by Jenn Nixon
“Except for what the soulless said,” Zorin added, frowning. “There was no pain or hunger in the mirror realm, which may mean—”
“No powers,” Jack concluded, twisting his mouth and glancing down at his palm as he picked up speed once they reached the main building of the train station. “That’s a horrific prison.”
“Then why the empty threat?” Cyndra asked, following Jack as he rounded the building, hoping one of them had an idea. “Unless she has the upper hand somehow—”
Remember what the soulless said about the wraiths missing. We saw one go in the mirror, maybe they followed Mergan in.
“Shit.” Cyndra pinched the bridge of her nose and glanced around the quiet alley where Jack had led them. “We should split up and check the registration hubs while Zorin searches the zone for any sign of Tulli.”
We should stay together, Cyndra. Rune shook his head, shooting Zorin a look, probably looking for back up.
“I would like to get my bearings. I haven’t been here since the flare,” Zorin answered honestly, which still made Rune frown. His shoulders dropped and he nodded. “However, the rest of you should stick together. The zone’s not as large as I thought. I’ll only need a few hours.”
“Just in time for dinner. Depending on which way we go, I know a few eateries that are reasonable and good,” Jack said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
And we’ll need a place to stay, hardly any woods here, Rune added, gazing along the cluttered flatlands of the zone, stretching on for miles.
Cyndra jolted as the breeze from Zorin’s wings stirred the air. She didn’t glance back and waited for Rune to move beside her, ready to enter the Southzone. As long as they were far from the boat graveyard, Cyndra didn’t mind visiting.
Already ten degrees warmer than the EZ, Cyndra reached into her bag and pulled out a new Irish Cap, something she’d seen and wanted for more years than she cared to think about, and stuck it on her head.
Rune’s whole face lit up. You bought something for yourself. Good.
“Only because we took the train and saved some dollars,” Cyndra said, adjusting the cap and glancing toward the first small town beyond the station. The SZ was all towns and no villages. Everything was too jam-packed for her liking, she preferred nature, which she figured had more to do with her caster lineage than anything else. “The first registration hub is in Jacksontown, it’s near the east coast, so, it should be walking distance from here.”
“That’s at least six miles. We can hop in a solarbus,” Jack said, motioning to the dingy bus stop across from the station. “It’ll take us right into town.”
“How much is it?”
“Five dollars each. It’s a bit pricey down here.”
“Don’t understand why, everyone’s on top of each other here,” Cyndra said, shrugging as she glanced over to the excited Rune, taking in the converted strip mall suburb of Macwin, the smallest town in the zone. “I can cover the fee.”
“You don’t have to pay my way, Cyndra,” Jack replied, lifting his shoulder as he crossed the cracked and uneven street. “Kyle’s starting his life now so I have a chance to return to the one I lost.”
Rune smiled. I know exactly how that feels.
“Just my way of thanking you for helping.” Cyndra shrugged.
“I wonder what would’ve happened if we met when Kyle first suggested it,” Jack asked, ducking into the bus stop overhang.
“Why didn’t you?”
“I didn’t want to encroach on your friendship.”
“After a while, I’d probably notice something. Things got tough for Silvio after the flare, losing memories changed him,” Cyndra said and sat on the thin bench to wait for the next solarbus. “Me, being a siphon, his mood affected me, too, least that’s what Zorin said, which really made sense to me.”
Jack sighed, rubbed the back of his neck, and stared at the floor. “I wish we stayed together. I wish I’d been older, maybe then I could’ve convinced them…”
If you were older, you’d be in the mirror. And Shield or not, we’d probably awaken if we grew up together. With everyone slowly forgetting, it’d be too dangerous so soon after the flare.
“Seems they did the best they could, given the circumstances,” Jack said.
The conversation ended as the old converted bus approached. Covered in dust and mud, it looked sturdy enough, with more than enough solarfilm on the roof to power the whole island. After Cyndra paid the driver and they found a bench with three seats together, Rune elbowed her and motioned to a young lady sitting in the back, holding a basket of grapes and plums.
You think she’s a trader?
Not smart to do on a bus. They may think we’re wackers.
Oh. Rune frowned.
Jack glanced over and smiled. When we get to Jacksontown you’ll find your heart’s desire when it comes to fruit. One of the quiet treasures of the south.
“Pain in the ass to get here if you don’t have dollars or connections.”
“Of which we have both now,” Jack said, smiling as he leaned back to enjoy the ride.
Cyndra gazed out the window, taking in the sporadic clusters of housing amid the paved streets lined with shops or sleep houses. Only occasionally did she spot a patch of trees or grass, and farm field, making her wonder where all the fruit came from.
The scenery changed again, to larger stone and glass buildings, with shops and houses connected by tighter streets and alley. Cyndra sat straighter and watched their approach to Jacksontown, seeing the familiar gray tower of the council, postmaster, and registration hub, peeked over the top of the town as the bus turned off the main road.
Jack stepped off the bus first when they arrived, shielding his eyes from the sun as he searched for the proper direction to go. Cyndra parted through the crowd and motioned for Rune and Jack to follow. Uninterested in shopping first, she bypassed the dusty street leading to the market, opting for a dustier alley, which led straight to the heart of the town’s bureaucracy. Rune marveled at the city hall, a newly constructed glass buildings and the domed gathering hall beside it.
“Seem to know your way around,” Jack mused, keeping pace beside her.
“Just this town, been here a few times when I was younger and Silvio was looking for work,” Cyndra replied, tugging on Rune’s elbow when they reached the main road.
Rune lifted his eyes to the tower. Registrar is in there?
“Yeah.” Cyndra checked for solarcars on the road, surprised to see none and crossed to the opposite side. “Should be on the second floor.”
As she approached the building, Zorin’s energy flitted through the air, tingling her skin, strengthening their bond, and teasing the siphon. Cyndra release a sliver of her fire, wishing he’d take more, but understanding why he didn’t.
Jack held the door open and she followed Rune into the stark white lobby, a set of mended staircases on each side with a general sitting area between them. Cyndra jogged up the left side stairs and led them down the hall to the last door on the right. It opened automatically. Three monitors, embedded into the opposite wall, had lines of people, three deep, standing in front of them.
“Got lucky.” Cyndra smiled and took the middle line, casually glancing around the room and spotting the undercover ZoneGuard pretending to read his tablet.
Yeah, our hub is always busy, people moving in and out, getting married, divorced.
“Seems a fast moving line,” Jack added, speaking too soon since the person in front of them took twice as long to use the information station.
When it was finally Cyndra’s turn, she tapped on the touch screen until returning to the main menu and selected the residential directory. She gasped seeing the fee. “Ten dollars? That’s almost triple the Eastzone.”
“It covers the whole zone, new upgrade. More people live here per square mile compared to the whole Eastzone.”
Shortens our trip, too, we don’t have to go to the other hubs.
“Guess that’s
true.” Frowning, she dipped into one of her pockets with the larger bills and pulled out a ten, biting back the reluctance to let it go. She’d never had a bill larger than a five her whole life and now her pocket was full of tens and nine twenties she may never get rid of. Cyndra had more dollars than she knew what to do with and she was still complaining about the price. “Just as long as it’s fair, I hate getting ripped off.”
“It’s fair, it’s a bigger search,” Jack said, winking at her.
Cyndra blushed and waved him off, then paid the fee and typed in Tulli’s name via the touchable keyboard.
Rune glanced over her shoulder, excited for the results, but more to meet yet another caster. His smiled faded when the results filled the screen.
Cyndra shut her eyes, trying to ignore the rising dread.
“Oh, no,” Jack whispered softly. “Do you think…they found her?”
Very possible, I’m afraid.
She read the screen again: Tulli Chan, 32, Southzone, section 4, row 23, considered missing for over a month, now presumed dead. Cyndra didn’t need a print out of the results and ended the query, walking away from the info-station and toward the lobby holding in her grunt.
Jack sighed as they walked down the stairs. “What about checking out where she lived?”
“If she lived in a trailer it’s gone by now, three week limit.”
Maybe we can find her friends? Rune stopped at the door after he pulled it open.
“It would take too long and probably be really expensive. Besides, what help could they be, they’re not casters.” The moment Cyndra stepped outside, she felt Zorin’s curious energy surround her. Gazing up, she found him, crouched on a rooftop across from the tower, peering down like a true gargoyle. Wishing he were closer, wishing she could wrap her arms around him again, feeling his cool, strong embrace ease the dread, Cyndra pushed the notion and his energy aside and paused on the sidewalk waiting for her friends.
“What’s next,” Jack asked, glancing between her and Rune.
Talk to Zorin, go back to the mainland.
“We’ll take a boat or the commuter train to the Eastzone. I’m not going through the darklands again,” Cyndra added firmly.
Rune nodded. Let’s find a place where we can all talk.
“There’s a new park near the docks, some trees, too, and it’s walking distance,” Jack said, motioning toward the northeast part of the town, closer to the east coast, but still far enough for her comfort. “Tell Zorin we’ll meet him there.”
Sure, Rune replied happily sending off the message.
Cyndra linked arms with Rune and Jack, sensing the bond growing and helping it along, and walked to the park to meet Zorin, discuss their next step, and get out of the SZ.
Halfway to their destination, Rune paused and broke the chain, tilting his head. Zorin didn’t find any casters, so I told him what we found. He said he’ll meet us in the Eastzone.
“Next question, boat or train?” Cyndra asked to mask her disappointment.
“Boat is quicker and cheaper and I haven’t been on one since I was young,” Jack said, glancing toward the docks.
“They’re usually crowded with gross people,” Cyndra replied, sighing. Knowing Rune loved boats, too, she shrugged and went along with the majority, caring little how they got off Southzone as long as it happened quickly.
Chapter 10
Zorin followed the casters back to the mainland and through the village on the outskirts of what used to be Atlanta, Georgia, fighting back memories of time spent there during the war. Drifting over the sparse trees and brush of the Eastzone energized his body without the aid of the casters.
As he swooped down, closer to the village border, Cyndra’s sweet voice entered his mind. We rented a cabin for the night. Hang a hard left at the town train station and go north after the fork in the road.
I will be there shortly. Already heading in her direction, Zorin locked his siphon in place so he wouldn’t be enticed by Cyndra’s power when it undoubtedly bubbled to the surface the closer he flew. One shared look, even from a distance continued to ignite her and lure him.
He found the fork in the road and sensed all three casters below. Although Jack’s water power seemed to stabilize and not grow like the Rune and Cyndra’s had, his second element, earth, was dominant like all casters; he only needed to begin using it. Ensuring the caster could protect himself was vital. An unskilled person fighting put everyone at risk. Zorin needed to keep them all safe.
He circled the area, surveying the woods and stalling until he saw them approaching one of the cabins set higher on the landscape. Noticing a balcony on the side overlooking a ravine, Zorin smiled, realizing she’d been thinking about him again. After sensing her fear in the Southzone and wanting to help her calm, Zorin maintained his distance, unsure he had the power to deny what they both desperately wanted.
Once the group reached the lengthy stairs, he tucked his wings to descend, seeing an exhausted Jack searching the skies for him. Zorin landed behind the group and exchanged greetings then silently followed the tired casters into the main room of the cabin. Cyndra turned on the lights and tossed the large monitor and key onto the only table next to her new hat.
“Damn, sorry that didn’t work out,” Jack said as he and Rune fell into opposite chairs and smirked at each other. Cyndra circled around the chairs and stood near the fireplace. “Does this mean you’re back to the original two options?”
Cyndra nodded, trying to hide her frustrations.
Unless you have another, Rune said, hope widening his eyes.
“No,” Jack replied, shaking his head. “If someone does go into the mirror, we should think about safeguards.”
“Like what?” Cyndra asked, shooting Zorin a quick glimpse, which only elevated her heartbeat and strengthened her fire.
“A tether of some sort, a way to make sure he or she could get back.”
“Without knowing more about the prison, I’m not sure what we can do,” Zorin said, turning his attention to Rune.
Guess we’re going back to the island, the caster projected, defeated, and similar to how Cyndra felt earlier.
“Not much we can do here anyway,” Jack said through a yawn.
“We can decide in the morning,” Zorin suggested, motioning to the rooms. “I will sleep out here, keep watch.”
Thanks, Rune said, rising and stretching before heading toward the first of three small bedrooms.
“I saw a pastry shop at the bottom of the camp site,” Jack said, grinning as he neared the third bedroom. “For whoever’s up first.”
“I’m sure it’ll be me, any preference?” Cyndra asked.
“Anything, I’m easy,” he replied and winked.
Cyndra blushed, shook her head, and set her small bag on the mantle of the fireplace. “Pleasant evening.”
“Same to you,” Jack said before shutting the door behind.
Zorin rounded the table and opened the double doors leading to the balcony still unsure how he felt about Jack’s closeness to Cyndra. The small drop of the hill was enough to give him lift, and he thought of diving into the air, certain he would do or say something wrong. Several minutes passed in relative quiet until her power tripled from behind as she neared.
“If I contain the fire, can we talk,” Cyndra called softly from the doorway.
“Do you want to contain it?” he asked without glancing back, siphoning the residual power seeping from her skin.
“No. You know what I want and I’m trying so fucking hard to fight this, Zorin. Keeping you at arm’s length will only work so long.” Cyndra sighed softly, the weight of the situation taking shape. “But we should talk. With Tulli probably dead or in the mirror, Rune’s plan is looking more realistic and since we have the strongest bond, you or I should go in.”
“Rune will fight us,” he replied, turning around and wishing he hadn’t. Wearing shorts and a tank top that curved along her body, Cyndra leaned against the doorframe completely rel
axed until their eyes met. Her temperature spiked, heating the air and darkening her skin. Zorin stayed on topic. “You’ll need a better reason than our bond to convince him.”
“I’m sure it’ll keep me up half the night.” She shrugged, keeping her gaze down.
“You should try to rest.”
Cyndra nodded.
Zorin caught the beginnings of a frown as she turned the lights off and vanished into the last bedroom.
Satisfied the casters were tucked in for the evening, he stretched out on the floor, leaving the balcony doors open for the breeze and followed them to sleep.
“Hey, you’re okay, firebug.” Jack’s soft whisper pulled Zorin awake. He opened an eye and gazed across the main room of the cabin. Cyndra was in Jack’s arms, again. Unable to stop his muscles from tensing, Zorin stayed still and locked his jaw, silently watching.
“I’m okay, sorry,” Cyndra said, leaning back and swinging their hands.
“Don’t be, I have nightmares too. Sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah. Gonna get something to drink, go back to bed. Thanks, Jack-Jack.”
After the door shut, Cyndra walked to the tiny kitchen and pumped the well for a glass of water. She drank the whole thing before walking toward the balcony and stepping out. The moment he tilted his head from the floor, she glanced back. I know you’re awake.
Zorin rose, stretched his wings and limbs, and approached her. Cyndra turned to the dark night, struggling to contain her energy. Are you okay, Cyndra?
“No,” she whispered and shook her head as she palmed the railing.
“Look at me.”
“I can’t.”
Her body trembled harder with each step he took toward her. “Speak your mind, caster.”
“Every time I go to sleep it’s a nightmare or a psycho in my head.”
“Cyndra,” he prodded. “That’s not what I mean.”