Whispers From Below

Chapter 10

For the next week we worked on setting up the place, Ryland had introduced me to a few different people who included those who I would go to for ingredients and our neighbors around the place. I was really getting antsy to just explore and see everything.

I knew that time came when Jace came in one morning. While I was writing on a chalkboard for weekly specials, this week was Rye bread.

"Are you ready for your first outing Lily?" Jace ran his hand through the front of his hair that was getting way too long and should just be up in a bun like Ryland does.

I sprung up from my seat placing my sign to the side.

"yes! Totally. Let's go!"

The door to Ryland's study flew open as he pushed through, "no outer ring Jace."

Jace nodded wordlessly and took my elbow pulling me down stairs.

Everything was pretty much the same as what I have already seen, until there was a man holding his hands up and close to them was a floating ball that moved and molded as he crunched his fingers. He was manipulating it like a child using clay to make shapes.

"Oh. My. Gods. Look Jace! Look! That man is making that thing move!" Grabbing his arm and shaking him as he was laughing at me, "yeah," he laughed playfully.

"He's a stone mason, he is making the stone into the shape he needs. That's how people work around here, usin' their abilities to do their job, it's easier that way."

As I watched the man I saw a woman in the corner of my eye manipulating water into a bucket. Then kids zoomed right by her making her drop the water and bucket. They were sitting on some kind of orb that swirled around and glided around the roads.

Jace waved his hand in front of my face, "earth to Lily."

I pointed at the kids, "what are they doing?"

Jace put his arm around my shoulders and guided me forward, "they are playing a game kind of like tag. They can control the air around them, thats what they're sittin' on."

I whipped my head to Jace, "they are sitting on air?!"

He put his hand over my mouth quickly "shh, don't be so loud." Pulling his hand off of my face, a smile still stuck across my face as we walked.

Jace explained to me more of the abilities as he toured me around the city strolling by rivers that split up the areas and allowed small boats to make deliveries.

After a little bit we took a break and sat under a big willow tree right on the waterfront and just people watched. I was amazed with how much trees and grass was still growing throughout the city that was covered in stone and dirt paths.

"This all feels like a massive dream and if it is, if I died during that attack and this is my heaven. I am fully content with it."

Looking over at Jace, as he stared up to the soft blue sky. His hair fell behind his shoulders being able to see his entire face which felt so rare to see fully.

A gentle smile crept on his lips giving him faint dimples, "I promise you that this isn't a dream."

I laced my fingers into the grass, as if I was confirming that this was real. Binx rubbed himself against my arm. He had not really been with me since we got here. He had been exploring the area, at least that's what it seemed like.

"How are you doing, since being here Lil?" I laid down into the grass, the cethin jumped onto my stomach. "I hate to say it but I feel like being here has let me take my first ever breaths."