Imperial (Insight #8)(32)
Metallic energy was the answer. My Fated Escorts may have been lost to me, but pure lights found them. They could create such an energy if they wished. I was sure of it.
Before this time, I would have cringed if any soul from my line asked to be coupled with the likes of any light in human form. I would fear they would harm that light, or at the very least they would both be forced to leave their course of life unfulfilled. My opinion had vastly changed. I knew because they were Fated Escorts that they could do both.
I didn’t understand this web of hearts and souls that Vade spoke of, but I would honor his request and take no action to harm my Fate’s path. If that meant that I could only watch from a blind distance, I would do just that. My only issue was my dear Silas.
The springs were darker than I had ever seen them. I could see the disease of evil lurking everywhere. Those foolish kings. How could they not see the damage they have created?
I glanced at Rasp. “Is there no light?”
“There is…you just have to peer closely to see it.”
My eyes slowly moved across him. He had changed, too. At one time he’d had a dark humor about him, a way of making everything around him appear sensual. This turmoil had either changed him or he was having trouble finding comfort in my presence.
I could only hope that he and Mazing had rekindled their friendship. Once upon a time they’d been the best of friends. They’d really had no choice in the matter. They were usually side-by-side. I remembered thinking that in a distant future the two of them might have asked to be coupled, that they would have changed history with that request because not only would I honor it, but I would also persuade Vade to do so as well—even if it meant that my line would fall with his once again. I knew that no matter the outcome, Vade would never subdue the power that I had, the power that produced a deep, seductive fever within him.
I suppose that request would never come now. Mazing had little trust for the opposite sex, and Rasp would never see her the same after the betrayal she had committed. Rasp placed his king, his line, and me highly above himself. Anyone that would bring harm to us was his forevermore adversary.
I nodded for Mazing to walk at my side as I took in the visions of the springs. Rasp seemed somewhat hurt that I was silently asking him to wait for us, but I knew the conversation that I was about to have with Mazing was one that she would not wish to have in front of him.
“This is a righteous situation we’re in here, Glory.”
“Truth,” I said under my breath as I gazed at the water we were passing. Right now, I could only see the whole. I would have to touch the water to find the one I was seeking, and even then I would be the only one that could see the one I was searching for. It was an authority that only a sovereign had.
Right now, I just wanted to see the world Silas was residing in; that way, I could understand his point of view more clearly when I left here for him.
“I know we have never spoken of your betrayal,” I said to her as I kept my stare on the water and passed through the vast hall. I could feel her energy seize. “We must speak of it now.”
“I will tell you anything, I swear,” she offered with great remorse.
I stopped my walk and faced her. “How long did this fever between you and Colton last?”
She took in a breath sharply before she answered, obviously fighting her mind’s eye as it produced the past I was questioning.
“An orbit.”
A year in Earthly time; that was longer than I would have guessed. Hot fevers last a few nights, maybe a course of the moon. An orbit was quite some time and a heavy burden that she had to carry each moment of that course.
“At any time did Colton lead you to believe that he was not Xavier’s First?”
Her auburn eyes grew wide for an instant. “Not in so many words.”
“Mazing, I know this is hard to remember and to face, but I have to know how long my downfall has been plotted. In what words did he say such a thing, or did he say it to you?”
She blinked, forcing her eyes to swallow tears of rage. “Honestly, until you said that I would have never thought otherwise. If I had thought he was not the First, I would have found the courage to speak to you about my fever.” She glanced at the dark springs, then back to me. “He was miserable. I don’t even know why I bothered to speak to him.” She seized another breath before she spoke. “We were both on the first level of The Realm. I was doing as we were meant to, and those under his watch were causing shock in the dreamers. For the sake of showing off or silently telling him that his actions were foolish, I stood on the other side and pulled the negative emotions out of the dreamers so no matter what he or his line did, the dreamers were safe. It was a foolish display of power, I understand that, but I guess I just wanted to point out to him how cruel his actions were.”
“You realize that was very close to an act of war,” I cautioned her.
“I thought it was too playful to be considered as such. He was smiling at me, then for no reason he began to do the same, yet his line did not know it was him. We both laughed as they scrambled to hold their charge…the next moonrise after my charge was done, I played the game once more. This time, he manifested beside me and sat down in the field and gazed forward. He asked me tenderly if I thought I had the power to take his emotions. If I could make him see his existence differently.”
“How do you know that was not a ploy?” I questioned.