by Cici Wickens
“Back home.” He clarified with a scoff. “It’ll be the only way that you can learn to fully harness your abilities and understand your duty to Aurum. There’s no other way.”
The sound of tires crunching against gravel catches my attention.
My dad let out a loud sigh. “Time is never on my side it seems.” He said with a clench of his fists. And then he walked off.
“Wait dad!” I exclaim, trying to follow him.
I run through the maze, losing sight of him after the first few turns. What is up with him? Miraculously, I am able to find my way out before my paranoia gets the best of me. I shut the door behind me and lean up against it while I catch my breath.
“Dad?” I call while searching for him in the house.
“In here!”
I do a double-take when I see him sitting on the couch reading a newspaper. He looked at me over his spectacles. “What’s wrong?”
“Why did you leave me in the maze? And who visited?” I ask wearily.
“The maze? Iris, I don’t know what you’re talking about. And no one visited. I just got back.” He said, giving me a quizzical look. “Are you okay?”
I don’t answer him. I don’t tell him that I’m pretty sure I’m going crazy. I must’ve imagined walking in the maze with him, talking. It had felt so real. Had I been alone out there? Talking to myself? “Never mind.” I mutter.
“Aaaalright. If you say so. Make sure you get plenty of rest tonight.”
“I’ll try.” I give him what I hope passes for a smile.
Chapter 34
The Return of the Queen
Iris
The room was empty save the two in front of me and was filled with beautiful plants that smelled bitterly sweet. A lavish yellow rug led the way to a pair of golden thrones that sparkled with black jewels. Flowers and vines of every shade of gold imaginable interwove amongst the giant pillars and sky-dome above us.
Caesar sat on his throne, posture tense, and eyes narrowed. His silver mane shone with each slight shift of his crowned head.
“You better have a good reason for calling me back here, Caesar.” Valencia spat out, stomping down the aisle, her own silver hair flowing behind her.
“You have been visiting the Cruor Dimension for over a week now. That translates into roughly twenty-one days here in Aurum. A lot has happened while you were away playing your ‘games’.” Caesar tilted his head to the side and softly chuckled. “So much time has passed, and you have yet to put an end to her. As I said before, in the beginning, we could have turned her. But the Angel’s mingling showed her our intentions. We have no other hand to play now.” Queen Valencia pouted, and Caesar added, “You do love to torment your prey. She interests you, admit it.”
Valencia scoffed. “I see you have grown more confident in my time away, as you were in the beginning.” Valencia slipped behind the throne and put a hand on his shoulder. “Why did you request my presence, King Caesar?”
“There have been complications. The radicals have grown…bolder.”
Her white-colored eyes flash, and her grip tightened. “How so?”
“They have somehow raided one of the armories and stolen away with precious supplies. I have someone looking into it. I believe there may be someone on the inside. A traitor. The radicals do it in the name of the rightful heir. If you had taken care of her sooner, we would not be dealing with this right now. Who knows how many there are? They likely grow in number by the day. Prophets have been in the streets, preaching of the visions they have seen, of her arrival.”
“Then cut them down!” She yelled angrily. “I hereby decree that any Prophet who utters her name be struck dead in the streets. And let it be known that any subject that harbors these radicals, will die with them. Spread the word, put bounties on their heads, eradicate them. I will snuff out their precious hope.”
“Why not kill the source?” Caesar asked. “As long as she breathes, they will always have hope.”
“What would be the fun in that? I have decided that I want to see how this plays out. Let her come.” She said with a lift of her slender shoulders.
Caesar shook his head. “You and your games…” He tsked. “I take it that you will remain in Aurum and stop these visits to Cruor?”
“I suppose so. Someone must put the fear back in my subjects, since you are apparently unable to.” She answered wryly and took her seat beside him. “If I had been here, the radicals would have never gotten this far.”
He sighed. “I want you to know that my confidence has never wavered, my Queen. I merely grow impatient. I believe that this game of yours will be your demise.”
Valencia caressed the side of his face. “We will see with time.”
The scene before me starts to change. I dimly recognize that I’m in a hallway. I blink a few times and suck in a breath at the beautiful sight before me. Candles reveal the portraits of past kings and queens hanging on the golden walls, which connected with a glistening carpet. I look to both ends of the hallway to see if I’m alone. Zola stepped from behind me and brought me to a long portrait that hung before Valencia’s and Caesar’s.
“Where are we?” I ask her quietly and observe the painting in front of me. A noble looking man sat proudly, his posture straight and chin held high. Silver hair peeked from a magnificent crown that shone as brightly as light itself. It takes me a second to realize that King Caesar was wearing that crown in the throne room right now. It has lost the shine it has in the portrait and does not suit him well.
A dark-skinned woman with braided hair stood behind him, her hand resting on his shoulder. She wore a simple, yet ethereal gown, and a delicate crown that twisted and curled with golden flowers. Valencia didn’t do the crown justice either. “Eirik and Keisha…” I whisper knowingly. I resist the urge to look at Eirik again and tear my eyes from the portrait.
“We are still in the castle. I brought us to the Hall of Portraits. A beautiful pair, were they not?”
I smile a little to myself. “Yeah, they were. Listen, I’m sorry about last time. I didn’t mean to give us away.”
“No. It was my fault. I should not have tried bringing you to two places when I was so drained. Usually, you would have had to intentionally speak to an outsider for them to see through my veil.”
I wince, recalling the time when I’d asked them a question and nearly got stabbed. “So that’s how that works.”
“Also, do not mistake Valencia’s words for retreat. Just because she is leaving Cruor, does not mean she will leave you be. This only means that she will be even more prepared when you arrive in Aurum. And heed these words. Caesar is the one who ordered that the Spiritseekers be sent after you. Valencia knows nothing of them.” Her voice grew grim. “She only sent the Hell-Cats to retrieve the token, likely for a means of control.”
“Why is he trying to kill me? Valencia wants to wait.”
“He was never a very patient man. His reign is also dependent on hers since he has no true ties to the Seelie Territory.”
“Can you visit me in my dimension? Can I see you in person?” I ask.
She shook her head. “I cannot physically manifest in the Cruor Dimension or the Aurum Dimension. I do not hail from either. Though, there is one last thing I would like to warn you about Iris. It is not my intention to frighten you, however…I feel that you should be aware of the situation you are about to be put in. You are not going crazy—”
Chapter 35
Ten Seconds Worth of Progress
Iris
The painful blaring of my alarm clock pulls me from the Hall of Portraits and back to Earth. Literally. I turn over in my bed to turn it off and then roll onto my back to ponder.
I’m not going crazy, huh? What exactly had Zola been referring to? Lately, there’s been so many things happening that she could’ve been talking about anything. I sit up and lean against my headboard to watch light filter in through the flower-stained window. I had forgotten to close my curtains last night.
Recognition hits me when I realize that the flower was the same one engraved on the watch.
I find myself climbing out of bed to check on the token. I’m relieved to see that it’s safe and sound. I pause before shutting the drawer, recalling the incident I had in the maze yesterday. Perhaps my subconscious was trying to warn me about something or attempting to tell me to always keep it with me.
Sighing, I pull the watch from my sock and hang it around my neck. It feels heavy on my chest. I find it a little amusing that something as simple as a pocket-watch could be this significant and cause so much fuss. Even a powerful figure like Valencia…Valencia. She’s backed off and decided to wait for me to come to her. She interests you, Caesar had accused her. I suppose I have her games to thank for giving me time to prepare myself and fight on somewhat equal ground. Caesar on the other hand isn’t so inclined, and will likely continue to watch me, or maybe worse. He’s the one who sent the Spiritseekers after me. I’m uneasy since I haven’t seen one yet. Perhaps they’re what has been watching me. I can only hope Caesar doesn’t get any bolder.
I jump at the knock on my door.
I hear my father’s muffled voice on the other side. “Iris? Are you up? I’m not gonna’ let you stay home like you did yesterday. You’re going to school today. Get ready. Do you want me to drop you off?”
“I’m awake.” I answer. “And no, I can drive myself. But thanks.”
✽ ✽ ✽
School wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be today. My friends were a little hover-like, constantly asking me if I was alright or if I needed anything. It was nice to be fussed over by people who genuinely cared for me. Mrs. Wilder transferred to another school, confirming my suspicions of her true identity. Dara didn’t really bother me too much, and actually inquired after my wellbeing. It had been a simple question, but it meant a lot coming from her. I can’t forget to ask Trace about her. I’m almost positive she had seen me that day.
“Come on Iris, focus!” Trace yelled, kicking up some water in frustration.
I stand up straight and point a finger at him. “You are not helping!” I respond, just as frustrated as him, if not more so.
Trace took a deep breath and exhaled. “You’re right. My bad. I’ll try to be more patient with you. Let’s try a different approach. Instead of swirling the water, why don’t you just try sitting on top of it?”
My eyes are rolling before he can even finish talking. “That doesn’t sound much easier.” I say dryly.
“Be positive.” He said for what was probably the tenth time today. “Remember how you repelled the water during the match, and then it seemed to push against you? Try to make it push you up.” He noticed the confusion written all over my face. “Okay…let me try a more semi scientific approach. Imagine the water particles condensing beneath your body, vibrating to the point of near solidification. That way, you won’t sink. The only reason we sink now is because our weight breaks through the water particles, so make them like an unbreakable net. And there’s also something about density.”
“Look at you sounding smart.” I remark with a grin. “What you’re saying kind of makes sense, so I’ll give it a whirl.”
Trace folded his arms. “Hey, I’m not as dumb as I look. I’m your coach for a reason.”
I shake my head at him and start wading deeper into the water. “Hey…about Dara. I don’t know how, but I get the feeling that she saw my tattoos yesterday. How was she able to do that?”
Trace laughed out loud. “She’s got the Sight. She can see through the glamour. Basically, the bullshit—and apparently pills. Kind of fits her personality.” Trace went on to elaborate, “Actually, let me give you a better description. Glamour is a method that the Fae use to cover things up and make them appear to be something that they’re not. It’s not something that I’d be able to show you how to do since I’m not Fae.”
“That’s so cool! I can’t wait until I’m able to do that.” I ponder on this for a long moment, thinking of all the disguises I could pull off. That must’ve been how Valencia hid her identity for so long. “That means Dara knows about you then.” If she can see through glamour, then maybe the person that I danced with did have white hair. But who was it?
“That’s why she’s my girlfriend. I don’t have to keep things from her.”
I nod. That makes sense. “Is anyone else Supernatural at school?”
“As far as I know, it’s just me, you, and Blaze.”
I raise my eyebrow. I’m surprised that he knew about Blaze.
“Oh, and Mr. Vealen is something too. But, I haven’t figured that one out yet. Now focus Iris.”
I’ve waded deep enough that my feet no longer touch the bottom. I consider the best way to approach this task, and then place both my palms on top of the water, kicking my feet to stay afloat. I press my hands down and try to heave myself out of the lake in little bursts. The water gives with every try.
“Alright. Let’s try this,” I mutter to myself. I remember that Trace told me to use vibrations as a means to draw the water particles closer together. I splay my hands on the surface and imagine energy flowing through my palms and into the lake. I focus more intently, visualizing the energy and the water particles rubbing against one another and ultimately vibrating.
The entire lake begins to warm up, getting hotter. Steam rises from its surface, creating a light blanket of fog. Sweat drips from my brow, but I don’t lift my hand to wipe it away. Focus.
Trace ran out of the water and onto the bank. “I think you’re doing something wrong!” He called from the shore. “I don’t think this is good for the environment. You should stop. We don’t want to kill any fish.”
I lose my concentration. The lake goes still, the vibration ceasing. “My bad.” I say and sink down into the water a little.
“What were you doing? Explain your thought process.” Trace asked.
“I was trying to push energy out of my hands so that it would rub against the water particles and vibrate them.”
Trace looked thoughtful. “Hm. Maybe we shouldn’t try vibrating the particles, because that creates friction. And friction makes heat. Try to use the energy to pull the particles together in a group. Don’t vibrate them. Also, focus on a smaller area, not the entire lake.”
I nod my head. “Alright.”
I repeat the same process as before, except this time I just use the energy to pull the particles closer until the water condenses a bit. Please work this time. I press down, unsteadily lifting my upper body out of the lake. I am suspended for a full four seconds before falling back in. “Trace! Did you see that?” I exclaim, shaking from shock.
Trace clapped. “There we go! Making progress. But you need to sit on the water, so keep trying.”
We continue to practice for another two hours. I’m still unable to sit atop water, but I was able to extend the time that I could lift my upper body from the lake to a full ten seconds, which was a feat of its own.
“Maybe you’re not such a bad teacher after all.” I say while we pick up our shoes and spare clothes from the shore.
“And you’re not such a bad student. Could use a little attitude improvement, but you’re a fast learner.” He admitted.
“Thanks, I think.”
“Tomorrow the team is having another unofficial practice. I told them that you’re coming.” Trace said as we walked to our vehicles.
“I’m not ready for that! Come on, Trace. I’m making progress, but not that much.” The irritation is evident in my voice. “I don’t want another repeat of what happened on Monday. I already told Coach Grady this morning that I wouldn’t be able to come to any of his practices for a while.”
“I don’t think you understand what happens at unofficial practices.” He looked at me from the corner of his eye.
I swallow, recalling the things my friends had told me about the team being a cult of some kind. “What do you mean?” I hesitantly ask.
He laughed. “I see that you’ve heard t
he rumors. I don’t know who started those things. We all just hang out, listen to music, and mess around by the pool. You won’t even need to swim.”
I relax. “That’s all you guys do?”
Trace shrugged. “Uh, yeah.”
“Okay, then. I guess I’ll come. See you tomorrow.”
“Later, Hanes.”
Chapter 36
C
Thomas
I get out of my truck and wait for Lola’s normal greeting. A few moments later…nothing. I open the door of my house and toss my keys onto the table beside the TV like usual. Lola was watching some girly cartoon that was turned up louder than necessary, just as I figured.
“Thomas!” She jumped into my arms like a spider monkey. “I didn’t hear your truck.”
“Yeah. Well you’ve got the TV pretty loud.” I mutter and toss her back onto the couch.
“Three!” She yelled, answering the stuffed animal’s question.
“Good job, Lola.” I say and pat her on the head. “Mom…Dad…I’m home.” I call.
“In the kitchen honey!” My mom yelled. You always are. “How was school today?”
I shrug. “The usual.”
My dad came into the living room holding a basketball. “Hey, Thomas! Do you want to go to the park and shoot some hoops?” My dad was a big man, which is where I get my size from. His hair, slightly darker than mine was freshly shaven. He was big into sports during his prime years and was one of the main reasons that I play football to this day.
“Yeah! Let me throw on some shorts.” I reply, glad that my dad was in a good mood.
Lola butted in, “Can I go too?”
“Of course, my little princess.” Scott said with a smile.
Once everyone was ready, we swiftly loaded into my dad’s old truck, which he refuses to replace, and headed to Cone Park. My mom had decided to come so that it would be like a family day out. And what started as just shooting hoops turned into tag, then hide-and-seek, and finally a picnic that mom had put a lot of effort into. It was soothing to relax with my family and enjoy some fresh air.