The Parallels
EIGHTEEN

Only the sound of our crunching footsteps breaks through the placid stillness of the night. Darius says nothing as we trudge down the pathway past Levain and Silas’s house. Nearly fifteen minutes later and we’re walking single file down a meandering trail that skirts a mountain wall to one side, and a sheer drop off to the other. The magical dome doesn’t extend this far because soon enough, I’m up to my knees in snow and I know we’re outside of the Northpoint’s inner veil. I’ve lost the feeling in my toes before I finally tug on Darius’s sleeve, unable to withhold my questions any longer.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

He points ahead, but I don’t see anything but an impassable mountainside. “The way is veiled,” he says over his shoulder, “but we’re nearly there.”

We take a few more steps before a pair of tiny hands bearing a lantern appear in mid-air. Once we’re only a few steps away, the owner of the hands steps out of the blizzard. Just her silky black hair and delicate face poke out from the bundles of fur she’s wrapped in.

“Thanks, Grace,” Darius says passing by and disappearing behind her.

The girl appraises me apprehensively before turning around and disappearing as well. I stop mid-step feeling for the familiar vibrations of magic when suddenly a hand shoots out from where they’ve gone and pulls me through the snow and into a large well-lit cavern. At least thirty faces stare back from every corner of the cave. To my surprise, Silas and Levain step from the crowd.

“No one followed?” Levain asks, peering past us.

I turn around and jump back as four figures emerge from the cavern wall behind us.

“Not at all,” the tallest one says, leading the others past us. With every step they take their appearance changes, blending seamlessly into whatever backdrop they happen to pass by. By the time they take a seat near the edge of the group, they’re a mix of different patterned clothing and physical features, as if their magic couldn’t settle on just one.

“Veilers,” Darius says from beside me.

“Where are we?” I ask. “And why couldn’t you say anything back there?” I pull back my hood and let my hair fall freely around my shoulders. Immediately, the cavern stills around us. Most stare at us, or rather me. The myriad of faces dawns a variety of expressions ranging from suspicion to fear.

I get the feeling that while Xavier knows nothing about my magic, these people certainly do. Suddenly, the group splits, as familiar furry beast bounds through the crowd.

“Shadow!” I run to her. She stands on her two legs and throws her enormous paws onto my shoulders knocking me to the ground.

Iofin bends at our side. “She’s glad you’re safe,” she says, running her hand through Shadow’s fur. “I am too, sister.” She helps me up and brings her cheek to mine as I’d seen the Embry do in a gesture of affection.

“Are the others safe?” I ask.

Shadow’s hair bristles along her back but Iofin places her hand atop her head, and the Embry quickly settles down.

“We were able to escape them,” Iofin says disgustingly. “The others found safety in the mountains surrounding Bearmoor.” She glances down at Shadow then back to me. “I’m sorry for what Soleil did. None of us imagined that he’d betray us.”

“Don’t hate him for it, Iofin.” I still felt remnants of his magic in my body. “He only wanted to protect his people, that much was clear in the end.” Despite what happened, I send him my light. Iofin smiles before retreating into the crowd where a few other Embry await.

Maira approaches next. “I’m glad to see you.” She offers plainly. “I won’t lick your face like some though.” She smiles wryly. “We weren’t able to talk openly in Xavier’s presence, as you may have gathered. But here,” she opens her hands to the cave and the others, “we may speak freely.”

I step forward and draw her into a hug, which I can tell by the way she freezes, is unexpected. How could I tell her about what I’d come to learn, that I was a Faren and she was my blood tie? I realize now that my bracelet hummed not with suspicion but with recognition, for Maira is a blood tie.

Not yet, daughter of Faren. It’s Arthin’s voice who comes to me.

I pull away from Maira and look around the cavern. Arthin steps out from the crowd along with Oreya, who looks at me as if she already knows who I truly am.

There will be time away from eager ears, but it is not now. Arthin comes to stand just behind Maira, who looks at me quizzically before joining Iofin’s side.

“Who are all these people?” I ask Arthin as I take a seat by Darius. Silas and Levain plant themselves behind me while Oreya stands, still looking as though she’s seen a ghost.

“We are a small faction of Northpoint who believe the only way we’ll survive is by fighting against Blackthorne, less we cower in caves for the rest of our days.” The declaration comes a faceless voice in the group.

There’s a murmuring of an agreement and the crowd splits as a man steps forward. He’s younger than I expected, given the hoarseness of his voice. Unlike most around us, he’s not wearing a coat or anything that would suggest the subzero temperatures outside. Based on the light tunic and lofty pants, I’d say he doesn’t leave this balmy cavern all that often.

“Xavier believes that we can create a perfect utopia here in Northpoint and stay protected from Blackthorne should we continue to give him what he wants,” Darius says.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“He’s been conceding to Blackthorne for years,” Silas says from behind me. “Mages mysteriously disappear from Northpoint all the time, but no one ever knew where they’d disappeared to.”

“Until one of them came back,” Arthin adds looking at the man perched in front of us.

“Thanks to you two,” he offers to Arthin and Maira.

Arthin looks at me warmly. “Jules, may I introduce you to Niall Ventresca, last remaining blood tie of the Ventresca Primary and recent survivor of Xavier’s latest trap.”

Little was known about the Ventresca Primary or the type of magic they wielded, but I was sure of one thing - my mother sought answers from them before she died. If Niall had inherited any of the Ventresca Primary’s magic, then maybe he’d be able to help me. This must have been what Arthin meant when she said she was going to replace answers.

“Thank you, Arthin,” I say.

Niall continues. “We’ve been looking for a way to come out of this pitiful existence,” he gestures to the cavern, “and reclaim Lanel as our home, as we did before the Purists poisoned this land.” Niall stops in front of me and kneels. “Julianne.” He extends his hand to me. “Will you help us?”

A soft touch on my back steadies me. I don’t have to turn around to know that Silas and Levain support me, no matter what decision I make. But the choice is easy; it had been since Laurel’s Passage.

“Ay,” I say, placing my hand atop his. The air of uncertainty seems to lift from the group and I breathe deeply. I go to take my hand away, but Niall doesn’t let it go.

His eyes remain closed, though his eyelids flutter as if he’s dreaming. “It’s still there, “he says. “She’s still protecting you.” He smiles. “And your magic, it’s swimming just below the surface waiting to break free.” He pauses. “There’s so much power, too much power.” I try to yank my hand away again, but his grip is unwavering.

Rhian appears at my side; I hadn’t even noticed him in the cavern before now. “Something’s not right.” There’s an edge to his voice I’d naught hear before.

I try to free my hand again. “You’re hurting me!” I say to Niall.

Darius takes out his knife and holds it to Niall’s throat. This sets of a chain reaction in the crowd as everyone draws a weapon. Some point them at Darius, some point them at me. Oreya, Arthin, Maira, and Iofin form a barricade between the crowd and Niall. Shadow growls and snarls at the onlookers, awaiting Iofin’s permission to attack.

Niall speaks again. “He’s been looking for her...all this time searching.”

Despite the pain in my hand, I tell my friends to wait. I stare back at Niall, who is oblivious to the scene unfolding around him. The room is positioned to attack, but none of that matters because I’m sure that Niall is on the verge of telling me what I need to know.

“Who is he?” I ask.

He doesn’t respond to my question but lets out an anguished cry as his face contorts, settling somewhere between rage and torment. “Almost there...ready...to know.” Niall’s voice has changed. He yanks my arm almost out of my socket, pulling us both to the ground in the process.

“Please stop!” I shout.

He releases my hand and catapults into the air, smacking into the back of the cave before hitting the ground. He doesn’t move. No one moves, save for the tiny girl that met Darius and me in the snowstorm. She appraises his limp body.

“Lower them!” She commands with an authority belonging to someone twice her age. The others lower their weapons, and finally, my friends do as well. I’m in a trance as I rise and walk toward the girl and Niall’s slumped body.

“Is he?” I start.

“Just unconscious,” the girl says, not taking her eyes from him. “Whatever just happened drew him down past his control. He told me never to go that far, but he never listens to his teachings.” She mumbles to herself and places her hands on either side of his forehead. “Niall,” she coos in a melodic tone. “Come back to me.” He groans as his eyes flutter open.

“Grace,” he says lovingly. “What did he see?” he asks.

“Enough to make us vulnerable I think,” she says, helping him to a seated position.

I take a step forward and bend down behind the girl. “I’m so sorry,” I say. “I don’t understand what happened.”

Niall raises his hand calmly. “I don’t suppose you would understand, how could you just yet?” His gaze flickers to my face. “Your mother and aunt protected you well daughter of Faren.” Gasps sounds from behind me. “But we haven’t much time; he knows you’re close.” Niall pushes himself to his feet with the help of Grace.

I step to his side to help steady him. “Blackthorne?” I ask.

He shakes his head slowly, and I fear I already know the answer. “They’re one in the same now, but I know not his true identity, that much he did well to hide from me.” He looks at me. “You’ve met him before, haven’t you?” He regains his balance and turns to face me.

“Only from dreams, and then the dreams started happening when I was awake,” I say.

When he retakes my hands, I let him. “He’s been searching for you for a long time.” His expression fills with sorrow.

“What does he want?” I begin, but he shakes his head.

“Not here, not yet.” I feel the others behind me. “I must prepare my people for what comes next. “You,” he addresses Darius who has been at my side the whole time, “stay with her. You’re the only one who can truly protect her now.” Darius and I exchange curious looks, but Niall continues. “The veil surrounding you is the strongest I’ve ever seen,” he says to me.

“Her aunt was a gifted veiler and her mother an equally gifted bridger.” Oreya comes to stand by my side before kneeling. “Forgive me, Juliane. I didn’t believe it to be true when I first saw you, but I know now that I was wrong. I’d served your mother when she was just a girl, before I was stationed in Lanel after the signing of the Unification Decree. After the Breaking, a rumor spread that none of the Faren blood ties survived and when you arrived at our village, you were just a kid and I thought it to be impossible.” She drops her head. “I swore an oath to protect your family, and at that, I failed.”

“Oreya,” I drop to where she kneels, “if anything, you did protect me.” When she looks up, I’m startled to see the tears in her eyes. I scarcely knew the extent of the blood oath Grand Protectors took, but as I look at Oreya, perched sovereignly before me, I know that she’d do anything to protect me. “You are still the Grand Protector, Oreya.” She looks up. “And so long as I’m around, you always will be.” I extend my hand to her, and we stand together.

“There’s something else,” Niall says to me quietly. “Promise me you’ll return before your journey.” He looks at me and I know that he knows about my plan to leave Northpoint. “Just promise me.”

I nod. “Ay, I will.”

He releases my hand and turns to the group. “The dawn of a new age in Lanel draws near,” he roars. “The time to face our enemy is here.” A cheer rises through the group. “Bid your kin farewell and make peace with the Mire. We travel at first light.” And with that, the cavern echoes with the sound of battle preparation.