“Are you okay? I’m so sorry!” Lili grabs me and searches my body for damage. She just almost killed me, reminding me of why we are adversaries. I pull away from her, breaking our connection, and put up an energy barrier between us.
She notices there’s been a change and has an immediate hurt reaction, which is displayed in her hazel eyes. “Thanks for the help, Easton. I better get back to my room before our curfew.” She turns away from me and walks towards the school with the sun setting in front of her. I longingly look at her wishing my life was simpler. That sun + girl could equal happiness.
Easton - Status Report
I enter my bedroom slamming the door behind me. I’m dark, I shouldn’t be contemplating right and wrong. We may have a forming connection, but that still doesn’t erase that she’s designed to kill me.
I shake off my internal confusion, looking for my Gnosis amongst the mess in my room. I find it under a pile of dirty clothes by my dresser. I really need to clean this disaster zone. My Gnosis has a flashing message on the screen, letting me know the Darkness has left me a message. Of course, that’s not the Celestial’s name who recruited me, but I prefer it. It lets me know who I’m dealing with.
The Darkness wants an update on what happened in my mentor meeting with Lili. I debate ignoring my message a little longer, but that would only put off the inevitable. I’m already involved in the scheme to destroy Lili, and there’s no way for me to get out of it. I grab a bottle of water and drink it in entirety, trying to wash away the past twelve hours. I don’t care about Lili; she’s just a pretty girl who happens to be under my skin. My feelings for her are a mirage from the light.
My Gnosis speaks to me in a young girl’s voice asking, “What can I help you with?” It bothers me that I don’t remember the little girl’s voice. I wonder who she was to me in my human life.
I tell my Gnosis to place the call to the Darkness and wait with bated breath for its answer. “How did it go?” Straight to the point, like always. At least the Darkness is consistent in its dislike of small talk and niceties.
I reply without emotion. Trying to keep the conversation business oriented and quick. “It went well. She’s starting to trust me. I need to spend more time with her to gain her trust. She’s guarded.”
There is a pause, which is worrisome. Then the Darkness probes me for more concrete information. “Did she mention having powers? Give you any personal details?”
The Darkness’ questions worry me. If I tell it the truth, the plan will accelerate rapidly, and for some unknown reason I’m not ready for that. I respond quickly, so as not to raise any suspicion. “She didn’t divulge having powers to me and only implied she has tragedy in her past. No actual details yet. Like I said before, I need more time.” I’m shocked by my own answer. Why did I lie? The Darkness can read energy just like me, which makes it hard to hide things. I put a barrier up for security, hoping our distance gives me protection. I can’t help but feel Lili is going to be my downfall, no matter what I decide.
The Darkness suspiciously says, “I swear I felt her using her abilities earlier. There was lightning reported in the Cognosco school yard.”
Crap, it knows. I carefully reply with another lie. “I didn’t feel that. We still have a while before she turns sixteen and gains her full abilities. Let’s not rush it.”
The silence on the line is painful. “Okay, Easton. I’ll discuss what you told me with the others. I’m sure they’ll be interested in your account. Keep an eye on her and try to get her to trust you as soon as possible. I’ll be in touch.” The connection ends abruptly. This isn’t the first time the Darkness has mentioned others, but I have no idea who they are. Dark plotting isn’t really a team sport.
After a complicated, long day I shed my clothes in the dirty clothes pile on my floor hoping a good night’s sleep will give me the clarity I need.
CHAPTER SEVEN
First Day
Lili - All in attendance
The early morning sun floods my new bedroom in golden hues. The sweeping, crystal clear windows in my room were fun at first, but I’d prefer to wake to the dark, like a vampire. Do Celestials not believe in curtains?
A blue digital timer suddenly flashes onto my bedroom window, informing Nora and I that our class will start in ten minutes and zero-seconds. Nine minutes and fifty-nine seconds, fifty-eight… Crap. I luckily don’t need much time to get ready, which is convenient since I abhor mornings. I grab an outfit, brush my teeth, comb my hair and I’m ready to go.
The Cognosco halls pretty much mirror typical behaviors displayed in a human high school. There’s a girl taking a selfie, groups of Celestial’s talking, and the cute guy all the girls want—only difference is I happen to want him too.
Easton leans against a wall in hallway, all too aware of his effect on the girls around him. A cute brunette girl intentionally drops her bag at Easton’s feet, slowly picking it up as she flirts with him. He pays her no attention, and I catch him staring in my direction with a quick glimmer of unmasked emotions behind his eyes. I try to avoid looking back, even though I desperately want to. I can’t get involved with him. I need to focus on finding the darkness and a way to stop the memory eradication, but the problem is I have no idea how.
As I pass him, I feel an energy spike deeper than before, which catches me off guard and I run straight into James, almost falling over. I swear I was born with two duck feet, and I shouldn’t be allowed to walk on land. James quickly saves my dignity, catching me in mid fall just like a prince in a fairy tale. Though if it was up to me, I’d be the hero, and him, the damsel in distress. The thought makes me laugh out loud and Nora joins in.
Nora lightheartedly pinches James’ checks. “What a charmer! Sweeping you off your feet on the first day of school.”
I quickly steady myself, thanking James with a smile as we head to class. I glance at where Easton was standing, not sure if I want him there or not. He’s gone, and I feel unexpectedly let down by his absence.
My History of Celestials classroom is large and open with a large blue stoned accent wall that looks like smooth pieces of jade. The room holds 2 long wooden tables that unnaturally curve into a circular design. Each table has 12 shimmering glass chairs. James quickly grabs a seat at the very edge of the second table, motioning for me and Nora to join him. I hurriedly move to his side and Nora reluctantly follows, sulking behind me as her eyes longingly glance towards an empty seat in the middle of the first table.
I envy the freedom she must feel. I wish I had the confidence to walk in a room, sit in the very front of the class and answer all the questions with pride, not caring what others think of me. But that’s not me.
Nora unpacks her bag, removing a pen, notebook and her Gnosis. She turns to James and me with excitement. “You guys study the material last night? I thought it was fascinating. We are practically the policemen of Earth.”
James and I look at each other. It’s obvious to both of us that we didn’t read the material. I was replaying the lightning explosion with Easton in my mind, and who knows what James was doing.
James replies to Nora’s question with a guilty look. “Nah, I had a busy night. I’m planning to read it tonight.”
Nora shakes her head in disbelief. “I’m trying to not judge you, but it is the first day of school, so…”
James tries to avoid Nora’s judgment, turning his back to her and his attention to me. “How did your night go? I heard our mentors switched. I got Gwyneth and you must have gotten my mentor.”
I don’t want to answer James’ questions, wanting to talk about anything else besides Easton. Luckily, I am saved by our teacher’s entrance. She bounces into the room with happiness. She is a round bubbly girl. Her skin seems stretched and full of air, like a full balloon that could blow away in the wind.
“Good morning class! I’m Harper. It’s so great to have every single one of you here today. I hope everyone read the assigned reading last night. A brief summary of how we
came to be and our role on Earth.”
Everyone in the class is silent, except for Nora who proudly proclaims, “I did!”
Harper pats Nora on the shoulder, clearly disappointed by the single response. Her pep begins to deflate, bringing her back to earth, where her demeanor becomes more business and less fluff. “Raise your hands if you completed the assignment.” Everyone but me raises their hands. James looks at me with guilt on his face, his hand raised high in the air. Harper crisply claps her hands three times, changing the translucent chairs we sit on to different colors. Half of the chairs are green and the other half red. My seat is flashing gold, alarming me. Harper shakes her head as she continues to talk. “I was hoping for more honesty. Red means negative energy, which is a reaction to your lie. Those of you who received green were telling the truth, but you really had no reason to lie, Did you? So, you’re not trustworthy yet.”
Harper walks directly behind my chair with a surprised look on her face. “I designed the chairs to flash when someone tells the truth, against their own benefit. It is a rare spirit. Good job—you’ve earned my respect and trust going forward.” Everyone in the class looks at me, giving me attention that I detest.
Nora leans over to me and whispers in my ear, “You’re definitely not a Norma!”
Harper walks back to the front of the room, instructing as she goes. “Now, we will dive further into the creation of Celestials and how the two Celestial factions were formed.” An image projects over Harper’s head like a movie displaying her story in 4D for our class. “The first energy ever created was both dark and light, and from these came two new energies. One benevolent and one malevolent energy. The new energies were unable to co-exist. The benevolent energy’s' purpose was to create, and the malevolent energy’s purpose was to destroy. Millennia and millennia went by where the two energies battled each other. Then our creator, the benevolent energy, created Earth, people and all living things as it had done many times before, but this time God also created Celestials.”
A jester looking boy with thin brown hair asks Harper in a foolish tone, “The benevolent energy is God, and the malevolent is the Devil?”
Harper laughs and then says, “Ben, right?”
Ben bows in response, adding, “At your service.”
Harper glares at him intently until he stops performing. She then answers his question. “Absolutely not. They have similarities, but our belief does not mirror that of humans. The Devil is based on a combination of Adem, one of our leaders, and a more simplistic version of the darkness.” Harper pauses then continues with a question to the class. “Who can tell us how the factions were formed?”
Nora raises her hand in triumph as she begins to lecture the class, “There are different Celestials to help with different problems, but there was only ever one Celestial on Earth who could connect to all things, including God. Celestials were all led by Michael, until his connection to God was severed. Evil began to spread, and Celestials disagreed on how to fight it. They divided into two dissenting factions with differing views. One ruled by Michael and the other ruled by Adem. Then during the war of the factions, God started sending new Celestials down. Our purpose is unknown.”
The class remains silent after Nora finishes, until Harper says, “That’s correct. Everyone, take out your Gnosis and request to read ‘FACTIONS: A True Telling.’ When everybody is finished, we will talk in an open and honest discussion about our purpose from God. Exciting stuff. Get to reading.”
I used to pray at every meal, but the horrors of the world started to make me doubt the existence of God. Then when I was unable to save my Dad, well, I’ve not talked to God in a while. I take Sax out of my bag and place her on my desk.
“Hi, Sax. Did you hear what she said?”
“Yes, I did. I’ll pull that up now.”
Yesterday’s warning about danger and memory eradication re-enters my mind. “Sax, do you report what we speak about?”
I hear comfort in her voice. “I do not. You can speak to me about anything. I am here only for you.”
“I have a favor to ask. Do you happen to have any material on when and why memory eradication was started?”
Sax disappears then returns in a matter of seconds. “I feel a text exists that will shine light on the start of memory eradication, but it is hidden from me. It may take me a little bit of time to locate it.”
I feel relieved to possibly have an ally in stopping my dream from coming to fruition. “Thanks, Sax!”
Sax’s tone becomes grim. “Lili, I have to warn you that the energy hiding the text from me is made of pure evil and it very strong. Be careful.”
Lili - Hunger
My Fundamentals of Empaths class is taught by a wiry, thin man named Apollo, who speaks slowly and has kind, yellowish eyes. I learn that empaths can sense power and electricity in others and are able to process it. It’s a rare gift and takes practice to be able to properly control it. Before I know it, my first day is halfway through, and I’m in desperate need of sustenance.
Nora and James both go back to their rooms before our next class, while I decide to head to the dining hall to stop the monster in my stomach from growling.
The dining room has a crystal ceiling with clear glass walls. In the center of the space there is an indoor garden with vegetables and fruits growing up into the roof in the shape of a column. The room is warm from sunlight and smells of basil, thyme and sage. I see Easton standing in a group of guys in the corner of the room, but I wouldn’t dare sit with him after our awkward exchange in the trees last night.
It’s my turn to grab food, and the only things available are healthy natural foods. I’m craving salty chips, but I guess rabbit food will have to suffice. I see golden trays of apples, peaches, carrots, peas, blue berries, cherries and watermelon. The platters are over-flowing and are decorated with strawberries, mangos and an unfamiliar purple glowing fruit cut in the shape of flowers. There’s nuts and cheese mixed in with the fruit, but there’s no meat in sight or anything I’m used to eating. At the end of the table there’s a purple fruit that seem to have gold flecks shimmering on it. I add it to my tray at the last second before finding an empty table to sit at.
I sit and begin to eat the cheese and nuts quickly, trying to fill my empty belly and escape my social purgatory as soon as possible. I feel someone sit to the right of me, and when I turn I am surprised to see Easton.
He points at the purple fruit on my plate and asks, “Do you know what that is?”
I decide to ignore the events of last night and turn my attention towards the fruit on my plate. I sarcastically say, “Of course I do. What kind of Celestial do you take me for? I love this purple ball.”
Easton smirks at me then says, “It’s a humling, a Celestial specialty.” He then takes a bite of the purple fruit and hands it to me when he’s finished.
I hesitate at first then bite hard into the humling, almost eating it all in one bite. The taste is slightly sweet and crisp, reminding me of a combo between grape and jicama. My dad always made me salads with jicama in it, no matter the salad and no matter if it belonged in it.
I laugh out loud, forgetting Easton is sitting next to me. He’s staring at me, like he’s trying to hear my inner thoughts. “What’s so funny?”
I shake off my memory and say, “Sorry, I just got lost in my head for a moment.”
“No worries. Was it a happy thought?”
I hesitate before answering. I’m not sure if I want to talk about my dead father with Easton. “The humling reminds me of jicama. Have you ever had it?”
Easton furrows his eyebrows in thought. “I don’t think so. If I have, I wouldn’t remember.”
“Jicama is interesting. Super crisp and kind of fruity like a muted apple mixed with a potato.”
Easton’s face twists and shakes at my description. “That sounds odd. We will have to try one together.” The thought of sharing a jicama with Easton makes me genuinely smile, which he returns kindly. E
aston has darkness inside of him, that much is clear to me, but his darkness isn’t how I expect it to be. It’s less absolute.
I try to get to know him more and ask, “This is your second year at Cognosco. So far, what’s your favorite thing?”
Easton’s energy becomes guarded again as he answers my question. “I’m not sure. Practicing my powers, though I’d like to be able to do so more freely.”
“More freely, like off of campus?”
“I guess so. I don’t like to be limited and tied down. I don’t like to be told what to do. I’m independent and learn quicker alone.”
Easton and I are more alike than I first realized. “Me too, but it’s nice to be amongst other people sometimes.” Easton’s eyes connect to mine, and I feel my heart pound hard against my chest.
Unfortunately, our moment together is interrupted. The blonde girl on Easton’s arm when I first arrived at Cognosco sits next to me and loudly introduces herself with aggression. “I’m Gwyneth, and who might you be?”
I can tell she means to harm me from her energy, but I participate in her game anyway, unable to see a way to remove myself. “Lili.” I should have continued and said “nice to meet you” or something else, but my lips wouldn’t form the words.
Easton interjects in our obviously uncomfortable conversation. “Now you’ve met. Time to go, Gwyneth.”
She looks at him with hidden anger and grimaces as she turns towards me. “Just know that Easton changes his mind as quickly as he changes his girls.”
“Thanks, but he’s my mentor, so his dating life isn’t of my concern”
New Celestial : A teen paranormal romance series (The Celestial Series Book 1) Page 6