YP – B2: UtGoaFN – Chapter 8 (Chapter 54)

228 Days Until Connection and the Uncertain End (Part 1)

Zeydar sat in his room looking over his hands. They were his hands, weakened in a way. He gaze was focused, and his blood was as clear as it could get. But his mind was driving him insane.

How had this happened?

Pounding lights and music. Colors that were changing as people partied late into the night. An After Party to what ever massive event had happened down town. He had went to the house party for one purpose only. Typically he didn’t sneak off Star Campus so far to find James, but he he had been determined to find his dealer and to get what he needed.

Zeydar had seen the madness of something between an orgy and dancing, between life and death, the combination of dreams and reality in the physical form. 

He hadn’t intended to stop the man, but he had recognized the Sweet Dreams. The way that the man had held it and the looks of peer pressure, had driven Zeydar to pity. He had stepped in to help out because of pity — that was what he needed to remind himself; it wasn’t because the drugs had made him lose himself. It was supposed to be an in and out, simple. But then he had seen the eyes.

Nothing about the man was recognizable. Not the hair, not the clothes, not the look, makeup, or expression. Eyen his eyes had contact lens over them. He was crafted to be an entirely different person, and if it wasn’t for the fact that he’d met him before, Zeydar would have never noticed. If it weren’t for the fact that Zeydar’s magic was pounding against his skin screaming to be released, and had recognized him… His magic had recognized the man, and the eyes — Zeydar knew what his real eye color was clear as day. He never should have known the man.

But he had, and his hand had dropped from shoulder to hand, taking the Sweet Dreams from him. For pity, for greed, because he recognized him.

“Speak of the devil, Zeydar.” One of those inebriated stated stupidly. His name was never supposed to be spoken. Just like the man before him had been hiding his identity, Zeydar had been hiding his. He would have to talk to James about the use of his name later. What if the wrong people heard.

But it was the use of the phrase before his name that made Zeydar curious.

Evester of EverDanger had been looking for him, and this Evester was as sober as possible at a party where sobriety was a crime. It had been the phrase that told Zeydar, that Evester and the others had been speaking about him. Yet, it had been partial fear of being found off campus, partial fear of being in the presence of the most wanted man in the world, and the need to finish what he came for that had him pretending that he hadn’t known who Evester was. Had him pretending as if Everster hadn’t realized that Zeydar knew who he was.

Now here he sat in his room looking at his hands questioning, wondering, trying to place it together.

Why was Evester asking about him? Did it matter? If Evester was looking for him, did that not mean that Evester would get his way to him? Zeydar had told James to tell Evester not to find him in hopes that it would get Evester to hunt for him more. The idea that Evester was looking for him or wanted to know more about him, made Zeydar wanting to think of it more. Why? 

Or was it an offhanded comment and he’d over stepped?

No. Evester had recognized him and was in disguise. James had offhandedly mentioned on how they were friends, a lie that Evester had said and Zeydar had went with it. 

Zeydar picked up and turned over the Sweet Dreams that James had given Evester. It was medical grade, but packed into a pill designed for more of a punch and the stuff that got people sick. It was what was given to those Circles who wanted the biggest high they could get. Those who were not used to Sweet Dreams could get very hurt from it. James had known that. Zeydar didn’t even play around with it, not when he was already hopped up on so much of it all the time. They had intended to try to get Evester to a state of no control.

A cruel Circle joke played on lower-class Circles. Evester wasn’t but they didn’t know that. Zeydar did. 

“He’s coming.” Zeydar almost didn’t recognize his voice as he spoke into the world. The only truth that mattered. Zeydar knew that Evester would come to look for him. Why? He had no idea. But if the only person with information for the Yasloughve Project came to his door… 

He had no idea when Evester would come to him. They’d need to get the permission to enter Star Campus. Or did he have a secret way in? How had he gotten into Valaria? How did no one know? He would come. When and how Zeydar did not know.

What Zeydar knew was that in two days his promotion exams began, and in three it was his birthday. He did not have time to be dreaming of far off adventures, and secrets. He didn’t even have time to dream at all. Not that, that would stop him.

Book in hand, Zeydar reviewed for his exams, just a little. In his head he calculated the amount of time he had before his exma. He had to begin his high at the last moment, to be able to make it through the first exam without a hitch. To make sure that with drawl did not set in, and screw everything he had been working for.

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