Wherever he is, it’s the same as most of his dreams.
The water he sits atop doesn’t get him wet nor does it ever seem to end in any particular direction. The glow of the light above and below the water is the only thing to break through the pitch black around him.
Zye can only wait for it to end. Something keeps his body where he is. This time he can’t move, explore, or even open his mouth to yell into the void like he’s done before.
If anything, there are no haunting whispers of voices he should know and memories he can’t remember. Worse yet are the ones he can. A tease that reminds him of everything he’s had. It’s something that gives him the strength to keep moving.
Never once does he expect to feel someone sit behind him. Their backs press together. In fact, the other person leans against him ever-so-slightly and pushes him forward.
“I wasn’t sure this would work. Then again, you do seem to surprise me quite a lot lately.”
Zye’s brows furrow at that.
He knows this voice.
God, he knows it, he swears to himself that he does.
“I commend you. Your soul is quite strong. Although, old souls tend to be like that. You can take much more of a spiritual beating than most.”
Zye opens his mouth. He wants to ask who it is and wants to ask what all this means. Yet he can’t. His throat seems to work and his tongue and lips move just fine.
No sound comes out.
It’s an action that has the man behind him chuckling.
“I wouldn’t bother. Your soul might be strong, but you’re too weak to reach me from where you are. I mean, look at yourself.”
He glances down at his scrapped and bloodied hands. Remembering everything that’s happened, part of him understands. The other is convinced he doesn’t hurt at all and this is ridiculous.
“Just remember, keep walking. Find what you’re looking for— find what you once held close— and then you can come find me.”
The man shifts, turning to the side. The pressure leaves and Zye immediately begins to pivot around. Except the only thing he sees before it’s all ripped away is a golden gaze and a thin smile.
________________________
41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfwUEiZwRR
Zye’s eyes open to the room he fell asleep in. In fact, he’s still on the couch. He feels a bit better as he sits up, much better. The only difference is what he’s wearing.
It’s dry if anything. The bright yellow pants feel almost like satin. It’s smooth against his skin as he tries to figure out what happened. There’s no shirt but there is a gray robe over his shoulders. Dotting the expanse of it are bright yellow duckies.
Questions swirl through his mind. Mostly about this dream he’s had. It doesn’t feel like a normal dream. It was too vivid. It was nothing like the fleeting memories he gets a chance to see when he closes his eyes.
This is something he can’t shake.
Worse yet when the sound of a door shutting has him turning in his seat. From where he is, Zye can see Celeste leaving a room he can only assume is her healing waters. He ignores the canopy bed in the corner of the room and stands.
“Uh, sorry I fell asleep.”
“It’s fine,” they reply while coming closer. “I hope you don’t mind that I’ve healed you. Your clothes were a little…ruined. So I got you something else to wear in the meantime.”
“Thanks…you must be strong.”
Celeste laughs softly. It’s the first time Zye has ever heard it and it immediately reminds him of a subtle wind chime.
“No, no. My Mark helped me with that. Now, tell me how you’re feeling?”
He thinks for a moment.
In all honesty, he feels a hundred times better than the last day not being able to heal at all. Being forced back to a mortal level after getting used to this wasn’t easy in the slightest. There’s still an ache when he moves. Not that he can’t get past that.
“Better.”
“Do you recall what happened before Ilista woke you? About the trade-off?”
“No, not really. I was tired…I think I fell asleep after Vespera tried to heal me again.”
Celeste smiles at that and sits on the couch. Zye can’t help but follow their lead.
“She’s never had an aptitude for that. Still, she did well to keep it from getting worse.”
Their attention shifts to Zye despite the bangs covering their view. A hand lifts up and brushes them up. For a moment Zye hesitates— he doesn’t want to stare. Yet, as they drag the cloth headband up and into place, from where it hung around their neck, he’s given a rare sight.
The pale gray eyes focus on him no different than anyone else’s would. Their hair, however, sticks up a bit from being underneath the constricting confines of the cloth.
“In regards to what we were going to speak of originally. Yes, your blood is a different color. I could see this much. I can’t double-check at the moment—”
“It’ll heal, I don’t mind if you need to cut me.”
Celeste laughs, a small hand slapping against their thigh as they do. “Goodness, you’re a lot different than dealing with the others. I believe you and what Ilista has told me. The fact of the matter is, it’s not blue and it should be if you’re to be with us.”
“Does that mean I have to leave?”
“No, I’ll find out what I can from Orion and I’ll reconvene with you shortly. In the meantime, please relax and give yourself time to heal. Orion will be doing the same. He’s been left very weak and is trying to recover.”
“Then can you tell me what did happen?”
They shake their head with a slight bow to it. “I wasn’t there, Zye, you’d be better off asking Ilista or Aster. Perhaps when Orion awakes he’ll tell us more. Regardless, it’s dangerous for you to go anywhere until he’s on the mend. The power reserves you’re pulling from are too low.”
“But I feel fine?”
“That’s because you’re not fighting. We’ll talk more later.” Celeste rises to their feet. Of which, Zye notices they’re slipped into the fluffiest white bunny slippers he’s ever seen. “I need to get back to Orion.”
Zye follows their lead and stands. “Can I see him?”
“Later. For now, go find the others.”
“Celeste,” he stops them before they round the side of the couch, “am I in danger because of my blood?”
“No. But please be careful until we can figure this out.”
We. They mean they want to do it together with him. It gives him the smallest glint of hope that he didn’t realize he needed right now.
“Now, go get changed and if you need me, my door is open. Ah and Zye, do you recall seeing that boy with Ilista? You need to go see him.”
Zye slowly nods.
He doesn’t remember seeing much of one. All he knew of at that moment was getting away from Ilista and to Vespera. For a second he wants to say he saw Xerxes. Not that he wants to believe it— refuses to believe it.
Then again, he won’t know if he stays in here.
The first item on his agenda is making it out of Celeste’s room and back to Orion’s. As much as he’s worried about leaving them, he does as they advise. Not that it helps much.
Stepping back inside is strange. Something feels off. It’s not just because Orion isn’t here and the Mark is back in its corner. There’s an edge to the air in the room that has Zye unsure about being in here.
Zye stops before the Mark and touches its head. It looks up, nodding when Zye pulls away from it. Its chest glimmers as it pulls forth a stack of clothes. Zye is quick to take it and hurry to his room.
The sooner he’s out of here the better.
He’s half tempted to ask Aster or Ilista if he can stay in their room. It’s one reason why he hurries to get dressed. A pair of jeans and a light purple, cropped t-shirt will do. His bare feet pad over the floor and take him back out to the main room.
Hands in the pockets of the gray pants, he strides to Ilista’s door. No one else is out and about. It’s silent. The only thing that calls out to him is the mirror when he passes by.
The urge to touch it is hard to ignore.
Regardless, ignore he does.
The door to Ilista’s room opens and for once, it’s her standing there. She’s still dressed as if she was out on a mission or about to go on one. A nervous smile touches her-pink painted lips as she steps aside, welcoming him in.
Ilista is walking him further in and continues to the couch. Zye doesn’t follow— can’t follow. His eyes are locked on the young man already seated there waiting on her to return. To him, Xerxes looks so different.
Older. Longer, shaggier blue hair. There’s even a light green streak in it. The only difference is the attire that Ilista has given him; black and gray plaid pants and a large, oversized indigo sweatshirt.
Those eyes, however, are wide and glazing over with tears. He stares at Zye, unsure of what to do. Xerxes starts to stand. His voice is as unreliable as usual. It cracks and wavers from the emotion.
“Is it…really you?”
Zye isn’t faring much better with having to swallow past the lump in his throat. “You know it, kiddo.”
That’s all it takes to send Xerxes dashing past Ilista and right up to Zye. He can’t open his arms fast enough for Xerxes to collide with him. Xerxes hugs him tight, refusing to let go as the tears drip over his cheeks and onto Zye’s shirt.
Confronted with the last person he wanted to see here, Zye holds onto him in return. He’s scared for Xerxes. A million new worries crop up in his mind. There’s no way Xerxes is ready for this— it’s all about fighting and it’s dangerous.
Zye lifts his gaze to see Ilista plop onto the couch and drape her arms over the back of it. He knows she’d keep him safe. Still, he can’t stop himself from being concerned.
Placing a hand atop Xerxes’s head, he waits until Xerxes isn’t quivering against him. “I’m sorry.”
“T-there’s nothing to be s-sorry for.” He lifts his head, shaking it to deny Zye’s apology.
“I missed your graduation and—”
“I don’t care. You…you’re still here.”
“Hah, sort of. I’m a little fucked in the head at the moment, but yeah I’m here.”
Xerxes pulls away, his hands moving to mess with the cords to tighten the hood on his jacket. “What’s wrong?”
“I just don’t have a lot of memories. I’m fine though.”
“But you remember me.”
Zye nods.
“And Cal?”
Zye stares at him. It’s as if someone has slapped him so hard on the back that he’s at a loss for breath and words. There’s a warmth in his chest that blossoms out to warm his fingers and toes. It’s so familiar.
“I, uh, I don’t.” He looks over the top of Xerxes’s head toward Ilista. “And you, what the hell happened? Why is he here?”
Ilista grimaces at that and drags out the ‘o’ for far too long. “So, you might want to sit down. And keep your hands to yourself. Break anything in my room and I’m kicking your ass.”
Xerxes reaches out and brushes his fingers against Zye’s arms. It’s a soft pat that has him following the shorter man obediently. Over to the couch, he sits down with Xerxes while Ilista stands.
She has both of their full attention that way. Ilista claps her hands together. “Alright! Don’t you worry, I’ve explained everything to Xerxes already. Now, after you were kidnapped, Orion brought him here because he had the necklace you used to move through dimensions.”
A nod for her to continue. He’s following.
“When I went to take him back, a man named Daichi was already laying in wait. He almost took out Gray. I had him…but he knew to get away he had to divert my attention. Killing Xerxes did it.”
Ilista is all too aware of the way Zye clutches at the couch. He looks so lost in his thoughts that she’s not sure he even hears her finish.
“I made him my Guardian. He’s still allowed to quit whenever he wants, but he wanted to see you first before he decided.”
A tense and somber silence settles through the room.
Xerxes isn’t sure what to say. Ilista is waiting for the poor man next to Xerxes to snap. She’s not ignorant, she can see how he’s going to internalize this.
As he stands, she realizes she’s right. Zye glances away from them both. “Daichi…killed you?”
He’s struggling to swallow that bitter pill. The last he was aware of, Daichi was just like himself. He was human. But…Xerxes was always defensive when it came to Daichi. Could he have sensed something Zye didn’t?
And he took that man to the one place he shouldn’t have. He brought him right to Xerxes’s doorstep.
“I got you killed didn’t I?”
He’s stepping further away from them and Ilista makes a move to close it. She comes up behind him as he turns away from her. Ilista knows he’s processing, but she doesn’t want him to be mistaken.
“You didn’t get Xerxes killed. Daichi did it. There was no reason for him to go that far. He’s been a loose canon for—”
“So he is like you?”
“No…yes and no. He’s like you and Xerxes. But he’s had issues in the past. I don’t know why they agreed to let him stay and be ‘rehabilitated’.”
“Fuck!”
Ilista’s eyes go wide and Xerxes scoots to the edge of the couch. Zye shakes his head when he realizes he shouted.
“Sorry, fuck, I’ll be back.”
He needs to clear his head and calm down. There’s so much anger building up inside that he doesn’t know what to do with it. All he knows is he needs to move and clear it out of himself. Walking away is the best start.
Except Xerxes can’t stand to see it. He’s up and off the couch before Ilista can get between them. His arms wrap around Zye from behind, yanking him to a stop before he can take another step.
“Please don’t go. Stay. It’s…It’s okay, really. I got to meet Ilista and see you again. It’s not all bad!”
Zye reaches down in an attempt to pry Xerxes off of him. “You had a life, Xer. You had a sister and a career. Not to mention so many years left to live and that asshole took it all from you. You can’t be okay after that!”
“I didn’t have anyone though. Just Callua. She’s the only friend I had there. It’s hard to make them…and…I’ll be okay.”
That only makes it worse. Zye deflates a bit at that and lets his arms hang at his sides. He didn’t realize that while he was off with his life and then dying, Xerxes has been struggling for years. It makes him feel worse— wishes he could have been there to help him.
But…maybe Xerxes is right. Maybe he is better off where he is now. How’s he to know what’s best for him?
Not to mention that name. It has the back of his skull tingling to where he wants to itch it.
“I really am sorry, Xerxes.”
“You don’t have to be.” He lets go now that he knows Zye isn’t going to bolt. Smiling up at the man as he turns around, Xerxes continues, “I’m just glad we get to be friends again. Right?”
Zye rolls his eyes and sighs. “Seriously? How did you manage to get cuter? What do you mean you had no friends? All those idiots didn’t realize what they’re missing out on.”
Xerxes smiles wide. His face lights up like a Christmas tree. Happy and emboldened, he grabs Zye’s hand. Goading him back to the couch is far too easy. He happily drops down onto the couch. The expectant look tells Zye to follow.
Still, he idles awkwardly at the edge of it.
“Then it’s okay if I stay for a bit?”
Zye shrugs. “It’s not really up to me. That’s on you, kid.”
Xerxes puffs out a cheek at that. “I’m not a kid.”
Perhaps that’s what has Zye letting go just a little bit. He’s missed Xerxes so much— missed having fun. He grins down at the man.
“You’re still tiny enough that I can pick you up.”
“I can be just as cool as you now!”
“Getting older and being around Ilista must have riled you up. You used to hang off my every word.” At that, Zye drops onto the end of the couch. He slumps down against it with his knees knocking at the edge of the table.
Xerxes glances back at Ilista. “I-I did not. I mean…” He lowers his voice to a whisper and looks down at his lap instead. “I just…thought you were cool.”
Ilista moves to join them and stretches her arm out, practically draping it over Xerxes’s shoulders. It reminds him of what some guys would do in movie theaters. Watching it has him trying not to smile too hard or laugh. It’s so obvious, these two.
She taps Xerxes’s shoulder as she speaks. “You’ll see he’s not such hot shit when he misses his target and busts his ass.”
“That was one time.”
“Mmhmm.”
“Training doesn’t count.”
“Sure, sure. Whatever you say.”
“I think maybe I should leave. You two are gonna be the death of me.”
Xerxes is beyond happy to listen to the banter. That is until Zye turns his attention back to him.
“So…what’s new?”
“Um, well, I’m twenty-five now.”
Zye leans his head on the back of the couch. He knows slouching like this will hurt. Not that he cares, he can meet Xerxes’s eyes with ease now.
“You looking for presents?”
“N-no. Ilista did say she can get plenty of things. This place is so magical. I’m…not really a kid anymore.”
“Right. Big grown-up now. So, do me a favor?”
“Anything!”
“You know this person, Cal, you said?”
Xerxes is nodding away. He’s locked onto Zye and yet his body language is leaning towards Ilista. She’s not hiding at all how she feels. To say Zye’s worried about it would be an understatement. At the same time, she’s probably the one he trusts the most— the one he knows the most.
“Callua is. Well, she’s gorgeous, funny, and really, really nice. You met her at your job before…ummm…”
“It’s okay. I know my mom died. What about someone named Jace?”
Xerxes tilts his head ever-so-slightly. He’s thinking hard. “No…I don’t know anyone by that name.”
“Shit. Alright then.” Zye flicks his gaze up to Ilista and he sees it. She freezes up when their eyes meet. He chalks it up to being caught breathing down Xerxes’s neck. “And you, what happened? Why is Orion on his deathbed up there?”
She sits up a bit at that, pulling away from Xerxes. Ilista never seems uncomfortable. At least, he hasn’t seen her like that until now.
“Aster and I got an alert from Orion to come to his location. Aster arrived first. When I got there you were on the ground. Vespera was knocked out. Aster was fighting and Orion was losing against Hax.”
Zye groans at that. “That doesn’t help me at all. Who are we even fighting?”
“The Dark Surge. Now, I’ll be back.” She stands up and summons forth a portal. “I have patrols to run. Stay with Xerxes in the meantime and if you want to sleep in here I can get out another bed.”
“Sure, thanks.”
They both watch her leave before Xerxes suddenly remembers something, perking back up.
“Oh! I did meet with Callua before this. She mentioned that you had a boyfriend. I kind of got to see him. Maybe that’s him?”
It’s not possible to Zye. Vespera wouldn’t know that name if it wasn’t someone like them…right? Why would she tell him to go find some human he was in love with? That would only lead to more heartbreak. No, this Jace has to be someone that knows something about what’s going on with him.
“Mm…I don’t know.”
Zye throws his hands up and the next thing Xerxes knows, the taller man is falling over. His head lands in Xerxes’s lap while he grins up at the flushed face.
“So, tell me everything I missed and don’t skip over Ilista. I saw how you looked at her.”
“I didn’t…I mean…I don’t…”
A chuckle slips from Zye’s lips. “I’m teasing you, man. No one would blame you for having a crush. She’s amazing and she can manhandle even me. If I wasn’t already taken I’d have—” He fumbles, trying to ignore the empty feeling that sparkles in his chest. “—Right you, go. Talk.”
Xerxes watches the cheer fade away from those dual-toned eyes. He doesn’t want to upset Zye. While he seems the same, Xerxes isn’t a fool. He knows there must have been a lot he’s gone through. Maybe he’ll ask one day soon.
“R…right. Okay, so I did graduate at the top of my class to start!”
________________________
41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzheoFi1vpi
A planet that’s lush with life on one side of its sphere and dead on the other. It only makes sense that the base of operations for the Dark Surge is on such death-stricken land. It’s a scenery of gray emptiness.
There is little to the way of plants that speckle the landscape, only brown grass. It spots the area outside of a half-torn-down castle. Most of the surrounding ground is kicked up dirt and cracked stone. Even inside the once magnificent building, there are dug-up floors and fallen pillars.
The only sight of true nature is far off in the distance outside of the castle’s outer walls. A line of thick trees stretches across the horizon, concealing all that happens to be on the other side of it. Not that anyone from the Dark Surge needs to go anywhere but this one place.
It’s depressing, to say the least.
One of the few reasons Jace hates having to come here. Much less be in one of the back rooms where they hold their meetings.
Soren sits in a chair held together by riveted leather straps with his elbows on the chipped and scarred wooden table. Jace, staying by the door, leans with his arms crossed. Just as he thinks she won’t show up, a portal appears in that very doorway beside him.
Heals clack against the stone as Kerse steps out, the magic dying back down behind her. Even without looking at her, Jace knows she’s hot to touch. Pissed would be an understatement at this point.
She’s loud. Brash. Angry.
“What the hell was even the point of that stupid trade-off if it failed?”
Jace chances it, maybe, just maybe, Soren will back him up on it. “It did manage to sow distrust among them.”
Kerse groans, “Like I care. I’ll take them all out sooner or later.”
Soren sits back in his chair, smiling up at the Infernal. “This is true. However, it’ll be easier to pick them off if they aren’t working together as tightly as before.”
“I don’t know what that idiot was doing. We shouldn’t be bothering.” She kicks idly at a leg of the table. “Someone is on to us and they’ve destroyed most of the bunkers.”
At that, Kerse pivots to meet Jace’s eyes. He can only hold his energy steady and nod. “I tried to find evidence. The only one capable is Ilista.”
“That damned woman…how would they know?”
“You have a mole. If they had Vespera so ready to barter then obviously—”
Jace swallows his words the second she takes that single step toward him. Her anger is tangible and for a second he wouldn’t be surprised if she hit him.
“It’s your job to find them. Understood?”
“Of course.”
The atmosphere only gets more tense as Daichi heaves the broken door open to get inside. It ‘thunks’ shut behind him. Coming face to face with Kerse, he cautiously steps around her and closer to Soren’s end of the table.
Soren raises a brow Daichi. “Did you finish what I asked you to do?”
“Duh. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I checked out that place with the energy signature, too. Ran into that brute of a woman.”
“Woman?”
This has Kerse and Jace’s attention as well.
“Yeah, Ilista. Almost didn’t make it out. Oh, and Gray is a traitor but I made sure to get him pretty good on my way out.”
Listening to Daichi speak of his accomplishments has Kerse scoffing and summoning a portal where he came from. “Jace, we’re leaving. Come.”
Jace falls in line behind her. In fact, he’s eager to leave this place as much as she is. At least, he is until he hears Daichi racing back over to them. Spinning around, Jace places himself between Daichi and Kerse.
The last thing he needs to deal with is a blood bath between the two of them. Then again, losing Daichi wouldn’t be such a bad thing. A thought he doesn’t allow himself to touch for longer than a millisecond.
Daichi glares up at him. “The hell? I just got here?”
“Weak trash doesn’t get to be a part of making the decisions. Just do what you’re told,” she scoffs at him.
“I’m not weak! I lead this when Soren is busy. I’m just as strong as—”
Kerse is spinning back around. Jace can feel her intentions and the weight of them against his back. So he takes the first move to deter them all from killing each other.
“Don’t talk back to her,” he growls down at Daichi as he grabs the front of his cloak.
“Or what?”
“You deal with me and I don’t leave anything behind.”
“Tch, come on, Jace. He’s not even worth looking at. Instead, go find me who’s getting in our way.”
He waits for her to step through the portal and it shut behind her. Once it has, he releases Daichi. From the other side of the room, Soren sighs.
“Daichi, I warned you to keep quiet when she’s here. Thank you, Jace. We can’t lose him yet because of her temper.”
“I’ll be going then.”
Soren smiles at Jace’s back. “Oh, and if you see any of those Keepers from Noctis why don’t you actually take them out this time.”
Gritting his teeth, Jace opens a portal and hurries through it. Not that he’s going to relax at all. From one frying pan into another. He’s still happy to be in this one instead. Anything other than having to deal with Kerse’s tantrums or Soren’s demands.
He’s not sure how long he can keep this up.
They kill for enjoyment. Slaughtering those that don’t show promise or won’t bend a knee isn’t it for him. He cringes each time he has to witness it. Everything about Soren is cold and uncaring.
Instead, he’s granted the chance to return to the dimension where he found the first of Hax’s notebooks. There up on that fateful rooftop is Hax. As Jace approaches, Hax doesn’t move. He remains sitting on the edge with his legs dangling over the side.
Jace is still upset— raging inside, in fact, with how Hax handled things. He was so close and it still fell apart.
He listens to the tune Hax is whistling. Once he’s close enough, the man stops.
“I am sorry, Jace. Please know that’s not how I wanted that to go. However, it’s not good for us if you’re going to keep giving me the silent treatment.”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses again.”
“Then tell me, how did the meeting go?”
“Kerse is furious and looking for you. She wants to know why you instigated that without her and I’m to find the person responsible for taking out the bunkers.”
“Hah! Of course, she is. She wasn’t invited to the fight.”
“I don’t think that’s—”
“No, it’s simple. I didn’t include her. We haven’t been on good terms since Charm died. I can’t get her to listen to me at all.”
“Meaning?” asks Jace as he settles a hand on his hip.
“I’m not her equal anymore. She’s surpassed me.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Hax gives a hum of thought before, “Stay away from her if I can.”
Jace doesn’t care to push it further. He doesn’t care enough to pry into their relationship, as strange as it is. It’s not worth it to him. Even if he does think Hax is wrong.
“How many more places do I need to hit?”
“Two. Then they’ll be forced to do everything in that sad excuse for a base world.” Hax expects Jace to follow up on that. When he doesn’t, he chuckles. “What do you want to know that you’d stare a hole into the back of my head?”
“Orion, what is—”
“Ah! That’s right, I didn’t tell you. You see, Polaris went by another name, one he got from traversing through the mortal realms. Haru is what he wanted to be known as. It took a long time for everyone to be comfortable with it. I thought it fit him.”
“Hax, I don’t have time for stories.”
“You should learn to make time. Slow down a bit. Haru tried to teach us that. We take for granted what mortals suffer with. Never enough time. He went to one place in particular, one that you and your friend loved to visit.”
“You knew?”
“Callua doesn’t hide what she does or where she goes. She’s part of the Surge under Charm’s final orders as well as yours. You should tell her to get out while she can. Her skills are far too valuable to lose.”
Hax begins to stand, wobbling slightly as he does. For a moment, Jace is half-convinced he’ll fall off the edge.
“That’s neither here nor there. As I was saying, Haru made friends with one human in particular. The boy grew up and had a child, one that ended up on her deathbed. Haru gave his life to save her.”
Jace retreats a few steps to allow Hax space to turn and move back onto the roof. Except he idles at the edge, waiting for Jace to find his words.
“I thought we weren’t allowed to interfere.”
“We aren’t. He did. Those rules became a strict and punishable offense after he was gone. He gave his life force to the child. Orion followed and in a fit of rage took Haru’s core. It’s why there’s still a balance. Kerse has Charmilla’s. Orion has Haru’s. All while their souls have moved on.”
“I didn’t know…” Jace mumbles to himself.
“It’s a well-guarded secret. I was happy to see Celeste working with Charmilla. They always did love all souls that they cared for. The fact they haven’t spoken up against Orion yet means perhaps they’re unsure if Orion would raise his hand.”
“Do you think he would?”
“Perhaps if he was backed into a corner. Still, without Charm’s driving force, I’m sure Celeste is a bit lost. Maybe he thinks he’s right and that’s it.”
“Reminds me of someone I know.”
Hax grins at that, two rows of teeth exposed to Jace. “Goodness, you’ve gotten brave with your words. Perhaps being around him rubbed off on you a bit.”
Jace watches as Hax turns his back to him. He won’t have that, not this time. It’s a cowardly move. He marches up behind Hax.
“I’m tired of playing games. I read all your notebooks. What did you do to him?”
“Trying to offer him something.”
“You didn’t offer anything.”
Jace grabs at the back of Hax’s shirt, tugging him backward onto the roof. Once he’s managed this, he spins the shorter man around until they’re toe-to-toe, face-to-face. He stares down at Hax while clapping his hands on Hax’s shoulders.
“You were going to do it whether he wanted it or not. That it’d be figured out after you were gone. That’s not a choice, Hax. It’s cruel to do to all of us. Including a mortal that has no idea what any of this is.”
“Come now, he’d have you. That’s all he needs.”
“Don’t you dare.”
Hax touches a hand to Jace’s chest in an effort to meekly push him away. “I’m too tired to fight with you.”
“I’m not.”
While he glares at Hax, he can see it. The sun is cruel with how it shines against the pale skin. It almost looks sickly. It remind him much of when Zye would be sick. Bloodshot eyes look up at him and show the dark circles beneath them as his bangs shift to the side.
Hax should have been healed already.
“You should have let me get you both out of there. You say I should trust you, but you need to trust me.”
“Haa…I guess you’re right.”
Jace’s grip tightens on Hax’s shoulders to the point where the latter lowers his gaze. He flinches, yet can’t get away. Hax grits his teeth through the pain as best he can. Hax is well aware that he’s not up to par yet and probably won’t be.
“Then perhaps I’ll let you plan things from here on out. It’s all yours.”
“Fine. Then start by laying low. Don’t go anywhere without telling me first.”
“Jace, I’m not a child. I can—”
“You’re losing your power, aren’t you? That’s the only thing I can think of as to why you wouldn’t have been able to handle both of them alongside me. I can put two and two together.”
“Then if you’ve figured it out will you let me go?”
Doing as is asked of him, Jace releases Hax. As he does he sees a dark spot beginning to form near the sleeve of Hax’s shirt. Jace doesn’t hesitate. He reaches for the end of the short sleeve and lifts it.
The light of the sun assists in figuring out if it’s healing or not. There’s skin that’s daring to heal together on two of the holes. The third appears to have been reopened.
Jace has a tinge of guilt at that. Surely he’s why it’s doing that. Regardless, it doesn’t make complete sense. Does it really go that far to sap his energy from him?
“You went back to Solis.”
“I can only assume it’s a side effect. I can’t do much of anything with how much he’s taking from me. If anything, you should be happy. It means he’s probably healing just fine. Being so close must have allowed him to siphon off quite a bit of my power.”
Jace is. He doesn’t want to say it. He’s happy— ecstatic— that Zye is alright. Although, it does mean he has to deal with a weak link in the chain now.
He gestures to the city around them and Hax listens to every word. “I’ll get in touch with Callua to find the girl. You have to stay hidden. I don’t care where just find a place and don’t move. And if I have a question—”
Hax flashes him a wry smile, “Understood, sir.”
“Not cute. I’ll bring you some water from Solis. So find a place with a tub or something like it and I’ll cleanse some more water for you.”
“Please and thank you. I won’t go far. I’ll be staying here and will send you the energy mark once I settle in.”
“And Hax?”
“Yes, yes, I know. I’ll be blocking all messages from everyone but you. We can’t afford anyone giving my location away.”
Jace watches as Hax turns. The shawl around his arms is drawn a little tighter and his steps are a bit uneven. It’s concerning to Jace. It means Hax won’t be able to hold his own should something go wrong.
He can’t afford that to happen.
Not when he has no idea what would happen if Hax were to perish before Zye gets all of his power. Not even Hax knows— he can’t, it’s never been done before. Any of his efforts to calm Jace down won’t work.
Then again, the worry is only second to the anger. It’s not raw rage. It’s from the exhaustion and irritation of how things are. Especially when he should have just done what he wanted to from the start. He’ll keep as many safe as he can whether anyone likes it or not.
Jace works the crick out of his neck and calls forth a portal. He steps toward it with an optimistic gleam in his eyes. He won’t get knocked down. He can do this.
Even so, a sigh slips from his lips.
“This is such a mess to clean up.”
ns 15.158.61.20da2
