11. ELEVEN #2
"Don't expect perfection. Even in ten thousand years, humanity will never achieve it. It's not possible for any of us." His voice was persuasive. I felt myself being drawn in by his logic, but I had to resist. He spoke of time like someone who had lived through far too much of it .
"That’s true, but if you're star-bound, shouldn’t you be superior to humanity? Shouldn’t you have learned something in all that time?" I replied, my anger gave me the strength to push back. If he was half-immortal, then why did he still act like this?
"How do you know where I was born? How do you know my parents moved to a quiet village to raise me?” I asked, hoping to catch him off guard.
"Tilly, we know all about you. We certainly didn't decide to take you on a whim. Why else do you think we came to your world?” He replied with unnerving confidence. It was as if he had seen every detail of my life, like he’d been watching longer than any human ever could.
"Seraphina says your world is called Elora. If I can learn more about it, perhaps I can better understand what you want with me." I said, hoping to gather information that might aid my escape.
He stared off into the distance, as though glimpsing a place only he could see. His eyes filled with a sadness that touched me.
It's not so different to yours, but different enough.
My people communed with nature and the arts.
We looked at the universe differently than how people of your world look at Earth.
Here, your people are controlled by their beliefs and the contradictory mandates of religions.
In our world, we don't abide by such mandates.
We're taught to worship the beauty, energies, and powers that surround us. "
I felt the stirring of a connection. The philosophy was beautiful, but their means of taking me from my home didn't fit with it.
"From birth," he continued, "we're taught the importance of the energy around us.
The mind, the body, the soul, and the universe are all connected, and we're all part of it.
Once we learned to connect with the universal spirit, we learned to respect it.
Only then did we experience the magic around us.
Your people simply don't have that connection, as your minds have been cleverly pushed along the wrong path. "
I glanced at the lovely view beyond the windows. Perhaps others on Earth had felt no such connection, but I certainly had.
"I think you're wrong. I have felt connected to nature and art my whole life”
Cillian closely regarded me.
"Then you should be able to understand. Once our people became connected to the universe, they worked together to build a world that was both powerful and peaceful. We helped each other and became stronger." His expression darkened.
"But then Vareth’s Curse shattered the light from our world and forever changed our destinies."
This must be the curse Seraphina had spoken of.
I knew instinctively I wouldn't be told more about that yet and I instead circled back to the immortality.
An area I felt was safer ground, which meant Cillian was more likely to open up about it.
Maybe I would learn something I could use to my advantage this way.
"You say you live longer but will you eventually die? I mean, no one can live forever, can they?" I asked, trying to understand the limits of their lifespan.
"Why do you want to know that? Are you planning to kill me?" he replied, a teasing smile crossing his lips.
I found myself unable to turn away from his eyes. I finally shook my head. "I’ve never considered killing anyone before. I just wanted to understand what it means to be half immortal and powerful"
"Is that your way of saying that you wouldn't want any harm to come to me?"
I looked at him with a blank expression. "It's my way of saying you're avoiding my question," I replied, aware that I was avoiding his too.
"Then let's not talk about killing," he said, stepping closer.
"There are far more interesting things to discuss. "
I began to feel at ease, as though he’d somehow wrapped me in a veil of warmth. But I was sceptical and I knew better than to trust him.
A streak of brilliant red caught my eye. A stunning, ruby-plumed bird swept toward a nearby tree and began singing an enchanting melody.
"How beautiful!" I said, lost in its gentle serenade.
"That's the minstrel bird," Cillian said, standing so close that I could feel the warmth of his body. "It's said whoever hears his song will be lucky in love."
I turned to him with an amused expression.
"Is that true or did you just make that up?"
He gazed into my eyes. I felt a moment of disorientation.
"It's true."
Without another word, he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me effortlessly into the air.
It happened so quickly, I barely had time to react.
He raised me until I gazed down at his face.
I felt lightheaded again, as though his touch had drained the strength from my body, and I hung there limply, like a rag doll.
"What—what are you doing?" I asked, my voice laced with panic.
Cillian’s eyes locked on mine, his gaze intense and mesmerising. My face was so close to his that I could feel his breath brushing my skin. I lost myself in the depth of his eyes, captivating me in shifting pools of amber, green, and melted honey. His voice lowered to a low, sensual whisper.
"I've waited a decade to see you, to know if you really existed.” He said, his voice a seductive whisper. His words seemed sincere, but I knew better than to trust appearances.
It was strange how my fear and anxiety dissipated whenever I was near him. There was something compelling about his voice, which soothed yet excited me. I felt my body ease into the strength of his grip, and his energy coursed through me like the pleasant warmth of the sun.
I had to snap myself out of it and regain control of my thoughts, something I had done so well recently when I heard the whispers in the company of others. I inhaled sharply.
"You can let me go now," I said, trying to force myself not to fall further under his spell.
"I can't let you go, Tilly." His tone was
mischievous
My eyes widened. "Why not?" I asked, my voice rising with frustration.
His smile widened to that of a mischievous little boy caught in his own little secret.
"Don’t you realise I’m not holding you anymore?"
I looked down quickly and gasped. His arms were at his sides, and my feet were hovering several centimetres above the balcony floor.
As soon as he spoke, I gently descended back onto solid ground.
I felt my heart race, unsure of what he was capable of.
This wasn’t just levitation; this was mind control.
“How did you do that?" I asked, stepping forward on the balcony to make sure it was solid beneath my feet.
He watched me with an amused knowing smile.
"You wanted to know what other powers I have. Now you know. I merely provided you with a demonstration. Showing is better than telling, don't you think?"
I regarded him warily, uncertain whether to be impressed or afraid.
"So, you have the ability to levitate me," I said, my tone cautious. “What else can you do?”
“I also have the power to hypnotise you,” he replied, teasing.
"So that's how you keep me so fascinated," I replied, trying to sound sceptical, though I could feel the pull of his voice.
"Not at all. I haven't used that power on you yet. Any feelings you're experiencing are entirely your own” he said with a gentle smile.
I felt the heat rise to my face before I could contain myself. Was he telling the truth, or was this part of his game? I didn’t know.
"I didn't mean to suggest that I had feelings for you, only that I'm confused."
"Is it me you're trying to convince," he asked with a glint in his eye, "or yourself?"
Annoyed by how my feelings had betrayed me, I tried to regain my composure, but the intensity of Cillian's gaze made it difficult. I felt awkward, as though I struggled with a schoolgirl's crush.
"Can you at least answer one question?" I asked, hoping to defuse the situation. "Why are you so sure I'm the one you've been waiting for?"
Cillian’s expression relaxed, his smile lines fading. “The reason is bigger than both of us. It’s not about control, it’s our destiny”
"And what if I choose never to decide?"
"Eventually you will," he said, his smile teasing, but certain.