by Enid Titan
Poppy couldn’t figure out what she’d said to trigger this response.
Daphne prattled on, “All you humans are the same, I’ve heard, crazy about men, men, men…”
“I… I think I’ll take that bed over there.”
Daphne snorted.
“Women’s rights make you uncomfortable? Hmph. I understand why Jason took an interest. All Devoran men are the same — consumed by lust. Women who practice the old ways rise above that.”
“Trust me, the last thing he was thinking about was lust,” Poppy thought to herself.
Daphne frowned and Poppy’s cheeks crimsoned. Right. Telepaths. How the hell could she fit in here when every thought she had became public property?
“I’m leaving. When Hecate comes, she’ll take you to the temple. I don’t have time to babysit.”
“The temple?”
“Weren’t you paying attention? All the first years go to the temple to move the rings and test our psychic abilities. Considering you can’t even talk…” Daphne smirked.
“I have a feeling watching you try to move the rings will be hilarious,” she finished.
Daphne left the room and Poppy’s stomach knotted. Everything about being here was utterly overwhelming. Everyone towered over her and the constant telepathic buzz was incurable tinnitus. How could they stand it?
Hecate returned eventually, grinning from ear to ear. Her face fell when she saw Poppy, lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Poppy lied, sitting up.
“You know, I can read your mind. You’ve got to get better at hiding your thoughts.”
“How?”
“I’ll teach you. But then, we have to get to the temple. It’ll be fun! Like teaching a baby to talk…”
Great, Poppy thought, everyone here thought she had the ability of a baby, yet the government decided she was suited to go to one of the most prestigious academies for their most powerful telepaths. How could this possibly go wrong?
8
Heavy Gold
«What are we supposed to do at the temple?» Poppy asked.
After about an hour, Hecate taught her how to communicate her thoughts. Hiding them proved harder, but Hecate trusted Poppy to learn fast. Poppy lacked confidence in her abilities. As a human, she wasn’t even a full telepath — only a latent one.
Was it a mistake to come here? Daphne believed she was too different. Poppy wondered if her new roommate had a point. As she marched to the temple in her new jumpsuit, Poppy scrutinized the section of the city where her Uncle Monty now lived in his lover’s condominium.
If she wanted to, escape might be possible. New-Man gave her strong legs. The snow would slow her down and...
Hecate's voice interrupted Poppy's wandering thoughts.
«It’s simple,» Hecate explained, «In the temple, we all have an… experience. Once you connect with the life force of Devor, you’ll have a vision. After your vision experience, you complete the ritual by moving the gold ring into the blue flames of Vortha.»
«It doesn’t sound simple.»
«Half our class will be able to move the rings on their first try. All of us will be able to move the rings by the end of the year.»
«I learned how to talk an hour ago… and it still hurts. I don’t think I can do it.»
«Don’t worry so much. Some Devorans can’t even do it.»
«What about you? Aren’t you worried?»
Hecate tossed her headful of white curls behind her.
«No! I’ve done it before, you see. My family comes from Sekhmet-beta. I’ve lived on a commune of strong telepaths my entire life.»
«Is that why you came to the academy?»
«I’m supposed to take over as leader of the commune once I graduate.»
«Wow…»
«I can feel how worried you are. Don’t be. Your vision will be private and it's designed to help you.»
«This is all so complicated.»
Hecate smiled.
«Don’t worry about it. I want to know who you think is cute…»
«What do you mean?!»
Poppy remembered Daphne’s admonishment. Hecate's innocent question sounded like an accusation after that. Shame smoldered in the chasm of her stomach when boys crossed her mind. Daphne mentioned boys first. Before her, Poppy never considered an alien boy...
Hecate smirked.
«So you’re straight…»
«Ugh! I’ve got to learn how to hide things better.»
«Being attracted to men is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s just a pity. Our year has some hot girls. Plus, I know some of the juniors and they’re even hotter. But they don’t usually go for freshmen.»
«Daphne assumed I was some kind of boy crazy slut. I don’t want you to think I’m like that.»
Hecate’s nose wrinkled.
«Ugh, Daphne's one of those? It’s so old-fashioned. Devorans have been breeding for the past hundred years. She needs to get over it.»
«I don’t even understand what she’s talking about.»
«Ancient history. Don’t worry about it… Tell me what boys you like. I can introduce you to anyone.»
Poppy didn’t know what to say and before awkwardly stammering a response, Hecate waved her off.
«You don’t have to tell me. Plus, when you like someone, I doubt you’ll be able to hide it.»
They entered the temple which was hot, hotter than Earth, because of the blue flames that burned in the center. A dull burning in the back of Poppy’s skull strengthened as she neared the flames. She’d been ignoring the sensation since they’d come closer to the temple.
«Don’t be afraid. Look into the flames. Aren’t they beautiful?»
Poppy hadn’t realized that she’d been avoiding staring into the flickering cerulean flames. She’d never seen anything like this before. Fire… real fire… earth fire… wasn’t like this.
The first-years sat in a ring around the flames and Achilles swept past the first-years with his long violet cloak and stood before the flames. He closed his eyes and his words slithered into Poppy's head.
«Welcome, students of Vortha's Gifted Telepaths Academy. Tonight you will complete one of the first tests of strength where we will assess your abilities. I will call your names in alphabetical order and you will proceed to the edge of the flames and attempt to move the golden ring. The ring has been a part of the temple for seven thousand years. It weighs over 200 lbs despite its size. It’s made from a gold alloy with Vorthanium, the element that burns in our sun and keeps our fires blue. We’ll start with Acratopotes…»
The initiation happened as Hecate explained. Each student's private vision appeared to only last a couple of seconds, but Hecate explained that visions might last a day depending on what the flames revealed. Once finished, Acratopotes attempted to move the ring, which sat on a pedestal next to the fire. He couldn’t lift it with his fingers but Penelope found herself gasping along with the other first years as he flung it into the flames easily.
Telekinesis. Holy moly. She’d just witnessed telekinesis. Poppy’s stomach flipped. Hecate smiled at her and without even touching Poppy, send a wave of comfort and relief over her. That helped. Daphne wasn’t the first who couldn’t move the ring, but when she couldn’t, she emitted a frustrated cry and stomped off, earning her an irate glance from the headmaster. The Devorans were… prim and proper, so unlike Americans. Or humans.
Hecate’s turn went smoothly too. The headmaster called Penelope’s name towards the end. Her stomach churned with discomfort as over ninety pairs of eyes stared at her. This was their chance to get a good look at the alien — the first alien that many of them had ever seen on their insular planet. If they’d never seen the Empress before, they knew this girl was of her species and perhaps she bore some of the Empress’ traits. Their fascination bored into Poppy's back.
Just breathe, she thought.
Poppy approached the flames and inhaled sha
rply, unsure of what to expect. She heard the headmaster’s voice in her head.
«Do not be afraid, child. Stare into the flames and allow Devor to welcome you.»
9
Water Visions
Poppy stared into the fire. Her legs rattled and the temple faded around her. She knew that she was still there, standing in front of a crowd of students, but her mind had created a world around her that felt just as real. She smelled salt and sea breeze. Poppy had only been to the sea once. She shivered in the cold despite her furs. A boat deck appeared beneath her feet. The boat swayed with the sea. Poppy stumbled forward.
She looked up and saw her father towering over her. She didn’t remember him that way. She'd shrunk to the size she'd been as a kid. Poppy forgot most of her childhood. This vision might have been a repressed memory. She’d always been the freak, the outsider. There wasn't much from her childhood to hold onto.
Before Uncle Monty, her dad moved her around a lot. They'd gone on the boat when they moved from the Arkansas coast to New-Memphis' coast in Tennesse. That was the last place they lived together before Colorado.
She leaned on the railing, peering into the rough acidic sea as Julian Darden stood behind her. The sea stank of rot and salt. Her father explained to her about the fish dying off — and how fish were rare now since the sea levels rose. He talked about extinct whales, beasts that stalked the oceans before the climate changed.
The salt stung Poppy’s lungs. She clutched her father’s hand and the boat swayed.
«Where are we going?» The voice echoed in her head and his.
Her father turned to her and smiled. Poppy’s throat tightened. That never happened. She’d never been able to speak telepathically the way the Devorans had. She’d never possessed the ability to speak like them.
«Somewhere new, Poppy.»
«I don’t understand. How is this supposed to help me move the ring into the fire.»
«It isn’t.»
The boat rocked faster. And faster. Poppy’s tongue grew heavy in her mouth. She held onto the railings for balance but the boat kept rocking.
«Dad, will you help me?»
«I’m sorry, Penelope.»
«Sorry for what?»
Poppy’s lower lip trembled. Gooseflesh crawled up the length of her forearm. The sea sprayed over both of them. Poppy opened her mouth to speak and a wave rose from the deep and crashed over the ship deck, swiping her feet out from under her.
Poppy screamed. The water covered her and she reached for her father’s hand but he disappeared into the benthos and the churning waves dragged Poppy below. She thrashed against the powerful waves and currents, struggling to crest her head above the surface of the sea.
The sea grabbing her and thrusting her about didn't seem like a vision.
Poppy kicked. Fighting didn't work against the rapid gulf currents. Her ankles weighed her down until her feet planted in the sand at the bottom of the sea. She held her breath, too scared to inhale and let the water which felt all too real, seep into her lungs.
A glowing blue light in the distance caught her attention. Flames. The fires at the temple of Vortha illuminated the water. Poppy dragged her legs through the sand, the resistance from the water surrounding her made her task more arduous.
She heard her father’s voice apologize again.
«Penelope, I should have told you. I should have told you. I should have told you.»
«Be quiet!» Penelope yelled.
The voice intensified.
«I should have told you. I should have told you. I’m sorry. Montgomery doesn't know. Mother never told me. I’m sorry. I should have told you. Give my love to Montgomery. Penelope. My child. Penelope. My child. I should have told you.»
Poppy opened her mouth to scream, hoping to drown out the voice in her head — her father’s voice reverberated in her head on a loop.
Water filled her lungs and throat. Poppy’s eyes snapped open. She screamed out loud as her vision fizzled out around her. She collapsed to her knees before the temple flames. Her clothes weren't wet. Her legs cut through the alien atmosphere easily. Achilles nodded, draping his cloak around his torso, leaning into his wooden cane.
«Move the rings, Penelope,» Achilles commanded.
«I can’t.»
«Move the ring. Try.»
Penelope stared at the golden ring and as she tried to move it with her mind, her father's face reflected in the gold. She squeezed her eyes shut and her hand trembled, but the ring couldn’t move.
«Return to your seat, Terran,» the headmaster said. She’d failed. Clearly. Her classmates witnessed everything except her strange vision and now, Penelope proved that she didn’t belong amongst them.
With shoulders slumped and a pounding migraine in her cerebellum, Poppy returned to her seat. Hecate wrapped her arm around her.
«Don’t worry, Poppy. You did well.»
I failed, Poppy thought to herself. Hecate squeezed her tighter and Poppy remembered just how horrible she was at keeping her thoughts to herself.
The chill from the ocean breeze remained with her. Poppy dragged her cloak around her shoulders, cinching the cord at her neck tighter.
After the orientation, they returned to campus. Everyone trod quietly until they got to the academy dining hall. The upperclassmen sat in their section while first-years buzzed and whispered about what happened in the temple, but Poppy discerned that nobody shared the content of their visions.
“They’re deeply personal,” Hecate whispered.
Then she added, “Do all humans have black hair like that?”
“No. Most of us do, but not all of us.”
Hecate wrinkled her nose and touched Poppy’s hair.
“It’s such a strange color. Everyone Devoran has silver-white hair. And yellow eyes. But I heard humans have all different skin colors because of your sun.”
“Something like that.”
“You know, if you’re struggling with telepathy, there’s someone who can help you.”
“Who?”
“Castor. Or Jason.”
“Ew.”
“I know he is a bit standoffish. Boys are like that when they’re young — a bit savage — but he’s a powerful telepath.”
“So are you. Can’t you help me?”
“Yes, but I learned a different technique than someone from the city.”
“I don’t think the other Devorans like me very much.”
“They don’t like anyone. You’ll have to make them give you a chance.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Hey, you’re small, but I’m not. If they mess with you, I’ll mess with them back. I’m used to fighting boys. They don’t scare me.”
“Okay…”
Poppy was skeptical. But Hecate hyped her up enough that she felt more confident approaching someone for help. She only had a year to figure out how to use the rings, after all.
“One more thing,” Hecate said.
“Hm?”
“I hope you play hockey on your planet.”
“Ice hockey?”
Hecate nodded. For the first time since she’d arrived on Devor, Poppy smiled. This she was ready for.
10
Tormented Telepaths
On Poppy’s first day of classes, she was surprised to find out how normal university was. No one she knew went to university, but she’d watched it in movies. On Earth, only super-rich kids went to university and kids who were lucky enough to win the scholarship lotteries. Uncle Monty only had his college debt paid off because he agreed to work with the Devorans and on riskier space missions.
Most people were desperate to work on cargo ships to Venus or Mars colonies where at least they’d die having explored space rather than languish on a decaying planet.
This must have been what things were like in Uncle Monty’s day. Even then, he’d only gone to university because he was a genius!
Poppy sat attentively throughout her Devoran literature class. H
er professor's disappointment that she never read any of the classic Devoran books that her classmates read became evident.
After class, her professor asked her to stay behind and gave her a stack of children’s books: Ice Ice Baby, The Essential Archbishop’s Tales, The Anthology of Vorthan Nursery Rhymes, Snowy Night, Cuddly Ice Bears, and The First Princess of Devor.
Poppy read through two of the books between her first class and mathematics. To her delight, her university math class was around the Algebra 1 level. Score. Finally, a class she excelled in. Poppy kept to herself that her mathematical abilities far surpassed most of her fellow students, but she kept raising her hand to answer questions and a few students noticed. She was tired of everyone looking at her like she was stupid. Math changed that at least.
After that, they had a class for telepathic abilities. Poppy didn’t understand how this was a “class”. They all sat cross-legged on the cold stone and centered their minds for ninety minutes. Poppy couldn’t focus once the bell went off. Her mind wandered back to the vision on the boat over and over again. After their class for telepathy, a girl who was on the smaller side for a Devoran sidled up to her.
“You’re the Terran,” she said out loud.
“Yup. That’s me,” Poppy bristled.
“I meant no offense. I’m Jocasta.”
“Who?”
“Jocasta.”
Poppy wondered if this girl knew her namesake.
“Oh cool.”
“You’re Penelope, right?”
“Yup.”
“Do you play hockey on Earth?”
“Yes.”
“It’s our next class. I’ve never really played before.”
“I thought everyone played,” Poppy answered, parroting something she’d heard from Hecate and Daphne.
“No. Not where I’m from.”
Jocasta had paler blue skin that was nearly translucent. Her yellow eyes stood out against her skin as particularly yellow and her hair was thin and stringy, falling to the middle of her back and worn in a single braid, uncomplicated compared to typical hairstyles worn by Devoran males and females.