Portals. That’s what the books called them.
“Come on,” he calls over his shoulder. “I want to show you something.”
Okay. That’s promising. He didn’t evaporate in a cloud of blood and molecules, so I guess it’s not a supernatural portal into another dimension. Nonetheless, apprehension tightens my throat as I approach the opening. I run my fingers through the shimmery light, then brace myself.
When nothing happens, I laugh, feeling silly.
I shuffle in sideways, gasping when I find myself in another cave. Small and circular, with walls covered in white daggerstone and a gurgling natural fountain in the center. Water spills into it from a crack in the rock, forming a shallow crystalline pool that gently swirls and ripples. It’s like a magical little sanctuary, evoking a sense of serenity.
Kallister walks to a weathered stone bench at the edge of the fountain and takes a seat, gesturing for me to join him. The glowing white walls guide my way, and as I sit, I marvel at the beauty all around us.
“Is this entire mountain full of daggerstone caves?” I exclaim.
“Pretty incredible, isn’t it? Nature never fails to astound me. None of these things existed before the Last War, before all the bombs and radiation and toxins released into the air. We tried to kill her, but she wouldn’t let us.”
“Her?”
“The old books refer to her as Mother Nature.” He smiles. “I think it’s fitting. Look at what she’s birthed.” He gestures at the rare gemstone that didn’t exist until the last century. “Daggerstone. Horned bears. A black mist that rises from the mountains. It’s like she was trying to tell us something.”
“Tell us what?”
“That if you attempt to destroy her creations with your bombs and toxins, she’ll just create even more beautiful and mysterious things.”
This cave is beautiful and mysterious, all right.
“Did you bring me here to train?” I ask, remembering how he said daggerstone harnesses your powers.
“No. We can’t train here. White daggerstone mutes your abilities.”
I falter. “But you said…”
“Bluedaggerstone amplifies them. Fuels them. White stops them from working entirely.”
Curious to test that theory, I try to link with him.
A frown mars my lips. “I can’t open a path.”
He chuckles. “Told you. Something about the properties of white daggerstone blocks the flow of energy.”
“Why did you bring me here, then?” I rise from the bench, my anxiety returning now that I know I’m telepathically handcuffed. “Are you going to kill me?”
Kallister responds with a deep, full-throated laugh. “Of course not. I just wanted us to speak privately.” Humor fading, he tips his head, studying me. “It’s uncanny,” he says.
Despite his assurance that he’s not here to murder me, my heart is stuck in my throat. After Roe shot Betima in the head in front of me, I vowed I would never be caught off guard again, but right now I fear I’ve been led into a trap. My mind’s scrambling for a way out, feet inching away from the fountain.
“What’s uncanny?” I edge backward another inch.
“Your resemblance to your mother. You have her eyes.”
Shock freezes me in place. But I recover fast, clearing my throat before adopting a careless tone. “I never knew my mother.”
“I did. I knew Marina very well.”
My body grows weak. He knows her name.
He fuckingknows.
Kallister’s gaze never leaves mine. “Julian tried to feed me a story about finding you orphaned on the side of the road, but my brother really should’ve known better. I figured out the truth as soon as your photograph was uploaded to the Company database. I know exactly who you are, Wren.” He cocks a brow. “Or do you prefer Stella?”
