Garden of Embers: Beneath Devouring Eyes #2

Chapter 3, Final Part

Daedalus knew that the boy he was looking at during their first meeting together in the Caeles was the same age as him. He knew that Domi had been conceived in the same instant as him and born the very same eve. But he just could not shake the impression that he was looking at someone younger than himself.

It did not help that Domi was still fragile from his traumatic Trellis inheritance and under the influence of whatever sedative he had been given to help keep him calm as he and the Trellis worked out an uneasy alliance that, in a few days, would grow into a deeper communion. It made him seem younger, more vulnerable.

Daedalus's twin was being slowly eased off the sedation two hours into his skychariot journey and the herbs seemed to now render him more fascinated by his surroundings than disoriented. They had not been able to try having this conference earlier even though they desperately needed to discuss certain matters. Domi had not been able to comprehend much beyond his own name earlier, but now he had at last joined Daedalus for this talk.

He could not help but smile despite the horrible situation he needed to brief his brother about. Domi was gawking in open-mouthed wonder at the promenia-woven mindscape like a small child brought to the family Caeles space for the very first time. And Daedalus was beginning to think that it was indeed his brother's first Caeles experience.

It was probably a good thing that Domi could not see the version of himself that Daedalus saw, any more than Daedalus could see the image of himself the Caeles wove for his brother. He doubted his identical twin would appreciate that Daedalus's mind insisted on seeing Domi as smaller and younger than himself, shaping the illusion that the Caeles generated of his brother.

The other boy's childlike wide-eyed wonder was real, however. Domi's fingertips brushed along the peach tree branch, rustling the leaves and skimming over the fuzzy fruit. "Did you really make all this, Basilicus?" he asked, brown eyes sparkling with more innocence than Daedalus suspected his own had ever held.

"We both did," Daedalus said, not bothering to correct the title. There would be time enough soon to remind his brother of the weight of duty. Let him be carefree for a little while. "The Caeles draws on our memories and thoughts about peach orchards to weave the illusion."

Domi pulled the peach from the branch, looking delighted when it came free. His pupils were enormous. "Can I eat it?"

"Of course. The flavor will be no more than that, however. It will not nourish you." He watched his twin as Domi took an experimental bite. "We must conserve promenia as much as possible."

"Why? Can't we just make more?"

Daedalus felt his lip twitch. He really was like a little kid. He was even chewing with his mouth open like one. "Yes, but people waste it faster than we worldholders can replace it."

"Does the Trellis waste promenia?"

Daedalus shook his head, though inside he felt his heart begin to pound. It was time to discuss this. "No." He swallowed. "Except when it is damaged and needs to be repaired."

"It's damaged now," Domi said, wincing. He reached back, massaging his shoulderblade, but Daedalus knew that the pain was not in his body. Not truly. "Really messed up. It hurts like hel--a lot."

"I know," Daedalus said sympathetically. He remembered the sensation of fire eating its way across his back, leaving an enormous wound. He could only imagine how Domi felt after the Trellis transfer had damaged so many areas. "Luckily, you did not dissolve much of it. The provincial worldholders can send the chunks that fell back up where they belong. But the secondary repairs will require a great deal of promenia."