Tower of Memories

Being from Massachusetts, my experience with deserts was limited. Not that much sand where I was from. The only sand I knew was from beaches on the lakes. Which I had strong reason to believe wasn't quite the same stuff. Dunes were supposed to be made from smooth particles, almost spherical from wind. This stuff was almost as jagged as the sand I knew.

Still, in this place fine red grains fell around me. Each glittered with the light of the pale yellow sun on the horizon. Pillars reach up out of the sand, taller than mountains and perfectly straight as they reached up far above my head. Each was a different color, highly saturated despite the overbearing gaze of the sun. The blue one was closest. The other three were green, purple and orange.

I placed my hand on the blue one. It was carved with markings I couldn't decipher. Red grains of sand rested in some of the indents. Highlighting shapes I could almost recognize.

I grabbed a handful of sand and tossed it at the pillar. It didn't make the carvings make sense. But the way the sand settled into the grooves made a shape. A knife. Outlined in red on a blue background.

The ground shook beneath me. Cracks formed around this place, at first I thought it was just the sky but then it was the air too. Then the crack got bigger and started to reveal the real shape of the desert. An hourglass. A massive one.

And it was starting to fill much faster.

I woke to the sound of Dad calling me. New wave music clashed with the red and the dragons around me. It was way too early, judging from the limited light coming from the window.

I fumbled with it for a moment. Mostly still shaking the sleep off and trying to blink myself back into the real world. Giant hourglasses could wait.

There wasn't really lighting in my room at Dragon Tower. I was sure there was supposed to be, but it was in runes and I wasn't awake enough to push my limits yet.

"I'm here. Good morning," I greeted as I shifted the mirror onto a pillow and opened the curtains a bit wider to make way for whatever bits of sunrise wanted trickle in.

It wasn't nearly enough but maybe he won't call me so damn early again.

"What time is it over there?"

"I don't know I just got out of bed, probably like…fifty-thirtyish?" I was basing that off the look of the sky. I had no idea if that was accurate. It couldn't have been later than six.

"Ah. I'm sorry."

"No. It's fine. What's up?" I couldn't really hold back my yawn.

"You haven't called in a while, I told Lucinda you were probably just busy."

"I have been." That wasn't why I hadn't called them. Mom I could maybe fool over a call, but Dad would certainly notice something was wrong.

"What's been going on?"

"I've got masquerade preparations to help oversee, training with Vivian, classes, the end of the year is coming up on us fast."

"That does sound like a lot. Masquerade?"

"We were picking party themes and that was the one that the council agreed on."

"That sounds like you'll have fun. Far more your style than anything else."

"Basically a fancier Halloween party." Not entirely true, but thinking of it that way helped.

"You're going then?"

"My friends are forcing me. I blame Jarec."

"Jarec is your cousin, right? He seemed well-meaning."

"Yeah that's the one."

"I'm surprised they knew what Masquerades are. Your mother didn't when we first met."

"Huh. Well that was before everyone on the council was born. A sign of the changing times maybe?"

"Maybe." He had that ridiculously sappy look on his face again. About twenty years, and they were both still hopeless. He took a moment before coming back to the present. "So everything's fine then?"

"Yeah." A complete lie. Everything was not fine. Basically the exact opposite of fine. But if I told Dad, he'd tell Mom. And Mom would overreact. Besides, if I left the school now, there goes all access to whatever Red might know. Whether or not she told me everything wasn't relevant. Any little bit could help right now.

It was hard. Usually when the question of 'what would I do?' was asked. It was a pure hypothetical. More of a joke than a question. Like asking what superhero power you wanted. But now it was a real one. One I needed to think hard about to make sense of what Red really meant when she talked to me.

What did she want? Well…what would I want? To keep everyone safe. Okay. How does what she's told me do that? Keep us from going after something above our weight class.

She's got an unknown amount of hindsight on that, but she was extremely confident about how bad our odds were. Something bad is probably about to happen and we can't stop it. Trying would result in something even worse. The worst thing I could think of was somebody dying, or even multiple someones.

And I was useless.

Stupid curse.

"You look deep in thought," Dad commented.

"I'm always overthinking."

"What to talk about it?"

Yes. "Nah, it's fine." It wasn't, but I couldn't tell him that.

"If you're sure." I hadn't convinced him at all. But Dad wouldn't push further, not if he was asking that. He hated forcing issues unless he thought something was seriously wrong.

Not a great showing, but good enough for now. "I am. I'll try to remember to call you both more. Bye for now Dad." No promises and leaving myself an out if I needed it. Too many more of these and he would know something was wrong for sure.

And if he was certain, he'd get backup.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I ended the call and put the mirror under the pillow. I covered my face with my hands and leaned back onto the bed. Ugh, this was such a mess.

I needed to focus.

(*********)

Jade was working on masks for Kelpie Tower. It was the first time they'd been at some of this volunteer work. They were technically sitting with other Kelpies, but they were acting as the divide between us two Dragons and the Kelpie crowd.

At least, I assumed they were Kelpies, given that Horus had given them some instructions earlier that I hadn't really paid attention to.

Bit busy trying to fade into the background. I didn't want anyone but Celica to notice me right now.

"Was your mother Tower Representative?" Jade asked. Either the question was completely out of nowhere or I was way too distracted right now.

"No, she wasn't a good fit for it. According to her anyway." There was a certain irony, the idea of her claiming to be ill-suited for leadership. I doubted anyone who really knew her believed it.

Even with how Larae Owlcourt looked at her. It was nearly identical to how Celica looked at me and she thought I was a good leader. For some reason.

At that moment she was rolling her eyes. And yet my position was her idea.

Jade continued, not acknowledging Celica much at all. "In any case, she must be proud."

"She's…something," I commented. I wasn't fully sure how Mom felt about it.

I wasn't making eye contact, but I could feel the stare down Celica was having with me.

"What?" I asked after giving her a chance to say something.

"I'm waiting for you to elaborate." It was a little too calm. With careful enunciation of the words.

She was getting better at this. They all were, slowly. Jarec was faster, but probably meeting Dad was his advantage. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. In a way it was nice, having people who could understand me. But right now it was kind of worrying too, if they got too good at it then secrets would get a lot harder.

But then again, Ethan had a lifetime and never realized I had them. Or he just never called me out on it.

"I don't think she actually cares about it," I stated.

Jade gasped in horror, while Celica merely looked curious.

I should maybe rephrase that. "I meant, I don't think her opinion of me is affected by it. It just kind of is. She'd be proud of me regardless."

"And yet you took it, despite not seeming to want it," Jade observed.

I sighed before pointing at Celica, "Entirely her idea, I assure you."

"And I was right," she was so confident. I almost wished I had that amount of faith in me.

Hells, even a quarter and I could shake off the terrible feeling I'd had since speaking to Red. I hadn't told the others about it. I should, but what good would it do?

The true horror of being a leader.

"I wish you weren't," I said instead.

Celica was still smug, and I didn't have the heart to burst that bubble. For now, at least.

I focused instead on my mask. I hadn't started decorating it yet, so it was still in its plain form. Two layers of leather hardened and stitched together. I had no idea what kind of leather it was, but it was a lighter color.

There were dyes in almost every conceivable color and tools for carving the leather if we felt bold enough for that.

I was simply staring at it. Unwilling to start and terrified to commit to any design.

"I'm not doing yours too. I'm already doing everyone else's," Celica commented after a few moments. She'd made progress on one of them. I wasn't sure, but I figured it was Fethris's. I couldn't imagine anyone else getting that much green. There was also a tool that left a hexagonal pattern that made me think of bug eyes and beehives.

"It's fine. I'm just trying to decide what I want to do."

"You have no idea what you're doing, do you?"

"Why do you think I wanted you here for this?"

"You forced me to be here, don't pretend you asked."

Jade looked notably more concerned than Angelina had. "What?" The shock was a little insulting. But I supposed with their lack of context it was probably a bit strange.

But they knew what they were getting into when they decided to hang out with Dragons. "Don't worry about it. Quirks of Dragon Tower."

"Quirks, sure. We'll call it that," Celica mumbled under her breath.

"I could never manage in your Tower. I think I know why Fethris didn't want to stay."

"It's okay. I wouldn't last a day as a Kelpie," I told them.

Celica held the mask she was working on up in the air. I couldn't see what she'd done yet. She was eyeing it like she was evaluating something. Maybe she was deciding what else to add. "What about your dress?" she asked.

"What?"

"I assume you have one. Or something you intend to wear. Just make sure it matches it and you'll be fine. Same colors, similar shapes."

I had thought of that. But…

"That only helps a little. It'll be easier once I get started."

Jade looked between me and my mask. "You want to be sure it's perfect."

"Kinda. I mean…I should make sure I do my best."

"We have time for you to think it over. Plan it out. See if that helps," Jade suggested.

I doubted that. But attempting to explain how my brain worked was so far down the list of things I wanted to do in that moment. Not necessarily because of Jade, but well…we weren't exactly alone.

Too many other Kelpies. Most of whom I knew nothing about. I had classes with a handful, but none of them were people I wanted overhearing that talk. And worse was the table across from ours. Missing the ocean of sky blue, but still.

Thoth probably wasn't in hearing range, but I'd rather risk a trek through the realm of Hades.

"Perhaps," I responded instead. Hoping that Celica wouldn't say anything.

She was looking at something in the distance. I considered turning around but shrugged it off.

It was probably nothing.

Well…nothing too important at that moment.

"Hey you three." I knew that voice. Rupert Albenion, Jarec's boyfriend. I still wasn't sure what Jarec saw in him, but he'd yet to pull nay more stunts since the beginning of the year.

"Hello," I greeted back. Polite wasn't hard, but I hadn't talked to Albenion without Jarec around.

"Jarec's not helping?" he asked.

The truth was, I hadn't wanted Jarec to be here at all. Not because I thought he was incompetent or would do anything inappropriate to the masks. I just wasn't sure if I could trust him to not hide a secret in mine and his masks.

But I had to tell Albenion something. And that something was going to reach Jarec's ears probably. Any version of, 'I didn't want to ask him' was out of the question.

"It's five masks, one extra pair of hands was plenty and I didn't want to bother anyone." Not the best lie, but I hadn't thought to prepare one for Albenion. Jarec hadn't asked about it.

Celica was glaring at me with her best Medusa impression. Please don't say anything! I'll explain later if you want!

Not that she could hear me. And I doubted her ability to read my expressions was that good. Stupid curse. Telepathy would be really helpful right now.

Celica was quiet, despite the glare.

I could almost see the calculations running though Jade's head though. They had probably noticed that there was a discrepancy in my story.

But would they call me out on it?

I was never going to find out.

"I guess that's fair. I was looking for you guys over by the Pixies. Kinda surprised to see you with the Kelpies."

Celica sighed, "We were, but Angelina wanted her mask to be a surprise for me so we got banished over here."

"It's fine though. Nobody's bothering us and that's nice." It was a little strange, actually. I liked being invisible, but the fact that other than a few glances no one in Kelpie Tower even seemed to care about the existence of me and Celica. Horus hadn't even said anything when Jade brought us over.

He'd been acting strange ever since Mom's visit. We'd…made peace, I supposed. But it was still strange.

I supposed it could have been an omen or something. But Horus didn't fit Red's criteria. Was he probably better than any of us individually? Sure, but so overwhelmingly powerful that we stood no chance at all? That didn't make sense.

"Professor Aetos has been acting weird," Jade commented. "Ever since the parent visit."

"Most of the staff has," Albenion said. He was pointing that out like it was a known thing. I couldn't recall Jarec mentioning that. But then again, hadn't the staff been secretive before everyone else got here?

Death's Echo related or something else?

"But they haven't said anything. No official announcements as far was I know." Normally, that probably wouldn't mean anything. Except I was in the one group of students who would be told the moment official announcements were planned.

"So whatever is going on, it's nothing they intend to tell us. Great," Albenion grumbled. "I guess that means it can't be that bad."

Possibly because they didn't know what Celica and I knew. And only I knew the whole picture.

"It might just be the prep for the Trials. I know this years is going to be a bit more complicated. With an extra Tower participating and all," I commented. It was true, but also maybe distracting enough to not get any questions I would need to lie directly to answer.

"I heard about that. You guys are serious," Albenion commented.

"I don't expect us to win. This year. But there's no reason not to give it our best," I told him. There was a greater chance of a meteor landing in my room than Dragon Tower doing better than last place.

"I want us to win," Celica complained.

"I want to win too. But I'm not going to be devastated if we don't."

She scoffed, "You'd better not pass out on us again."

The look of fear on both Albenion and Jade was justified but ridiculous. It wasn't going to be that bad. "I know what I'm doing."

"If you say so," Albenion didn't sound like he had faith. But his faith didn't mean much to me. It was my own faith that would make or break my performance when it came time for it.

"She's got this. We'll make sure of it," Celica said with a wink aimed at me.

"You guys have to try too. I can't win or lose by myself here."

Celica laughed, "Look at her, trying to be a leader. This is going to be fun."

At least one of us was confident.