“Keep your eyes shut,” Austin said, his voice hoarse.
Nicole hadn’t even noticed she’d opened them. Doing as she was told, she continued playing, letting the magic rush over her, watching in her mind’s eye as it became frothy and fizzy, teased by a wind that grew up and billowed over her.
“Austin—” Toby coughed to clear his throat. “Is anything even happening?”
Austin growled. “Shhh.”
Nicole kept going, enjoying the sensations of music blending with wind and magic, twirling and whipping. But after several moments of no one saying anything, she peeked at Austin. He had his hand on his chin, a scowl on his face. He’d abandoned his notes and was staring at her.
“You can stop now,” he said, his voice barely a whisper.
Nicole lowered her bow, wondering why he was whispering. Had she done something wrong? “What’s going on?”
“Nothing’s going on.” He glanced at Coolidge, who was now watching. “I sensed her magic—it’s flowing freely. So what’s wrong?”
A small smile played at the corners of Coolidge’s lips. “Austin, you should have figured it out.” He looked at Nicole. “I’m not surprised that her natural ability is a rare one. Most Wind Aretes control wind, obviously. They carry things with it, create small storms, and dispel smoke and other pollutants. But the ability to silence sound at its origination doesn’t happen very often.”
Austin frowned. “If that were her sub-ability, I would have noticed it.”
“But it is, and you didn’t.” Coolidge got up and opened a drawer near the magical cabinet. He pulled out a music box, wound it up, and set it on his desk. A tinny melody played out, filling the office with its sound.
“Play again, Nicole, and focus on silencing this. You don’t need to close your eyes.”
Nicole raised her bow and began Ashokan Farewell, watching the music box and willing its sound to stop. It happened almost immediately. While Nicole played, the music box didn’t make a noise. It still turned—she could see the little handle on the side moving—but nothing came out.
She grinned, stopping, and the melody flowed again. “That’s awesome!”
Austin scowled. “Why didn’t I notice?”
“I think you did,” Coolidge said. He motioned to Toby. “You coughed and cleared your throat.” He pointed to Austin. “And you were whispering.”
Austin nodded.
Coolidge continued. “Living creatures are much more difficult to control than inanimate objects. An animal or human will fight to speak. Much of the time, they won’t even notice your ability, Nicole, unless you’re trying really hard.” His eyes sparkled as he sat back at his desk. “We’ll have fun with that, once she’s ready.” He returned to his papers. “In the meantime, have her focus on inanimate objects.”
Austin motioned for Nicole to begin, and they met eyes. She searched his for any sign of friendship, of warmth, but there was nothing there. She sighed inwardly and started playing again.
With Austin instructing her, Nicole practiced turning the music box on and off over and over again. Then he had Toby play a single, long note on his cello, and she practiced silencing that. At first, manipulating her magic was weird. She felt it flowing from her chest as it danced over to the source of the sound, tugging on her sternum. But after a few minutes, she adjusted, and no longer noticed the pull as much.
Her progress was fast, and even Austin seemed satisfied with how well she did.
While finishing up, Nicole caught sight of a spider moments before the old woman hovered into view. She didn’t even have time to react before the woman gave her message—“Nicole, please read the book”—and left. Nicole sat, stunned, for several moments, then frowned, realizing the woman wouldn’t be ignored any longer. The book needed to be read. And now that Nicole could control her powers even just a little bit, it was time to open that cabinet.
She had to wait until Toby and Pete were gone, though.
Austin finally called it quits, and Nicole, Toby, and Pete put their instruments away.
Coolidge asked Nicole and Austin to stick around, and once the other two had left, he said, “I’ve been researching on that meteor and have asked around to those who tested it. They haven’t discovered anything, and I might be heading back to Moses Lake to study its affects after finals week is over. I’ll probably want the two of you there with me.”
Nicole nodded, feeling a sense of pride that her instructor valued her opinion and abilities that much. “Just let me know,” she said, “And Professor, I think it’s time we open the cabinet. I . . . I need to face the book. It’s been calling to me the entire time I’ve been here.”
“I was afraid of that—I could sense a small part of your magic drifting that way every time you played, and I wondered if subconsciously, you were trying to silence it.”
Coolidge pulled up his calendar and studied it. “I’d like to be here when you read, but have to get some work done. I’ll have time tonight around seven, if you want to come then.” He glanced at Austin. “You should be present, just in case.”
Austin agreed to come, but a line appeared between his eyebrows, and he excused himself.
Nicole rushed to follow him, getting caught on a loose screw in Coolidge’s doorjamb on the way out, snagging her shirt. She groaned when she saw that it had ripped, but decided to deal with it later.
“Austin, wait,” she said.
Austin paused near the stairs and half turned to her, the line between his eyebrows deepening. “Nicole . . .”
“Aren’t we . . .” She didn’t know how to ask without coming across as begging. “Aren’t we going to study together?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I kept my promise. I came. We’ll work with Pete and Toby, here in Coolidge’s office.”
Without saying another word, he took the stairs two at a time up to the first floor.
Nicole felt tears burning behind her eyes as she watched him leave. Stupid Austin. The jerk. Leading her on while in Arches, holding her hand, kissing her, looking at her like he adored her at Albert’s manor. He’d obviously chosen his ex-girlfriend, and for what reason? So he could break up with her for the umpteenth time?
He was ridiculous. The whole situation was ridiculous. But Nicole was more ridiculous than anyone for hoping that something could develop between them.
She couldn’t believe that the only reason he’d come today was to keep his promise to study with her. She’d rather be helped by Toby and Pete, thank you very much, than have him do it out of duty.
Even while Nicole stormed outside and to her car, angry at Austin and the situation, she couldn’t deny the ache in her chest. The longing for a relationship with him that wasn’t going to happen. The sting from being rejected.
But if Austin could be emotionless, so could she. She’d just turn off her feelings and ignore him. Well, ignore him as much as she could, anyway. She wished he’d just taken back his promise to help. It would be so much easier if they didn’t have to spend several hours together a week.
Nicole got to her apartment and put Niko away, longing to practice herself into oblivion, but she was determined to keep her promise to Albert. Besides, she’d felt how strong her powers were—she didn’t want to risk letting too much flow out at once and possibly ruin the instrument.
Deciding to change into comfy clothes and veg in front of a movie, Nicole went to her room and yanked on a pair of yoga pants. As she was pulling off her blouse, she remembered how it had snagged on Coolidge’s doorjamb as she’d been leaving his office. Worried that it had ruined her shirt, she straightened the garment and laid it on her bed, searching for signs of damage. Right next to a hole, she found a drop of blood. Blood? How had that gotten there?
Nicole twisted to see her side where she’d brushed into the doorjamb. There was a small cut with crusted blood on it. Weird. She hadn’t felt pain.
If that was the case, she’d obviously pushed herself too far. She sat on the bed next to her shir
t and rubbed her face.
Nicole had recently learned that when an Arete uses too much power, the pineal gland in his or her brain will begin to borrow energy from other areas of the brain. Each Arete lost a different sense. For Nicole, the ability to sense pain was targeted. Pushing herself too far was dangerous because she wouldn’t know if she’d been injured.
Not knowing how long it would take for her body to regain that sense, she realized that a movie was the best idea she’d had all day.
Chapter Three
Nicole was still watching movies when Lizzie got home. She glanced at her watch, realizing she only had twenty minutes to get back to campus and Coolidge’s office.
“Hey, girl,” Lizzie said, plopping next to Nicole on the couch. “How’d the study session go?”
Where to start? Nicole sighed. “Austin picked Savannah.”
“What? How do you know?”
“He was super out of it. He acted annoyed to see me there, then after, he told me he wasn’t going to be studying with me one-on-one.”
“What an idiot! He’s blind, Nicole. How could he pick her over you?”
Nicole shrugged. She didn’t have anything against Savannah—she’d only met her once—but Austin had broken up with the girl several times. Why did he think this time would be any different?
“Also,” Nicole said, “I pushed myself too far while working on my powers.” She showed Lizzie her Band-Aid. “Gotta be more careful.”
“Yeah, seriously. I wish I could go to those sessions. I’d help you be nice to yourself, and I’d keep Austin from being a jerk. Protect you from him, you know.”
Nicole smiled. “You might get your chance in about twenty minutes. Coolidge and Austin are meeting me at Coolidge’s office, and I’d really, really like you there. I’m going to read the book.”
Lizzie bounced up and clapped. “Let’s go!” She hesitated. “Wait. You’re sure you’re ready?”
“Definitely.”
“Then bring Niko.”
Nicole agreed, and the two packed the cello in Nicole’s car, then headed to campus.
***
Coolidge looked at Nicole. “I’m opening it now, okay?”
She held Niko in one hand and the bow in the other. “Okay, but I’m not sure how I’m going to play the cello and read the book at the same time.”
“You won’t need to play,” Coolidge said. “Just keep your hand on the instrument, and you’ll be fine.”
He turned to the cabinet. Lizzie stood on the other side and Nicole sat in a chair in the middle of the office. She’d been disappointed—though not surprised—that something had come up and Austin couldn’t be there.
Coolidge pressed his right hand to the wood and muttered a few words, and Nicole heard a series of clicks and shifting gears on the inside of the cabinet. He put his left hand near the right and muttered again.
The wood began vibrating as before, when he’d first sealed the book inside the cabinet. It glowed red, while the surface rippled like waves on a lake. The same strong turpentine and resin smell filled the office. Then the wood turned to a golden liquid, and Nicole watched as seams appeared in it.
The moment Coolidge removed his hands, Nicole felt a blast of pulses from the book—it was like an overgrown puppy, wanting to jump into her lap and lick her face. A warm breeze flowed to her, billowing her hair around for a moment, then disappeared.
She nodded at Coolidge to open the doors. He did so, revealing the leather-bound book on the shelf. He pulled it out and handed it to Nicole.
Nicole . . .
She recognized that voice. He’d spoken to her before.
Nicole prepared to open it, then glanced up. “Are you guys ready?”
She would have felt much more comfortable doing this if Austin had been there, but Coolidge was still incredibly powerful and very experienced. If anything was going to happen to her, he would be there to stop it.
“Yes,” Lizzie and Coolidge said.
Nicole opened to the first page. She jumped when the shadow that followed the book stirred, turning to look at her. It didn’t do anything, though, so she stared through it to the words underneath.
But she couldn’t focus on them. She was able to pull out individual letters here and there, but for some reason, even if she saw the letters in the right order, she couldn’t figure out what words they created. What was wrong? The shadow wasn’t in the way—it only made the page a little darker than it would have been otherwise. So why couldn’t she read?
Just then, a spider climbed from the side of the book and over two of her fingers. She shook her hand and rubbed it on her pants, trying to rid herself of the creepy feeling.
The old lady appeared, translucent. “They can’t see me,” she said, tucking a strand of long gray hair behind an ear. “And they won’t hear our conversation.” She didn’t wait for Nicole’s reaction before continuing. “You must read the book, but please do so away from others the first time. The book contains deep thoughts from someone dear to me who is rather sensitive and shy. He placed a spell on it that would prevent you from reading out loud to protect his privacy and his thoughts and feelings. So, this first time, read it alone.”
Nicole snorted. “Like I’m going to do that.”
The woman put her hand on Nicole’s shoulder, her body becoming more solid for a moment. “You won’t be harmed, Nicole. I give you my word.” She watched Nicole, her gray eyes serious, and Nicole found herself nodding, believing.
“But why alone?”
“You need to learn the truth away from outside influences. I can’t ask you to hide the information from others, but please use discretion when choosing with whom to share it. And also wait to say anything until you’ve read quite a bit.” She watched for Nicole’s confirmation that she’d been heard, then disappeared.
Nicole shut the book. Coolidge and Lizzie hadn’t even noticed that she’d been distracted. She stood. “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to take this home and read there.”
Coolidge tapped his chin. “I didn’t sense anything malicious—quite the opposite. The book is truly devoted to you—the being that controls it cares for you.”
“It’s okay if I take it, then?”
Coolidge chuckled. “Regardless of what I decide, we both know that unless I lock it up in the cabinet again, it’ll return to you anyway. Go ahead and keep it for a while. Just make sure you have my number on speed dial while you’re reading.”
Nicole agreed, and she and Lizzie left.
The book seemed to figure out she was no longer running from it because she didn’t see the shadow the entire way home, as she always had previously. What a relief.
But now she was curious. What secrets did the book contain? Why did the old lady want her to read it so badly? Was she really safe or was that just a lie concocted by the woman to get her to release some unseen evil?
Lizzie had homework to do, and Nicole went to her room. She plopped on her bed, leaning against the headboard, and opened the book.
This time, the words flowed smoothly and easily. She had no problem reading.
Dear Nicole,
Nicole hesitated. It knew her name? Then she rolled her eyes. Of course it knew who she was—it had called her by name many times.
My name is Captain Christopher Price. You’ve met my wife, Rebecca. She saw you in vision a few years ago, and we’ve followed your progress ever since. We’ve prepared for your coming for over a century, and have done our best to acquaint ourselves with your times and lifestyle. We know that you are blond, that you are an Arete born to parents who don’t appreciate or understand you. We know that the cello is your focus, but that it hasn’t come easily to you. We know other things about you and are prepared to teach you many more.
But, before I continue, I need you to recognize and consider something. What you have been told by those you trust are lies. No, I don’t believe these people who care for you so dearly are willfully misleading you. They simply lack the abi
lity to recognize the overall picture. It’s a naive innocence.
Please, let go of all of your prejudices. I need you to do that. I need you to trust me, and I need to trust you. I recognize that by my opening up to you, you may well try to destroy me and my wife. This is a risk I must take.
Nicole, the Tarians in your time are evil. I know they are because of what my wife has seen. But when she and I started their group, we had a different plan—a different vision. In our time, it is the Aretes who are evil. They’ve controlled the world—by force—for centuries. They murder those who oppose them, even their own people.
We never thought the Tarians and Aretes would switch places—that the Tarians would become evil and the Aretes good. This is a problem because in order to create balance in the universe, my wife invented something that made it so fewer children would be born.
You must understand how much we regret what we have done. Rebecca and I tried for years and years to find a way to reverse the effects of her invention, to unlock and destroy the contraption that stopped allowing humans to have children so easily.
Finally, after so much searching and hard work, we have found an elixir that will end the curse we placed on the human race. But we need the help of an Arete—a powerful one—to get it for us and take it to the machine.
The invention is safeguarded north of a small town called Salmon in the Rocky Mountains. It is inaccessible except on foot. I cannot tell you the exact location until I know that you are strong enough to approach it without it being killed.
Please consider what I have said here, and as you are ready, I will instruct you further.
Perceive, Mosaic Chronicles Book Three Page 3