Keeper of the Lost Cities: Rebuild [COMPLETED]

Chapter Ten - TAM

"The Council has requested the Collective send ambassadors to the intelligent species' capitals," said Sophie from across the table.

Today they had their meeting in the pavilion between both the boys and girls' treehouses, all because Marella couldn't resist the temptation to nearly burn down the former and play with the fountain in the latter.

"It's because I have an elemental ability," she'd once snapped at Tam. "It's harder to control—but I guess you wouldn't know about that."

The thing was, he did know what it was like. Ever since he'd trained with shadowflux...

A frozen warning descended upon him, and he resisted a shiver.

Marella was wrong. He knew. He knew very well.

"How many are you going to send?" Wylie asked Sophie, and Tam forced the shadows away so he could see the group.

The effort didn't accomplish much; they sucked back to him, as if attracted to his angst.

Be that way, he thought bitterly. He accepted them, but he did not like them.

They were his demons. Barring him. Suffocating him.

A constant reminder.

Do. Not. Trust.

"I'm not sending anyone," said Sophie; he could only make out the top of her head, but the voice was hers. "I'll be going along with whomever I choose."

Tam stiffened at that. Whomever I choose.

It sounded ominous.

Controlling.

"Your sister is older; you are not twins. No 'buts'—you will do whatever I choose."

It took Tam a moment to remind himself the voice was not Sophie's, but a memory.

"I'm sorry—I can't go," Wylie said behind the shadows. "I have a task as an Emissary."

TELL ME! Tam did not say it out loud, but the vapor reflected his thoughts, striking out—but not quickly. Slowly. Languidly. As if they would consume Wylie so lazily no one would notice he was gone.

Come back, Tam ordered. He strained, and finally the darkness obeyed. You respect me.

"Are you otherwise occupied?" asked Sophie.

As soon as Tam thought she was talking to him, Dex replied with a shaky, "No."

The shadows did not push back as Tam opened them like a curtain. The strawberry-blonde was standing, looking out at Alluveterre's river. It was a habit Dex indulged in when deep in thought—though today his face was pale; his thoughts must not have been pleasant.

Sophie narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't press. She turned to the dainty elf next, also staring at the water below, as if she wanted to throw a fireball at it to see what would happen. "Marella?"

"Nah," Marella said, shrugging.

"Tam?"

Before he could answer, Marella snorted. "Yeah, he's busy—avoiding everybody, that is. Except those shadows of yours; you seem friendly with them as of late."

"This isn't the time for this," Sophie said before Tam could come up with a retort. "Tam, Marella, I want you two to accompany me on the trip. Wylie, Dex, you can stay here and monitor things from the Lost Cities."

Dex flinched, the last thing Tam saw before the black clouded his vision once more.

Marella's voice broke through: "So all we're doing is having a nice chat with the species' leaders, maybe drafting a few Peace Treaties, then leaving? Sounds simple enough."