The Night Isn't Always Quiet ch4-6

CHAPTER FOUR


Stories Of The Past
Make For Interesting
Conversations














"The story I am going to tell you begins with two siblings, a brother and a sister, twins, without a father. The girl was a Jururgan, with a perfect pair of white wings. The boy, however, was though to be a Skiteriah at birth. His wings were feathered, like all Jururgan, but they were black as pitch. No one knew what to make of him, so he was shunned and exiled as an abomination. His sister accompanied him, the only thing he could count on in the entire world. Their names were Ash and Elissa."
Both Mallory and Nate's heads were slightly bowed as they listened to Markus speak. When he paused, Mallory reached out with one hand to take Nate's. He squeezed it, almost as if giving himself comfort. Markus gave them both a hard smile.
"Both were still young, and hadn't seen enough to even have a hope of fending for themselves in the strange wilderness. At night they huddled together under rocky overhangs, fighting off the wild beasts that prowled in the darkness. One of these nights, after they had been flying for many weeks, they had just pinned a particularly fearsome haron to the ground when it changed into a frail old man under their talons. Immediately they recoiled from him.
"The old man assured them they had done no harm, and told he knew of their predicament. He also showed his own Jururgan wings, black as pitch, just like Ash's.
"They gasped and cried out in amazement and celebration, for there may be hope for them yet! Ash was not alone in the world!
"But there was more news to be shared. The old man had been watching them the past few weeks, and he believed them to be gifted by the High Lords of the Sky, to be accepted in their high circles. Ash and Elissa were a little sceptical about this at first, but the more they thought about it, the more they knew it was true. It was the only reasonable explanation for what they could do. No ordinary children of eleven should be able to fight of beasts four times their size night after night.
"The old man hushed them and bade them get some sleep. For in the morning, he said, they would embark on a long and possibly treacherous journey that would give them all the proof they needed.
"The siblings scurried to huddle together under a tree and do as he asked. Though, in their excitement, it took them a long time to slip into their dreams.
"They travelled through the thickest and wildest parts of Kurong, their destination the holy aerewolf city of Hirgan. As they travelled, the old man taught them how to control and use the most basic of the magics that ran through their veins. When they pressed to learn more, he refused, saying that one more skilled than he was waiting in Hirgan.
"Finally, when Ash and Elissa thought they would never see another friendly living thing, they came across Hirgan. It was hidden by fog, so they didn't see it until they were less than a mile away. The old man advised them to cloak their wings with one of the enchantments he had taught them.
"During their first few days in the city, the old man simply dragged the siblings around as he caught up with old friends, talking about seemingly meaningless things. He instructed the siblings to call him Grandfather during those visits, and the name stuck.
"At night, they sheltered in unused back rooms of small businesses. One morning, Grandfather led them further than he had since arriving in the city. He led them to the slums of Hirgan, through the depressing lives of the poor, sick and dying. Their destination was a small, run-down shrine, to a god long forgotten, on the very edge of the city."
Markus paused to catch his breath. Jet, Lucien and Yasmyn found they had been leaning forward, hooked on the story. Mallory had her eyes closed tightly, her hand still in Nate's.
"There was a single old crone working the sacrifice platter at the end of the only room. It took her a moment to notice her three visitors. She knew immediately, it seemed, about Ash and Elissa's gifts.
"She began to yell and scream in a foreign language, stabbing at them with one of the sharp stokers from the fireplace on the east wall. Grandfather put a hand on both Ash and Elissa's shoulders, murmuring an explanation for her behaviour in their ears. She was not sure whether they should be worshipped or taught, and was asking the gods above for guidance.
"Grandfather stepped forward and spoke to the crone in the same language. She listened to what he had to say, and nodded.
"He turned toward the two siblings, and told them what was happening. When they heard he was leaving, they both cried out in sorrow, for they had come to love him as their true grandfather during the months they had spent together.
"Kissing both their foreheads, he said they would meet again in the future. And with that, he was gone. The crone growled at them in the same strange tongue and they hurried further inside the shrine.
"They spent the next five years here, learning about their god-like powers. They learned how to change their shape, to communicate through their minds with each other, to recognise others with abilities like theirs. They were taught how to make weapons, how to use them and their fists in a battle. How to control the future-predicting dreams that sometimes came.
"After this, the crone sent them out into the city. With no idea of how to find their way around Hirgan and what they were supposed to do, Ash and Elissa tried to get away from the disease and death that was around them. It was not hard, not with all the new abilities they had learned. They didn't know how old they were now, but they supposed they were sixteen or seventeen.
"After a few days, Elissa found she was short of breath and dizzy in the head. Ash offered to let her rest, but she declined. They went on, but her condition only worsened. After a few hours, she collapsed face-first on the floor of the alley they walked. Ash rolled her over, trying to keep his panic in check. She wasn't dead. She couldn't be. No, she was breathing. But her arms were covered in the red hives the dying people near the shrine had had. He knew if she didn't get her to a doctor soon, she really would be dead.
"Ash lifted her into his arms and ran out onto the next street, glancing at all the shop fronts and trying to discern if they were clinics or not. Finally he came across one and charged inside.
"The nurse inside gasped and pointed to a bed Ash could put Elissa on. She examined her quickly, but decided there was not much she could do without payment.
"Ash was shocked. How could she possibly think of payment when Elissa was so obviously dying right in front of her. He opened his mouth to voice this fact when someone cleared their throat in the doorway.
"Both Ash and the nurse span to see a tall, young looking man with blue eyes and an expensive suit standing there. He told the nurse that Elissa could be seen by his personal doctor, free of charge.
"Ash lifted Elissa again, with a quick thank-you to the nurse. He started to thank the man when he saw his companion waiting on the street. It was Grandfather.
"There he was! He had told them he would return. He looked younger, somehow, not older. Like he had more life ahead of him than when he had left.
"Grandfather restrained from saying anything until they climbed into a carriage hesitating on the other side of the street.
"He held up a hand before Ash could ask a question, and told him they were headed for the palace.
"Ash's brow furrowed in confusion, so Grandfather launched into an explanatory tale.
"Grandfather had been living in the Palace while Ash and Elissa were at the shrine. He had observed the King's youngest son, an aerewolf named Lux, and was certain he had been gifted with abilities like Ash and Elissa. But he had not had the training they had had, for no one else had recognised his powers. Grandfather was worried this could prove fatal to Lux and others around him."
Mallory flinched at both mentions of Lux's name. Only Jet and Nate noticed.
"Ash fell silent with this news, absorbing as much of the city as he could through the small, square window of the carriage. Not long after they arrived at the palace.
"He climbed out of the carriage and into a wide courtyard, intending to take Elissa straight inside. But the grandness of the place stopped him in his tracks. Never had he seen such wealth. It soared higher into the sky than anything he had ever seen. The walls were carved out of pure white marble with intricate engravings of mythical creatures and strange worlds. He could see multiple turrets perched on the roof, their curved surfaces reflecting sunlight onto the courtyard in pretty patterns.
"The man in the suit gestured for Ash to follow and led him around the side of the palace. Ash glanced back at Grandfather, but he was taking the main entry. He shook his shoulders out and followed the king's son.
"The palace was a maze. Ash was hopelessly lost within a minute. He also lost track of time, but eventually they emerged in a candlelit corridor. In the air hung the unmistakeable scent of a doctor's clinic.
"The man pointed at a door and continued down the hall. Ash assumed this was the one he wanted, and shifted Elissa onto one arm so he could open it. Inside, it was obvious that he had gotten the wrong room. But there was something strange around him that made him stay.
"Elissa woke suddenly. She grasped at Ash's arm with a claw-like grip as she looked around at the jagged stone walls. He waited patiently for her explanation.
"For several minutes they stood there. Eventually Elissa climbed out of his arms and stumbled forward. Ash wanted to stop her, but he knew he should let whatever was going to happen play out.
"Elissa began to speak in a strange language, chanting the same thing over and over again. The room filled with an unnatural, sparkling light that seemed to shine toward her out of the very walls. Ash's mouth fell open as the light caressed the awful rashes and hives from her arms.
"The light faded as Ash asked, 'Are you well now?'
"Elissa's response was to throw her arms around his neck in celebration.
"They held each other for a short time, but she soon led him out of the room and down the corridor, in the opposite direction they had come.
"She took the twist and turns of the many halls with such confidence that Ash knew the strange light had not only healed her. It must have given her directions to where they wanted to go, or maybe a map of the entire palace.
"So when Elissa froze, Ash was immediately on high alert. She told him to extend his mind as far as he could. He did so, and gasped when he touched a mind that had the signs he had been told to look for. Ash knew who it was. It was the prince, Lux. There was no doubt that he was gifted like themselves.
"He met Elissa's eyes and recounted what Grandfather had told him earlier. Her face was clear of any emotion when he finished, but she grabbed his hand and towed him in the direction of Lux.
"It didn't take long to reach him. They walked around the corner and saw him coming toward them, his unnaturally green eyes on the book in his ha- "
Markus stopped when he noticed the tears running down Mallory's face.
"I'm sorry, Mallory," he said.
"No, it's fine," she replied, riding to her feet. "I'm just going to get a little air."
She half-ran out of the room. Nate watched her back, concern colouring his face. Markus nodded when he turned around, and he went after her.
"What's wrong?" Jet asked.
"Nothing," Markus said, too quickly. "Let's just finish the story.
"Lux stopped suddenly and looked up at Ash and Elissa, shock in his eyes. He wasn't used to new people in the palace, especially those around his own age.
"Elissa smiled reassuringly and explained who they were, and why they were here. Lux didn't say anything throughout the story, but his eyes narrowed a little when she told of their first meeting with Grandfather.
"'And you believed him straight away?' he asked sceptically. 'How did you know he wasn't just some old crazy man who wanted to?'
"'Do you honestly think someone with enough magical ability to transform himself into a completely different being would do something like that?' Ash snapped. 'Anyway, there was a reason we were prone to trust him.'
"Lux raised one eyebrow inquisitively. Ash glanced at Elissa, who shook her head slightly.
"Not yet, she thought, projecting it into her brother's mind. The time will come to share our secrets, but it is not now. But I have a feeling we should take him with us, while we seek Grandfather.
"Ash nodded. Elissa's 'feelings' were usually her future-telling powers giving her subtle insights into what she should do either immediately of as soon as possible.
"But how do we get him to come? he asked. It seems he thinks we are liars.
"We also make him curious. He will come.
"Ash eyed Lux doubtfully as Elissa approached him. Like she had predicted, he accepted her invitation to accompany them as they looked for Grandfather.
"It was quiet as Elissa continued to lead through the twisting corridors. It was not longer until she stopped in front of an open door.
"Ash poked his head inside. It was empty. He looked back at Elissa, but she was staring straight ahead with a blank expression. Lux was waving a hand in front of her face.
"'Stop it,' Ash said, grabbing Lux's hand and pushing it away. 'Liss?'
"She didn't react at all. Just continued staring.
"'What's wrong?' Lux asked.
"'Nothing's wrong,' Ash said. 'She's in a trance. It tells us what fate has decided is the correct thing to do next.' When Lux still looked confused, he added, 'It's one of the abilities we've learned to harness.'
"'Oh, so it one of your gifts,' Lux said, his tone mocking.
"Ash didn't answer, because Elissa pushed past both of them and crossed to the first window they had seen since they met Lux. She wrenched it open with ease, pulling herself onto the sill.
"Ash followed her, and peered out. He hadn't realised they had been climbing, but they were now several stories above street level.
"Elissa tensed her legs, and Lux gasped as she threw herself out into the empty air. He ran to the window, but she was nowhere to be seen. He looked at Ash, who simply held one finger to his smiling lips.
"Suddenly, in a rush of blinding white, Elissa was in front of the window, hovering on her beautiful Jururgan wings. Below, several aerewolves had stopped their play-fighting and were staring up in wonder.
"She smiled. 'Join me, brother. Today, Lux's true lessons begin.'
"Ash grinned and took her outstretched hand. He raised himself onto the ledge as well, but he let his wings out before joining his sister in the air. Lux had been expecting white ones, so he was shocked again when they were black. For a moment he thought Ash was a Skiteriah, but then he noticed the wings were feathered. He was just different.
"When Ash and Elissa were together in the air, Lux wondered how he had ever doubted they were chosen by the High Lords of the Sky. They had an air around them, a natural aura that screamed 'gifted'. And they didn't even know it.
"'Come, Lux,' Elissa said, distracting him. 'It's time to begin.'
"He was hesitant, after the grace of Ash and Elissa's transformations, but their encouraging smiles reassured him. The window wasn't big enough to allow him through in his wolf form, so he made his change similar to how Elissa had. He plunged into the air before before becoming the large, black wolf he loved so much.
"Ash and Elissa were taken aback when they saw Lux transform. They had never seen an aerewolf make their change before. It startled them for a moment, but they were distracted by loud voices coming from the gardens below.
"'Why did you bring these creatures here?' the most predominant one was shouting. There were multiple other voices trying to calm this voice down, but it wasn't working. 'They shouldn't have even been allowed contact with my son! What were you thinking?'
"The next voice was more subdued, but Lux, Ash and Elissa's enhanced hearing could pick it up easily.
"'Even if I hadn't brought them here, they would have turned up eventually,' Grandfather said. 'They both know it is in their destiny to be here today, and have met Lux the way they have. We both know there is no fighting destiny, Jaeke.'
"Elissa nodded to Ash and Lux, and the three of them dove toward the scene. Jaeke, who Ash and Elissa assumed was the king, seeing as he had referred to Lux as his son, recoiled from the two Jururgan.
"'There's nothing wrong with them, Father,' Lux said when he turned back to his human form.
"'They're corruptive influences!' Lux rolled his eye- "
Markus broke off as a loud and suspicious series of crashes sounded from the corridor.





CHAPTER 5


There Are Some Ways
You Don't Want
To Be Discovered













NATE WAS CERTAIN MALLORY KNEW HE WAS BEHIND her, but she didn't recognise his presence. He was left to follow as she took the twists and turns of the Institute at a brisk pace. It wasn't long before he realised where she was going.
Her room was one of the only two places that hadn't been updated with the rest of the Institute. There was two reasons for this. Firstly, because Nate and Markus had been guarding it fiercely and, secondly, when the workers got a glimpse inside, they couldn't bear to paint over it.
For in her last life, Mallory had decorated one room with her pictures. She had painted elegant flowers and plants curling over the walls, dotted with detailed pictures of people and animals. There were orchids and frangipani, lilies, daisies and roses. Butterflies and ladybirds fluttered among them. On the west wall was a thick forest made of painted oaks, hollies and willows, a clear stream bubbling through its mist. Foxes and wolves prowled through the undergrowth, chasing rabbits and a wide array of birds. Faint outlines of deer were visible in the background. But whenever someone visited the room, they were always drawn to the people Mallory had created. There were people happy, sad, shocked, afraid, worried, proud, ashamed . . . It was difficult to be confused by them. Each one was so skillfully designed that they screamed what she wanted to get across. Beautiful was the one word that anyone had to describe any of the paintings.
Not that I think Mallory sees them as beautiful any more, Nate thought as they reached their destination.
His thoughts broke off unfinished when Mallory fell to her knees and rolled onto her back, her eyes raking the elaborate paintings. She lingered on one for longer than all of the other put together.
Nate followed her gaze, and saw, in the corner of the ceiling, the picture she had always cherished most. It was the only one that depicted love, and it was of her and Jet.
It was only simple; they rested their foreheads against each others, their gazes locked. Yet it was the most powerful image in the room. It left people feeling either unsettled or strangely happy.
Nate folded himself onto the carpet beside Mallory. She sat up and tucked herself under his arm, giving in to the sobs that had threatened to break loose ever since she had left Markus' office. Nate didn't say anything. He just let her ruin his shirt with her tears.
Neither of them knew how long it was until Mallory stopped crying, but that didn't matter. Eventually, she wiped her eyes and looked up at her brother.
"I'm sorry," she began, but Nate didn't let her finish.
"Don't worry, Liss. Isn't this what brothers are for?"
She forced a weak smile. "But why, Nate? Why me?"
"I don't know," he confessed, holding her tighter. "But I think it's pretty unfair for God or fate or whatever controls our lives to dump this on you. After everything that's happened ever since we first met Lux. I mean, don't you deserve an easy life for once?"
"I'm pretty used to it by now," she said, chuckling.
"It still isn't fair."
Mallory shook her head and glanced down at her clothes. She ran one hand through the air in front of her quickly. The movement brought a slight orange glow to the room, and she was suddenly dressed in, not her school uniform, but slim black jeans, a white shirt and a black button-up vest.
She glanced around at the walls again quickly before meeting Nate's eyes. "I think it's time for a makeover.
He grinned. "I think that's an excellent idea."

~~

Jet's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as the four of them listened for another sound. Anything. But it was quiet.
"I'm going to go check it out," Jet muttered, jumping up and leaving the room before anyone could protest.
The corridor was deserted. Which was strange, because he could have sworn he just heard the bell ring. It should be so crowded you could barely breathe.
"That isn't a good sign," Jet muttered as he moved forward. He was being as quiet as he possibly could. Something hung in the air that screamed 'be careful'.
There was a quiet buzzing, and one by one the lights along the corridor flickered out. He cursed. His situation was getting worse and worse by the second.
The floor creaked under a heavy foot, and Jet threw himself into a doorway as something big and dark appeared where he had just been about to walk.
His first assumption was that it was an archangel. But as he watched, he realised its shape was too hunched and animal-like. He found himself comparing it to Mallory and shook his head. If he was going to compare it to an archangel, he may as well choose one that was actually evil. Not like her . . .
Jet shook his head again and mentally slapped himself. There was something potentially dangerous not three feet away from him, and he was getting distracted by some girl he only met today? Great way to get himself killed!
He stiffened as the beast swung its great head towards the doorway he was sheltering in, tasting the air.
What do I do? Jet thought frantically as its nose drew closer and closer. He tried the door handle, but it was locked. Dammit!
He was suddenly struck with a crazy idea. One that could quite possibly be a death sentence, but was the only way out of the mess he had got himself into.
Leaping into the air, he changed into his wolf self, landing on the beast's head for a fraction of a second before he shot into the air.
The beast roared furiously, spinning with a speed remarkable for such a large animal and snapping at Jet's heels.
Its at times like these that I need Lucien, he thought as he dodged the creature's constant attacks. He hadn't realised how large it actually was. There was almost no room to get past it, and he didn't want to lead it back towards Lucien, Yasmyn and Markus. But still it came at him, never tiring. He was running out of options.
Who I really need, Jet realised, is Nate and Mallory.

~~

Nate and Mallory had heard the roars of the creature. They had been sitting at the desk in Mallory's room, Nate watching her draw her plans for the new paintings. Both of them had stiffened when the sound reached their ears, for they knew those roars, knew them well.
"I thought the rygians were extinct," Nate had muttered.
"Obviously not. We'd better get moving."
Now they were running through the corridors, their minds racing ahead in a search for the location of the rygian.
They located it in the hall outside Markus' office. Both paled and pushed themselves faster. They knew Jet, Yasmyn and Lucien were still inside with Grandfather.
When they reached their destination, they found it plunged into darkness. Mallory glanced at Nate. Definitely Skiteriah work.
Markus, Yasmyn and Lucien were creeping across the thick carpet, Markus holding a dimly glowing orb of light. Jet was nowhere to be seen. Further down the corridor, a shadow could be seen, slightly lighter than the darkness around it. Mallory sharpened her eyesight and noticed the other shadow, one that should be large but was dwarfed by the rygian it was facing. Jet.
Markus met her eyes, and nodded. "I think it's time for some assistance."
Both Mallory and Nate grinned, excited despite the danger they were facing. Both leapt into the air, their Jururgan wings bursting out of their backs as they hurtled down the hall, claws outstretched.
Jet heard their approach first. His head flipped around to try and get an identity, but the rygian didn't let him stay distracted for long. Soon he was ducking and weaving away from its claws again, attacking whenever he found an opening.
He was relieved when Nate and Mallory flew past him, gaining the rygian's attention and letting him change back to his human self. The corridor was lit with orange and blue flashes as they destroyed it little by little, using magic and talon.
"Are you alright?" Yasmyn asked, falling to her knees beside her brother.
Jet hadn't thought about himself at all. "I don't know," he admitted.
She reached out to examine him, but Markus grabbed her arm.
"Rygians are dark creatures that work for the Skiteriah," he explained when both Jet and Yasmyn looked confused. "We have no way of knowing what poisons or curses they put on its claws. I advise you let Mallory take a look at it first."
Yasmyn gulped and took an instinctive step backward, before realising what she was doing and smiling apologetically.
All of a sudden, Mallory landed on the ground in front of them as Nate lured the rygian closer.
"Get back!" she cried as Nate and the rygian gained speed. They hurried to obey, watching as she tensed herself, eyes on her brother and the beast they faced.
She twirled her hand in a circle when it was almost upon her, thrusting it forward at the last possible moment. There was a rush of wind and blinding white light. When that cleared, the rygian was gone.
Not a trace. There wasn't a mark that could be seen. Yasmyn, Lucien and Jet stared at the place the rygian had been, their mouthes hanging open.
"There's nothing," said Jet.
Markus grinned. "She's had a long time to practice that that trick."
Mallory smiled at her brother when he landed beside her, then turned to Jet. "Come here."
He was hesitant, when she had just showed how powerful she truly was. But curiosity drew him forward.
She examined the long gash on his forearm, taking it gently in her hands. He grimaced with pain but didn't protest as she trailed her fingers over it.
"Sorry," Mallory murmured. She turned to Nate and beckoned him forward.
"I need you to be ready to catch," she said in explanation.
He nodded and she turned back to Jet. Her fingers hovered over his wound, her face crumpled in concentration. The corridor fell eerily quiet as she worked, hands twitching.
Suddenly, in a rush of movement, Mallory jumped backward, cupping something invisible to her chest. Yasmyn gasped as the thing swirled and darkened. It turned into a struggling, snake-like shadow, about a foot and a half long.
"That was inside me?" Jet asked, disbelieving as Mallory handed the creature to Nate.
"Yes, but not in that form," she said. "That is called a wyroh. It is a typical thing to use in conjunction with a rygian, and they are skillful shape shifters. I think you can guess the rest."
He nodded grimly, glancing at his arm as the jolt of Mallory's movement opened it again. She glanced down as well.
"I guess I should fix that up as well," she muttered, glancing over her shoulder at Nate. He was still grappling with the wyroh. He pressed it against the wall and, using similar gestures to the ones Mallory had used on the rygian, destroyed it.
She turned back to Jet and touched his gash again. This time, instead of stinging, he only felt a pleasurable tingling. But he hardly noticed that. He was too absorbed in what Mallory was doing.
As her fingers trailed along his injury, clean, unbroken skin was left in their wake. Every now and then, she would draw her hands from side to side before continuing. Eventually, she stepped away.
"Sorry it took so long," she said when Lucien and Yasmyn crowded around, searching for any sign of the jagged cut. There wasn't even a slight scar. "But I had to knit all the muscles back together, and . . . "
She trailed off when she noticed the single man standing a few feet down the corridor. A man with his mouth hanging open, eyes locked on her snowy wings. She hurriedly cloaked them, but that only made the man stare more as he watched them slowly fade into nothing.
"Who are you?" he finally managed to ask.
Mallory grinned. "Someone you need very much, it seems."






CHAPTER 6







IT WAS QUICKLY EXPLAINED TO MALLORY THAT THIS was the head of the High Council. Nate murmured to her that he remembered back to the last Immortal War, but not before that. A quick glance between Markus and Mallory told he must never have seen the gods in action, else he would have recognised her and Nate immediately.
"Mitchell Jakoby is the name," he said, extending a hand for her to shake. "Nice to meet you."
"Mallory," she said, grasping his offered hand. It was firm and warm.
The shake of a leader, Mallory thought to herself when he let go. It was only when she caught Nate's smile that she realised she had not been as private as she had thought.
"So what was that thing?" Mitchell asked, distracting her.
"It was a rygian." The confused looks on not only Mitchell's face, but Jet, Yasmyn and Lucien's as well, begged for more of an explanation.
"A rygian is a dark creature that works for the Skiteriah. They are one of the few animals from Kurong that can survive in this world. They are also one of the strongest, and take the form of what I assume a bear-wolf crossbreed would look like."
"So its not a good sign if one of them turns up undetected in one of our busiest corridors?" asked Yasmyn.
"Yes. It would take massive magical power from the Skiteriah to perform such a feat. And it just so happens that I know a Skiteriah that has that ability."
Nate and Markus' eyes widened as they realised who she was talking about.
"You can't be serious," Nate said. "You said there was no possible way he could return."
Mallory looked at him. "I hope to God that what I'm about to say isn't really true, but I was wrong. What other explanation is there?"
"None," he sighed. "What are we meant to do? The rygian would have sent enough information before you killed it to tell that Lux doesn't remember yet, and the only way we defeated him last time was with all three of us at full strength. What do we do if he comes soon?"
She opened her mouth to answer him, but Jet beat her to it. "Who's 'he'?"
Both Mallory and Nate stared at him for a long time, overcome by the strangeness of the question. If he did remember, he would be the last one to ask that.
Finally, Nate responded. "'He' is our father."

~~

The corridor was dead silent for several minutes. Then everyone was talking at once.
"What?" Jet asked.
"Your father's a Skiteriah?" cried Yasmyn.
"How is that even possible?" said Lucien.
Mitchell only looked at Markus skeptically, asking with his eyes why he had let either of them anywhere near the Institute.
Nate and Mallory simply stood until everybody had gotten everything they wanted to say out of their system.
"Can we explain now?" murmured Mallory, almost inaudible after the volume of their companions' outburst.
There was no agreement, but no denial either. She glanced at Nate, who nodded, before she spoke again.
"Nate and I were born in the wilderness of Kurong. Back then, there was no war between the races. It was quite common for Jururgan and Skiteriah to have children together, and even with aerewolves." Her eyes darted to Jet for a moment when she said this, but they flicked away before anyone could notice. "But of course my father was different. He was the eldest son of the longest purebred line of Skiteriah in the history of their race. It gave him powers unheard of in that time, though no one was even totally sure why.
"His father was bent on keeping the line pure. Every day he would offer another girl, hoping his son would finally marry one. But every day, he refused.
"It wasn't until he came to a small, mainly Jururgan village, where he met my mother. He was immediately struck by her, even though it was against his father's wishes, to love a Jururgan. They met in secret, blissfully unaware of the outside world. At least, until he had to leave again.
Both Mallory and Nate shuddered at the same time, but nothing in her next sentences really caused such a reaction. Mitchell assumed she had edited it, but why he had no idea.
"He paced her room impatiently on their last morning together, trying to find the right way to tell her he would be gone by tomorrow. But she had some news of her own to share."
Mallory stopped, and Nate picked up the story with flawless ease.
"She was pregnant, with my sister and I. Our father was ecstatic at first, having finally found someone to marry, until he remembered she was a Jururgan.
"She watched his face fall, and told him to go with his father. She knew she would always have his heart, no matter what happened before they saw each other again.
"Nine months later, we were born. And that's why my wings are black, not white."
"Because your father was a Skiteriah," Mitchell finished aloud. "Hmm. You two have given me a lot to think about."
He turned and walked back the way he had come, hands pushed deep in his pockets, whistling. The rest took that as a good reason to separate.
Markus went back to his office, Nate and Mallory to her gallery of sorts. Yasmyn to her classes. Jet and Lucien were left in the corridor with nothing to do.
"I guess we could. . . " Jet trailed off, not sure of what they could do.
Lucien glanced at his watch. "Well, it is almost lunchtime. We could head over to the cafeteria and get a good table."
Jet agreed, and the two headed toward their destination.
"What do you think of Mallory?" asked Jet after a moment's silence.
"She seems determined. And honest. I also think she would be a very fearsome enemy. Neither can I forget she is very, very beautiful."
"Mm. What about that story Markus told us?"
"I believe its true. Why would he lie? And I suppose you realise who Ash and Elissa really are."
"What?" Jet said, confused.
Lucien sighed. "Weren't you watching Mallory and Nate at all? Didn't you notice their reactions to the story? I mean, they fit the descriptions."
"Huh. You're right, it does make sense. But. . . how is it possible?"
Lucien shook his head. "You really don't pay attention in class, do you? Remember when we were told at the end of our last year that sometime soon we would suddenly remember all our past lives?"
"Yeah."
"Well, this is exactly that. They've just remembered before we have."
The weight of what Lucien was saying suddenly hit Jet, and his eyes widened. "So you mean they were gods? All of that time? How did we not notice that?"
Lucien shrugged. "They probably have some way of hiding their true selves. They certainly have the magical skills for it, if you go by that display in the corridor back there. It'd be pretty annoying if you just walked down the street and people threw themselves at you because you were a god."
"I guess . . . Do you reckon they would have told us, or waited until we worked it out?"
"I think Markus would have told us if he'd ever been able to finish his story. We know she a Jururgan, and that's one of the High Council's biggest secrets. It must be the next step to tell us that. I wonder who Lux is."
"There are way too many aerewolves in the world to ever be able to guess that."
Lucien didn't respond. In his head, he was thinking of the small description Markus had given of Lux. Black hair and unnaturally green eyes. His gaze slid to Jet, who met those two criteria perfectly. He had no idea how common this combination was in other places around the world, but Jet was the only person he knew who looked like that in the area. It could simply be coincidence, but why else would two of the three gather here if Jet wasn't Lux? It seemed natural they would all be drawn to the same place.
Shaking his head, Lucien ducked through the cafeteria's doors as the bell rang. More information would help his theories.
The Institute would have won an award for filling its cafeteria the fastest, if such an award had existed. Already, several tables were full of loud teenagers of varying ages. Jet and Lucien immediately bypassed them, headed for the table in the back corner they had claimed for their own.
There were already two people there. A boy and a girl, talking animately.
"Have you seen the new girl?" the boy asked as they sat down.
"Which one?" said the girl before either Jet or Lucien could say they had in fact seen her.
"There's two?" questioned Lucien.
"Hell yeah!" exclaimed the unknown boy. "And both of them are some of the most perfect female specimens I've ever seen!"
"And you've seen oh so many female specimens, Jack," Jet teased, reaching over to steal a slice of cucumber from the plate in front of the girl.
"Jet!" she cried, pulling the food out of his reach.
"Lilian!" he said in the same tone. She stuck her tongue out at him.
"So tell me about these girls," Jet continued, looking back at Jack. [haha Jack rhymes with back... lol had to write that soz back to the story... ]
"Well, it depends on which one you've already seen," said Jack.
"The red-haired one. Name's Mallory, by the way."
"Another leaf to add to the info tree." Jet rolled his eyes in the pause between sentences. But the next sentence never came.
Lucien and Jet turned to see what Jack was staring at, and watched Mallory and Yasmyn walk the last few metres to the table.
"My ears are burning," Mallory said as she sat next to Lucien. "Who's been talking about me?"
"Guilty," admitted Jet, raising his hand. Jack was still staring at her.
"I never thought I'd see the day Jack was stunned into silence, but its here!" Yasmyn exclaimed.
He shook his head. "I am not stunned into silence."
"Not any more," said Mallory.
Everyone laughed as Jack flushed red.
"Where's Nate?" Lucien asked.
"Markus grabbed him on the way here," Mallory replied.
Jack's eyes flicked to her face. "Nate? As in Nate Herondale?"
She nodded. "My brother. We're twins."
"I knew you reminded me of someone!" Lilian said. "I knew it!"
"I'd hope I looked like someone. Otherwise, what would I be?"
"Definitely Nate's sister," muttered Lilian, rolling her eyes.
Mallory grinned, and just like that, she was accepted by people who didn't know the half of who and what she was.