Chương 29: Oh wait, is that another Discovery

Minx's eyes are back to their usual gleam of personality but I'll never forget what I saw in them just now. Hollow. Empty. Ruin. Her tone belies the real person hiding underneath and now I see what Aarron sees. Why he pushes her.

"I first knew what to do when I was seven. Or, I thought I did. You see, this one vision, it was so vivid, so vibrant, I knew it was real. Even though it was scary, I knew exactly what I needed to do." A tear creeps down her cheek, but Minx doesn't notice. She's focused on maintaining her smile, on keeping her voice light. Maybe she no longer notices the pain because she's carried it for too long in all her denial. But it drips from her words.

"My mom didn't believe me. She thought I was making up wild stories. All I knew was she was in danger. I didn't see the extent, just asked her not to go out that day. But she did, and to prove a point she took me with her." Oh no, I could hear it now, feel it. My connection to the earth around us thrums with her emotions, all of them buried deep. I wonder if I can bring those things to the surface too?

"I watched her die. There was so much blood, Taria. Like, I mean we know it now, but back then I'd never have thought the human body could hold so much liquid." She blinks and the trance like state ends as she focuses on me.

"Anyway—years go by. I lost so many people you wouldn't believe me. Regardless of how much I tried to warn people. And then, when I was twelve, I saw you. This older version of you, not long from now. It was obvious what you did for a living, and just as obvious that whatever is standing in your way is a threat to everyone around you—everyone in Arralesh. But people don't believe children. So I took a gamble, and came here. And finally, I've managed to tell you."

"I was in one of your visions?" I roll the words on my tongue thoughtfully, careful not to imply any disbelief.

"Yes. It's a recurring one. I've had it often. Sometimes there are discrepancies, but for the most part, it remains the same." Her tone is eager now that I'm listening. I take it in. It's not unfathomable that precognition is a thing. I mean, I just recently discovered that magic is very alive and well, so denying this other type of divination defies logic.

"You joined Nightshade in order to find me and tell me this?" That's the part I'm having difficulty with. There are so many intake Enclaves. But I guess presentiment would have let her know where I was going to be. Minx nods.

"I did." The silence falls between us as I try to figure out what else to say. This is unexpected to say the least. What does she expect of me? She sighs and shakes her head like she's clearing out thoughts or something.

"This is sudden and not like me, right?" Her smile has dulled. It's no longer reaching her eyes.

"You could say that. I just need to process the information and figure out what you want me to do."

"Right. You've always been so good at forming plans and executing them. I thought this would be easy for you. Save Arralesh and all that." Her fervor is back. Like a hilly road that goes up and down, I'm never certain how far we'll drop until I see the other side.

"Then you need to give me more information. I can't do anything just because you've told me there's a vision of the future where I have to save people." It's difficult to keep the impatience from my tone, but I think I pull it off. Minx blinks at me and then starts to laugh.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I've been seeing it in my head for so long that I just assumed you'd know all about it." She takes a breath and motions at the bed.

"May I?"

"Sure." I say begrudgingly, pulling all my food to me. I'm not sharing today. It seems the humming all around me agrees with my being food greedy. But as she takes a seat, the discordant notes ring again. Warning me? Alerting me? When she speaks, her eyes have that far off look again, like she's in a trance. And her voice has changed subtly.

"There is chaos all around us, but Nightshade is the epicenter. From within there is strength, guile, cunning, and betrayal. From without there are secrets that could swallow us all. But the assassins are many. That will be their downfall. If not stopped, the Blood will win and Arralesh will fall. Only the green assassin holds the key to salvation."

"Green assassin? That's me?" I ask, unable to keep the skepticism from my voice.

"Yes." Minx isn't looking at me. Her eyes are glazed like a celebration ham.

"Why?" I breathe the word out, not wanting to break this spell. It's fascinating.

"Poisons. Plants. Power. You have them all." Monotonous tones are not what I'm used to hearing from Minx. The discordant hum is louder now, but there's a hint of recognition to the sound. I wish it communicated better with me. I wrack my brains to ask for more.

"Who is the blood?"

"The blood sect. They hide in the shadows and make the Prefects dance like puppets." A chill creeps over me, and I'm suddenly not hungry anymore.

"All of the Prefects?" This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"All and one. All but one. Blood has different types, so too does the Sect have different visions. Not all are in synch." Well that's enlightening in it's own way, I guess. There's this impetus I can feel through the hum around me. Like my time with this entranced version of my yearmate is limited. There are too many questions and I need to ask them now. Importance. I force my brain to slow and sort the information out.

"What is salvation?" That one. That's what I have to know. It directly involves me. What does this premonition want me to even do? That blank stare turns to me, and my skepticism practically screams.

"Revival of the one true way. The force of the conduit. Giving and taking. The balance of everything." Fantastic. It's only getting more cryptic. Luckily, I think I'm understanding.

"How is it no one knows about the Sect?" There's a pause, and the vacant look in Minx's eyes becomes more distant, like something is trying to override that train of thought.

"Magical coercion. Misdirection forced through Blood Ties. Lingering vestiges of forgetfulness." It seems that question didn't work as well. Even though it raises some other questions. Fine then, I need to change my approach.

"What is it the Sect want?"

"Not what, who." Fine then. I take a deep breath so as not to let my irritation enter my voice.

"Who is it the Sect want?" Her eyelashes flutter, and Minx's face becomes even more slack. I didn't think that was possible. Whatever it is speaking to me, isn't her. She's been commandeered. This presence is using her like the magic uses my own strength.

"It doesn't want. It needs. It needs you." So whatever this is knows me and what I can do. Does that mean Minx will automatically know? She is, after all, a vessel right now. It's like old fairy tales, told to scare us into compliance by our parents.

"Who will betray us?"

"Someone close, someone above, and someone you least expect." I've never wanted to scream so much in my life. A little bit of logic and clarity wouldn't hurt this thing. Time is almost done; the hum has become a roar in my ears. Almost like the very presence of nature around me is trying to protect me from something I can't see or feel on my own.

"Why do they need me?"

"Blood is power, but its costs are steep. Conduits last longer." The strange light from Minx's eyes begins to fade just as a memory hits me smack bang in the head. Distant, almost beyond my grasp—exact recollection of a conversation my father had. The creak of the back door woke me to the vision of the moon shining outside my bedroom window. High in the sky. It was late. Carefully, I listened, rolling silently out of bed and pulling on my dressing gown. Whispers beneath me, at the foot of the stairs perhaps?

A curious child, there was no way I'd let this chance pass me by. My nightgown brushed the steps as I slunk my way down. I finally come to rest huddled by the railing with just enough of a gap that I can see my father standing at the front door. The light is dim and golden, a flickering candle sits on the table right next to the front door. In this light I can see two silhouettes. One my father—so bushy haired and regal. And one of someone whose low voice sounds almost familiar.

In my memory, he remains forever as Burly man.

"... the only ones who've found a legitimate conduit." They speak in hushed tones, but even then I can hear that Burly's words are harsh, crisp. Demanding even. My father laughs a different laugh. Not one he's ever laughed in my presence before. I shiver at the lack of mirth in that sound. It's cold, angry, and defiant.

"I won't give in no matter how much you press me. I will not sell out my child, not for any money in the world. You've come to the wrong home." There's pride in my father's voice. I'd like to think it's in me, since I'm the only child he has. But at that time, I don't understand what selling me out even means.

"You'll regret this, Darj." The other man growls out the words, sounding more like a feral cat than I thought possible.

"Going against the orders. Against Bryony's will!" Darj sighs, and it sounds weary. Like he's been through this before.

"I'm not going against you. I'm simply telling you to find another option." Burly man's silhouette straightens, his head shaking. Another shadow flickers behind him, like there's someone else waiting in the shadows.

"As far as we're concerned. There is no difference."

"Suit yourself," my father said.

"But the answer here won't change. You'd best be going and not disturb us again."

"Mark my words, Darj." The Burly man melted away into the shadows. The door closes behind him and my father locks it, leaning his head against it for several moments.

"So melodramatic." He stays there for several moments before locking the door, and it's then I notice the tears on his cheeks. The hitch to his breath. The slump of his shoulders. Defeat.

"Daddy?" I say before I remember I'm not supposed to be out of bed. Taking the steps two at a time I make it to his side before he can fully recognize my presence. I hug him tightly, like he does for me when I'm tired.

"Are you okay?" He crouches down, enveloping me in his own hug.

"We'll be just fine, sweetheart." Everything clicks into place. The memory is painful, but so vivid. And they weren't fine. Because the very next day they burned with the house. Why did I remember that now?

"... ria?" I look up to see Minx blinking up at me. She looks partially dazed, even more so than I feel with that violently emerging memory.

"Taria, are you okay?" Her tone is insistent, like she's said this several times already. I wave it away, my mind working nineteen to the dozen. They knew. All along. Whoever did this to my parents knew what I could do. The Blood Sect has been inserting themselves in everywhere for years. My father wasn't surprised, so it stands to reason that he always knew too. Knew about me. Knew about the Blood Sect. Did that mean my mother trained me, knowing that I'd have this ability.

Is that why she taught me how to work with the plants, why she was so adamant that I learn it. Was that her reasoning when she refused to let me go play hunter with my father and demanded I help her harvest herbs instead. They were preparing me. That entire time. My parents knew and were training me so that I wouldn't die. So that I'd have the best possible chance to make it through and not be consumed by the power I can wield. But they never got to. Because they wouldn't hand me over to the Sect.

Minx squirms, pulling my attention to her. She's twirling her hair, a nervous habit she's had as long as I've known her. So Minx is a vessel of some sort, and I'm a conduit.

"Minx. How much of that conversation we just had do you remember?" Her answer is going to help me determine a lot of things. But most of all, if I can trust her.

"Conversation…" She seems a little lost and her brow furrows deeply. Then surprise flits across her face, opening her eyes up wider than I've ever seen them.

"Wait. That… I wasn't just remembering or having a vision. You were there?" It's like I can see the cards falling into place as she speaks. The dominos lining up for her. And then shrewd Minx returns. This I can work with. She looks at me, suddenly giving me yet another glimpse of why she's in this order to begin with.

"Can you really do that?" I nod slowly. Everyone's going to know eventually, right?

"You can't tell anyone right now. Not yet." She nods slowly.

"I get it. Just like I can only show a few people this thing I can do."

"Does Aarron know?" I ask her, it striking me as vitally important information. Her response is fast.

"No. He has no clue. No one here does. Except you."

"We need to keep it that way." Minx simply inclines her head, like she trusts me implicitly. I guess if I'm the reason she joined the damn assassin's guild in the first place that's a given though. We can't tell Aarron anything about Minx. Lennick will force my hand and make me tell Aarron. Now I've spoken with whatever it is that uses Minx, I'll refer to myself as a conduit from now on. It's accurate. Our Prefect has been keeping this from me since I got here.

Allowing the possibility that I might get devoured by this ability for the last seven years. Nothing we've done since I tapped into the powers fully will have gone unnoticed by him. All of this subterfuge with Lennick is meaningless. Aarron must have known all along that I have this ability because he was the Prefect when my parents were killed.