Black Holes - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 3

Chapter Twenty Two

"Why is she here? Shouldn't she be off trying to close the portals like everyone else?"

Tai's face was flat, but Seth saw something flash across it, and he cringed. He knew Tai didn't want to be stuck here baby sitting, that he'd been itching to go out into the field with everyone else.

"Apparently not," Tai said.

Seth stared at him for a moment, and then he turned back to his book. The words blurred before his eyes, the lack of sleep catching up with him.

"Tell her I'm not coming today."

Tai shifted. "You can't just not go."

"Yeah, I can."

Tai didn't reply, and Seth remained staring fixedly at his book, reading the same sentence over and over again, trying to translate it. The whole thing was written in ancient greek, detailing the village the Mors Mortis Device had first appeared in. Usually, he enjoyed translating, figuring out each sentence piece by piece, but having Tai hover in his peripherals was making it much more difficult.

"Okay," Tai said eventually. "I'll bring her here, then."

Tai shifted, about to leave, but Seth jumped up, irritation scorching through him, and he saw something in Tai's face settle — a suspicion confirmed.

Seth wanted to kick himself, but Tai was the least of his problems. If anyone was going to figure out what he was looking for in these books, it was Maud, and he couldn't have that.

"Bloody hell, fine," Seth grumbled, stalking past Tai. "I'll go see her. I don't get why anyone thinks that's still important, though. I'm completely fine and the world is still ending."

Tai fell into step beside him.

"It'd end a lot faster if you weren't," he said.

Seth didn't bother replying, and he stalked towards the meeting room the guards always directed Maud to. He looked the other way as they passed the room Jared had stayed in, the floor now completely worn away. The ghosts had stopped appearing in the S.I.S base as frequently once Jared disappeared, but his presence clearly still lingered. Seth had seen enough ghosts in there, hovering and looking lost, to know.

He'd tried talking to some of them, asking in rushed whispers if Riley had sent them, but he'd only received blank looks, and someone alive always appeared to shoot them and scold him before he could dig much deeper.

He turned into the meeting room to find Maud standing by the window, watching a portal form outside disinterestedly. Her hair was up in a scarf today, the bangles that always covered her forearms glinting into the light.

"They do seem to be coalescing around here a lot, don't they?" she said, and then she turned, giving Seth a toothy smile. "The portals, I mean."

As much as Seth didn't like being checked up on like a malfunctioning appliance, the fact that Maud was the one who did it somehow made it so much worse. He knew the S.I.S trusted Maud Malum — as much as someone who always served the highest bidder could be trusted, at least — but there was something in the way she looked at him that made him feel like an object, like a prized possession she owned shares in.

"Is that a professional opinion?" Tai asked, leaning against the doorway.

"No," Maud said, moving slowly to a chair and plonking down it in, her back slightly hunched. "Just an observation."

She pointed to the chair opposite her, her bangles jangling, and looked at Seth.

"Sit."

He did as she commanded, trying not to let his annoyance show. The quicker he got this over with, the better.

"How have you been feeling these past few days?" Maud asked.

Seth kept his face blank, but his hands, hidden under the table, clenched. "Fine."

"The changes happening to this world aren't affecting your body chemistry at all? You're not feeling any twinges?"

"No."

Maud's face was unreadable, her dark eyes fixed on him, unblinking, but then they shifted to Tai, and she jerked her head to the door.

"You, out. Seth and I need to talk privately."

Tai straightened, his mouth opening to argue.

"I already discussed it with Andrew," Maud said, a note of tiredness entering her voice. "You probably have a text from him already. You don't need to go far, just wait outside the door."

Tai hovered for a moment longer, pulling out his phone. Whatever he saw there clearly matched Maud's story because his jaw clenched and he gave a rigid nod, fixing Seth with a look.

"Call out if you need anything."

"Sure," Seth said, and then Tai left, closing the door behind him with more force than was probably necessary.

Seth turned back to Maud to find her watching him, a faint smile on her face.

"Now that he's gone, let's try that again, shall we?" she said. "How are you really feeling?"

Seth gritted his teeth. If he told Maud the truth, she'd tell Andrew, and then any freedom he had would be squashed. He'd be put under constant observation, maybe even sedated if they decided that'd slow things down.

"I'm fine," Seth repeated through gritted teeth. "No changes. Really."

Maud stared at him for a second longer, and then she smiled.

"Well, that is strange. I suppose my help isn't needed then."

She stood up, leaning on the table for support, and when she reached him, her hand moved to his shoulder, gripping strong.

Seth held still, expecting her keep going, to grab onto the wall next, but, faster than he'd thought possible, she leant down, her breath puffing out against his ear, and he flinched.

"You may not be willing to share with me, but I already know what's happening to you, Seth," she whispered. "You weren't the only person in this world Riley visited."

Seth blinked and stared at her, his eyes wide.

"What—"

"What you're looking for is where the first portal opened," Maud continued. "It's being guarded, but not well. The S.I.S's resources are stretched thin at the moment."

And then she let his shoulder go, moving towards the door.

Seth blinked at the window for a second, his thoughts racing, but then he stood up and spun to face her.

"How do you know that?"

Maud had reached the door now, her hand on the doorknob, and she turned and glanced at him.

"How I know doesn't matter," she said. "I don't plan to be around when this world self-destructs. It's honourable you're trying to ensure no one else is either."

And then she opened the door and left.

...

Happy New Year everybody! I can't believe it's 2023 already! I hope everyone had a nice break over xmas and the new year. I spent some time at the beach and ate a lot of good food haha. It was a great break.  

Next chapter will be out in 2 weeks 😊

Lots of love

- Skylar xx