Chapter 13

The man at the desk has pristine snow white hair, reaching just below his sharp chin. His features glow with a strange, serene beauty most of the Others lack. He is the most surreal and otherworldly one I have seen.

His cheekbones are sharp, but his face is still handsome. Even sitting, I can tell he would loom over my small frame. His eyes, though. His eyes scare me. They’re so much like His, molten gold that glitters in the sunlight.

This was a mistake, I shouldn’t have come here. I need to leave, now. He’s going to come here for me. They must be related somehow. I won’t be safe. I’ll be back where I was before. He’ll drag me back to that prison. He’ll ruin me again, I can’t let that happen, I need to run.

A deep, musical voice startles me from my thoughts. “My name is Abel, and I’m in charge of this compound. How can I help you?” He looks at me expectantly. He’s muscular, and his presence radiates power and authority. Still, there’s a softness in his expression… empathy, maybe?

What do I say? How do I get out of this? Do I just leave? Will he chase me down? Should I pretend it’s nothing and stay? I don’t know what to do or what to say. Maybe he isn’t related to Him. Perhaps this is all a coincident—except I don’t believe in coincidences. I’m sure there are Others with gold eyes, not just Him. Should I stick with the plan, or bolt now?

I gather my courage and rasp out, “I heard…” My voice cracks. I clear my throat and try again. “I heard this place, Craforian, right?” He nods, and I continue. “She said…well I was told this place could help me. Lori told me ....”

At her name, Abel appears to freeze. My sentence trails off as the tension in the room mounts in seconds. Did I say something wrong? I messed up, clearly. Maybe she lied to me and really wasn’t welcome here after all. My palms start to sweat and my breathing comes faster.

Then it’s gone. So quickly, it was as if the tension was never there in the first place. It leaves my mind spinning and my thoughts reeling. Did I imagine the feeling? No that’s not possible. I study Abel’s face carefully, but find it blank. My anxiety spikes and my heart stutters. 

Not knowing what else to do, I shift on my feet and wait impatiently for his response, whatever it may be.

Finally, he speaks again, “Lori was correct, this is a safe haven of sorts for the talnarins. We have the resources here to aid you. I just have a few questions before we show you to the quarters you will staying in during your time here. Is that alright?”

His strange wording and overly polite tone makes my stomach twist. It confuses me, throws me off. Is it a trick to get me to trust him? I don’t know, I can’t tell. What do I do? I settle for going forward with my plan. I nod. 

“Wonderful, what is your name, young one?”

Young one? He looks maybe a couple years older than myself. Then again, like with Elaine, there’s something more beneath the skin, something ancient and foreign. Is it a talnarin thing, or are they different from the rest? Even He had it too, the one who did this to me. Not to mention Abel’s mannerisms are… odd, unnerving. I don’t know enough about these Others, these talnarins, to determine his real age. I hate this feeling, this ignorance.

Regardless of my apprehension, I answer in a calm voice. “Alanna.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alanna. What kind of help do you seek? And to be more direct, what circumstances led to your arrival here?”

When the mess inside my head finally formulates a suitable response, one that won’t give me away, I hesitate before beginning. I take a deep breath and force my voice to be strong, “I’ve been traveling for… a long time. I’m alone, and I’m tired.” I glance away quickly. “I attempted to get some help in a… human village and was sent to a holding cell. That’s where Lori found me. She told me you wouldn’t treat me the same here. I was fine alone for a while but… an incident occurred. I lost control for a second and hurt someone.” I pause and take in his patient face. If he’s judging me, I can’t tell. My words keep tumbling out. “I tried to keep going, but it kept replaying in my head. It could happen again. I don’t want it to happen again. It terrifies me.”

Once the words are out, I clamp my lips tightly together. I had said more than I planned to. I told myself I wouldn’t tell them I had no control, They might be able to use that against me. There’s just something about Abel, he feels like he can be trusted. Abel’s compelling, like Him. I don’t like it. It makes my skin crawl. I need to be more careful around him and raise my guard.

Abel appears genuinely thoughtful and sympathetic. The sympathy throws me, but I remind myself it could all be a ploy. Still wary, I steal a quick glance at Elaine sitting in the corner. She looks so crestfallen it takes me back. Feeling like I’m intruding, I hastily look away.

Abel’s steady and smooth voice begins again. I snap my head in his direction. “I see. I’m sorry for the ordeal you experienced, and I hope you find what you need here. We do have various means to help you with your control. Fear not, young one.” He takes a small pause to smile up at me gently. “My last question: what is your gift, Alanna?”

I shouldn’t have been surprised, I should have figured with what I’d said, he’d ask the question. I hesitate. “Um…flames. I can set things on fire.”

He looks surprised. Why that surprises him, I don’t know. Perhaps fire isn’t a common power. Did I mess up? Did I give something else away unintentionally? Just as I’m about to stutter out an excuse, his smile turns compassionate. He leans forward across the desk slightly and folds his hands under his chin. I close my mouth with a click.

His voice lowers and softens, “It’s all right, Alanna. We will help you as best as we can. Now just some…guidelines if you will. If you do intend to stay, we expect you to treat everyone fairly and with respect as those here will do for you. Understood?”

I nod briskly. I can do that.

“There is no schedule to follow here, you go at your own pace. We are not tyrants. Things are very flexible. I think you’ll enjoy it. Lastly, if you have questions regarding anything, and I do mean anything…” He looks pointedly at me. “My door will always be open, Alanna.”

Abel smiles gently, then glances at Elaine in the corner. I look between them, trying to decipher that look. Is the look about me? Are they communicating somehow?

Abel stands and moves around his desk, coming towards me. I flinch back a step, gritting my teeth. Despite his nice words, I’m not quick to trust him. Those eyes are far too familiar for that. His words are too perfect, this place is too giving. I force myself to still my movements, I can’t afford to show anymore weakness. He has been cordial thus far so I’ll bid my time and see what he does. I could be overreacting, I could not be.

Once Abel is towering over me, he places his hands behind his back, still a good distance away. “Elaine will introduce you to the others here; it should make your transition a little easier.”  He steps around me, and walks to the doorway. Once there, he opens the door wide and glances at me. “And, Alanna, you are free to leave Craforian whenever you desire to do so. You will not be a prisoner here, and no harm shall come to you at the hands of those living here.”

I’m at a loss. I feel as though I’m missing something. It’s as if he knows something about me, something about my past, or he suspects something, at least.

Perhaps I’m overreacting. Perhaps I’m being overly sensitive. This whole meeting has set me on edge and I need to process everything. He doesn’t seem like a threat but it’s too soon to tell. The things he says makes me second guess myself, doubt myself. I need to be on my guard here, this place isn’t right.

Without another word, I cautiously follow Elaine out the door. This time the journey is much slower, and I only half listen to her as she explains what the different buildings around town are used for. The brown square building we passed on the way here was the library, something I’d only heard about, but never actually seen. On the adjacent wall to the left of Abel’s wooden home sits an extremely long and wide, tan building called the dorms. Elaine says this is the place where everyone else stays.

Directly across from the dorms is the arena. It’s circular, with pillars on the outer edges supporting a tall ceiling. All of the practice and fighting takes places here. Elaine explains there’s a building on the far side of the arena that houses the weapons and armor.

Along the far wall and adjacent to the dorms is the long gray building holding the kitchen and dining area. The kitchen is through the door on the far left, while the dining room is through the door on the side closest to us.

Before she can actually take me inside any of the buildings, I ask, “Can I be shown to the room I’ll be staying in? I’d like to go to bed early. It’s been a long couple of months.”

She doesn’t appear surprised. Instead, she smiles at me. “Absolutely. I figured you’d be tired from the journey. I can give you the tour later if you’d like, just let me know.”

She guides me through the door to the dorms and down the long and narrow hallway. There are rooms on both sides; they look identical from the outside. The corridor is empty and the lights are dim. Instantly, my body tenses and my thoughts go into overdrive. This is an ambush, They’re going to attack me all at once.

We pull to a stop in front of a nondescript door. Maybe the door leads to a torture room. They could be lying in wait for me, and they’ll start hurting me in hopes of digging out my secrets. My body starts to shake, and my heart pounds as my imagination runs wild.

I glare at Elaine and crush my hands into fists. Her expression is one of despair and pity. It startles me so much I take a step back. I don’t want her pity, I don’t want the Other’s pity. My angry glare doesn’t faze her, and she opens the door.

Light instantly floods the room, and she moves all the way inside the room. I hesitate, contemplating my options.  I can run like a coward, or I can face whatever may or may not be waiting for me in there. I suck in a deep breath and enter.