“Good.” Dyvinius tapped his fingers together, seeming pleased. “Well, I’m not sure if you know much about what a Foreseer does, or what we are, so I’ll explain. What we do is we use the energy of the Divination Crystal to see visions of either the past or the future. But mostly it’s the future. Once the vision is read, it becomes permanent. There is no changing it.”
Maybe he should explain that to the Keepers, since they seem to think differently. Most of my life had been center around trying to do just that, and here he was saying it was impossible. What if he was right, though? Would that mean there was no hope to stop the portal from opening up? That there was no hope for humanity?
Wow. Talk about slapping reality across my face. And reality seemed to be forming a giant lump in my throat that was making it super hard to swallow.
“Now from what I understand, you saw a past vision, which isn’t too uncommon of a thing to happen with beginners,” said Dyvinius.
I felt like I might cry. The vision I’d seen was from the past. Which meant what? That the woman in it couldn’t be saved?
That lump in my throat nearly doubled in size.
“When a person goes into their first vision, they usually don’t know what they’re doing,” Dyvinius continued. “However, typically the Foreseer ability is discovered in a person before they see their first vision. That way we are able to monitor them. Occasionally, someone does end up slipping through the radar undetected. Sometimes we’re lucky enough to discover them later on, but sometimes we don’t.” His silver eyes locked on me, his expression blank. “We have a radar system that lets us know when there has been an interference with a Divination Crystal. Now it’s not necessarily a bad thing—what you did. Although I have to say, you are very lucky you were able to come out of it. Sometimes people do get stuck.” He paused. “Even though the vision you saw was from the past, it does need to be read correctly. Otherwise, it can alter the human world as we know it.” His face suddenly lit up. “And so we have brought you down here to re-see your vision and to be trained as a Foreseer.”
I casted a frantic glance at Alex.
“Is something wrong?’ Dyvinius asked me. “You look upset.”
“Umm…” I struggled.
Alex stepped forward. “I don’t think her staying here is going to be possible right now. There are certain circumstances that require her to stay with the Keepers.”
Dyvinius stared at Alex, seriousness shadowing in his silver eyes. “The Keepers…Tell me boy, what is your name?”
“Alex Avery,” Alex responded calmly.
“Any relation to Stephan Avery?” Dyvinius asked.
Alex nodded. “He’s my father.”
“Oh, I see,” Dyvinius said and it was clear he wasn’t pleased. “Tell me Alex, what are these circumstances that are keeping Gemma with the Keepers?”
“I can’t answer that,” Alex replied coolly. “As you know, like the Foreseers, Keepers have certain things they have to keep to themselves.”
“Yes, I do understand. However, there are also laws we’re all supposed to follow. I’m sure you know the law that states that if a person is able to use the crystal ball to see a vision, then they have to be trained in the City of Crystal by the Foreseers.” His mouth sagged down into what I assumed was supposed to be a frown, but seeing a frown on his expressionless face just looked creepy. “If Gemma doesn’t stay here then she could end up altering the future. Or end up getting trapped inside a vision if she tries to enter one again.”
My heart raced. Oh no. He was going to make me stay. I looked over at Alex, my eyes pleading with him to do something.
. “I understand that. I really do,” Alex said. “But there has to be something we could work out.”
It was amazing how calm Alex was being. Not me. I was freaking out. And yes, I’d started the nail biting thing again.
Dyvinius’s sliver eyes darkened, sending a chill down my spine. “Yes, maybe we could work something out… If you were to make a promise that she would never use a crystal ball again until she has been properly trained, then I don’t see why I can’t let her go back with the Keepers for awhile.” He paused. “Of course, after these circumstances that are keeping her with the Keepers are gone, she’d have to come back.”
Okay, now I was really panicking. I never wanted to come back here. Ever.
Alex stayed quiet, arms crossed, jaw set.
“Otherwise I’ll have to have her make the promise.” Dyvinius’s eyes glinted. “But I have a feeling you’d probably rather make the promise.”
Was I missing something here? Was something going to happen if the promise was broken? Something bad?
“I guess a promise could be arranged…by me.” Alex gritted through his teeth.
“Very good.” Dyvinius beamed. And I had to say, his beaming was even creepier than his frown. “You understand that you’re making that promise in the City of Crystal. And I assume you already know what the consequences are if you break this promise.”
Alex nodded slowly. “Yeah, I understand.”
Dyvinius leaned forward in the throne, his eyes glowing with eagerness. “Then I need you to say the words out loud.”
Alex glared at him. “I promise.”
Dyvinius leaned back into the throne, looking satisfied. “Good. Now that that’s been taken care of, I need just one more thing from Gemma before I let you both go back.”
Oh yippy. “Okay,” I said warily. “What do I need to do?”
“I need you to go back into the vision and correct it,” he told me.
“Correct it?” I asked. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“Well, I’m guessing that when you went in the vision either some clips’ were missing, or things might have been blurry.”
“Yeah…the peoples’ faces were blurry.”