Chapter 72: Unreadable
Chris was left trembling after Felicity retracted her ice. And a mild, painful frostbite left his fingers entirely numb. He flexed them carefully, forcing a smile.
"T-Thank you, Lady Myers." He murmured. "I appreciate your restraint."
"You should." Felicity said flatly, turning her attention back to her tea.
Chris gave a nervous smile. "Of course." He set the cup down, nursing his throbbing hands. "And to be clear, even though he should normally be flagged by our system because of his very late awakening, Henry will not be treated as an anomaly. His awakening will be documented as normal, and I would ensure that he won't be isolated as a special case or subjected to unnecessary scrutiny."
Felicity nodded once. "Good."
Chris slowly rose from his seat. "I hope that settles the matter. I would hate for there to be any misunderstanding between us." He said calmly.
"I would too." Felicity said casually.
Chris forced another smile. Then he bowed toward Kira. "Elder Kira."
Kira returned the gesture. "Christopher."
He turned toward Felicity. "My lady."
Felicity didn't even look at him.
Chris decided not to push his luck. "Thank you for your time, ladies," he said. "I will take my leave now." Then, he turned around and left without another word.
Felicity watched with a deep frown as he hastily exited the tea house. She clicked her tongue in frustration.
"Calm down, Jade," Kira said soothingly, pouring her another cup of tea. "Do not let him get under your skin. You have too much on your plate already. I am certain Chris won't try anything stupid. If he does, he knows he'll have to answer not only to you, but to me and Evelyn as well."
Felicity sighed, taking the cup. "It's not just that, Kira. It's the fact that I don't trust him. Not just concerning Henry, but concerning everything he does."
Kira smiled. "Perhaps you are just saying that because you find him annoying," she chuckled.
"No, you don't understand," Felicity insisted, leaning in. "Yes, he is incredibly annoying and unbearable. But what truly unsettles me... is the fact that I have never actually managed to read his mind."
Kira paused in genuine surprise. She carefully set the teapot down. "So, the great psychic finally found a mind she can't read. And it's that of a simple human? Now, that is interesting." She giggled.
"That's the problem," Felicity said, her eyes flashing. "Chris is not a simple human. There is so much more to him than he is letting on. And the fact that I can't figure it out drives me crazy."
Kira chuckled, shaking her head. "Maybe you just need to let it go, Jade. It is completely normal if you can't read a few people. Some individuals are just naturally immune to certain abilities, I suppose."
"I refuse to believe that," Felicity argued stubbornly. "It's not as though I can't read his thoughts at all. I can. But I only ever see his surface thoughts. Anytime I try to push deeper, to see what he is truly plotting or feeling inside, I find an absolute void. Which should be impossible! Everyone has deep thoughts. Things they aren't thinking about every second, but still lurking there in their minds. Things like memories. Feelings. Fears. Desires. Secrets. Things they bury." She explained. "But Chris doesn't have any of that. It's as if he has no subconscious thinking. Just random, surface-level nonsense that gives me headaches. I think he's blocking me somehow."
Kira took a slow sip of her tea. "So, you can see his thoughts, but not his deep thoughts?" She laughed, a bright, chiming sound. "Felicity, you really need to let this go. You are just being paranoid because you aren't able to completely see through him like you do everybody else."
Felicity gasped in disbelief. She felt betrayed. "I'm not paranoid," she argued. "Don't look at me like that."
Kira shrugged, picking a sweet and popping it into her mouth. "Okay. But you have to accept the fact."
"What fact?" Felicity scoffed.
"That not everyone in this world is readable. Both psychologically, and magically," Kira said sagely. "See, Jade, sometimes we become so accustomed to understanding everything around us that the moment something doesn't make sense, we assume there must be something wrong with it. Whereas, there isn't. We're just too deluded to see it."
Felicity shook her head. "I am not delusional."
"Then accept it," Kira chuckled. "Accept that Chris is perhaps simply one of those people who cannot be read."
Felicity looked away. "Or perhaps he has something to hide."
Kira laughed softly. "Maybe." She picked up another sweet. "But if you keep thinking about it, you'll drive yourself mad."
Felicity sighed. "I suppose," she said softly. "But, I'm not going to let this go."
Kira smiled. "I expected nothing less."
Meanwhile,
Already miles away from Kira's mansion, a large black vehicle floated silently through the skies of Aurora City.
Unlike ordinary hover cars, it was long and luxurious, resembling a limousine from the old world. Its windows were heavily tinted, and the rear passenger compartment was completely separated from the driver.
Christopher Tully sat alone in the back. He leaned against the comfortable seat, staring through the dark window at the city below.
His smile was gone.
His eyes were cold.
The entire submissive persona he'd displayed in front of Kira and Felicity was gone. It was all a facade.
He looked down at his hand and flexed his fingers. They were still slightly numb from Felicity's ice.
His face twisted into a scowl of pure hatred. "Damn you, Myers…"
Just then,
A deep voice suddenly spoke from somewhere inside the vehicle.
Christopher.
Chris paused. The voice had actually come from his own head, but he didn't seem bothered. Instead he leaned back against the seat and replied.
"What is it?" he asked sharply.
Why haven't you eliminated her? The voice retorted. It was deep, rough and impatient.
Chris sighed. "Because she's too powerful."
Does that mean she can't be killed? The voice growled.
"Of course she can." Chris frowned. "Everyone can be killed. But that doesn't mean it's wise to try." He folded his arms. "Felicity is one of the strongest people in the world. If we eliminate her now, the consequences will be far greater than the benefit. That woman cannot simply be removed." He exhaled in frustration. "If she were to suddenly perish, her friends and family will tear the world apart looking for whoever did it, Arcadia will become unstable, and the other nations will notice. And I have no intention of exposing us before we're ready."
The voice remained silent.
"Sure, she's annoying, unpredictable and constantly interfering with things that don't concern her. But she's also incredibly powerful." Chris continued. "We can't take any chances. So for now, Felicity is something we manage. We keep her occupied. We avoid unnecessary confrontation. And when the opportunity presents itself…" He smiled darkly. "…we will deal with her."
Hmph! The voice sounded dissatisfied. Fine. What about her son?
Chris raised a brow. "Henry?" He shook his head dismissively. "He's not a threat."
But he awakened late, the voice argued.
"True, he did." Chris said, leaning back. "But his ability has only just developed. He doesn't know how to use it properly, and he doesn't have the experience or strength necessary to become a threat." He shrugged. "I assure you, he won't be a problem."
That's what you said about the Carter girl, The voice scoffed.
Chris's expression immediately became irritated. "That is different," he retorted. "The Carters are strong. They've always been strong." He leaned forward slightly. "Most of the people in that family possesses formidable elemental abilities. Even the one who didn't inherit an elemental ability is still among the strongest people in the world. Their growth is an element we cannot control."
The voice didn't say anything. It was as though it was waiting for Chris to make a solid point.
Chris sighed. "I've told you several times that the girl won't be a problem. She works for me now." His expression became confident. "She might be a Carter, but her position demands absolute loyalty to Triad."
Very well, the voice relented, though the bloodlust remained heavy in the air. But if she shows even the slightest sign of turning against us, you must eliminate her immediately. We can't take any chances.
Chris leaned back again. "I will handle her if it comes to that," he assured.
See that you do, the voice commanded. Those with extraordinary potential must be dealt with before they become troublesome.
A faint smile appeared on Chris's face. "You really do like killing things before they become problems."
They are easier to kill when they are weak. The voice said, its tone carrying no emotion. Anyone who becomes too powerful. Anyone who gets too close. Anyone who discovers too much. Eliminate them all.
Chris chuckled darkly. "You really like that word, huh?"
Do not let your guard down, the voice countered, ignoring his tease. The Scions are sure to be awakening already. We must not allow them to grow stronger under our noses.
Chris's expression darkened. "Don't worry." His voice became cold. "I know exactly what I'm doing. We will find them before they get stronger. And we will destroy them all." He stared through the window once again. "No matter what it takes."
The hover-limousine continued through the skies of Aurora City, disappearing into the distance as the afternoon sun slowly began to descend over Jade Nation.