“One of these days, you’re going to have to figure things out without me,” the voice says and this time I recognize who it belongs to.
I turn around and look behind me “Nicholas…”
I don’t see him but I swear I detect the faint lingering scent of flowers and rain.
***
I bolt upright, lifting my hand in front of me. There’s no fire burning from it, but I know what I have to do. I slip my shoes on and grab the Traveler’s Ball that was left on my bed with the note. Maybe I should say something to someone. It’d probably be better if I did. But I know if I do then Alex will put up a fight so instead I shut my eyes, grasping onto the crystal ball filled with rubies and a few seconds later, I’m there.
Chapter 24
I land gracefully at the City of Crystal in the cave that has a charcoal ceiling that maroon crystals dangle from. Beneath the translucent floor, there’s a midnight river flowing and carrying pieces of gold. And rubies wave across the snow-white walls.
I hurry and put the crystal ball into my pocket then sprint towards where the massive crystal ball is. My stomach churns as I enter the room and catch sight of the bodies strapped to the crystal illuminating with energy. Their eyes are shut, bodies still slack and lifeless. It makes me sick to see, but I don’t look away. I hold my breath and block out everything but the flaming crystal ball they’re attached to as I lean forward and place my hand to it, just like I did in the vision. Energy simmers through my veins and my heart accelerates so swiftly it aches inside my chest. It feels so different… like it’s sucking the life from me instead of feeding me power.
I can’t breathe…
It’s killing me…
I jolt back and gasp as my eyes roll into the back of my head and my body begins to convulse. The crystal ball starts to hiss and sparks shoot out from it and land around my feet like embers. I start to think about how stupid I am for trusting a vision put in my head by Nicholas, but then I see my hand and the Purple Flame burning from it.
“Thank God,” I say to myself as my body begins to calm down. I shut my hand as I distance myself from the crystal ball and the flame goes poof. When I open my hand again the flame ignites.
I’m in awe, opening and closing my hand a few more times before stopping in front of the door and taking the Traveler’s Ball out of my pocket. I cast one last glance at the people trapped to the crystal ball and tell myself that one day I’ll come back and free them, even if it means there will be no more Foreseers. The world can live without visions being read and will be better off too.
I smile at the thought and shut my eyes to leave this place. But right as I’m about to slip into the crystal ball, the door swings open and smacks me in the face. The crystal ball falls from my fingers and crashes against the floor, breaking the outer shell and rubies and water spills out onto the porcelain floor. Dyvinius enters the room wearing his silver robe that matches his eyes and a look that lets me know I’m in deep shit.
“Would you like to explain why you’re here?” he asks, staring down at the broken crystal.
“A… um… would you believe me if I said I was lost?” I said innocently with a shrug.
He stares at me blankly. “No.”
I deliberate my options. I could go all ninja on him, but kicking an old guy’s ass doesn’t seem right. So I let three seconds tick by, and then take off toward the massive crystal ball, hoping to wind around it and backtrack, then use my Foreseer power to get me out of here.
“Gemma.” Dyvinius’ calls out from right behind me. “I don’t understand why you’re running away from me.”
Bull shit he doesn’t.
I pick up my pace and smile when I see the door again. As I feel the power of the crystal ball fading, I decide there’s enough room between us and close my eyes. But my own power is absent.
“There’s no use trying,” Dyvinius says in his monotone voice. “I have the place on lockdown. No one may leave or enter, even with a unique Foreseer gift like yours.”
Dyvinius knows about my gift? This is not good.
I open my eyes, attempting to stay calm as I turn around and face him. “How do you know about my gift?”
He offers me a small smile as he stops in front of me. “You are your father’s daughter. How could I not know?” He turns around, his silver robe swishing lightly across the floor. “This way please. We have much to talk about.”
Having no choice but to follow, I trudge after him as he heads out the door and down a translucent crystal path that leads to his chamber. We go over a bridge paved with broken porcelain, underneath pillars, and through lofty silver doors where there’s gemstone grass and the screen that shows visions. Right now there are images of people standing in the streets, which are on fire and filled with panic. It’s startling to watch but Dyvinius seems unaffected by it.
When we reach the throne on the sapphire podium, he takes a seat and I stand in front of it. “Gemma, I’m not sure if you fully understand our laws,” he says, overlapping his fingers and placing his hands onto his lap. “But we have certain rules to which Foreseers are supposed to abide to. The first and most important being never tamper with a vision. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this or not, but your father broke this law a long time ago.”
“If you knew who my father was,” I say. “Then why didn’t you say you did the first time you met me?”
“Because, back then you weren’t who you are now,” Dyvinius explains, resting back in his throne. “I see you heading down the same road as your father and I feel like it’s important for you to understand.”
“What road exactly?”
He contemplates something gravely. “Has anyone told you anything about your father?”
I shake my head. “Not really.”
“Well he was a lot like you in the sense of having extraordinary power,” Dyvinius says. “He could use the power of the Divination Crystal beyond the boundaries of an average Foreseer, beyond what even I can do, but he let it go to his head and did some unforgivable things. And because of that, he has to pay—he’ll be a prisoner forever in the Room of Forbidden, alone in his own mind.”
I shiver at the idea of my father being trapped in that place by himself for all eternity. “That seems a little harsh.”
“Changing visions is a dangerous thing.” Dyvinius says, his eyes matching the coldness in his tone. “And there has to be severe punishment for it... there has to be punishment whenever the rules are broken,” he presses and I can see where this is going.