Rein sat down on a sofa. “What is it that you want of me?” she asked, trying to hide her anger.
The woman paused, thinking. “I am a Presage, Rein,” she began. “I must meditate for days upon months—perhaps, as in your case, I must meditate longer than that.”
“
About me?”
“
Has your mind been different to you lately?”
Rein felt strange at her words. The woman seemed to know what she was thinking.
“
Yes,” she replied. “Why?”
“
You have a connection to Traith, don’t you?” Mistress said. “You can tell where he is, talk to him…even when he is not present?”
Weakness began to set in. Her eyes were wide. A connection? She did. She was beginning to hear things. With a strange suddenness her ears began to ring. Left. Right. Straight. No. This Way. Turn Around. Wrong Direction. There. Over Here. Look That Way. Back Here. Forward. Random words mixed with her thoughts.
“
What did you do to my head?” Rein asked nervously. “What did you do?”
“
I only prepared you for it,” she replied. “I wanted you to be here when you experienced—”
“
What?” Rein asked frantically. “What in God’s name are you talking about? Those words—what
was
that?”
“
I am a Presage, Rein,” the woman said, “as I have told you.”
“
What
is
a Presage?”
“
I can see future occurrences and learn the whereabouts of those I choose. But I cannot do what you can.”
“
What can I do? Mistress, I don’t know if you’re aware, but I—”
“
Say nothing, Rein,” she said sternly. “I will explain. I sensed that your abilities had developed; your
mind
. You are metaphysically peaked in mental activity
now
. And it is just beginning.”
“
You said you meditate to find out about those in your council?” Rein said, almost ignoring her. “Then what about Traith? He’s been in your council for over a
century
, and you could not even tell him his own forgotten past?”
“
He has not simply
forgotten
his past,” she said. “He’s lost it. It has been nearly erased, and it is impossible for me to find it because it was the doing of the Mardinial Council.” She got quieter, and her words became quick. “When I first came upon Traith, he was hysterical. So much more than you ever were, or ever will be. He tried everything to fix himself. He would’ve killed himself had I not persuaded him against it. He attempted quite a few times, Rein.”
Rein held her tongue, though her mouth was gaping. She was learning more about him…He’d tried to kill himself? He hadn’t told her that yet.
“
When he first got his power that lets him control a fiery energy, he was more scared than I’ve ever seen anybody before. He would touch things and they would explode. He couldn’t control it for a long time. Then, at times, he would turn invisible without his knowledge. Then teleport places unintentionally. He was literally in pieces, and I never could understand why my own beyond-immortal heart felt such a wrenching for him. I helped him more than any other I’ve ever dealt with, and in the end he pledged me his loyalty. That’s why I made him my First Hand. Then seven years later, Ana…” She cleared her throat, and her eyes widened. “I apologize,” she said assertively. “Please, don’t ever speak to anyone about this. Can I trust you with that?”
She hadn’t meant to tell her those things…
Rein was taken aback by her manner. “Yes.”
“
Then back to you, Rein,” she said, clearing her throat once more. “You must learn how to use your abilities, with more control than he had.”
“
How long did it take him to learn to cope?”
The old woman sighed. “Rein, I said I was through—”
“
Please,” she returned. “I’m sure he won’t tell me like you could. I’m so in love with him, Mistress. I want to know as much about him as I can, without having to constantly ask him questions he doesn’t want to answer.”
She hesitated, her eyes scanning. “Traith…well, he improved every year within the seven years he was with me, before he was cursed onto the ship. But I don’t believe he entirely gained control of his abilities until he was actually on the ship, where all he could do for so many years was practice.” Rein saw the lady snicker a little, unbelievably. “I had to laugh when he’d run into things suddenly because he’d teleported into them or even when he’d disappear in front of me, talking, or listening, and I’d have to explain to him that I couldn’t see him anymore.”
Rein found herself feeling partially better as she watched the woman chuckle, and she giggled too.
“
But the only time I had to be staid with him was when he’d touch something and it set fire or ignited and exploded. He’d get so frustrated. Most of the time he’d hurt himself, and I actually felt bad for him.” Then with a shake of her head, “Oh, I cannot believe I’m telling you this. I’m finished!”
Rein casually cleared her throat. “Thank you,” she said, smiling. “That’s all I wanted to know.” She took a breath. “So what am I, a
clairvoyant
? Can’t you please elaborate?”
“
A
clairvoyant
, yes. I have never seen, in all my years, someone progress as quickly as you have,” Mistress said with concern. Her temperament almost changed to one of fear. “You have progressed so greatly, and so rapidly, and there is something about you that makes it impossible for me to see anything about your future. Or your fate.”
“
You have tried to see my fate?” Rein asked, frustration setting in.
“
Calm down, Rein, and listen,” she said, but the strictness in her manner was gone. “I
never
seek to find the fate of
any
of my council members without reason. But for you, there is a difference. You carry an aura around you. One that seems changeable at will, as if so was your fate. That worries me. You will become so powerful, Rein, that you will be…” She stopped. “Just don’t lose hold of what your mind wants,” she finished. “It will get worse until you learn to control it. If you do not take the time to control it, you could easily go insane. But once controlled, your abilities will be unlimited. I cannot affirm exactly what you will be able to do.”
Rein hid the disappointment she felt. Something about Mistress infuriated her. The woman knew more about her than she was saying, and more than she was comfortable with. She had a right to know. But it was so quickly dismissed, and she knew she would never find out the ending to Mistress’s previous sentence.
“
Rein,” she said calmly. “I brought you here to test your power. The very basis of your mental abilities is working. Right now.”
Traith found himself standing by his meeting desk in the front of hundreds of immortals who had come due to a certain issue brought up by an applicant. His job was too bureaucratic. He didn’t always want to be so serious and focused on his council, but it was the first time he had to for
years
.
The timing could not have been worse, however. What did that blamed crone want with Rein? What exactly was she learning without him? About her abilities? About his initial reaction to his turning? Damn—had she told Rein he’d tried to
kill
himself? His absence of control? Her fate? His fate?
What
had she said about his proposal?
He grabbed his head and held it.
“
What the devil is going on?” he whispered to himself.
He was hearing her. Hearing
Rein
.
What was bloody
going
on
?
The woman’s wink from beside him stopped his thoughts. He held his fury at bay as the meeting opened. It was Lorena; the romantic that was everything any man could lust for. He rolled his eyes and turned away, still holding his head, his elbows now resting on the desk.
How am I hearing what Rein is doing? Saying? Thinking?
“
Traith Harker, this meeting has been adjourned,” a loud voice rang out, “due to the victim’s demand of trial suspension. He claims he is yet insufficient for an assessment.”
Suddenly the crowds of people arose and began to talk amongst themselves, and the announcer left the room.
Traith stood up and attempted to leave the room, but, as soon as he began to transfer himself back into the room the two women were in, Lorena grabbed his arm.
“
Well met, Traith! Were you ignoring me? I see great tension in you.”
“
Is it that obvious?” He jerked his wrist out of her hand and cleared his throat, smiling uneasily. “I have to go.”
“
There is, isn’t there?”
“
What?”
“
Tension.”
“
Isn’t there always?”
Her beautiful green eyes narrowed. “What is it?”
“
I need to see Rein.”
“
Traith, my
dearest
Traith. Do you actually
love
that woman?” she asked, laughing.
He hesitated to reply to her. He didn’t want to have news of him in love spread like a disease. If Lorena knew, it would. Or it would get distorted.
“
It isn’t any of your business,” he said quietly.
“
Uh,” she replied, walking directly in front of him. “So after all those years of being amorous for you and taking care of your home, I see I still cannot appeal to you. What must I
do
?”
“
Lorena, I don’t have a taste for women who throw themselves onto men like they’re part of their clothing.”
She puffed out a laugh. “Don’t fool yourself. Little Miss Pierson is probably expecting you to return in a few hours, when the meeting is through, and in the meantime, you and I could—”
He held his head again. “The meeting
is
through.”
“
I hardly believe that you actually hold such a magnificent position in this council, for surely you don’t act as if you do! Please, Traith! Come with me for a little while. I promise I’ll bring you back, soon. I don’t bite much. You, being a
vampire
, of
all
immortal creatures should like that in a woman anyway,” Lorena said, fingering his waistcoat.
He backed away. “No, I don’t.”
“
Oh please!” She neared him and spoke quieter. “I’ll let you take a bite out of me, Traith. I missed you so!”
“
Lorena!”
“
I want you to! You don’t like biting women, Traith? You bit—”
“
Get
away
!”
“
Ugh. I take that as an insult!”
“
Being told that I like biting women is an insult!”
“
You’re a
vampire
! You’d best soon learn to live with it!”
“
Pray for me, then,” he answered her dryly.
“
Really, Traith, you need to give a girl her due. After all that time being on a lonely, old ship, I would like to think you would want attention from other people—from me.”
Traith smiled with exasperation. “No, not really. But there are a few men over there that might. Or were you already planning on frivolously greeting each of them after I left?”
In an instant, she nearly fell through him. She stood up awkwardly, angered. He smiled in return, winked, and in a moment, found himself in the same room he had been in before.
He heard a terrible noise, crashing, coming from a distant room. Then pained crying. He ran to the doorway and froze, gripping the jamb.
Things were moving in mid air, hitting the walls, ceiling, and ground. Mistress stood to the side, staring calmly. It was the woman on the floor in front of her—
Rein—
that made him sick. She was holding her head as if in pain, curled on her side on the white floor.
“
What is happening to her?” he asked Mistress. “What is she doing?”
He tried to run to her, but Mistress stopped him. She stopped him mentally from a few feet away. “Listen to me before you lose your temper,” she said calmly.
He was nearly panting in bewilderment. Rein was in pain.
“
This is one of her abilities, Traith,” Mistress said, directing her attention back to the girl on the floor.
His
fiancée
.
Suddenly everything—the chairs, the sconces, books—left the air and fell to the floor. The room was a mess, but Rein was herself again. Her black hair was down and cascading over her shoulders, and her blue dress was crumpled and twisted on her slim figure. She wiped her eyes while still covering her face. Her body shuddered, recovering from whatever trauma she had just been through.
Mistress bent down in front of her. “Rein? Are you finished?”
Rein glanced at the woman with angry fear in her dark red eyes. “Finished? I didn’t want to do any of that! What is wrong with me, what did you
do
?”