Passages (Alternate Worlds Book 1)

by Taylor Leigh

  She, Molly, Thedric and Andrew bundled themselves up and started their journey, taking to the city limits towards the posh district of the city, where the rich and famous—and now Tollin—resided. As dark of a mood as Andrew was in, he seemed to brighten slightly at the prospect of moving and being out, even if he did complain about how pointless it was. He impressed her with his knowledge of the city, naming streets and buildings and their owners as they passed. Nothing escaped him.

  When the sun finally sank onto the horizon, they walked past the wharves to the luxurious end of the city and onto the public pier, until they were well out over the tossing black waves that crashed against the sides. In the distance, down the beach, was the far pier, where Andrew’s lighthouse could be seen.

  She learned on their walk that Miol Mor’s pier had been started long before Andrew was born, as a way for the villages along the coast, like Flotsen, to easily sail into Elk Lake and trade with Miol Mor. Unfortunately, the strategy hadn’t been extremely organised and had failed, until Andrew took over.

  Even before he’d become overseer he’d had vision and people had recognised it and had come to him for help. It hadn’t taken him long to organise all of the villages and set up a plan. In three years the construction had finished and Andrew gained his reputation round the other villages for being the mastermind that he was. Flotsen’s pier, even though it was in the nice end of the city, was going all to shambles compared to Andrew’s. She felt a bit smug at that.

  Molly bragged that the other villages often requested for Andrew to come so he could help them with their problems. Around the coast near Elk Lake he was rather a celebrity. Every fisherman and worker they ran into greeted him with deference. Some, who seemed to know him better, were more reserved with their fondness, but it was clear that everyone respected him, no matter what their opinion of him was. The talk about him brought Andrew back to life. Praise for Andrew was like water for a wilting plant.

  The pier at night was beautiful and Flotsen sparkled on the water from all the lights. The terraces that lined the waterfront were luxurious beyond anything Victoria had been exposed to, even as princess of Scrabia. Small waterfront cafes were filled with toff people sitting round small tables, dressed beautifully, waiting for the show to begin over trays of tea. Once and a while the whoop of a voice or a string of laughter would bounce its way down the beach towards them, but the city noise was almost completely drowned out by the waves hitting the rocks.

  They weren’t the only ones on the pier that night. It appeared that a good portion of the younger population of the city had come to the same idea, and a gaggle of young adults were crowding the end, threatening to push each other in, drinking and laughing loudly. Andrew gave them a wide berth.

  Victoria sat down next to Andrew once he’d settled on a spot and dangled her feet over the edge. Far below her was the black water, frothing and tossing as it hit the pier. When she’d first walked out on Miol Mor’s pier two days ago, she’d been frightened by the giant fish and other creatures lurking beneath the waves. Now, in the darkness, she was glad she couldn’t see them.

  ‘What exactly are we waiting for?’ she asked Andrew.

  ‘Waterworks,’ he explained. ‘They’re sort of difficult to picture without seeing them. Basically, there is this special kind of colourful seaweed that grows here. Once dried, it’s lit and rockets across the water in a spray of colour. It’s pointless, but people here use it to celebrate things.’

  ‘Oh,’ Victoria mused. ‘Celebrate what?’

  Andrew’s face worked as he struggled to keep a straight face. He looked both annoyed and pleased with himself. ‘My birthday.’

  Victoria laughed. ‘You’re joking! Flotsen is celebrating your birthday?’

  Andrew glowered at her, offended. ‘Well, why shouldn’t they? I found the mayor’s kidnapped daughter and fixed their sewage and water systems!’ He crossed his arms and turned his gaze away from her in childish offence.

  Victoria leant in closer and wrapped her arm round his. ‘Oh, calm down. I didn’t mean to offend you! I think they have every bit of reason to celebrate you. You’re brilliant. And happy birthday.’

  He grunted and turned back to her. She offered him a smile. Begrudgingly, he returned it.

  Victoria watched the waves, lulled by their constant pull. ‘So, with the capture of Gabbins, does that mean an end to the spore trade?’

  Andrew shrugged. ‘He was the main trafficker. That is how most of the normal people were getting their hands on it. Gabbins had a large supply from confiscating other trapper’s caches. Most of the smaller dealers no doubt had to pay him off to stay in business. Now that the new inspector knows what to look for, thanks to Gabbins’s own notes, he should be able to nip the problem in the bud. It should be harder for the trappers to get their hands on any new spores with the Blaiden as well, since as of last night trading with them and travelling to their lands has officially become illegal. The tensions are too high right now. So yes, besides the ones still tainting our water supply, which I believe will steadily grow more diluted, the spores are gone.’

  Victoria pursed her lips. ‘I see.’ She studied his blank expression. It was a perfect mask of innocence. If there was one person who could get away with murder, it would be him. Well, not this time. She leaned over him and reached into his coat pocket over his protests. She withdrew a bag of spores and gave him a long, trying look.

  ‘What—?’

  She clutched the bag tighter. ‘You’re not the only one with sharp eyes. I saw you put these in your pocket when we made the bust! Just what did you think you were doing with them?’

  Andrew huffed his breath. ‘It’s none of your concern.’ He swiped the bag from her hand and stuffed it back into his pocket. ‘And don’t go waving them about like that. Someone will see.’

  She glowered. ‘It damn well is my concern. Why did you take them? They’re dangerous!’

  Andrew avoided her gaze. ‘I had to know. Victoria, when I took those spores, those voices I heard…There’s something about it that I can’t explain.’ He let out a flat laugh. ‘Hell, I don’t even believe in the voices. Everything that Tollin explained to us just sounds mental, but…there’s something about them, something that connects me to them and I have to figure out what it is!’

  Victoria narrowed her eyes. ‘And you think getting high on these, hearing voices in your head, is the best way?’

  Andrew took a deep, stabilising breath. ‘I’m sorry. I can’t explain it, but there’s something…something out there and I feel like it’s calling me. I’ve never been so…pulled by anything in my life. I have to investigate it.’

  She touched his pale face. Andrew’s eyes were wide in the darkness, glinting in desperation. ‘Okay. But please…just promise me you’ll take things slow. Let this rest for a while. Calm down.’

  Andrew nodded curtly, swallowing hard. ‘I swear. I’ll leave it be for now. But Victoria, this isn’t the end. I’m not giving up on this.’

  She nodded, feeling an icy chill slowly wrap its way round her insides. Somehow she knew Andrew spoke the truth. It wasn’t the end of the voices. It wasn’t anywhere near the end.

  The water was lit up in a spray of purple light, scattering her thoughts. Reds and blues and yellows raced across the water, like paint poured down parchment. Molly and Thedric, dangerously close to the end of the pier, whooped in excitement.

  Andrew leant back on his hands. ‘You know,’ he said, thoughtfully. ‘There might be a way to make that so it shoots in the sky, using the powder from my firearm.’

  Victoria studied him, his pale face illuminated purple in the glow of the waterworks. Her eyes drifted up to the sky.

  ‘Funny seeing Scrabia from this way. Never really knew what it looked like.’

  Andrew didn’t seem to hear her, possibly still thinking about his idea for flying waterworks, but then suddenly jerked to attention. ‘Of course! Why didn’t I think of that till now?’

  Victoria
, alarmed, stared at him. ‘What?’

  ‘I’ve never been able to draw a complete representation of this world. It’s a very long journey and I haven’t been allowed to go because of my condition. We’ve had other explorers, of course, but maps always come out different.’ He grabbed her by the shoulders so she faced him properly. ‘But you’ve seen it! You’ve had the best view of it your whole life! I know most people’s memory is rubbish, but do you think you’d be able to remember enough of it to draw out a rough sketch?’

  Victoria smiled. ‘I should think so; I painted Scottorr once when I was bored. I think I can remember the way it looks well enough.’

  Andrew leant in quickly and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Brilliant. Imagine, seeing the entire planet! I could make a globe of it finally!’

  Victoria smiled at him, surprised by how happy something as simple as a drawing could make him. She gazed back out to the water, watching the brilliant colours, still acutely aware of the spot on her cheek where Andrew’s lips had touched.

  The waterworks lasted for half an hour and then the water shimmered into blackness once more. The waves that pounded against the pier filled the silence that followed. Half of the teens meandered back towards the city in each other’s arms, off to find other amusements. The stars were out and Scrabia shone in the sky, steadily growing closer. That, more than anything, made Victoria’s heart sink. How could the Passing be so close already?

  Andrew was more talkative than she was used to and she found his deep monotone purr as relaxing as the waves. He talked about Academia. Telling her what the city was like. She was surprised to learn that he’d never been. By the tone of his voice it was clearly one of the few things he was actually excited about. She thought it a crime that a brilliant inventor such as himself had never been invited and if there was anything she could do, she silently promised to help. Andrew deserved that much, at least.

  ‘You two haven’t moved from that spot all night!’ Molly said, walking from the edge of the pier. ‘You must be talking about something terribly interesting.’

  Victoria nodded. ‘We’re just talking about what we want to do with our futures…Andrew was telling me about Academia.’

  ‘Oh,’ Molly smiled. ‘I’ve heard that before.’

  ‘What about you?’ Victoria asked. ‘What do you want for the future?’

  Molly shrugged, leaning against one of the guardrails wistfully. ‘I want to travel. See the rest of this world—see Scrabia if I can.’

  Andrew eyed her suspiciously. ‘You are a healer here, Molly. You’ve pledged your duties to Miol Mor.’

  Molly stiffened. ‘Well, what about you? You’re the best thing that’s happened to our village in a hundred years! We’ve made more progress than all of the other cities combined! And you just want to leave? There are other girls training to be healers; you all don’t need me. You’re the important one, Andrew!’

  Andrew spoke evenly. ‘You are infatuated with Tollin. And with adventure. It’s not what you think it is, Molly. You can’t trust Tollin. He won’t stay with you.’

  Molly’s face darkened. ‘You’re just jealous because he’s smarter than you, and you know it! Stars! Why do you always have to be that way?’ She whirled away, marching back towards the edge of the pier.

  An awkward silence followed. Victoria bit her lip, fighting to find something to say. She eyed Andrew. He was completely over the incident. Up above, in the sky, the golden-white lights were beginning to appear, splashing into existence like a growing river. It started to ripple and wind across the sky, reflected in the black water, turning it all to gold.

  She leaned in to him. ‘Please, say something to her.’

  ‘Everything I said is true. I’m keeping her from getting hurt later on. Tollin will leave her. Trust me.’

  Victoria sucked in a deep breath. ‘There are other ways to go about it. You don’t have to make her feel like that.’

  Andrew studied her for a moment. He cast a look over his shoulder. Molly was all the way down the pier, sitting in the darkness several paces from Thedric. ‘She needs time to think things over, and isn’t it better to tell her now? She’ll come round.’

  ‘To your point of view?’ Victoria chided. ‘You’re hopeless sometimes, you know?’

  Andrew nodded. ‘So I’ve been told. It’s interesting though, and makes me wonder why you’re still here. You’re the first person to stick with me this long. To not give up. Most people pull their hair out and walk off long before now. But you’ve stayed around. I’m…flattered.’ He smiled, and to Victoria’s surprise, he took her hand off of her lap and wrapped his slender fingers round hers. ‘This book wouldn’t have happen without you. You might have saved my life. Thank you.’

  Victoria gaped down at her hand in his’, hardly daring to believe. It was a gesture so unlike him. It was as if he’d turned into a different person. Her hand, warm, against his cool skin felt so strange and perfect. Her eyes shifted back up to his face, to his genial smile, the light hair curling down his brow, then to his eyes. The cold blue steel of them. Completely emotionless. The warmth of his grin had spread across his entire face, but not to his eyes. At a glance one would miss it, but Victoria caught it, behind those eyes his mind was elsewhere, already moving on from the conversation, simply biding his time till she gave in to whatever he was nudging her towards. He was computing her reaction.

  She felt her feelings of happiness come crashing down round her, and she was bleakly unsurprised by the fact. Why had she expected otherwise? In the months she’d known Andrew, had she ever seen him display real emotion besides frustration or depression or anger? Even the kiss they had shared she couldn’t justify as anything more than an experimental curiosity on his part. The only real exception had been the morning after his strange new attack. The look in his eyes had been genuine: fear and desperation. She was the one he’d come to, begging for help. She was the one he wanted comfort from. And even then, that hadn’t been love. Seeing his cold eyes now, eyes as cold as a corpse’s, she knew it was all a farce. Without a dramatic stimulant there could be no reaction. This act of his was nothing but a calculated move with a desired goal. It left her feeling hollow and aggravated.

  ‘You know something?’ she said, not taking her eyes from his face. ‘You’re probably the best actor I’ve ever met.’

  Andrew’s smile did not slip an inch, but the corners of his eyes tightened. He was working out, calculating what she was getting at. ‘I’m afraid I don’t—’

  ‘Oh, I think you do. You just go about, getting your way all the time, and when you don’t, you just put on this little act. So convincing you’ve got the whole bloody village in the palm of your hand. A few tears, faked happiness, whatever it takes to get what you want, is that it?’

  Andrew’s smile dropped back into its normal emotionless state. ‘It’s not that I do it to get what I want; it’s just so…easy…’

  ‘So easy to trick people. People believe everything you say…because they love you. They hate you because you’re the most arrogant human being to ever walk the world, but they love you. They just can’t help it. So they’ll believe anything you tell them.’

  Andrew eyed her. ‘That wasn’t what I was going to say, but perhaps you’re right. People will believe what you want them to believe. It’s only a matter of figuring out what they want to hear. I can’t help it. Figuring out peoples’ weaknesses and how to exploit them is just…fun. I’ve been doing it for so long, it’s almost a game to just figure out what to do to make someone completely fall for what I’m saying.’

  ‘And with me…’ Somehow it hurt even worse knowing that Andrew wasn’t oblivious to her attraction towards him. He was well aware of it. She wondered how fast it had taken him to figure out what her weakness was.

  To his credit, Andrew did look genuinely ashamed. He sighed. ‘I need you to stay happy. Motivated. Otherwise we’ll never get this book done in time.’

  Victoria nodded. It always came back to the bloody b
ook. ‘So by getting the book done in time, you mean—’

  ‘In time for you to return to Scrabia with Tollin.’

  Victoria cast him a look. ‘What about the deadline for submitting it to Academia?’

  He raised his eyebrows. ‘We both know that’s not going to happen. I’m more than likely not going to live till then. You need to go back home.’

  Victoria glowered out across the now golden ocean. ‘You think that saying that will convince me to leave? I can’t, especially if what you say is true, which I’m still not willing to believe. Back home, I’m nothing. Here I feel needed…wanted.’ She sighed heavily, thinking back to Scrabia and all that awaited her there. ‘I was arranged to marry my cousin…before I ended up here. We didn’t really get on…I’m not even sure if he’s alive anymore. The Denizens might have killed him. They tried to kill me, so he probably had the same fate. Maybe Tollin’s right and he’s still up there, fighting.

  ‘He said he had a girl back in his own village. I didn’t realise how hard it was for him to give her up to marry me. I’d never felt that way about anyone…Wonder if he’ll ever get to see her again.’

  Andrew didn’t respond. ‘You see,’ Victoria continued. ‘I think I get it now. How he felt about being forced to marry me. I was just against it because I wanted to be alone and I couldn’t stand him. But Reginald, he knew what it was like to love someone. He had someone to hold on to. I was completely ignorant to what that could feel like. Now that my horizons have expanded, I guess I realise the despair he felt. There’s no way I could go back. Not after what I know now. Forget the responsibility. He can have it. I’ve found what I want to hold on to, Andrew, and I can’t just let it go.’