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"The appearing thrones didn't make much sense either. Why would we need stone thrones in the future? I don't think the Staran will heal themselves by us looking regal."
Amber chuckled. "I quite like that none of us are human, though. That gives us an advantage over the previous Wardens. It has to count for something, there has to be a reason why suddenly supernaturals became the new Wardens."
Macey nodded. "The humans were only given their elemental power when they became a Warden. They had to learn how to use it. We already know how to, and we all have additional abilities. Amber and I can shift, Izban can do magic and has his little blue helper, Cam and Flint can travel the Staran and Jared... can have sex."
They all laughed, clearing up some of the tension and worry in Macey's chest.
"I'm a bit worried about the internal battles he spoke about," she admitted once they'd calmed down. "I think I can deal with outside battles better than with internal ones."
Amber chuckled bitterly. "I've had my share of internal battles these past few months. If I have to go through something like that again... I'm not sure I'll be able to cope."
Izban put an arm around his partner and pulled her close. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
Macey was hurting for her friend. It was obvious how vulnerable Amber was beneath her strong exterior. The girl wasn't going to keep up the pretense forever. They needed to get this over with before Amber crashed.
"We can help you both," Cam said, interrupting the uncomfortable silence that had fallen over the Wardens.
It was only then Macey realised Luch was missing. Where had the pesky mouse got to? And after the ex-Warden in her dream had revealed such interesting things about her role in fixing the Staran. Though Macey had no idea what actually entail. Hopefully the woman herself would know.
"I know you can," Macey acknowledged. "But that doesn't actually change what happened. We can make ourselves stronger but healing our scars will take longer.”
She exchanged a supportive glance with Amber, who smiled weakly. As much as she hated what the Voice had done to both of them, and wished it hadn't happened, she was glad she had someone else who could understand completely.
In time, the two of them would heal. But for now, it was better to repress the nightmares and the negative stuff surrounding them and concentrate on the task at hand.
"That's not a plan for now, though," Amber said, echoing Macey's thoughts.
"Where were the Staran created?" Macey asked absentmindedly. It might not make a difference. But often they said that the best way to fix something was to go to where the root of the problem was. It sounded like the right kind of plan to her. At least it gave them some kind of direction.
"No one really knows, but there's many rumours about it," Cam said.
"Don't tell me, Mount Olympus?" Macey asked, hoping to the very depth of the seas that she was wrong. As much as she wouldn't mind a quick trip to Greece, the thought terrified her. If most of what the humans thought was mere mythology existed in Scotland, then there was going to be some seriously bad things in the other country, and she didn't fancy her chances against sirens or minotaurs.
"No, not Olympus, you'll be glad to know that it literally is just a mountain," Cam said, sounding a little amused. At least her question had raised some spirits then. That was a start.
"So where?"
"This tiny island in the middle of the Northern Sea," Cam answered.
"Because that's a perfectly reasonable place for a travel system to be born," Izban muttered.
"Where would you pick? Somewhere obvious that anyone could find?" Cam bit back.
"Boys," Amber barked. "This is not the time to start arguing. Yes, Izban, it's a weird place. But Cam, he does have a point. If you're going to make something for people to travel on, don't you want them to actually be able to find it?"
"I suppose?" Cam seemed uneasy about the beithir's commanding tone.
"No, not supposing. The answer is yes. You don't put something on a tiny island unless you don't want people to find it." Amber rose to her feet and began to pace. "Which raises the question of why."
"But why wouldn't the creator want people to find them?" Macey asked. "Especially when there are other entry points. I mean, they're all over the place," she added, thinking back over all the times they'd travelled on them already.
"My guess is that they were never meant to be used by that. Maybe the person who created them, wanted to be the only person that could. And whenever they landed somewhere, they created another door? It would then open up the Staran to other people then too." Amber's tail swished from side to side as she paced, almost like it was thinking itself.
"She's not completely wrong," Luch said from the doorway, leaning on the frame and studying them all.
"Where does the completely come in?" Macey asked, wondering how long the mouse had been stood there.
"Assuming that it was just one person that created the Staran. They were originally a Unseelie invention. A way for them to travel around the world unchecked by everyone else. They just didn't catch on to the fact that a Seelie woman would uncover their plot. She changed the Staran, and opened them up to the world in general. Or at least, those of us who can see them." She looked straight at Macey, as if knowing she was one of the people that couldn't see them on their own.
