Chapter Eleven

Aryan

Watching Samara in her home was… awkward. She looked around with this hopeful expression like something would have magically gotten away from the fairy fire—unscathed. And from my experience, once those green flames take ahold of something, they sure as hell don’t take pity on it. But the most uncomfortable part of watching this woman was the moment she realized that there was nothing here for her but waste. I saw that hopeful light in her eyes turn dull and watery. And before I could offer any proper ways of apology—since I was sort of mostly responsible for her current situation—it was like she flipped a switch and was ready to go.

I have to admit, her perseverance is admirable. Most people would have broken down completely, but… not her. She just picked herself up and decided to move forward. Not everyone can do that. Hell, sometimes I can barely do that, but for it to be this easy for her, just goes to show that she’s had practice.

I frowned to myself as I took a quick peek over my shoulder to see if she was still following me. Just who are you? Or better yet, what are you?

Samara was looking towards the ground, watching her step as we trampled over bushes and shrubs in order to get deeper into the forest and out of anyone’s clear line of sight. Her damp black hair kept getting in her face. So, she gently, pushed one side of it behind her ear. It was that moment she decided to look up. When she made eye contact with me, I faced forward, offering a quick, “This way,” and hoping she didn’t realize that I was watching her.

The longer we stood together, the more mysterious she became. First, she tells me she saw what happened to me in her dreams. And ‘sometimes not.’ Whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean. Then, she seems to have persuaded the most cowardly Janus I know to help her rescue me. And the fact that she was able to help me most proves she’s a powerful whatever-she-is because Soren’s palace is about as guarded and secure as they come. Lastly, I don’t know how she did it, but I swear on the gods, she somehow made it rain—a special kind of rain at that because fairy fire doesn’t go out by splashing a bucket of water on it. There was not a single cloud in the sky. The night was as clear as glass and then suddenly, boom! Water!

What’s even weirder than all that is I don’t even think she knows what she is. And if she does, she’s damn good at hiding it. No one with gifts like hers comes to Curio unless they really don’t want to be found.

I nearly scoffed as I thought that. But you were found. Sorry.

I started to hear the sounds of rushing water in the near distance. “Finally,” I grumbled as the waterfall was, at last, in sight.

“Oh,” Samara’s voice was small as she whispered. “The Veil. Are we going through it?”

She stood next to me, forcing me to glance down towards her. She just reached my shoulder but wasn’t staring in my direction. Instead, she wore this sweet smile as she looked around at the circling fireflies, and the way the water glowed with that ethereal radiance that even left me feeling surreal.

“Yeah,” I answered slowly, forcing myself to take a step away from her as I headed towards the entrance.

Swiftly, I made my way across the pool, using the rocks as steppingstones. I stopped for only a moment when I reached the other side to make sure Samara was making her way, but she was just a step behind me, not even needing my help. I moved behind the rushing falls until I reached the cavern—its eerie green glow indicating that the world beyond was just through that corridor.

Without any hesitation, Samara entered the cavern. She didn’t get very far though. She stopped right in front of one of the paintings, allowing her fingers to gingerly touch the images. “This is the story of the Veil, right?” she seemed to be recalling something as she stared at the images. “Ewan said this place was created as an out for Jauni.” She looked at me, watching my expression. “Is that true?”

Yet another mystery to tack on. She doesn’t know the story of the Veil…

“Well, that’s not entirely true.” I don’t know why I was telling her this, but I just pushed past my apprehension and stopped when I got in front of a familiar image—a stick figure woman with long string hair the length of her entire body. The sun was on her left, a crescent moon on her right, stars above her head, and clouds beneath her feet. “It’s not so much a story, but rather, a warning. A reminder.”

“Could you tell me? Ewan seemed…” she thought of a word before saying, “…reluctant.”

I moved my head in the direction of the exit, and Samara followed as I pointed to images, I realized were simultaneously vibrant and faded. “This is Seraphina.” I said, my fingers just leaving the familiar image. “Goddess of all. She is the mother to all creation. Without her, we wouldn’t be here.” I gestured to another image as we walked along. There were fourteen people, male and female, with images of the elements scattered between the large group. “She made gods and goddesses that would help her take care of mankind. And in turn, those gods and goddesses created Jauni and Halflings to help them protect creation.

“But one day, one of the gods became restless.” My eyes lingered for a moment on an image of a man on top of a clifflike boulder, with hands on his hips, and determination in his stance. “He deemed those he cared and provided for as unworthy. His name was Soren.” I let the name sink in, and when I saw that spark of realization on Samara’s face, I continued, redirecting her attention to another painting. “Soren felt that humans were less than and didn’t deserve the help of his brothers or sisters.” Soren’s stick figure form stood on top of another crude boulder; his anger represented in the lightening that came from either side of him as mortals bowed at his feet. “So, he let his anger reign… and people were frightened. They didn’t know what to do and was left with little choice but to beg Soren for forgiveness and mercy.

“But even as they did that, the people continued to pray to Seraphina, and eventually she answered with the Veil.” The next picture showed mortals running into a dark cave. “As you might expect, the humans jumped at it, and used the Veil to run away from Soren’s cruelty to create a new society—Curio.”

Samara seemed totally wrapped up in my story. I had to hide my amusement at her enthusiasm as I finished the tale. “And so, the Veil exists, dividing the world and separating Curio and Arcanum.” As I said that, we came to the last image. A picture of the world broken in two. After this image, the story repeated, over and over until it reached the end of the Veil.

“And the Jauni?” She asked, her face showing a sympathy I didn’t expect.

“What about them?”

“Ewan said they used the Veil too. To escape.”

“That’s… not a lie.” I confessed, looking ahead at the nearing bright entrance. “It’s just not the story depicted on the walls.”

That one will have to wait. I thought, scowling.

Samara was so quiet, I nearly thought I lost her. But when I turned back to look at her, she was just staring at me. “Ok,” She smiled. “Another time then.”

Her calm was starting to unnerve me a bit, but I pushed that deep down as we walked through the exit.