Bonds - Part 2
Lena sat silent and shaken, like a deer in headlights. Thoughts jumbled in her mind as she tried to come up with any response to the accusation presented by Elizabeth.
How does she know about me?
Does she suspect Atlas also?
Is that the reason why she...
Lena realized quickly that her silence itself was becoming more of an answer, so instead of lying she grabbed Elizabeth's hand and dragged her into a secluded corner behind some shelves away from anyone who may be in earshot.
Elizabeth seemingly understood the gravity of her question, it did not seem like she was after anything more than an answer. It was more like she was confirming something that she already knew to be true.
Maybe I should trust her. What choice do I have anyway?
This young woman could have outed her already, and she obviously had not. That was at least one thing Elizabeth proved by asking her directly.
"I have seen it." Lena was stern. Still holding onto Elizabeth's wrist tightly, as if to say she was not getting away without an explanation.
The ice mage's eyes widened, but it was more a look of excitement than shock. She raised the book up that she had shown to Lena earlier, the one with the illustrations.
"This has been handed down in my family for generations. I come from a line descended from the Nexus you know, not that it should be of any surprise to you. Everyone here once had an ancestor come through, but we are... different."
Lena was taken aback by her statement. What does she mean by that?
"How did you... find out?"
Elizabeth flipped through some of the pages in her book, filled with faded words and drawings, some that Lena could hardly recognize. Up until the girls fingers stopped flicking the papers to the side. What was on the page made her heart sink immediately.
It was a drawing of the Nexus opening and people emerging. It was the image from before, she pointed to it as she handed her the book.
"This is my ancestor, we share a common first name." She pointed to a young girl with long flowing hair, who had been hand drawn. It did kind of resemble Elizabeth, but the drawing was mostly faded now.
The next page was a description of a group of people who had been transported here after surviving a passenger plane crash in the middle of the sea, the Nexus had appeared and saved them from doom. They were dropped in a new and unfamiliar place, much like herself and Atlas only just a few months ago. There was a page attached differently than the others, it was a flight roster. Lena traced her finger down the list of names until one appeared that she recognized.
'Elizabeth Morrigan.'
She turned the page again and the words on this page were baffling, she saw a girl standing on a hill overlooking the lost citizens from her world. A description of the image simply titled: the seeker. She turned to the next page and continued reading.
'In this place of strangeness and hope. We wondered if we were given a second chance. A woman, with eyes like the clouds led us over the hills. She had claimed to know of a place beyond, for hours we walked. With nowhere else to turn we put our faith in the hands of a stranger. The woman led us to a camp, people. A man was there, he looked to be a soldier of some kind. Many of us were relieved by the sight of another human being, the woman approached him and said she knew he was here.'
'The soldier knelt beside the young lady and thanked her for saving all of them. She repeated that she felt his warmth from the moment they landed here. The rest of us paid no mind to the crazed words of a child, but the man simply looked into her eyes. That gift will save many more in the future.'
Lena had heard about mages with a special ability, the ability to sense the tunes. The power to sense the resonance of the soul, it was rare but highly regarded. The Sovereign, each of them were famous for this ability as well as their ability to wield the elements.
Elizabeth put her hand on her chest and spoke.
"This book has been passed down in my family for generations. I come from a line of famous mages known as Sensors, we can feel the tunes of others. Though I am not accustomed to it yet. Oh and some other families have the ability too. Some are just more conscious of it than others."
Lena remembered the day she encountered Tempest, they had arrived at almost exactly the right time. The time in the hospital when she explained that it was just luck that they happened to be there because of the lycan. She was beginning to doubt if that was the full truth now.
"Why reveal this to me now? Does anyone else know?"
Elizabeth looked around the library shelf to ensure they were alone before she spoke again.
"That first day when we met, I sensed something strange within Atlas. At first I thought I was crazy, it did not feel like the tune of a mage or of someone native to this world. He felt– different. And when you defeated me, that was when I felt it emanating from you. I couldn't explain it, until I recalled the feeling she felt."
Elizabeth pointed again the the book as she spoke.
"I understand the weight of my discovery Lena, I promise to keep your secret safe. Though, I don't know if anyone else has the ability to sense it too."
Lena thanked Elizabeth. "Merlin knows, I think that is why he treats us differently."
"I see. It's strange actually, children of the Nexus are famous for their extraordinary ability to tune without much effort. The Nexus specifically targets people with a high affinity for the stones. There are many theories as to the reason for this, I sense something within the both of you. And yet, neither of you were able to tune."
That reveal was the most shocking revelation of them all in Lena's mind, there was so much still being kept from her and Atlas that it was leaving her feeling uneasy about so much. Assuming everything Elizabeth was saying was true, then why did Tempest keep this from them?
"I'll trust you, we should talk about this more with Atlas. I am sure he will want to know this information."
The two young ladies shook hands, a shared secret between them. Lena felt a massive sense of relief.
"Don't corner my like that next time though, you had me worried there for a minute."
Elizabeth laughed. "Sorry! I nerd out when it comes to the Nexus, I know many see it as a blight on the world but truly the power it wields is mysterious. I have read every research paper published by the late Doctor Gale! Have you heard of him? He's the father of Xander Gale, the greatest non-mage hunter in the West!"
She was back to her excited spree of questions, Lena had decided to entertain the girl some more.
"Actually..." She was almost just as excited to see the excitement on her face when she revealed who her mentor was, the man who had saved her from the lycan. And most importantly, the one from the dream she had on her first night in this new world. Their conversation lasted hours, jumping between topics and gossip. Lena had realized that she never had a moment like this with another woman her age, she was happy that it was her.
After the time was approaching curfew they parted ways, Lena had some unfinished business left to attend before the night was up.
She rounded the corner to the woman's common room and could see someone waiting just outside the door.
It was Atlas.
Was he waiting for me?
Lena approached him cautiously, this is what she had in mind also. But he beat her to the punch.
He spoke up first:
"Lena, listen... I just wanted you to know that what happened–"
She did not even let him speak before putting her hand over his mouth.
"Don't even mention anything. What happened at hospital... It doesn't matter right now. Just don't even bring it up."
She was blushing bright red, Atlas was too. They both avoided eye contact as much as possible.
"I get it, but you have been avoiding me since then. I was just worried something happened."
Lena smiled and she made eye contact with him this time.
"Nothing has changed between us, I just... I didn't know how you were going to react to what I said."
He gabbed her hand which startled her before explaining himself.
"I believe you. I don't know if I understand it fully, but I trust you."
She squeezed his hand, accepting his words and his actions. Not knowing exactly what to say in this moment, her heart was racing it felt like it was going to burst through her chest.
"Anyways... I need to tell you something else. And don't be mad ok?" She let go of his hand and turned shyly away from him, taking a deep breath and then exhaling.
"What is is?"
"Elizabeth knows about us... She's a sensor."
"What?!" He shouted out loud. "What are we going to do? Did she confront you?"
Atlas was even more concerned now, suggesting they tell Merlin what had occurred. He did not know that he could trust her completely.
"Don't worry, she is on our side. I think we can trust her, if she was hostile she would have already tried something." She tried her best to convince him that she was a good person.
"Well that explain why she lobbed a spike at me..." He seemed to be half joking at the remark.
"Oh relax, that was an accident." She made sure to remind him of her apology that time as well.
"If you trust her, then I trust you." He smiled softly, he seemed happy to just be talking to her again. It made her feel fuzzy, and just as intrusive thoughts were beginning to invade her again... A group of the female recruits rounded the corner and saw them. They immediately started giggling and smirking at them.
She suddenly went into fight or flight, completely hiding her soft and welcoming personality from before.
"Thank you for returning my book!" Lena pushed him to the side a bit as he questioned the act. She quickly slid the door shut behind her, leaving Atlas alone outside in the hallway.
"Riiight..." He said as he walked off, definitely not getting the hint she was trying to send his way.
Lena quickly went to her bunk and started getting her things ready for the next day. The girls from before entered the common area and continued gossiping about her, they knew she could hear every word. But she ignored them, instead she smiled to herself as she continued her task.
He's such an idiot...
Their brief conversation left her fulfilled, reassured even, that recent events had not shattered their connection. This warm feeling reminded her of the dreams they shared. Although still embarrassing, it was a sign to her that the bond was mutual.
