by Vivien Reis
Cecelia finished his thought. "Which means your brother is not gifted."
"You mean, it's not likely that he's gifted." Gifted? What was she even talking about? Teleportation and shooting orbs of light at people? Was that even what she had seen?
"It's highly unlikely. Although your mother was very powerful, two siblings each being gifted by Deia hasn't happened for centuries," Cecelia said.
"Since your brother has not been kidnapped, and according to our own sources, we have no reason to believe he is an Oracle, the King’s Army have no reason to be interested in him. His abilities would have shown themselves by now anyway, even if your mother had found a way to block them."
"Why would she do that? Block my powers?"
Abi felt ridiculous saying powers in a serious sentence. She had seen these abilities displayed in what little she remembered of her rescue but couldn't trust what she had seen was real. It had been nearly a week since the others had taken her and with the stress and lack of food, she might have suffered delusions during her rescue.
"We don't know that, but it’s a theory. None of us have really spoken to your mother since she fell ill. We would have no way of knowing what her intentions could have been." Again, Cecelia seemed to squeeze and rub whatever she held in her palm.
"And does her illness have anything to do with her abilities?"
The room hushed and though none of the Vikars’ eyes met one another, each of them managed to look at no one, eyes fixed on the table in front of them, on the floor, or on the ceiling.
Finally, Cecelia spoke up again. "It's possible. Some of the things we can do are very dangerous, to others and to ourselves."
"I thought you said she was powerful. If she were, then how did she get sick?"
"If the mind is pushed too far it breaks, sometimes because of that power."
That one sentence was so simple but held so much weight in Abi's life. She grew up with a hollow image of her mom, all because she was gifted and that gift had broken her.
"So, that brings us to our order of discussion this morning. Myra, when do you think Abi will ready for a debriefing?"
Myra straightened, her hands folding neatly in her lap. "Two days from now, if her mind continues its current rate of healing. Enough of her memories should return by then to better aid in your investigations."
"Very well. Abigail, we want you to be active in any meeting we have concerning you or your family. Although we can't exactly let you leave, what you do here is up to you. We shall meet with you again in two days to hear your side of these events. While time is of the essence, a tampered mind is a fickle one. We'll allow you to sufficiently heal and reconvene at that time." Cecelia slid her chair back and shifted her weight forward, ready to stand.
"Wait." What was she supposed to do until then? "That's it?"
Cecelia looked at the other Vikars to her left and right for any objections. "Yes. That is all."
"But earlier you said you can't let me go home unprotected. Does that mean if I'm protected I can go home?"
"If we were confident in your abilities to handle yourself, perhaps we would," Roderick answered. "But training like that takes years."
Abi's stomach dropped to the floor, her voice high. "Years?"
"Now that's not our only option. Like I said, there's a reason you were taken," Cecelia said. "The King's Army were performing a ritual, and if we find out what ritual that was and what they were trying to accomplish, then we can deal with them accordingly. And then you may go home." Her empty hand moved gracefully as she spoke before resting on the smooth stone of the table.
"Why can't I call my family? Tell them I'm okay?"
"That is not wise." An Asian man with wrinkles and white hair sat forward. "If you were to contact your family, they would likely contact the police and tell them about your communications. We cannot risk the King's Army learning one iota about our sanctuary. Your family cannot know your whereabouts. You would be putting them in danger by doing so."
She hadn't thought of that and felt properly chastised by the man. He was right. If her kidnappers suspected her family of knowing her whereabouts... "So, why exactly aren't they abducting my family and torturing them so I come forward?"
"The King's Army might be bold, but they still fear our presence," Cecelia said. "They don't want to enter into direct conflict with us, and they're already treading in shallow water."
"In open water," Roderick corrected. "We have a team of people surveying your family at all times. You can be assured no harm will come to them."
This contradicted their nonchalance about her family not being in danger. If all of this was true, how long would she be trapped on this island away from her family? Her stomach twisted. What if her dad's condition changed? What if he passed and she wasn't there to say goodbye? She choked down the lump in her throat and nodded.
She rested her head in her hands, muffling her voice. "So what am I supposed to do while I'm here?"
"Well, the first order of business is for you to get well. With Myra here by your side, our brightest intern I might add, you should be on your feet in a couple days."
Abi doubted that very much. She felt like she had been run over by a truck just that morning. There was no way she would be better in two days.
"After that, we think it's best if you undergo rigorous training with one of our elders to catch you up to speed."
"What kind of training?" She glanced up at Myra for some reassurance, but her usual carefree expression was in place, giving no hint as to what that meant.
This time, a woman with dark skin and long black hair spoke, her voice lilting with an Indian accent. "The important items: learning to block your mind from others, defending yourself against mental attacks, sensing the presence of those around you—basic skills that you might need sooner rather than later."
"Your training will start in two days then, on Monday," Cecelia said. "Until then, your job is to heal. While Myra is there, she can teach you some basic things about our history."
With that, the meeting was over and Abi and Myra were dismissed. Roderick scooped Abi back up and it wasn’t until he turned around that she noticed the crowd that had gathered behind them. They appeared to be waiting for their turn with the Consul, but stared at Abi as Roderick hauled her up the steps. How much did they know about her? Her mind traveled back to the rescue attempt, or what little she remembered of it. There had been at least one body, and he didn't seem like one of the kidnappers. Had any of these people known him? She couldn't read their expressions as they passed and before she knew it, she was back in the open air outside the cave entrance.
"I will see you on Monday, seven o'clock sharp."
Abi jumped slightly. She hadn't known Roderick was with them. He must've helped Myra push her back up the inclined cave floor.
They set off again but at a slow pace. Guilt ate at Abi as Myra's breathing grew more and more labored.
"You know if you could hop, this would be so much easier."
The words barely registered to her. How could her mom have been involved with these people? How had she been able to keep it a secret, even with her failing mind?
Her perception of her mom had shifted, but none of what she’d learned changed the fact that her mom had attacked her dad. She was guilty.
Even though she’d done nothing physical all morning, Abi was drained. She ached to lie back down, to recover from what she’d just learned.
Myra huffed again behind her as they neared the top of the ascent.
"So why does the Consul meet in the cave?"
"The cave...," Myra grunted, still catching her breath, "has natural crystal formations. It's one of the few places that energy comes from the earth like a fountain." As the terrain leveled out, Myra stopped to catch her breath, sweat gleaming on her forehead. Myra positioned Abi in a nook that branched off the trail, so she could enjoy the view of the lake again.
"The cave restores us and allows us to perform tasks we would
n't ordinarily be able to do. Things like long-distance communication or performing difficult hops like the one you were involved in are made easier by the cave."
Abi mentally retreated, trying to absorb all the information she had received in such a short time. She prided herself on her intelligence, and her persistence with learning, but this…
Taking a deep breath, Abi tried to slow her thoughts. Was...magic really real?
When Abi looked up, Myra seemed far away in thought, but nodded. "It's a power given to us through the earth."
But what did this mean? Abi imagined herself flying or casting spells on people or riding a broomstick. Did they have wands? She hadn’t seen one yet.
Myra giggled under her breath. "Your first lesson will be controlling your thoughts. We do not use broomsticks."
"Wait." Abi's eyes widened, her hand rising up. "Hold. On. A. Second. Repeat what you just said."
"We don’t fly around on brooms—“
“The other part!” Certainly she’d heard wrong.
“Oh. Your thoughts. I can hear them. We all can actually."
She narrowed her eyes at Myra.
How many states start with the letter M? she thought.
“Let’s see. Missouri, Mississippi, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Maine, Montana, Michigan, Maryland,” she counted off on her fingers. “Eight!”
Abi's already broken world crumbled into tiny pieces around her.
"How? How! Of all the things I’ve been told, how was this not the first? Oh, by the way, I can hear your innermost thoughts,” she mocked.
Myra was laughing outright now. "I know. Kind of cool, right?"
A hot flush rose to Abi's face. "How long have you been reading my mind? Can you read everything?" Had she thought something mean? What about inappropriate?
"It's technically not reading, it's more like listening. You're projecting your thoughts at me, well at everyone. It's a natural process you're unaware of—like the beating of your own heart."
Definitely not the same thing.
Abi nearly tipped the wheelchair over as a huge bird with bright red, blue and yellow feathers flew up to land beside them. Myra petted the giant bird as if this were a normal occurrence, its beak clicking open and closed.
"I—we can only hear what you're thinking at any one moment. It's not like we can go rifling through your brain and learn your deepest, darkest secrets."
The bird lifted a claw into the air and Myra held her arm out for it to stand on. Abi leaned away, wondering how wide the bird's wingspan was. She would be a direct hit if it took flight.
"So, if I'm supposed to be like you, then why can't I hear your thoughts?"
"Two reasons: you don't really know how to listen yet, and I've learned how to block my thoughts." The bird ruffled its feathers when Myra scratched at the nape of its neck.
"And how did you learn that?"
Myra shrugged her shoulders. "Everyone does." She said it as if they were talking about something as simple as learning to tie a shoe.
"Everyone does not just block their thoughts. This is insane! Am I…am I dreaming? Are there hidden cameras somewhere?" Abi seriously searched around her, wondering how small a camera might be for something like this.
The bird squawked at Abi, matching her panic.
“I’m apparently in the middle of the ocean at some getaway beach resort going to secret meetings with a stranger I met at a house party." Abi had to agree that she sounded ridiculous but everything was ridiculous at that point. "And anyway, why are you my...doctor or whatever? Was there no one better than an intern available?" She cleared her throat, her question harsher than she’d intended. "No offense, I mean."
At last, the bird quieted when she did, one black eye staring at her.
"That's all right. The mind-body connection has channels and routes of energy few can navigate. Deia gifted me with medical sight, so I'm pretty good at what I do." She smiled sheepishly, and seemed to ignore Abi’s rant. "And anyway, I had to fight for your case. I'm going for my doctorate, so to speak, and you're kind of my thesis project."
"I'm your experiment?"
Myra's head jerked up for a second and she looked down the trail toward the sleeping quarters. "They're back." She grinned, obviously excited about whoever they were.
"Who is?"
"Jesse and Theo." As Myra said this, the bird took flight again, narrowly missing Abi’s head.
Her cheeks burned red hot at the mention of Jesse, and she was glad Myra couldn't notice from behind the wheelchair as she continued pushing down the trail. How had Jesse been able to keep all of this a secret? She prayed Cora was somehow involved in this too, that she’d at least be able to see her best friend.
A question hopped around in Abi’s head but she hadn’t worked up the courage to ask yet. How exactly did Jesse know where she was? She wanted to get the answer before they got back to her hut—before they saw him.
"Essentially you sent out an S.O.S.—“
“Ugh, could you stop that?”
“I can’t help it! Anyway, it’s incredibly amazing for someone that has yet to fully transition to be able to do that. Considering how far you were from any of us, it's a wonder you were able to establish the connection at all."
So, she communicated over a long distance, which Myra had just said was nearly impossible to do.
"It is impossible to do. The Consul is quite curious to know how exactly you accomplished that one."
"You know I don't know anything about this stuff."
They rounded the corner to the long row of huts, the journey back feeling much quicker than their trek to the caves.
"I know that, and the Consul knows it too. But you were able to and things like that don't happen with pure Deian power." There was hidden meaning in her words but Abi didn't quite understand it.
"I'll grab us lunch." The air sounded like it inhaled sharply and then Myra disappeared, leaving her sitting in the wheelchair outside her hut.
Abi blinked. It happened so quickly. There was no gentle fade or anything.
A couple emerged a few rooms down from her, and headed toward the trail, too lost in their conversation to even notice her sitting there.
With an exhalation that ruffled Abi's hair, Myra was back, mid-step. "Soup and bread for you.”
As she handed the tray to Abi, and sat down with her own—Greek turkey wraps with feta and wild rice on the side. The turkey steamed in the wrap, garlic and tangy notes hitting Abi's nose. She was hungrier than she had realized which was odd, because she had just eaten not even two hours ago. Even still, her soup paled in comparison to the wrap.
“Don’t worry, at the rate you’re going, you’ll be eating regular food by tomorrow. And it’s normal to be so hungry—your body needs energy to heal itself. It'll only last a couple days, though. Theo broke his arm once and you should have seen him. He was hangry for two days straight. I think everyone avoided him like the plague."
Abi took a large bite of the flaky bread. Her stomach growled louder, like she was growing hungrier the more she ate. A now-familiar whoosh made Abi look up mid-chew.
She stared at the boy walking toward them, a huge grin on his face.
"Jesse?" she tried to say, although it came out more like Yesse with all the food in her mouth. Her face flamed hot again.
"Hey, stranger. You're looking a lot better." He gave a wink that was so fast Abi thought she imagined it.
Who winked like that? Was that like a learned skill or were you just gifted with it? Lightning fast wink skills, level 80? Anytime she ever tried to wink, she looked like she was having a seizure.
Stop thinking! Neither let on to hearing her rambling thoughts, but knew they had.
Abi forced herself to think about other things, not the fact that Jesse sat down right next to Myra, so close they were touching. Were they dating? Didn’t Myra like Theo? The food tightened in her stomach. Oh god, they can hear me.
"What's for lunch?" Jesse asked. Myra gave him h
alf of her wrap, and he took a large bite out of it. "I missed this food so much. You should see the crap Theo cooks up at his place."
“How’s Cora?” Abi blurted. “Is she coming too?” She knew that Jesse had been adopted, which meant that it was possible for Cora to also be an Oracle.
“She’s good. A regular human, but good.”
“So she’s not an Oracle?”
He shook his head and Abi deflated. She hadn’t realized how much she wanted it to be true, needed it to be true.
"Are y'all done with your field work now?" Myra asked.
Abi was glad Jesse wasn't talking directly to her so he wouldn’t see her disappointment. She was grateful she knew someone on the island, but if Cora were there…
She turned back to her food, afraid that he might hear her thinking about him. How did people live like this? Abi took nibbling bites, trying to eat delicately.
"Nah, not yet. Still haven't found the source of the energy displacement. Hey, Abi. What did the Consul tell you?"
Of course Abi had food in her mouth when he asked this and she rushed to swallow it.
Myra beat her to the punch though. "Training. Until they figure out what the King's Army wanted."
"Ah. Sounds like you'll be with us for a while, then." He sounded genuinely excited she was there.
She sighed, watching him take another bite and stare out toward the ocean. The breeze ruffled his dark hair, his usually dark eyes more amber in the sunlight.
Myra shot her a pointed look, nodding her head toward Jesse and then tapping her temple. Abi inhaled a piece of rice, catching her meaning as she coughed. Jesse had a grin on his face. He’d heard her think that.
If there was a gaping maw in the earth right then, she would have hurled herself into it.
"I guess the first order of business will be those thoughts." Jesse laughed deep in his chest, such a comforting noise that sounded like doom in her ears.
No gaping maw needed. If there was a tiny fissure in the earth, Abi would gladly squeeze through it.