Mine, too, clad in high-waisted trousers and a perfectly tailored shirt, also stands out as someone not from this region.
If we are to continue our journey through Aperite towns and villages, we’ll surely attract unwanted attention with our distinct clothing. Instinctively, I reach into my pocket and grasp the pin. I was hesitant to use it again until we reached the Capital, but it seems like we may need new disguises sooner than expected.
As I turn to Mine, I suggest we stop by a nearby clothing shop. But his gaze is distant, concerned, and my words die on my lips as a loud commotion erupts just a short distance away from us.
A crowd of people has gathered in front of a shop, their voices rising in panic and distress. Some are screaming for help.
My heart races with fear as I whisper to Mine, urging him to keep moving. “We can’t afford to get involved.”
But his jaw tightens, his expression determined. He pulls me forward but stops abruptly as we pass through the thickening crowd. More voices echo from within the circle of people, some wailing in pain.
“Mine, we need to go,” I plead urgently.
“Someone is injured,” he mentions, his sharp gaze scanning the tumultuous scene before us.
“We can’t risk getting noticed,” I protest.
But he shakes off my grip and pushes through the throng of people. My heart sinks as I follow reluctantly behind him, praying we won’t be caught up in whatever chaos has unfolded before us.
As I race after him, my heart pounds in my chest and my breath comes out in ragged gasps. He elbows his way through the throng of people with a sense of urgency that makes me quicken my pace.
“Mine, wait!” I call out to him, desperate to catch up, but just as I reach his side, he pulls me close. His grip is strong and his eyes are wild with fear and anger.
“What the hell is that?” he asks in a rough voice, gesturing toward the center of the conflict.
I turn my attention to the chaos ahead. Three people lie on the ground, their cries of pain piercing through the air. Blood has stained the pavement, creating a gruesome mosaic of red and brown.
One victim clutches at a large slice around his arm, blood gushing out between his fingers. Another male writhes in agony from a stab wound in his abdomen. And then there’s the woman, her face bloody and bruised, her once-beautiful dress now marred with red spots.
But what catches my eye is the figure swaying back and forth next to them. It’s a fourth man, seemingly unharmed but with a crazed look in his features. And as my eyes scan down to see the light blue powder stains on the inside of his elbow, I realize what the problem is.
He’s on zantrax . And he’s on a drug-fueled rampage.
My heart races as I grab Mine’s arm and beg him to leave. “We need to leave. Now,” I add, my voice tight with urgency. But he doesn’t budge, his eyes still fixed on the woman cowering from the mad man.
She begs for help from the bystanders, but they all back away in fear. Someone mentions calling the militia, but no one dares to intervene and stop the wild-eyed man. He takes a wobbly step toward the bleeding woman, and suddenly a burst of energy explodes from him.
“He’s a deity?”
I shake my head. “He’s on a black market drug made from the energy of a god,” I explain. “It gives the user temporary powers, but it’s highly addictive and dangerous. And now that it’s wearing off, he’ll be searching for more.”
“Zantrax? That’s still a thing?” Mine asks incredulously.
I nod grimly. “The military has been trying to crack down on it, but every time they think they’ve found the source, more sellers appear. And there have been reports of minor deities disappearing, all linked to the production of this drug.”
Before we can continue our conversation, another blood-curdling scream pierces the air. The crowd begins to back away as the man unleashes another burst of uncontrollable energy. He lets out a loud bellow and an invisible force pushes us back.
Mine quickly shields me with his body.”
We need to leave now,” I say urgently. “The militia will come soon and we can’t be caught here.”
Too late for that, though, as the thudding steps of the soldiers part the sea of people to get to the assailant.
There are only three soldiers, and by the look of their uniform, beige with black stripes, they are from a lower division comprised of minor deities. But that also means they have low to no abilities, which might prove difficult in handling a zantrax case.
The man turns his attention to the three soldiers, and as he opens his mouth, a burst of energy flies toward them, injuring one and momentarily confusing the other two. With that distraction in place, the man looks for a way out. People are running right and left, seeking shelter, and the commotion jostles us around.
As the man scans the crowd for an exit, his eyes register our presence.
Oh, no!
One by-product of zantrax is that its users are highly sensitive to spiritual energy since it’s the only thing they seek once the addiction has sunk its claws into them.
He takes a step forward, and my fears suddenly materialize.
He must sense the energy of the pin, or he might even be able to sense the shadow of energy I still emit.
“Run!” I shout to Mine.
But it’s too late.
Without hesitation, the man locks his crazed gaze on us. He charges forward, heedless of the militia still lingering in the background or the innocent bystanders caught in his path. His sole focus is on me, his next source of energy. His eyes are wide and wild, dilated and unfocused as they search for their target. Blood, tainted with zantrax, oozes from his nose in a dark purple stream. Just as he prepares to pounce, Mine quickly shoves me aside, taking the brunt of the man’s attack himself. A blur of motion and chaos ensues as they collide in a desperate struggle for power.
“No!” I scream.
He’s human. He can get injured. And here we won’t be able to find medical help if that happens.
The man attempts to release another energy burst, but Mine is quicker. He realizes that he uses his mouth to release the energy so he covers it with his hand while he brings his knee up and hits him in the stomach. Gripping his nape, he yanks his head backward, releasing his hold on the mouth at the same time the man unleashes the blow of energy. It flies into the sky, not injuring anyone.
The soldiers moan in pain, but they attempt to regroup and grab the man. Yet instead of falling, the man once more turns to stare at me.
He takes a step forward, but Mine grabs him again, this time putting pressure on his neck in an attempt to immobilize him.
It works—for a second. Another wave of energy rolls off him, the force once more pushing everyone in his vicinity back.
I fall backward and onto my back.
He can’t control it, I realize. He can fire blows with his mouth, but he cannot control the pure energy that’s dripping from him. Goodness, but how much zantrax did he consume to get to this level?
Mine stumbles back, but he manages to keep upright. His eyes widen as he sees the man advance toward me, now only a couple of steps away.
I push my hand in my pocket, searching for the pin in an attempt to fight him off. But Mine is quicker. He glances back at the soldiers and, rushing toward the one closest to him, he snatches the sword from his scabbard, and with an unusual speed, he charges at the addict.
The sword swishes in the air. One cut in the middle of his body. There’s such precision in the blow, such force, that the man is cut into two. The upper part tumbles onto the ground, his blood a mix of blue, red and purple from the amount of zantrax in his system.
I stare at Mine in disbelief.
Did he just… cut him in half?
He rushes to my side, his hand reaching out to help me up. I am a little disoriented by the chaos around us, and it takes a moment for me to realize that most of the crowd has scattered at the sight of the militia. Their arrival has sparked fear and panic among the people.
“We need to make a run for it. Now,” I tell him as I note the soldiers set their sights on us.
We take off running, the sound of our footsteps echoing loudly in my ears. The soldiers are close behind, their weapons drawn and ready to fire. My heart races as we weave through the chaotic streets, trying to evade capture.
Damn it! Mine may have acted heroically by eliminating a zantrax addict who posed a threat to the public, but to the militia, he is just another criminal who dared to kill a civilian and steal a soldier’s sword.
As we near the end of the boulevard, two more soldiers appear in front of us, cutting off our escape route. Three more approach from behind.
“Damn it!” I curse under my breath. “This is all your fault,” I grumble at Mine, giving him a harsh stare.
“Me? What did I do?” he asks innocently, a mischievous smile pulling at his lips. “I saved you, didn’t I? I think I deserve a kiss for my chivalrous behavior and?—”
Before he can finish his sentence, I kick him in the shin.
“And now we’re caught,” I say exasperatedly. “Exactly what we needed to avoid.”
The soldiers surround us, their weapons aimed at us in case we try to resist arrest.
“So what’s going to happen?” Mine asks curiously, not seeming too concerned about our dire situation.
“They’ll take us to jail,” I reply through gritted teeth. “And when they uncover my true identity, I’ll be in deep trouble.”
“Jail. And where is that?” Mine asks with a sly grin.
“Capital, of course,” I say, rolling my eyes.
He smiles in satisfaction and takes a step forward, willingly offering his hands to the soldiers to be cuffed. Another soldier does the same with me.
“What’s wrong with you?” I ask in disbelief as we’re loaded into a militia vehicle, a large container operated by yovas —magical beings with wings. “How can you smile in this situation when I specifically told you how important it was for us to keep our identities hidden?”
Mine simply shrugs, still wearing a slight smile on his face.
The soldiers get in their capsules and urge the yovas to take flight.
“Think of the bright side. Now we won’t have to walk to the Capital,” he says in a lazy voice as he leans back and makes himself comfortable.