Chapter 20 The Council District
S nap.
The bubble of pain we were both engulfed in bursts, and I’m quickly placed back onto the ground, his touch replaced by another.
“Ground yourself,” Julien's deep murmur fills my mind, “listen to your breathing, my voice, centre your mind.”
I follow his instructions, keeping my eyes shut as I listen to his voice and attempt to steady my pounding heart. I feel the hard rise and fall of my chest as I focus until it eventually slows.
When I slowly inhale again, the scent of a new world floods my senses. My body feels light, the aches and tension removed, even breathing feels easier, clearer, like the air is somehow medicinal.
“Why didn’t you follow my order?” His voice is a vicious murmur of rage and my eyes instantly widen as I stare up at him. Julien is crouched before me but his large form still makes it difficult to meet his gaze which stares furiously down at me. “You held back.”
I try to listen to the demon’s words, I really do, but I can’t stop looking at him.
For the first time, I’m seeing him up close in natural daylight, the blinding sun behind him creates a brilliant halo of light around his usually dark form. With the sun glinting off his black hair and reflecting from the tactical chest plate, he could be the God of War and I wouldn’t question it. I’d probably lay down and submit to his mercy, especially as his sharp gaze seems to linger, for just a moment too long, upon my lips which have parted in preparation to respond.
“I didn’t want to hurt you.” The words are barely a breath, just above a whisper, they slipped out without consideration of what they revealed.
When my brain finally catches up, I pull my lips into a hard line and glance away from his normally terrifying gaze.
The silence, accompanied by a warm breeze rustling the grass, seems to last a moment too long. When I peer up again, he’s still staring down at me, and his mouth opens as though he’s about to respond when it closes again suddenly .
“She’s made him malfunction,” Sai quips, placing a tight grip upon the demon’s shoulder and leaning against him as he catches my gaze, a lazy smile upon his face. “Let’s move before he has chance to restart.”
The demon finally thaws from his frozen state, pushing at Sai’s shoulder and muttering something incoherent as he walks away.
Sai’s laughter begins abruptly and Julien emits a small chuckle, the combined sound causes my coils to flare and wrap around me in a thick warmth.
I cautiously begin to stand, with Julien's gentle encouragement, and as I watch the demon stalk away, I finally take note of where we are.
We’re outside the large mouth of a cave, I assume the way we came out from ‘Purgatory’, and as I turn, I’m welcomed to a panoramic view of the Council District.
A pang of familiarity hums across my skin, but I push it down as I move forward for a clearer view. We’re high up on a hill, surrounded by miles of fields lined with a thick forest, and below us is a large city beaming with life.
“Let’s go,” the demon shouts over his shoulder, before, as usual, disappearing.
I glance at Julien who’s been beside me during my perusal of the city, his skin practically shimmers under the burning light, rich and smooth, urging me to run my fingers along the length of his bare arms now his sleeves are bunched up. His large hand opens before me and without hesitation, I take it.
Like with Sai, the flitting is instantaneous. The next time I open my eyes, I stare up at a large, white marble building, intricate patterns embedded into the stone in a glowing essence which flares each time the rotating glass doors complete a turn.
The Council’s headquarters.
There’s a faraway sound of conversations which catches my attention and I turn to see the gates that surround the building are so high they never seem to end—piercing the heavens. Before the gates, blocked from entering, are masses of creatures, flashing lights, floating cameras and microphones.
“Why are all those people there?” I query, turning to catch the three enforcers stood together once more.
My heart thuds at the sight, my breath catches as the sun seems to emphasise their appealing darkness rather than hinder it .
“What happened in the Entertainment District is big news, everyone wants a piece of the action,” Sai explains, stepping forward and gently encouraging me away with the touch of his hand on my lower back. My marking tingles but it doesn’t hurt.
“Let’s get this over with,” the demon suddenly declares, his voice lighter than I ever remembered it being, causing me to stare after him as he enters the building.
Julien follows and we bring up the end. I feel the heavy ward placed upon the building just before we enter. My coils protectively curl around me, and, absent-mindedly, Sai too. I can’t even stop the action as it surrounds him in visible wisps causing him to chuckle.
My face becomes hot in embarrassment, luckily, I become distracted by the interior of the building and the moment is soon forgotten.
Although the outside is completely white marble, the inside is formed by a mixture of colours. Mahogany, plum and wine in an iridescent form which simmers as we enter. Rivers of metallic fragments thread through parts of the stone occasionally, such as alongside the substantial reception area.
The woman seated there, clad in the same uniform as the barrier guards but without a helmet, simply nods as we enter and returns to taping at her translucent screen.
I stare for a moment, never seeing technology like this before but knowing it exists, her white pupils stare back, widening slightly before immediately flickering away.
I frown, but I’m being led into a long corridor of the same structure, only interrupted by large panels of glass tinged in a hue of black, making the floor below seem like it’s cast in a mist of grey.
Besides the ornate appearance, the only other distracting part of the building is how empty it is. Desolate. We must walk for five minutes and never see another creature, even though my powers can certainly feel something, somewhere.
“Where is everyone?” I finally ask, my voice sounding unbearably loud in the thick silence.
“When the Council lead a trial, nearly all workers are permitted a day of leave,” Julien informs, the deep rumble of his voice somehow easing the tension his very words create.
“This is a trial? I thought I was just being questioned?” I try to turn and face him but Sai keeps leading me forward instead .
“Questioning, a trial, an interrogation… what’s the difference really?” Sai weighs in, his cheerful tone not matching the words.
I turn to face him as we finally reach two mammoth metal doors engraved with a detailed golden pattern.
“An interrogation?” I squeak, trying to catch all their gazes but he’s already speaking into that stupid device again. “But I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Exactly, so you’ll be absolutely fine.” Sai smiles, but his eyes don’t match his easy tone and my power prickles with uncertainty. “Maybe others won’t be so fine.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” My voice is soft now, seeking out the answer from his emotions rather than his words. But he’s an enforcer, he’s trained to conceal those things and I catch nothing.
“It’s time,” the demon announces, slipping the device into one of his many pockets and sweeping his blackened gaze over me.
As though his words are a spell, the doors begin to slowly open and I instantly feel a pull, a sharp, invisible tug dragging me towards it. Immediately, black coils of power snap out and wrap around me, I dig my feet into the ground.
“It’s easier if you don’t resist,” Julien calmly informs, he’s beside me but I can’t turn my neck.
As the doors’ opening widens, so does the pull and my power continues to battle it in violent strikes.
“What the fuck is this?” I snarl, watching helplessly as my heels begin to slide and drag along the marble floor. My panic begins to bloom, seeping out in tendrils which grip the frame of the door and crawl along the walls in resistance, the dark colour almost bleeds into the material.
“See you on the other side, Red,” Sai calls, his voice distant now, as though he’s walking away, which only makes my fear spread.
We’re not in control.
We need to take back control.
My heart pounds as I desperately try to fight back, my spine tingles with warnings of the pain soon to come, prickling crawls along the skin of my back—
“Calm yourself.” His cold voice filters into my mind, soothing the heat that was ready to combust. “You’re fine, let go. ”
My coils slide away from the wall, loosening their grip, sinking back into my skin and the burning, the small flame that had begun, dissipates, leaving my skin in a soothing coolness that he created.
I still can’t move, but I see a flash of his dark gaze before the doors close behind me, concealing all light and blinding me in darkness.
Before my panic can unfurl again, a voice fills my ears.
“Please confirm your name, district of residence and race.” The soft tone, barely above a whisper, echoes around the room.
“Jasmine, the Entertainment District and…” For some reason, my gut swirls at the thought of revealing my race. It isn’t a secret but it seems I feel protective over it. “Empath.”
“Your full name.” The whispered voice is closer now, somewhere to my left. I turn but there’s still no light.
“That’s it,” I call into the darkness, turning in attempt to seek out something, anything that isn’t complete emptiness.
“Close your eyes, Jasmine.” The whisper is louder now, still hushed but more pronounced revealing a slight lilt of an accent, one similar to my own. “This may sting.”
As liquid fire runs through my veins, I realise 'sting' was an understatement. Before I can react, I'm physically pushed into blinding light that burns when I try to look into it.
I’m still squinting as blurry shapes begin to form. The once all-consuming light now shrinking and turning into something softer, illuminating the edges of a new room, dulling all other senses.
Until I hear a voice.