Page 77 of Guided by the Stars
The pain in his eyes mirrors mine, he’s hurting just as much as I am, but I don’t fucking understand why. Why would he keep this from me? If it was just the image projection, I could forgive him. But now, with yet another ability held back from me...how can I trust him?
I back up, releasing the shadows, and he slumps against the wall. It’s silent for several seconds, the only sound coming from beyond the bathroom door.
“I wanted to tell you, Kai, but it’s been ingrained in me since I was little to keep this aspect of myself hidden. I made a promise to my mother that I wouldn’t share it with anyone unless I absolutely had to, and only at the right time. This is that time.”
I say nothing, unsure how to handle this. There’s so many unanswered questions, and if I think about them too long, I’ll spiral out of control. That’s the funny thing about lies and truths. If given too late, it’s as useless as nectar to the dead. At least this truth was given when it mattered.
“Explain to me how this shield thing works. You said you can shield yourself, but can you extend it to Adriane? Will you need to touch her?” I ask, afraid of what the answer might be. “I need to understand Jax, I won’t put her at risk anymore.”
“Truthfully, it’s not often I’ve had to shield someone else,” he answers, lifting his hands up to placate me as pure disbelief crosses my face. “I can do it though, so relax. It’s like a bubble that’s always around me and I can force it wider to include others. No one will feel her power signature to locate her, or mine either.”
While I’m still pissed that he kept this from me, at least it’s something he can do for her, but I’m wary of how long he could keep this up. If he’s constantly shielding her, staying close enough to keep her in his bubble, it’s not foolproof. He has to see that. “And when your energy runs out? She what, wears the helmet until you find nectar or take a nap? You aren’t fucking limitless, or is that another thing you kept from me?”
I can’t keep the venom from my words. The person who was more family to me than anyone else turned out to be aliar. I’m hurt, lost, and just want this conversation over with so I can get a bit of space from him.
Pain flashes in his eyes, and when he speaks his voice is rough with emotion. “No, I’m not limitless. And you’re right, my shielding won’t work long term, but there’s something else that will. You’re angry with me, and you have every right to be, but these are secrets I’ve kept for a very long time, and it’s time to share them.”
With a deep breath, I nod. “Okay, what can you tell me?”
“When I was younger, our mother taught Daemyn and I how to infuse our shielding power into stone. She showed us a vision and made us recite everything we saw so we wouldn’t forget it.”
“Hold up, a vision? I thought all the prophets died before you were born?” I ask, confused. From what I understood, the last living prophet found himself caught in a power struggle between Zeus and another god. After the dust settled, they sentenced him to Tartarus for his betrayal.
His eyes meet mine, more steady and sure than I’ve seen them all night. “My mother is the priestess, Circe. To make the shielding stone, we need a piece of onyx and then it needs to be struck by lightning. That last one might be a bit-”
“Woah, back up. Your mother is the priestess Circe, the one who turns men into animals? And where the fuck are we supposed to get lightning?” I ask, still unable to process all of the bombs he’s dropping on me.
“Yes, and there’s only one person I can think of that might help us with the lightning. I don’t know for certain if he possesses the ability, but Daemyn could tell us.”
Ugh, fuck. Everything always comes back to him, as if the stars themselves have linked us.
He sees my grimace but continues on before I can speak. “Once the onyx stone is hit by lightning, I’ll use the binding spell to infuse my shielding magic with water from the Aegean Sea to it.”
“Do you think he’d help us with this? And how would you explain your presence in Mount Olympus?” I know he’s never done a thing to help me in the past, and I can’t see why he’d do this. Who knows what he’s done with her friend by now.
“Sometimes Kelsey takes a note to him for me. Get me the onyx and I’ll make sure it gets to Daemyn. He’ll know what to do.”
I sigh, moving over to the window and opening it. The sound of the water shuts off and I know we’re almost out of time. I reach my hand out and close my eyes, controlling the earth to find what I need. It crumbles apart and two small misshapen stones appear. With more concentration, I create a tower of mud, rocks, and dirt, high enough for me to grab the stones before swiping my hand through the air to collapse it.
The stones are smooth in my palm, warm despite the constant cold. “I fucking hate that this hinges on Alexius, but I can put that aside if it means Adriane is safe,” I say, handing the stones to Jax.
“Why two?” he asks, writing out a quick note for his brother.
I shrug. “She asked me to help her friend, and I promised I would. This is the best I can do, given the circumstances. Can you get this to him quickly? With everything that’s happened, we have to act fast. You must protect her with your life, Jax. She’s everything.”
He reaches out and puts a hand on my shoulder. “I swear it.”
With everything that’s happened, I don’t know if I can trust him anymore. These secrets, the future, it’s all a mess.My chest tightens, the air in my lungs thickens until I feel like I’m drowning.
“She’ll be out soon,” he says, breaking through the depression and nodding towards the bathroom. “I’ll grab food for you guys and then make sure Daemyn gets this. Spend time with her, I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”
My entire world shifts with his words, caving in on itself, smothering me. But I nod anyway, prepared to make the most of the time I have left with her.
“We’ll be ready.”
Nora
When a Thorn Pricks
