I wake with a pounding headache and Easton tied to a chair on the side of me. My vision is a little blurry, but we are in an open cave presumably on the beach. The ocean tide moves in and out of the caves sand floor as the setting sun’s light naturally illuminates the cave with amber tones. It would be romantic if we weren’t tied up. Easton anxiously looks at me, relief flooding his energy as I slowly come to.
My voice sounds wobbly as I ask, “What happened?”
Easton replies as he fights against his restraints. “They were waiting for us. We missed a Celestial in our blast, and he hit you smack across the head. With our abilities weakened, I had to surrender.”
I feel my head, which is sore and throbbing. “I wish they hadn’t put us in a cave.” I try to break the rope which binds my hands, but it doesn’t budge. “Are you able to get free?”
His face is tight as he says, “Not yet, it must be enchanted. Are you able to reach my hand?”
I reach my hand as far as I can, ripping the flesh around my wrist. I’m unable to reach him, breathing heavily as I say, “I can’t. Can you get any closer?” Easton strains to move his heavy wooden chair as close to me as possible, and I try to reach him again. This time my pinky finds his skin, and as soon as we touch our energies combine, breaking our ropes in a burst. Easton and I hear voices headed our way and quickly move against the cold cave’s wall, trying to hide in the shadows.
An Indian guy with rolling curly hair enters the cave with two Celestials flanking him. He notices we’re missing and yells, “Find them! Alert the guards.”
With my mind set on talking to Baxoney, I step out of the shadow and face them. “No need to get the guard. We are friendly. We just want to talk to Baxoney and then we will leave.” I feel his gaze move to me as he tries to search my energy. I shut him down, expelling him from my mind.
His expression is alarmed as he asks me, “What are you?”
Before I can answer Easton sharply replies, “Give us Baxoney or our friendly demeanors will change,” Great. Easton’s anger has awoken again.
I try to calm growing tensions by talking in a peaceful tone, meant for stray dogs who are hungry. “We want to talk to Baxoney about memory eradication. I want to stop it and thought he’d be able to help me. There’s no need to be scared. We would never hurt you.” I look at Easton with “be quiet” written all over my face. Then I turn toward the leader, putting my hand out. “Let me show you.” The Indian man questioning us deliberately moves towards my hand as he glares at Easton standing next to me. The guy slowly grabs my hand, like I could attack him at any moment. This time I let his energy enter mine, finding the truth in my words.
He quickly lets go of my hand and takes a couple steps away from us.
He nervously looks at me, ignoring Easton. “I believe your story. I’d like to talk some more. Just you and me.”
I feel Easton’s rage, and I answer the man before he has a chance to reply. “We come as a package deal.”
The man takes a deep breath and looks in Easton’s direction with irritation. He then turns towards me as he says, “He’s got issues, but if you insist, he can join.” Easton leers back in distain. I discreetly grab his hand, trying to still his angry energy.
The man watches us intently, before he begins walking out of the cave as he talks. “Follow me. We can speak more comfortably at my house.”
We follow as he leads us down the beach shore about a mile away from the cave. We walk up to a light blue coastal house with a red door on a sand hill. There are two rocking chairs on the porch with about ten seashell wind chimes lining the outside. Inside there’s a stoned fireplace with a large picture of the leader and a woman in his arms. They’re both smiling, though the lady’s smile is larger. The man takes a seat in an overstuffed chair and motions with his hand for us to seat on the couch opposite him.
Easton sits first, like he’s testing the couch for boobytraps. I begin talking as I sit down next to him. “I’m going to guess that you’re Baxoney, am I right?”
The man across from me replies, “I am.” He turns towards Easton with an angry expression as he continues talking, “I imagine you were the one who located me?”
I look towards Easton as he retorts, “I am.” Easton’s eyes squint as venom comes pouring out. “Nirvana was fun, thanks.”
Baxoney’s response echoes Easton’s anger. “I’m surprised you survived it.” Easton sarcastically smiles as Baxoney turns his attention back to me, asking, “Who helped you locate me?”
I’m beginning to gather he’s worried for his safety, so I respond as truthfully as I can. “Harper gave me your energy key. No one besides Easton and I know you’re here.”
Baxoney thinks over my answer while he asks another question, “Why are you so interested in memory eradication?”
Easton and I look at each other, neither knowing how to answer. I grasp Easton’s hand as I respond honestly, “I’m set to have my memory erased soon, and I feel something is wrong with the procedure. Since leaving school isn’t allowed, I have no other option but to stop it. While researching it I stumbled across a note that had your name in it. It said you disagreed and left the school. I want to know why.”
Baxoney’s eyes linger on me before he talks. “So, you’re still fifteen? I didn’t realize.” He puckers his lips together in contemplation before speaking again. “Since you’re being forthcoming with me, I’ll try to do the same.”
I nod, encouraging him to keep talking.
“My friends and I have been in hiding for almost 500 years. I don’t agree with Celestial leadership, but I’ve made sure to stay off their radar by not getting involved. I want to keep it that way.”
Easton quickly chimes in, “So you’re afraid? We came a long way to talk to you and we need answers. We won’t leave without them.”
I grab Easton’s hand to soften his anger. I wonder why Baxoney and Easton respond so aggressively to each other?
The house’s wooden front door opens softly as a young modest woman enters. Her excited tone sounds like a mockingbird singing. “Hello. I’m Ella. So lovely to see new faces.” She walks to the kitchen, bringing out a tray with a glass pitcher of tea and four glasses. “I made the tea this morning. I must have known you’d be coming.” She hands out the glasses and begins to pour us tea.
Baxoney’s tense face and voice relaxes as Ella caresses his face. “Thanks for the tea, but they were just about to leave. We will have visitors another day.”
Easton and I both take a drink and smile at Ella. She seems upset by Baxoney’s claim that we are leaving as she chirps, “I insist! You two must stay for dinner. I’m cooking fish that Baxoney caught this morning. It’s an ancient recipe that I’ve added to for millennia.” Baxoney beams at Ella then glares in our direction.
I swiftly reply before Baxoney has the chance to stop me. “We’d love to stay. Thank you!”
Ella stands up elatedly and moves towards the kitchen as she yells, “You two can freshen upstairs. The spare bedroom is on the right. You can borrow any of my dresses in the closet. We can’t have you eating dinner in your ripped shirt. Everything should be ready in the next hour. Make yourselves at home. Our house is yours.” It’s odd to watch Ella and Baxoney’s relationship. They seem to be complete opposites, just like Easton and me, and I feel like I’m getting a glimpse into our future.
Baxoney takes a deep breath giving in to Ella’s wishes. He motions to the stairs, whispering to us in a threatening voice, “The bathroom is on the right. Please don’t make me regret letting you stay.”
Easton and Baxoney stare at each other for a little too long before we head upstairs. Easton and I need time to plan. Everything rides on this dinner and us getting the information we need from Baxoney.
Lili - Dinner at Baxoney's
Ella has set the faded dining table with an array of food and white seashell decorations. The fish smells of salted brine and capers, making my stomach grumble hungrily. Baxoney and Ella’s home has a
cozy beach feel to it, with worn out furniture and distressed wood everywhere, very distant from the Celestial world I’ve grown to know.
Ella motions for us to eat with her extended graceful hands. “Dig in. Feel free to take seconds if you’re hungry. I also brought out our fancy nectar. It’s not every day we get new guests.” She looks at me with kind eyes, and I quickly take a big bite of fish while begging the snarling dragon inside my belly to be discreet.
Easton looks at Ella and says, “Thank you for your hospitality.” His comment would have been nice, if not for his death stare at Baxoney after he said it.
Ella looks at us curiously, asking, “How long have you two been together?”
Since my mouth is stuffed with fish, Easton responds, “Not very long, but we have an unusually strong connection.”
Ella smiles at his answer. “You guys kind of remind me of us in our early days.”
Curious how Baxoney and Ella got together I inquire, “Where did you guys meet?”
Ella is the first to respond. “I was a student at Cognosco about 500 years ago, and Baxoney was one of my teachers.”
Easton quickly interjects with raised eyebrows. “Really? You are a new Celestial?”
Ella laughs at Easton’s response as she continues her story. “I am. Baxoney was really rough around the edges, but I knew the first time I saw him, I was meant to be with him. We fought it for a while, but you can’t fight destiny.” Easton and I look at each other as Ella resumes. “We fell madly in love, and then an incident happened at the school that caused Celestial leadership to want to erase new Celestial’s memories. They planned to erase my memories of the first fifteen years of my life, and I just couldn’t allow that. Baxoney tried to fight the procedure, but he was caught and we barely escaped with our lives. The majority of my class made it out, but we couldn’t rescue everyone.” Thin tears roll down Ella’s face and Baxoney strokes her hand.
I let her tears pass, then softly ask, “What happened that made them want to erase new Celestials’ memories?”
Baxoney abruptly shuts me down like a steamroller. “That’s enough, for now.”
Before I have time to respond, Ella interjects on our behalf. “They need to know, Baxoney. I won’t let anyone else be hurt.”
Baxoney gives into Ella’s wishes hastily, and with a deep breath he answers my question. “I started at Cognosco 500 years ago, but the school started many years before that. There were years that Adem and Michael wanted erased. They hid any trace of the missing years and all the teachers were replaced, and there was a new headmaster. I began to find clues of the missing years and mentions of a girl who had abilities before her sixteenth birthday. This was the reason that all new Celestials were to have their memories erased on the eve of their sixteenth birthday.” Baxoney grabs Ella’s hand before he continues. “When I started, I didn’t know the school would implement the new memory eradication. If not for Ella, I would have happily gone along with the school’s plan, but love has a funny way of changing you.” Ella stares at Baxoney with fluttering eyelashes.
I interject to ask, “There was a girl like me? What happened to her? Why did she cause the memory eradication?”
Baxoney’s energy becomes heavy. “All I know is she was deemed a danger to all Celestials. Something about her power being deemed evil and her choosing humans over her own kind. It’s the reason they have an assessment for all new Celestials, so they can make sure it never happens again.”
She was evil and was deemed a danger? Could I have darkness in me?
Baxoney stares at me with uneasiness as he adds, “The Headmaster of the school keeps records in his office that date back 600 years. It details the first 100 years of the school. I tried to get to them, but we were almost caught and had to flee.”
Easton asks, “In Wayward’s office? Where at?”
Baxoney hesitantly answers, “When I was there it was in a locked metal box on his bookcase, labeled ‘school records.’ I have no idea if it’s still there, but that’s where I’d start.”
I try to stop my mind from spinning, telling myself that I’m not this girl from the past. I take a deep breath and ask Baxoney another question. “When you were in the school, did you feel darkness there?”
Baxoney takes a second before he answers, “The darkness is everywhere.”
We all continue to chat until dinner is finished. I help Ella clean in the kitchen while Easton heads outside with Baxoney.
Ella looks out the window, then turns towards me saying, “Do you feel the darkness within Easton?”
“I’ve always realized his energy has darkness, but it also has light. He battles between the two.”
Ella softly smiles then continues washing the dishes. “You know, Baxoney has darkness in him too. It’s hard to manage and takes a strong will to maneuver the overwhelming evilness that darkness brings.”
“Is there any way to help it?”
Ella kindly replies, “There is. I think Baxoney is teaching him how. It’s difficult to learn but worth it, when you have something to fight for.” We both look out the window as Easton and Baxoney are facing each other like they’re about to battle to the death.
Easton - Rabbit Hole
Baxoney stares at me as he continues to instruct me on how to remove the darkness fighting for control within me. “Your darkness is pure, but Lili’s light has found a way inside, and it’s trying to battle your dark urges. When did you first feel a change in your energy?”
With fear of his motives, I cautiously consider my words. “I felt a shift the first time I saw her. Every time we are together, I feel like my darkness lessens and the light intensifies.”
Baxoney looks out into the darkened beach as he ponders what I’ve told him. “Do you think you’re infecting her the way she’s infecting you?” His question scares me. I’d never thought of that. I know the end goal of the Darkness is to infect Lili with evil, but I have been working against that plan since I realized I love her. The thought that I might be unknowingly hurting her is devastating.
I try to hide my fear from Baxoney as I reply, “Not intentionally. Do you think I’m infecting her?”
Baxoney’s harsh demeanor softens. “I see your darkness inside of her, but it’s not like an infection. It melds with her light. Same for you. Your energies have a weird connection to each other—I’m not exactly sure why.” Baxoney’s answer helps alleviate my guilt, and he asks me another question. “How are you managing your darkness now?”
“I push it down as far as I can and try to ignore it, but it always surfaces. I’m afraid I’ll lose her if I can’t control it.”
“It took me years to realize that the darkness isn’t permanently attached to every soul. It’s moveable, infecting Celestials and humans alike. You were born with it in you, so I’m not sure you can remove what already exists in your soul, but you can remove anything new that enters your energy.”
“I want to learn. I’m ready.”
Baxoney decisively nods as he begins teaching me. “First I want you to learn to remove a small amount from me.” He points to a small tree next to him. “You need to put the energy somewhere, outside of you. I don’t know how to kill it yet, but we can transfer it. Never take it within yourself.” I nod and prepare to remove a small amount of energy from Baxoney. He continues instructing me, “Find the darkness, and encircle it with the small amount of light you have. Move it to the object you plan to transfer it to. In this case, the tree. Un-circle it and blast it with a light shield into a million pieces until it attaches.”
I take a deep breath as I try to differentiate the new dark energy from the old. The fresh energy is like air in a balloon, helping me find it quickly. I gather the light inside me and encircle the darkness. Encapsulating it within its tomb. The light becomes more natural the more I use it and I gain confidence, pushing it forward to eliminate the dark evil tar that’s been poisoning me. I shove it towards the small innocent tree with everything I have, sweating from the ef
fort. The added darkness releases, and I instantly feel lighter. I feel hope rise within me for the first time. “Did I do it right?”
Baxoney half smirks as the tree I blasted begins to die. “That was great. Now it’s time to expand our lessons.”
We work outside for hours, until my mind quits working and insists I sleep. Tomorrow, Lili and I will travel back to school for Wayward’s New Years’ Eve Party and the beginning of the second phase of the Darkness’ plan to corrupt Lili.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Drained
Easton - Plans
After Lili and I return to school, we begin planning our break-in to Wayward’s office. With Lili’s sixteenth birthday around the corner, we decide that our best opportunity is the school’s New Year’s Eve party that Wayward is hosting tonight. The entire school will be in attendance, so it’s our best chance to break into Wayward’s office undetected.
After being gone for almost a week, I’m relieved to finally be back in my room. I open my door and am immediately confronted by the smell of Gwyneth’s perfume. It’s like she sprayed her musky scent everywhere, ensuring I knew she visited me. I see a shimmering note on my bed next to a piece of her favorite red lingerie. The note reads:
Easton,
We hope the holidays were fruitful. We will begin stage two of our plan shortly after the New Year’s Eve party tonight. It’s been confirmed that Lili loves you, and your betrayal will be the final shove needed to push her over the edge. I’ll be watching you tonight at the party, so play your part well.
Gwyneth
I’ve played the double agent for as long as I can. It’s obvious to me that Lili and I have to flee the school tonight. I’ve postponed The Darkness as long as possible, but there’s no way for me to protect Lili anymore. The Darkness plans to inflict pain to Lili by taking away everything she loves until she turns dark by choice. But, I won’t let that happen.
New Celestial : A teen paranormal romance series (The Celestial Series Book 1) Page 14