The Seer : The Alterealm Series Book 2
Chapter Twelve

I tried to sit at the table like they wanted me to, so I could explain, but I couldn’t sit still. I got up and walked, just to keep moving. Victor leaned against the table beside my chair, but I couldn’t be still.

“If they can see her back, would it have something to do with the magic that hit her?” Arius asked.

My mouth dropped open and I turned fast to look at him. “Can they do that? Follow me through that?” I looked to Victor than back to Arius.

“Stranger things have happened.” His grey eyes tracked me as I moved.

I hurried to Victor, he would know. He knew so much. “Is it inside of me?” I stopped and looked up at him. It made me feel unclean, that their dark magic could be in my body and I didn’t even know.

“I don’t know.” He reached out and tucked my hair behind my ear. “Get Romulus and Clairee to Cristy’s room, now.” He said without looking away from me.

“Already on it.” Quinton got up and headed toward the door with his phone in his hand.

“Can we walk there, please?” Michael asked as he followed Quint out the door.

Victor reached down and took my hand, then bent down, and picked up my pack beside my feet. “Come. We’ll go replace out.”

I nodded. “Okay.” Fear was filling me to think we were being watched and followed because of something inside of me. I had to stay. I had to know.

There were so many people here, my nerves were jumpy, but I had to stay. I looked around at them all and had just noticed that Chase was not here, when he walked in the door carrying a cup, his hair all mussed.

He raised his cup to me and winked. “As much as I love action, cutie, the excitement that comes with you is robbing me of sleep.” He smiled. “I may have to become a nightwalker if this keeps up.”

I didn’t know what he meant, exactly, but I did feel bad that he couldn’t sleep. “I’m sorry.” I said, wishing I had my pack to hug to my chest. I didn’t, they said it could only be me, to get the answers they needed. My pack and the chain with my key sat on the bed, as I waited on the couch in a robe, and nothing more.

“Someone fill me in.” Chase said loudly and then went over to Troy and Daxx where they were talking quietly.

I watched them for a moment more and then looked back to the man with the purple eyes, Romulus, as he talked to Victor and Michael. When he’d first arrived, I wanted to hide, purple eyes meant more bad than good to me. Victor explained, as he held me safely against him that Romulus was on our side, and to be trusted. I had to remember a long time back, to a talk with Rafael, about people with blue eyes were not all good looking. It was the same with mages, some were good and some were not.

Clairee was here again, I really liked her. She was so nice. She seemed so upset that she may have missed something inside me. I hadn’t known, so I don’t know how she could have.

A man came in, one I had never seen, with my eyes or in my head. He was big, which, being where I was, no longer surprised me. He had long, white hair that I thought was prettier than Arius’ black, or maybe as pretty, just in a different way. I studied him as he went over to Quinton and spoke so quietly I couldn’t hear. I didn’t need to hear their words to see. The air around him was different than any I’d ever seen.

Getting up, I hugged the robe around me and went over to him. Quinton smiled down at me, but I was focused, no time to pause. I looked up into the man’s face and his eyes were something I’d also never seen. They were pale, almost as white as his hair.

“Crissy, this is Welsley.” Quinton told me.

I stood on my toes to be certain and then nodded. “Your eyes go green.” I looked at Quinton. “I don’t know what green means.” I would have to replace out. Looking back to Welsley I smiled, a bit wistfully. “You have no fangs, that’s too bad.”

The look he gave me was one of surprise, like he didn’t know what to say.

“Then look again!” Victor bellowed.

I spun around, all talking in the room stopped and no one moved. Victor looked upset, very upset. I hurried toward him.

“If she’s resistant to magic, then replace another way!” He said very loudly and pointed at me. “If she says she saw it. Then it is there. Find it!”

No one had ever believed me the way he did. I know Daxx and my other friends nodded when I spoke, but I don’t think they understood me the way Victor did. Ducking around the man, Romulus, I went to Victor and looked up at him. I touched his chest to try to soothe him. I didn’t like him being this upset. I touched his chin so he’d look down at me and angry red eyes connected with my own. “It’s okay.” I told him and then nodded.

He pulled me against his chest and I could feel him taking deep breaths to calm down. “It’s not, but it will be.” He told me in a tense voice.

“There may be another way.” Clairee told him. “We have one in the coven temple that can sense magic, without using any.”

Victor let out a long breath. “Bring them here.” He sounded tired, and not as angry now.

She nodded quickly and turned, leaving the room at an almost-run.

Squeezing me, Victor then rested his chin on top of my head. “I’m sorry.” He said softly. “I’m usually in control of my emotions.”

I looked up at him and smiled. “It is almost day.” I reminded him. “Maybe you just need to feed?” I searched his face, seeing if he really was just tired.

His mouth quirked, like he was suppressing a smile. Green eyes moved to my throat briefly then he looked back at my eyes. “I think I can manage for a little longer.”

“Brother,” Chase said from behind me, “as much as I’m sure you would like nothing more than to stand there and hold the nearly naked woman in your arms, I need to ask her some questions.” I turned to look at him. He smirked, his eyes on the man holding me. “My emotions and hormones won’t cloud my judgement.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I felt I needed to defend Victor to him. “I’m his mate.” I told him and nodded.

Chase stopped and tilted his head, a funny little smile on his mouth. “Trust me, cutie, we’re all aware of that amazing fact.” He waved his hand at Victor. “The gods lay in shock at what you’ve done to our justice.” He grinned wide. “We should all kiss your feet for managing to unhinge him, finally.”

I frowned and looked down at my bare feet. I didn’t know why they’d kiss them, what would it accomplish to do such a thing. Victor’s arm wrapped around my waist. “Ignore him.” He whispered against my ear, but I could hear that his voice held less tension, so I supposed whatever his brother had just said worked. I looked around at the others, they all had strange looks in their eyes and smiles on their faces. It seemed everyone did know I was Victor’s mate.

Not wanting to see them all looking at me, I turned my head back to Chase. “Questions?”

He nodded and sat on the back of the couch, his eyes focused on me. “Your vision, where did it happen?” He motioned to his head. “Not where you were when you had it, but where did you see?”

I moved out of Victor’s arms, realizing that was an important fact I hadn’t paused to think about. Frowning, I looked down at the floor, needing to focus. “It wasn’t here.” I turned and looked back to Victor. “It wasn’t here.”

Daxx came over and stopped close to me. “On the folder, that symbol you drew…”

I nodded. “It was there. That’s where it happened.” I clutched the robe against my chest. “So much blood.”

She gave me a soft look. “I know. We need to know where it is.”

I nodded and huffed out a breath and then paced toward the other side of the room. It was such a big room, even with all the bodies in it, I had enough room to move and focus. I stopped and looked at the wall. The symbol was something already in my head, but where? “I’ve seen it,” I said out loud, then nodded. “With my eyes.” I added, so they would know.

Turning around, I walked in another direction, moving my eyes around the room as I went, but not seeing. So much to look through, too many things I knew. “There is a duck.” I told them and kept moving. “Only it is blue.” I stopped and looked at Daxx. “Which is silly, ducks aren’t blue.”

I looked away and walked some more. Pausing to look down at my feet, I liked the way the carpet felt against them. And then I thought more. “Hearts.” I frowned. “So many hearts are there too.”

“Wait.” Daxx came over to me. “Is the duck a tattoo?”

I bit my lip and thought. “It may be.” I said quietly.

“The tattoo shop, the one near the bridge.” She was looking at me so seriously.

“Oh.” I closed my eyes and tried to focus. “It is. The symbol, just down the street.” I nodded and opened my eyes, then turned and rushed toward Chase. “It’s there. Not here at all.” And then I remembered and stopped, turning to Victor. “But my back. They can still see. Even though I am here.”

He nodded, understanding in his eyes. “We’re working on that.”

“Welsley,” Troy said from across the room, “no one enters our halls or Chase’s side that doesn’t belong there. Minimal staff, only those we know are absolutely loyal.” He paused to look at me. “No one here goes anywhere alone until we know what we’re dealing with.”

“It will be done.” Welsley said and then turned and left.

Victor rubbed his hand over his face and then looked at Troy. “Did you see anything inside his head when you looked? How can they see using his magic, if we have him locked up?”

Troy lifted his hands and then shook his head. “I saw nothing that would lead me to believe they were tracking her.”

“He’s somehow shielding you from it?” Victor told him.

“Mages are harder to read.” Troy informed him.

Victor turned to look at Arius. “Would you be able to suggest he tell us?”

Arius shook his head, looking sad. “I tried. Mages’ minds aren’t receptive to my powers.”

Smiling, I went over and looked up at him. “You can do that?” I tapped my head. “Tell others to do things?”

He nodded, a little smile on his.

“Fascinating.” I nodded. “Sometime,” I smiled. “I would like to see you do that.”

He grinned wider. “Anytime you want.”

I was happy, that would be something to see for sure. “Not now. No, we don’t have time.” I had to think. I went over to Troy and looked into his eyes as he silently looked back at me. “I need to understand.” I said more to me than him. “He can’t do magic in his cage, but his magic may be working inside me for others to watch?”

Troy exhaled a long breath. “It looks like that might be the case.”

I bit my lip, wondering if I was brave enough to try. “I have to see him. He has to see me.” I nodded and looked at Daxx. “I’ll get dressed.” Turning I went to run to get my clothes in the bathroom when Victor blocked my way.

“You are not going to the cells.”

His voice had that tone. The one that the justice side of him used. I looked up at him, trying to think of the way to explain it. “If he sees me Troy will be able to look.” I nodded. His eyes were hard, his thoughts unmoveable. “I was supposed to die. He doesn’t know.” I told him.

“As much as you’re not going to like this, Victor, she’s right.” Troy told him.

I turned and smiled at him. He was so smart.

“Whether someone outside is tracking her using his spell, or another we can’t trace… I don’t know.” Troy told him as he walked over to us. “But if he thinks she’s dead, because no one would have survived that,” he stopped and took a deep breath. “They may be trying to trace us here, this is where we brought her, but no one knows she survived.” He looked down at me. “I don’t think they’re tracking you. I think they put something inside you to replace our location.” He waved his hand around. “Very few have access to our inner chambers.”

I tried to process what he was saying. People thought I made no sense, but sometimes what others said was no better. “If he saw me, his mind would be in shock and then you could really see to replace the ones that are watching.”

He gave me an odd look and then nodded. “Something like that.”

“We won’t let her in his cell, Victor.” Arius told him. “She can stay on the outside, just so he can see she still lives.”

“It might be the opening we need to get in.” Troy said, while looking down at me.

I looked to Victor, his brows were knit together and his eyes watched me. With his big hand, he reached and pulled me gently by my head and leaned so our faces almost touched.

“If it upsets you in the slightest, you are to tell me immediately.” His voice was harsh.

I nodded as best I could while his hand held me, then patted his chest lightly. “I will get dressed.” I ducked under his arm and ran into the bathroom.

We all went to the cells. I wasn’t sure why so many followed Victor and I, but each time I glanced over my shoulder they were there. I felt odd without my pack, but was told to leave it in the room, so I did.

I found the cells to be fascinating. They weren’t cages as I had pictured when they told me they were locked up. There were no chains either. They seemed like a maze of glass rooms to me. We went through a door and I watched the pad Victor placed his hand on to open it. A light flashed and the door slid away. Twice more he did that when we came to a wall, and I decided I needed to know more about how that worked.

When he stopped and the others came in behind us, he finally released my hand. I looked at the little pad he’d touched beside the door they had followed us through, and then down at my hand. Was it something in his hand that maybe I hadn’t seen? While they stood there talking, I pulled off my little black glove and looked at my hand again. Moving over quietly, I stopped beside the pad and placed my hand on it. The door we’d just used opened. Lifting my hand away I watched it close and then did it again, just to be sure. It opened. Feeling quite excited, I turned to see all eyes watching me. I looked to Daxx, and her smile. “I had to know.” I told her.

She grinned wide. “I know. So did I.”

Victor cleared his throat and looked at the group. He didn’t look as happy to know as I had been. Putting my glove back on, I walked over to him.

“Are you ready?” He motioned behind him.

I looked around his large body to see the man with the purple eyes. The one that had chased me. I took a deep breath and tried to be brave. I knew I wasn’t, but they needed to see. I nodded.

“Let us get in there, before he sees her.” Troy said quietly.

Arius and Troy both walked to my right and went through another door. I realized I would have to avoid touching the pads, so I didn’t let someone out that shouldn’t be free.

“He can’t see through the glass.” Victor told me. “Until I turn off the reflectors.”

I didn’t know what that was, but it was fascinating to know I could see him but he couldn’t see out to see me. I nodded. “Okay.” I watched as he opened a door and motioned for me to step in.

“We’ll be right here with the door open.” He told me in a voice that let me know he still didn’t agree with this.

I took a deep breath and nodded again. I stepped in and looked at Arius and Troy talking to the purple-eyed man. He didn’t look pleased they were there. He had big bracelets on his wrists and I would have to ask later if their color had a meaning. With eye colors and other colored things here, color always had a meaning and wasn’t just a color to be decorative.

I couldn’t hear what was being said. I glanced to Victor. “Can I hear them?”

He looked hesitant. “If you need to.”

I turned and looked again and then nodded. “I think I do.” Then I remembered. “Can he hear me if I talk?”

His green eyes searched mine, there was a question in them. “You want to talk to him?”

Shaking my head, I clutched my hands together. “No. I don’t…” Then I remembered and went back to stand in front of him. “That time.” I smirked. “You thought I was…” I looked for the word. “demented.” I saw regret in his eyes and waved my hand. “You know the truth now.” I looked back into the place where his brothers were and then back to him. “I told you I could be… if there was need.” I nodded. “I think this is that time.”

He frowned, a puzzled expression on his face. “I don’t understand, but I trust you.” He said softly. “Are you ready? I’ll turn on the intercom and remove the reflector.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Opening them, I glanced briefly at Daxx and the others watching me silently. Turning, I went and stood close to the glass, so he would have no choice but to see me when Victor made it so. I nodded. “I’m ready.”

I knew when the man could see me clearly. He stood up and just stared at me through the glass. I heard Arius say something, but couldn’t stop to listen right now. With a smile on my face, I touched the glass with my finger, as if I was writing something and looked to the man.

I saw him push past Troy and come over to the glass, my heart sped up and I had to remember he couldn’t reach me. It took all I had to stand on this spot and not run. I was so much better at running.

“Impossible.” He spat at the glass.

I moved closer to the glass, making sure he watched my eyes move over his face. “Your eyes.” I said quietly. “I saw them see me,” I traced a circle around his face on the glass, “but you didn’t stop me.” I laughed, it was fake, but he didn’t know that. I looked at the snake over the skin on his throat. “The snake. The snake.” I told him, moving my face closer to the glass. “it fills you with poison.” I whispered. “It seeps in slowly, so you can’t know, slowly, slowly,” I said with a smile. His eyes were locked on mine, he looked so angry, scary too, but I was safe here. I moved closer so my breath touched the glass. “Slowly.” I said again and then smacked my hand on the glass over his face and laughed.

“Cristy.” Victor said softly.

I glanced into the room with the man to see Arius and Troy leaving. Backing away with careful steps, I watched him and then his expression changed to confusion and I knew Victor had changed the glass so he couldn’t see.

Stopping, I dropped to squat close to the floor, taking deep breaths and trying to settle my heart. I didn’t know if it worked, but fear rolled over me now, knowing I’d just looked evil in the eye when it was so close.

Strong hands lifted me to stand on my feet and I looked up into Victor’s eyes. I saw pride in them. Something I had never truly seen when others looked at me. He smiled softly then hugged me into his chest.

Someone behind me clapped, I turned to see it was Chase. “That,” he clapped again, “was one hell of a performance.”

I looked to see everyone grinning and felt my face heat.

Arius was smiling and nodding his head. “His mind was complete soup.” He laughed quietly. “I could have had him clucking like a chicken if I’d wanted to.”

Troy slapped him on the back and then looked at me. “I was able to see everything he’d hidden from me. Well done.”

“I was very scared.” I confessed and then looked to Daxx.

She smiled. “I know, but you were amazing, and now we have the upper hand and can kick their asses.”

I didn’t know what that meant exactly, but everyone seemed so happy, I felt better about not being brave. I looked up at Victor. “I need cookies.” I told him. “Mine got broke.”

He chuckled and looked down at me. “I think we can arrange new, whole cookies.” He kissed my forehead.

“Okay.” I nodded and hugged him. I closed my eyes, happy to be here and knowing that was over with. Flashes came in a rush, like they’d been hiding before. I gasped and opened my eyes. People, so many of them, all were afraid. I looked up at Victor. “I was so distracted by my hair I didn’t see it all.” I told him and then let go to look through the glass at the man with the snake on him. “They have them. So many.” I shook my head. “Why?” I spun around and looked at Quinton and then Arius. “Why do they have them?” I waved my hand to the glass. “In cages, not rooms of glass.”

Victor moved so he was in my sight again. “They have prisoners?”

I nodded. He understood. “I don’t know why, but they all are so scared.”

He turned to look at Troy, I did too. Troy rubbed the back of his neck and I could see the understanding in his eyes.

I pointed at him then rushed over. “You saw it too.”

“Troy?” Daxx looked at him. “What did you see?”

“I think,” Troy said quietly, but not in a nice tone, “they’re using civilians to feed.”

Daxx covered her mouth, her eyes huge. “How many?”

My heart sped up. “So many eyes, all full of fear.” I said.

“At least a dozen, maybe more.” He said and looked to Victor. “I was still sorting out what I’d seen when Crissy said it.” He took a deep breath and looked at me as he exhaled, “But she’s right. They’re holding human civilians to feed from.”

“We have to get them out.” I said and looked around at everyone else. “They were so scared.”

Victor wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. “We will.” He looked to Chase for a moment and then nodded, like they were talking without words. “It’s too close to daylight now, but we’ll get a plan in place and go in when it’s dark.” His eyes searched my face, there was something there. He turned and looked at Daxx. “Do you know where she saw this?”

Daxx watched him for a moment and then looked to me. “Not exactly no. I know the area she’s talking about, but it could be any one of hundred places nearby.”

Quinton stepped closer and started to say something. Victor held up his hand so he wouldn’t speak.

“I know, Quint, I don’t like it either.”

I wasn’t sure what was going on. Victor looked down at me. “Could you show us where on a map?”

I looked at him and then thought. “I don’t understand maps”, I told him. I bit my lip. “I can show you for real, where I saw.” I shook my head. “But I don’t want to, there was so much blood to see. I don’t know if you were hurt, or wearing other peoples’ blood again.”

Someone snorted from behind me. I turned to see Michael with an amused look on his face. “I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Victor’s blood you saw. I don’t think anyone has gotten the upper hand on him in four hundred years.”

I looked to Victor, to his eyes to see if this were the truth. “If you get hurt I will not be happy.”

He smirked. “I will do everything in my power to make sure you are always happy.”

I looked around him and then at his eyes. What he said was true. “Okay, I will take you there.”

“Brilliant. I’m awake now and hungry, let’s go eat.” Chase said and then turned to leave.

As I followed the others out, I held Victor’s hand. I was beginning to think they spent more time eating in Alterealm then they did anything else.