War was coming. Victor was certain of only that. My mother wasn't about to give up her crusade for the throne any more than his father was going to give it up. I just had to stay away from the crossfire.
Seeing the future was dangerous. I had a stinking suspicion that seeing and controlling the future might have had something to do with my mother's madness. I certainly didn't want to be anything like her. Still, I needed control over my ability.
Victor wasn't angry or hostile. In fact, he practically welcomed me into his family by talking to me. The only people who didn't seem to want us here were Genevieve and Wolfe.
"It takes practice to hone your magical ability," Andromeda said. "I'm far from perfect with mine. Still, it helps to have a mentor."
"That's really why I wanted to meet you," Victor said. "You can't control other people using the power. You'll see bits of their visions. Record them, but don't dwell on what you see. You can control when you have your own visions. Have you had one on purpose yourself yet?"
I wasn't sure. I'd briefly thought about the future before my last vision, but I couldn't have summoned it, could I?
"How do you have a vision?" I asked.
"Thinking about the future," Victor said. "The more concrete your idea, the more clear or closer to the present your vision might be. If you don't have a clear idea of where you want to go, the power can take you anywhere."
He stood to his full height. The prince had to be over nine feet tall. He offered a hand to Terri, and she took it to rise beside him.
"We can combine our powers for more powerful visions," Victor said. "If we ever could get along as a family and work together, we could see everything."
"You should be on her level," Hellene rose from the couch. "We all should."
She picked up a plate of cookies from the table in front of her. She handed Victor one of the cookies and one to Andromeda. Wolfe held up his hand to deny a cookie.
Victor bit into the cookie, and as he took bites, his body shrank down until he was a few inches shorter than I was. His clothes were now a little big, but he was able to look me in the eye.
Andromeda and Hellene shrank down with the cookies in their mouths. I had to stop for a second and realize that whatever was in those cookies might have shrunk the giant that attacked me in the elevator.
"Those things are illegal, Hellene," Wolfe said. "Where did you even get wonderland berries?"
"Wonderland berries?" I asked.
"One of several popular drugs that change giants," Moreno said. "They're native to Jontun, and technically they are outlawed. Giants take them to blend in better with humans. There are a few side effects, but most giants don't care about them."
I had a feeling I should ask about those later. Right now, though, I looked into Victor's mismatched eyes and tried not to wonder what we were about to do.
"Don't worry," Victor smiled. "I'm right here with you. We're diving into the unknown together, Terri."
His oversized clothes lightened the mood. He looked a lot less like an intimidating prince and more like a goofy uncle with a military jacket touching his knees and too-long pants.
He held out his hands again and motioned for me to take them. I set my palms on top of his, and as his fingers intertwined with mine, I felt a bolt of energy burst down my spine. It wasn't fear or desire. The power was more than that.
"How did you do that?" I asked.
"Nothing special," Victor said. "Are you ready to see with me?"
"What are we looking for?" I asked.
Victor smiled softly. "Nothing special. Let's get a clear vision of you. What would you like to know?"
My mind went blank. I didn't know what I wanted. I glanced over at where Moreno sat and wondered what he would think to ask.
My vision spun. This time, though, I could feel Victor beside me. When I opened my eyes, we stood together at the edge of a cliff.
"What did you wonder?" Victor's voice echoed in my head.
I felt stupid. Of course, that was the trigger. I'd plunged us straight into a vision without meaning to. Without a clear thought like he'd directed.
I couldn't see my uncle anywhere, but somehow, I knew he was there.
"I'm not sure," my voice echoed back without opening my mouth. "I didn't mean..."
"Precision takes practice," Victor said. "We'll try again when we go back. For now, watch and learn."
Moreno sat at the edge of the cliff. His legs hung off into the abyss. His eyes were red, and he stared angrily off into space.
There was a shadow above us, and I was startled as I realized I was seeing myself in the vision. This version of me landed perfectly with wings on the cliffside beside Moreno.
"There you are," my future self spoke. "Alana was worried."
"Why didn't she come herself?" Moreno spat the words.
"She's talking to Doc," my future self hit the button on her pack that folded up her wings. "And she's angry too. She's just better at hiding it."
"Maybe we should let your mother overthrow Tytan," Moreno said. "He's a bastard. I should fly to Nikone and kill him myself."
My future self stepped forward. "You can't do that, Jordan."
Moreno stood and whirled on future me. "They took her, and we've been ordered to stand down. I want to kill them all."
"That won't help," future me said, stepping close to him and pushing a strand of hair from his face.
My cheeks flushed. Apparently, in the future, I was going to be quite close to Moreno, especially if I was touching him and calling him Jordan without him blasting me to ashes.
Future me's forehead bent down to meet his. "You can't help Care from here. We need you at the compound. Please, Jordan... I need you."
I glanced in Victor's direction. I couldn't see where he was standing, and I couldn't imagine what he thought of this.
Moreno closed the last distance between himself and the future me. Their lips touched, and then the vision dissolved, and once again, I was staring at my uncle.
My cheeks were flaming. Victor didn't look bothered by it, and he dropped my hands. Hellene tried to hand Victor a journal, but he shook his head.
"What did you see?" Moreno asked.
I turned tomato red. I hoped that no one here had the magical ability to read minds. Victor, bless him, didn't say a thing about our vision.
"It was too unfocused to glean information," he lied. "We should try again, Terri. This time, state what you want with intent. Breathe in and out and focus on a specific wonder question, Terri."
The breaths helped. I could feel the heat leaving my cheeks, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to look Moreno in the eye later.
Victor took my hands again, and this time, I tried to think of nothing. Of course, since that's impossible, I decided to tell Victor to pick.
"What do you want us to see?" I asked.
"This vision is generally safe and steady," Victor said. "I wonder what my wedding day will be like."
This time, I was ready. We sank into the spinning vision together, and this time, I could see Victor standing beside me, but I wasn't sure he could see me.
We stood inside a small room that looked like a place of preparation. Future Victor looked maybe a year older, dressed in a militaristic uniform with a heavy golden crown on his head.
Beside future, Victor stood Wolfe dressed in uniform identical to Victor in orange. Wolfe had a scar across his face, and he was actually smiling here.
The door to the little room opened, and a young man walked through dressed in a cream suit. I realized with a start it was the man from my very first vision that the children had called Uncle Ric. He was ten years younger, and his cerulean and gold eyes matched Victor's.
"He's back," Victor's voice sounded in my head.
"Who is that?" I replied, still unused to the voice in my head.
"I don't know," Victor said. "But he's been in several of my visions lately. Those children in that vision a week ago called him Ric. That's what I've been calling him in my notes."
I realized with a start he was talking about my first vision. He'd seen that vision. So had his father and my mother.
A shiver went down my spine. For the first time, I realized exactly how dangerous my ability was. Anything I saw, the entire family could also see in bits and fragments.
The king could see my visions. He'd seen his future self threatening his family. So had my mother. They'd probably just seen me kissing Moreno, too.
Ric smiled at future Victor. "Terri sent me to make sure you were all ready. Apparently, Hellene is in hysterics. I didn't get specifics, but Terri is sure she and Genevieve can handle it."
Whoever this Ric was knew me and Victor well enough for future me to use him as a courier. I was certain I didn't know him, but he did look strangely familiar.
"Give Hellene my love," Victor said. "She shouldn't be nervous. We're only getting married."
"Girls," Wolfe rolled his eyes. "Want me to drag her down the aisle, Vic?"
Future Victor sighed. "Brute force will not be necessary, Wolfe. She just needs extra time. You can stall the guests. Tell Andi to serve refreshments early."
"You want to open the mead before the ceremony?" Wolfe frowned.
"I want to get married," future Victor said. "I should have known after all we've done that this point would never change. Ric, grab my sketchbook and give her drawing 48 C. That should convince her that she looks beautiful."
The vision dissolved, and Victor let go of my hands. This time, Victor accepted the journal that Hellene handed him, and he scrawled down what he'd seen.
"I called him Ric, didn't I," Victor said to himself as he wrote. "And it was 48 C. I know I've drawn that. Breathe in and out. The present is always more important."
I breathed under his instruction. I could see how looking at the future might get addicting. Staying in the present. Sometimes, it was better not to wonder.
"Good vision?" Hellene asked.
"The future is uncertain," Victor closed his journal. "There's a new player, and it's the strangest thing. Have you met Ric in the present, Terri?"
"No," I said. "Is he a Nikone?"
"I thought he was a halfant, but maybe I'm wrong," Victor shook his head. "It will reveal itself in time. No need to fret. I don't think he's a threat."
The golden guard from outside, Sir Sudama, walked into the room. He looked angrily from me to his prince.
"Your Highness, we really cannot stay here," he said. "This girl put you in danger."
"You should speak to a princess with more respect," Victor snapped.
He looked angry. So far, Victor had been nothing but nice. Now, he was calling me a princess and telling his guards to respect me.
"Your Highness, I mean no disrespect, but I am charged with your safety," Sir Sudama said. "You've recklessly disregarded your own safety. Those wonderland drugs and this girl... You cannot stay here. Your father..."
Victor threw his hands into the air. "My father will never understand his children. We cannot move forward in Jontun if he insists on doing things his way."
"Vic," Hellene said. "This isn't the place."
"Then when is?" Victor asked.
"Vic, you just had visions," Hellene said. "Your father saw the clarity. That means he knows you either met with Elle or Terri. You cannot hide this."
"I don't care," Victor said. "I'm tired of being his puppet."
Moreno stood. "We can go."
"Thank you, cousin. Genie, escort them out," Hellene said. "Sir Sudama, please guard the front door. I will talk to Victor."
Until that moment, I'd seen Hellene only as a bubbly and innocent girl. Now, I could see the future queen coming out. She was strong and understood what needed to be done. I could see why she and Moreno got along.
Genevieve rose to follow her sister's orders. Even Sir Sudama jumped into action. Moreno met my eyes, and I knew it was time to go.
"I'll give you regards to my mother, Terri," Andromeda said. "And if the family allows it, you should visit us. I'm sure my mother would like to meet her niece."
"I'd like that," I said as Genevieve practically pushed me and Moreno into the hallway.
It didn't take us long to reach the front door. I barely remembered to pull on my shoes before Genevieve herded us outside.
She wanted us gone. I had a feeling she agreed with Sir Sudama and Wolfe that I was a threat and a risk for Victor.
"Tell Grandfather I said hello," Moreno said.
Genevieve stiffened. "Get this girl out of here, Moreno, and please stop bringing trouble home. You're becoming worse than your father."
Moreno looked like he'd been struck between the eyes. Genevieve turned and walked back into the villa, slamming the door behind her with force. With that, we'd been summarily dismissed from the Ethesis house.
Hey friends!!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. What do you think of some of Terri's new giant friends? What about Terri's visions? Thoughts about our mystery guy, "Ric?" Until next time!!!!