Disguised In Stardust ✔

Chapter Thirteen

The last thing Seth said before he went to step out, was a comment about the marking I'd gotten from touching Faelin's pod. The white, circular symbol that probed at my memories. I could remember the drawing in Seth's notebook, but I couldn't recall what it meant.

"I knew it." he'd muttered.

Seth's eyes lingered on it for longer than what seemed comfortable, then he left without another word.

Once he left us for good this time, it was time to do our thing. Meanwhile, I was battling with a mind of chaos and query. Who was Seth, really? Why was he hiding all of this from me? What was so special about Faelin?

Faelinsis? Is that formal, or a nickname?

Ugh, I don't know anymore.

"How do you know him? Why are you two close?" The sheer betrayal in his voice struck the deepest part of me. His voice cracked on the last syllable, but it didn't seem like he minded.

"We've been best friends ever since we were little." I confessed. He hid his face from me while he approached the Fross' carcass, using one hand to retrieve a pocket knife while the other laid upon the coarse fur.

"Are you okay..? Look, I didn't know he was like this until now-"

"That man kept me hostage for half a xait." Faelin gasped. I heard the choke in his voice and how heavy his breaths had gotten. I rushed over to find him blenching, body convulsing with heaves of strained breath.

Poison-laced vines crawled from the edges of his eyes, spreading across his cheeks like a gout of wildfire. I skid down next to him and quickly turned his head my way, so I could fully see the flora creeping down his face. Each vine faintly pulsed like a vein.

"I'm.." I started, but stopped at seeing him pull away from my touch.

"I-I'll poi-son you..." he stammered, brow creasing as he plucked the deadly plants from his eyes. It looked painful, but he didn't flinch at all.

His quiet whimpers utterly electrified my bones. His soft, hushed voice clicked like a katydid, then came down into a low drawl. The minute sound made my heart throb.

"I need to be a-alone. Just when I was starting to trust you, I... I'm told that you and that fiend were friends!" he hiccuped, his wail breaking on a silent sob. When he ducked down to leave, I took his wrist into my hand and tugged him back gently.

"Listen to me." I cooed. He looked up at me through his lashes and shuddered. "Are you listening?" I checked, to which he nodded with his lips drawn into a firm line.

"I thought he was my friend. We've known each other for years, ever since we were little. I honestly didn't think he would go to such an extent with his... obsession. What did you mean when you said he kept you here?" I explained, watching his movements carefully. His watery eyes were searching mine for honesty.

"He was working with my father, who is not a terrible man.. He is just... troubled."

My head suddenly buzzed and the edges of my mouth went numb. My knees trembled with a stinging pain.

A fuzzy vision clouded my sight.

_

"Father, you called me? What for?"

My vision was obscured by a long, wide corridor, burnished sconces running along the towering walls. A grand balcony was at the edge of the corridor, just to flaunt the view of a vast sky. The plains of wind were speckled with flickering stars and two large spheres, one larger than the other.

Moons?

"Yes. Come, boy. We haven't much time." A husky baratone voice sung from ahead. A figure was standing at a large half-moon space, watching the evening sky.

Two large, tinted wings were closed over fancy clothes. Long robes with a fusha sash decorated their frame, along with bangles of gold and a circlet of silver around the head. Their hair was long, down to their elbows, stained a deep wine.

They turned around to look at me, a fond smile pulling at aged lips. Two bright white eyes stared into mine, a fatherly warmth shrouding my mind.

"Faelinsis. It is time." He produced a small, orange orb from the pocket in his robe. I watched it glimmer like water in the moonlight.

"Pardon?" I asked. My voice didn't sound like mine, and I couldn't control my movements either. It was like I was watching a movie from someone else's eyes.

"You will be going to a safer place."

_

I snapped out of the vision with a tumble against the cold wall. Faelin steadied me once I staggered again, his fingers shakily gripping my waist. I looked down to find the white mark on his wrist glowing faintly, a pulse resonating between us like a heartbeat.

I turned my gaze to my own wrist, noticing the same behavior with mine.

"W-What was that?" I breathed. My heart thumped wildly, sending my thoughts into a frenzy. "What did I just see?"

"You... shared my memory.. I could feel you there with me." he snapped his head up to look at me with flicking eyes. He seemed to be just as baffled as I was.

I reached forward hesitantly, then slipped my fingers between his. Our wrists were pressed together, glowing in unison. I squeezed gently.

"Is it something to do with these?" I motioned to our arms. A blush crawled across his cheeks. He turned away and nodded abruptly, keeping his bottom lip pressed between his teeth.

"Yes, but now is not the time. Let's just not talk about... the vision, and let's get the fur." he approached the lifeless body of the Fross. He sat down beside it and gathered some locks between his fingers.

Once he collected the thick fur, he stood and looked down to the body with sorrow in those eyes. The arrogant silver was replaced by a distant grey.

"I'm sorry. There are more Fross out there in the world, but it still won't be the same." he told me, "Until the Fross have mated and birthed again, the seasons will become unpredictable."

“What do you mean? What will change in the other reality?” I quizzed. Faelin pushed himself up and tucked the fur into his bag. He turned to me with a droll stare.

“Your general vicinity will be shrouded in a mask of heat. Because a cold creature has died, the Cerulles will become powerful. The elements are thrown out of balance.” he explained to me. It finally clicked in my head at that moment.

A drought was going to hit.

__