The War of Elevens| Book 1 of the Space Thief Chronicles

Chapter 20| Stories of Thieves and Psychics

"Walk us through it again, Private Ci. Everything." Instructor Amaranth leaned into a band of sunlight streaming through one of the windows of Instructor Stevia's office, one of the only offices in the West Wing that hadn't been destroyed with the poison of the giant scorpion. The office was small and tidy, with tall windows and dark wooden furniture. There was a large slash of red paint on one of the walls that Lilly couldn't help but glance at, desperately wanting to know what it was for. She figured it was a bad time to ask. 

"I've already told you three times," Lilly said, keeping the bite of irritation out of her tone. She sat on one side of Stevia's giant desk like a patched-up doll: small, bandaged, and still. The three Board Members sat across from her, each of them looking divine in their crisp uniforms and dead-serious expressions. 

"But you never mentioned where the rock came from," Sankem replied. "Or what the monster said to you."

"Because I don't know the answers to either of those questions. I was too scared to make sense of any of it." Lilly was trying so hard to speak as respectfully as possible. She did not think that sassing three respected adults with magical powers who ran a training facility full of potential soldiers would do her any good. This was a great opportunity to work on her attitude towards adults.

"Really," Lilly tried again after the Board Members exchanged dubious looks with each other, desperately hoping they didn't mistake her frustration with the situation for cheekiness. "I have no idea."

Almost as quietly as Zander, Centurie said, "You should know we sent samples of the comet embedded in the roof to the chemical lab stationed beneath Elliott Way."

Lilly swallowed. Even if they found out the comet came from somewhere in space, they couldn't link it to her...could they?

"Are you sure you can't remember anything the beast said to you? Anything at all?" Amaranth pressed.

Lilly opened her mouth. Most of what the monster said had gone straight over her head, and she was having trouble sorting it all out. There was one thing, however, that the Board Members did need to know. Lilly sucked in a deep breath. "He said...something about wanting to get into the magical dimension, but like said, all that went over my head. Can I ask a question, though? How did the monster get into Elliott Way? I thought there were magical barriers that made sure certain species don't get in." 

Questions have the ability to create atmospheres, and when that last sentence left Lilly's mouth, she could feel the way her words charged the air with a deep, sad current, visible in the lift of Amaranth's eyebrows, the wrinkles deepening around Sankem's mouth with his frown, and the way Centurie's pale hands curled into fists on the desk.

Then Sankem scoffed and Centurie sat there like a dull, forgettable ghost. 

"Someone created an opening through the barrier," Amaranth said. "I absolutely no idea how." 

"What about Storm? What are you going to do now that you know he's alive?"

"Yes," Amaranth replied. "Him.  We've put a block on all letters coming into Elliott Way from family, and no one's going in or out of this facility until we get the barrier issue under control. We're closing outside sources." 

Sankem clucked his tongue. "I still cannot believe the Bloom lied to the world when they knew he was out there." 

Centurie bristled in agreement. 

"Perhaps it's best not to discuss how fickle the Bloom can be in front of this young lady," Amaranth reasoned, leaning forward so that her delicate nose was several inches away from Lilly's. "The bravery you have exhibited today shows your potential to be a great soldier. Nurse Honeycomb will send pain pills with your dinner tonight. We're ordering all dinners to be sent to everyone's personal dorm rooms."