𝓞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝓗𝐮𝗺𝐚𝐧

Chapter #2 - Joley

Chapter #2 - Joley

As soon as Joley apologized to Talia about her dad, she knew she had botched things big time. The waves of fear and turmoil and confusion that radiated off her were dead giveaways. She was supposed to make her trust her, but instead had made it worse.

Well, at least she had remembered to put a nexus on her wrist. That had to count for something.

But if she kept this up, she'd never be able to find more people for the HRP.

It had been decades since Sophie Foster, her mother; Keefe Sencen, her father; and their friends had defeated the Neverseen, and the Lost Cities had undoubtedly changed. The matchmaking system had been completely rethought, Talentless and Talented elves now had equal opportunities, and the Council and Black Swan worked hand in hand.

A new program called the Human Reinstatement Program— or HRP for short— had also been started. What made it different from the Human Assistance Program was that a select group of trusted humans around the globe now knew about the Lost Cities, that way if any knowledge was abused, they could contact the elves and devise a solution. That was what she was recruiting Talia as.

It had all been working out perfectly.

Until recently.

"What's going on?" Talia said groggily, finally becoming conscious again.

"This is gonna sound crazy, but—"

Suddenly, Talia seemed to really take in what was going on, and immediately perked up from the teal pillow she was leaning against. Her hazel eyes were wide and hyperaware, and once again Joley's recently manifested Empathy could sense fear.

"Where are we? What's this on my wrist? Are you the girl from the museum? I need to call my mom!"

"I don't mean you any harm," Joley assured her, taking a deep breath. She was not gonna botch this. "Just... don't freak out when I say this. And don't laugh either. I promise, I'm not lying."

"What is it?"

"We're in Atlantis." More specifically, they were in an apartment in Atlantis— one specifically reserved as the place where humans for the HRP were taken at first. The place where they all got introduced to the Lost Cities. Although it was still a fancy apartment— it was elves who designed it, after all— the furnishings and overall room was meant so that humans could feel at ease in it.

Talia seemed anything but.

In fact, she did exactly what Joley had told her not to do. "Atlantis," she said between unconvinced giggles. "Riiiiiight. Next thing you know, I'm gonna find out you're mermaid."

"Actually... I'm an elf. As a matter of fact, so is your teacher, Mr. Alenefar. His first name is Tiergan. He also gave you subconscious knowledge of our language, which is why you can understand me right now." Joley was also a Polyglot, so she would've been able to her anyway, but this way she could talk to all elves.

She just stared at her, aghast.

At first, she thought Talia was just surprised by the statement— surely, it would take some more convincing to get her to believe it. From the stories her mom had told (and her dad's rather... entertaining commentary), that was certainly the case when Sophie found out about their world.

But she seemed more... dazed.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, clearly reluctant. "But— seriously? You expect me to believe you're an elf? Where are your, like, pointy ears?"

Joley smiled slowly. This was the part she was waiting for.

"I think it's about time I tell you a story— one that happens to start at the same museum we were just at."

***

"WHAT? It was his mom— not Cassius?!"

"No way! Mr. Forkle's still alive!!! How can that be?"

"Sophie? Unmatchable? No!!!!!"

"Keefe's letter sounds so sad..."

As she began telling the story of, well, everything, Talia gasped at every twist. Joley had always had a knack for storytelling, and it had been her dream basically all her life to recruit a human to the HRP.

A/N: In case it wasn't clear, Joley is basically narrating a simplified version of the books. And Talia is basically me when I read those twists. XD.

"...and now, 35 years later, the Lost Cities are finally at peace," Joley finished, satisfied. But she knew that someday soon, she'd have to tell Talia the whole truth: That the Lost Cities were finally at peace, but that was before the two elves murdered Talia's father. And nobody was quite sure why.

But for now, Joley would keep her in blissful ignorance

"Get ready. I think it's about time we get out into Atlantis."