Page 54 of Cages and Crowns
I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this.
“You came here a few times when you were younger. Do you remember that?” Kassius speaks up from behind me and I take a deep breath. I step back from the stone wall and turn to face him. The little girl that was with him earlier is gone, leaving the two of us alone. His eyes are soft, expressionless. His hands clasped behind his back.
“I remember coming with my father once.” I respond, out of breath.
“You came here with me and your mother quite a bit. You and Emery played when you were little. I think Nithe was here a few times too.”
“Was Enzo?” I ask, wondering if I ever met him before.
“No, not when you were.”
“I was told I spent a lot of time in Noterra as a child, that I grew up with Theo and Tobias, but I don’t remember it.”
“One of the gifts your mother had, as well as you I am assuming, is memory alteration. She took those memories from you. She was afraid Viktor would use them against you.” My mothertookmy memories.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“There is much you don’t know.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.” He’s silent for a second as he walks closer. His gaze snags on my hair and he reaches up slowly, fingering a lock in between his fingers.
“What would you like to know?” He says after a second.
“Why is my hair white?”
“Do you remember your mother’s hair before she died?” I swallow the lump in my throat.Oh gods.
“Am I dying?” He smiles softly and drops his hand.
“Her hair wasn’t white because she was dying, it was white because of her aether.” His hands clasp behind his back again as he stares at me.
“She had the lightning too?” I ask.
“It’s not lightning, Nora, it’sstarlight. What you are harnessing may look like lightning, but have you seen how it sparkles? It’s starlight.”
“Starlight.” I mimic softly.
“Your mother had moonlight. It manifested like a mist or a wave of aether, not like yours.” He shakes his head.
“How does that turn my hair white?”
“When you are at your strongest, your aether will manifest in different ways. For you, and your mother, your body slowly succumbs to that magic. It isn’t a bad thing; it just means you’re strong. Very strong.” He smiles again.
“I don’t feel strong.” I mutter.
“I know Enzo appeared to you a few times, but do you remember his hair?” He tilts his head to the side, watching me.
“It was black, with a white streak. Was that his aether?”
“He doesn’t have aether, but what you two have is a bond. That aether was being funneled into the bond instead of through you. It was turning his hair white instead of yours.” He explains softly, but without prejudice. He doesn’t sound irritated about my questions, he seems understanding.
“I don’t understand. It’s black now.”
“Because you aren’t connected anymore. Nora, when you are in danger, or when you are weak, you can channel Enzo, and he can channel you. When that bond breaks, or if you don’t need to channel his strength, you can use your aether.” He walks around me to lean against the wall.
“But how did our bond break?”
“Do you remember a piece of glass shaped like an arrowhead you found while in Chatis?” I nod.
