Veridian Shores

Chapter 26 - Beyond the Brink

Seeing Gliss back in her normal clothes twanged a small chord of disappointment in Capper's heart. While he knew the shine and glamour of Veridian Shores' higher circles filled his companion with both disdain and frustration in equal measure, he'd hoped she might have kept the dress on for a little longer. The image of her in it was etched in his mind like a piece of fine art. She'd been beautiful.

Now, though, she was back to normal. He found he liked that too. She folded her arms, smiling disarmingly at him and his body trembled at the sight. With an effort, he controlled himself and smiled back. He'd also taken the time to shed his unbearably formal attire, now clad in a pair of baggy, dark green shorts and a black t-shirt, along with his trusty jacket and beanie.

And from the pocket of his jacket he withdrew the heavy, ice-cold bulk of the Keystone. The thing's emptiness still unnerved him, the cold, numb sensation twanging a chord of utter wrongness in his chest. Still, he'd risked life and limb to get it, and the Baelock scholar had certainly been anxious to prevent them from taking it. Gliss's story was ringing truer with each passing minute.

That being said, he still didn't know how this small, fist-sized lump of granite could be such a potent tool. For all intents and purposes it seemed to be little more than a dead, ornate jewel. There didn't seem to be any way to activate it, the only hint to its nature being the unnatural freezing sensation created when it was touched.

"So this is what it's all about?" he murmured, turning the Keystone back and forth in his hand. From the corner of his eye he could see her watching it intently. "Well, we've got it. Now what do we do with it?"

"I guess that depends on you," she replied. "We're in your house. I told you we couldn't let Glaive have this weapon. It's too dangerous for one clan to have that kind of power. And I mean any clan."

He looked at her sharply. "Meaning?"

"Meaning that if you want to keep your precious status quo, I'd take that thing and fling it into the sea."

"You can't mean that."

"I told you, Capper. I came here to destroy it," Gliss said, her voice firm. "I meant it."

"Can you at least show me what it does?" he asked, tossing it carelessly in her direction.

As he'd suspected, a flash of panic crossed her face and she moved with a little too much urgency to catch it in both hands. Did she really want to consign the weapon to the waves? He shot her a smug smile.

Gliss bristled. "This isn't a joke Capper. Do you really want to risk breaking this trinket inside your home?"

"I guess not," he relented with a thin smile. "But do you know how it works?"

"I think so."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Are you going to show me?"

"Not in here I'm not." She shook her head. "We need to me somewhere more open. Somewhere it won't matter if there's any ... collateral damage."

"The training pits?"

"No! Are you crazy? That place will be crawling with other Glaives. It needs to be somewhere with just you and me."

Before Capper could think of a location that fitted her requirements, his thoughts were scattered by the sharp rap of knuckles on the other side of the door. In a flashing motion Gliss buried the Keystone in her pocket and stuffed her free hand into the other, making it seem like she had just clenched her fists within her jacket.