Noah's PovI watched him open the box and his face retained a smile as he looked inside. He squinted humoredly, fiddling with the sheets. And I was disturbed as I heard the flow of water when he moved his fingers. He chuckled as he brought out his hand. And I frowned as he slowly raised his wrist into view.Now holding out rolls of damp paper?My eyes widened as I saw water dripping from them and down on the counter, with Colin smirking mockingly. He dropped the sheets in a grimace and wiped his hands; rubbing them together and across his shirt. Making a blurring sound with his tongue, feigning disgust.“Well, so much for a map…” he remarked.I frowned and grabbed the box, spinning it around and looking inside in disbelief. All I saw were more and more sheets of wet paper; damp and breaking into pieces as I held them by my fingers. The entire box was filled with water and all the papers inside had been soaked, leaving everything written on them illegible.I groaned frustrated, with my
Izon's PovI fell to the floor, tumbling back and almost hitting my head on a table. The wrench fell from my grasp and sunk in the muddy floor as my hands did the same. I found myself on the ground, breathing heavily; now staring at the tool frightened.It stood horizontal, facing the ceiling, and another image of Flanagan reflected on it, flashing again. I gasped and paddled backwards frantically. And as more images intermittently flashed, I suddenly stood up and picked up the wrench, tossing it out of one of the locked windows; cracking a hole in it with the force.The rain outside was still pouring down heavily and my heart was still beating as I heaved off the floor in a groan. I wanted to run outside and return to my tent, but now I feared being struck by lightning. There was nowhere else to go, but staying here was going to be uncomfortable; and seeing Flanagan's face in a flash of resemblance disturbed my consciousness.The goddess, I knew, wasn't happy with me, and might strik
Flanagan's Pov THE NEXT MORNINGI sat in my chair with its stand creaking and myself leaning back even further, uncomfortable. I could hear the hummingbirds tap on the trees outside, and I could feel my bones ache as I had sat down here all through the night. Myra had fallen asleep after I tipped an artery in her neck. And I had gone to count sheep too, but after brooding for almost an hour.I woke up groggy now; groaning as I got out of the chair. I swiped the bell on my table and stood up to my feet in one movement. Soldiers would be here in a moment's notice; and I made to wake up my daughter. Finally seeing her bundled up in blankets and sleeping; for the first time in over thirty years.It felt strange because I never expected this to happen. I never thought I'd see her again. And I thought she had died with her mother when she refused to run away with me. But the universe and the goddess seemed to have other plans; and I was willing to accept them.I reached her slee
Colin's PovThe sun peeked through the blinds and almost made me blind. As I groaned out of the couch, with heavy eyes and my robe still tied around me. I felt lightheaded and my head hurt seemingly everywhere. I stood up slowly, with my hands at the back of my head, feeling a sore growing there. I could sense it was late morning, and I wondered how long I had slept?Or what made me fall asleep?As the last I remember I had been talking to Noah, standing by the fireplace; not in bed, or on the couch?I turned around and saw my kitchen. And I frowned, moving slowly, past the living room and reaching the counter. I remembered what had happened yesterday, and was surprised as I saw the rubble cleared. There were no broken pieces of plates and glass and wood or red blood?Noah had been true to his word, and had called the cleaners to clear the mess. He had been here last night; in the pouring rain, and now was gone in the morning sun. And it disturbed me. As I was still wondering what had
Myra's PovThe roads were strange, and tents seemed to grow out of the ground more than grass itself. Everywhere I looked they were dark triangles raised up every square inch; there was hardly room to even move. As the tents occupied almost acres, as far as the eye could see. And now I realized father wasn't lying when he said there were a million more just outside...But that wasn't why I hated walking around here. No. It was something else. It was the stares. The gawking eyes. The way people stared at me like I was some god or a royal statue, as the guards escorted me through the area. I was surprised as there were actually many more places and sights than I thought. And my eyes widened as they glanced through mini markets and filled to the brim stalls; smithies, and horse trainers in jousting lanes?I was surprised at the noise and chattering everywhere. Everyone, even though they were looking at me, weren't. They were focused on me yet busy with other things; only taking weird gl
Noah's PovI remembered when father once said; that sometimes the little mistakes we make are the ones that receive the greatest punishments. And the tiny details we leave with unpaid attention, are sometimes the things that bring even the greatest of men to their knees...And now I think I understood that.As I sat in bed now with my hands over my face, frustrated; thinking of all the little mistakes in trust I had made and how they were now being punished. All the little details in the character and attitude, and the tone of him I had given no attention to. And how they were now causing my mind to crumble to its knees. I had never been more confused in all my life than I was now. As everything just didn't make any sense. And everything just wasn't right or even easy to believe. Because to think that Colin was an Omega was a thought I would have laughed at if anyone had proposed it in the past. Yet now it didn't look as much of a joke anymore. And it wasn't even funny.Now I knew t
Myra's PovThe words hit my ears and I raised myself in anger. I didn't know when my eyes suddenly turned full white and my bones jerked back in a jolt. But the pain of seeing a child lose his life, and the murderers get away with it, made something suddenly rise up inside me. And the fact that it was for something as stupid as a kite; made something else appear from thin air.And my back arched in a hump as I gasped, and scales suddenly grew out of my spine. I felt spear long claws crawl out of my fingers; and my legs grew bigger and held talons. The man beside me lost his calm composure as his eyes bulged. He pulled away and fell to the floor, losing his balance; trying to paddle himself backwards as fast as he could. I felt my whole body bursting with energy as I transformed into something I didn't even understand. And I lost touch with myself as I suddenly rose up and roared.I heard screams erupt from everywhere beside me. As children and women shrieked in horror. I turned and al
Colin's PovThe steed was a beast on the path. Tearing through the forest and thudding through the terrain like its life depended on it. I could sense it's thirst to return home, and the thirst built up inside me as well. The journey would be long, I knew; but lacking treacherous. As all the roads and shortcuts held a striking resemblance with the back of my hands.I rode through the muddy and dry ground as the sun rose higher in the sky. Early afternoons had a knack for turning rainy nights into excessively hot mornings. As the wind hardly blew even as I rode down streets of vegetation and vines, over arched bridges and nature's own mini archipelagos. The horse's legs jerked and vibrated, and I could feel it in my legs too as I held onto the reins and my feet bounced inside the stirrup irons. We had covered a good distance already, but it was still a long way down to where we needed to go, because I wasn't taking the usual route.The guards lined up in the trees at the pack border ma