Intertwined

Chapter 11 | Power

Chapter 11: Power

“I still don’t sense anything,” Jade groaned in frustration. “What exactly am I supposed to be looking for?” Her eyes flicked up the wall, then down again. “There are millions of timepieces embedded in all the pillars and walls around here. How am I supposed to know which one? They all look extremely different, and strange.”

“I’m guessing it’s one that stands out particularly. Too flashy, too plain. Something that looks – eternal?” Kara wondered, stretching out on the yoga mat she had laid out. Jade thought she looked feline, sort of like Niko.

“According to Illièas, if you’re the Keeper of Time, you’d be able to sense the timepiece. The last Keeper had it hidden somewhere here, amongst all the others, I believe.” Jade watched curiously as Niko took out two tiny daggers and began spinning them boredly in his hand. “I- well, I really don’t know. Ash is sure you’re arrèdulenn; what other reason would the Varielu have for stalking you for months? If this fails, at least we have two more tests to go.” He casually threw one of the daggers to Kara, who caught it and proceeded to spear a Kit Kat on it.

“Wait, what? Vari- Varielu?” Jade frowned. She thought she recognized the word from somewhere, but couldn’t quite place it.

“Varielu are an old... what would you call it – clan? Gang? I don’t know, something in between. They’re unpredictable; sometimes they like to interfere with things ranging from politics to the annual Games to the latest mob fights. And sometimes, they just sit back, watch, and bid their time. Either way, they’re forever plotting something nefarious, and no one knows who their leader is. Everyone just knows him as the VMaster, or Master, and the head keeps changing too.”

“What did Niko say about them just now? Stalking me?”

“Honey, they’d been actively watching you for the past six months or so. Then, a few weeks ago, all trace of Varielu activity stopped – vanished. Ash reckons they’re up to something,” Kara told her nicely.

Lance looked up. “Reid informed me there was an anonymous attack in the South, say, a few weeks ago? It might have been them, but they were targeting our contraband warehouses.”

“Why did I not know of this earlier? So I have more stalkers now?” Jade complained.

“Didn’t Lance tell you?” The look on Jade’s face probably told her enough. She shot Lance an irritated look. You should have told her this already. You’re her guardian!”

Lance sighed. “Wasn’t I not supposed to tell her anything? It was in Ash’s bloody stupid manual!”

“Now, now, there is no need for profanities Lance. What manual? Never knew you for one to follow rules anyway, Lance.”

“Rules?” Jade wondered. She turned back to the pillar she had been  looking at, then decided to turn back and lean on it instead.

“Old guidelines,” he clarified. “More for our anonymity than anything, not that anyone bothers. Guardians like me and Lance, we’re the rebellious ones.” He grinned, throwing Jade a wink over his shoulder.

“That is, if by rebellious you mean I never intended to be a guardian in the first place.”

“I’m sure it’s a decision you would never regret,” Kara said, ripping open yet another packet of Kit Kats

“What?”

“Lance are you blind? I mean, just look at you two,” she grinned. “You’re such a great match for each other!”