So I think the fuck not. He better just come on.
“Amick said Harriseen dragged the bodies off to the right. I can’t imagine he bothered going very far. We’ll start in that direction,” Creed grumbles, then proceeds to march through the trees with Sevryn and Gladian on his tail.
There we go. That’s what I thought.
“Come on, Discovery. This is your thing. Discovering shit,” I say as I pat him on the back.
“Yes, but discovering dead bodies most certainly isn’t something I enjoy.”
His bright green eyes glow as his head swivels from side to side. His throat bobs as he gulps and points ahead.
“They’re that way. Much farther back than Creed assumes.”
He shakes himself out and takes an unsteady step.
My Harmony pushes forward, and I sigh.
“Way to ruin my fun,” I mumble as I rest my hand on his shoulder. He immediately slumps and gives me a grateful smile.
“You didn’t have to settle my unease, but I truly appreciate that, Riven.”
“Yeah, yeah. I did have to. My Harmony would’ve bugged the fuck out of me until I did. I can’t believe you’re letting this bother you so bad.”
He gives me a sheepish grin. “I don’t have a pleasant history with bodies. The more deadly, non-intellectual creatures of the Lost Sea don’t attack and kill beings for sustenance. They do so for sport or territorial aggression. I’ve had the unfortunate honor of burying many who washed up on my shore. Godly and ungodly. Not to mention, I also saw the body that was created to imitate me. That was unsettling and still haunts me.”
Damn. Way to dampen the mood.
That’s pretty fucking sad, actually.
I don’t like to see my happy buddy frown.
We walk toward the others, who are wasting their time scouting the ground for “clues” and the silence between us makes me feel like an asshole. I suppose not everyone can find humor in their traumatic pasts.
“So, anyways, what did you just do with your power? I thought you had to know or be aware of the individual you were lookingfor? At least that’s what you told me when I asked for acertain someone’slocation.”
“Well, I did have the unfortunate pleasure of knowing that someone, so it was easy to locate him. In this case, I don’t know the individuals, but life itself is always easy to find. With my power and through my eyes, this forest appears to me in a wide path of green, like my irises. As I scan, commanding my power to discover the living around us, the color will change. There are multiple shades thrumming with the life of nature, aside from a concentrated dark spot in the direction we’re heading. It’s easy to conclude, if it isn’t life, it’s the absence of it.”
An impressed smirk spreads across my lips.
“That is a nifty little trick for discovering people.”
“I can discover much more than just people. Objects, places,things.”
I cock my head at the way he air quotes things.
“I could even discover secrets, if need be, but at a great cost to my power.”
“So it’d drain you to drag up someone’s dark little secrets, huh?”
“Oh yes, and unlike all of you, I don’t have a means to refuel faster. I’d be left vulnerable as my power recharged on its own. I suppose that was a protective measure put in place around my creation. It’s very dangerous discovering things you have no business discovering.”
“I’d argue that it’s just as dangerous not knowing, though. The more you know, the more you can protect yourself. At least that’s what Amick keeps chirping.”
“Sure, in some scenarios, I could agree with that. Others…” He shakes his head and gives me a tense smile. “Knowing things you can’t share with the people you care about does nothing but sit in your chest like lead. When something should be discovered, it’s best that it happens right when it’s supposed to.”
“Cryptic and secretive as fuck there, Discovery. I like it. I’ve always enjoyed butting my nose where it doesn’t belong. So, tell me, are you keeping important things from us and bestie?”
He laughs lightly, although his eyes grow all tender and shit at the mention of his Binder.
