Spilt Secrets (A Talnarin Novel Book 2) Read online

  “It’s a power I possess, yes, but it’s not my affinity.” Surprisingly his tone is mild, no sign of tension is present in Malik’s words.

  The rest of what he said hits. “Wait, these furs are yours?” My cheeks burn, and a deep rumble escapes his chest.

  “Who else did you think they belonged to?”

  “I don’t know. I just assumed they were extra or something.” I reach for the furs, intending to pull them off when Malik’s hand grips mine. Once more, he gently pulls my hand and places it in my lap before gripping the horns once more.

  “I don’t need them. Leave it.” I bristle at the command but consent. Fine. If he wants to freeze let him freeze. At least I’ll be toasty. I pointedly refuse to acknowledge the small detail about him being his own furnace. It makes me feel triumphant in a weird way. Before I can say anything, Malik tightens his grip on the horns, further boxing me in. “Hold on tight.” My hand flies to my head as his words brush along my ear. Without warning, the capalt rushes forward, the only sound that can be heard is the thundering hooves against the solid soil. To steady myself, I grip Malik’s arms tightly, knuckles white.

  My heart pounds in my ears, tandem with the sound of stomping hooves. My stomach drops off and falls to the forest floor some few paces past. My eyes stare wide as the forest rushes by us, everything a blur. The ride here was far slower and I wrongly assumed that the beasts couldn’t move any faster. As my unblinking eyes stare straight ahead, I spot a clearing thirty paces away. In my gut, I know what’s coming but that doesn’t ease the climbing panic. Soon the sky will be visible and the beast will reach for it. I pray and beg for time to slow, just so I have longer to prepare my heart for this.

  As I watch, everything grounds to a halt.

  It’s as if the gods heard me and granted me my wish. I whip my head to the side, as far as I can go in Malik’s arm and see the world slow. No longer are we rushing through the trees, instead everything moves so slowly, almost as if it isn’t moving at all. The leaves falling from the trees float in midair, gently teetering their way to the forest floor. The sound of thumping hooves echoes so slowly, an ominous sound in an otherwise silent forest. I whip my head to the other side and find one of Malik’s men’s hair gently flowing back in slow waves. It reminds me of trying to move through sludge or mud.

  Only the whole forest seems to be that way now, except for me. For whatever reason, I’m moving normally while the rest of the world drops away.

  It feels like a dream slowly becoming a nightmare. The thought of being stuck in a place as slow as this is enough to slowly drive someone insane. It’s like waiting for snow to fall in the dead of summer. You know it’s a long way off, but you crave the white powder if only to help ease the blistering heat temporarily.

  A gasp escapes me and I squeeze my eyes closed, fighting the sudden nausea. My head spins and stars dance in the blackness of my closed eyes. Feeling the world right itself so suddenly leaves me in a cold sweat.

  The beasts thunder their way into the clearing that’s looming closer. I count my breaths, waiting for the feelings to subside before braving to open my eyes once more. I take a cursory glance around, and sure enough, everything appears to be back to normal. Perhaps I imagined the entire thing? Was it really a dream? If it was a dream, why are we still charging forward to the clearing in nearly the exact place as before the time slow?

  Another look around shows that I am the only one that a noticed the change. Or, perhaps I am the only one not accustomed to that sensation which could result in a lack of reaction from the others. A small squeal escapes me as the beast slams his front hooves forward and jumps high. Before I get a chance to slam face first into the horns, Malik’s arm wraps around my waist and pulls me tight across his chest. His arm secures me in like a band of steel. A loud rushing of air drowns out all sound in my ears. Two beats of leathery wings push us past the tree line and into the sky.

  Once we level out, I release my death grip on Malik and release my breath in a slow shuddering exhale. Once free, his hand returns to the horns and I awkwardly shift away from his body. Sucking in a deep breath, I brave a look down and jolt. I’ve never seen the tops of dol trees like this, or the forest from this height. It’s like a whole new world viewing it from way up here.

  The world doesn’t feel so large, and yet, seeing Bylir from a distance makes me feel like I’ve only seen one small fraction of this planet. I don’t know how else to explain these feelings when I look at the world from up in the clouds. I had expected to feel fear and terror at looking down but all I feel is elation and that sense of invincibility. Giddiness rushes through me and I suddenly feel like screaming with joy.

  After some time, I get my feelings under control as I watch the clouds float around me. It so peaceful up here, so liberating and mesmerizing. Absentmindedly, I snuggle back into Malik’s warmth, the bite of the wind somehow managing to sneak past the protective furs and face coverings. Almost immediately, the heat from his body leaches into my skin, washing away the remains of the chill from the bitter wind. I feel Malik tense against my back before it eases away slowly.

  I softly murmur, “You have the same eyes as Him.” The only acknowledgment that he heard me is the minute whitening of his knuckles against the black horns he grips. The fact that Malik even heard me over the roaring of the wind pushing past us is unbelievable. Maybe he didn’t in fact react to what I said. After all, hearing me over everything else is near impossible. Right? I’m not even quite sure why I said anything at all either.

  I glance down at the beast carrying us through the sky and shut everything else out. Unlike the capalt I rode to the talnarin village, this one is much larger and covered with black scales that shine in the blinding sunlight. The muscles on this beast are more defined, hinting at the capalt being male.

  Another feeling of peace washes through me and I glance up. I close my eyes, settling my thoughts and aiming for peace for this flight. I must allow myself that. I know that my road is likely only going to get rougher from here on out and I can use all the brief reprieves I can get.

  Chapter 3

  I startle awake, the sudden jolt of landing rattling my frame. Groggily, I rub my eyes and peer out. The walls of Craforian stand like a beacon in the early morning sun. I cover my mouth as a yawn stretches across my face.

  Without warning, strong hands reach under my arms and lift me from the seat. I’m suddenly dropped into a pair of muscular arms before being released to the ground slowly. My body slides down a hard chest and I push at it with my stiff arms. A deep chuckle reverberates through me where our flesh is connected. After what feels like forever, my feet finally touch the ground and the hold disappears. My mind catches up me and I snarl up at the male. A grinning Zeke meets my glare as he simply winks before walking away. I stare after in him in silence, confused and fuming. What in the Hellvian was that all about?

  I’m distracted from my irritation by someone pulling up behind me. I whip around and see Malik’s the only one still outside; even the capalts have disappeared. He’s wearing a look I have never seen on him before: weariness. Judging by his expression, I would gander to say he didn’t rest last night.

  An unappreciated feeling of pity rises as that thought before I quickly shove it down.

  Malik hustles me through the hidden doorway at Craforian and into Abel’s office. Sweat beads down my body from not only the sweltering furs, but from the memory of my last encounter with this place. So many things have changed and I have no idea what to expect anymore. The feeling is almost like the first time I arrived at Craforian, trailing behind Elaine. The baited anticipation of whether I’ll leave this office alive kind of feeling. Not wanting to stew over these thoughts, I push these down too.

  Abel stands at our arrival and comes around the desk to greet us, a gentle smile of his face. Malik claps Abel once on the back before settling in a high-backed chair to the side of the modest office. I once again see an expression I’d never seen from Malik: peace
. Or at least what I assume his is at peace face.

  I watch Abel move closer still. He stands a good two paces back and folds his hands behind his back. His voice is gentle as he says, “Welcome back Alanna. I am happy to see you are well. I trust that everything went all right?” At the last part, he glances over at Malik who’s slouched in the chair, eyes closed.

  Without opening them Malik responds, “Define all right Abel?” A slight smile cracks his lips.

  “Brother, don’t play your games with me. You know I’ve already gone over the reports but desire to hear the events from the both of you myself.” With a stern look at his brother, one Malik can’t see, he says, “It’s protocol.”

  Eyes still closed, Malik leans his head back and scoffs. “I hate protocol.”

  Abel swiftly lifts his eyebrows. “Yes. I know.” He turns to me once more and the smile works his way back to his face. He gestures to the chair opposite Malik and asks kindly, “Won’t you please sit Alanna? We have much to discuss.” I begrudgingly move to the chair he indicated and plop down soundlessly. I sit straight and fold my hands in my lap as I feel my defenses rise for no apparent reason. Abel retakes his seat before beginning again, still addressing me. “I apologize, Alanna, for the suspicion cast on you. I do hope you understand it was not personal nor was it intended to be malicious.” I flinch back at his words. He sees it and smiles sadly. “What I am about to divulge to you is not said with the intent to excuse my actions or the others. I merely hope to enlighten you on the reasoning behind such actions.” He looks at me expectantly, hands clasped atop his desk.

  I glance down at my feet and deliberate my options. I could bolt like my ass was on fire. Maybe I could even set it on fire as a diversion. I could pretend to listen but really tune everything he says out. Or I could hear him out and give him the benefit of the doubt. I was never one to deny another to explain themselves, even if said person is not human. With a slow nod, I lift my head and give him my attention.

  Abel graces me with a grateful smile before going on. “As you are well aware, unlikely things have been occurring here. We received word that talnarins have been disappearing for months. No one has come forth as a witness to these terrible acts and no one has seen them again.” He rubs his hand down his face, one that seems to have aged in seconds. “These events have already forced us to tighten security at Craforian long before you arrived. When you did arrive however, you caused quite the stir. Your timing was not ideal and the physical abnormalities warned us to be cautious with you.”

  My brows furrow. “What do you mean my physical abnormalities?”

  Abel hesitates briefly before gracing me with a gentle smile. “No one has ever seen silver eyes before, at least not on a talnarin. They simply do not exist, they are… abnormal, Alanna.”

  “What?” No, that can’t be. “But Elaine said they were rare not… extinct?” They were on to me from the start and I never noticed. How dense do I get?

  “We had to be cautious with you, we chose our words carefully.” If I’m not mistaken, a shadow of guilt creeps along Abel’s face. “We had no idea what you knew or what you were here for.”

  For some reason, that pisses me off and my fist clench. “But no one here seemed shocked by my eyes the first time they saw them.”

  “We had warned people ahead of time.” He says this so nonchalantly, it only pisses me off further. Warn them? About me? Seriously? I guess in some way I can understand, I was an unknown and they were an unknown. There was no way to find common ground in a sense.

  I huff out a breath, one thing still doesn’t add up. “How did you know ahead of time though?”

  “Elaine was watching you the moment you came within fifty paces of Craforian.” I watch as Abel folds his hands across the desk as the realization of what he said hits me. My eyes widen. How? “It was then that she first discovered the peculiarity of your eyes. She reported to me before she guided you in, and I informed the others on what to expect.”

  I shift uncomfortably. It doesn’t make sense. “How did you know I was there fifty paces out? I never saw any guards out there.”

  Abel looks uncomfortable as he says, “Elaine is exceptionally good at remaining out of sight, as are the other sentries. There are many guards, as you put it, posted outside Craforian. They are not seen unless they wish to be seen.”

  How interesting. That’s good to note. But back to the main topic. “What else is wrong with me? Beside the fact that I’m this fucked up hybrid thing that is.” At the last sentence, my voice turns bitter.

  Abel leans forward slightly as he softly says, “Nothing is wrong with you, Alanna.” A sympathetic smile etches into his face as he looks me in the eye. “You are different is all. There is no shame in that, so do not think otherwise.” I shift in my seat, his gaze making me uncomfortable.

  “Why would you train and teach me if you didn’t trust me?” Wouldn’t I be that much more of a threat? Unless everything they taught me was a lie or joke. “What was the point of it all?”

  Abel leans back in his chair, his hands resting in his lap. “There were several points, as you call it. I will only discuss two.” Briefly, his eyes flicker to Malik, who’s still resting there will his eyes closed. I glance away and focus back on the kinder brother. “We can talk of this more later, once you get more rest. One reason for allowing you to train was to analyze your strength and determine your affinity, if you even had one. While you had initially told me your affinity was fire, I had my doubts.” His look implores me to forgive him, like it was some slight against me. Perhaps it was.

  “As you now know, those with the Firvo Affinity have red or orange eyes and corresponding flames. I had you spar with Erik, another Firvo energy user, to confirm the affinity myself and to test any abnormalities tied with your abilities.” Abel shifts his weight, the chair protesting with a quiet squeak. “The training also helped me asses your skill level and capabilities.

  “The second purpose for allowing you to train was to help you to grow stronger. I sensed great pain in you the moment you walked in my office, Alanna.” His eyes grow distant, like he’s remembering that exact moment. Abel’s lips turn down slightly in the corners, his eyes downcast. “I had a hunch that you were an innocent caught in a battle you did not wish to fight.” He glances back up at me. “What I saw written across your face that day spurred me to help you in any way I could. So, I did.” With a quick clearing of his throat he says, “Though I will not say that the leading factor in allowing you to train was due to this feeling. That would be a lie and I feel I have misled you enough as it is.”

  Abel leans forward once more. “I need to clarify to you, that although Malik and I instructed those here to watch you and determine your threat level, we did not instruct them to befriend you. Do you understand?”

  I nod slowly, still unsure, not wanting to believe what Abel is insinuating.

  His usual gentle smile brightens his face as he sits upright once more. “Those that befriended you did so because of who you are Alanna. They desired to grow close to you as a friend and not as an enemy. They have informed me on multiple occasions that they believe in your innocence.” His eyes soften in a way I hadn’t seen or expected from him, despite his politeness. My eyes begin to burn. “They enjoyed being around you Alanna, so if you trust in anything I say today, trust in that.”

  In an instant, his expression turns serious. “Does this clear things up for you in any way?”

  “Yes.” Though not everything’s clear, it’s good enough for now.

  His face relaxes, relieved. “Good.” Abel turns his chair in Malik’s direction before saying, “Brother, your report please.”

  A groan leaves Malik, his eyes remaining stubbornly closed. Eventually, Malik recounts the entire journey, leaving out anything that I didn’t personally see or hear for myself out there. Obviously, there is something that Malik wishes to keep from me, otherwise he would have told Abel about the torture I assume occurred with the guard from the
manor when I wasn’t there. He also left out the journey to the manor and the search of the talnarin village he briefly mentioned to me. My gut tells me that Malik will be giving another report once I’m gone. Once Malik finishes his report, Abel turns to me so I recount my tale too.

  “Well,” Abel finally says, “I wish to hear more but I can see you both are exhausted. We will resume this discussion later in the evening.” He looks to me with a smile. “Alanna, I will send someone for you later tonight. Get some sleep, your room is still open for you.”

  With that, I’m effectively dismissed. About time too, my exhaustion is weighing heavily on me. I stumble from Abel’s office to my bedroom and land face first on the bed.

  I’m asleep instantly.

  Chapter 4

  I crack open my eyes and stretch my tired limbs. They pop and crack, protesting the sudden movement. After what feels like a lifetime, I push myself up from the warm and comfortable bed. I slowly drag myself to the bathroom to freshen up and find a new set of clothes waiting on the counter. It’s the same uniform-like outfit I wore here before. I smell myself briefly before deciding on a quick shower.

  Once I’ve thoroughly lathered and rinsed my body, I climb out of the tub. I quickly pat dry with one of the fluffy towels sitting on the counter and dress. Deciding the rat nest of hair on my head is better left for later, I find a tie and pull my hair up. Once I feel more like myself, I exit the bathroom and wander to the door to see about getting some food. My stomach rumbles in agreement.

  I stop dead in my tracks.

  Malik leans against my still closed bedroom door, arms crossed, usual smirk in place. I feel my face heat and I stamper out a, “What… what… why… I locked… how?” If possible, his smirk gets even wider as my face turns redder.

  “Abel summons you.” His tone is mocking and his expression screams trouble.

  I stare wide eyed, jaw dropped. “So, you couldn’t wait outside and knock like a normal person?”