Splintering Reality (Breaking Order Series Book 2)

by Catherine Kopf

  Dustin story was a chronicle of Dreamers, or at least that’s what I took from it. Each person in their group had a role. Were my friends and I the same way? Were we like El Sueños Ocho? Wes was our Historian, Enya was The Flame, Dustin was The Warrior, Kuan-yin was The Blade Wielder, Ivory was our moral center, and I was supposed to be our guide… Ambert. Where did he fit? He wasn’t like any of El Sueños Ocho’s titles, but he was a part of our group all the same. I’d never change that.

  Enya slumped against the doorway as my eyes began to close. “Any of that story true?”

  “My papá told me it for nights on end. Each story about El Sueños Ocho, well, they felt real.”

  “Thanks for taking care of them. I appreciate your help.” Enya lowered her gaze.

  “No bad for an ex-Regime employee, right?” Dustin smirked.

  Enya chuckled. “Right.”

  “May I hold your hand?” Dustin looked at her with tender eyes.

  “You’re asking me?”

  “It wouldn’t be right not to. You’re not an object.”

  “You’ve got a few things right in that head of yours.” Enya reached out her hand.

  “See you tomorrow after I get out of my dorm?”

  Enya nodded. “Maybe I can spare a few minutes.”

  As they talked, I slowly faded into sleep, tuckered out from everything I’d been through, Ivory at my side, and questions burning through my head.

  Fire scorched the room. I coughed and jerked to my left. The others were gone. Instead, echoes of the roaring flames replaced them, spreading and reaching out to me. I popped out of my bed and sprinted across the room. A beam collapsed in front of me, the white wood singing and splintering around me. Heat sweltered my face, leaving beads of sweat rolling down my cheeks.

  “Ivory! Wes! Mom! Enya!” my voice croaked, looking for any way out of the flames.

  The three voices sang once again:

  “Time is drawing near,

  To protect those you hold dear.

  Blood and fire will spread,

  Filling dreams with dread.

  Two lives you must choose between,

  One in plain sight, the other unseen.

  The girl is the key, the answer to your path,

  Call upon your gifts. Stop the visions of wrath.”

  I drew in a deep breath and jolted awake. My EKG beeped like everything was normal, yet, I could barely catch my breath. The flames were real. The danger was real. We were all in danger, and if I just sat by, tons of people would die.

  I needed to find those two lives before it was too late.

  But how?

  THIRTY

  Calista

  Doctors slowly accustomed me to walking and doing daily activities again. Staying in the hospital for so long, I lost track of time. How long had it been since my injury? Two weeks-ish? It seemed longer. I was ready to get out of there. Being cooped up inside that hospital room was worse than going to military school or hiding out in Wes’ warehouse.

  “Well, everything checks out.” the doctor looked to his clipboard.

  Wes’ grin widened. “That’s great!”

  I stretched my shoulders. “Does that mean I can leave my room now?”

  “It certainly does.” the doctor smiled.

  “Score!” Wes chuckled.

  “Just be careful of who you hang out with, Ms. Knight.” the doctor’s stern glare traveled through me.

  I tilted my head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “When you first got here, you contained nanobots in your system. Explosive ones. The Regime could’ve killed you at any time, anywhere. You should be lucky Ambert Greer knew about them.”

  “Ambert… he knew... ?” my lip quivered.

  Wes placed his hand on my shoulder. “He wanted to protect you. Even put himself in danger to do that. He’s trying so hard to get better.”

  “He was injured too?!” my jaw sank to the floor.

  “He was a broken piece of glass even before he got here. But, he did recover physically, so we released him a few days before you woke up.” the doctor looked at her file.

  Wes and I left my hospital room, smiles on our faces, and headed to the hospital cafeteria. Taking a sniff, I could almost taste the different foods from hamburgers to pizza. Other things like macaroni and cheese and chocolate filled the air as well. This was definitely a meal worth waking up for! For the last several weeks, I hadn't had a lot of comfort food. This was just like being at home with Ambert, Gran, and Mom.

  “Wallflower!” Enya rushed toward me with open arms. She hugged me, something I'd never expect from her. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  “I’ll check on lunch.” Wes entered the kitchen.

  Enya released me from her hug and sighed. “Did he tell you who’s here with him yet?”

  I shook my head. “I know Ambert’s here. With Kuan-yin. Mai and Vana went missing. That worries me… especially with dangerous magic running around. I have to protect the two lives with no clue how to find Aurelia!”

  “Hey, before you see him, you need to know.” Enya swallowed a lump in her throat. “He… he went through a lot to make sure you’d stay safe. Take Antiserums, compromise himself, work harder… I don’t know how he did it.”

  “Huh?”

  “Anyway, it’s gotten better. He’s gotten better. Over these last few weeks, we’ve got our same positive, innovative musician back. These people may be hard hats, but they know how to treat people.”

  “Lunch is ready!” a voice called from behind me.

  My face got hot.

  Ambert had several bandages on his left arm and right shoulder, but other than that, he hadn’t changed. His white clothing tainted with gray ashes, but he carried the same, kind smile I was used to from our childhood. He looked tired and worn out by everything he’d been through, almost like Father did after long days at his job, yet something inside him seemed more determined than ever before.

  The first thing he did was hug me. “Cal! I’m so glad you’re okay!”

  Our group was reunited, separated from the others in Safe Haven. A lingering darkness was around us… and The Regime could pounce at any moment to gather us, the leaders of our rebellion, all in one place. Fire and blood would spread just like my dream said. The two lives would be in danger. I’d never find Aurelia.

  Uneasiness coursed through me. Clutching the rosary around my neck, I shut my eyes, not reciprocating the hug.

  “What’s wrong?” Ambert’s tired eyes filled with worry. “Come on, Cal. We’re safe now!”

  I squeezed onto Ambert, tears falling from my eyes like I’d seen the death of a loved one. Technically, I had with Chief Starbright. I’d been put under so much pressure. So much death surrounded us in our travels. So much darkness. Reuniting with my closest friends was like a weight lifting off me. I couldn’t go through this alone.

  I had to find the two lives and Aurelia before Mai found us. Otherwise, the entire world hung in the balance.

  During lunch, I sat on one of the white couches in the hospital lobby with Ambert and Enya. White plates were stained with all kinds of food. For me, cut pieces of steak, apple slices, and an ice cream sandwich. What? Ambert and Enya might’ve stared for a second, but I couldn’t resist picking up something sweet. Ambert chuckled and took a bite of his macaroni and cheese.

  “Why did you come after us?” I looked up from my food.

  “I couldn’t stand by when you could get hurt.”

  “So, you just left?”

  “Wes and Kuan-yin happily volunteered to come too. We traveled to Weisheit, where Dr. Liu said you went. When you weren’t there, I knew you must’ve gone to Goldcrest and you were making your way to Serre.”

  “I was afraid I wouldn’t see you again...” I lowered my head.

  Enya crossed her arms. “You wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been for Ambert’s blood transfusion.”

  “W
hy would you do that!? You were hurt,” I said.

  Ambert stood. “So many suffer from The Regime. No more need to die. Not after the cave or Becky and Zeke.”

  “This goody-two-shoes attitude of yours will get you killed. If Kuan hadn’t stepped in there...” Enya brushed through her short hair.

  I bit my lip. “…I thought they were our friends.”

  “So did I.” Ambert sighed and shivered, probably remembering what happened.

  “I told him he was stupid,” Enya chuckled.

  Ambert faced me with a smile, the same one he gave when we were younger. “Ivory told me about how you met Dustin.”

  I laughed. “Enya actually used some of your poetry.”

  “Guess that makes sense. The two of them haven’t separated since you got here.”

  Enya rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t have gotten out of the cave if it weren’t for him. Besides, we actually have things we can talk about.”

  “That’s why he’s not handcuffed?” I cocked my eyebrow.

  Enya shoved her hands in her pockets. “I haven’t found an excuse to use them after he carried you out. You can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle stress.”

  “I’m glad you all spared his life.” Ambert nodded.

  My face beamed. “Dustin knows a lot about The Regime.”

  “Well, maybe I’m glad I didn’t kill him a little bit. He’s kinda hot,” Enya said.

  “... And, there’s something else you need to know, Cal.” Ambert cleared his throat.

  “Hey, it’s okay. We protect each other, right?” I had to be supportive of him just like he was of me.

  Ambert sighed. “... I have magic.”

  My eyes widened. “Wow… that’s amazing! What type of magic do you have? Fire? Onlooker magic? Something music related?”

  “Sound.” Ambert chuckled awkwardly. “You’re taking this well.”

  “When did you find out?” I was like a girl on a sugar high.

  “Slowly.” Ambert rubbed a case that sat beside him. It was oddly shaped, partially circular and some parts angular. “It’s helped me learn to play this. I couldn’t be happier…”

  I leaned forward in my seat. “What is it, exactly?”

  “An instrument, Wallflower. Duh.” Enya showed a soft smile.

  “I could play some.” Ambert opened the case.

  A gasp left my lip. He had a violin. The same instrument as The Boy With the Violin. That… that couldn’t be right! Since when did Ambert pick this up? For all I knew, he could be the boy from my dreams, the one I could never really see. My face paled, sending a chill up my spine. My vision couldn’t possibly want me to choose between Ambert and a boy I’d never met before, right? That choice wouldn’t have been mine to make! But they both weren’t connected to dreams and flame. Dreams, maybe, but flames? That was nothing like the boy I saw in my dreams.

  Enya noticed my fear and tapped Ambert’s shoulder. “There’s time to talk about this later.”

  “Yeah, we need to find Aurelia and unravel that prophecy I’ve had…” I swallowed, hiding the tears behind my eyes.

  “If we don’t the universe is doomed, right?” Enya spoke with sarcasm.

  “Um… my…” I released a deep breath of air. “My dream made it seem that way, but it said things were more than meets the eye.”

  “Not sure what that means, but I’m ready to find out.” Ambert packed his case and gripped it with his bandaged hand. “Let’s get Wes.”

  THIRTY-ONE

  Calista

  We opened the white doors to the recreation center, where Ambert said Wes would go after lunch. Colorful displays of artwork popped against Serre’s white color scheme, each as colorful as the paintings from the warehouse. What I’d give to go back there with my friends!

  I spotted Wes in the corner painting a canvas on an easel. Nurses dressed in white dresses stood by giggling at Wes, but he didn’t pay attention to them. Instead, his eyes glued to his masterpiece: a girl's face splattered with freckles, her red curly hair contrasting against her sea-foam-green eyes. Speckles of stars scattered around her upward-glancing expression. A purple butterfly sat in the girl’s hair.

  But why was Wes painting me?

  I brushed a hair behind my ear and tried not to blush as I pointed toward Wes. “Over there.”

  “Come on.” Enya pulled me over to him.

  “What’s going on?” Wes kept his eyes on his painting.

  I tapped his shoulder. “I think we’re close to Aurelia.”

  Wes dazed off at what I said, flicking his brush with oranges, yellows, and reds for my hair. Absorbed by his artwork, Wes’ eyes burned with passion, his smile beaming on his face like he was in paradise. He was back home, consumed in his art, surrounded by canvases. I concealed my smile, but inside, I lit up like fireworks.

  Enya looked at Ambert and cleared her throat, her eyes shifting back to Wes. “Tell him to quit playing Artist and get a move on! He can see Wallflower whenever.”

  Nothing came from Ambert throat. Who could blame the guy? Ambert knew how much art meant to Wes. Why would we take that beauty away from him? I mean, I wouldn't. Yet again, Enya wasn’t afraid to tell him when she wanted to get done. She always tried to speak her mind about what needed to do. Considering she hated authority, it was nice seeing she knew what mattered most.

  Enya cleared her throat again.

  Wes placed his brush down. “We’re close to my sister?”

  I nodded. “Who else did you think it was?”

  Wes laughed. “Alright, I’ll come help. Let’s gather the others.”

  “I agree. Enya should go with me, and Cal can go with you.” Ambert grinned from ear to ear.

  Always Enya… did my injuries not change a thing?

  Wes’ face sparked with energy. “Sounds like a plan. We’ll chase down the others and you can look for more information to help Calista.”

  We split up. Chatter from the cafeteria faded as we got closer to the exit, my footsteps echoing behind me. White colored stones covered the entire building, and it made me question how they kept the place so clean. The floor was so spotless, one could see their reflection in it!

  Wes’ paintbrush thudded onto the clean floor.

  “You never leave anywhere without this...” I smiled and picked up the paintbrush.

  He took it from my hand. “It’s the only thing my family gave me other than the tapes.” there was a pause before Wes spoke up again, the echoes of our footsteps thumping through the hospital. “I’m sorry if I’m on edge. Everything’s just been crazy trying to find Aurelia and…”

  His pause sent worry flowing through my body. And what? What else was driving him nuts? Golly, for me that was being a leader, unraveling and prophecy, finding his sister, and discovering who The Boy With the Violin was. No pressure, right? Still, I didn’t want to talk about that with him, so I got why he didn’t want to say everything worrying him. The best thing I could do was support him like he always strode to do for me.

  “If you don’t want to talk about it, my lips are sealed.” I smiled. “That painting was beautiful by the way.”

  “You liked it?” His eyes gleamed.

  A rush of heat ran through my cheeks. “Though we both know I’m not that glamorous.”

  “Maybe on the outside, if that’s what you think.” Wes gripped tighter onto his paintbrush. “But inside, you’re as dedicated of a Dreamer as me: kind, curious, full of heart. You know that’s true, don’t you?”

  The two of us made our way into the city. The buildings around us were made of a shining white wood. The bridges were white, the fences were white, and even the buildings were white. Around the city, an array of music notes made out of spray paint on the walls. A couple of buildings were collapsed as well.

  Wes took in a deep breath. “The Regime left The Dreamers here to starve. Not exactly the best treatment. When we made it through the cave, it gave them th
e hope to keep living their dreams. So, construction for the bridge started right away.”

  I turned my head toward him. “Glad we’ve helped them so much.”

  Music from all sorts of instruments filled the air. Flutes, pianos, violins, guitars, keyboards, bass, trumpets, trombones, french horns, percussion, and even cellos. It all was wonderful to listen to. I smiled, taking it all in like one of Ambert’s songs. Breathtaking.

  “I’m surprised how well the people hid their instruments from The Regime. Underground tunnels of all places! Serre sure knows how to kick some butt!” Wes’ mischievous grin painted him like the rebel he was.

  My jaw dropped open. “I completely forgot why this place was special on the map. It’s beautiful.”

  Wes placed his hand in front of me. “Careful.”

  “What is it?”

  “A Regime bug.” Wes pointed to the lamp post. “See it?”

  The lamp post carried a small red camera on it, circular and barely noticeable. I didn’t even realize it was there until he pointed it out!

  “Is it explosive? … Wes, what do we do about it? Tell the elders?”

  He snapped his finger. “I’ve got another idea.”

  Grabbing a cloth from his backpack, Wes covered the camera. With a twist, he removed the object like it was nothing important. I would crack under the pressure. How did Wes remove that so fast? My jaw slowly dropped open, questioning the rabbit holes I dug myself into. There was no better way to find out than asking him.

  I tilted my head. “Golly, that was fast…”

  “You’ve gotta remove these things quickly. They soak in information like a weed.” Wes placed down the camera and stepped on it like some kind of bug.

  “How did you do that?”

  Wes gave a half shrug. “Living on your own teaches you a lot about The Regime’s spies, I guess.”

  Wes and I walked along the streets, making our way to the astrology dome in Serre. We were sure to find someone who saw at least one of our friends walk by there.