Mini Brain Dumps

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Trigger Warning: This novel contains references to sexual assault and mental health disorders. Reader discretion is advised.

Chapter 33:

Quentin didn’t know where he was going, he only knew that he needed to get away, to keep moving, to keep his mind from spinning out of control. Lyra…. A siren. And not only that, but the person who technically killed him, destroyed the Sovereign, and maybe killed some of his friends. How could he forgive her for something like that? Had everything been a lie? Was she even telling the truth?

He continued swimming, the muscles in his tail burning with the effort.

Despite everything though, Lyra had been the reason that he had discovered Seidonis, learned that he was an Aquamorph, the reason he had found the adventure his heart had sought after for so many years. But was that enough for him to forgive her for lying?

His head ached with the effort of trying to put the pieces of his fragmented mind back together.

When he found himself in front of a familiar set of doors, Quentin knew what he needed to do. He pushed them open, stalking between the rows and rows of shelves filled with ancient tomes until he came across Elysia staring out the window. She turned upon his approach, eyeing him up and down, a weary expression on her face, as if she had been carrying the weight of the world.

“Quentin, I’ve been expecting you,” she said, turning her gaze back to the window once more.

Quentin approached her cautiously, gritting his teeth so hard a pain shot through his mouth. “Is it true?” he bit out, coming up beside her.

Elysia closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before looking a Quentin with eyes filled with sorrow. “I knew that she would tell you the story eventually, and I don’t blame you for thinking ill of me.”

“Why?”

She looked at the rows of books behind him, her eyes gazing over. “I was younger, and far more foolish. It was only a couple of decades ago that it happened, but I regret what I did to her. Lyra came into our care, and I took her under my wing, like how I took Cate and you in as well. When Lyra started exhibiting magical abilities, we were ecstatic… but her powers grew to be far greater than any of us expected.

They continued to grow, surpassing anything that we had ever seen before. And the more her power grew, the more unstable she became. At one point she leveled an entire Parthenon. The Council began to fear for the safety of Seidonis, and so I was assigned to get her powers under control.

I tried everything I could think of, taking her out into the middle of the ocean to drain some of her powers, which only resulted in causing a tsunami on the other side of the world. Her powers were far too much for one person to manage, and was having devastating effects not only Seidonis, but the human realm as well. I was new to being a council advisor and Lyra was my real first assignment. I feared failing the Council and so I took drastic measures. We collected blood samples, tested them in controlled environments to see what could be done to contain it.”

“But by trying to contain her you only pushed her further away…” Quentin stated, his anger dissipating slightly.

“I treated Lyra as a science experiment and not a person. I was wrong. I wish I could change the past, but I can’t. I regret everything I did to her. She escaped one tormentor only to find her hands in that of another,” she admitted, casting her gaze to the floor.

“Did you ever try to apologize?” Quentin asked gingerly.

Elysia looked up at him. “I tried, but she refuses to be anywhere near me… and, frankly, I don’t blame her.”

Quentin reached out his hand tentatively towards Elysia, but he let it drop to his side. “Is Lyra the girl that the sirens were looking for?”

Elysia nodded her head. “I think so… The Council thinks that Lyra is the girl that the prophecy is about, the one where a powerful being will come to be the harbinger of destruction… or our salvation. And I fear that my actions have put in motion a chain of reactions that cannot be undone.”

“Lyra?” Quentin’s brows knitted together. “I thought you’d think it was me with all you were saying about aquamorphs being ‘uncontrollable’.”

Elysia smiled softly. “I’m sorry about that…. I think I’m just on edge with everything going on and my mind wanted to see something that wasn’t there.”

Quentin leaned heavily against the window frame. He placed his forehead on the glass, relishing in the coolness against his heated skin. If Lyra was the one mentioned in the prophecy, then this was not good. But if it wasn’t him… He closed his eyes, seeking solace in the cool touch of the windowpane. The sound of his own breathing seemed to fill the silent library.

“All hope is not lost though. Cate… she shows great potential. She might be our salvation…” Elysia began.

Quentin felt a heat rise inside of him as he pushed himself away from the window. “You will not touch Cate,” he spit out.

“I won’t repeat my past mistakes. I will not hurt her,” Elysia reassured, remaining calm despite Quentin’s anger.

Quentin clenches his fist, the muscles in his jaw feathering. “How can I trust anything you say? You experimented on Lyra, treated her like a lab rat, and now you expect me to believe you won’t do the same to Cate? You have no right to make decisions for her.”

Elysia met his gaze unwavering. “I understand your anger, Quentin. You care for Cate. And you’re right. I have no right to ask. But I want you to know that I will do everything in my power to ensure she has a choice, to protect her. I will not make the same mistake.”

So many questions ran through his head. Could he trust Elysia’s words? Or was history doomed to repeat itself, with Cate becoming the next victim of Elysia’s misguided intentions? But as he thought about it, he also had no right to make the choice for Cate. This was something she had to choose. On her own.

“Cate decides,” he conceded. “And you will respect whatever choice she makes.”

“You have my word,” Elysia said softly.

Quentin took a deep breath to calm his rapidly fraying nerves. “Okay…”

Elysia offered him a small smile and bowed her head. “Thank you.”

Quentin offered a curt nod in response. So, what do we do now?” he asked.

“We must find Lyra,” Elysia said firmly. “We must bring her back, before it’s too late.”

Quentin straightened his spine, staring out the window at the array of colors that surrounded the city, their vibrancy somehow dulled. “And if we can’t?”

Elysia straightened her spin, lifting her chin defiantly. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Quentin turned sharply, heading out of the library and back to the hidden chamber that he had left Lyra in, swimming faster. Perhaps he wasn’t too late, perhaps he would be able to find Lyra still there, that he could tell her that he understands and even though it might take time her could find it in his heart to forgive her.

Leaving the library behind, Quentin swam through the castle quickly. But his urgency was interrupted when he collided with Cate, sending them both tumbling to the floor with an audible thud.

“Ow,” Cate exclaimed, rubbing her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Quentin said, reaching out to help her up.

“What’s going on? Is everything okay?” she asked, looking around for any sign of danger.

“Everything’s fine. Where’s Lyra?” he asked.

Cate looked at him confused. “Lyra? I left shortly after you. I’ve been trying to find you so that we can talk.”

“We need to find her,” Quentin pressed, his voice urgent as he pushed himself up from the floor, reaching down to help Cate up. “She’s in danger.”

“Okay,” Cate nodded her head. “She might still be where we left her.”

“Let’s go.”

They turned, heading back n the direction they had come, praying that Lyra was still there. As they pushed themselves through the narrow opening, their hearts sank as they found the chamber empty.

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