Chapter 30 #2
Zane leaned back in his chair and propped his boots on the table.
“You have to understand that as the strongest witch she also has the most to offer those learning—if she thinks you worthy. I had already trained with three different Weavers, but finding an Astral to take you on…is difficult. And at the time, no one understood full how dark she’d gone. ”
My brain hummed along trying to pick up the pieces of memory that weren’t tied to events. “Ranking of power within your magic hierarchy? That’s what you mean by an Astral?”
Veyyr tapped the table. “Rana is a Novix, awakened, but…unpredictable. I can help her become a Weaver, but I am not an Astral witch, so if she goes further…she will have to find someone else to train with.”
My eyebrows rose. “And if she can’t find someone, because I am not sending her back to where she was awakened…”
Zane picked up the thread. “You can teach yourself, like Thorn did. But the chances of darkness eating you from the inside out grows without someone to guide you. It’s…dangerous is the best word. I might be able to help this Rana some, but I am…an anomaly.”
A chill seemed to whip through the room, and I half thought it might be Veyyr, calling on his elemental powers. But he sat quietly, brows furrowed. “Time is slipping, Zane. And as much as I would like to sit and discuss all of this further…we must continue.”
Zane nodded. “I know.”
It was Veyyr’s turn to lean back, his eyes on his friend. “I don’t suppose you are going to just let us leave without a challenge of some sort?”
Zane frowned, all the mirth fading from him. Only then did I see the flecks of grays at the point of his left temple, hidden within the light brown and blond strands. He wasn’t much older than me, but likely working with Thorn had set him on the path to grays.
Shit, she’d surely given me a few just seeing her in the flesh the one time.
“No. I cannot. But I can make the task one that won’t kill you,” He winked at me, as if I were on some inside joke that I should recognize.
“And slavery would be easy enough, Veyyr. You could fetch me my morning coffee. Every day. For the rest of your life. Just don’t forget how I like it, hmm? Extra sweet. No sass on the side.”
“Ha ha.” Veyyr grunted, but I saw his lips quirk.
Another old story between them, a warmth that I felt through the bond and through something else…not a connection exactly, but something between Zane and I. Like someone knocking at the door, and you knowing in your gut who it was, even though you could not see them.
Strange and unsettling.
“Let’s get it done then,” I stood, my body a bit stiff but otherwise I felt better. Refreshed. The food, rest and feeling of safety had allowed me to reset.
Zane stood. “Impatient as always.”
He led the way through the castle. The hallways were stone, same as the first room I’d woken in, but the stone was flecked with little bits of glitter that didn’t pick up the light but…ate it. Not unlike Zane’s cloak. Leaving the space coated in shadows.
I saw the reason quickly—Zane floated in and out of view, the material of the stone seemingly feeding into his cloak’s magic. A natural defense without lifting a finger.
Smart. Very smart.
As we stepped out into the courtyard, I drew in a sharp breath. The sky looked just like the stained glass in the castle. Solid black, stars littered across it, but the stars were different here, in a different pattern, as if the other…maybe was another place he’d stared into the sky?
Like me, amongst the trees on the first day I’d begun this journey.
The three-quarter moon had risen right above the castle, casting light effortlessly.
I wondered if it was real, or a construct of this place.
The air was neither warm nor cold, a perfect neutral wind that blew across my face, tugging at my hair.
Sorrow hopped along at my side, then fluttered up to perch on a lantern stand. Watching.
A pool of water shimmered in the middle of the courtyard—no fountain, just a perfectly round pool that reflected the moon above in absolute symmetry. Not a single ripple marred the surface, as if it were more mirror than water.
“Fuck,” Veyyr glanced at Zane. “Seriously?”
“It is the best way to read your intentions, Veyyr, you know this. Whatever you have become since I last saw you, I need to be sure you can not only survive the final trial but are worthy of what you seek.” Zane crossed his arms, his face serious.
“Water from the Heart of the Veil…resurrections…they are no small thing. There are consequences and costs. You know this.”
I stared at the water, but couldn’t think what the trial might be. “What is this?”
“A scrying mirror.” Zane turned to me, as he pulled his cloak over his head, the lower face mask settling into place, leaving only his eyes. He was settling into his role for this moment.
Warlock, not childhood friend.
I nodded. “You want us to look into it?”
“One at a time.” Zane’s voice wasn’t muffled but it was…different behind the mask, as if a layer of authority rolled over him. He stepped to the edge of the pool. “Step into the middle of the water…Mallory.” It was the first time he’d used my name, and I felt him stumble over it.
Because it was not the name he knew me by.
“I will go first,” Veyyr brushed past me, putting himself between Zane and I.
“Shoes and shirt, Veyyr. You know the rules.”
Veyyr shot a look to Zane. “You always did like this part.”
Zane laughed. “Only when there were pretty girls involved.”
I noted that both of them deliberately did not look my way. I could have said something about being a grown ass woman, but again, I held my tongue. Mind you it might have also been that it was stuck to the roof of my mouth.
Both of them.
Fuck. Me.
Veyyr slid out of his boots and removed his shirt with a quick pull.
His pants hung low on his hips, and while I’d had my hands on his body a few times that was a hell of a lot different than seeing what was underneath his clothes.
And as fine as the shape was, the sheer number of scars had me shaking my head, my mouth tipping into a hard line.
Some of the scars had been covered with tattoos of runes and none were too new—many looked years old, like he’d gotten them as a child.
“Who—”
Zane put his hand out, stopping me from taking a step. “The ritual begins, Tracker. Silence until he steps back out.”
I wanted to ask how he’d know when to step out. How would I know when to step back out when it was my turn?
Veyyr turned to Zane.
Zane lifted his hand and pressed it over Veyyr’s chest. “Let the truth speak.”
“Let it speak.” Veyyr intoned back.
Turning away, he walked into the water, though that would make you think the pool was deep.
The ‘pool’ was little more than a puddle, the surface dancing and reflecting silver as Veyyr’s steps disturbed it. In the center he turned and faced Zane. The surface barely covered the top of his bare feet.
“Eyes open, Veyyr of the Storm, and do not look away from your truth if you wish to see this through.” Zane intoned, his voice hitting like a deep bell, resonating within my bones. The water stilled immediately, the reflection of Veyyr spinning out in three directions.
At the edge of the water, I could see them each distinctly—and distinct they were.
“The first is your past,” Zane said. “See it and know that your beginnings so entwine with your end.”
A fair-haired little boy dragged himself out of the water, an image only but he stood next to Veyyr, looking up at him with those same ice blue eyes.
Only the child had a bloody nose, his arms were bruised and even at what was only four or five years old, there was a wariness to him—a readiness to fight.
He has learned to survive, like you. It had been a long while since my mother’s voice whispered to me, but I knew the words were right. You could see it in the child version of Veyyr.
He would survive, no matter what was thrown at him. Run. Fight. Destroy. Whatever it took.
“The same,” Veyyr said.
“The same, the past rarely changes.” Zane acknowledged.
I wondered if that last would apply to me when I stepped into the pool.
“The truth,” Zane said.
That surprised me. I thought he’d have said the present…I stared as…something rolled under the surface of the pool of water. Not human, not even close.
It should have pushed me back, maybe even scared me, but all I felt was a bone deep sadness. And I wasn’t sure if it was my own, or Veyyr’s filtering through the bond.
My eyes prickled at the pain within that sorrow, at the layers of armor I could feel him trying to pull forward, even in that moment where the truth was supposed to speak.
Zane let out a long low hiss as he stared down into the pool. “Veyyr, what…have you done?”