Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Cotton
“It was so lovely to meet you, Cotton,” Talitha said as we prepared to head back to the Celestial Castle.
“At noon in a week’s time, we’ll arrange for you to return to work daily with Nell on telepathy and sign language.
In the meantime,” she added, casting a wary and disparaging glance toward Valik, “try to avoid his bullshit. He’s a walking disaster. ”
I scoffed, nodding my head in agreement with a look that said, “I’ve noticed.”
We stood outside in the city center where we had arrived.
I’d had a better opportunity to take in the community and was surprised to see a flourishing society.
Shops lined the cobbled streets on either side of the fountain.
With businesses ranging from cafes and clothing stores to jewelers and market stands selling fresh produce and butchers, Mystics had somehow managed to survive.
It wasn’t overly crowded or populated, but it was far from a ghost town.
While there were men present, most of the Mystic population I’d seen so far were disproportionately women.
Talitha kissed both of my cheeks before moving along to Scarlett, wishing her well until next time.
The afternoon was well underway, and judging by the sun’s position, it was nearly four.
My mind spun with the possibility of being able to communicate with others once again, making a surge of mixed emotions toil within me.
Being vocally disabled had been my norm for so long.
I’d accepted it years ago. Now, I had the opportunity to learn how to speak into others’ minds.
The idea of the massive change was exciting, yet unsettling all the same.
My Kinetic magic worked here in Arcadia like it did back home, but it felt more enhanced. Valik had explained that aether—the substance that powered Arcadia’s magic—was prominent in this realm. A gift from the god, Etherea. Aether flowed through every living being here, including the plants.
The Tempests’ magic thrived on the vitality of others.
The Syphon Bond, a dark curse that bound a living being’s essence to the Tempest who cast it, siphoned the victim’s magic and the aether pulsing through their blood.
Due to the dark and twisted nature of the Syphon Bond, the living being—person, plant, or animal—essentially turned Endarkened.
We’d seen it in the trees, which dripped a viscous black poison from their leaves and branches.
Since the Tempests had nearly siphoned all the aether out of Arcadia, they’d recruited Forest to help expand their reach into Terraguard.
Which didn’t make sense—why would she want Terraguard if we didn’t have any aether in our atmosphere?
Very few places were untouched by the Syphon Bond.
The Celestial Castle, for example, only remained untouched due to extremely powerful wards that Valik himself reinforced every day.
I wondered how the Mystics had kept themselves shielded from the Tempests for so long.
Surely the Tempests must have come for them long ago.
Once Talitha finished her farewell to Scarlett, she turned to go back into the glass dome building that she’d exited when we first arrived. Valik stepped in her path, forcing her to halt and raise her hands as if she planned to attack him with her magic.
“Where’s my goodbye, Tali?” the odd being asked, puppy dog eyes on full display.
Talitha deadpanned. “I’m the High Priestess. I only see off those who matter.”
High Priestess?
I tapped into my Kinetic ability for the first time since arriving in the Mystic’s land, studying the heat signatures of Talitha and Valik. Valik’s beamed red all over. The heat coming from him indicated power at a level I’d never witnessed before—not even in Chrome or Gray.
Talitha didn’t appear to be as powerful, but her heat signature was significantly stronger than any Kinetic or Elemental I was aware of. Definitely stronger than Forest’s.
“We go way back, Tali. You’re really going to let an old grudge get in the way of our relationship?” Valik pressed.
“In case you’ve forgotten, there is no relationship between us, Valik. Now, please move before I make you,” Talitha challenged. I wondered if she knew how truly powerful Valik was.
I smiled at Talitha’s fearlessness. She reminded me so much of Scarlett. She was the type who would eat men alive with a mere glance.
Scarlett leaned closer to me, speaking through the side of her mouth. “I wanna bang her. You think Valik would kill me if I did?”
I suppressed a chuckle, biting my bottom lip and nudging her with my elbow.
Scarlett smiled widely at me, lighting her up in a way that would ordinarily make any member of the male species bow to her every whim.
If I hadn’t known her since we were kids and gone through our awkward stages in life together, and if I weren’t gay, then I’d have been in love with her long ago.
But our relationship surpassed anything sexual or romantic.
When we were younger, we’d agreed that we were platonic soulmates.
Where she went, I went; we’d go to war for one another.
“Any luck finding the stone?” Valik asked Tali as if she hadn’t just blatantly rejected him.
Talitha straightened, swiping her long chestnut hair from her shoulder. “You know where the stone is, Valik.”
Valik sighed, puffing out his cheeks in defeat. “I was hoping it might’ve ended up elsewhere. It was possible, ya know? Especially after all this time.”
“Brecken,” Talitha stated. “He’s the key, Valik.”
Valik groaned. “Fuck. We’re so fucked.”
The Mystic cleared her throat. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t have stolen—”
“I know, okay? I was young and desperate. I told you this.” Valik shook his head. “Anyways, lessons learned and whatever.”
“For fuck’s sake, you never learn,” Talitha said, exasperated, before shoving past Valik, not looking back as she entered the glass building.
Chilly breezes had me hugging myself during the trek through the open field back to the castle.
Bluish hills sat in the distance where the Celestial Castle stood.
The three of us walked in silence as I processed everything that had happened back with the Mystics.
But it was Valik and Talitha’s conversation from before our departure that replayed in my mind.
Who was Brecken, and what in the gods’ name did Valik steal from him?
Scarlett had seemed lost in her thoughts as well, but soon broke the silence when she asked, “Did I hear Talitha say they’re going to be teaching you telepathy and sign language?”
I glanced at her from the side, strangely nervous about her reaction. Scarlett didn’t seem like the type of person who’d be cool with me just popping into her head for a conversation at will. I nodded, confirming her question.
“Fucking hell, Cotton!” she squealed, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. “That’s brilliant. I’m so godsdamn happy for you.”
A genuine smile spread across my face, my shoulders relaxing as I wrapped an arm around her lower back.
“Seriously, this is huge. You deserve this so much.” Scarlett squeezed me before pulling away and grabbing my palm in hers. “I’m going to assume that Forest is responsible for your tongue.”
With a nod, I dropped my gaze to the bluish grass. The last thing I wanted to do was reminisce about that day. But eventually, when I gained the ability to communicate with her, I’d share the entire story.
“I’m so sorry. I should’ve known.”
I snapped my attention back to her, frowning with a harsh shake of my head. Absolutely not. She had no way of knowing, regardless of how awful Forest was.
“I only have one question about it, and then I won’t push you anymore on the subject until you’re ready to talk more.” Scarlett looked unsure, chewing on the inside of her cheek.
I nudged her with my shoulder, encouraging her to go on even as I braced for her inquiry.
“Did it have to do with your mom’s death?” The question was nearly a whisper.
I hesitated, knowing that if I answered, it would only spur more questions in her mind, and I knew they’d drive her crazy until I could give them to her.
That felt cruel. So, I nodded, my gut twisting at the memory.
“I’m so sorry,” Scarlett responded, squeezing my palm again. “I won’t push you for more, but gods, I wish I’d known. But I’m here for you now, once you’re ready to tell me everything, okay?”
If Valik was listening to our conversation from several feet ahead, he didn’t let on. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he were.
As Scarlett and I carried on in comfortable silence, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude that she was here with me. Gratitude for Valik, even, rushed my chest. If he hadn’t healed her when we arrived…I didn’t know how I’d have managed any of this without her at my side.
Pink and purple clouds began to color the sky, signaling dusk in Arcadia. It seemed a minor difference, yet it contrasted with the violent orange and red sunsets from back home. Here, the onset of evening was peaceful, despite the sickness that invaded this once utopian land.
About fifteen minutes into our short journey back, a sick, gravelly roar echoed from the forest surrounding the open field.
I came to a halt, nervously glancing at Scarlett as adrenaline spiked in my veins.
I itched for my sword, but I didn’t want to draw more attention to ourselves, fearing any extra movement would spook the creature.
Scarlett scanned from one side of the tree line to the other, squinting.
Meanwhile, Valik carried on, seemingly unperturbed, except for the slight tilt of his head as if listening for the most minute sounds.
When we crested the top of the first hill five minutes later, the beastly sound came again. The blood pulsing through my veins throbbed in my ears. The safety of the castle wards was only a mile away—I prayed we could make it back in time.
Valik froze, closing his eyes with a furrowed brow.