The Crystal Trials

21 Nik

 I couldn't believe her. This whole time she felt so negatively towards me. If I had known, I would have approached her differently, spoken to her more carefully. And I did not flaunt being level tens in everything. If anything, I wanted less attention for them. I just wanted to be me. I had calmed down enough that I wasn't hyperventilating anymore and leaned against the wall of the back street. And what she had said about Dath, I couldn't wrap my mind around it. I had seen his look in the store and had wondered how long he had been looking at me that way.

I heard a rock roll against the ground, interrupting my thoughts. I went still and held my breath. Someone was in the alley with me. I inched my dagger from its holster. Someone stepped in to view and I had them against the wall in a manner of seconds, dagger to their throat.

"Name yourself," I snarled.

"You know me. The Axion leader from the opening ceremony about two months ago."

I racked my memory.

"I gave you the card."

Oh. That guy. I pushed the blade in, knowing it cut his skin enough to show him I was serious.

"My name is Volar. I want to help you. You and your friends are in danger."

"What are you talking about in danger? Your zealots are the ones who attacked innocent lives. My friends almost died trying to save a woman and her two kids. All because of them being Rustmutts, whatever that means."

What little of his face I could see, fell in sadness. I loosened my grip. Only a little. I would hear him out.

"That is a disgusting term. It is used to demean those that are half Fae, half human. See, Fae are reduced to nothing by iron. Their magic becomes null. They call them that, because of the traces of iron in a human's blood."

He swallowed against my blade before continuing.

"When two Fae mate, another Fae is born. When a Fae and human mate, the result is trickier. Sometimes, the Fae blood will overpower the human. Like you and your friends, when you began using magic, your Fae blood began to take over. They taught you that much, at least. I hope. Well, with some halflings, their human blood wins out. It all depends on the potency."

The test we took was a potency test. What was this guy playing at?

"Then how are we in danger? You are the danger. The Axion."

Suddenly, he turned his head as far as he could, panicked.

"Let me go, your friend approaches. Should you need me, seek me out. My name is the key. Volar. Memorize it."

Reluctantly, I let him go and he disappeared into the dark corners of the alley. The friend he spoke of, was Faolan. He walked up to me slowly. Not saying a word, he hugged me.

"How'd you find me?"

"I smelled you," he grinned down to me, "Taury sent me to look for you and I followed your scent. She mentioned she had said some nasty things and knew you wouldn't want to see her. So, she sent me to make sure you were ok."

I didn't trust her supposed caring, but I didn't fault Faolan for following through on the request. I put my head back against him. I loved him. He was truly my best friend. But I wasn't being a good friend back to him. I had to fix that.

"How is Evander?"

He loosened his grip but didn't let go. "He's doing better. That trial was so intense Nik. It was like a lightbulb went off inside of me. I didn't want to lose him. I don't know if he feels the same. Probably not. But I want him near me all the same."