Rising Tides | 2

09 | C a l i x

—

Watching myself fight the Guard on that hologram caused me to ponder over the choices I had made in the past years. My job as a cretium technician had impacted where I was now. It was how I'd met Hunter. We both worked at a plant designed to study and recreate the components of cretium, which was bestowed upon Auchterton by Niccician. With cretium being such a rare material, I was allowed access to some of Auchterton's most kept secrets. After a year of collecting this information, I joined the rebellion. In secret, of course. I became a spy, leaking whatever I learned about the government to the Dark Crown rebellion. I couldn't stand the idea of living in a world of such dark hidden truths anymore.

It wasn't until that day when Ember and the rest of them appeared in my house that I realized I could never go back. My life in Porthmore had ended. It was time to join the fight. Lord Valarious's rule had to come to an end, or we were all doomed.

I still struggled to understand the reasoning behind Hunter's betrayal. I didn't know why he had chosen that path, but I had seen it in his mannerisms weeks before. That was why I gave Ember the rock the first day we met. A rock, enchanted and blessed by the gods. I didn't want her caught up in Hunter Belkin's affairs. He made a mess everywhere he went. I was glad I had given it to her, though. Otherwise, she would have ended up being Lord Valarious's pawn, or possibly dead.

She stood before me now, along with the rebel officers and our friends, explaining what occurred on the beach that fateful day. "I was on the verge of letting Maddox destroy me, kill me, when I remembered what it means to be a Valarious: We mimic."

General Hatis motioned for her to continue. "It is clear that you have the ability to mimic other powers, Ms. Valarious."

"But that's exactly it," she began. "I didn't mimic his powers. I mimicked him. And that's when it happened. It was like the whole world was frozen in this never-ending time loop except for me. I thought about killing Maddox in that moment, but it didn't seem like the right thing to do. He seemed lost and conflicted."

One of the officers, Captain Keanu Blais, scoffed. "You're telling me that bastard is still breathing because you felt pity towards him? We don't have the time for your hero complex, girl."

Ember's jaw clenched. To my surprise, Ragan spoke up. "Ember has a point. Maddox warned me that the lives of everyone–in all worlds–would be at stake if we killed him. Who knows what's going on within the walls of the capitol?"

Captain Blais huffed in response.

"As I was saying, the blast didn't occur until I made contact with him," Ember continued once again. "We escaped after that. I know it's not much to go off of, but that's what happened. Does that satisfy you, General?"

He crossed his arms, uniform bulging at the shoulders. "It still doesn't explain what any of this has to do with my wife."

Everyone was silent. Cleo ran a hand along her jaw. "Did you happen to wish for anything or think of a command during the interaction?"

Ember paused, reliving the battle. "Not that I can recall. I just remember his eyes and how helpless and sad he looked."

"It makes me wonder..." Cleo trailed. "A thought or urge during that moment when time was being manipulated could have caused Diana to come back. Maybe you weren't the one to summon her back to life..."

"Are you saying Maddox brought her back?" Ragan stammered. The bruise on her chin was almost gone.

Cleo nodded. "In moments before death, people often think of or see visions of loved ones who have passed on."