Shattered Illusions (Terra Chronicles Book 2) Read online

  Shaking my head, I went into the bathroom. Clean up, get food, and then maybe I could find some time to read before I needed to check in with Savanas.

  ~*~

  After breakfast, Kitteren navigated us through the underground public transit. I wondered if Retanei used this to get back to the office after dropping the truck off with me six months ago. I had not even realized this existed, but I supposed that would be the point. Great Tree went to even greater lengths to keep their local public transit from being a disruption of the surroundings.

  Now lush green trees lined the streets and the dense green foliage surprised me, though it thinned out the closer one got to the waterfront. Government, corporate, and tall apartment buildings stuck out over the tops of the trees - anything roughly three stories or under remained hidden beneath the canopy.

  Adjusting the form-fitting top again, I trotted to keep up with Kitteren. My thin slipper-like shoes were not really built for this. At least the doors to the Ocean’s Edge TIO office were in sight. I left the packet Fletch gave me back at the hotel on my sister’s insistence.

  “Quit fidgeting, Ket. You look fine,” Kitteren tossed back and then slowed down when she saw I had a hard time keeping up with her quick pace.

  “I don’t like it. Makes me look smaller,” I whined. I really wished she had not repacked my bag. I did not need to appear smaller and more fragile than I already did.

  Kitteren stopped and put her hands on my shoulder, holding me at arm’s length. “No, it doesn’t. Actually, it makes you look stronger, more confident. Besides, you’ve developed a nice tone on your arms and legs, you should show it off.”

  Rolling my eyes, I batted her away, suddenly grateful for the long pants. “Let’s just get this over with.” I started to wish I had not put my hair in a bun - then I could use it to hide. But down would not have looked professional given the length. Kitteren wore a similar outfit - her shirt a deep red, but she opted for a narrow black skirt instead. I guessed she planned on going to the ceremony with me.

  We entered the lobby and Melody greeted me before the second set of doors closed, “Ketayl! I forgot you were coming!” She hustled over, giving me a hug. “It’s so good to see you. Who’s your guest?”

  I smiled and tried not to show how much I did not like people touching me. Kitteren I had gotten used to, but most everyone else outside of family still bothered me. “This is my sister, Kitteren. She’s also from the main office.”

  Kitteren pulled her shirt up enough to show the badge clipped to her waistband. “I’m just here to make sure she doesn’t get lost.”

  I raised an eyebrow at her and shook my head. I was more than capable of following directions. Better than her at least. I forced back my annoyance at Kitteren’s surprise vacation again.

  “Come on and I’ll get you two checked in. Hey, Roh, you be nice now.” Melody turned her attention to a puppy who came over to sniff at us.

  He looked like someone dropped a bucket of black paint on his tan fur. Brown eyes stared out of the small ball of fluff at me - one ear flopped over while the other tried to stand straight up.

  Melody returned to her desk and sat down, typing away quickly. “This is Savanas’ new companion, Roh. After losing Big Black, she wasn’t sure she would take another, but I think she got lonely. He won’t grow to be the size of Big Black, but Roh will still get pretty big. The local law enforcement has been using this breed for years and she got Roh from a litter they had a few months ago.”

  Roh sniffed at my feet and I knelt down to pet him. He turned to lick my hand. It tickled and I moved my hand out of the reach of his tongue. I briefly entertained the idea of asking Savanas if she would let me play with him for a while.

  “Savanas is letting him stay down here when she’s not actively training him. I think she just wants him to get used to the place. Plus she dotes on him too much,” Melody chimed cheerfully. I had a feeling she might be spoiling Roh more.

  It did not take long from there and we headed upstairs. This time I guided Kitteren. The elevator dinged and I got off first. The office was far less busy than during my video call yesterday. Only the agents assigned to this office were present.

  “Ket! I was wondering when you were going to show up,” Darius saw me first and then saw who stepped off the elevator after me. “Looks like double-trouble.”

  The Ocean’s Edge team had their attention on us and I let Kitteren get ahead of me. I smiled and wrapped my arms around my waist, holding my tongue and quietly following. The attention made me uncomfortable.

  Kitteren’s confidence showed in how she walked and interacted with people as she strode up to where Savanas came over to greet us. It looked like she belonged here.

  Savanas caught us as we reached the area sectioned off for her people. She held her hand out to Kitteren. “Savanas Farstrider. What can I do for you?” She reached over and patted me on the shoulder, giving me a smile, but quickly returned to business with my sister.

  “Kitteren. I would like to discuss something with you pertaining to an ongoing assignment. Is there somewhere we can talk?”

  I blinked in confusion. Why did Kitteren not tell me she also had business here? I forced myself to keep my face neutral and my tongue silenced. Maybe she told me, but I had been too aggravated with her on other things to listen.

  Savanas thumbed up toward the floor above. The skylights were visible from this floor because the next floor only bordered this room. There were more rooms up there, but I paid them little heed before. “This is the time of year my actual office gets used.” She turned back to me. “Go ahead and make yourself at home, Ket. You’re a bit early.”

  The two headed upstairs, leaving me with the three remaining agents. “Um… hi.”

  “You’re not part of that?” Brad asked as soon as we heard a door close.

  Looking up at the floor above, I bit my lower lip for a moment. “I didn’t know Kitteren had business here. I thought she just tagged along.” Why had she claimed she was not here in any official capacity? Perhaps I did not understand what Kitteren meant.

  “Aren’t you two heading for the Northern Isles after this?” Rathal asked.

  I nodded, unsure what to do being the center of attention. Then I found something to distract myself with. “Did you get the update to the case file?”

  “Yes,” Brad said, “Silver said he wasn’t able to get a chance to look at them last night because he needed to study for this morning’s test.”

  I frowned. I really had not wanted to add to his workload. “I’m sorry, I should have held off working on…”

  “Easy, Ket. He’s been worried about you taking on all of the work yourself,” Brad said. “Silver was relieved when you came to us with the new information. He’s taken the being your partner thing seriously. Though it has been driving him mad he can’t tell the others in his class he’s already been assigned.”

  Darius smirked and commented, “The guy has taken everything seriously. The testing this morning is just a formality and to give their teams an idea of what they need to work on. All of them have been assigned - they’re going to have the ceremony to hand out the assignments at the Waking Dawn this afternoon.”

  “Yeah, I plan on not attending the ceremony this time as much as I want to check out the new place.” Rathal explained, “Faring needs to keep a better leash on her recruits. At least on that one.”

  Darius started laughing, “I never thought I’d see the day a skirt chased you off.”

  Rathal glared at him. “I have standards. Now this cutie here is another story.” He got up and stood next to me, putting his hands on my upper arms. Then he squeezed a few times before saying, “Ooh, you’ve been working out.”

  I stepped away from him and rubbed my arms. Why did it seem like people wanted to touch me?

  “This cutie could also knock you into next week with a thought,” Darius advised. The comment concerned me - I wondered if he truly understood how dangerous I was. I reminded my
self his knowledge could only be as far as what he saw six months ago. I did not think I shattered the illusion of relative normalcy I created.

  “Geez, I was just joking,” Rathal pouted. “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Ket.”

  I nodded, accepting his apology.

  Brad shook his head and turned his attention back to me. “Rathal’s right, you do look like you’ve been working out.”

  Feeling the heat rising to my face, I wrapped my arms around my waist. “I learned my lesson about skipping physical training the last time I was here.”

  The men laughed and I ducked my head, somewhat ashamed I needed to learn that particular lesson the hard way.

  “Just make sure you don’t try to measure yourself against anyone else, okay?” Brad advised.

  “What do we have here?” another voice joined the conversation. I had not heard the elevator.

  I turned and saw Doc standing behind me. He came closer, handing a folder to Darius.

  Doc bent down to look more closely at me. Standing back up, he smiled and said, “I’m glad to see you’re doing well, Ketayl. You haven’t been overworking yourself again, have you?”

  Savanas answered, “Of course she has. I’d be concerned if she wasn’t.”

  I looked up to see both Savanas and Kitteren leaning over the railing. That was a short meeting. I wondered what they could have talked about.

  “Come on up you guys. We’ll use the media room. Doc, you don’t mind entertaining the visiting agents, do you?” Savanas said and waved at us to come upstairs.

  I looked at Doc. I guess I needed to stay down here since I fell under visiting agent, well, as close to an agent as a liaison could get. He answered, “It would be my pleasure.”

  Rathal got behind me and started pushing me toward the stairs. “You can’t miss this one, cutie.”

  I moved away from him and followed the group up the stairs.

  “Savanas, are you sure…” Kitteren asked, trailing off as she saw us reach the top.

  “My answer remains the same. I’ll give you the support I can, but it’s going to take time,” Savanas crossed her arms. “And I echo what Vince and Lockonis warned you about. This is a gamble I don’t think you want to take. Given the events already in motion, I suggest transparency with everyone involved.” Her eyes slid over to me for a moment on the last part.

  It did not sound like the meeting went the way my sister hoped, but I noted the similar statements I overheard between Kitteren and Lockonis. My curiosity started to get the better of me and I wondered if I could find out why she came here.

  The skills I learned as a child trying to survive the streets had not completely left me, but I would not be able to employ them now in an attempt to find out what she was up to. I had needed to keep up those skills to survive at the Arcane College. It allowed me to avoid the attention of the ranked mages and to keep an ear on the rumor mill.

  Though I had never been successful in listening in on the Circle of Magi.

  No, I should not do that. I let Kitteren believe I lost or forgot most things from back then. I only wanted to keep her safe. I did not want her to know the monster I could be. Mother knew a little more of my capabilities, but still not all of it.

  “Well, since our favorite Arcane Investigator is here, I think this calls for a late dinner at my place,” Savanas announced. She looked directly at me, before she said, “And I won’t take no for an answer. Say 1900? The ceremony should be well over with by then.”

  I bowed graciously. Our next flight did not leave until very late again and I would admit to myself I could not turn down Savanas’ cooking.

  Darius held the door open to the media room and started ushering the others in. Savanas held me back for a moment.

  “Just remember you’re among friends - you have no reason to be nervous,” Savanas said once the door closed.

  Her words only made me more nervous. “What’s going on?”

  Savanas grinned broadly. “Just something which should have happened quite a while ago.” She moved and held the door open for me. I waited for her to let me in the second security door as well.

  I looked at my surroundings while the system beeped and the door unlocked. I guessed the small gray room between the hallway and the media room acted as a buffer for sound. I vaguely remembered Darius saying he had been reviewing footage up here six months ago.

  The others were all seated in the theater-style arrangement except for Darius who sat along the far wall from where I entered. He spoke too quietly into his headset for me to hear and turned to look back at us. He tossed a thumbs up.

  With the room decently lit I took a moment to glance about. The wall in front of the seats held a large screen spanning the full size of the wall. It currently showed the TIO logo. The bank of stations Darius sat at likely controlled the system.

  Brad said, “I called down and Faring said some of them are still testing and as soon as they’re done, she’s going over the ceremony. She won’t release anyone.”

  Savanas looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “I’m assuming that’s the nice version.”

  Brad nodded silently.

  I moved toward the seating, assuming I needed to follow the others. The three rows of eight seats each separated down the center by an aisle with the back row being an exception and having another seat there. I spotted an empty spot next to Kitteren and went to go sit down next to her.

  “Over there,” Kitteren pointed to where Savanas stood.

  Now I was completely confused. I looked over at Savanas who pointed at a spot on the floor to her left. What did I do?

  Savanas stood halfway between the seats and the screen, she leaned over when I took my place and whispered, “Nothing to worry about. I’ll walk you through it.”

  I took a moment to look at where the others were. Brad, Rathal, and Kitteren occupied the front row. Darius remained at the control station, but faced us. I shifted nervously being the center of attention again.

  Savanas dug into her pocket and pulled something out with a long, silver-colored chain. She put the chain over my head and I looked down to see a gold-colored badge hanging on a black leather board. The simple shield design bore the organization’s name fully spelled out in dark blue with a stylized dragon in the center.

  I did not understand. I looked up at Savanas, hoping she would explain. Maybe I needed to borrow one for the ceremony this afternoon? I previously thought it odd to have a liaison giving a badge, but said nothing at the time. But then why go through all of this?

  Savanas said, “I promise there is nothing hiding in it. Place your left hand over the badge and raise your right hand.”

  I focused solely on Savanas and blocked everyone else out as she walked me through the swearing in. It was not a long oath to be taken, but one which made me unsure of where I now stood within the TIO. Perhaps a walk-through of the ceremony for later? But then why would everyone else be here?

  I blinked when Savanas held out her hand to me. Tentatively taking it, my focus widened and I heard the others clapping.

  “About damn time,” Lockonis’ voice came from seemingly everywhere in the room and I jumped.

  Savanas turned and nodded to Darius who reached over and punched a button. The screen changed to show Lockonis and Vince on one side of the screen and Retanei on the other.

  Brad came over and handed me a wallet. “Your new ID is in there already.”

  I raised an eyebrow at him and opened it. My picture appeared on a TIO card. My normal ID listed me as a liaison - the word “agent” took its place on this one. I flipped the center piece of the wallet and saw a spot to put the badge in on the other side when I was not wearing it.

  “I think Ket is still confused,” Kitteren noted. She got out of her seat and came to stand over my shoulder.

  “Ketayl,” Vince said and waited for me to look up at him. “You’ve more than earned that badge. Savanas asked for the privilege of swearing you in.”

  I glanced a
t Savanas who I would have sworn blushed for a moment before she looked down at her watch. “I’m afraid I might have to cut this short. I’ve got agents gathering downstairs for the briefing.”

  “We’ll speak more when you return,” Vince said and his connection cut quickly. Retanei gave me a quick friendly salute and ended her side as well.

  Kitteren took the opportunity to give me a hug before moving away. I went through the motions of shaking hands with the others as well, not actually understanding what just happened. They all began filtering out of the room. I felt pulled in so many directions lately.

  It kept me mostly distracted from what still lay ahead, but this added a layer of complexity I did not think myself ready for.

  As Darius walked away, I started to follow, my eyes still down on my new ID, but Savanas’ hand on my shoulder stopped me. “You stay, but this time you can take a seat. Brad will gather the visiting agents and bring them up in a few minutes. Often they like to get a feel from my guys first about the group of recruits as a whole.”

  I folded the wallet closed and put it in my pants pocket before I took a seat. Could I actually be what they said I am now? What was the difference between what I was and what I am? I stared down at the badge I cupped in my hands. What did this mean? I only confused myself more the longer my train of thought went. Being the only liaison I knew of, I had never quite been certain of where I stood within the organization.

  “Ket,” Savanas said softly and came to kneel down in front of me. “Don’t think too hard about this, okay? I realize the last insignia you wore tried to kill you, but this is just a piece of metal. I’ve had the same badge since the day I took my oath and the worst that happened was it stabbed me in the hand when I changed wallets one time. That was before the leather backboards.”

  I grinned at the image as Savanas laughed at the memory. “Okay.”

  Savanas stood up and glanced at the door. “Well, at least in taking your own oath this morning, you’ll roughly know what you’re walking into this afternoon. I spoke with Lockonis before you arrived and she said she already alerted you to Sparky.”