Fall of the Spectrum

Chapter Nine

Their return two nights earlier had proven the damage to the Spectrum wasn't nearly as bad as they had expected. In fact, when compared to the realm's size, it was pretty minimal. However, it hadn't been until the morning following their return—or the illusion of morning, at any rate—that Gwen finally saw the evidence for herself.

Forneus and Phenex had left her in her quarters immediately after getting back, allowing her the rest she needed while they reported to the council. Apparently what followed had been a lengthy discussion as to just how much work was needed for repairs, in which all available healers—Phenex included—were dispatched to tend to the injured.

As much as she'd hated to see Phenex go, seized with the irrational fear that if he left, he would disappear all over again, she knew he had an obligation to the council and the Regulations Force. Besides, she'd been much too exhausted after everything they'd been through to protest, passing out almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

So when she'd awoken the following day to see him sitting beside her, dozing with his head resting against the side of her bed, it was all she could do to keep from flinging herself at him in a mixture of relief and delight. Instead, she'd opted for a more subtle approach, toying with the fine hairs at the back of his neck where she knew he was ticklish; stifling her giggles when he gave a start, and then failing at his bleary-eyed glare.

His disgruntlement over being woken hadn't lasted long, however. Before Gwen had time to react, he saw fit to pay her in kind, his fingers probing up and down her ribcage as he taunted her over the sound of her hysterical giggles.

Several cries of "Uncle!" later, Forneus entered the room, and the three of them had spent the day catching up. Or more precisely, they had spent the day filling Phenex in on everything he'd missed. It had been a good day, exactly the kind they needed after all that had happened, and all that was still to come.

Today was an entirely different matter. While Forneus and Phenex had to attend yet another council meeting, Gwen was sent off to train with the Fifth Unit. She'd only been in the Training Facility for two hours and already she had gone through the paces with Lyka and Lonali in full. Having performed much better than usual, only her lessons with Astral remained before she could take the rest of the day off.

As soon as she reached him—practicing energy manipulation by himself at the far end of the facility—Astral turned toward her, grey-green eyes bright despite his obvious fatigue.

"There's my star pupil," he said, expression relaxing into an easy smile.

"I'm your only pupil," said Gwen, smiling in spite of herself. Watching the glowing ball of energy bounce from one hand to the other, she asked, "You look like you haven't slept in a few days. What happened...you know, after Forneus and I left?"

Astral's lips twitched into a teasing grin. "Is that your way of saying I look terrible?"

Gwen balked, her face heating up. "No, that's not what I—"

Astral doubled-up laughing, the green energy ball dispersing in a shower of sparks now that he was no longer focusing on it. "I'm kidding, Gwen. I know you didn't mean it like that." He straightened, all trace of teasing gone; cheeks flushed, his smile gentle. "Sleep has definitely been something of a luxury the past couple of days..."

Conjuring another ball of green light into his hands, Astral told Gwen all about what had transpired after her departure into the council chamber, the energy stretching and contorting between his fingers into a myriad of shapes: A manticore, a basilisk, the large, feathered form of a woman that could only be a harpy.