by Jo Holloway
“Her help with what?” Wes narrowed his eyes at the two animals.
Jory fidgeted like he wanted to ask a question, but he held it and trusted them to fill him in as soon as they could. They waited.
Cara’s hand rubbed across her middle, and she bent forward. “I can feel that you’re uncomfortable telling us, but please.” The constant stomachaches lately were really getting old.
Jenner circled the room before sitting. “Allow me to provide some background. You know our three absolute laws: never revealing how we can be killed, never killing another Pyx, and never taking a human pyxis. What you do not know is that for centuries of early human civilization, nothing explicitly forbade the use of human vessels, even though humans’ neural complexity had evolved to the point that sharing consciousness became risky. Most of us simply stopped doing it when we saw the increasingly dire consequences for our hosts.”
He paused to allow Wes to update Jory, and then continued. “Unfortunately, the situation with Olivia wasn’t the first time we’ve been the monsters in the story. I once mentioned an event that took place in what you would call ancient Greece. It is perhaps time I told you the story of the pyres of Vamis.”
Jory had to wait a long time while Jenyx spoke to Cara and Wes, telling the awful tale of a city whose population was cut in half in one terrible night of mass hysteria started by a few humans going insane when Pyx entered their minds. The pyres to burn the bodies had sent towers of smoke to the skies for three solid days after the violence ended.
“The genetic variant that causes the gold color in your eyes and allows you to see and communicate with us dates back to the origins of your species. The trait was once more common. Whole families shared it. Pyxsees like you were instrumental in helping control the mayhem that night and other times since. After Vamis, a consensus was reached that the risk to your species from ours had become too great, and the law was passed. Humans were off limits. As your population has exploded, your genetics have diversified, and the number of you with enough Pyxsee-gold to recognize us has dwindled. We still cooperate with our Pyxsee allies; however, humans in general have forgotten us, making it easier for us to take advantage of human tendencies to overlook the unexplained and allowing us to remain hidden.”
Again, he paused, but Cara and Wes were both too stunned by the horrific story to recount it to Jory yet. Jenyx’s voice turned grave, laced with the guilt Cara had been feeling from him. “While the majority of Pyx would never intentionally break one of our laws, there have been other incidents since then. The Pyx who inhabited Olivia—her actions were clearly inexcusable—but she also did not act on her own.”
Cara reeled. Wes’s eyes widened, and Jory looked ready to jump out of his skin, waiting to find out what had caused their reactions. Wes gave him a quick recap.
“There are others? More people were attacked like Liv was?” Jory was turning purple.
“What does this have to do with the crash on TV?” Cara asked quickly.
“It likely has everything to do with it, though the following story may have been even more significant in that regard.”
“The suicides?”
“Yes, and the growing level of mental illness manifesting in this area.”
Her thoughts tumbled back over all the times she’d had out-of-control feelings lately. The unexplained aggression she’d been displaying had her doubting her sanity, not for the first time. A flash of panic coursed through her. What if she was another statistic in the mounting crisis? Would she know if a Pyx had attacked her? Surely she would.
“Are you saying more people are still being attacked by Pyx? Why would they all be breaking your sacred laws now?”
“Your questions are better answered by a firsthand account, which is why we need to take you to see the council,” Jenyx replied.
“We’re going to talk to the council?”
“Wait . . . What are we doing?” Jory interrupted.
“Not we,” Tomyx said, “we . . .” This time, Thomas sat back on his haunches and raised a paw to indicate everyone except Jory, who frowned at the confusing and comical gesture.
“Please explain to Jory that only the Pyxsees will be able to come. Quite aside from his inability to hear the proceedings, there are Pyx among us who will not take kindly to revealing themselves to a normal human.”
Cara stared at Jenner, appalled at having to exclude her friend.
Wes saved her from having to say it out loud. “Sorry, man. Looks like it has to be just me and Cara.”
“And Rhys,” Tomyx added.
Her insides lurched. Wes’s eyes flicked from the cat to her and back.
“And Rhys,” he repeated for Jory.
“When?” Cara asked.
“We must arrange to assemble as many council members as we can, and summon the guardians, so I expect we should plan for the end of the week.”
She swallowed. Setting aside the awful story and the nagging threat, she would be meeting with a bunch of immortal beings deep in the forest the weekend before exams. What could go wrong? Oh, and for good measure, bring along the guy who made her trip over her own feet. Perfect.
CHAPTER 3
CASSIDY STARTED THE next day in surprising fashion. She waltzed past the glass walls of the dining hall with a posse of friends, before bursting through the doors with her grey head held high. The bottom half of her silver mane had been transformed into a gradient of pinks, ending in a shockingly bright tone to rival the fuchsia bedding in her dorm room.
She paraded past the tables, shaking out her silver and pink curls, touching friends’ shoulders and waving to others as she went. When she passed them, she flashed Jory a brilliant smile before giving Liv a terse nod and continuing on her way to grab breakfast.
When Cara turned back, it was to find Jory watching Liv with an amused grin. She kicked his foot and leaned across him to Liv.
“I thought you apologized and gave her the blonde dye last night after I talked to you.”
Liv blinked, still staring after Cassidy and her friends. “I did.”
A familiar tall figure came into Cara’s peripheral vision. There was no need to look. She was way too aware of Rhys to mistake that form. He sat down across the table from her, beside his sister. “What was that about?”
“Nothing. She’ll get over it.” Liv scowled.
“Liv, what did you do now?” Her brother gave her a sympathetic look. “I know you’re still making up for lost time, but why does it always involve getting yourself in trouble?”
Cara ignored Liv’s response and grabbed Jory’s sleeve. She yanked, pulling him over.
“This is your fault,” she hissed in his ear.
He pointed to his chest, dropping his chin.
“Yes, you.” She released his shirt and glared at him as he sat up again with that omnipresent grin plastered across his face.
Wes chuckled on Cara’s other side.
Rhys glanced up from his conversation with Liv, and his eyes traveled to someone behind them. He smiled and lifted a hand.
“Hey, guys,” Emma greeted as she walked by with a group of other senior girls.
A fresh wave of guilt over her angry feelings from the weekend swept through Cara. It wasn’t Emma’s fault she was totally perfect, and probably perfect for Rhys. Cara had been avoiding Rhys as much as she could ever since he and Emma had grown close again. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her scowl at Emma’s presence, especially since the kind older girl had never been anything but gracious to her.
After all, Rhys was supposed to be in the senior class too. He’d only ended up in junior year now after missing a year of school when Liv was in the hospital. He’d dated Emma as a sophomore before he left, and it looked like they’d picked up where they left off.
Avoiding him was supposed to make things easier. Sure. She stabbed at her hash browns until a waft of strawberry scent made her close her eyes and suppress a groan.
You should have known it wasn’t o
ver.
Cassidy stepped up to their table, sliding in between Cara and Jory. She took one hand off her tray to rest on Jory’s shoulder, blocking Cara’s view of Liv on his other side.
“Good luck at your baseball game tomorrow, Jory.” Her voice dripped with sweetness.
“Thanks, Cass. New hair looks great.”
Cara kicked him again under the table, hard enough to make him grunt, as she visualized Liv’s hurt face hidden behind him. Cassidy swept away, swinging her hips and her pink-and-grey hair. Cara’s exaggerated eye-roll ended in time to catch Rhys watching her. His lips twitched before he could bring the spoonful of cereal to his mouth. Blushing, she gave the foil top on her peach yogurt her full attention as she avoided looking in his direction again.
Wes cleared his throat and leaned over his empty tray. “Should we talk about last night?”
“You haven’t told him yet?” Cara gave Wes a sideways look. He had Rhys’s number, and she’d assumed he would have messaged him and filled him in by now.
“No. I figured you could tell him.”
She kept glaring at Wes. She didn’t dare turn an accusing look at Jory, who was probably in on this setup, in case he did something absurd—like wink at her. The fact that her two best friends knew about her crush was beyond annoying sometimes. Jory got a little credit for managing not to spill it to Liv . . . so far, at least.
“Tell me what?”
She resisted the urge to kick Wes, too, and did the only thing she could. Swallowing, she met Rhys’s gaze across the table. Wes could join Jory in the doghouse. She’d have words with both of them later.
“Our other friends,” she said in a quiet voice, glancing to each side to make sure no one was eavesdropping, “said they want to take us—you, me, and Wes—to meet with the council finally, to get the whole story about . . . you know.” She nodded her head toward Liv.
His eyebrows rose, and the rings of gold flashed in his steely eyes. “When?”
“They said it would take a few days to assemble the members, and something called a guardian—no idea. Probably this weekend.”
“Okay. Let me know.” He stood to leave. She couldn’t help noticing the tightness in his shoulders and jaw.
They put away their trays and joined the other students heading to class. Rhys walked ahead with some other juniors. Cara trudged between Jory and Wes, chewing her lip and trying not to focus on Kaylee and Ethan holding hands and giggling close together in front of them. At least Rhys and Emma never did that in public. She'd never even seen them holding hands, let alone making out, thankfully.
When they split off to go to their separate classes, she had Jory to herself as they headed for biology.
“Will you ask her out already?” She elbowed him in the ribs.
“Ow. What?”
“Liv. When are you finally going to ask her out? It's obvious you two like each other.”
“I don't know. It's not that easy.”
“What do you mean? You've never had trouble asking girls out before.”
“Exactly. This is different.”
She slowed, inspecting his face. “Different how?” There was no reason not to give her friend’s love life a little nudge, even if she couldn't do anything about hers.
Jory shrugged. “It just is. She’s special. I can’t just ask her out like any other girl.”
She bumped his shoulder. “Don't tell me you're turning shy on me, Jor.”
“No, but . . . Meeting you . . . The whole ‘nothing that never was’ between us—” He gave her a ridiculous grin, and she smacked his shoulder.
“Thank goodness. Dodged a bullet there.”
“Ha ha. Anyway, it made me realize that getting to know her first will make it better. I want it to be perfect. You know, waiting for the right time.”
Aw. What a romantic.
When Jory finally got his act together, he and Liv were going to be great. “Well, don't wait too long. She and Cassidy might do something drastic.”
For the rest of the week, Cara left him alone about it but watched him closely whenever Liv was with them. When the time came for her and Wes to leave after dinner on Saturday, she pulled him aside again.
“I'm guessing we'll be gone a few hours. Maybe a good time for you and Liv to be alone?” she whispered.
He gave her a grin but no promises. She shook her head with a smile.
“Ready?” Wes asked.
She set her shoulders. “I hope so.”
Jenner trotted beside them as they circled behind the dorms close to the forest. Rhys stood waiting at the start of the trail leading into the woods. He relaxed a little when he saw them, his hands unclenching as she approached. Thomas ambled down the path toward them, and a green gleam passed over his eyes.
"They're waiting for us," Tomyx said.
Their somber party hiked single file down the trail deep into the forest, well beyond the school boundary marked by gold-banded trees. She barely gave a thought to breaking that particular rule. It wasn’t the first time. The path grew less used, and the undergrowth pressed in on them as the shadows intensified. Cara shivered in the cool evening air. After what felt like half an hour of tense silence, they reached a small clearing. The low angle of the remaining sunlight left it dimly lit, and the surrounding trees were barely lighter than the darkness beyond them.
Wes, who had taken the lead, stopped in front of her before she could move into the open space. Peeking over his shoulder, she took in their surroundings, starting with the boulder in the center. Her eyes darted to the far side, and she understood Wes’s hesitation. Several animals watched their approach—the largest among them, a black bear.
She tensed at the sight but took comfort from Wes’s quick assessment and acceptance when he stepped forward. Of course. These animals were all pyxides and were here to meet them under complete control of the Pyx within their minds. Predator and prey stood side by side without issue. They were safe. Probably.
Cara joined Wes and pressed a hand to her sternum in an effort to suppress the varied surge of feelings from the Pyx all around them. Her heart stuttered, partly her own nerves, but it seemed many of the Pyx were anxious too. How unusual was it for them to meet with a bunch of Pyxsees?
Aside from the bear, there were two deer, a fox, a squirrel, and a hare ranged around the tree line. In the branches above them, she spotted the owl who’d given them instructions on what to do with the clay pyxis containing the captured Pyx last fall. The owl was perched on a large branch beside an unwelcome sight.
The large black raven fixed her with his beady eyes, but the serious moment meant Ryx didn’t taunt her with his usual mocking: “Caw, caw, Cara.”
Rhys had come to stand on her other side, and his head lifted toward the birds as well.
The bear shifted across the clearing, and Cara flinched, bumping Rhys’s arm beside her.
He glanced down at her. “I’ve never seen a bear this close before, either. Shouldn’t it be hibernating?”
At least she wasn’t the only one in awe, although Rhys was doing a better job of keeping his head. Wes had almost certainly seen bears while out bowhunting with his dad and siblings growing up, and he didn’t appear intimidated. Jenner moved in front of the humans and glanced back over his shoulder at them.
“Relax. There is nothing to worry about here,” Jenyx said.
Cara dropped her hand from her throat and gestured around the circle. “Do they know that? Because I’m picking up plenty of worry. I can’t control everyone’s feelings. I can’t even control my own.”
The bear sank back to its haunches and bowed its head. “He’s well-fed and perfectly calm, I promise you.” The voice of the Pyx speaking from the bear’s mind came out gruff yet friendly enough. Cara tried to relax.
Thomas strutted around the edge of the clearing before leaping onto the boulder.
“Thanks for coming, everyone,” Tomyx started. “We couldn’t put this off any longer. I know we're not used to sharing t
hese proceedings with humans, but Cara is a special case, and her friends are involved too.”
“Thank you for your trust in us,” added Jenyx.
“We've all noticed some new Pyx in the area who've managed to stay hidden. After the testimony we heard this past autumn, there's been a lot of discussion about what this means. On top of that, those of us in contact with Pyx in the city, and with more humans in these parts, have noticed some disturbing trends.” It was the most serious Tomyx had ever sounded.
A deeper voice picked up where Tomyx had left off. “Attacks on humans in the area by our kind have definitely increased since we first learned about it. It confirms everything the law-breaker told us at the council of eleven when we interrogated her.”
Cara knew the voice. The squirrel pyxis hosted one of the elders who usually lived in the small park near her house in Portland. The deep voice booming in her mind from the small squirrel usually made her stifle a laugh, but the somber mood at the moment dampened her amusement.
Jenyx spoke again. “Indeed, the testimony from that time has been borne out by everything we have learned since. Tomyx and I, and several of you here today, have watched Cara for half her life. We long suspected she may have increased abilities due to the intensity of Pyxsee-gold in her eyes. It is exceedingly rare to find a Pyxsee with her solid-gold hue. Last summer, it became clear we were correct when she sensed Livyx trapped and struggling inside young Olivia. Her empathic ability has grown since then, and we can deduce from her reactions to the unknown Pyx in the area that they do not come with friendly intentions.” Jenner turned to face the three of them. “The Pyx who attacked Olivia testified to our council that she did not act alone. Since then, we have confirmed numerous other attacks, meaning there is a group of Pyx choosing to break our laws. They appear to be somewhat, er, organized.”
Rhys tensed beside her, but Cara kept her eyes on the assembly in front. “Have you found out why?”
“We asked you here not only to fill you in on what the council has learned, but also so you could hear from the Pyx you knew as Livyx yourself. She is known as Linnaeryx now and will be here soon to speak with you. She will tell you what she has told us.”