Futures Unseen (Chasing Titania #2)

Team Meeting

I waited nervously, tapping my foot. Nox tried to ignore it, but I could tell it bothered him. I wasn't sure what to say. I needed his support. Thalia was waiting, too. I was relieved but still had to relay the message to my team.

"Hi," Haley sat down. "A bit nervous?"

I tried to grin, but it ended up as half a frown. "I suffer from anxiety. Nothing is easy."

"I struggle with depression," she shrugged. "We're the opposite halves of the same issue."

Nox walked up to Thalia, taking Teddy from her. Thalia oversaw him. He held the baby close to him. 

"Hey, Saf," Haley perked up.

"Hi," Safari sat down. "I didn't miss anything yet?"

"No," I answered. 

"What could you possibly want?" Lala showed up as a black cloud. 

Sam, Rodam, and Miles showed up in a little trio. The three of them sat down without saying anything.

"So, I called you all here for a reason," I stood up. "We have lost a teammate."

"Wait, really?" Haley looked around.

"It's about fucking time," Lala muttered.

"Ne'mallia left us to go back to Seratonium," I took a deep breath. "So our team is down a member compared to the others."

"What happens now?" Miles asked. 

"Since your teams are cut a little short," Thalia shuffled papers from behind her. "I am sorry that the missions I have set out for you will take longer than originally planned. I do have a replacement on their way, but it will be teams of four and three for now. Haley, Lala, and Safari, these are your statements. Silver, Miles, Sam, and Rodam, these are yours."

"Again?" Lala huffed. "Fine, but I get my own tent this time."

"Silver," Nox stopped me. "This mission is vital."

"It's going to take some time, too," Thalia nodded. "Things are about to get very serious. You four will be traveling far north."

"Okay," I nodded.

Nox hugged me close. "Stay safe."

I left his cryptic remark in the room.

~*~

"So..." I sat awkwardly with the other girls. I was not a master of conversation. I was the commander of silence. "Another recruit?"

"What do you think they'll be? Pixie or fae?"

"I would be okay with either," Safari shrugged. "I'm hoping for another boy. This is a girl-heavy team. Not to say that girls are weak or anything, but we have an odd balance."

"I'm glad we're out one dramatic bitch, though," I glanced between the other girls, who seemed to have sparked a friendship near instantaneously. 

I felt something tug at my shoulder. Spirits. Again.

"Are you guys never quiet?" I flew around.

Safari and Haley sent each other awkward looks. I stood up. 

"I have to go see about something," I waved. "I'll be back."

"This isn't fair," the fae fuming before me headed further into the trees. 

I huffed. "Nothing is ever fair with you guys. You should learn to shut up about it."

They flew around into my face. "He fell for someone else."

I blinked. "He didn't happen to kill you, did he?"

"No, but he said he'd mourn me forever."

"You expect one fae to stay stagnant? Spirits are unreasonable."

"You're the same way," they crossed their arms. "You thought a killer would remain a killer."

"Killers tend to. That's different." I argued. 

"No single fae is rigid, Lala," their face changed.

I couldn't understand what was happening until I was surrounded by fog. I lost the way I had come from. All around me were blissful white clouds.

"Let me out!" I yelled.

"Listen carefully," a spirit set itself before me. "The world as we know it will fall to pieces if you don't listen to me."

"Who are you?" I felt my body sway.

He smirked. "I am Dori, the God of Sleep. My message is important."

"You're nothe god of sleep," I tried to fight it. "Yourethegodofeternalrest."

"Correct," he grinned. "Though not many have heard of me. I'm glad to see I still have some fans out there. Listen to me, Lala Deinenocten, the girl who exists between worlds. Do not follow the final Siren. If you know what's good for you, don't go into that temptation. Bad things will happen. Do not trust the snake. Do not follow that snake."

"Whoisthisfor?" I mumbled.

"Your god," his empty black eyes flashed purple at me.

And with that, I was out.

~*~

"So 'here are you goin' 'en?" Sal served dinner to Sam and me.

"Sløvendal Mountain," I picked up my fork. "Thalia said this journey was going to take a long time."

Caius dropped Eleise in her seat and looked back at me. His red eyes fluttered all over the place.

"Is she insane sending children there?" He clenched his hands.

"What's goin' on?" Sam piped up.

"'Alia knows 'hat she's doin', relax," Sal forced Caius into his seat. "It's meant to be or somethin'."

"What's wrong with that mountain?" I insisted.

"It's too soon," Caius shook his head. "Did you know Newartic used to have volcanoes? There aren't any active ones now, but up until about four hundred years ago, there were."

"I didn't know that," I was sorely confused. 

"They all exist around the northern edge of this continent," Caius waved a hand, keeping a wary eye on Salvador. "You could say they are a very long way away from here. Of course, now they are cold and have become huge mountains."

"Shut it, ya are scarin' 'he children," Salvador elbowed him.

"There's nothing wrong with the mission she is sending you on," Caius scoffed. "It's just a long journey and a stupid place to send kids."

"But wi' Silver," Sal pointed.

"Yeah, you may be right," Caius rested on his hand. "What's meant to happen is happening. I'm still going to curse Thalia for doing this until you come back home."

"Okay," I tried to seem calm, but I couldn't help the unease that sat on my shoulders.

What exactly was going on here?