The Lotus Effect (Rise Of The Ardent) (25 page)

We both fell silent as we neared the bronzed gate and continued through it with caution. It slowly closed behind us just after we were both inside.

“Do not be ashamed that deep down every nerve, every
fiber
of your being is screaming at you to escape, telling you to run before it’s too late. For being fearful and prevailing against that fear is what makes a hero.”

I looked at him intently for a brief moment as his words took effect. I smiled in thanks, knowing I was lucky beyond my days to be partnered with Xander. To know that I would be fighting alongside this Outlander, this impossible shadow—the thought alone gave me enough strength to continue.

We walked forward beyond the gate without pause, as though it was any other street we had traversed many times over.
 

We knew they were watching.

We would not show them fear or unease.

For today, we were not only to be known as fighters, but to be seen as warriors—Champions of the Forgotten.

Chapter 26

A Deterrent ~ Feelings Realized

     
“These look . . . they’re not what I had expected,” I whispered.

       
Once inside the Compound, we approached a bend in the path which opened into a larger expanse. Oddly shaped huts stood before us which all seemed to be connected together with a series of narrow and elongated breezeways. A large covered patio stood in the center of them all. A meeting hub I suspected.

       
“Hm,” Xander mumbled beside me.

       
If I didn’t know any better—I would say this place looked rather quaint, but since I
did
know better—I’d say the Compound looked like a spider’s web waiting to receive its prey. The little huts themselves looked exposed and unsafe to live in.

       
Xander raised an eyebrow before he pushed forward, stepping onto the porch of the nearest hut. It creaked beneath his boots. He looked up to the ceiling, spotting a small brass dome with his eyes and denoting the first security camera.

       
“Huh,” he said, this time with an extra grunt attached to it. He turned his head sharply, noting that someone was approaching us.

       
I frowned, not hearing anything other than the wind creaking through the boards. Peeking my head around the corner, I saw a middle-aged man approaching with an assortment of gray towels in hand.

“Ah, Lily Emerson and Xander . . . oh, my apologies, I am afraid I do not know your last name sir—”

“Xander is fine.”

The man smiled. “Well then, I cannot begin to tell you how pleased I am to finally meet you two personally! I am Sir Cormack, and I will be—”

Xander returned the smile with a lot less enthusiasm and cut the man’s introduction short. “It’s a
pleasure
, Cormack. Now would you be so kind as to show us to our
private
quarters? It appears there is more work to be done than previously thought,” Xander said quizzically as he took in the unsecured nature of the hut around us.

“And are you quite positive this is a compound for fighters and not a resort getaway for lovers? What’s with all the whimsy?” He tilted his head towards the frilly green and pink-striped curtain that hung in ripples behind the small square window in front of us.

I couldn’t help but sputter at his comment. I cringed apologetically towards Cormack.

Cormack squinted and narrowed his own eyes. “The Council wanted to give the best to the fighters. Allow them a place of seclusion and rest after the hard ordeals of the Barrage,” Cormack countered with a barely controlled tone.

“Fascinating,” Xander exclaimed, not even trying to hide his sarcasm as he stepped away from us, giving the Compound another quick once over.

Cormack’s eyes rolled to the sky briefly, clearly unamused with Xander’s standoffish nature. Cormack with jaw tight turned his back to us. “Yes sir, how rude of
me
. Please allow me to waste no more of your time and show you to your quarters. Since, obviously, I wasn’t going to do that to begin with . . .”

He huffed off quickly before us, leading the way. I smiled when I heard him mumble, ‘not being paid enough for this shite’—or something to that nature. Sir Cormack didn’t quite fit the bill of a straight laced Council appointed worker.

Perhaps that’s why I liked him already.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sighed. I couldn’t let trust be my downfall. Though what kind of person would that make me? Always paranoid, always judging? After what happened with my mother, my mind told me to be wary, but my heart told me to search for the good. Innocent until proven guilty—and even then, to look deeper, to come closer to terms with that age-old question of ‘
why?’
.

He led us to one of the far huts that stood on the exterior of the others. I followed cautiously and nodded as he opened the door and ushered us inside with an apathetic sigh.

A wall of stale air rushed me, damp and musty. Xander stepped through the door first and nodded that it was safe to follow. My eyes scanned the small space. A room with two twin beds greeted us, each bed placed at opposite walls. There was a small seating area next to the entrance and directly opposite from where we now stood, was a washroom, judging by its tiled stone floor.

“Should you require fresh linens or medical supplies all you should do is press this button,” Cormack announced tersely while pointing to a small black console on the inside wall of the hut. “Meals are served in the common area to your left.” He pointed to the large covered patio that I had spotted earlier. “Should you rather have your meals sent to your living quarters—that can also be arranged. The trail leading to the Requiem is directly behind you. Good luck to you both,” he said automatically as if he was reciting from a list of things he was required to say.

“This is perfect. Thank you, Cormack,” I added with as much pleasantry as I could as he handed over the fresh linens.

His eyes lit up and he smiled briefly. I would assume he already welcomed the other round one fighters and we all know Scottie’s personality can be draining.

“Anything to be of service, Lady Emerson. Never hesitate to call upon me,” he said, bowing slightly before taking his leave.

Xander looked at me inquiringly over his shoulder as he crouched in front of the small table next to the entrance, reaching into its shadowed corner.

“What? It never hurts to be nice.”

My mouth hung askew when I saw what it was that Xander was messing with. In the few seconds that I had spent chatting with Sir Cormack, Xander had already spotted four recording devices and was proceeding to remove them, informally yanking them and their wires from hiding.

He opened the luggage container and produced a small round object from within. Running his hand along the wall he found a suitable crevice and placed the device inside.

“What are you up to now?”

He tapped his finger to his lips, denoting I should remain quiet in case our conversation could be overheard. He detached a small remote from the side of the black round object, and pushed a sequence of buttons on its side.

“Step away from the wall.”

My brows furrowed in confusion, but I backed my way towards the center of the hut, setting the linens on the bed behind me. Just as I did—a purple wave of energy emanated from the object’s epicenter and spread across the walls and over the door before disappearing into a wave of rippling transparent light.

“What
was
that?” I whispered, unsure if it still unsafe to talk.

“It’s a deterrent for those who would want to visit us unannounced. It corrupts any sound recording devices that may be near too. We can speak freely now.”

“It’s still active isn’t it? Even though I just watched it disappear?” I asked uneasily, even though I felt daft for asking something I already knew.

Xander picked up a pebble from the rough floor and tossed it at the wall. It sizzled and bounded backwards as it collided with the force field, a small purple aura of energy rippling away from where it had hit.

Xander pressed the remote again and leisurely allowed himself to lean backwards—my eyes widened in fear just before he did so—but then I realized: he’d turned the force field off on the inside. He propped himself up against the wall, arms crossed, notably unharmed. He grinned at the look on my face.

“Sometimes you’re the biggest Arsehat I know.”

He eyed my hands—which were somewhat still covered with the chalk from the street. “No need to fear losing your footing or what have you. It’s only active from the outside.”

I cringed, putting my hands at my back. “That’s good to know, seeing how you’ve already electrocuted me once before,” I replied tersely. “How did you create this?” I asked, unable to keep the awe from my tone as I hesitantly reached my fingertips to the rough wall closest to me.

“I emulated the design of the force field that surrounds the Edge—on a much less powerful scale that is.”

 
“Of course you did . . .” I mumbled quietly. And
I
was to be the Mistress of Science. I couldn’t even begin to fathom how he created such a device.

“This place
is
cozy at least,” I offered, hoping to make light of the situation.

Xander grunted. “Cozy enough for a prison. I have the feeling there’ll be more killing going on inside this compound than in the Barrage.”

I chuckled. “So I’m guessing we
’ll
be dining in for evenings? Having a central meeting hub so we can feast with our enemies?”

“Undoubtedly, a grand idea,” he said before checking the washroom and ducking under the beds for anymore unsavory items.

Maybe it was my nerves, maybe it was my dazed sense of reality and hidden fear, knowing I had to suit up soon—that brought a rash thought to mind. I sat on the edge of the bed and asked him the question that had been lingering neglected in my thoughts for a while now.

“Why is it that you said I wasn’t abnormal? That night . . . after the Outlands, you were so adamant, as though you knew for certain.”
 

Xander slowed his search, letting the bed’s sheet fall back to the floor. He faced me hesitantly. I had obviously thrown him off balance.

He looked at me with a pained expression. “Because you’re not. And because—” He stopped. “Lily . . . we cannot do this right now.”

“Why not?” I asked, looking to him resolutely. “Why not now? We’re about to walk into a situation that threatens our very existence.”

“Yes, but Lily . . .” He approached the spot where I sat on the bed. Reaching down into the container, he produced one of my axes and placed it into my palm, wrapping my fingers securely around the handle. “
This
is what you must focus your attention to. Nothing else. I know your mind is running frantic. That you are questioning everything you believe in. But you cannot let your mind wander, not at a time like this.”

I gripped the handle, absently rolling it in the palm of my hand, knowing he spoke the truth. Though—I couldn’t ignore the other question nagging at my mind. “And the way you looked at me that night . . . ?” I pressed further, my voice so low I wasn’t even sure he had heard me.

“It was a mistake. I’m sorry that it happened.”

That
was not what I expected him to say. It changed the way I thought he saw the situation entirely. Blinking heavily, I tossed the axe onto the covers behind me, and suddenly, I found I had an urgent need to hide my face from him.

Bending down in a rush, I began to gather my armor together, laying it piece by piece on the bed behind me. I took extra care to avoid his gaze as he watched me. “No, I must be the one apologizing. I am very
sorry
for being your
mistake
,
Xander,” I punctuated the word that had hurt the most with vindication. The blood rushed to my face when I finally swung up to meet his eyes. “It won’t happen again.” I slammed the container shut and enclosed myself inside the small washroom before he could even get a word in. I knew I was acting childish. Perhaps even a little like Cousin Annette with one of her absurd love tantrums. But what he said had really hurt. It did. A strange feeling had spurted my anger forward. Something I had never felt before. As though I had already lost something special—before ever truly having it.

Sitting on the side of the clawed foot tub and taking in a hitching breath, I attempted to clear all thoughts from my mind. Thoughts of Xander in particular.

Silence swarmed me. Tapping my fingers against the tub, I stood up, feeling awkward for shutting myself in here without anything to do and not to mention feeling, well—ashamed. Comparing myself to any behavior of Annette’s was never a goal I aspired to achieve in life. And driving a wedge between Xander and myself just before our first match no less . . . .

What an idiot
, I thought with a shake of my head. And I could’ve thought to bring in my armor, made use of my tantrum and at least changed into my gear.

Scowling inwardly, I opened the door in a rush only to find the room empty.

Xander had left. His armor gone.