16. Severn
SEVERN
To Ceril, I was pretty fucking important. Not only for the art business but apparently for his immortality. When he drained my blood, I never considered that he used what was left over from my paintings for anything, let alone a Tethered Ritual.
The moment my vision became clear that day in Ceril’s conference room, I knew something had to be done. But the entire idea of Ceril becoming immortal was almost impossible for me to grasp.
Rolling my lips between my teeth, I grabbed my mug and lifted it to my face, inhaling the warm beverage.
“Ceril needs me for my art. I know that. That’s probably why Vea needs me safe, right?
” I wasn’t going to beat around the bush.
“She wants to start using me to paint and sell my art like he did, right?”
Aiden looked taken aback. “What?” He looked genuinely shocked. “No. Vea truly does just want to make sure you’re safe. You are so important to her, in so many ways.”
“She doesn’t want me to do anything?” I was skeptical and confused. It was hard not to be when the only parent I knew tortured me my entire life.
Aiden turned to face me on the couch. “Severn, I promise you. We aren’t going to hurt you.
Vea wants you safe, and I’m here to help her with that.
As soon as things are figured out down there,” he gestured to the window into downtown.
“We can be out of here. And fingers crossed that won’t be too long. ”
Turning around, I looked over downtown. The morning hazy glow of neon lights was bright.
Traffic was starting to get heavier on the roads going into the city as people were going into work.
“Aiden,” I said quietly before turning around.
His eyes widened when I captured his attention.
Round dark, pearl-like eyes full of emotion.
“It’s not just the art though. He started something that he’s going to want to finish, and he needs me for it. ”
“What do you mean?” Aiden asked.
“Ceril initiated a Tethered Ritual.” I didn’t break eye contact when the words left my mouth. I couldn’t.
“What?” It sounded as if Aiden was out of breath. The look on his face was terror and anger rolled into one.
“I have a special sense. It’s more a burden than a blessing, really.
I see things before they happen, but they’re influenced by my surroundings.
I’ve just always called them visions.” I shrugged.
I didn’t have a better name for the images that cursed my brain every now and then.
“I don’t have control over them. They just happen, and I black out.
I just always figured it was because I was a Pisces why I was a little intuitive. ”
“What does being a Pisces have to do with anything?” Aiden shifted closer to me on the couch, listening intently to what I was saying.
“Do you know how beings get their special senses?” My eyebrows pulled together in confusion. I truly thought this was common knowledge in Noirhaven. Almost everything in this city was determined by the stars, whether we realized it or not. Our special senses were one of them.
Aiden shook his head. “I never really thought much about it, honestly. It’s just something that happens to some beings.” He shrugged.
“Special senses are determined by star signs. How the stars align when a being is born will determine if they have a special sense or not. Their sign will determine their sense as well.” This was all information I learned growing up with Ceril. It was just talked about in general conversation.
“Hmm,” Aiden glanced to the side, contemplating the information. “What do you mean they’re influenced by your surroundings?” He just moved on to the next topic. No more questions. So I did too.
“Ceril kept me at his side every day. No matter when or where, I was with him. Every vision I have is related to him.” Aiden continued to pay close attention to me.
It felt strange having eyes on me like this, when I wasn’t being beaten or bleeding out.
“Most recently, every vision has been of Ceril dragging me to a cave up in the mountains, doing some weird shit, and walking out of the back of the cave tethered to Beck. Beck moved like a mirror of Ceril. What else could it have been?”
“And he used your blood…for the immortality.” Aiden fell back on the couch, throwing his arm over his face. “Fuck!” he shouted. “We have to call Vea. Now.” Aiden sat up quickly and picked up his phone.
With a few taps to the screen, the phone was ringing on speaker. “Aiden?” A woman answered. “Everything okay?”
“Yes and no,” Aiden answered, looking up at me.
He began to fill her in on all of the information I had just told him.
I stayed quiet, staring at the phone, listening to my mom’s voice.
I was mesmerized by how worried she sounded.
“Severn is valuable to you both, Vea. More than we even realized.” I looked up when Aiden said my name and found him looking at me.
His features were smooth. He had me locked in a soft, fixed stare that captivated me.
“Ceril has a clock that’s ticking though, and we don’t know when it ends. Did he see anything that might help with that in his vision?” Vea’s voice broke me out of my trance, and I shook my head. Aiden's features never shifted.
“Severn says no, Vea.” The way the words fell from his mouth was just as fixed as his gaze was on me.
“Aiden, am I on speakerphone?” Aiden’s face dropped, and he winced like he was ready to be scolded.
Hesitantly, he replied, “Yes.”
“Severn?” Vea asked over the phone.
Clearing my throat, I replied, “Hi.”
“I’m not sure if you know who I am. But I’m…”
I cut her off, “my mom.” Aiden whipped his head up to me. I thought he knew I was aware that Vea was my mom. “Ceril never hid that from me. He wants me to hate you as much as he does.”
“Oh, okay.” Vea’s voice trembled slightly.
“I don’t think I hate you.” I truly didn't know if I hated her or not. Ceril, I hated him. But I didn’t know Vea.
There was a sniffle on the other end of the phone. “Okay,” Vea whispered. “Aiden,” she cleared her throat. “Call if there’s anything else. We will get this figured out.” The phone beeped, indicating the call had ended.
Aiden and I both settled back into the couch, not speaking for the rest of the morning.