The Threadbound series : Unraveling

Learn the Sport

Ash

A loud knock jolted me from my slumber, and I suddenly found myself entangled with a warm body. With a swift motion, I pushed Alex away, grateful for the physical training I'd received.

"Sashelle, you in there?" Sara's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"Yes, I am. A moment please , Sara," I called out.

I scrambled to wake Alex, who still seemed groggy, while he struggled to put on his pants. In haste, I created a portal and shoved him into it, tossing his shirt and boots after him. Unfortunately, one of his boots inadvertently hit him on the head, and he let out an "aah" as the portal dissipated.

I opened the door as Sara entered with a tray of tea. The scent of whisperleaf tea wafted through the room, and I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose.

"Your father said not to serve you etherbrew, apparently you've been having trouble sleeping with it. So, this is whisperleaf tea, and I added honey to enhance the flavor. Since he mentioned you don't like the original taste," Sara explained.

"Thank you, Sara," I replied, accepting the tea cup from her.

As the evening sun began to set, I was pleasantly surprised that I had enjoyed a restful sleep without any nightmares. Sipping the whisperleaf tea Sara had prepared, I retrieved the veil locket from the chest hidden under my bed. Hammett had instructed me to visit him again today, and I was curious to hear what the rebel leader had to say. I fastened the locket around my neck and stepped into a portal.

Once again, I found myself in the midst of the bustling crowd at the Grand Senate Arena. Unlike the morning, this time the arena had transformed, featuring floating goal hoops at varying altitudes and ethereal currents of magic that influenced gameplay. The spectators were fervently cheering for the Sylvanwood Sentinels as they faced off against the Drakmoor Reavers, the grand finale of the season.

Amid the energetic crowd, I spotted Lukas Amad and Tristan Raaha. Lukas appeared to be engaged in an animated conversation with Tristan, his words flowing freely. At one point, Tristan's gaze shifted, and our eyes locked briefly. Fortunately, I felt confident that he wouldn't recognize me in my current disguise.

Somewhere in here was Sru and Naf. Srus boyfriend is the captain of Drakmoor Reavers and today was the Championship Finals.

"Purp-Elle here!" Hammett called out from the second row, drawing my attention away from Tristan. The crowd erupted into cheers as a player guided the Skybound Ball through one of the floating goal hoops located at the highest point within the arena, earning a score for the Sentinels.

As I made my way over to Hammett, I took a seat beside him. He was a dark-skinned man approaching his thirties, with a neatly trimmed scruff on his face. His luscious black hair was trimmed close to his head, and his sharp, angular features added to his overall charm. His intense blue eyes peered out from beneath his dark lashes, giving him a mysterious air. Despite his medium build, there was an undeniable strength about him.

Hammett had a knack for clever nicknames and a sense of humor that matched his wit. He didn't hesitate to share his latest creation. Like calling me purple because Elle has long violet hair.

"Purp-elle?" I echoed his choice of nickname, my tone devoid of emotion."At least it's an improvement from your previous one, Reb-Elle,"a hint of humor in my voice.

Hammett, always quick with a quip, didn't miss a beat.

"I would have called you Formidab-elle, but you're a bit short for the title,"

I ignored his jab and instead asked him in a serious and somber tone, "Have you done the favors I asked of you the last time?"

The memory of the day I had realized that the bones in the shields were actually the remains of veilbinders haunted me. I had sought out Hammett that day, telling him that I believed the rebels' claims about the dark history of Milandor. He had initially laughed at me saying that it took me a lot of time to find my senses. Later we delved into a deep conversation about the hidden truths behind Milandor's history and its current state.

Elder Bhama, it turned out, had been part of the conspiracy but had eventually seen the injustice and tried to make things right through the rebels. She had known that her actions would lead to her death at the hands of the Elders. Bhama had left behind a trail of clues, grooming me to take her place. The treasure trails, my alternate identity as Elle, even Hammett sitting before me—everything and everyone was part of her elaborate treasure hunt.

The realization had left me feeling overwhelmed, unsure of the course of action I should take. I was compelled to follow the paths Bhama had laid out, uncovering the truth about the veilbinders. Granny's voice echoed in my mind, urging me, "Take a leap of faith and prepare for battle."

"Yes, the berries of the Paithilirith trees on Bone Island are a slow poison that can cause cardiac arrest. The leaf, however, is a different story. My contact is working on its effects," Hammett explained.

The wordplay hit me like a bolt of lightning one drunken night when I misspoke "Leap of faith as Leaf of Paith."

It was clear now that it was Paith berries' poison that had killed Granny. But the leaf... the leaf must have some properties that could aid me in this battle.

"Okay, I believe a potion or brew can be made from its leaves. Please work on it. I think it's important," I said. Then, I added, "You called me here just to say this? A note would have sufficed."

Hammett's expression turned grave, and he leaned in closer.

"Atticus Castor is planning something," he began. "He asked Maze to meet the priests, but it was strange. He wanted Maze to just 'see' the head priests and then get as many rebels ready to crash the binding ceremony to save the veilbinding children."

"It's a suicide mission. There will be threadhunters," I pointed out. "But I want you to know that I'm on your side. If I had known those children were being killed, I would have..." My words trailed off, and I stopped abruptly.

You knew they were being killed on that island. You believed that they deserved death. Now you just realized that they didn't.

Hammett gazed at me as though he could see right through me, but he couldn't see through the illusion. However, he saw through the Elders illusion. He saw the false gods.

After a tense moment of silence, I said

"Thanks for the tip,

"You're welcome," he replied, relaxing beside me. He let out a triumphant cheer when a Drakmoor player guided the ball into one of the hoops.

I stood up, ready to leave, but Hammett stopped me with a question,

"You're leaving? Not watching the game? It is the finals."

I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to reveal my lack of knowledge about the game. I stammered weakly, "I'm not very familiar with the game, to be honest. But, uh, I support the Sylvanwood Sentinels, though."

Hammett chuckled and said, "Well, then, sit your ass down, and I'll explain it to you. Skybound Ball is a lot like a rebel mission. You cut through the opponent's defenses, balancing the ball using your power, and score by leading it through the aerial hoop." He spoke with a wise enthusiasm, clearly passionate about the game.

I nodded, trying to muster a studious demeanor, and replied,

"Okay, then. Explain away." I settled back down next to him, ready to learn the sport.