Cettia's Dawn

by Emily Wilson

  “Shadows. I’ll be sure not to jump much tonight to keep my strength. See ya.” Tripp closes the door behind him as Syphon brings the cup to his lips.

  There’s little doubt in Syph’s mind that his brother will come through for him. Tripp always does, and he’s proven himself to be the only one in Syphon’s life worth a stone on more than one occasion, but he can’t shake the feeling that too much is riding on the mission he's about to hand him. It’s something he should be doing himself, but things have to happen exactly right, or all will be lost, which means he needs to stay exactly where he is and trust his brother in his stead.

  He has one more drink before finally putting the bottle away and turning in, but the same dreams that have plagued him for years return for another round as he tosses and turns in his sleep. He jerks awake with sweat coating his brow and finds that the sun hasn’t yet risen, but there's no way he’ll go back to sleep now. Not after that.

  Instead, Syph pulls on his tunic and heads down to the cells to find Slait, but the man is sleeping soundly on the concrete floor. It’s surprising to say the least, but Syph imagines one could sleep just about anywhere if they were tired enough, and even the cold floor of the damp cell has to be better than the rack.

  Minutes crawl by as Syphon watches and contemplates exactly what he wants to do to the man, but he can’t seem to make up his mind and decides he’ll be better off waiting until he has a sufficient amount of time. Tripp should be back soon, and the last thing Syphon wants is to be distracted once things are put into motion. “Soon, Slait. Soon.”

  He turns on his heel and heads back to his makeshift office to wait for Tripp’s arrival, but hours pass before he finally shows up. “Did you have a good night?” Syph asks dryly.

  “Yup.” Tripp walks with a pep in his step and sits next to his brother. “She slapped me when I got there and then begged me to stay in the morning. Where am I going?”

  Syphon snorts. “That’s my boy. If you're going to do it, do it well.” He slides him a cup of coffee and leans in, his eyes gleaming mischievously. “You... are going to fetch me K8.0. Whatever it takes.”

  “STONE IT!” KATO GRABS Nut himself and wades into the water, his hands getting scratched by those tiny claws. “I need soap, Rone. You gotta come in and help.”

  Ronan grabs the bar and sighs as he makes his way toward them, hesitant to get too close to the squirming beast.

  “No bath!” Nut screeches so loud Ronan flinches.

  “I’ve never seen him so angry.” Rone hands Kato the soap and he starts washing his soft fur.

  “Me either, but he needs a bath. Axis makes sure to bathe every few days, why don’t you?” he asks the animal.

  Nut looks at them both like they’ve betrayed him. “Two shadowheads.”

  Ronan laughs, and Kato’s glad he decided to connect all of their minds — it’s easier this way.

  “Try submerging him in the water, I can smell him from here,” Axis chimes in, making the Praediti laugh as Nut clings to Kato’s arm.

  “No!”

  “Come on, Nut. You stink. Where’s Azrian? He won’t hesitate to dunk you.” Kato does it anyway, hissing at the scratches the raccanis leaves behind.

  The squeak he lets out next is pathetic, just the final, desperate sound of utter betrayal, and then the raccanis goes completely boneless in Kato’s hands and slides into the water. Kato’s eyebrows shoot up as Ronan tries to catch him, but Nut flails and pedals his tiny feet until he's scrambling up onto the riverbank.

  “How did he do that?” Ronan asks.

  “It's a bit of old magic. I wasn't sure any of them still knew how to do it... but it's a particularly useful defense mechanism,” Axis explains with amusement.

  “Did he ju— did he play dead?” Kato makes his way out of the water and tries to grab Nut again. “You really are a nut.”

  “Away,” Nut hisses as he scrambles up a tree — or tries to, anyway. He makes a scared, exhausted little noise about halfway up, then digs his nails into the bark to find purchase as he starts to slide back down. “Help!”

  “Ha!” Kato grabs him, pinning him to his chest, but the wailing makes it impossible, and he finally releases him when Nut scratches down Kato’s face. “I give up.” He covers his face with a groan and blinks back tears from the sting. “We got him a little clean. Has to be good enough for now but don’t even think about coming on our bed if you don’t bathe, stinky.”

  Axis is still amused as Nut walks past him into the water of his own accord, rinsing off the soap still matted in his fur.

  “Maybe we should've let him do it on his own from the beginning,” Ronan offers, nearly doubling over with laughter as Nut ends up cleaning himself better than anything they could've done.

  “Yeah... maybe.” Kato rolls his eyes as he focuses on his cuts to heal them before Azrian can be worried. He plops in the dirt with the valianis and dusts off his hands, his cheek good as new.

  “You going to let me see that drawing soon?” Rone asks with a smirk.

  Chuckling, Kato shakes his head. “No. You’ll see it after Azrian sees it; it’s his surprise.”

  “Boring,” he whines, but joins Kato on the ground. “Will you at least tell me wh—”

  “Excuse me?” a new voice asks from behind them. “Are either of you Kato?”

  Kato turns and looks at the newcomer, standing in case there’s a threat. “Maybe. Who are you?” he asks, standing in front of Ronan protectively.

  A smile spreads across the man’s face as he holds both hands up by his chest. “A friend,” he says jovially. “A brother, actually. I'm Tripp. Heard you wanted to meet me, so I came here instead of making you come and find us.”

  Kato has to fight the urge to look into his mind this time, but he can’t invade this man’s privacy simply because he heard bad things about him. He has to give him the benefit of the doubt. “Shadows... Tripp?!” He rushes over, wishing he wasn’t wet and dirty from Nut’s bath as he greets him and introduces the others. “How’d you find me so fast?”

  “I'm an Itinerae. Really wasn't that hard to find you once Zero gave me a general idea of where you were.” Tripp looks Kato up and down and pops his lips. “Look at you! I always wondered what my youngest little bro would look like, but I didn't expect you to be bigger than all of us. Just hope Zero didn't ruin your impression of us as a whole.”

  “He definitely tried, but I knew I had to meet you for myself.” Kato relaxes slightly but worries what they may have heard about Zero’s departure. “Did he say anything bad about me? I kind of insulted him before he left. That really isn’t who I am... I had never even used the word before then. I feel kind of bad about it.”

  Tripp snorts. “Honestly, I'd be more worried about you if Zero didn't push you to that point. There's a reason he never stays with anyone for too long. He's a good kid, just... a lot to handle sometimes. But aren't we all?”

  His disarming smile has Kato grinning and nodding in agreement. “You can say that again. We’ll just finish up here and then go up to the house together.”

  It doesn’t take long for them to clean themselves and return home. Azrian still isn’t there, but Tripp and Kato sit in the living room while they wait. “So... where do you live? Where’s Syphon?”

  “Just north of Grimrock in Rostya,” he explains. “You're gonna love it there, it's much different than Embermeadow. Syph would've come down here too, but he's actually got company up there already. You remember Slait by any chance?”

  Kato tries to think about what’s north of Grimrock and all he can picture is the Ruins, but he’s distracted by what else Tripp said. “Oh, Slait? Yeah, I met him once... are you inviting me to come visit? I’d love to meet all of you.”

  “Absolutely. I'll take you back with me. Syphon’s really excited to meet you.”

  The front door opens and Azrian walks in, immediately tensing when he sees Tripp sitting so close to Kato. “Um... hi?”

  “Azzy!” Kato jumps up and wa
lks over to kiss him. “This is Tripp. My brother.”

  Tripp stands and greets him. “Nice to meet you. Will you be joining us in Rostya?” he asks, and Kato wishes he hadn't — he’d have preferred to discuss that with Azrian in private.

  “Okay. Give me a second to unpack all of that,” Az mumbles, then drops his satchel on the floor. A very familiar expression settles on his face, but his tone is surprisingly light. “No, I won't be joining anyone anywhere, and neither will Kato. It's nice of you to stop by, though.”

  “Az.” Kato frowns, offering Tripp an apologetic smile. “We can talk about it after dinner. Will you stay?” he asks Tripp hopefully.

  “Of course,” Tripp agrees. He plops back onto the couch and makes himself at home, but Azrian doesn't move a muscle.

  “We already did talk about this, Kato. We agreed — or, at least, I thought we agreed — that we weren’t going to go until after Ronan's schooling was over for the season. And we don't have enough food for another person, I haven't had a chance to go t—”

  “Oh, don't worry about that,” Tripp says flippantly. “One of the perks of being an Itinerae is that shopping trips don't take very long. Just tell me what you need, and I'll go get it.”

  “Really? Awesome. See, everything will work out.” Kato meets Azrian’s gaze and then tells Tripp a few things they need as he hands him some coins.

  Ronan quietly sneaks into his room like he knows what's coming, and sure enough, Az rounds on Kato the second Tripp disappears. “Kato, what are you doing? Did you not hear what Teag and Aleon said?”

  Kato hates disagreeing with Az, but sometimes he has to take his own path. “I heard everything they said. Did none of you hear what I said? Or did you all just assume I’m still the same dumb kid from Deadrun? I told you, I will give them a chance. Nothing will change that, Azrian. I have to try.”

  “I heard you, Kato! We agreed to do it together when the time was right, not the second one of them comes knocking! And I'm sorry, Jellycrai, but I think you're wrong about this. You're wrong about them, they're dangerous.” Az looks almost desperate as he steps into Kato’s space and tries to catch his eye. “Look at me, let's just eat dinner and we’ll tell him to come back in a couple of months.”

  “No.” Kato takes a step back. “Why is it I’m always wrong? Why don’t you ever trust me to make adult decisions? We’re practically the same age. I’m not incapable of making hard choices, you’ve seen it firsthand. I’ll always choose what is right and I feel this is what’s right. I’m going... and I guess I’m going alone.” He steps around Azrian and storms outside to breathe, the walls inside had begun to close in on him.

  Tripp appears a few moments later and looks surprised to see Kato outside. “You okay? I hope I didn't cause any problems, I don't have to stay if it would be easier if I left.”

  “No. Can you set all that on the porch? Let’s just go. I can’t look at him again... I won’t have the strength to say goodbye.” Kato rubs his chest as it threatens to split open, desperately wishing Az would trust him.

  “Yeah, sure.” Tripp sets the bag on the porch and smirks through the window at Azrian’s back, but Kato isn't facing him to see it. He straightens up and joins his brother, holding out a hand with a victorious, easy grin. “Ready to go?”

  As much as he knows this is necessary, Kato can’t deny the hesitation that washes over him before he takes that hand. It’s almost enough to have him rushing back inside to Azrian. He didn’t even get to kiss him goodbye, but based on the argument they just had, it isn’t likely Az even wants to kiss him... so he holds on tight and nods stiffly. “Yeah... ready as I’ll ever be.”

  6 The Trap

  When they appear outside of the same building that held Azrian captive, Kato tenses at Tripp’s side. It’s singed and charred thanks to the fire Belua started, and even though it looks as if an entire wing was destroyed, Kato would recognize this place anywhere. “The Ruins? Why? You said north of Grimrock!” He knows the Ruins technically are north of Grimrock, but he had pictured a small town or... anything but this. Riley never mentioned they lived in the Ruins. Did she know?

  “Hey, easy,” Tripp soothes. “Yeah, it might not be much to look at, but it's our home now. Come see what Syph’s done to the inside, I think you'll like it.”

  That hesitation blooms again and Kato stays right where he’s standing. “Now? Was it not already your home? Why would you choose this if not?”

  “Our real home was destroyed,” he explains. “But Syphon... he's a little different than most people. He thought it was best if we kept away from everyone else.” Tripp stays still, his arms relaxed at his sides. “You seem worried, Kato. You okay? We’re not gonna hurt you, you're our brother.”

  That actually does help ease the tension inside, but Kato is beginning to worry he made the wrong choice. “I’m fine. Lead the way.” He remembers he’s a Cogitare and that very few people can best him — unless they have a shield. He doesn’t have anything to fear, and his confidence grows with each and every step until they're inside the desolate building.

  Tripp hadn’t been exaggerating. Despite the outward appearance, the inside of their home is welcoming and warm, if a little strange. The artwork adorning the walls isn't unlike Kato’s own style when it comes to the linework, but the colors and scenes are decidedly darker.

  “You like the art? Syph gets bored a lot and doodles, but I don't know why he feels the need to plaster it everywhere. It's a little... yikes, isn't it?” Tripp asks, nudging Kato with a knowing look.

  “Not at all. I love them... it’s nice to think one of my brothers likes art too... the art back at home was all me.” He fights the urge to touch it and finds himself a little more excited to meet the eldest brother. “We have different styles, but art is art.”

  He clasps Kato’s shoulders and steers him toward a bulky, interior door. “Yeah. You guys will get along great.”

  When they stop walking again, they’re in a sort of living room without many decorations at all. There's a man a few inches shorter than Kato standing at a window and facing out, but his body language is the exact opposite of Tripp’s.

  “Hey, Syph,” Tripp says lightly. “I come bearing gifts.”

  The man slowly turns around, revealing a mostly bare, tattooed torso and spiky, dark hair. “Ahh. K8.0? Or I think you're now known as Kato, right? I’m Syphon.” He steps closer, eyeing him intensely with something a lot like apprehension, then all of a sudden wraps his arms around him and laughs happily. “Shadows, it's good to finally meet you!”

  Kato’s arms naturally open, but it takes him a second to realize what’s happening and hug him back. “Um... yeah, it is. Have you always known about me?”

  “Nope.” Sy steps back and gestures for him to sit. “If I'd have known you survived, I'd have come to get you a long time ago. No way I'd have let you rot in Deadrun for that many years.”

  It’s reassuring, so Kato sits down and tries to relax. “Good to know. Riley had said you knew, but Melior forbade it. So... you guys like it here?” He keeps his eyes on his brother, caught off guard by the strange color of his irises, but he decides not to comment.

  “No, honestly. But I don't know if Tripp told you, our house was destroyed. We make do here for now, but maybe one day we’ll be able to get back to Grimrock or Hazelfort. What about you? You live in Embermeadow, right?”

  “Yeah. I love it there. Have you guys ever considered settling on the other side of the Sutson?”

  Syph sits across from him as Tripp walks toward the door, saluting before he exits. Once he's gone, Syph seems to relax a little further. “Look, me and you, we’re both different, right? We spent more time at Deadrun than anyone else, people don't really understand our powers, we... look a little intimidating. It's probably best I stay where I'm at anyway; but with Tripp being who he is, I can visit you whenever you want.”

  Kato nods, understanding that completely. “And what are your powers, Syph? I can’t tell and I think it’
s obvious what mine are.”

  “There's nothing obvious about you being the first dual Praediti in history, Kato.” Syph stares into his eyes with fascination. “Sana and Cogitare, huh? That's gotta be crazy.”

  It makes him blush slightly and sit up straighter. “Yeah... only use my Cogitare powers at work, though. Never on the people close to me. We all deserve privacy, right?”

  Syph nods. “And privacy's gotta be hard to come by for you, right? You've got quite the houseful of people to deal with. How's that? Living with Videre, I mean.”

  “It isn’t bad. It’s family.” Kato leans forward on his knees. “I like your art, where do you get your ideas?”

  “Oh, you know. The nightmares that plague me in sleep and the things that keep me awake. Do you draw at all?”

  “Yeah, all the time. I like to draw places I’ve seen. I used to draw things I saw in other people’s minds, but now that I know how to stay out of people’s thoughts, I prefer to draw what I’ve seen with my own eyes.” Kato wants to ask Syph about those nightmares, but the way his brother said it warns him not to.

  Syphon sighs, then bites his bottom lip as he stares at the ground. “That's good. I’m also glad to hear you've made your own family. Will you tell me about them? I want to know who’s been taking care of my littlest brother.”

  Thinking of Azrian hurts. He’d been hoping to avoid it for a bit, but the emptiness in his chest returns in seconds. “Um... well, there’s Azrian. He’s my... everything, really. He’s the one that’s taken care of me.” He drops his gaze with his brows furrowed, and his emotions are as clear as day on his face. “He’s mad at me.”

  “Azrian’s one of the Videre, right?” Syph puts a hand on Kato’s back and rubs softly, then pulls him closer. “Why is he upset with you?”

  “Because I came here without him. I told him we’d go together in a few months, but when Tripp showed up, I had to come back with him. We fought and then I just left without saying goodbye. And no, he isn’t Videre anymore. He’s a human.” Kato meets his brother’s gaze to see how that makes him feel, but not much changes in his expression.