She gazed at me with confusion.

I know, I was talking to her like she was sitting inside my head, and we all very well know that was not the case. The only people who were able to were now indisposed.

-But speaking of… What about Kon? - asked For. - Or rather about that other… person sitting inside his head now. Can’t we ask her about something?

-Be my guest - I sighed. - I don’t really have any questions, nor do I think she has any answers for us. Why in the hell would she know about Axelrod and his plans?

-It’s not like I think about plans… It’s more about thinking how do we get back our people. And since most of them are gone, we can at least try and save this one…

-You’re really thinking of him as his own, huh…?

She gave me a curious look.

-What’s wrong with that? Wasn’t that your goal? To get the hell off the responsibilities and toss them on to me?

-Don’t sell me so short…

-Wasn’t it?

She was unrelenting.

-It was and still is, but not all of them.

-Picky, aren’t we?

She was clearly trying to antagonize me.

-Stop it.

She looked at me, confused, but I didn’t really care and just continued.

-I just wanted to get the kids away from that place. And those people.

-And yet you wanted me to let the other two join as well. Why?

-And do you have a better idea? How do you think they would’ve acted if I was to say to them that they will be now separated from their caretakers that have been… well, I want to say good to them, but I can’t be sure about that…

-They didn’t seem to be abused…

-...and just dump them into hell-knows-where, alone and confused? I had enough of that, thank you very much.

-Excuse me…?

She was even more confused than before, which was saying something.

-I know, I know I am rambling, but you asked for it - I said, shrugging.

-It’s… fine… Just surprising.

-That I ramble?

-No… that you told me that much?

-Much? - I was the one confused now. - I am just answering questions.

-Questions? I didn’t ask a thing.

I stared at her blankly, not understanding.

-What do you mean “I didn’t ask a thing”? You just did.

-I… What? Are you really okay? Are you overcharged? But you don’t seem to be glowing…

-Same to you. Are you sure you didn’t hit your head? You keep saying things then denying them immediately after.

We both were staring at each other with confusion.

-I don’t know what to say to you.

-Me neither. I swear you are just gaslighting me. Again.

-I never would dare to! - she protested. - Like come on, you do have me still in your palm and can do whatever you want with me! I wouldn’t risk saying something like that!

-And yet you did - I pointed out. - You…

I stopped mid sentence.

-“I wouldn’t risk saying something like that”. Yeah. But would you risk THINKING something like that?

She turned pale.

-I think that means yes.

-I am sorry, I never would…

She immediately started to apologize but I didn’t really care.

-No, no, that’s not the problem. Just tell me. It was not like you were trying to egg me on… it was just you were thinking that to yourself?

-Thinking!? What are you…

-Is he insane? To read me so well?!

If it was not clear before, now I was sure.

I was indeed able to read her thoughts.

-Oh boy. That does not bode well…

-What does? What’s going on?!

She was still confused, and now I slowly started hearing more of her thoughts.

-I need to work on my expressions, if someone like him can read me, I can’t even show my face near Axelrod…

-That’s not exactly… well, honestly good thinking.

-What?!

She yelped, covering her mouth.

-Did I speak out loud?! I am so…

-No. No you didn’t. That’s the problem - I announced. - For better or worse, I can read your mind.

She stared at me blankly and slowly started turning red.

-How… I…

-I am going to say, I did not intend to do so, nor I am sure how that exactly happened - I said over her trying to find her words - but that is concerning more than anything.

-You bet! I can’t even think without being spied on! I hate it!

-Yeah, that is not pleasant. But better get used to it.

She almost jumped up, realizing that I heard her again.

I just gave her an apologetic look.

-Listen, if you are scared that I am going to try and use your thoughts against you, don’t be. I don’t care. The main problem is the fact that it’s happening at all! And considering the fact that I have been weakened, having my abilities develop like that is more concerning to me than it is to you.

-Developing!? That means you could do something similar before?!

-Well, I was able to read your state of mind, or rather state of mana - I replied - but besides that, I did have a similar experience before… with Kon.

She quickly gazed on him, still with expressionless face, overtaken by ILMA.

-That’s how you knew there was trouble… he told you?!

-Well, that’s it. He didn’t. I have lost contact with him. That’s why I came looking for you.

-I thought you just cooled down… I mean, you’ve been pretty stressed.

-You can say that again. I guess that was a combination of both. But now I fear that stress is not getting away any time soon.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

She stiffened again, realizing that I heard what she thought.

-Calm down, it’s not as intrusive as you think it is - I waved her off. - It’s just some glimpses.

She was not convinced, but nodded her head.

-But… does that mean that you can do that to everyone…? - she asked. - Like… Can you look into other people?

-I… I honestly never tried doing something like this… - I replied after a moment of consideration. - I mean I am constantly observing other people’s mana, but not to that extent… Why are you asking?

-Because if you can, we can interrogate…

She stopped and gazed around the room.

We were still alone, not like there was someone else in the whole castle.

Besides Goldie of course. Who was right behind the door.

I could clearly see him, or rather his mana, right through the wall. It was actually pretty strong. Definitely stronger than before. Did he gain some strength while working with Axelrod? Not impossible…

I noticed that she suddenly started staring intently at me.

The hell was she…? Ah… Right.

-You can look into Caleb. You can look into Caleb. You can look into Caleb. You can…

-Shut up, I heard you the first time!

She jumped up.

Honestly, I was surprised too. It was easier than I thought.

She apparently shared my opinion.

-That was easier than I thought…

-You can say that again. Or think rather.

She squinted at me, not used to hearing someone inside her own head.

-If you can do this to me, for sure you can interrogate Goldie then!

-If I even can do that, and that is a big if. Anyway, why would you even want me to do that? You really think that he knows anything of value?

-He is a right hand to the king! What do you think?

-Wasn’t that supposed to be Odar, not him?

-Okay, the other right hand.

-Hah. Don’t you feel like we are grasping at straws here?

-And do you have a better idea? Jacob has vanished along with all of your people and we don’t even know where to!

-Well, you did find that he is in the middle of the ocean…

-Jacob is. But what about the rest of them?

I sighed.

-Eh… fine. But I am not promising anything. I am not an expert in this field, nor do I even have faith that it will work…

-And do we have another choice? It’s either to try to get some information out of him or just be stuck here. Or what, maybe try and use… er, her? Him?

-You mean ILMA? I already told you that she… She is not that useful in our current circumstances.

-I don’t know, she seemed more handy than you give it to her. Like, can’t you just say “ILMA, find where the missing people from the Red Edge have been taken to”?

-I don’t…

-Missing people that recently have been in contact have been taken by the entity known as Jacob Moi to Arbo. Since then the contact with the entity has been severed and the current whereabouts cannot be established.

The sudden answer caught both of us off guard.

-You can hear that?!

To say that the two of us were shaken was a bit of an understatement.

For For it was probably more of a surprise than to me, but still was unexpected as hell.

But instead of thinking about what she just said to us, I was worried WHY she did that.

-ILMA, are you connected to me?

-Affirmative.

-Explain?!

-You heard her - I nodded. - ILMA, explain yourself.

-Affirmative. The connection created between the entity known as Kon that is the current host and entity Mor has been established before the combination has taken place. After the combination the link has been maintained and now is still in effect as before.

-How does that even happen…

-Does that mean she can hear me too…? - For was more worried than anything after hearing the explanation and quickly switched back to talking inside her head.

Honestly, it was surprising how easy it was for her to just do it now. She didn’t even know about this method for ten minutes, and yet she was using it like it was always a part of her.

-Can you hear me, ILMA?

-Affirmative.

-Holy shit… that’s…

-Unnerving… - I finished for her. - And not good for us…

-You don’t say… wait, why not good?

-Because it is not as secure as you think it is. If she was able to join in on our discussions so easily, why can’t someone else do it?

-Didn’t she say that it was because you were connected to Kon?

-Yes. And now I am also connected to you. And you are connected to Caleb. And Caleb is to Jacob. And the chain keeps going.

-You think…

-Yes. The end of the chain is Axelrod. And maybe more… Remember the visions?

-You think that represented who got linked… that means that all of those people who I felt got connected to me?!

-Us. I felt that too. Honestly, I think that might have been my fault. And maybe a bit of Eise’s… speaking of, where's my stuff?

In all the stuff that’s been happening, I forgot about my hands and the bottle that I have been given by her. But I didn’t have to even focus that much to realize where those two are, because the missing pieces have appeared right in front of us.

Carried by Goldie.

-What the hell are you doing?!

He was standing right in the doorway. The powerful mana, that I earlier thought was his, actually belonged to me. Or rather to my arm that he carried with him, along with the small bottle which was right now opened.

-Don’t move! Or I will use this!

He raised the bottle right above my arm, almost spilling a few drops on it.

-I don’t know what got into you - I said - but that is not a good way to intimidate me. I already said that those are not a part of me any more.

-Oh, I’ve heard. And I also have heard that you were not sure. And I’d rather believe the King than some fugitive!

-King? And what the hell does he know?!

-He is omnipotent! He knows everything! Even now in this room he hears and speaks to me.

-Damn. He is deranged… - I mumbled, looking towards For.

She was also not very intimidated, but hearing that bit about Axelrod a sudden gleam appeared on her face.

-And how the hell would he hear us? That far on the sea?! Don’t be ridiculous. Noone is omnipotent. And besides, magic is blocked here, remember?

-Not his! He can do everything! And I will not be swayed by your words. That includes you, For.

We stood there, in silence.

-So what do you want? - I shrugged. - Want to take us somewhere? How? Mind at least explain those demands of yours?

-Demands? Ha. I am ordering you, not demanding. You are to wait here and soon the king himself will deal with you. Like he did with all your friends!

-Like that’s any difference…

-Hold the fuck on. What did you do?

-You are not the one asking questions here!

-I am afraid you forgot your place! - For was not amused by his “power play”. - This is MY home! And neither you nor your king have power here.

-For, please stay back and not escalate the situation!

-Escalate?! You are the one who is threatening us!

-And threatening with what exactly? - I reminded both of them and stepped forward, towards Goldie. - A flask of some strange potion or whatever and two severed arms? Don’t make me laugh.

-I heard you before, don’t try to play dumb! I know that this thing is the one thing that can hurt you!

-And where, pray tell, you heard that, hm? I don’t remember telling that…

-Stay back!

He was not listening, nor he was intending to reply.

-Try it.

I guess she still did not let the idea die…

-Told you that I don’t think it works that way…

-It doesn’t hurt to try.

I mean, sure, she was right.

What the hell, I can…

-Fine. Just try and help me a little bit.

-Okay, okay, fine. I am staying in place. Not like I can hurt you, after all, you do have my arms, right?

I don’t think that reassured him. Hhe lowered the bottle a little bit.

-That’s better. Now you’re going to calmly wait.

-Yeah, sure, but for what exactly? You said that Axelrod is coming, but how? Do you have some other mage capable of teleporting? Or what?

-Not your business.

But as he was trying to brush me off with that bullshit answer, I instead was focusing on his mana, or rather now on his mind.

It was the first time I actually tried to do something like this, so I didn't have much faith in my success. I honestly was not sure what I was looking for, nor how should I get to it, but that didn’t stop me.

I tried remembering the exact feeling of how it was for the first time I connected to Kon, back when he was just a tree trunk. Honestly, it was not that hard to remember, since not so long ago I had a similar experience with For.

It might have been a bit different, but the results were all the same.

-Why are you staring at me like that? Are you trying to entrance me?! I already told you not to use magic! - he warned me, again raising the bottle.

-Nah, just looking. I can’t really change my expression, you know - I said, shrugging, while constantly trying to focus.

Without Iloa it was a lot harder to split my attention in two, but nevertheless I was not giving up.

-Don’t mind him, he is weird like that - assured him For. - You better tell us how long we are supposed to wait. As you are well aware, my people are missing, and I would really have to talk with your king. Since, you know, you said that he knows where they are gone.

He twitched, but did not move from the spot.

-Soon. Last contact with him came to me about an hour ago. Should be sooner than later.

-Hour? Weren't you unconscious an hour ago?

He did not reply.

But while he was silent, I actually picked up something.