Shattered Illusions (Terra Chronicles Book 2)

by J. C. Jackson

  As I became re-accustomed to my power again, the world began to right itself. I stayed curled up, breathing more normally. I felt exhausted. Maybe now they would just let me sleep.

  “No, Ketayl, not until we get you changed,” Mother soothed. “We left you in Kitteren’s suit because we were pretty sure it was the only thing holding your shoulder together.”

  I cracked open my eyes, not remembering having closed them. I needed to squint against the light, but at least now there was light. I needed to remember to have a conversation with Lockonis about the arcane restraint.

  “This isn’t going to be fun getting it off of her. We’re probably going to have to cut at least the right sleeve so we don’t move her shoulder too much,” Kitteren said. Someone tugged at the boots on my feet. “I’m a bit jealous - you got to wear it.”

  “You can have it back - it’s too tight,” I said, my voice weak. “I can mend it later.”

  Kitteren laughed lightly though it sounded strained.

  Mother took my free hand and squeezed before tugging the glove off. Once gone, she went to work on the other one, trying to move my arm as little as possible.

  Someone worked at my elbow. I looked up and saw Silver intent on getting the knot out on the rope they used to secure my arm. I could not read his face.

  Mother prodded me to sit up. “Come on, Silver wants to take a look at your shoulder.”

  I grabbed the collar when she tried to unzip it. It meant they wanted at least the top part off.

  “Ket, I know what this outfit entails. All your girlie parts will be covered,” Kitteren chided.

  That was the least of my worries.

  Mother pried my hand off of the collar. “It’s past time I checked that too. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

  I closed my eyes and sat still. I could cover the scar between both of my hands probably.

  I sat quietly while they cut the right sleeve open after Silver finished getting the rope off of me. Cool air hit my overly warmed skin and I shivered.

  “That looks really bad still,” Kitteren said as soon as they got my shoulder freed.

  “The bruising is expected,” Silver said flatly. “The swelling should go down in the next day or so, but I’m sure an ice pack will help. Can we get the other side off? I want to make sure there isn’t more bruising from injuries we might have missed.”

  Mother initially left that side alone and I dealt with as much as I had exposed. The sports bra kept things modest.

  “I’m fine,” I shot at them, holding the remaining half of the top in place. I would not look at anyone. I could not. I did not want to see what their expressions were.

  “You’d say that if you had just been thrown almost completely through a wall by a Troll. Oh, right, you just were,” Silver said, his voice clipped.

  Mother scolded sharply, “Enough. I let you have your words with her before against my better judgment. Ketayl has always been difficult to deal with when she’s hurt.”

  “That’s putting it mildly,” Kitteren said quietly. “More like next to impossible. I’m impressed she’s cooperated this much. There’s this weird quotient of how badly she’s hurt to how difficult she is.”

  I felt anger begin to rise and I tried to push it back down, but not before I said, “I’m sitting right here.”

  Mother ran her hand through my hair again. “You don’t have much choice here either. You’re outnumbered.”

  “I brought some of your usual clothes. I’m sure you want out of the suit,” Kitteren offered.

  Sighing, I let go of the top. I’m sure I could manage to hide the scar with my arm or my hair. Thinking further on it, I reached behind me and pulled my hair over my left shoulder. Problem solved.

  “Good to see you mellowing out,” Kitteren quipped.

  I turned to glare at her and stopped. She looked like she had been crying. What happened while I was out?

  Mother and Silver took my distraction as a chance to get started peeling the suit off. I looked away from Kitteren and did not fight the other two. I felt Silver’s fingers touch my back and flinched.

  “That wasn’t pain, Silver,” Mother said. “I think Ketayl’s at her limit of being poked and prodded. Just a little longer. Kitteren and I will help you get cleaned up, dressed, and then you can rest. I’ll have Fan find you something for the pain.”

  I mentally cursed at the idea - I still hated medication.

  Silver continued to move, lightly touching me and I shifted uncomfortably. He finished with my left arm and went to move my hair. I brought my arm down quickly to try and keep it covered.

  “Ketayl…” Silver sounded more tired than angry now.

  “Let me,” Mother said and pried my hair out from under my arm with some effort. “I need to check on it anyway. It was my fault it happened.”

  I looked at Mother confused. She would privately check the scar over the years, but it had been quite a while since the last time. How was it her fault?

  In my confusion, she managed to move my arm away. “Oh, it’s barely there anymore. It should easily fade completely before you reach your first century.” Mother traced the scar from under my left arm to where it ended at the front of my left hip and I squirmed between being uncomfortable with the scar showing and because it tickled a little.

  “When did that happen?” Kitteren sounded angry and I could not understand why.

  “The last time she crossed those slave traders,” Mother said calmly. “I wasn’t fast enough to keep her from getting hurt. And at that time, my healing abilities were very limited. Thinking back, I should have gotten her to Don first before exacting revenge on their operation.”

  “Wait, wait.” Even from my peripheral vision, I could see Kitteren getting overly animated. “You’re telling me she actually took them on? At the age of eight? I always thought you were exaggerating.”

  “Ketayl is obviously not going to tell you the story, so I will. Besides, I have a feeling she needs to hear my side,” Mother said. I looked to where she still knelt, staring at the scar. “She somehow knew what happened to all of the non-Human orphaned children who the people in the outskirts of town, including Don, had taken in. She just couldn’t get them out with the sheer number of guards and I doubt anyone would have listened to her if she told them. Not that she spoke much.”

  Even Silver stilled to listen. No, he should not be here for this. “Please don’t,” I begged.

  Mother stood up and stroked my hair. She continued anyway. “I had arrived in town, not even a full day when this little brat had the gall and the skills to actually steal from me. Well, I couldn’t let that go and managed to track her down with quite a bit of effort. Certainly more than the wallet was worth.”

  “Stop,” I whispered. I looked away from everyone and hugged myself with my good arm. Why did she have to choose now of all times to talk about this?

  “Somewhere along the line, while talking to Don and seeing both of my girls, my thought of teaching her a lesson changed. I had gotten too curious about these other children and what Ketayl knew. So I followed her that night.”

  “No more, please.” I started to think I had actually not spoken.

  “Why not just ask?” Kitteren’s voice broke Mother’s story.

  “Because she spoke even less back then if you think it even possible,” Mother answered. “Kitteren, the only one she ever really talked to was you. It forced me to quickly learn to read her. But getting back, it turned out we would need to team up. The children were being held in a warehouse at the time. Same place as where this one sits.”

  At least I remembered that much right. I still kept my eyes away and silently prayed for Mother to stop. Divine intervention seemed to be the only thing that could stop her. Neither of the other two in the room were acting on my pleas.

  “She decided to distract the guards so I could get well over 40 children out which also gave me the opportunity to look through their ledgers. By the time they were out and running for
a safe place, Ketayl had made it to the pier where the boat the slave traders used to conduct business transactions was moored. You had a trail of at least a dozen of those guards behind you I believe.”

  I shrugged and immediately regretted the decision as pain shot through my right shoulder.

  “Ketayl, you can’t move it yet,” Silver said softly and he put his hand on my shoulder, barely touching, and the pain began to dissipate. I wanted to tell him to leave - that he heard enough. I could not form the words and sat silently in my personal Hell.

  “I tried to catch up. I figured I could get the attention of most of them at the very least. I don’t know if she meant to head onto the ship, but thinking on it, the tighter turns would have been easier to lose most of them. I’m not sure what happened until I reached the ship myself.”

  There was a pause, but I refused to speak. I could feel myself getting worked up again as my mind decided to fill-in her story with my own memories. I thought I could lose a few of them on board.

  “I remember seeing this little Elven girl taking on these big thugs in an all-out fight and holding her own. I think I might have been too awestruck at the sight to react the way I should have,” Mother continued.

  Silver moved away and I sat still. I hid all of this for so long, but I did not remember Mother being on-board the ship. I wanted to cry at the torture, but held back.

  “Our now captain decided to bring a knife into the fight, which I’m thinking is what threw you into a panic when you first came across him near his office,” Mother commented. She stroked my hair. “She was hurt badly and cornered while I was trying to figure out how to get her out of there. Then something spectacular happened.” She moved away and then began using her hands to help tell her story.

  I cringed and looked away. Spectacular would not have been the word I would have chosen.

  “This wave of power knocked everyone back, and I should have been too, but it brushed right by me like a breeze. I believe the same as the two of you experienced.” Mother laughed, “And it would have been bad if it hit me. I had been pretty precariously balanced and would’ve ended up in the water.”

  How had my power not hit her like the others? And I did it again as well as burned the Troll? I racked my brain for a reason. My eyes darted back and forth on the information my mind laid out before me.

  “Ketayl, hold the analysis until I’m done,” Mother chided. “In knocking these guys back, a few oil lanterns also got knocked over and started a fire on the deck. Those old ships were so laden with oil it didn’t take much.”

  I had not meant to. I kept my eyes averted from everyone and wrapped my uninjured arm around myself again.

  “And then this little thing takes off while the crew is still trying to get up. I caught up with her in an alleyway where she collapsed. I managed to get the bleeding stopped, even at the risk of healing shock, wrapped her up in some sail cloth I found and tucked her into a safe place. Then I went back to the ship.”

  What? Why had Mother not spoke of this before? I looked up at her, not sure I knew the truth anymore.

  She smiled sadly at me. “I had a feeling even you didn’t have the whole story. Not after what you said.” Mother petted my hair. “By the time I returned they had gotten the fire under control. I decided it shouldn’t be and spread the fire as far and fast to their holdings as I could. I’m the one responsible for the port fire, Ketayl, not you.”

  I just stared at her. Silver returned and placed something cold against my injured shoulder making me stiffen up.

  “For some reason, I always thought you knew. Anyone who died that night was by my hand, not yours. And even in a blind panic, you can still tell friend from foe. While I knew, we didn’t want to chance you could in your state and elected to put the arcane restraint on you.”

  “Especially when Silver explained what he had to do,” Kitteren said, her voice sounded strained.

  “I am truly sorry for the pain I caused you,” Silver said softly.

  I wanted to be alone right then. I needed to try and process everything. “I’d like to rest.”

  Mother and Kitteren made Silver leave and helped me clean up and change. He came back in with Fan when they could not figure out the sling. Thankfully Kitteren brought a baggy gray short sleeve shirt which covered the bruising on my shoulder. The stretchy black calf-length pants were soft and comfortable.

  “Silver, if you don’t mind staying with her? Kitteren and I need to get back to preparing for the next stage,” Mother said.

  He nodded and then turned back to me just as Fan tried to hand me a couple of pills and water.

  I shook my head at the medication.

  “Take it, Ketayl. You won’t get decent rest otherwise,” Silver said, his voice tired. “Just know we’re not done discussing this.”

  “Easy, lad. No need to get testy,” Fan said as I took the medication. “I don’t have anythin’ on hand that is listed as okay in yer file, but this should at least work enough to let you get some rest.”

  I nodded and laid down at her insistence - the bed had been set flat somewhere along the line.

  Silver came over and put the blanket I had been wrapped in back over me. “Thank you, Fan. I’ve got it from here.”

  “There’s a cot in the closet. I don’t think Ketayl is the only one who needs some rest. I won’t be far if you need me,” Fan smiled and patted my foot.

  I rolled onto my left side and closed my eyes. I only hoped when I woke up again, I would find this had all been a dream.

  I listened to Silver digging around in the closet. I said, “You don’t have to stay here. I’ll be fine on my own.”

  Silver sighed loudly, coming back over to the bed. Something pushed up against my back and I turned to see what. He positioned the pillow behind me. “I don’t want you to roll over onto your bad shoulder. And Ketayl, I need to stay. Not because of orders. Not because I’m the one handling your recovery. Because you’re my partner - my friend.” He opened his mouth to say more and shut it.

  Silence fell between us and as he started getting the cot out, I curled back up.

  Silver pulled the cot around to the side I faced and set it up.

  I yawned. A thought went through my head I decided to share out loud, “I’m never taking a vacation again.”

  Silver stopped short in the middle of sitting down on the cot. Then he plopped down and started laughing. “This one doesn’t count. Mixing business and pleasure rarely works from my understanding.”

  I just made a noise at him. I did not even know what kind of noise I made - I felt sleepy which made it hard to concentrate.

  “Sleep, Ketayl. You’ve walked through the Hells enough for at least one day,” Silver stroked my hair and I tried to bat his hand away, but missed wildly.

  He needed to stop fussing over me. “Not glass,” was the most I could get out and my voice sounded slurred.

  “I didn’t think what Fan gave you would kick in this quickly,” Silver sounded amused. “And no, you are not glass. Though you’re going to give me a complex if you keep this up. Now get some rest.”

  I briefly thought about trying to stay awake just to defy him, but the draw of sleep became too strong. “I’m sorry,” I said before falling into the world of dreams.

  Chapter 18

  No one else occupied the room when I woke next - even the cot had been put away. I quickly dismissed the notion of it all being a dream with the dull ache in my shoulder and my arm bound to my side.

  I disliked still feeling tired after resting and dragged myself off the bed. The medication had not worn off fully and I stumbled, holding onto the bed with my unbound arm for support. I knew I initially turned it down for a reason.

  Having my right arm tied to me did not help matters any. I was still working my way back to my feet when Father came in. He rushed over to help me up. “You shouldn’t be trying to move on your own yet.”

  “I’m fine,” I said, trying to get my feet to cooperate. At le
ast my speech cleared.

  Father picked me up easily and sat me on the bed. Now I was back where I started. “I’m sure you feel fine.” He touched a button on his headset. “Fan, can you come to the infirmary?”

  “I’m fine,” I reiterated.

  I received a look of annoyance. “Just humor me and let Fan take a look at you. Then we’ll see about finding you something to do to keep you out of trouble.”

  A face I did not expect popped in the door. “Hey, I heard you call for Fan. Something wrong?”

  A battered and disheveled copy of myself stood in the doorway. I remembered seeing that reflection in the mirror when I changed up earlier - a dark bruise on the left side of her jaw and I could see the strangulation marks. She dressed in clothes I remembered originally packing and her hair had started coming out of its bun.

  “Kitteren, you shouldn’t be in here dressed like that,” Father admonished.

  She looked down at herself. “Oh, sorry, I forgot. Guess it doesn’t matter anymore anyway. I was a damned fool for not listening to the advice I was given.”

  The look on Father’s face confused me, but I still had far too much missing information. At the very least, I could try to get up and move around. I needed to ignore the face which looked too much like my own.

  I scooted myself to the edge of the bed, intent on taking this attempt slower when Father moved me back to my previous position. “You need to wait since you nearly fell the last time.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You keep saying that,” he sighed.

  Kitteren bounced over and sat at the foot of the bed. “I don’t know how you can say you’re fine when you shattered your shoulder. That’s not counting all of the other injuries you sustained.” Her energetic self sounded forced.

  Fan came in and set about gathering things and bringing them over to where I sat. I did my best to fold my arms and stare at a wall away from everyone.