Obsidia.
Her voice lacked his fluidity, his grace. That lilt that had assured the crowd that he was acting in their interest and what he had done was done with their safety in mind. All while she sat watching him stand there, telling the bald-faced lie without faulter.
Paisley wanted to yell, she wanted to demand to be taken home. But instead, her heart sunk further into the pit of her stomach. She wasn't a fighter, she knew that her entire life was filled with her running away and hiding from conflict. Always seeking to find some mutual ground to make peace. Even now when her mind begged for her to stand and fight, she felt herself bow down.
"What is wrong with you?" Henry's voice shook beside her. She could feel his body quake while moving to stand.
Now he was a fighter—a soldier.
"What do you mean?" asked Ardian. She didn't have to look up to know that crooked smile was plastered across his face. She could hear it in the smugness of his voice.
"She is a person, a human! You think it's funny to toy with people's lives?" Henry's voice boomed across the room.
"Funny? No. Amusing and necessary? Yes."
"Captain, this isn't right." Alice's voice fell flat and soft. "They don't understand. I don't understand."
"What's there to understand? You've seen them, Alice." Ardian stepped a little closer to where Paisley sat. "They wage war on their own soil. Human against human. Taking prisoners. Taking lives. It's not so different from us. More barbaric of course, but similar."
"Similar," Henry said with a note of disbelief.
"Mr. Bloom, do you get upset when your fellow soldiers murder the enemy?"
"She's not the enemy! She's not at war."
"Oh, but you see. She is at war, Mr. Bloom. We all are. And while Miss Morris' role may seem insignificant, I believe she holds answers far more interesting than the ones in your head."
Paisley tilted her head up. War? Answers? She had no place in any war, and she definitely didn't have any answers. "So many questions, " Ardian mused, his gaze falling from Henry onto Paisley.
"Don't you look at her." Henry stepped between them.
"Enough," Alice warned. "Both of you, that is enough. What Ardian means to say is we're at war. A war unprecedented since the accords were laid down centuries ago." Paisley could see the worry creasing her face. Alice's voice thick with the seriousness of the matter. "And someone is trying to break them," Alice continued. "Henry, I already explained your role in all of this."
"Yes, I know, but that doesn't explain how Paisley got involved," Henry exclaimed.
"Sure it does," Ardian piped up. "We needed you. Well, we need to pry into your subconscious actually. But because of you, she is here."
Paisley's head spun while Adrian created more questions than he answered. "What do you mean?" she asked softly, voice still raw from the emotions that lodged in her throat.
"What I mean is, if dear Henry here didn't hold you in such high regard you simply would've slipped through my radar." Ardian's head peeked around Henry's body. "Lucky for me he did or I would've missed this opportunity."
"Ardian, that is enough," Alice chided. She turned and shoved another finger into his chest. "Captain, Henry is right. You had no business bringing her through. War or no war. What you have done is not only insane but illegal. I don't know what you're planning—but it doesn't excuse this."
Paisley froze as she noticed the soft flicker of light leap to life behind his eyes. Alice's hand no longer thrust towards her superior but now lifted into the air beside her.
"Alice, who am I?"
Alice jerked her shoulder but her arm remained frozen. "Sir, please," she pleaded.
"I said. Who. Am. I?" His voice hissed like a serpent as each clipped word escaped from his lips. Paisley reached forward and grasped the hem of Henry's shirt, pulling him away from the power struggle.
Alice stood, rigid, as she clenched her jaw. "You are Ardian Hedionat. Captain of the Exalted Squadron," she spat.
Ardian's eyes softened while they searched the lieutenant's face. The light in his eyes suddenly disappeared before Alice's hand dropped to her side. "Exactly, and most importantly I am your Captain and you are my lieutenant. I am nothing without your loyalty."
It was the first time Paisley had seen anything but amusement in those eyes. Instead, they were soft, almost pleading, while they washed over Alice's face. Her cheeks simmered with heat, feeling like she was prying in on some intimate moment between the two. Then a slap echoed loud and sharp in her ears. And a mark, angry and red, flared across Ardian's cheek. "Don't. You. Ever. Pull that shit on me again," Alice's voice quaked.
"Alice."
"No," she cut him off, "Don't bother. You want to keep secrets from me? Fine. Put our lives at risk? Go ahead. But I'm done listening to you." Alice had turned herself away from where Paisley and Henry were, ducking her head down she hid beneath the careless waves of her brown hair. "I'll send in the General," she said before she left the room.
"She never did quite understand," Ardian remarked with a solemn look.
"Well, neither do we," spat Henry.
Ardian looked back over at them, his face falling while he sighed. "Don't get me wrong but there's much you don't understand and may never understand."
"Will we go home?" Paisley squeaked, the question nearly dying on her lips.
"No." He said it without any hesitation and Paisley's heart sank even further.
"But, what about James," she asked in a whisper.
"Ah, actually about that."
"No," Paisley interrupted. She was exhausted down to her very core. "N—no more dodging. No more clever words or-or that weird voice thing you do that makes everything seem okay when it's not," she stuttered over the words that poured out. An edge of hysteria had come creeping back along her spine until it laced her voice with a sharp bite.
"I mean to answer all your questions, I do, but you're not going to like what I have to say."
"Hasn't stopped you so far," Henry retorted. His arm gently wrapped around Paisley's shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze.
"Ugh," Ardian said while he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you know how incredibly rare the circumstances were that brought you here?" He paused, looking at them as if he was scolding a couple of petulant children. "Not only did we have the cover of the Crown knowing almost nothing, but the veil needed to be at its thinnest to pull you two through."
Paisley closed her eyes, letting his words soak into her. She could feel them splinter and crack her soul with their meaning. James, and all that they had built together was gone—just like that. She wanted the ground to open up, swallow her whole and for her treacherous heart to stop its erratic beating. "So, I'll never see home again."
"Now I never said that," Ardian voiced, causing Paisley's eyes to flicker open.
Did she hear him right? Her limbs flooded with renewed rigor as she pulled away from Henry. She leaned toward Adrian, every part of her attentive and eager for him to explain. Ardian was dangling the smallest glimmer of hope in front of her and Paisley wanted to take it. She wanted to fall easily into that shadowed promise but she had seen Ardian in action. And trusting him was like trusting the devil to return your soul.
"Am I interrupting something?" A deep voice rumbled from the doorway.
"Whoa." Paisley's mouth fell agape, taking in the towering creature that stalked inside the room. His height was only matched by the pure muscle that filled out his sturdy frame. Twin ivory horns curled over greying hair; his eyes, a little too large for his pointed face, a soft light blue. They were similar to Ardian's in clarity but lacked that sadistic fire that simmered behind his.
"Ardian said I could go home," Paisley blurted out.
She watched those blue eyes narrow and flick over towards Ardian.
"No, I said you could see home. Not that you could return," Ardian corrected her.
"Right. So this is what Alice was all up in arms about." He dragged a thick hand across his face with a heavy sigh, "You can't just make empty promises, Captain."
"Who said they were empty?"
"There's only one way for that to happen. And there's no way they'll let them in, it's a sacred place."
"They will if they believe it to be detrimental to their safety," Ardian said with a smile and a suggestive arch of his brow.
"You are a devil." The mountain of a man erupted with laughter.
"What's going on?" Henry whispered into Paisley's ear.
"I think we're going home?" She tilted her head back to look at him. There was an odd look in Henry's eyes—like he pitied her. Or maybe she was misunderstanding, she wasn't sure.
"General, since Alice is sulking, I need you to go fetch the pair of larunor's staying at the west wing. They'll never let them in looking like," he wafted his hand towards the two, "well, like that."
La-roo-noor. The word stuck, sticky with the heaviness of her accent, in the back of her mind. Every word that fell from their lips came with a flourish, a gentle purr that Paisley couldn't quite grasp.
She glanced down with a frown, still garbed in her off day attire. Most of the flour had faded away; all except the little half print that curled around her hip. Lynette. Paisley's heart tightened with a fresh wave of anguish washing over her. She had forgotten about her for a moment. Lost in the confusion building around her but back the girl came, along with that soul-shattering sound. She could still hear it—that piercing scream that echoed when she closed her eyes. Soon, she promised.
Paisley sent out a silent prayer to the heavens above her, indulging herself in the feeble hope that someone out there would be listening. She let herself grasp at that thin veil of hope Ardian had set before her and pulled it close. He may be the devil but the thought was the only thing keeping her from breaking down.
"Paisley!"
Henry's voice startled her from her thoughts. She looked around at the faces staring back at her, Paisley noting that the General had gone. "I'm sorry, what?"
Ardian's face crinkled in amusement. "Miss Morris, we'll be meeting with Maria and Pertrose today. They'll be performing a cleansing ritual before you and Henry can enter the chamber."
A ritual, Paisley questioned, not sure if she actually wanted an answer. Her fingers plucked at the hem of her shirt, finding a loose thread and pulled at it until it snapped.
"What's the ritual," Henry pried.
"Think of it as a cleansing," Ardian answered.
"What kind of cleansing," Henry pushed.
Ardian twirled his fingers in the air, his nose scrunching slightly. "It's basically to rid you of any contamination," he explained before a soft knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Ardian called.
The door opened to reveal two older women and the General standing behind them. They were petite, their grey heads barely reaching the General's waist. Paisley couldn't tell one from the other, both faces wideset with heavy wrinkles that etched in their sagging alabaster skin. Their clothes differed from Ardian and the Generals. Instead of the golden robes, they wore loose fitting purple dresses. While they shuffled into the room, Paisley noted the small black beading that looped down both the sides in an intricate pattern.
"Welcome," Ardian said with a bow. He turned back towards Paisley and Henry, motioning for them to stand. Henry stood up with ease, offering a hand to which she took. He helped her to her feet as the larunor's turned their gaze directly onto her.
Before she could blink the two were at her side, their long and boney fingers poked and prodded at her while muttering in a language she didn't understand. "What are they doing?" Henry yelped. One of the ladies had turned toward him, tugging at the button on the front of his jeans.
"You're contaminated. They'll need to dispose of your clothes and cleanse you." It was the Captain who spoke up to explain.
Paisley watched Ardian move over to the corner of the room. He leaned back against the wall, a hand covering his mouth while he watched. "What do you mean, dispose of," Paisley asked before turning her attention back to the woman, wary as they both took a step back in unison.
They continued to mumble under their breath, voices slowly rising in pitch. Maria and Pertrose's eyes blazed as they settled their gaze on Paisley and Henry. Those emerald eyes were wild with fire. The effect was different from Ardian's or Alice's—whose eyes lit up as if the sun had risen behind them. Instead, theirs were filled with flames; it danced off their skin and licked lazily across their cheekbones.
Paisley went to scream but her voice wouldn't comply. Her mind frenzied as her body stood, frozen to the spot. Their chanting only grew, ringing clear across the room. The fire slithering out into open air, one stream weaving its way towards Paisley and the other at Henry.
They're going to kill us. Her mind reeled while the flames drew closer; heat simmering against her flesh. Paisley expected pain, she expected the smell of burnt flesh to fill the room but instead, she was greeted with a gentle warmth.
She had shut her eyes in fear before the first flame-kissed her skin. But with the newfound gentle warmth she dared herself to open them, watching the flame trail lightly up her arm. She could feel its path as it made its way up towards her shoulder.
This was okay. She could handle the cleansing ritual if this was all that it consisted of. Paisley mentally relaxed, watching the sultry flame greet the hem of her sleeve. The fire grew darker as it wrapped around her shoulder and smoke drifted in the air. A new horror slid its icy claws into her heart. Dispose of our clothes. The flames weren't meant to burn her, but burn away her clothing instead.
Panicked, Paisley tried to move. But her body wouldn't budge from beneath whatever spell the two chanted. With pleading eyes she searched out for the General's face. She hoped he would have some sort of compassion for her. But the man wasn't even looking in her direction. Instead, he had joined Adrian in the corner. The two of them engaged in a heated discussion. The General's hands danced in the air as they spoke beneath the ruckus of the chanting.
By now the flames had warmed her collar bone. Paisley could hear the gentle crackle as it burned away the fiber, leaving her bare skin exposed to the cool air. Her face flushed with shame and anger. How could they think this was okay?
Beside her she knew Henry was facing the same horror she was, their clothing slowly burning away. Paisley closed her eyes, the only part of her that she still had control over. If she pushed away from the reality, ignored the frigid bite as the warmth receded, Paisley could almost enjoy the feel of the fire slowly traipsing across her skin, almost. But when the warmth fled Paisley's imagination thrust into hyperdrive. Unsavory thought after thought flooded her as to what was coming next when a voice hissed in her ear, "Relax, it's almost over."
Shock opened her eyes and she found Alice, her body hunched against the door frame. She could see Alice's face, her lips set into a hard line while waves of amber streamed out from her eyes.
Maria and Pertrose moved away from each other. One woman in front of Paisley and one in front of Henry. She looked into those flicking flames, still unsure on which one stood before her. She watched the woman's lips flutter open and close without hesitation, her melodic chant beginning to change. The words enveloped Paisley, soft and sultry. She could feel her skin prickle as static leaped between the fine hairs.
Light began to blossom from the woman's mouth. Pulsating and branching out with each tremble of her voice. It danced to the rhythm through the air, weaving its way towards Paisley. Her heart hammered in her chest while she sent another silent prayer to make this quick and painless. I love you, James, she thought.
The light suddenly surged forth and thrust her jaw open, pouring into her gaping maw without pause. Paisley struggled to breathe as it choked down her throat, leaving her tongue sizzling as if she had swallowed a bolt of lightning. It filled her, every space and every muscle swelled with the pressure. Paisley's vision began to waver, the woman's face fading in and out of darkness while she fought to stay conscious. She could see the light begin to bubble forth from her. It splashed out from nostrils and tinged her vision with shades of green before making its way back to the woman.
She watched the woman's greying brows pull together. A concerned look creeping across her weathered face. "Jis'kura litha de purishe!" she hissed, recoiling from Paisley.
"Are you sure?" Ardian voiced, striding forward. He glanced between Paisley and the woman. She didn't know what they were talking about, but she did know the chanting had finally come to a halt. Inch by inch she flexed her muscles relishing her newfound freedom while Ardian and the woman talked back and forth in the strange language.
"What is she saying," she asked.
"Nothing to worry about for now." He dismissed her before turning back toward Alice. "Go ahead and dress them. We need to get this done, and quick." There was worry in his face; it creased the fine lines around his eyes and Paisley felt like something was amiss.
Alice moved from her spot on the door, revealing folds of light blue fabric bundled in her arms. She tossed one at Henry before moving to drape the other across Paisley's shoulders. "They filled you with umah," she explained quickly.
"Umah?" Paisley echoed as she wrapped the fabric tightly around her. It was soft, not quite the feeling of silk but just as thin.
"It is our life force, our blessing bestowed on us from his Holiness. It purified you so that you may use the great stone."
Holiness? Stone? All these words just swirled around her. The way Alice talked was like she was explaining something simple, but it fell around Paisley like rubble. Nothing made sense anymore.
"Who is his Holiness?" Henry asked while he padded towards the two, his face burnt with a blush while he secured his own robe.
Alice narrowed her eyes at him. "He is his Holiness. The Lord of all Lords! Our single shining entity which has blessed us."
"What Alice is trying to say—his Holiness is our God," Ardian piped up, smooth and as charming as before. "And on behalf of our God, we would like to show you his greatest blessing, The Holy Stone."
#
Paisley kept in step next to Henry while they were led down a winding hall. People and creatures alike skirted around them, their eyes fixed on the floor. She tried to keep up with it all—every turn of every well-decorated corner. Her fingers brushed against the passing stone doors, gliding across the polished surfaces, while she glanced at the frowning faces painted in portraits above.
Each of the halls were filled with rich and vibrant colors of red and orange. Little orbs of light floated across a gilded ceiling, casting a series of pastel-filled shadows across their faces. There were no windows, nor any clocks. No indication of the time and Paisley wondered how long had she been awake in this new world.
"Just a little bit further," Ardian promised, before turning down a new hall. Here the walls slowly started to change. They gave way to hard, sand-colored stones. But at least this hall had an ending, whereas the others seemed like they could go on for forever.
At the end of the hall, two monstrous creatures stood on either side of a large double door. Shiny, black eyes glaring at the group as they approached. "We need to access the veil chamber," Ardian announced calmly.
"Who are they," one asked with a shriek. His sharp voice making Paisley wince.
"They're our guests. Our very important guests."
"They don't have the qualifications to gain access," the right guard shrieked again, hunching his thin shoulders.
"Sure they do. Look at them—it's clear they've just completed the cleansing ritual. Plus, they're with me. Surely you don't want to be the ones standing in the way and impeding official Crown business, do you?"
The two notably hesitated and looked at one another. Their pause making way for Paisley's anxiety to grow. What exactly was behind those doors?
"Fine," the left one rumbled. He moved his arm, grey skin crackling as he pointed toward the side of the large doors. "Sign in."
Ardian flashed him a brilliant smile before sliding his hand over a small silver panel embedded into the stone. Paisley stood on her tippy toes, trying to get a better angle to see what was going on. A silver panel was embedded into a small stone podium and chirped brightly as Ardian pressed his palm to its surface. He glanced back at her with a smile, rubbing at a small bead of blood that pooled in his palm before looking forward once more. In front of them, the doors hissed as the sound of locks tumbled from within. They let out a low rumble before slowly opening revealing a pitch black room beyond.
Ardian slipped between the narrow opening before craning his neck back at the group to brandish a small wink. He quickly dipped into the darkness and Alice pressed forward in his wake.
Paisley drew her robes closer, following closely behind Henry. The air was damp and the scent of saltwater clung to her senses. Another shiver raced up her spine and trembled through her shoulders. There was an ominous feeling lurking in the base of her skull. And with each footstep, it only grew in that musky darkness.
"Welcome to the veil chamber. Obsidia's greatest treasure. Only the grand and the greatest get to step in here," Ardian said. His voice was a soft whisper, yet it echoed loudly.
He led them forward until the stony floor gave way to earth, the soil damp as it cushioned her every step. The smell of salt grew the further they pushed in, reminding her of the ocean. Paisley had only seen the ocean once before when she was still young. But she remembered the scent well—especially after a wave forced its way up her nose and down her throat. Beneath her the soil grew more soft and wet, cool water pooling up and squishing between her toes.
The small group had become only a mass of vague shapes in the darkness. Her eyes had adjusted just enough to help her follow their lead but who was who was just a guess. One figure slowed in their march and dropped to walk alongside Paisley. She squinted at the figure before a warmth encircled her hand. It was Henry, she was sure of it. His hand gently squeezing hers as they continued deeper into the rising water. She smiled over at him, thankful that she didn't have to face this alone.
The group halted before them, a large object towering in distance. A splash of water rattled through the chamber as two figures parted from both sides of the group. An oppressive silence hung thick in their wake as waters stilled. And before long the soft sound of rhythmic chanting began to swell. She recognized the larunor's from earlier, their familiar voices now powerful and ringing in her ears.
The water churned around Paisley's calves. And a deep blue light started to glow from its depths. It slowly blossomed, turning the darkness of the chamber a somber color. Its light bringing the looming object slowly into view.
It was massive, reaching higher than the glow would go. She watched the blue light glitter across its oily surface, little white flecks dotting around the jagged edges. It was true to their word, a giant chunk of stone that Paisley could easily dismiss as a small mountain. But for something as simple as a rock, the feeling that crept over her was that of foreboding.
"Henry. Paisley," Ardian whispered facing the stone with a look of awe. "This is our heart, our Holy Stone."
Alice didn't say a word while she sloshed through the warming waters. Her fingers gripped around Paisley's arm, digging almost painfully into her skin. She dragged her away from Henry and toward the rock.
"Stay by my side and don't let go," she whispered while they neared its base.
Paisley looked back at Henry, watching Ardian pull him in another direction. She saw him take Henry's hand in his, those blue eyes radiating streams of light before he glanced up and over at the two of them. Ardian dipped his chin, a quick nod in their direction. And Paisley whipped her head back around, eyes locking with Alice's own beaming gaze.
She let go of Paisley's arm and snatched her hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. With no warning, she slammed Paisley's palm into a smooth groove on the stone. Everything around her exploded. And her lungs filled with damp while her head rocked backward. It felt like she was drowning while her body burned with the need for air. The room around her bled away, swirling as light and shadowed entangled across her vision.
"Focus on me," Alice's voice commanded
.
Paisley struggled against the sensations, squinting to see through the myriad of colors that twisted. Alice shifted into view, her limbs cast in shadow and wavering in and out of focus. But those eyes glimmered brightly, intense and radiant.
She slowed her breathing, trying to stay focused on Alice. The darkness of her wavy hair, the soft curve of her lips. Paisley didn't take the time to notice before, during all her panic and fear. But the lieutenant was stunning, despite the fierceness in the way she held herself and the seemingly permanent scowl set upon her face. Around her, the world slowly stopped its manic dance. Instead, the familiar grey of a sidewalk shifted into view. And old worn brick stood dirty and proud around her.
Paisley gasped, looking around with a flourish. This was her street. Her road. She recognized the familiar pattern of cars: one red, then two silvers, and of course the little grey Buick that hadn't moved since they had moved in. She felt Alice's hand tighten its grip, drawing Paisley back before she bolted.
"Stay with me." The words flowed in between her ears while Alice's lips stayed still. Paisley wanted to question her, ask her why they couldn't just let her go. After all, Alice had agreed that what Ardian had done was wrong. But there was a hard look in her eyes and her jaw tightened while her gaze drifted away from Paisley to something behind her.
Paisley was consumed though, filled to the brim with joy at seeing her home and soon, her love.
"Slowly turn around," Alice instructed.
Paisley obeyed, turning on the balls of her feet.
Her face fell as joy was struck down with panic and grief. The building that once stood stoic now lay crumbled in a pile of debris and ash. Pieces of wood and stone lay over broken bits of glass and tile. Bedframes, half burnt pictures and melted television stands lay scattered among the heap. But it was the flowers that caught her eye. Dozen of them, piled up on the sidewalk that lead up to where the apartment complex's door should have been. Their pink and white petals too bright against the abysmal scene behind them.
She wrenched her hand away from Alice and the world flickered around her for a moment before settling back into place. Paisley stumbled her way up the walkway her eyes burning with fresh tears. Dozens of photos lay nestled among the petals. But it was a familiar face in particular that struck an icy bolt into her soul.
Her face.
A forced smile beamed back at her from the photograph. Next to her James stood, his fluorescent green button up shirt wildly contrasting his drunkenly flushed skin. He looked so goofy leaning against her, with that wide grin. And yet, Paisley remembered how she could hardly keep her eyes off him that night. Now the photo was blown up and pressed into the petals with the words printed, 'In fond memory', written just below. Its meaning weighing heavy on her heart.
It wasn't just them in the photos either.
The couple who lived upstairs that argued at least once a week was placed just above. She recalled the first time she heard them go out at. Their shouts of simmering anger giving way to a passionate makeup session. She was never able to bring herself to introduce herself to them after that either—too shy from the knowledge.
But it was a bright red curl that drew her attention next and a new horror sliced deeper into her. She followed the curl to the sun-kissed face that grinned from ear-to-ear back at her. Lynette.
Lynette, sweet little Lynette, with the smile that put the sun to shame. Her face looked out at Paisley, not a care nor a worry in those beautiful eyes. In her hands, she carried a little turtle her mother and her had found, last summer. She looked so happy.
No, she looked alive, Paisley corrected herself.
Her hands balled into fists, anger and grief warring inside her.
They caused this.
Ardian, Alice—hell, even Henry. If he hadn't carried something for her, just let their friendship fall to the side. She'd be tucked away at home, safe, with James by her side. Lynette would be in the arms of her father, bringing light to the world with her enthusiasm. The couple upstairs would be alive to live through another quarrel.
She stumbled backward and away from the monstrous scene before her. Her back bumping into something hard before she hurriedly turned around. Paisley looked straight into the light blue eyes of Ardian. Twice now she found no humor there, no laughter or coldness. Just pity.
And she felt herself shatter.
Her anger fled at the sight of him, while grief surged to swallow her. How could someone who clearly enjoyed toying with people feel for her? Pity her, when all she loved and knew lay burnt to the ground?
Her body rocked with ugly sobs while strong arms wrapped around her tightly. The world around her gave way from its silence and in its place grew the familiar chanting of the larunor's.
Once more the world wobbled and bled. And soon she found herself back at the stone's base, her knees buckling as she fell into the warm water below.
"It's going to be okay," a voice cooed softly into her ear.