Page 43 of Phoenix Chosen 2

I look at him and shake my head, then hug him tightly. “What should we do?” I ask Aethereos.

He leads us out of the garden to a long flight of stairs, where Feather is waiting for us. It’s our signal that our audience has come to an end.

“Use the remaining time we have to rest and to learn,” the Great Phoenix says. “There is no better place to discover your phoenix powers than the house of Aethereos.”

“Lord Aethereos,” Kalistratos says. “I have questions I need to ask you.”

He smiles, and for a moment, the regal beauty of his face gives way to a harsh weariness. It’s like what I’d seen from Kalistratos when he’d used up his phoenix energy, except even more so.

“I know you do, Kalistratos,” he replies. “There will be time for them, but not now.”

Feather comes to us and gestures for us to go with him. “I will show you to your accommodations,” he says.

Looking back, we see Aethereos slowly disappearing into the garden like a ghost, and I realize the extent the Great Phoenix’s powers have been reduced. He’s barely holding on to his existence here on Earth.

“It’s only a matter of time now.”

I have powers? What powers? How the hell am I supposed to figure out how to use them when I don’t even know what they are?

Tick, tick, tick.I can feel the weight of my burden piling onto me like sand from an enormous hourglass.

“This must be what it’s like to live like a god,” Kalistratos says.

We’re standing on the balcony overlooking our quarters. The place is similar to what we’d seen in the Great Phoenix’s chamber—high columns, drapes of colorful fabric, an ocean of a nest made of soft fabrics, cushions and furs, surrounded by braziers with bright flames. To my surprise, there’s also a normal kitchen. Kalistratos opens the fridge and is delighted to find the shelves full of Coke.

“I guess he has been looking out for us, after all,” I say.

“Please, make yourself comfortable,” Feather says.

“Are we stuck here?” I ask. “What if we want to leave?”

“If you wish to leave, you can, but I cannot protect you beyond this place. You’re not a prisoner here.”

“I just want to know one thing, Feather,” Kalistratos says as he opens up a bottle of Coke. “Who are you, and who were those guys we walked in on with Lord Aethereos? I never got my answer.”

Feather bows slightly. “I am a shard of Aethereos, as are the others. He created us from four of his feathers. We serve him, and we are here to serve you and help you with whatever we can.”

“You’re a part of the Great Phoenix?” I say.

“I am created and sustained by his power. What happens to him also happens to his shards. If you’re wondering whether you are speaking directly to him when you speak to me, the answer is ‘in a way.’ We are independent beings who share a mind with Aethereos.”

“Jeez,” I say. “So… we basically walked in on him masturbating, then? That’s kind of weird.”

Kalistratos snorts. “Tyler. That’s Lord Aethereos you’re talking about.”

“What? It’s true, isn’t it? You phoenixes have a serious case of horny brain.”

Before excusing himself, Feather gives us a simple and curious instruction to use the elevator if we require anything we can’t find in our quarters. Then he gives us a final bow as the oak elevator doors close.

Kalistratos stares out the panoramic window at the sea of lights below peeking through the haze. The storm cloud has descended on the building, enveloping it in a relentless downpour. I can’t help but think of Star Wars again—it’s like we’re in a spaceship with crippled shields moving through an asteroid field. All we have is the Great Phoenix’s protection keeping those shadow monsters out—and our defenses are getting more compromised every minute. And I’m supposed to rest?

“Are you alright?” I ask Kalistratos.

He nods and slips his arm around my waist. “There’s so much I didn’t know.”

“He did drop quite a bomb on us,” I say. “I can barely wrap my head around everything he told us.”

“We have to get back to Circeana,” Kalistratos says. “We have to find those other omegas.”

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