"The mind," Hush began, "is a very peculiar thing."

"Tell me about it!" Skye shouted.

Hush gave her a look.

"Last night, I had a dream where Midas was some crazy demon coming to kill us," Skye shrugged innocently.

She smiled and giggled, but the memory of seeing her whole torso gold made her heart crawl up her throat.

"Trust you to have weird dreams. I assume this one isn't based on real life?" Hush asked jokingly, but there was a shrill note in her voice.

"Nope! I guess we'll have to wait and see!" Skye smiled.

"I don't like that idea, thank you very much," Ollie remarked.

Skye laughed, but Hush remained silent. She examined Skye with curiosity, and although something was almost definitely on her mind, she said nothing.

"Is this dream related to anything?" Hush said after a few moments had passed.

"A couple things... although they're only loosely related. They may be completely coincidental."

"Tell me," Hush ordered. Her tone was worryingly serious.

"Well, Midas found this strange cube-"

"Purple?"

Skye hesitated.

"...Yeah. Purple," Skye nodded.

"And the other thing?" Hush enquired.

Skye took off her denim jacket and showed Hush her arm.

"That's rather peculiar, isn't it?" Hush said nonchalantly.

"I don't know what to do."

"I do."

Silence.

"It lines up with what I'm going to teach you today, actually," Hush added.

"What is it?" Skye asked.

"Skye, have you worked out how to go into someone's mind yet?"

"Hell no! That sounds awesome!"

"Good. I'm glad. It's not easy, you know."

"That's fine! I need to learn stuff. Besides, I like a challenge."

A smile fluttered across Hush's face, concealed by her mask.

"You see, when you have a Rift Star, you can sense things that ordinary people can't. Like people's minds."

"Me and my sister are telepathic," Skye commented helpfully.

"Really? That'll be a good start, then. You and your sister are on the same brain wave, and you can probably do that because magic is in your family. You said that Oro was in your bloodline, right?"

"I never told you that!"

Hush shrugged. What else did she know?

"Wait, did you know about the dream with evil Midas?" Skye gasped.

"Yes. I just wanted you to be honest. Honesty is the best policy... and also the policy that is most broken."

"You haven't been honest with me!"

"...Yes. Sorry about that. Difficult circumstances."

Skye had to admit that she couldn't really blame Hush. From what Skye knew about her life, she was surprised that Hush could trust anyone.

"You still shouldn't poke around in my memories," Skye sulked.

"Sorry, Skye. Please forgive me," Hush said like a businesswoman rather than like she meant it.

"Ok, I forgive you! Just know that when you teach me how to mind hack people, I'll mind hack you!"

"Mind hack?"

"Mmhmm!"

"I- ok. Just try and get into my brain wave."

Skye stared at Hush, as if that helped. It was so weird - Skye could sense Hush, but she couldn't get into her mind. No matter how hard she focused, she just couldn't do it.

"I can't get in!" Skye shouted.

"Keep trying," Hush replied.

"Come on, Skye! You can do it!" Ollie chanted.

Skye closed her eyes and really concentrated on the weird signal that she was feeling. And, when she opened her eyes, she was not in Frenzy Farm anymore.

It was like she was in void. There was no floor, but her feet touched some kind of surface that made no noise. The strange space was all white, so it was impossible to tell the height or length of the room.

"Hush?!" Skye shouted. The shout reverberated in the empty void.

"Well done."

Skye turned around and saw Hush stood there, in front of Thirteen. Whenever one spoke, the other did simultaneously.

"Thanks," Skye smiled, moving her gaze between them.

"You should probably try someone else, now that you've got the technique down," they said.

"Ok."

Skye backed out of the void and was again on the hill near Frenzy Farm. She looked at Hush and smiled.

"Who should I try it on?" Skye asked her.

"You said that Midas found that cube? Is there someone who could help with that? I mean, is there someone who could take it away?"

Skye thought about this. If the cube - if it was in fact the cube - could make nightmares as vivid as Skye's, then it must have contained dark magic. As she had suspected, the cube was an epicentre of pure evil.

"I may know one person," Skye nodded. "Just be prepared to intervene."

Hush reluctantly agreed as Skye closed her eyes. It took her a moment, but Skye eventually returned to the white void that she had seen a minute ago.

She looked around.

"Oro?" Skye shouted into the distance.

Nothing.

"Hello-o?"

...

"Oro? Are you there? Give me a sign!" Skye grumbled.

"No, not Oro."

Skye's heart stopped. The voice was unfamiliar, belonging to a woman. Her voice was deep and soothing, like someone's mother, but when she came into view, Skye knew it was highly unlikely that she was anyone's mother. She looked like Oro... but it couldn't have been Oro. Oro was a guy.

"Who the hell are you?" Skye asked the female skeleton, her words not reflecting the terror in her voice.

"I," said the skeleton, "am Orelia."

Skye remembered Oro talking about Orelia on the beach near Camp Cod. She was his wife; his world. Oro asked Skye to save her from The Grotto.

"Oh no! We never came to save you from The Grotto!" Skye gasped.

Orelia looked as though she would be narrowing her eyes at Skye, but it was impossible to tell because she had no eyelids.

"No, you didn't. And thanks to you, I had to get out by myself. Thanks very much."

"I'm sorry! I completely forgot!"

"Don't aplogise. Listen, I have something I need to tell you, but I need to tell you it in person."

"In... In person?"

Orelia nodded, her golden bones creaking with each movement.

"And you're the same Orelia who's Oro's wife?" Skye whimpered.

Orelia threw Skye a disgusted look.

"Ugh! He told you I was his wife?!"

Skye looked sheepishly to the floor. Or white... nothingness.

"Maybe?"

"I'm not his wife! He did have a wife called Orelia, but that's not me! I'm one of his descendants. Orelia the Second, if you will."

The idea of two Orelias caused Skye to shudder, even though the other Orelia who was Oro's wife was likely lying six feet under back on Komora.

"Skye? Are you ok?" Skye heard Ollie's voice surrounding her. It was like God was talking to her.

"Her heart rate is heading towards a dangerous level. Oliver, you have to calm her," Hush instructed to Ollie, her voice also ethereal.

"... Did you just call me Oliver?"

"I am coming for you, Skye Nimbus. And your sister," Orelia said, ignoring Ollie and Hush's conversation.

Skye didn't reply, but it didn't matter. Orelia was already gone. She disappeared back to wherever she was, and Skye decided it was best to do the same.

Ollie and Hush both peered at her, taking up her whole vision.

"What on earth happened?" Ollie asked Skye.

"I'm sorry I didn't intervene. I couldn't get in," Hush apologised.

Skye gulped. If Hush couldn't get in, then that meant that Orelia was probably really powerful. And really dangerous.

"Orelia is coming for us," Skye whispered.

Hush and Ollie exchanged looks.

"Who?" Hush asked.

"Orelia is Oro's wife-" Ollie started.

"No," Skye interrupted Ollie. "This is a different Orelia. Yes, the one in The Grotto, but she's actually one of his descendents. And she's a meanie."

Pause.

"The Grotto! I completely forgot!" Ollie sighed in frustration.

"I'm glad to know it wasn't just me," Skye giggled uncomfortably.

"This Orelia sounds dangerous. I'll alert my friends, and I suggest that you alert yours. Well done today," Hush said.

Then, Hush was gone. She slid down the hill like it was a slide, leaving Skye and Ollie to themselves.

"You're not telling anyone, are you?" Ollie mumbled to Skye.

Skye shook her head.

"Nope. Ava's the only person who I want to know, and I think she'll find out by herself."

Like Hush had, Skye slid down the hill, now leaving just Ollie to his thoughts. He thought about telling Midas behind Skye's back, but that would be betraying Skye's trust, and Skye was Ollie's world.

Ollie sucked his thoughts up and slid down the hill after Skye.

TO BE CONTINUED...