by C. Swallow
I was stressed because Seraphine had given me complete control of the camp.
I was her fill-in. I didn't know why she wanted to give me the damn reigns. Someone like Kaelyn would have been more comfortable in the job but still, she wasn't here so we couldn't count on her.
So far I had just told the girls to continue whatever duties Seraphine had assigned them and to stay in the camp. We'd work out a distraction later, about the same time Seraphine would arrive in the city.
In case she made a big entrance, we needed to be the Dark Gem's priority. Not her.
I knew if Sabir was focused on me, but had orders to chase down Seraphine – he would have to abandon me for the bigger threat. I was just his play thing and I knew he paid particular attention to me because he was in charge of punishing me. However, Celeste's tears last night had reminded me of the deeper moments I had had with Sabir in the past.
Memories I didn't want to think about.
"Dudette!" Pharis finally arrives, grinning as he heads into the area wearing vines strapped around his shoulders, smooth wooden sticks on his back, sitting in the hold of the vines, "Why do you look so stressed this fine morning?"
"I'm reminiscing," I admit, "About long times past with... well, you know –"
"I overheard everything," Pharis puts up a hand and smiles guiltily, "Between you and Celeste? Last night? I admit, I was eavesdropping but only because I wanted to know what had upset her. There's just one thing I can say..." Pharis slowly steps forward, ignoring my pissed off glare, "Are you guys nuts?"
"What do you mean?" I snap back while he just rolls his eyes.
"You just escaped from them," Pharis is talking about the Dark Gems, "You all rant about how hard it was to finally get away from them – and Celeste just happened to bump into the King last night? I know she misses him, why are you starting to reflect on good memories? I thought there were none. You're all here now, and you want to go back?"
"I know it's confusing, it's... the complexities of Gems are different to humans. We're not as logical. Especially when Traegr proclaims instincts rule. Most of us here run on feeling," I want to explain, but there is just so much to make clear and it's hard to know where to start. Pharis clearly had lots of questions.
"Humans feel too. A damn lot. So what, you're another race? Stop being so stupid," Pharis pulls out one of his wooden sticks, twirling it around in his hand he gives me a raised brow, "You're going to get pulled back in. Then you're going to wonder why you got hurt. Then you'll try to escape again – and the cycle will repeat itself."
"That's not it, it might seem like that but you don't understand why everyone is so volatile," I try to reason with him and he glances over his shoulder to see Celeste watching us, almost invisible because she blends in with the trees so well.
She doesn't look impressed by Pharis' words. She wasn't one for confrontation but I can see a fire in her eyes, a fire I don't see often.
"You have no idea! Imagine having a hunger that can never be satisfied," Celeste speaks up, and as she talks the ground at her feet slowly loses its green colour and vibrancy, reaching all the way to Pharis. She never did this, reversing her power to suck out the life from plants, but she was making a point, "There's a part of the Dark Gems, always missing, a hole inside their systems that demands magic. It might sound like something that is easily quenched but it never goes away. On the other hand, Female Royal Gems are full of excessive magic, born under a certain Gemstone, if we do not release the power that we are gifted with, we also become increasingly unstable. There is a balance in our world that is almost impossible to find but we must find it," she squats down, her eyes narrowing in on the grass as she feeds it back the life she just took, "The Dark Gems are not evil, they are just tormented. They take too much magic, they take on an obsession – like a drug addict. If they take too little, they lose the ability to emphasize or care about anything other than their own need to drain. If they just take enough, the hunger is satisfied and the females themselves also become more stable. Never have we found that balance in a long term solution. The memories Sapphire is reminiscing about are those brief moments in time where peace had been possible."
"That peace she speaks of, is rare, perhaps two or three times I've felt it," I add in, "We're not barbaric, we're just all cursed with either too much magic, or none at all."
"So you're all like toddlers that are learning to share?" Pharis suggests, trying to be funny.
"Don't you ever crave magic?" Celeste asks, storming her way so we're all closer, "To crave to touch a female's skin and drain her?"
"N-Never," Pharis answers nervously, skipping away from Celeste, he turns so he can face both of us, "I think you've made your point. It's complicated. I get it. But can we have some fun today? I want to get out from these diamond soils, I need... danger."
"Danger?" I ask quizzically.
"I may or may not know why there was a Dark Gem patrolling the area this morning," Pharis winks, looking mischievous.
"Have you left these diamond boundaries?" Celeste asks, suspicious as she comes to stand by me, giving me a knowing look, "Pharis?"
"Like you can talk, Celeste. I've been collecting their traps in the forest," excitement fills his gaze, "Smoke screens, cameras, trigger lasers, magic detectors –"
"So you have been outside the diamond fields, against Seraphine's orders," I point out, "Seriously Phairs, you could have been killed!"
"Calm down, Princess, I'm trying to help," Pharis starts to look offended. And okay, I can't blame him, he was going on adventures because he was the type to explore. His personality was outgoing and bubbly, he loved to talk to everyone in the camp. However, he didn't understand the full picture, he couldn't, he hadn't been here long enough. Celeste had tried to explain but he didn't understand the magnitude of what she had said.
"So... where is this cache of gadgets?" Celeste asks, now more curious and impressed than anything else.
"Follow me, Princess, Earth Fairy, I'll show you the way," Pharis is super excited again as he points his stick towards the right direction, "This way!"
"Why are you so happy today, Pharis?" I ask, grinning at his magnificent smile.
"Why wouldn't I be happy? I'm a Hybrid Gem, a human consumed with magical awesomeness. I'm surrounded by pretty ladies and a gorgeous princess. They're all my friends! You all love me! And last but not least, it's my birthday today!"
"How have you been counting the days? The sun and days are different here. Time itself is different here," I point out, trying not to laugh at his contagious enthusiasm.
Pharis shrugs.
"I don't know, I just feel it in my bones?" he continues on his way, boyish youth and laughter filling the air.
"The Dark Gems would love him," I mutter to Celeste.
"He might actually teach them to lighten up!" Celeste grins and Pharis turns around, walking backwards now, a sly smile on his lips.
"I'd never leave you girls, you're my family now," Pharis abruptly stops and points his stick into the air, "Up there!"
We both look up, a net filled with gadgets hangs from a narrow branch near the top of the tree.
"Clever hiding spot," I mutter and watch as Pharis raises a hand and the net disconnects from the branch, gliding down to our feet with the help of his ability to also control inanimate objects.
As the bag settles on the ground, he gets down on his knees and spreads his palms.
"Behold, your treasure trove, your collection of laughs, giggles, smiles and many delights."
"What's this for?" Celeste asks.
"Are you kidding me? 'What's this for', pssh, isn't it obvious?" Pharis' eyes continue to shine with mischief, "Today, these are our distractions for our lovely enemies back at the Golden Palace!"
Traegr's POV
"They're so close, I can feel it," Sabir says quietly, glaring out over the forest from his private balcony, before he curiously looks at me and questions, "What would you do if you lived in the forest?"
"If I lived out in the forest, I'd build a Palace from the ground up and live in it and rule it," I snap back, annoyed because my thoughts were solely on one girl. Celeste, "I'd enslave all the disrespectful females on this planet and I'd teach every one of them a lesson or two about my hand."
"I'd join you. What about you, Hraken?" Sabir questions the other man with us, the one of few words.
He is leaning on the balcony, silently thinking about many things. I knew he thought about strategies, fighting, Seraphine, his training, his odd way of disciplining his own abilities. Yet he spoke little of his ways, if at all.
The only two reasons I let him reside here were obvious, he never lost a fight and he 'willingly' submitted to my reign.
I wasn't stupid, he was a threat to my rule. It's why I kept him close, he'd be far too dangerous if I didn't keep him on a tight leash.
"I'd live with warriors and teach them to control their power, until they master their impulses and instead act with reason," Hraken says this honestly, and it grates at my nerves.
"Typical," I try not to roll my eyes and instead focus my gaze solely on him, "I will never understand your ways, Hraken, instincts rule."
"I've been taught differently," Hraken looks away from me over to the forest, ignoring both Sabir and I as we do not understand him.
"Where do you come from?" Sabir asks, "You've never spoken of your upbringing."
"It's certainly irrelevant since our goal is in essence, the same," Hraken answers smoothly, unfazed.
"What is our goal, that is 'in essence' the same?" I ask him, curious for his take on it but also irritated by his easy arrogance around me.
"You all seek pleasure, to rule, happiness... I seek a higher level to all that. You can't enjoy the sight of a woman on her knees, quite as much as you can when you're self-aware of your own authority," Hraken pauses, considering his own words, confidence and certainty in his tone and his eyes.
"We're quite aware of our authority," I drawl out, slowly blinking up at the man who never talked this much – ever.
"Oh, but are you?" Hraken now managers to sound condescending, "There is a difference between arrogance and recognising one's own true authority. It all starts with mastering one-self..." Hraken again pauses, he knows he is slowly crossing the line, "...the one thing you teach is to ignore all restraint –"
"Don't forget who you're talking to," I stand up, stalking towards him. He also straightens his back, fearlessly meeting my gaze. We are almost the same height as we come nose to nose, "I'm not the King for nothing, don't forget your place in this hierarchy. You might be near the top, but you're not in my place.
"Self-awareness is my goal, nothing more nothing less, Traegr," Hraken answers honestly once more.
I smile, dangerously.
I turn around to meet Sabir's gaze, to see his reaction in all that was being said.
He is fiddling with a little knife, the size of his palm. He plays with it around his fingers, twirling it expertly, his eyes were simply calculating.
"You know what you want," he nods to me and then glances at Hraken, "You clearly know what you want... as for me, well, I'm utterly unique – or perhaps you could call me more simple in what I want."
"What do you desire?" Hraken seems curious for Sabir to explain, "You by far are the one most consumed by darkness and longing. From what we all see, you drown yourself in it, Sabir."
"Mmmhmm. I do. Sapphire is going to pay for it," Sabir smirks, "She is use to some pain, but she won't be prepared for utter defeat. Seeing her squirm... it's truly my only goal."
"...dark," Hraken manages to sound amused and I clap a hand on his shoulder.
"I like you, Sabir," I grin.
There is a vibration that breaks into the conversation, it comes from my back pocket.
I take out my phone and a chuckle escapes my throat.
"About time," I see the notification, which names three names and a location, "Our boy has pulled through."
There were benefits to being a King, owning endless amount of gems, gold, or being in control of all the humans enslaved in mining camps. It all equalled bargaining power.
And young boys, were drawn to power.
One chance encounter with me in the forest and let's just say I knew how to reward loyalty.
The Hybrid Gem was in the palm of my hand.
S~37~C
Sapphire's POV
Pharis' plan was simple. We would all go separately to our different locations. A fire would burn on a lower inclination, whereby we'd surround that very location from higher ground. The fire would set off Pharis' magic detectors and trigger lasers which would alert Traegr of our close proximity to the Golden Palace. Once drawn to the fire, the Dark Gems would be wondering where we were. They'd gather around the fire, we'd call out from our different directions, irk them to chase us... right into a line of numerous gadgets that would surely give us multiple reasons to smile for the rest of the day.
I'm by myself for the moment, settled in the curve where a tree trunk split into two branches. My feet dangle down as I watch Pharis light the fire in the distance, down the slope.
Pharis was certain only a selected few Dark Gems would come and investigate. He had been doing some spying of his own and fessed up that he often spotted Traegr wandering the forest during the day.
That very thought makes me want to smile or at the very least, burst out laughing. Traegr was so desperate for us back, but at the same time, clearly lost on what to do. It was simple, venturing anywhere near the area of the diamond soil, was impossible for them.
So all any of them could do; was wait.
I watch as smoke lifts into the sky and fire starts to burn more savagely.
The waiting game begins.
A long time passes whereby I end up fiddling with my new outfit. Instead of being wrapped in vines, Celeste had made me an outfit out of large leaves glued together. It acted as a short dress, and it was simple, but far more pretty than a boring slave outfit.
"Come on," I mutter to myself, really annoyed that it's taking so long for them to appear. It feels like I'm waiting forever, until I see Pharis suddenly appear by the fire, hands on hips, "What the...?"
I'm confused that he has returned to the fire because at this stage he is meant to be far, far away from that fire.
I'm even more confused when I see Traegr waltz into view the very next second. They are directly opposite each other, no one attacking. They were... oh my gosh, they were talking!
Within moments they are both laughing loudly and I'm hoping down from my tree, my nerves racing.
Pharis had said he had a few tricks up his sleeve that we'd be 'totally impressed about'. He had honestly seemed so excited to show us his brilliant plan. Now I was doubting his loyalty, or perhaps I was doubting his sanity.
Besides, I had to admit, I couldn't accuse him of betrayal yet. He was either playing some massive joke on Traegr or he was in line with him... but knowing Pharis...
"Stupid kid," I mutter as I creep forward to get a closer look, but not too close because I didn't want to set off any of my own traps leading up to my location. I try to listen into their voices, hoping they travel far enough, but I can't hear. They were too far away.
I watch closely as Traegr goes to shake Pharis' hand.
What I see next, at first puzzles me, until a massive grin spreads across my face.
Pharis has decided not to shake hands with the Dark Gem King, he instead performs a mock bow, just as the tree's around him loudly snap out of their roots, falling towards Traegr. Okay, this kid was powerful. It all happens in a dramatic instant, but as Traegr is watching the massive trees fall towards him, Pharis prances into the safety of the trees, throwing out a smoke bomb next to the fire and a shocked, injured Traegr– then he runs for it.
Wow.
What a lucky little shit. He actually got away with fooling Traegr? For a sixteen year old – oops, seventeen year old – he had massive guts playing a pran
k on our enemies. I'd have to interrogate him later on how he managed to talk to the King without being captured or killed.
I hear branches snap from far away, but smoke fills the bottom of the slope, dissipating out towards me and blocking my view.
I was too close.
I decide to move back.
I turn around and start heading off, scanning my surroundings.
The coast is clear and I decide to explore around the edges, to locate any other Dark Gems before they locate me first. Just in case. At the same time, I make sure to stay clear of the traps near me while also staying close enough.
I admit, there was a funny feeling in my stomach after spotting Traegr. I wasn't too keen on being chased by Dark Gems all of a sudden, I could only get away so fast. Celeste had the help of the forest to pull her out of danger. Water couldn't exactly make me run faster, or fly!
I start to feel dread settle within me, it slowly creeps through, self-doubt, confusion... it was eating away at the confidence I felt this morning.
At this point, I suddenly remember Seraphine's words from long, long ago.
Diamonds can have reverse affects for those with lesser magic, Sapphire, make sure you don't venture too far out of the diamonds too quickly if you ever reside here for longer than a couple of days. Withdrawals of the calming effect of diamonds, will hit hard when you are suddenly without their presence. You'll feel a loss of control on your magic, it's normal, but it passes.
I stand still in a daze as I suddenly know why Seraphine put me in charge while she was gone. She knew what would happen if I ventured outside the diamond soil. She knew I was safer in its confines while our war with the Dark Gems was still at its critical stage.
To be honest, when she had spoken of withdrawals of the diamonds at the time, I hadn't believed her. Probably because I had never been in that soil for so long, without having contact from Sabir soon after. In the past, I had often made secret escapes into the forest, only to return a day later and get a damn hard punishment from a very possessive Sabir. He hated it when I ventured off without his knowledge.