Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-76.196.233.46-20191016000314/@comment-76.196.233.46-20191022225850

CHAPTER 2

“Huh…” Grady muttered, his brow furrowed.

“What happened?” Sophie asked, slightly alarmed.

'''They were tending to the Aragosan, whose name was actually Saffron, according to Edaline. Saffron had flinched, but nothing else had happened, so Sophie was confused.'''

'''“The closest relations of these animals are dragons.” Grady started explaining. Then he asked her, “Do you really want to know? It’ll be like a history lesson.”'''

'''When Sophie nodded, he went on to say, “Well, a long time ago, a couple thousand years, to be exact, a group of dragons migrated to an island called Tessalege. There were many creatures on the island, but the animals at the top of the food chain were the Carleura, a predatory species that feasted on everything. The dragons who migrated were no exception, and the Carleura drove them close to extinction. But then something happened. “'''

'''Grady paused for a moment. Then he continued, “The remaining dragons mated with another species, and their hybrid children became the Aragosan. They had the survival instincts to avoid extinction, and they didn’t die out. But these creatures never recovered. It has been a millennia since then, but in those survival instincts, there is an insecurity. They have never trusted anyone else. That instinct made them stronger, but in a way, that also broke them.”'''

'''“Saffron has that instinct. And she’s been here for four years, but she’s never trusted anyone.” Grady finished.'''

'''Sophie nodded to show she understood, but inside she was trembling. '''

'''A new fear had clouded her mind. Tam had joined the Neverseen. And he was always cautious about trusting people.'''

What if the Neverseen broke him?

'''She was worrying too much, she knew. But at the same time, she was still sure of one thing.'''

It was time to do what she’d been avoiding for weeks.

It was time to reach out to Tam.

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(AUTHOR'S NOTE: THIS IS WHERE THE PART WRITTEN BY SM COMES IN... IT CONTINUES FOR THE REST OF THE CHAPTER)

'''Before Sophie could change her mind, she plopped down on her enormous canopied bed and stared at the crystal stars dangling from her ceiling, watching them sparkle in the bright afternoon sunlight as she gathered her mental strength. The warm energy churned inside her mind, humming as it grew stronger and stronger and stronger. And when she could feel it buzzing against the backs of her eyes, she shoved it out of her head, along with the loudest call she could muster.'''

'TAM-CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT’S SOPHIE!'

'''She repeated the words over and over, imagining the force like thick syrup pouring across the sky in every direction-covering the world. And as her consciousness spread, she closed her eyes and tried to feel for… '''

Actually, she wasn’t sure.

She hadn’t communicated telepathically with Tam very often, so she didn’t know how to recognize his thoughts the way she could with Fitz and Keefe.

'TAM! PLEASE, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!'

A headache prickled the edge of her consciousness, but she gave herself several long, slow breaths and timed her next transmissions with every exhale, keeping the message shorter to save her energy.

Tam.

Tam!

TAM!

'''Still nothing-and she could feel her concentration draining to the dregs. If Fitz was there, he could’ve given her a mental boost, the way he always did when they worked together. But she’d let her silly matchmaking worries keep him away. She had to stop that-had to figure out how to keep things balanced and-'''

Sophie?

The voice was a ghost in the shadows-cold and whispery.

TAM!

'Yeah. But I shouldn’t be talking to you like this. It’s way too dangerous.'

I know, but-

'There’s no “but.”'' Tam interrupted, and the feel of his thoughts shifted with the words, like the darkness was crystalizing into ice. Gethen checks my memories constantly.'''

Sophie’s heart screeched to a stop.

'''She’d forgotten that the Neverseen’s only Telepath had been in the Black Swan’s custody when Keefe had been living with the enemy. So they hadn’t had to worry about anyone discovering their conversation unless someone caught them in the act and figured out what was happening.'''

'''They also hadn’t had to worry about Keefe unwittingly revealing he wasn’t supposed to. '''

'Has Gethen probed your mind? she asked, trying to keep the transmission as quiet as possible.'

'Of course. That was the first thing he did.'

Bile burned in Sophie’s throat.

Probing was a type of deep mental search that could uncover pretty much anything when performed by a skilled Telepath.

And Tam knew all of their secrets.

All.

Of.

Them.

So if Gethen had probed his mind…

'''Then the Neverseen now knew that Sophie was an Enhancer. And that Mr. Forkle was still technically alive-and that Magnate Leto and Sir Astin were two of his alter egos. And that Granite and Squall-two other members of the Black Swan’s Collective-were Sir Tiergan and Juline Dizznee. And they knew every single lead that Sophie and her friends had uncovered-and everything they didn’t know as well, like how to open Councillor Kenric’s cache if they ever got their hands on the real one again. And how little Sophie had learned, from healing Prentice’s mind and searching Wylie’s memories, about what had happened the day Wylie’s mom died.'''

'This is so bad'', she thought, reaching to rub her temples. '''

Did Tam know where they’d hidden her human family after they’d rescued them from Nightfall?

And how much did he know about the security at Havenfield?

Were Silveny, Greyfell, and the babies still safe there?

'I’m sorry'', Tam’s mind murmured, and the fridgedness of his voice thawed a little. I tried to block him, but… Gethen’s too powerful.'''

He was.

Sophie had faced off against him several times, and it had never gone well-and she was a Telepath with an impenetrable mind.

'It’s not your fault'', she promised, wanting to punch herself for not figuring this out earlier. If she had, they could have started taking precautions from the moment Tam had left.'''

'''Actually, she should have thought of that before he turned himself over. Maybe he wouldn’t have gone if he’d known how much he was going to compromise the Black Swan in the process.'''

'''After all, Tam had been to some of the Black Swan’s hideouts. He knew the oath they had made when they swore fealty, and what weapons and fighting techniques Sophie and her friends had been practicing during their battle training and-'''

'Yeah'', Tam thought, interrupting her ever-spiraling panic. ''Now you get why I can’t talk. He’s going to know everything you tell me, and he’s already learned enough.'

'Okay.'' She took a deep breath, reminding herself that she couldn’t change what had already happened. '''

Time to focus on damage control.

'You can still tell ME something'', she reminded him. Even if they know you told me, they’ll have to change their plans-and that’ll buy us some time.'''

'''His thoughts froze again. Uh, you think they tell me anything important?'''

'There must be something. Maybe some clue to where you are, like a landmark you recognized?'

'Nope, I’m in a cave. All I’ve seen are rocks.'

What color are they?

'They’re rocks, Sophie. There’s nothing special about them.'

Are you sure it’s a cave and not somewhere underground?

Underground might mean he was close to Loamnore.

'I don’t know. All I can tell is that it’s dark and stuffy.'

'So it’s hot? Like… maybe you’re in a desert?'

'I seriously have no idea. The Neverseen are smart. They’re not going to let me learn anything that would give them their hideout away.'

'''His mental voice stayed soft and whispery, but there was a sharpness to his thoughts Sophie had never experienced. It felt like each word was a shard of darkness, slicing into her head.'''

'''But she wasn’t going to let him scare her away. Have you met any other members of the order?'''

A couple-but they wear cloaks and use code names, and barely say two words to me when we train, so I can’t tell you anything about them.

'Wait-you’re training with them? Does that mean there’s another Shade?'

'No. I don’t know what these guys can do. Or maybe they’re female. I can’t tell. Lady Gisela keeps me alone in a corner, practicing from Umber’s journals.'

'''A shiver rippled down Sophie’s spine. Umber had journals?'''

'Lots of them. And I have to work through all of her exercises.'

'''Well… that was terrifying. '''

'What kind of exercises? Sophie asked-and when he hesitated, she added, Shadowflux training, right?'

Obviously.

The response bothered her more than a single word should-but it was the icy confidence behind it.

'''The Tam she knew had been reluctant to train in the dark element. Almost afraid of its strange power. And now he sounded-proud.'''

'You need to be careful,'' she warned him. ''You don’t know how Umber’s training will affect you. She was one of the creepiest people I’ve ever met.'

The bones in her hand throbbed, remembering the way Umber had shattered them one by one.

'I AM being careful'', Tam assured her. But the training is unavoidable.'''

'Then tell me what they’re having you do so I can figure out what they’re planning and get you out of there. You’re already going to be in trouble for talking to me, right? Why not make it worth it?'

Uh, because they can make their punishments WAY worse.

Don’t worry-Linh’s safe.

'You can’t know that for sure. And even if you’re right, they have plenty of ways they can punish ME.'

'''Sophie was certain they did. And she hated putting him in that position. But leaving him with the Neverseen was feeling beyond scary. She had to find a way to get him out of there, before they made him do something terrifying.'''

'Please, she begged. You know what’s at stake-especially if you’re studying Umber’s journals.'

'I DO know what’s at stake. My sister’s LIFE.'

'''The coldness wrapping around each thought sank all the way to her bones. We’ll protect her.'''

'Yeah. I’ve seen how well that protection works. I can’t take that risk.'

'So… what? You’ll just do whatever creepy things the Neverseen tell you to do and hang the consequences?'

I don’t know.

That’s not good enough!

Well, it’s going to have to be!

'''Sophie locked her jaw to stop her teeth from chattering. ''I can already feel a change in you, Tam. Just from your mind. I think Umber’s training is affecting you.'

I can handle it.

You know Keefe said the same thing, right? Sophie asked.

'''She’d hoped that would know some sense into him, given the strange animosity between the two boys. But Tam’s thoughts were frozen claws as he said, I guess I get where he was coming from now.'''

Tam-

'No-just stop! You’re making everything worse. Leave me alone. His thoughts stirred like and arctic flurry.'

I can’t do that.

'Well, you’re going to have to. If you try reaching out to me again, I’ll run straight to Gethen so he can hear everything you say. I can’t put Linh at risk'

Meanwhile you’re putting Linh’s safety ahead of everyone else’s-do you really think she wants you to do that?

'I don’t care. I’m her twin. Protecting her is my job. And I think you’re forgetting that I also saved Silveny and Greyfell-and their babies-by agreeing to cooperate.'

I could’ve saved them another way.

'How? I’m sure you’ve spent the last couple of weeks replaying what happened over and over-can you honestly tell me you’ve thought of anything else that would’ve saved them in time? '

She hadn’t.

But she couldn’t admit that.

'You’ve seen the kind of cruelty the Neverseen are capable of, Tam. You really want to be a part of that?'

'''The mental flurry picked up speed, hurling each word at her. I don’t have a choice!'''

There’s always a choice.

Well, right now, I’m choosing to be done with the conversation.

Tam-

'No, it’s time for you to leave me alone, Sophie. Get out of my head-or I’ll make you go away.'

Tam, please-

'''The flurry spun into a hurricane-a black storm crashing into her brain. And Tam’s booming voice was thunder amid the tempest.'''

'I’M SORRY-I DIDN’T MEAN ANY OF THAT. I HAD TO PUT ON A GOOD SHOW SO GETHEN WON’T GET SUSPICIOUS WHEN HE CHECKS MY MEMORIES LATER. AND I NEEDED TIME TO GATHER THE SHADOWFLUX I’M USING TO SHROUD THIS THOUGHT, SO HE CAN’T HEAR ANYTHING I’M SAYING. HE’LL STILL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO SEE I SENT SOMETHING, SO I CAN’T TELL YOU MUCH-AND YOU CAN’T REACH OUT TO ME LIKE THIS AGAIN. IT’S WAY TOO DANGEROUS FOR EVERYONE. JUST… TRUST ME TO HANDLE THIS. I HAVE THINGS UNDER CONTROL-OR I WILL, IF YOU DO ONE FAVOR FOR ME. I NEED YOU TO KEEP KEEFE AWAY UNTIL THIS IS OVER. IF YOU CAN’T CONVINCE HIM TO COOPERATE, MAKE UP A FAKE PROJECT TO DISTRACT HIM. OR LOCK HIM UP SOMEWHERE IF YOU HAVE TO. I DON’T CARE. JUST DON’T LET HIM GET NEAR THE NEVERSEEN-AND DEFINITELY DON’T LET HIM GET NEAR ME.'

'Why not?'' Sophie asked, struggling to pick his words out of the frozen chaos. Her heart was pounding as hard as her head, drowning out everything with the ''thump! thump! thump!'

But she still managed to catch when Tam said, BECAUSE HIS MOM ORDERED ME TO KILL HIM.

-bookhugger