Beyond Immortality

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

I was out as quickly as I could. Had I been caught I would probably be next. Once outside the water I quickly dressed up and ran back to my cottage, my mind still digesting what I saw. They were siphoning the poor girl's hands. How long have they been doing this? It was almost impossible to tell who the two ladies with her wore as they had their veils on. Did the people ever notice this? Or did they turn a blind eye?

To think I was calling this place harmony, the outside world was better compared to this. A place where you knew anytime you could die not some pretentious place that served different purposes. I am deep in my thoughts when the door to the cottage opens making me close my eyes. The person walking in is stealthy and careful not to awaken anyone. My lids open slightly but enough so I see who is returning at this hour of the night.

"Cyris!" I mouth. I should have known. Like mother like daughter. She was in on it with her mother. That's why they were so powerful. They did not contain power rather they stole it from other innocent people. I wanted to go home more than anything.

"I wish I could remind her how I feel," Valiant says, seated beside me on a bench facing the forest polishing his boots.

"Remind who? What?" I ask puzzled as to why he was telling me this.

"What?" he asks.

"you just said you wish you remind her how you feel," I say.

"no I did no-" he argues. I eye him closely.

"there you go again," I say.

" but I did not say anything,"

"yes, you did you said 'Did I say that out loud I only thought it'" his eyes widened. I look around nervously as he stated back at me weirdly

"Deirdre, I said that in my thoughts." My eyes widen at the realization. We gasp in excitement, "You can read minds."

"I can? What if you are mistaken," I argue.

"let's try it just to be clear. I'll think of something then you get to say it.

"I'm good-looking," I repeat his thoughts.

"This is amazing means you can also mind-link with someone."

"mind-link?"

"talking to someone via mind but someone you are bonded to is called imprinting in telepathy."

"so everyone who uses mind link can hear our thoughts."

"Not exactly, telepathy happens between two people who have magic, you don't have to be there for someone to talk to if they are within a good distance you can use telepathy to communicate. Thought reading is entirely different, it is authentic and profound deeper than mind communication. In time you will learn how to perceive others' thoughts and detect the presence of other minds through extrasensory means. It is forbidden to read people's minds without their consent."

"teach me how to imprint on you,"

"close your eyes, imagine yourself in a serene place a place you feel safe." I envision myself in the forest where I once lived. "Make an image of me in your haven with one hand stretched out. Place your palm on top of mine," I do as he instructs, a bright light glows at the union point before finally, he vanishes. My eyes open and I can see him smile. "I can feel your presence in my head. Anytime you need me all you have to do is call for me in your mind no one other than you and I can hear us. Mistress Isolde would be proud of me right now." The mention of her name has me anxious.

"Are you alright? You seem tensed."

"I'm fine," I say offering a faint smile. I excuse myself; I want to get away from him, from my thoughts. I wanted to confide in someone about what I saw but who? Who was going to believe me? As I head back to the cottage I see Cyris strolling into the forest searching around suspiciously. What is she up to now? Have they gone on to continue with their malicious acts back there? Without second thoughts I follow her using her tracks to track her down. She heads deeper into the forest. I use the trees to hide myself as I go on following her. She stops next to a tree whose bottom is filled with the growth of different kinds of flowers. I go on sneaking a peak. She takes out a small bag under her dress removing a flower from inside. I watch her plant the flower next to the others on the ground. She takes out a dagger and uses it to refresh the inscriptions on the tree. I squint so I can see the name.