3. Moonlight over Anemos
"So ... What was that all about?" Isaac asked. All four of them sat on one bed, talking quietly in the candlelight, even though they were the only guests in the inn.
Even in the dim light, the red of Ivan's blush was clearly visible. "I don't know," he mumbled. "It's just ... She seemed really nice, and she said she knew me from when I was a baby. I just wanted some answers, that's all. She's an Adept, so I thought maybe she knew something about the Lighthouse."
"Uh huh ..." Garet mumbled sarcastically.
"Garet had to drag you away from her," Mia reminded him.
"I don't know what makes you think I liked her like that," Ivan said, blushing darker than ever.
"Please," Mia said reasonably. "If you'd fallen for her any harder, you would have died from the impact."
Garet shrugged. "And I wasn't even sure you liked girls!"
"What's that supposed to mean!"
Isaac quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, we'll leave town early tomorrow morning, so there's no reason to see her again. We'll go to Jupiter Lighthouse, and climb to the top to wait for Jenna and Felix. Maybe we can even sabotage some of the puzzles on the way." He turned to Ivan. "I'm sure we'll need Jupiter Psynergy, so I hope you'll be at your best tomorrow."
But Ivan was staring into the dark with shining eyes. "She never looked away!" he said dreamily. "She was looking at me the whole time!"
His friends gaped at him.
Even with the soothing sounds of his friends' breathing--and Garet's snoring--around him, Ivan couldn't make himself fall asleep. He was too busy thinking of her.
None of his friends liked Aria at all, he knew--they cited as reasons vague things about her eyes, the way she stood, the way she smiled. Mia had said it was as if Aria possessed a huge store of knowledge she was determined to keep to herself, that she might be mischievous and interested in luring them into a trap. Isaac had agreed, talking about a strange, cunning edge in her voice. But Ivan had noticed none of these things. And, try as he might, he couldn't get her out of his mind.
He wasn't sure he liked the girl the way everyone thought he did; he thought he was more attracted to the answers she could give him than the girl herself. He hadn't even spent five minutes with her, after all. But Aria was certainly a lovely one ...
He sighed, thinking of the complimenting violet of her hair and eyes, the pretty angles of her face--cat-like, almost, but indescribably pretty.
Suddenly, he had to imagine her no more, because her face suddenly appeared in a window across from him.
"Ivan," she called, smiling mischievously.
Ivan started, and blushed darkly. He would have to stop doing that ...
"Uh ... hi," he said lamely.
"Come out here so we can talk!" She glanced at the sleepers. "I don't think your friends like me much."
Without questioning the hour, Ivan climbed out of bed and threw a cloak on over his sleeping clothes. His heart beating rapidly, he began putting on his shoes. "They're just wary of strangers," he told her. "That's all."
"I think they're very rude," Aria said. "Not like you."
Before he could think better of it, Ivan crossed the room and leapt out the window. He landed on the dirt outside next to Aria, and pain shot up his legs--it was farther down than he had expected.
"This way," Aria whispered, and walked away into the night.
Ivan followed her along an old stone path that seemed in ill repair. Soon, the dark houses were left behind. Along the crumbling path, the wind seemed stronger without the shelter offered by the houses. The grass whipped violently, as did Ivan's hair and clothes. Far in the distance, now on his left, he could see Jupiter Lighthouse under the pale light of the moon. Awash in the moon's silvery light, it looked like a ghost itself. Ivan shuddered.
"We're almost there," called Aria, her voice muffled by the wind. She pointed ahead. "Anemos Sanctum."
Because of the light of the moon leaving shadows in its hollows, the ancient stone building looked black and ominous. The black walls were covered with various statues and designs, and in the front, carved into the stone floor in front of the sanctum, a huge, circular design stood. Ivan could only wonder what such a design could mean. In the dark shadowy light of the moon, it was hard not to believe the place could be haunted.
While Ivan stood in awe of the black temple of Anemos, Aria seemed unaffected. She walked ahead and seated herself inside the circular design. Smiling in the moonlight, she motioned for Ivan to join her.
When he had seated himself across from her, she said, "It's much nicer out here. Very quiet. Here, we can speak without any of your friends noticing."
Ivan sighed. "I would think the town square would have sufficed."
Aria grinned. "Not for the kind of discourse I've got planned."
He had no idea what she meant, but he blushed anyway.
"Come on, Ivan," Aria said, and smiled heart-piercingly. "Are you blind to the beauty of this place? The moon, the shadows, the spirits of Jupiter whispering in our ears! Isn't it a perfect place to ... talk?"
"Talk ... about what?" Ivan asked. He had wanted to ask her about his own past, but now the girl herself seemed of much greater importance. But how could he interest the girl by talking about her? He hadn't the words to express his feelings, partially because he didn't know how he felt.
Aria considered. "Let's see ..."
Suddenly, she was enveloped in a wave of Psynergy. It swirled around her like a storm, appearing so suddenly Ivan tumbled backwards with surprise. To any ordinary observer, the power would have been invisible, but Ivan was an Adept, so the cyclone of power around Aria was brighter than the moonlight by far. A thin ribbon of this power lashed out, struck Ivan, and he gasped.
She's reading my mind! he thought with horror.
This wasn't supposed to happen! He could use Mind Read on others, but his private thoughts were to always remain private.
"Stop it!" he screamed. "Stop it!"
The power disappeared in an instant, leaving Ivan panting on the ground.
Aria looked innocently at him, her violet eyes touched with offense.
"Stop it, you say?" She sounded almost mournful. "I try to share one of the greatest treasures of alchemy with you, and you tell me to 'stop it'?"
"You ... You used Mind Read?" Ivan said uncertainly.
"Of course."
"But ... You weren't touching me."
Her smile returned, brighter than ever. "When you touch someone's mind, it goes far deeper than physical contact, doesn't it?"
Ivan frowned. "You called it ... 'one of alchemy's greatest treasures.'"
"That's right. Between two Jupiter Adepts, Mind Read can help them know each other more deeply than any two people have ever known each other." Her violet eyes gleamed into his own. If only he could stop blushing!
"I don't understand," Ivan said. "I've been using Mind Read all my life."
"Then use it on me now."
Ivan's eyes widened when he looked back to the girl and saw how serious she was.
"O-okay," he agreed nervously, and began to move closer.
Aria shook her head firmly. "Not like that," she said. "Stay where you are. You can do it from there."
"But I have to be touching you!"
"Not at all," she said, and he saw from the keenness of her smile it was true. "Just call up your Psynergy, and extend its essence to me."
Though he still didn't think it would work, Ivan closed his eyes and summoned Mind Read. The Psynergy which cycled around the boy was a bright purple in color, and hit him in a storm. He could feel it pulsing over him, warm and bright. It's never been this powerful! he realized. Something's making me stronger! Opening his eyes and glancing up at the distant Lighthouse, he thought he knew what it was.
He tried to follow Aria's advice--extend the essence of his Psynergy, she had said--and at first it seemed to work. A sliver of his purple power snaked itself away in her direction. How had he never noticed it before? All he had to do was think toward her! But as his power drew further away from him, it became impossible to go any farther. His Psynergy halted in place, and he was mind-reading the thoughtless air between Aria and himself. He struggled, closed his eyes again, but he had reached his limit about halfway toward her.
"Don't worry," Aria soothed. "I'll help."
Her own Psynergy awoke again, pale, blue-white--exactly the color of the moonlight. It swirled more viciously than Ivan's ever had, rippling her clothes and purple hair with its force. She's so powerful! thought Ivan, stunned.
A snake of her moonlit Psynergy lashed forward--not like Ivan's, which had crept slowly forward as he mustered strength.
Suddenly, he was there. His power leapt across the gap, traveling though Aria's power like electricity through metal, and he was in her mind. Her thoughts mixed with his, pouring into his head with disorienting suddenness. Dizzily, he watched the tendrils of Psynergy braid together, watched Aria's power grow faintly purple, and his own aura stain with Aria's moonlight.
There, Aria said to him, though she never spoke. Isn't that better? Her mental voice was indescribably beautiful, untainted by the physical limitations of throat and lungs. The voices in people's minds were often like this, musical, soothing--and Aria's was the greatest of all.
I ... I had no idea! Ivan thought to her. He wondered for a second if she could really hear him. He had never used Mind Read like this before.
Of course I can hear you. You have no idea what you've been missing. I'm so glad to finally have someone to share this with!
It was difficult to think when he was like this. Ivan blinked rapidly, as if to clear his vision. The world seemed dim, somehow, unreal. The reality was Aria's mind, and it was impossible to ignore. He could barely move.
Ivan, Aria thought. Will you come closer?
He scooted closer to her, only vaguely aware of the stone beneath him. He took her hand, because he knew it was expected--he felt it in her mind. The cord of entwined powers shortened as he came closer, their line of communication. They could merge their very souls, and no one but Adepts would ever see! But his friends would understand in an instant. What would they think?
They don't matter, Aria thought.
I guess they don't matter, Ivan thought.
Aria raised her gaze to the moon, glowing fiercely above the town of Contigo, and Ivan followed her gaze. In spite of its full brightness, the moon looked ghostly and eerie.
The moon over Contigo ... Aria thought. It's very beautiful, is it not?
The moon over Contigo is very beautiful, Ivan agreed. Then, he kissed her without a trace of embarrassment, because he knew he was supposed to. He had never kissed a girl before--everyone in Kalay had feared him too much to get that close. Because he couldn't remember how it had felt, he kissed her again.
I love you, thought Aria.
I love you, thought Ivan.
We love ... thought both together, and the thought trailed off into the moonlight.