Talitha cleared her throat. “Come with me. We can figure out where to go from here in the Healer’s Hive.”
Valik, whose frivolity had vanished, looked upon me with solemn respect. He dipped his head, gesturing with his hand to follow the Mystic.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Mystics or how they could help me communicate with others. I didn’t even know what their magic entailed, leaving my thoughts running rampant with options—one louder and more dangerous than the rest. What if they could regrow my tongue, and I’d be able to speak again? For the first time since I was nine years old, hope fluttered in my chest.
Immediately, I shut it down. I knew better than to believe in miracles.
During our trek, Scarlett took my palm in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “No matter what happens, Cotton,” she said, low enough for only me to hear, “you’ve got me by your side. I’ll always be your translator. I know you better than you know yourself, even if I don’t know the details of your story. I’m here, okay? Never forget that.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, so utterly grateful to have someone like Scarlett by my side. If it hadn’t been for her all those years ago, I would’ve ended it all. But she saw and understood me. I never struggled to communicate with her. I squeezed her hand back as we cut through a paved stone path leading to a rounded structure.
“First,” Talitha called out over her shoulder, “I want to show you something that I think you might find invaluable. You’ll be welcome to visit with permission, of course, to peruse as you wish.”
Beautifully trimmed hedges towered alongside the path leading up to a tall, dome-shaped building. Talitha welcomed us inside, and we entered what appeared to be a massive library. Greenery wound around the shelves as if to protect them, and tall, colorful plants were placed within domed alcoves where dark wooden study tables sat.The earthiness brought a sense of comfort to the space, while the ornate elegance was evident in the lighting and the shimmering black floor. An air of prestige wafted through the tomes covering the walls and up the spiraling staircase that wound to the very top of the arched ceiling, separating the multiple levels in between.
“Welcome to the Mystics’ Learning Sanctum,” Talitha said, allowing us to take in the magnificence. “Each Arcadian race has their very own Learning Sanctum in their lands, where we educate our young and seek knowledge as adults.”
I couldn’t fathom the number of books in this one space. Its elegance and open light made the plants that lined the shelves stand out, causing them to be the central vibe. It wasn’t just the beauty of it all, but the energy buzzing throughout the room, making me feel more alive than I had in years. Yet again, the purified energy in this part of the land seemed to awaken another force inside me that had been hibernating my entire life.
“We can visit any time?” Scarlett asked in awe.
Talitha grinned. “You may. You’ll just need to gain permission from Ari, our High Priestess of Knowledge. If you have a certain inquiry, you will be guided to your answer.”
“By Ari?” Scarlett asked.
Talitha grinned at Scarlett and simply said, “No,” before continuing through the Learning Sanctum, leaving us confused and scrambling to keep up. Once she reached the back, she opened the door for us, waiting as we made our way over with Valik sniggering to himself as he followed behind. When we stepped back outside, we entered a natural garden I could only describe as magical. I’d never been so overstimulated yet so calmed at the same time. A vast array of herbs, plants, and flowers in an intense variety of vibrant hues painted the beautiful landscape on either side of the stone path before us, leading from the Learning Sanctum to the next domed structure a couple hundred yards away. I gazed up at a floral arch above me as I passed beneath it, stunned by the saturated coral flowers. Tiny sparks of light danced around the arches, and I wondered if they were the treesprites Valik had tried to show Scarlett and me shortly after we’d arrived.
“Oh, look!” Valik said, angling his head upward toward the floral arches. “I told you the tree sprites were real.”
Scarlett deadpanned. “This is what you nearly got us killed by an Endarkened manticore over? Magical fireflies?”
Valik shrugged. “They’re basically little fairies, but cuter.”
Talitha whirled on Valik. “Don’t disrespect them in my territory. If you run them off with your?—”
“Please do your worst, Tali. You know I love it.”
“I can’t believe you almost got them killed to see tree sprites. You’re such an idiot.” Talitha scoffed, rolling her eyes and turning back around to continue leading us through the gardens.
As we walked over, dozens of aromas greeted us, some I recognized, like sage and lavender, while others were completely foreign. Smelling all of the spices reminded me of my mom, who’d been an avid cook. She would’ve been in heaven here.
Grass grew over the top of the next dome Talitha led us to, making it blend in with the bluish-green landscape. It was smaller than the Learning Sanctum, but no less impressive.
“This is the Healer’s Hive,” Talitha explained as she led us inside. “This is where we bring others for their ailments or injuries, whether it’s physical, mental, or emotional. Come. Nell is waiting for us.”
Scarlett and I glanced at each other with skeptical expressions. She leaned in close to me and whispered, “How would she know we were coming?”
I shrugged, turning my attention back to Talitha, taking in the beauty with a deep breath.
Although not nearly as grandiose as the Learning Sanctum, which I realized was the large building I’d spotted when we first arrived, the Healer’s Hive still held multiple levels and was just as stunning with its grandiosity and complexity. A steady, calming energy pulsed through the building, distinct from the charged energy buzzing through the library, putting me at ease. “There are five floors, each corresponding to one of the five elements—air, water, fire, earth, or aether. As Mystics, we are gifted power over one of the elements, much like the Elementals from your world, only our gifts come directly from the Elemental gods themselves. Many of us have also been granted abilities that are more metaphysical in nature, like telepathy and precognition. Nell, the High Healer, runs the Healer’s Hive, a treasure among our kind. Those from all across Arcadia would travel to her for the direst of spiritual and physical wounds.”
I took in the warmly lit ground floor of the Healer’s Hive, looking up at each level marked with a sigil that appeared to symbolize the elements. It was all so bizarre to be learning about an entirely different magical race when we’d only ever known of Kinetics and Elementals back in our world. We’d never been taught about Mystics, but their village already felt more like home than the Kinetic Palace ever had. It made sense that we had historical ties to this place.
“As Kinetics, you do not work with elements, correct?” Talitha asked. She took a step back and closed her eyes, tilting her head back toward the ceiling as she took a slow, controlled breath.
“Correct,” Scarlett answered.
Talitha returned her focus to the pair of us, opening her eyes to study the space around my body. “Your aura is…powerful. Did you know that you’re not fully Kinetic, Cotton?”
