Page 28 of A Touch of Gold and Madness (Celestials of Arcadia #1)

Chapter 27

Gray

“ W ait. So, y'all work with humans? What about the militia?” The concept that humans willingly worked with one of our kind weaved even more of a tangled web of questions in my mind.

Orion nodded. “We’ve established cordial relations with some of the human militia in the surrounding areas,” he said, rubbing the stubble on his jaw absentmindedly.

I leaned forward with my forearms resting on the table, fingers interlaced together.

“The humans blame us all for Devolution Day. For losing their loved ones and their entire way of life. As you know, Forest revealed our kind and blamed Elementals for the attacks leading up to that day. Humans turned on us, while they viewed Kinetics as the more benevolent race.”

Before my escape, that was my truth. I’d never doubted Elementals had been responsible. But everything I’d ever believed was a lie. So, what was the actual truth?

“In actuality, it was the Kinetics making attacks on us . Forest ordered false-flags upon us in order to manipulate everyone to support his planned declaration of war. He needed a reason to escalate a conflict. It would cause turmoil if he didn’t. Not only with the humans coming at him with weapons of mass destruction, but also with us, too. Between our numbers and the humans’, he didn’t stand a chance. So, he created a reason for the public to back him. He knew the humans would be scared and would turn on the people they were told were responsible. They’d never really made it a habit to think for themselves with those types of things. So, it wasn’t hard for Forest to accomplish.

“What he didn’t expect was that Chrome, or Griffin, would survive his escape. He didn’t expect Chrome to join forces with the Elementals and become their leader. And he didn’t expect Chrome to have built silent networks amongst the human militia in order to fight back.”

I closed my eyes as acidic guilt ate my insides. All those Elemental lives I’d taken… Was it for nothing? I was no better than the humans who’d blindly taken my father at his word. I’d been too wrapped up in trying to make him proud that I never stopped to think, to ask questions.

Orion’s eyes softened, sensing where my thoughts were leading. Everyone at the table slid their attention toward me, assessing me. I didn’t like the feeling…at all. “It’s okay. The situation you were under is understandable. No one wholly blames you for your actions while under your father’s manipulation. Had you not complied with his orders, you would have been killed.”

My throat felt like sandpaper as I took a deep breath and then nodded, urging him to continue.

“We work with the humans in the sense that we help them fight back against Kinetics and Endarkened. In turn, they lend their information on Forest’s movements and aid us with supplies we might need.”

I tilted my head to the side. “You mean you aren’t self-sufficient here?” I asked, confused. They used magic to grow their own food and functioned as if the world had never collapsed. Why would they need supplies from humans?

Orion’s blond hair wisped back and forth with a shake of his head. “No, no, you misunderstand, dear. We don’t get food supplies and weapons from them. At least, not for the Hollow. When we’re out on missions, we might require someplace to stay, food to eat, and the likes of that. But it’s the information they provide us that’s the most valuable. They give us the times and routes of the trains, the locations of scorses where there might be an important drop, and the intelligence their spies are able to obtain.”

And that’s when it clicked why Chrome was talking to Jesse at the speakeasy and why he insisted on getting to the nearest scorse. But when we arrived, the Guild ambushed us.

I looked at Chrome. “If you are working with the rebel militia, then why were we attacked when we arrived at that tattoo parlor?”

He shrugged. “Someone in that network turned against us, probably Jesse. He either gave us the wrong scorse location, or it was all a lie to begin with, knowing the king’s forces would be waiting.”

“That kid, Ash…”

“Dash,” Chrome corrected.

I rolled my eyes with an added huff. “Dash. So, you know him? He’s militia, then?”

Chrome’s intense gaze fought off laughter. “Yep.”

I fucking knew it.

“So that’s how he could take down that Endarkened? You told them about black crystal’s lethality to an Elemental, which also kills Endarkened?” I asked, feeling slightly betrayed. The Elementals must’ve been helping humans forge their bullets with black crystal. Which meant they probably had bullets forged with redfern, too.

These were well-hidden secrets from humans and for a damn good reason. They were way too trigger-happy, especially with people and things they didn’t understand.

If my father knew this, he’d find a way to disintegrate the rest of the surviving world as it stood. It saddened me I couldn’t be a fly on a wall to witness him learn of this discovery.

Something else from that encounter popped into my mind. Something I’d forgotten about amongst the events that followed. “That Endarkened woman…” I said, bringing his attention to that topic. “When she was dying, did you notice how she… she seemed at peace? It was as if her lucidity returned in those last moments.”

Another staunch silence reigned oppressively in the room. Everyone shifted in their seats before once again looking to Chrome for answers.

At first, he didn’t speak. He seemed to replay the memory in his mind as he stared at the wall behind me. For a moment, his stark expression flickered with a hint of something that was dangerous in our world. It was so faint, I doubted anyone else caught it. Like a fleeting butterfly, it was gone before it had the chance to settle.

But it bore the question: why ?

He didn’t deign to answer me. Before I could protest, he spoke, “Meeting adjourned.”

That look vanished. In its place sat the composed, hardened mask of the living ghost of our past. But I couldn’t erase that glint of emotion from my mind.

The first time I’d seen him don—well, hope .

The room they gave me was within the oak lodge, not one of the cabins lining it. I stood wrapped in a fluffy towel at the edge of the queen-sized bed. The thick mattress perched on top of a stacked-stone frame, a mixture of light and dark grays.

I rifled through the clothes Scarlett and Cotton had packed for me. The cool breeze from the balcony chilled my skin from the scalding shower. I’d never appreciated that luxury until I’d scrubbed away recent events.

The scented soaps soothed my mind and lavished my skin like the silkiest of creams. I felt like a new woman. And in a sense, I was. The Gray Monroe from four days ago was left behind on the cold marble floor of the King’s Palace ballroom.

I thought of the name that Orion had first called me: Aeran. Was that my Elemental name? Given to me by whom ?

After Chrome’s dismissal of the debriefing, I was escorted to my sleeping quarters. I was grateful to be allowed to clean up and change before my meeting with Orion.

I chose a worn pair of black cargo pants that hugged my shins, one of my favorite pairs. Scarlett really pulled through for me. Another pang shot through my chest at the thought of my dear friend and what befell her after my disappearance.

I sifted through the jumble of clothes. I layered a matching hooded sweater over a tight white tee. I was finally out of the leather gear I wore on missions and into my casual attire that was more comfortable.

I found my combat boots and laced them up, steeling my warring emotions with each eyelet I tightened. Everything had happened so fast since my return from the failed mission to kill Griffin…or Chrome. It was all a whirlwind of events and revelations that threw everything I thought was true for a loop.

And the most shameful part of all was I still craved my father’s approval. I still held out just the slightest bit of hope that he might change his mind about me, seeing as I was his only child. But the voice of reason—anger—always shut it down before that hopeful voice rose too loud.

There wasn’t much a brush could do for my knotted waves. The braids on either side were tangled, and I simply didn’t have the energy to battle it.

The bathroom didn’t disappoint. A jacuzzi that could easily fit three adults was off to the side against the wall. Whereas the room was made of wood, the bathroom was nothing but beautiful shades of gray riverbed stone.

The shower wasn’t exempt. Greenery draped down the stone walls, bringing a more serene sense of nature to the experience.

The Hollow was nothing like the cold, gaudy beauty of the King’s Palace. It was a luxurious beauty of peace and comfort. I felt like I could finally breathe.

In the mirror in my bathroom, my blue eyes looked haunted—empty—behind shades of gray. Angry, I couldn’t stand the reflection. Such a disappointment. A failure. A burden. A waste of valuable resources .

I closed my eyes and pulled on the mask of Princess Gray, the one who faced down her people’s opposition daily and made them cower with only the cut of her gaze. The mask that declared I feared no one, even though I was familiar enough with the emotion that it had become a companion. I may harbor fear like a host of an oversized parasite, but I’d be sure to instill more into others around me.

A knock came on my door an hour later as I perused the built-in bookshelves. I placed the book I’d been skimming back in its place and moved to open the door.

I was greeted with white pupils lined with baby-blue irises. Her lip pulled upward just the slightest as she assessed me. Suspicion bathed her unnerving eyes as she peered down her nose at me.

Despite her distrust toward me, she gave off a soothing energy.

“I’m here to take you to Orion’s office.” She spoke in a stiff tone not compatible with her delicate persona.

I gave a brief nod and followed her out, clicking my door shut behind me. I studied her movements for any potential weaknesses as we strolled through the hallways. She was all grace with her silent steps and fluid motions. Every action reminded me of a whisper, so quiet and smooth that it would be easy to underestimate her in combat.

She never looked over her shoulder as we walked in the echoes of our footsteps. It wasn’t a complicated layout—with a few long hallways that branched off every so often.

Like the rest of the lodge, the interior consisted of oak logs and thick trunks that served as rafters. Sconces lined the hallways, providing a warm glow of comfort. Various sizes of framed photos and paintings lined the walls. All were candid shots or group photos of a happy community prior to Devolution Day .

The young woman reached a door in the center of the hallway, rapping it lightly with her knuckles without hesitation. She tossed another skeptical glance at me before the door swung open.

Orion stood on the threshold with his forearm braced on the doorframe with an amiable smile. “Princess Gray.” The calm seas in his gaze brought a fraction of ease. “Thank you for meeting with me.”

I gave a brief nod and moved to step past the young woman who escorted me.

“And thank you, Aella. As always, your generosity is appreciated, my dear,” he said, turning his soft gaze to the lithe Elemental.

Aella’s lips pulled up into a tight smile, her eyes shifting to me. “Of course, Orion,” she said, her voluminous black hair bouncing with the nod. She adjusted her white, loose-fitting sweater before turning on her heels and drifting down the hall.

Orion stepped aside and swept his arm in a welcoming gesture into his office. Organized chaos best described the cluttered room.

“Please, have a seat,” Orion said and moved behind his broad desk, scattered with open books and two picture frames. It was a brief glimpse, but in one, there were three individuals all huddled together—one of them being a younger Orion. Smiles painted their golden-flecked faces.

Following Orion’s lead, I took a seat in the dark leather chair opposite him and fought to maintain eye contact with the gentle man facing me.

“You must have so many questions, dear.” Orion’s brows pulled downward as his focus trained on me with compassion.

“I do,” I said, nodding, my features tight. Glancing away from him, I scanned the walls lined with packed bookshelves.

“Once Chrome arrives,” Orion said with an endearing smile, “I’ll be able to give you your answers.”

My head tilted in question.

“It was at his insistence. He made it very clear he wanted to be present.”

“Why?”

The door opened behind us, and Chrome strode inside with tight restraint. There was an empty chair next to mine, but he remained standing by Orion’s side. “Are you settling in all right, Princess?” he asked me, all glamours removed from him. His golden skin, chromatic hair, swirling molten eyes, and silver currents all dominated the space, somehow making this room his just by stepping into it.

Fucking hell. Why did he have to be sexy?

“Yeah, as much as I can,” I said with a disinterested shrug. Seeing him in this environment changed him, somehow. Or, at least, it changed how I saw him.

Chrome was no longer just a survival partner; he was a respected leader. He carried himself with a distinct air—approachable yet unapproachable at the same time. It was clear this was his Hollow. His people. His war against my father.

Chrome pinned me to my chair with his molten stare. My chest tightened from the emotion that poured from them. It was a silent promise that I wouldn’t be alone during this meeting.

Orion beamed, “Great! We’re all here. So, let’s begin, shall we?” I wasn’t sure if he noticed the silent exchange between Chrome and me or if he’d simply ignored it.

I shifted my eyes from Chrome to tune into Orion. “I’m still not sure if I even believe I’m part Elemental,” I confessed to Orion.

Orion nodded. “Of course. I’m sure you’re dying to remove that necklace to test the theory.” A pained expression entered his shiny blue eyes at the black crystal hanging over my chest.

I gave him a tight smile. In truth, I was, but I was also terrified. It would make everything more real and concrete, effectively changing everything about me.

Chrome seemed to sense this. “You’re not alone in this, Gray.”

I waved a dismissive hand at him and returned my attention back to Orion.

“When an Elemental comes into their magic for the first time,” he began. “Powers tend to be quite… volatile . With no way of knowing which Elements you possess, you could level the lodge unintentionally. We suspect that, like Chrome, your power is immense. So, we must take precautions and plan accordingly.” Orion laced his fingers together on top of the desk as he gazed at me softly.

“Well, shit…” I said, still doubtful of whether to believe the claims of my potential strength or not. “Why do you believe I’ll be so powerful? My Kinetic side shouldn’t influence the strength of my Elemental, right?” I asked, shifting my eyes back and forth between the two men. My eyes lingered on Chrome’s overwhelming gaze longer than I intended as his quicksilver eyes drew me in.

Orion swallowed and looked down at his clasped hands perched atop the desk. He sighed, letting the tension linger. When he glanced up at me, his eyes were heavy with grief. “Your mother was an extremely powerful Elemental.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You know who my mother is? Was?”

Orion cleared his throat and sat back in the seat, as if the weight of the truth exhausted him. “Your mother was a very dear friend of mine. She was extraordinary. A powerful, fierce warrior with a heart as gold as our skin. She was grace, beauty, and kindness. And that’s how she ruled our people.”

My heart slammed to a stop. “Ruled?”

Orion nodded with his eyes closed. “She was the Elemental Queen, Lilliana Willow. And her husband, King Jonas…” he said and looked up at Chrome standing by his side. “King Jonas was Chrome’s father and my older brother.”