The Lost World Of Victa

Chapter 36: Calyptra Thalictri

My eyes open to the soft light of dawn, with a few stars still flickering in the sky. I wish I could pick out the constellations, and had learned the stories of the stars, but the Nyghtskis hadn't cared to learn this world's constellations, and so those stories have been all but lost.

I start to sit up, to gather my surroundings, when my eyes meet Zayn's. He's already up, sitting by the fire, cooking rabbit over a makeshift spit. I walk over to him, and sit down next to him, grateful for the fire's warmth.

"You're up early," I muse, enamored with Zayn's cooking. He looks so much more lively in front of the fire, and I'm startled by it.

"Zoro, my home, is the kingdom of the dawn. That's what Oriana means too, 'dawn.' I almost always find myself awake at this hour missing my home dearly. Sarren doesn't care much for the day, and spends most of his waking moments prowling the night. Trace doesn't remember our home, and spends so much time away from me and Sarren. I alone wake up at dawn to mourn the home we lost," Zayn remarks, lost in so much thought that his words almost seem like a prayer. I feel like he's talking to me, but not really.

"I promise, I'll help return your home to you," I say, grabbing Zayn's hand in an effort to comfort him. His eyes seem so sad this morning.

He laughs, his shoulders shaking with bitter amusement. "It's funny, princess, how much I miss my home. Growing up, I hated Zoro. If you think Sarren and I are cruel, I can guarantee you, we pale in comparison to my father's bitterness and cruelty. My brothers and I did not have a happy childhood, and we took every chance we could to leave Zoro's borders."

I look at him, thinking about all the visions I've received. I've seen just how ruthless their father, Sivin Oriana, was.

"And yet," I start, trying to help him sort out his emotions.

"And yet, I miss Zoro so dearly that I would tear this world asunder to have it returned to me."

With that statement, his eyes flare red, startling me. I flinch, letting go of him, and stumble back. For some reason, that look in his eyes scared me.

Zayn blinks, his eyes flickering back to magenta for a moment, and he looks at me, tilting his head.

"Did I scare you?" he asks quietly, looking me up and down.

I gulp, and nod slightly, trying to gain my composure.

He reaches his hand out, softening his features.

"I'm sorry about that. You were sleeping very deeply. What were you dreaming about?"

I take his hand, and dust myself off, trying to figure out why I reacted so violently to Zayn's eyes flashing red. It's not like that was the first time they've done that, so I can't understand why I had such an adverse reaction this time.

"I had a... dream.. about Trace's past. I think... I think I saw the events leading up to his death," I say carefully, trying to not reveal my vision power. From what the other members of the resistance have said, these visions are unique to mages touched by the Keeper, and would paint yet another target on my back.

"Really? And what did you see?"

"I saw... fire and blood. Vines, and trees, and steel," I say vaguely, trying to make my vision sound more like a nonsensical dream than actual fact.

Zayn nods. "I wasn't in the capital when Trace died, but from what Skecelia told us, that fits. He died right beside his growndey, a life mage named Lee, in the middle of this very forest, though much closer to where we started our journey. Trace is a fire and blood mage, and was stabbed in the chest. So as vague as your dream was, it's pretty spot on. I wonder if you're Keeper Touched. It'd make sense, though if it's true, I'd do anything to keep a gift like that a secret."