Heart [ON HOLD]

Chapter 17: The Sins of the Father

"Everything I loved was taken away from me, and I did not die." - James Patterson

"You can close your eyes to reality, but not to your memories." - Stanislaw Jerzy Lee

The day after Cora let the assassin in on her plan, she was back to training with Tark, but after three days of frustration and fruitless efforts, all she had managed to do was to tear up several sheets of paper and create a single spark. The Wolf watched from afar, making suggestions about how the Queen did her magic, but after a while, Tark stuck a silencing spell to his lips and wouldn’t take it off until he left. He was currently briefing some of the dwarves on the castle’s defenses on one side of the courtyard, but Cora smacked the back of her head against the wall and groaned. All she’d managed to do in the last few hours was get onto even worse terms with Tark and manage to earn several muttered comments about Lilith catching on far faster than this.

She just couldn’t trigger it. No matter whether she tried asking nicely, getting angry, or anything in between, nothing worked.

She heard footsteps crunching the grass in front of her.

“I am really not in the mood for another lesson, Tark,” she said, “so unless you have something really important to say, I’m not-,”

“Cora.”

She opened her eyes.

Veo was standing in front of her, looking at the wall just above her head.

“Oh,” she said. She stood up and brushed the dirt off her skirt. “Did you need something?”

“Tark and I have agreed to try an experiment.”

Cora raised an eyebrow and waited.

“Your heart was once the stone I used to see the future. Since I gave it up, my skills have diminished, but I have reason to believe that with your heart in the circle with me, I will be able to get a better grip on the future and what we may face.”

“So you want me to help you see the future?”

“And I’m curious if your abilities extend to Seeing. I thought I might teach you to glimpse the past. Since the past has already been determined, it is easier to see than the future.”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but my abilities kind of suck. No magic.”

“Yet. Everyone gets it eventually.”

“Eventually won’t mean anything if I can’t get it within two weeks.”

“Perhaps not, but a change in your training may help. Try something new. Come.”

He started towards the circle and Cora followed after. The second she stepped inside she felt her heart tug from within her chest, pulling towards one of the pillars.

“Um, is that where you used to keep your stone?” she asked, pointing. Then she realized he was blind. “I mean, I can feel it. My heart keeps tugging towards one of them.”

Veo stopped, looking thoughtful.

“Yes. This is a good sign.”

“It feels weird,” she muttered.

Veo faced her and sat cross-legged on the ground.

“Sit.”

Cora obeyed and scooted closer. Veo held out his scarred palms for Cora to take.

“We’ll work with you first,” he said. He beckoned with his hands and Cora grabbed them.

“Now,” he said. “Eyes closed, take a deep breath, and let’s begin.”