“Actually, yes, that’s exactly what it means,” Warren flashed a smile, exposing his perfect teeth. His smile made him handsome in a dangerous way. Something about this kid screamed trouble.
“Wait, what?” I was caught off guard. I thought for sure he’d deny it.
“I am from the human realm,” he repeated slowly, as if I was stupid. “Just like you.”
“I never said I was,” I denied again.
“Of course you are. There’s no other way. Not even your friend Trent was able to resist, did you notice? Even though I’d be willing to bet he Travels more than he should.” Warren looked smug.
“You know what? I don’t have to stick around for this,” I said, turning away from Warren. I was about to take off at a dead sprint when I felt his hand wrap around my upper arm.
“Wait,” he called, all traces of teasing erased from his voice. “I have a lot to tell you. I think you can help me.”
“Who says I want to?” I said, using my abilities to slip through his hold, though he was too quick to grab my other arm.
“Because I believe we have common goals,” Warren said in a rush. “Look, you obviously are hiding things, as am I. I don’t need to know all your secrets—or all your friend’s secrets. But I think the both of you hate Tenebris just as much as I do. You hate his laws, you hate his unjust social system, and you absolutely HATE that he can completely control people’s will. Seriously, just think about that ghastly scene in the square today. Nobody should be able to abuse their power like that.”
I looked back at Warren briefly, betraying my interest at what he was saying. “And if you’re right?”
“There’s something we can do about it. You and I, we’re different, but not entirely unique. There are some out there who are able to fight. It’s what I do. I search all of Cyrus and the human realm for people like you. I recruit fighters. We’re a small group, but a powerful one. You and your friend would be a magnificent addition to our cause.”
“I don’t believe you,” I said through gritted teeth, trying again to pull away.
“Why wouldn’t you? I have nothing to gain from lying to you. You saw with your own eyes that I’m as free from Tenebris as you are. Together, we can do this,” Warren said confidently.
“How old are you? 18? You really think a couple of kids like you and I can make a difference against someone as powerful as King Tenebris?” I scoffed.
“Absolutely. Besides, you’re not actually concerned about that. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have rushed to save those beggars today. That was a huge risk, yet you took it anyway.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” I countered.
“True. But I’d like to change that.”
I gave Warren a look of loathing. He smiled more broadly. I rolled my eyes.
“Here’s the deal,” Warren said, brushing residual dirt from his black sleeve. “You take me to meet your friend Trent, I’ll explain more about myself and my team, and the two of you can decide if you want to join us. No pressure, no further questions.” I looked at Warren with disbelief. “Okay, well, maybe a bit of pressure, but what can you expect? I’m trying to recruit.” He smirked.
“And if I don’t agree?”
“Then I’ll report Trent for concealing his abilities. Enforcement will be swarming his house before either of you can Travel back to the human realm.”
“You don’t fight fair,” I spat.
“Never claimed I did.”
I deliberated. My gut told me there was a lot more to Warren’s motives than he was revealing. But at the same time, if what he said was true, I’d love to try and stop Tenebris. Today’s incident was enough motivation on its own, but thinking about Trent’s future here was an even more compelling reason to take some action. One way or the other, Trent and his parents were in grave danger. It was only a matter of time before the census would catch up to them. Their big secret would be discovered, and after watching what happened when two beggars came upon fresh fruit, I could only imagine how unfair the punishment for concealing a Traveler would be.
“Fine,” I agreed reluctantly. “I’ll allow you to meet Trent under a few conditions. First, we set up a neutral meeting point. I run ahead and bring Trent to the meeting point on my own. You cannot follow me to his house. Second, you must promise that if we choose not to join you after our meeting, you will leave both of us in peace, never reporting us, and never trying to make contact again.” I measured Warren’s reaction to my terms. His face didn’t betray much emotion—he had a good poker face. Then, suddenly, he broke out into a smile so broad it was creepy.
“We have a deal,” he said, extending his hand toward me.
I reached out my hand to meet his. As we shook, my fingertips brushed the leather band he was wearing on his wrist. Immediately, Warren’s face faded from view, my vision turning black. Then, a new vision took its place.
I stood in a dark, cold room, lit only by a small torch that hung on a bracket on the wall. The room smelled musty. Straw was scattered across a stone floor. A small cot stood a few yards from where I was. A woman lay on the cot, breathing heavily, her golden hair pulled back into a braid, her stomach bulging; she was pregnant and currently giving birth. A man stood at her feet, helping deliver the baby. I noticed the same leather band on her wrist that Warren now wore. The woman, covered in sweat, screamed in agony as the man tried to talk her through the pain.
The scene faded and then took shape again. The same blonde woman—looking much cleaner now—stood outside a jail cell, a tiny baby wrapped in her arms. With a shock, I recognized the prisoner—it was a younger King Tenebris. This must have been during the time his brother had imprisoned him. How fitting to see him behind bars. If only it had lasted.
He looked at the woman with pure hatred as she said, “You don’t care to see your own child?” She extended her reach, pushing the babe toward him, though the bars stood as a barrier between them.
“You take that thing away from here now,” Tenebris sneered. “That is no child of mine. If you ever try to convince anyone it is mine, I will have you killed.” He turned his back on the woman, marching over to the barred window on the other side of his small cell. The woman wept behind him.
The scene changed again. I crouched in a small, canvas tent, which was lit by a small lantern on the ground. A boy—maybe six or seven years old—sat in one corner, playing with a wooden knight and horse. I recognized him immediately as a young Warren. The blonde woman sat on a few blankets on the ground, sewing a pair of pants. The leather band bobbed up and down on her thin wrist as she sewed.
There was a disturbance at the tent door. The woman jumped to her feet in alarm as the cloth door swung to the side, revealing King Tenebris.
“What are you doing here?” the woman gasped, her hand clutching her chest.
Tenebris shot a glance at the boy in the corner who looked to be on the verge of tears at the sudden appearance of a stranger. “Come outside,” Tenebris’ cold voice commanded. Praesidium—which now hung around his neck—glowed a fervent red at the order. “We need to talk.”
The woman looked at her son worriedly. “Stay here,” she said quietly. Then she ducked out of the tent to meet Tenebris.
I, too, scrambled out of the tent, finding myself in a dark patch of thick forest. The woman stood nervously, her fists clenched at her sides. Tenebris appeared to be alone, a fact that surprised me. He wore Praesidium now, which meant he was king. I thought he’d come better protected. He also came without any cape or crown like he’d worn at the square when I’d seen him. Instead, he wore simple black pants with a black long sleeve shirt.
“I warned you never to claim that child was mine,” Tenebris hissed. “I told you what would happen if you did.”
“I didn’t. I haven’t,” the woman gasped with desperation.
“Silence!” Tenebris commanded, Praesidium glowing red. “You liar. There have been rumors—dangerous ones—floating around these parts. Yes, people are t
alking. ‘King Tenebris has a son,’ they say. Of course I didn’t have to think long before knowing the source of such rubbish. You disgusting beggar. Any child of yours would never be worthy of a crown. You’re a Zero, and so is he.”
The woman stood in stunned silence, tears streaming down her face.
The next few events unfolded very quickly. Tenebris withdrew a sharp dagger from a sheath at his waist. The woman’s eyes grew wide. Then, the young Warren tore through the tent door and placed himself in front of his mother, his arms outstretched protectively, though his head barely reached her waistline.
Tenebris smirked at the small boy as he plunged the dagger directly into the woman’s chest. It happened so quickly she didn’t even have time to try and defend herself. Blood poured through the wound at an alarming rate. Her breathing became uneven as she staggered backward. Warren turned, horror on his face, to see his mother fall to the ground. Tears sprung from his eyes, spilling down his cheeks. “No, Mama! No!” he cried, tugging on her body uselessly.
“No!” I called as I watched Tenebris lunge for the boy with his dagger. Warren dove out of reach, the blade slashing at the air violently. Warren stared at Tenebris with a look of complete loathing before he sprinted off into the forest, tears still streaming down his face.
Tenebris yelled, “I command you to stop!” at the boy’s retreating figure. Praesidium glowed red, but the boy didn’t hesitate in the least—the object appeared to have no influence over him. He continued on into the forest without looking back again, though his sobs could still be heard as he ran.
The scene faded. As it solidified again, I was brought back to the present, staring at the matured Warren, unsure how to process the horrible scenes I had just witnessed.
“Hello?” Warren looked at me with concern. “Are you okay?”
I wasn’t sure what to think, but I was certain I did not want to reveal what I had just seen nor what I thought it all meant. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry,” I apologized. “I just… got distracted.”
“You were completely zoned out for a couple seconds there,” Warren said, his eyebrows raised.
“A couple seconds?” I asked. It felt like it had been a lot longer than that. A lifetime, really.
“Yes. Are you much of a daydreamer?” Warren teased, his usual conceited expression returning to his face.
“Guess so,” I laughed shakily. “I better get going and grab Trent. Where did you want to meet up?”
“Tell Trent I’ll meet you both at Centaur’s Gully. He’ll know the spot,” Warren said. “Oh, and I feel like I should probably know your name.”
“Right, I’m Ava,” I said. “I’ll see you within a half hour at the gully.” I turned and sprinted off to find Trent, trying to wrap my head around all the new information I’d been given over the course of the past ten minutes.
First, there was the fact that I’d had another vision. Trent’s theory that I was a seer was seeming more likely. I suppose it did make sense with my precognition powers, though I wasn’t sure why those abilities seemed to have vanished.
Second, the idea that any group of people was crazy enough to try and defeat Tenebris was overwhelming. I don’t know how anyone could even hope to get close to him with the number of guards he has. Then there was the small problem of Praesidium to consider—any person who attacked him could be stopped with nothing more than words.
But what if there was someone who could resist—or even two people? How long would my immunity to Praesidium’s powers last? I didn’t know, though I’d assume it wouldn’t be forever. The more time I spent in Cyrus, the more susceptible to Praesidium I would become as I reconnected with Cyril.
Finally, Warren himself was quite the mystery. I didn’t know how much of my vision could be trusted; perhaps I wasn’t seeing actual events from the past at all. Yet something about them felt truthful, and if I had seen the truth, Warren very well could be the son of Tenebris. From what I had just seen, Praesidium held no influence over him, which would make him the best person to try and fight against Tenebris.
Was I willing to put my life on the line and join him, knowing he was the best chance Cyrus had of breaking free from a tyrannous king? I already knew that answer—absolutely. For Trent alone, I had to try.
Chapter 15
Deadline
When I arrived at Trent’s house, Em answered the door. “Thank goodness you’re alright!” she sighed, stumbling onto the porch and wrapping me in a hug. “We were so worried about you.”
“I’m fine. Completely fine. I must not have been holding on tight enough. Sorry, still learning,” I grimaced with pretend embarrassment. I decided now wasn’t the best time to tell Em about Warren. I’d rather tell Trent first and get his take on him. “Where’s Trent?”
“He and Meraki are out looking for you. They were going to search the west forest first since that’s between home and Magia.”
“Oh… any idea how I can find them to tell them I’m okay?” I bit my lip.
“No need. They were going to Travel back every fifteen minutes to check in with me in case you showed up here. They should only be a couple more minutes. Come in and sit. I was just getting started on dinner.” Em smiled as she gestured for me to follow.
I sat on the red couch watching the clock above the fireplace tick slowly. Two minutes passed. No movement outside the window. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Twelve minutes. Are you kidding me? I thought Em said he’d only be a few minutes. Fifteen minutes passed and he still hadn’t showed up. I hoped Warren wouldn’t do anything rash thinking we were going to stand him up.
Finally, after seventeen minutes, I saw Trent and Meraki walking hand-in-hand up the path to the front door, both with worried expressions. I ignored the pang of jealousy and jumped up to meet them on the front porch, slamming the door a little too loudly in my nervousness.
“Ava!” Trent called in relief. “You’re okay!”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I half smiled. “Listen, Trent, something happened on the way back that I really need to talk to you about. Alone.” I glanced pointedly at Meraki, trying to be polite yet firm. After all, she had just spent who knows how long looking for me, but my half hour was nearly up.
“Oh, umm, yeah, that’s fine,” Meraki sang, her perfect voice sounding like wind chimes, even with a broken sentence.
“No, no. You don’t have to go, Mer,” Trent said, looking confused. “Meraki’s trustworthy, Ava. She won’t say anything if she shouldn’t.”
I looked back and forth between the two, little stabs of jealousy poking me every time I took in Meraki’s perfect face. I wasn’t personally opposed to having her along. Seemed to me like the two of them were sort of a packaged deal—which made no sense if Trent had tried to kiss me last night. Anyway, I was much more concerned with Warren’s reaction if an uninvited guest showed up to our little rendezvous.
“I’m sure you are, Meraki. It’s nothing personal against you. It’s just that this particular situation is something I really need to talk to Trent about alone. We might be able to fill you in later,” I said somewhat rudely, hoping to end this conversation. We desperately needed to get going.
“Not a problem,” Meraki said, her eyes tightening. She obviously wasn’t happy with me excluding her. “I’ll just wait inside,” she said to Trent. She brushed his hand as she kissed his cheek lightly, then stomped up the front porch steps.
Trent’s face was bright red. He opened his mouth to say something, but I really didn’t have time for a lecture on being nice to his girlfriend. I cut him off, explaining what caused me to slip as we were Traveling. His expression changed immediately to one of concern as I told him all about Warren and the vision I’d had.
“—and he’s given us half an hour to meet him at Centaur’s Gully or he’s threatened to report both of us. That was about 25 minutes ago, so we should really get going,” I finished, bouncing up and down in my urge to get moving.
“Wow,” Trent breathed. “That’s a lot to take in
. So you really are a seer. Super cool. And there’s someone out there who is actually capable of defeating Tenebris. Also cool. And he wants our help. Not so cool. But maybe cool? I don’t really know,” Trent said, mostly talking to himself, trying to sort out all that had been said. He paced up and down the path in front of the house as dusk began to settle in.
“Shouldn’t we get going?” I asked anxiously.
“Yes, definitely,” Trent said, his head whipping up. He walked over to me and grabbed both my hands. We left the ground in the same instant, reappearing moments later in a rocky part of the forest. I could hear water running nearby; it laughed as it tumbled over the rocks, though it wasn’t readily visible.
“Is this Centaur’s Gully?” I asked, searching for Warren. I panicked. Maybe he’d gotten impatient and had already given up.
“Yeah, it is,” Trent said.
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
“You’re in the right place,” a voice called. A kid who looked to be roughly 16 years old emerged over the top of a large boulder about 15 yards from where we stood. His skin was dark, his brown hair cut short. He wore jeans, a red t-shirt, and a gray jacket, which was pushed up to his elbows. Though the jacket distorted his figure somewhat, it was obvious he was extremely muscular. He had the body of serious weight-lifter. He smiled arrogantly as he jumped down from the boulder, landing lithely in a crouch. He stood up and walked slowly toward us.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“You mean that isn’t Warren?” Trent breathed next to me.
“No,” I whispered back.
“No need to panic,” the boy said, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Warren’s around here somewhere. Name’s Jameson, by the way. I’m Warren’s right hand man,” the boy nodded. “You must be Ava and Trent.”
“Ava,” a new voice called. Warren appeared on top of the same boulder Jameson had just been standing on. He, too, jumped down, coming toward us. “I was beginning to worry you wouldn’t show. Glad you decided to after all.”
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