She looked him over as he stood there waiting, a spark of hope in his eyes, and she didn't understand why he cared so much what she thought of him.
"And how will I know if you're lying?" she said cautiously. He was quiet, and she started, but he cut her off.
"I swear."
"What? People swear every day and mean nothing by it."
"Not here. We are bound by oath. You can ask Ismene."
Again, she surveyed him. She would ask her tomorrow
"Fine, your brother… his name?'
"Lysander," she snickered
"The keeper, who exactly is she?"
"She stores all knowledge of our realm. She must know everything, the past and present, and use that knowledge to act as an advisor to the realm. She also acts as a neutral party between Luminara and Umbraeth and teaches young healers."
"How powerful is she?"
"She's one of the strongest beings in our realm. It's speculated that her power is only secondary to the leaders and the Paisios."
"The Paisios?"
"Yes, he might look old, but legend says that during a far, long-forgotten war, he unleashed such great power that it destroyed almost half an army."
Well damn, the old man certainly wasn't as fragile as he looked
"The wall, how can people pass through it?"
"You can't. A vacuum has to be formed for anyone to pass. The leaders combine their magic to create that vacuum since the wall is also tied to their magic."
"How come the creatures escaped to this side?"
"Like I told you before, there was a time when people could cross, although it was strictly regulated. The leaders had created a vacuum as a sort of truce or show of goodwill. Those things seized the opportunity and slipped in"
"Does the gateway act the same way?"
"Yes"
"So the leader's magic is also tied to the gateway?"
A nod
"How then did you two pass, when you came to take me, since they don't know of me?"
Take – a reminder that she still hadn't forgiven or forgotten.
"The Paisios and Keeper know how to create a vacuum, although it can only hold for a few seconds before alerting the leaders."
"I'd assume that the gateway is protected, you know, just to keep curious people away. How then did you get to it unnoticed?"
He hesitated at that. The keeper had entrusted that secret about the tunnel to them, and if she found out he told...heavens spare him. Not only that, his very position at the Legion could be at stake. Secrecy was one of the disciplines that was ensured within the legion, and you were never to breathe a word of any mission, and this had been one. Approved by the Legate himself
"I…I can't. Sorry"
She expected it, but had hoped his guilt would have swayed him. She moved to sit on the chair by the window. A perfect view of the garden lay before her, but that was all she could see inside these encased walls. Though she supposed she preferred that privacy, preferred that the people beyond couldn't see her. That they didn't know who lay behind these towering walls, what her presence meant, and the danger it would bring
"How will they react when they finally know of my presence?" he knew who exactly she was talking about
"I cannot speak for them, but I think their reactions would vary. Some will be glad that they have someone to defend them against the rising forces, some will be scared of what your presence signifies, and others might not have a strong opinion about it, but there will be those who hate it. But Lyla, the heavens chose you for a reason, and you might not know why or even want this, but just remember you are the hope of this world, no matter how people take it, it doesn't change the fact that you are our hope."
She continued to observe the gardens without a word. She watched the variation of flowers blooming in the wicked weather and wondered if it was magic that made it so or their sheer will? Would she ever have that? The will to forget and embrace her new life in this world.
She wasn't ready, perhaps she would never be. They needed someone more powerful, more skilled, someone from this world, someone they would be more inclined to accept, someone who could save them. Someone more willing, and she wasn't it.
She heard the door shut behind her, but didn't bother to look up. She only moved to the bed when it got exhausting to sit in the same position, but even then, she couldn't bring herself to sleep.
And as she was in her thoughts, she remembered. The tunnels
If they had used the tunnels to get her to the ancient chambers to avoid notice, then wouldn't they have also used other tunnels to get to the gateway
Hope sparked in her heart, and she almost jumped out of her bed when one detail surfaced: only the leader's magic could open the gateway, except for the Paisios and Keeper, but…maybe her magic could. Although that would mean she had to find a way to control and use it
That would take time, though, and she could barely even tap into it. She closed her eyes and tried, but…it was hopeless
She would work on finding those tunnels first. Maybe she could search for a map or ask Ismene for directions to the sanctum, then she'll go through that hidden passage and begin. She had to be fast, though it was only six days shy of her birthday, and she had promised to be home by then
No, she had to start now. Ismene had probably already left, so she couldn't ask for the directions, but she could start her search in the tunnels, familiarizing herself with them
She left the room and headed in the direction of the office they had stepped into that day and after making sure she could here no noise from within she jiggled the knob and entered walking straight to the shelf behind the desk
Lyla remembered the Keeper used her magic to open it, but perhaps there was another way. Maybe a false book she could pull, a hidden handle, a button, or a lever she could push. She searched while calming her anxious heart, which was afraid of being caught. Dawn was still far, she reassured herself even though she wasn't sure
She steadied her breath and continued searching. After a few minutes, she found it. A small hole, easy to ignore as a dent on the wall, but the shape was too circular to be an ordinary dent. Something went in there. She searched the desk and shelves for anything that could fit. She found it in the hands of a female figurine, glowing a faint blue. It could have easily been ignored as part of the art
She slid it in the hole, and a click sounded before the wall quietly slid open
Before her was a dark, eerie tunnel whose only light source was the lantern hanging beside the entrance. She grabbed the fire poker that lay beside the fireplace and picked up the lantern. With a deep breath, she ventured into the unknown