Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

THERE HAS TO BE A REASONABLE EXPLANATION FOR THIS.

M y head spun, and the room swirled around me as I tried to regain my bearings. Rhiot wasn't faring much better; he clutched his head, his golden eyes wide with shock and disorientation.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice strained, barely a whisper.

"Y-yeah." I stammered, still trying to process what just happened. My demon powers had recoiled from however Rhiot had tried to extinguish my fire, or that was my best guess.

"Holy shit!" Grayson's voice cut through the haze, and I saw him rush toward me with Kearan on my other side. "Parker! What happened?"

"Rhiot tried something, and it backfired." I mumbled, feeling the concern roll off of them in waves.

Kearan's usually stoic face softened with worry, and I found myself wanting to reassure him.

"Hey, I'm okay." I attempted a weak smile. "Just a little shaken up."

"Damn, Parker." Rhiot muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "You sure know how to make things interesting."

"Interesting?" I scoffed, my heart still pounding. "This is like playing demonic roulette. Never know what my powers will do."

"Let me look at you for a moment." Kearan's soft voice held a hint of authority, and I nodded, allowing him to check me over.

Grayson's gaze never left mine, his energy seemingly reaching out to me through the mating bond, seeking reassurance. I felt vulnerable under his intense stare. We hadn't bonded yet, so it was strange I could sense him so much more than Kearan and Ryker. Then, like that, his presence disappeared. Strange.

Kearan stepped back, his eyes scanning me again for any signs of injury. "You don't seem to have any physical injuries." He gave me a nod of approval. I was grateful for his healing abilities, knowing that without him, I would be much worse off, but also glad he hadn't needed to use them on me this time. He'd saved me before and I knew he wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

"Thanks, Kearan." I murmured, trying to steady my breathing.

I knew they were all worried about me, but the thought of losing control of my powers again sent a wave of anxiety through me. If I caused a repeat of the training facility… No, I couldn't let that happen.

"Guys, seriously, I'm fine." I insisted, trying to shake off the lingering tendrils of disorientation. "We just need to figure out what went wrong and never do that again."

"Are you sure?" Kearan asked, his gentle touch on my arm sending a shiver down my spine.

"Positive." I replied with more confidence than I felt. "Let's just keep going."

"Alright." Grayson agreed reluctantly. "But if anything feels off, stop immediately."

"Deal," I said, the tingling in my limbs slowly subsiding.

"Good." Rhiot grinned, all traces of concern gone from his face. "That went great until the end. Now let's see if we can't try to get your demon side under control, shall we? Maybe something not quite as explosive."

"Right." I nodded, steeling myself for whatever chaos was to come next.

Unfortunately, I tested that all too soon.

As I attempted to finish calming myself, my fingers slid through my hair, trying to smooth it out since it felt like it was standing out at all angles. To my surprise, I felt something flat and rectangular lodged within the strands. I pulled it out, revealing one of Grayson's strange, large cards. How had it gotten there? Oh right, he'd had them on the table we'd landed on.

"Grayson, what kind of weird cards are these?" I asked, holding it up for him to see.

He blinked in surprise, clearly surprised. "These are Tarot cards." He spoke while reaching out to take the card from me. "It must've gotten caught when you were thrown back by the recoil."

"What are Tarot cards?" I studied the image. It said 'Ace of Swords', depicting a singular sword in the center of the card, surrounded by a bright, shining yellow light with rays of light streaming off the sword. The background was dark with stars.

Grayson furrowed his brow, deep in thought. When he finally answered, it was with a distant, distracted voice. "They're intuitive cards that help you understand a present problem through divination."

"Interesting."

He nodded, still consumed by the card. "Very interesting. Seems like an opportune moment for you to pull that specific card."

My fingers clenched around the tarot card, the image of the Ace of Swords staring back at me like a taunt after the mishap with my demon fire. Grayson's words echoed in my head, but they offered no comfort or answers.

"Whatever." I muttered under my breath. The card left me feeling a mix of emotions, and I wasn't in the mood to deal with them. A surge of anger bubbled up within me, and without thinking, I flung the card across the room. I didn't care where it landed... I just needed it out of my sight. Maybe the sword was exciting my demon side.

"Parker!" Grayson's voice cut through the air, his concern evident, but all eyes were suddenly drawn to the card. I turned just in time.

As if guided by some unseen force, it transformed mid-flight into a gleaming silver sword. The sound of metal slicing through the air sent chills down my spine. With a resounding thud, the sword embedded itself into the wall opposite us, quivering from the impact.

"Did you just...?" Grayson stammered, his gaze darting between me and the sword. Our astonishment mirrored each other's, and I knew he was as much in the dark as I was.

"Of course not." I snapped, feeling slightly defensive. "I just threw the damn card."

"Then how...?" Trux trailed off, staring at the weapon with a mixture of awe and disbelief.

"Maybe it has to do with your powers?" Rhiot ventured hesitantly, his eyes wide and curious.

Shaking my head, I stepped closer to the sword, cautiously reaching out to touch its hilt. Cool metal met my fingertips. It was a replica of the sword in the Tarot card. A very real and corporeal replica. I couldn't deny that this was far beyond anything I had experienced before, and I couldn't help but wonder what it meant. Was this some new manifestation of my demon abilities? Or something entirely different?

"Grayson, are these cards special or enchanted in any way?" I demanded, turning to face him. My heart raced in my chest, a mixture of fear and curiosity coursing through me.

"Never." His voice held an awe I wasn't ready to interpret. "They're just regular Tarot cards."

"Then explain this!" I wildly gestured toward the sword, my eyes never leaving his. Panic was starting to build up inside of me.

"I can't." Grayson admitted, his expression torn between awe and confusion. "But maybe we should find out what else you can do with them."

As I stared at the sword, finally motionless in the wall, I couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope amidst the chaos. If these cards held some key to controlling my powers, then perhaps there was a chance for me to finally gain control over the darkness within me. But first, I needed answers, and I wouldn't stop until I knew for sure.

"There has to be a reasonable explanation for this."

The room pulsed with an electric tension as Grayson, Kearan, and Trux stared at the sword embedded in the wall, their faces a mixture of shock and disbelief. The air hung heavy with unspoken questions, the silence broken only by our ragged breaths. Their silence was my answer.

Rapid steps filled the hallway as Seph skid to a halt, her gaze dancing over the room. Her jaw dropped as she struggled for words.

A raccoon ambled after her. He reached up and grasped her pant leg, then he noticed the sword protruding from the wall. Ryker's paw vaguely gestured in the direction of the sword.

"Yeah, no idea." Seph said absently before she turned her attention to me. "What happened?"

"I saw it, and I still have no words." Rhiot breathed, his voice filled with confusion and awe.

"I wasn't gone that long." Seph put her hands on her hips as her eyebrows furrowed before she leveled her gaze at me.

"I didn't do it!"

"Uh, yes you did." Rhiot argued.

"Definitely wasn't me." Grayson murmured, his eyes locked on the weapon, reflecting the cold steel of the blade.

Kearan swallowed hard, his fingers twitching at his sides. He exchanged a glance with Grayson, the two of them sharing a silent conversation that only heightened my unease.

"Are you alright, Parker?" Trux grumbled, his brow furrowed in concern. His rough exterior barely concealed the worry etched in his features.

"I'm fine," I snapped, my hands shaking as I clenched them into fists. Breathe. I needed to breathe. All of this excitement and confusion tempted my demon side to run loose and cause havoc.

"Do it again." With a solemn voice, Grayson stepped forward, his expression unreadable. He gestured to the scattered tarot deck. "Pick one," he ordered, his voice low and serious.

I hesitated for a moment before I reached into the mess of cards and blindly snatched one of the facedown cards. My heart raced as I slowly revealed it, my eyes widening in surprise when I saw that it was The Fool. A jester danced on a cliff with a small dog. Mountains were in the background. That was harmless, right? The room went silent as everyone stared at me expectantly.

"What does this mean?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the sound of my pounding heart. Thankfully, it didn't look dangerous, like the sword.

"When The Fool card appears upside down, a part of yourself is yet to be finished. This may be an internal reflex or a mental stance that stops you from responding in truth or wisdom. You could still be living in ignorance or naivete." Grayson's gaze sent a chill down my spine. "Throw it like you did the Ace of Swords."

Still uncertain, I took a deep breath and threw the card, not expecting anything. It flew through the air, and before it touched the floor, everyone but me burst out into uncontrollable laughter, completely incapacitated.

I watched in confusion as they all doubled over in hysterics, their laughter echoing off of the walls and bouncing around us.

Seph was clutching her sides, tears streaming down her face as she gasped for air between fits of laughter. Rhiot was bent over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

Even Trux struggled to breathe or stand up straight, despite his usual stoic demeanor. Never, ever, did I believe I would see him laugh like this.

"I don't get what's so funny." As I watched them, I crossed my arms, waiting for them to clue me in on what was happening... but they couldn't seem to collect themselves.

It wasn't until I heard Grayson's booming laughter and saw Kearan doubled over, that what was happening around me morphed into something ominous.

"It wasn't that funny." Despite my protest, I felt something was off about this. My stomach twisted as fear surged inside of me. They weren't laughing because I'd done something funny. They appeared possessed, unable to control themselves or stop. "Well hell, now what?"