Page 100 of Blinding Light

What was he going to find? What if Moargan…Cyprian couldn’t finish all the possible questions.

What if Moargan rejected Cyprian because of it?

He’d heard of tales about mates who’d been rejected by their other half.

What if Cyprian’s mother was a criminal, meant to be hidden away for the rest of her life? What if she was a monster too?

Stop it.

But he couldn’t. He was going crazy with it all. With shame and wonder. But no matter how crazy he felt, and how much hesecretly craved to lean on Moargan, he wouldn’t. This was his journey. His life. His burden to carry.

The bus ride took them a little over two hours, mostly due to the bad road network in this part of Helion. When they finally hit a lone highway that took them through countless miles of dry land, their earlier excitement wavered, until it entirely evaporated.

This was no man’s land. Aside from the driver, every other passenger had already left the bus.

Archer’s knee bounced as he looked outside the window. Cyprian sat with his legs pressed together, school bag on his lap, the straps tightly held by his fingers. Trepidation coiled inside his stomach, making him feel nauseous.

Next to him, Archer sucked in a breath. “She—she lives, right?”

“Yes?” Cyprian looked up and outside the window. A cemetery had doomed up out of nowhere and framed their entire view, reaching to the horizon. There were graves and statues, trees, and those Helion signs he had come to familiarize himself with, often carved into stone or wood. Cyprian licked his lips as he tried to recall the conversation he’d overheard. They had spoken of Celia Fandi as if she was still alive. Right?

A shiver crawled up his spine. He wasn’t so sure anymore.

“We’re here.” The bus driver suddenly announced as they stopped.

Cyprian stood, dazed. “I think we might have the wrong address. I wasn’t expecting a cemetery.”

“There might be a lot of death here.” The driver pointed toward the other side of the road. “But there’s also life.”

They stared at the building that had appeared on the other side of the road.

“There we are,” Archer muttered. “Come on, let’s go and check it out.”

They started their walk through the dry sand.

“Helion University of the Living,” Cyprian read from the plate that hung above the high, metal doors. Behind them, the bus took off with a tired groan and a whiff of smoke.

They were on their own.

“Now I understand why most Helions have never been here before.” Archer spun on his heel to take in the entire view. “There’s something ominous about this place.” On one side of the empty highway sat the immense cemetery. And on this side, and for as far as their eyes could reach, the horizon was filled with a metal wall as high as two grown men stacked on top of one another. “They look like they could use some company.” Archer pointed his chin to where two security guards stood positioned by the entrance, glaring at them.

“You think so?” Cyprian’s stomach clenched, nerves fluttering around freely.

“No. But there’s only one way in. Let’s go.”

They made their way through the blasting heat, the heavy stare on the guards following every inch they stalked closer.

“Why is it called the University of the Living?” Cyprian asked. “Should it not be Hospital?”

Archer hummed. “We’re hopefully about to find out. Helions celebrate the living. The dead as well. Although we don’t usually bury our loved ones. Perhaps that’s why this place gives me the creeps.”

“You didn’t bury your parents?”

Archer shrugged. “There was a ceremony by the sea. We scattered their ashes into the water.”

“Halt!” Came the order. Both soldiers widened their stance, weapons on display.

“I hope you thought this part through,” Archer mumbled under his breath.

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