There will e a day where the bsphemous mark is revealed; a raven-haired man shall bring an epoch of age and anarchy. When the moment transpires that the lost heir returns, a long-awaited union will crify what was clouded. It shall be on the day that metals are reunited and the champions reach adulthood that an unspoken promise will mark the strengthening of power. If the stars are to fall from the sky and what is blue turhe broken promise will usher forth the downfall of two kingdoms. Only if the ether regains its serene divinity will the ceous hearts of saviours be able to vanquish the invading empire and gift the era of peace.

  It was easy to find a copy of the Tremaium prophe any library, tavern, or temple. It was about fifteen years old, after all. There was a good ce you'd find it on some page of any given Emiarhian neer. The real problem was finding someone who could decipher it. The kled clipping sat on my p as I absentmindedly tied my boot ces for training that day. Most of the prophecy was engraved into my memory at that point, but it was only somewhat clearer than it'd been when I'd first read it. It was a little hard not to obsess over it. It was about me, to be fair.

  We were looking for a man with blue-bck hair; that much was obvious. I was starting to wonder if that man was Vhinrud, but I couldn't be certain. I'd only seen him once. I wasn't sure how anyone was supposed to distinguish raven hair frur bck hair in such a dark chamber, while also w about staying alive and proteg Ashkan. Also, the ends of his hair were grey. But regardless, if he was the focal point of all this, why wasn't he more involved? Why hadn't we met him already? Why wasn't he famous?

  Everything was all specution. 'Mark' could refer to the Inkbloods' tattoos. But why would their symbol be specifically bsphemous? I could be the 'lost heir', but ao what? Maybe it’s someone we haven't met yet. The part about metals reuniting was definitely about the three neckces. And the part after about us reag 'adulthood' had been cause for much bad-forth, but at least it was mostly straightforward. Everything after that was just nonsears falling from the sky? Something blue turnihe downfall of two kingdoms? I sighed. It was all too cryptic.

  I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't notice Ashkan lifting my right hand. pletely oblivious, I kept my eyes glued on the words before me as he began ing cloth around my wrist. After nearly a week in the infirmary, Lunellia had finally decided he was well enough to be discharged. Today was our first day ba duty sihe i. Our trainers were easing us ba, though. It was a simple day of mobility, agility, and flexibility exercises. Nothing strenuous.

  Ashkan was trating hard oask at hand, brow furrowed and lips pressed together. It was kind of cute.

  "What are you doing?" I asked, finally diverting my attention.

  He looked up, his expression rexed, and he offered a lopsided smile. "Helping."

  This circumstance had bee a routine of sorts over the past month or two. I could never quite get the hang of hand s. Whether by misfortune or impatience, either they were too loose and fell off during practice, or too tight and stricted my blood flow. There were plenty of occasions where Ashkan ended up having to re my hands. I didn't want to take advantage of his kindness, but it was admittedly o have help.

  After seg my right hand, he stood up and moved to sit on my left. I kept reading. I he distra. Ashkan's ability to rouse colour into my face was getting to be uny. And annoying. I felt my left hand leave my side. He positioned my wrist on his knee so that he could it. Again, my eyes didn't leave the prophecy. I read it over and over. Why did I expect the ao suddenly pop out to me?

  From the er of my vision, I saw Ashkan stop in his tracks. It took me a sed to figure out what he was staring at. The scars. Of course. Both sides of my hand were healed by now, thanks to some more magic – and by healed, I mean the scars had faded from a bright red-pink to a slightly shiny white. Still noticeable. Funny how, despite how major they seemed, their existence was easy tet. I guessed Ash was trying to do the same; not a day went by where his left forearm wasn't covered by fabric.

  "What?" I turo face him.

  He immediately looked away, then shook his head and started ing my hand again.

  "It's okay," I assured him. "It was worth it."

  He shifted unfortably and finished in silence. Once he was done, he g the clock over the arerance. We had some time to kill before being called to warm-ups.

  I bit my lip, thinking. The prophecy was currently taking up more spa my brain than anything else. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to remember what colour hair Vhinrud has, do you?"

  The abruptness of the question seemed to throw Ashkan for a loop. He paused. "Uh... Hold on, don't tell me. Er, brown?"

  "Nevermind."

  Unless it was aremely dark shade of brown, I was sure the correswer was bck. Either way, it didn't seem we'd firmed who the 'raven-haired man' was just yet. And anyway, I had a feeling Vhinrud was going to make our lives more difficult no matter what.

  Shaye and I hadn't ied much since our heated disagreement two days ago. Granted, we werely in direunicatioly, with both school and training being paused, but it wasn't like we were actively avoiding each other. Though, she certainly wasn't approag me first either. And from that, I guessed we had something of an unspoken agreement not to have a real versation until questions were answered. Namely, whether or not I'd actally learned dark magid was being slowly corrupted by it. I didn't want to believe it. With that said, it did absolutely freak me out. So, naturally, Shaye's cims were lodged somewhere at the bay brain, mostly ignored, as I tried to navigate other emotional dilemmas.

  I didn't end up returning those tomes to the Academy. At least not until I could learn more about dark magi general. Maybe it was out of defiance, maybe to simply justify myself. The fact of the matter was that I had a lot of questions, and those books were unfortuhe only things that would be able to provide answers. The more I read, the more answers I found. It was a fair trade-off for how impossible it was to get my hands on them. Still, every new session I spely reading at Kadia's house was an exercise in guilt. Did I really want to be uhically pursuing questioopics? But it was difficult not to feel a bizarre e, almost a y, to uncover secrets of this forbidden sorcery.

  A tome titled 'Fuals of the Dark Arts' detailed the plex meisms of a phenomenon called life-force siphoning – the act of drawing essence from another living anism. My pulse quied as I skimmed the paragraphs. Everything sounded way too familiar. Even the smallest aspects of the descriptions directly cided with what I remembered experieng so many times before, under Miss Lucera's instru. It was astounding. There had to be some sort of expnation, some sort of misuanding. All I wanted was to uand more about what Ashkan had experiehe draining of power he'd described. I now had to worry about if this siphoning was also corruptive, and if he was actually ied like Shaye thought I was. The way the book described it, it was very possible. That energy absorption was a key element of dark magid was fually hostile and ily dangerous. Everything I'd possibly, uionally been doing.

  Despite my increasing stress, I kept reading. Perhaps I was looking for some sort of fort or firmation that Shaye's hypothesis was mistaken. That somehow, despite the eerily matg symptoms, my energy-transferring was something ued, somethiral and harmless. I scoured through text after text, searg for an alternate expnation. Instead, I stumbled upon something most ued: mentions of Winithas' very first prihe Twisted Prince', as Zyel had called him. A dated, old tome, riddled with loose edges and yellowed pages, drew me in by more than just its small, fragile, antique cover. 'His Highness' Tenebris: A Lethal Fasation', by R. Sygallos.

  ...The royal lineage of Winithas is a discrepancy embedded into Emiarhia's history. Being the only liirely severed from the inal King and Queen chosen by the gods at the moment this world was created, the only child of the first Winithinian family alone is an enigma. Despite the realm being the most iial and poputed of the seven, which led to the gods' creation of the royal sceptre, it is puzzling that any family crafted by deities was wiped from existehin the first two geions of it. His Highness Prince Lah Drekásta Gowayn, the sole heir of the first Winithinian king, was born with a severe immunodeficy, and spent the ey of his childhood undergoing intereatment. This led him to be hidden from the public eye. It is his retionship to this obscurity that has kept many questions unanswered, for with no memory to speak of ing his father or his time amongst royalty, everything presented of his supposed truth are often vague ats or mere assumptions. What be assured, however, are the allegations of unsavoury ambitions that followed Prince Lah for all the years of his brief and hidden life. Due to his physical frailty, his personality was greatly affected.

  Much has been cluded by inferehe details, though mostly obscure, point to what could be sidered an overwhelming obsession. ected with his is were a variety of peculiar experiments dealing with the mind and body. Likewise, there are many aes that trace his attempts to increase the funality of his own, failing systems. Several aales suggest that the Prinvestigated magic to find a solution. In fact, it is believed that through this pursuit, he developed a new, entirely unknown, type of sorcery. Magic too votile, too inprehensible to replicate, left behind the remnants of some unnatural, corruptive power. However, this theory remains to be supported by more substantial evidence. For it was told that no one who entered this extraordinary type of sorcery would keep any sanity. Furthermore, Emiarhia was mere decades old, and magic during this time was rgely superficial and insubstantial. With this in mind, is it possible for some sickly boy – however far removed from normalcy he was – to craft such vile, macabre siven such opacity and fusion, sucertainty and insistency surrounding the story, it is unlikely any satisfactory answers will be uncovered. It is probable that the majority of these rumours inate from the fantastical atmosphere that persisted all the way until his death, clouding the crity that surrounds Prince Lah and his legacy. Yet, despite this apparent improbability, there is no doubt in my mind that the only son of King Hreiuk Gowayn has tributed a share of darko our recorded history, whether iional or not, long fotten or retly uncovered, as a stain to the glory that he shall not be ected with.

  It wasn't until my eyes fell upon the words 'sickly boy' that the tents of this passage began sinking in. Since when had I been reading a biography owisted Prince? How had the tides of i carried me so far astray? This wasn't a dark magic book at all. I stared at the yellowed page, eyes drifting over the words but not quite prehending their meaning, too absorbed in my thoughts. All this told me was that Lah may have tributed to creating dark magi a roundabout way. Which if true, meant that either his work was tinued by others over time, or that his work was itself a tinuation of someone else's. But all that was over six hundred years ago. It didn't have much relevao today.

  The st book I'd rented out from the Academy's library seemed unhelpful at first gnce, but at that point, I'd grabbed all I could get my hands on. It turned out that my instinct was correct. The only iing thing about it was that it tradicted Sygallos' and other simir authors' cims; instead, the book presehe possibility that Lah may have had something of an epiphany, but that he died too soon for ao actually know if it was a breakthrough. Written just a few years ago by Alec Mavourneen, 'The Tragic, Ephemeral Reign of King Lah Gowayn' had a different, positive take oale of Winithas' first prince:

  ...While many believe his attempts at unc the possibilities of early magic were unorthodox and bizarre, the Prince did have some substantial insights into spellcasting. Most notably, his musings on how to effitly gather magi the enviro without the need for ruools, intations, or materials – in trast to more primitive maions of this art form – are arked a movement of furthering the research of these theories in his absehus, Lah, in his efforts to remedy his ailing stitution, made great leaps towards modern, effective sorcery. Surrounded by god-fearing individuals aably heedless parents, however, the majority of these breakthroughs were stifled and ter suppressed.

  I flipped to the back, cheg to see if there was a glossary. There wasn't, so I thumbed through the book's tents curiously for any other iing passages.

  ...It is therefore accurate to ascertain that his ck of social skills due to his sequestration grew from an enviro of emotional disect. Prince Lah's retions, or ck thereof, to those around him, and his rather unique, voluted character, were perceived in a variety of ways. Most biasedly among them that he was the embodiment of evil. More reasonably, his oddity simply suggested he roduct of his times, a prince of the budding, religiously motivated try of Winithas, unnecessarily fearful and paranoid. To sider how Prince Lah was unorthodox for his envirohen, is to uand him from a more realistigle. His short life aively ambiguous path are defined by numerous uainties, none of which are wholly satisfactory. Therefore, perhaps it is more apt to sympathize with him, as we only wonder how his tale could have ended if left up to him. After all, irospect, Lah's tale has a tragic, heroic edge to it. A brilliant visionary born with a debilitating ailment, raised by distant caregivers in an unkind time, finding so hazy mysteries that granted him a sembnce of trol over his body and abilities.

  Following his father's untimely death, the man once ferociously deemed unfit to rule rose to the throne, and slowly became disented by the strict, religious limitations of his try. So, he turned his ba the gods in order to face progress. In time, like a fgration spreading without che a dry forest, the popution was won over by his drive to overe their trials and build a future beyond their fines. Fearful of his pagan views and angered by his disregard of faith, the gods themselves intervehey destroyed the divine sceptre that had been previously used to trol them, along with the six holy gemstones. Prince Lah had no i in his father's tri, nor its precious gems, for he cared little for authority over immortals he did not worship. Thus, he was left alone, o a world where one would rule as a mere figurehead... A delectable irony, is it not, that despite having been born with an incurable disorder that the gods refused to attend to – as the gods of Emiarhia failed so many of its people throughout its history – King Lah Drekásta Gowayn would still bee known for shaking their trol over the seven realms? They chose to leave his reign unprotected as they vanished without a trace. He persevered, in spite of his limitations and, perhaps, because of them. It is thanks to him that we live in an age free of the gods, allowing us the privilege and opportunity to pursue happiness, health, and knowledge.

  This world owes much of its advao a young man whose light was forever dimmed much too soon. Perhaps in aime, in another world, his name could have been famous not only amongst his own people, but across all realms, for he was a kindred spirit; a fighter that sought out healing through thought and belief. Would Lah remain beloved and remembered as the rebel King? Is the answer simply a tale of one-sided tention? And – most importantly – was he a dangerous vilin responsible for his own gruesome death, or a tragic hero doomed by outside circumstance?

  My jaw hung open as I stared bnkly at the page. This Alec Mavourneen guy seemed to be on the Prince's side, as well as decidedly atheist, but I was a little unsure as to why he wrote such a passionate analysis. Did he just have a thing against the gods? And how did he know about the sceptre aones? Perhaps he was close to the current royal family…or the Elders. Those things weren't secrets by any means, but they weren't on knowledge, either. Regardless, Alec's opinion was not only refreshing to read, but it also put everything I'd known into airely new perspective. This was exactly the sort of thing I didn't need. With so much fusion as to what I'd been doing these past few days, I really didn't need a re-examination of the truth about Winithas' first prio get jumbled up in my head. It didn't have any e to what I was studying at the moment. But... I did find it pretty intriguing.

  "Brielle! I thought I told you not to read that rubbish in my house!" Kadia snapped, snatg the book from my hands. I hadn't realized she'd e up to the loft, where I'd been sitting and reading the eime.

  My heart jumped out of my chest. "Aaah! How did–? When did you–?" I sputtered.

  "I live here," she replied ftly, shoving the tome bato my open satchel. "Listen to me. As soon as the Academy reopens in two days, you will take all of these bao exceptions. Do you uand me?" She stared at me intensely. "These books are the source of all sorts of troubles in Emiarhia. Dark magic is dangerous."

  I could feel a vein pulsing in my head as my frustration bubbled to the surface. I was done being spoken down to by everyone about everything. "Yes. I'm sure it's incredibly dangerous for people to use it when they aren't allowed to read about it."

  "What are you saying? Do you even uand the risks?" Her eyes narrowed, and a scowl etched itself across her features.

  "Yes, Shaye has made them excruciatingly clear. But I wouldn't have to resort to these dusty old texts if you people just expi to me. I'm already w about me getting corrupted or whatever it is that everyone seems to think is going to happen. I don't need you adding on more stress by making it so I'm afraid of even knowing what the hell it is I'm trying to fix."

  She paused. "…I suppose there's a degree of validity to what you've just said," she replied begrudgingly. "In any case, you o e with me. You're overdue for some answers, and I am overdue for some peaind."

  "Where are we going?" I asked, following her down the loft dder.

  "Let's see," she pondered out loud. "Both you and Ashkan have been directly exposed to dark magic as a result of Vhinrud's attacks. It's possible that Shaye was as well. If that was not enough cause for , you have also unknowingly been learning dark magic yourself. I have arranged for the four of us to visit the Elders, and hopefully they shed some light on these matters. Unless you have some sort of divine prote from profane iion, which would certainly be an iing discovery, you are most definitely somewhat inated by now."

  My mouth suddenly went dry, and my palms began to sweat. "Y'know, you're not the most f person."

  She let out a deep breath. "I apologize. It is not my io distress you. It is only that the implications of your situation are...less than ideal."

  "What else is new?" I mumbled. "But, do you really think I've been learning bck spells? Are you sure it's not a magic?"

  "sidering that the tter has yet to be something I've entered in my career, it's a more likely expnation, wouldn't you say? Either that, or Miss Lucera has secretly ied her own redundant form of sorcery," she replied.

  "Okay, okay. I get it."

  The vilge of Ymsirene always looked the same no matter what time of year I visited. The ey of Adares was like that, actually. All the houses looked identical; wooden, low, and e-roofed with brown shingles, evenly spaced stone walkways, and tidy gardens. Some of them had weather-smoothed doors decorated with eborate carvings. It could barely be called a vilge, though. It was more of a clump. It was like a video game where the area assets were copied and pasted about twenty times over, and the developers would call it a 'town'. The realm ositively deserted. The popution t couldn't have been higher than forty-five thousand. There were barely any stores, busy streets, or even any other travellers or people passing through on their way to who-knows-where.

  Adares was not that much smaller than Winithas by ndmass, ahose two realms represehe book ends of how poputed this world was. But it didn't take long for me to remember why this pced seemed so uninhabitable. Temperatures were known to reach as low as ive y degrees Fahre during the winter if you were up in the mountains. Snow, ice, and rock ruled the range, and you were never more than a few miles from a possible death, whether it was due to cliffs or avanches. Or both. There were a handful of vilges and towns located throughout the freezing wastend, but a siderable portion of the realm was untouched nd. Much of it was uled and peppered by an almost impassable mountain range. How the natives survived it all was a mystery.

  Kadia, Ashkan, Shaye, and I took asi from Alselian to Lyuethyr. We'd nded withiy minutes. I'd fotten once again that pegasi speak telepathically, so the whole journey involved several annoying, casual versations with the group of equiaphira, my steed, articurly chatty. I suppose I was thankful for that, in hindsight. It kept my mind distracted from thinking about whether or not I was a dao society. We left the mounts behind to graze and rex inside Ymsirene's heated stables before heading off to the Elders' temple.

  As we walked, Kadia handed out transting earpieces and microphone discs – Elliott's iions. I clipped it to my ear. There was a quiet, rhythmic whirring ing from the small gadget.

  The stoemple stood alone and proud on a ft pin, which was as far as the eye could see in one dire. It was tall and narrow with a sloping, e roof. It looked simir to some pagodas ba Earth, but with stained-gss windoilrs. The six windows created a mosaic of vivid colours that made for ag sight in an otherwise lifeless expahe whole area was dead silent; even our footsteps didn't seem to make here was just something about this temple, this entire area of this phat had the uny ability to make people feel stranded, no matter the season. I shivered, missing the sun.

  Kadia stepped forward, rapping loudly oall, wooden door. After a few moments, it creaked open, and we were greeted by the face of a woman no taller than five feet, dressed in a simple, grey robe. It looked like a mix between a kimono and a toga. The sleeves were long and hung down loosely, and she wore a rope belt. It was exactly the same every time I saw her. She smiled at the sight of us and motioned for us to follow.

  We all bowed respectfully upoering. Like always, the main floor of the temple was just a rge room with some dles scattered throughout and cushions to sit on. It was one big meditation lounge, basically. Inse burners were mounted in various pces. There was no decoration on the pin walls or windows, and the floors were polished stone underh a circur carpet. From the ceiling hung several long chimes and wind spihat cast iing shapes on the ground. It was dimly lit despite the coloured light flooding in from the windows. At the other end of the room, there ening in the wall covered by a thin veil of hanging fabric, which led to an adjoining room.

  After removing our footwear, heavy coats, and the like, we were all offered tea and some kind of pastry before we sat down on the cushions.

  "Greetings, saviours and pany. We weleth thee back," one of the six Elders said. "Kadia, 'tis our uanding that thou hast e with pressing queries."

  She nodded. "Yes, thank you for your time. As I expined in my letter, the Luminaries have beely exposed to signifit levels of abyssal magic during the quest to...recover Ashkan. In addition to foreseeable subje in bat, I have reason to suspect that Brielle specifically has also been learning it, iently. We wish to seek your sel."

  "Thou art wise, Kadia, to have taken caution." A different Elder looked at each of us, studying us thoughtfully. "Brielle, wouldst thou kindly share thine experieh us?"

  I took a deep breath and spoke into my transtor. "Well, um... It's all been fairly bizarre. With regard to me learning dark magic, I had no idea that ossibility. At the Academy, Miss Lucera has been dug private lessons with me every school day sihe summer, in order to help me catch up to the other students my age. Spellcasting, Qy'shaklei, histeography. That sort of material. And...towards the end of this past semester, the subject matter became more...divergent, I suppose. She had told me that Headmaster Gunthren instructed her to teach me a magid that this branch was plex, but very powerful. She expihat it would help strengthen my magical arsenal, and that not everyone is allowed to learn it. In fact, most students aren't familiar with it. The point is, I had no idea it was anything but a magic."

  "And how, then, dost thou believe that thou hath learned dark spells?"

  "I'd never cast any a spell outside of Miss Lucera's offitil during the, uh...i. I thought it would be useful. I mean, if it's really s, wouldn't I want to use it in battle? I had no idea what it would do, but it worked, and... Well, now I have a bunch of people tellihat what I'd cast was actually dark magid that I'm going to be corrupted or something."

  The Elders all exged looks, and one of them leaned forward. "We believe that thy tutor, Lucera, hath deceived thee. As, a magic is not a branch of study, and no such category exists. Spells and magical arts may beest cssified as such based on their age and history, but the magic itself hath not a distinct source. 'Tis nay different than categorizing a spell as 'old' or 'new', 'simple' or 'intricate'. 'Tis but a bel. Magic evolveth, and thus, is not static. To desigh any strain of sorcery 'a' is simply a bel for its antiquity."

  I was stunned. Here we were, learning that the only reassuring expnation for this mess wasn't even a real thing. Why would Miss Lucera lie to me? The teacher that had a huge role in helping me adjust to life in Emiarhia. The mentor I trusted to guide me and give me sound advice. The woman that always had a warm smile and kind words. She worked tirelessly to make sure she had as much time to support me as she did with her other students. She had gone above and beyond to aodate my magical inexperience when I joihe Academy. She gave me fidence, motivation, and all the necessary resources. I was her student, and she'd never given me a reason to think she wouldn't have my best is at heart. She'd always done so mue. She'd bee a symbol of fort and sisten a turbulent time. This was messed up. I'd been so careful about mispg my trust. Why hadn't I tried to firm with someone else before so freely taking her word for it all? Why was I so clueless? My chest felt like it was g in.

  Kadia, Shaye, and Ashkan all turheir heads to look at me. None of them had any words.

  "Therefore... We firm that Brielle has indeed learned dark magic?" Kadia asked carefully.

  "Verily, it seems to be the case," an Elder replied. "Without witnessing an example, we ot be absolutely certaihou cimeth to have no prehension of bck spells previous to 'a' sorcery?"

  "No. It...would never have even crossed my mind," I replied, floored.

  "I see..." The Elder pced a finger on his bearded . "If 'twas nothing thou foresaw, then thou h not be faulted. 'Twas not thine scious i. Couldst thee giveth us a demonstration of one of the spells thou hast learned?"

  My stomach dropped. It felt like a hot ball of panic settled itself inside of it. "Oh, uh... Wouldn't that be dangerous? I don't have as much trol over it as I'd like... If something goes wrong–"

  "We insist on seeing the spell cast in person," said another Elder. The other five all nodded in agreement. "We requesteth this act purely for our edification and scrutiny."

  I go the others, but none of them said a word. Shaye looked particurly anxious. Kadia had a vat expression on her face as she fiddled with her gloves. Ashkan gazed absently through the bottom part of a stained-gss window, avoiding eye tact.

  "Okay. Are you sure?" I breathed.

  "'Tis our will."

  Slowly, I raised my hand and ope so that my palm faced upward. It was shaking a little. I had to think of something as trolble and safe as possible. Something that could be stopped easily. Focus.

  The air bent and ed and twisted in my hand. A tiny, dark point was creating a ripple that expanded, and tio radiate like a pebble hitting a pond's surface. The tre began to writhe and wriggle as a spot of pure nothing rose from within it, bending all of the light and colour that surrou. As a steady thrum of power ran through my body, I held tight to the idea of making it as small and harmless as possible – just a visual maion, not a on.

  The pitch-bck mass looked like a small void in the space before me. A sphere with no dimension. It had no mass or weight, and no form or solidity, but definite presence. I focused harder on stabilizing the power. It was incredibly finicky, but still strangely satisfying tle. After a few more seds, distant shapes came into focus inside of it. They looked as though they were locked inside of gss. Writhing, squirming, g and gnawing. They were small. Monstrous. Demoniany of them. Like is, cm over top of one another, desperate to escape. It must have been a miniature pocket of abyss. But it was weak. Crimson flowed around the orb and dripped from it like fresh, dark blood. The shapes seemed simultaneously anid artificial. I couldn't be sure what I was looking at: a mass of beetles, a k of rotting flesh, a scrap of rusted maery, or a pile of tarnished s. Perhaps all of those descriptions were correone of them seemed mutually exclusive. Not within this twisted image.

  An Elder's anding voice rang out, "Enough."

  I ched my fist, and the void snapped shut, like a flower bud closing before my eyes. Energy flowed bato my veins. Nervously, I gnced around the room. Everyone's faces were written with either shock, fusion, fear, or . A sting of shame struck me.

  An Elder steepled their fiogether. "Most peculiar. 'Tis abyssal magic for certain. There art unmistakably primitive facets to thy expression of such teiques, but the overall result beeth identical to those of profane sorcery."

  My mouth fell open slightly, and I stammered to say something, anything, but the Elder spoke again.

  "Fear not, however. As a clusion, thou ist not at risk of an abyssal corruption. Thy birthmark hasst grahee an immunity."

  "What?" Kadia blurted out suddenly. "Immunity?"

  "Indeed."

  Her brow furrowed, and she looked me over. "My deepest apologies, Elder. You'll uand that I'm fused by your procmation. Dark magic is dangerous, unstable. It is a blight on this realm. People afflicted with it have turned on their loved ones, desecrated the dead, tortured the i for pleasure. It is truly possible for oo be immuo such a force?"

  "'Tis most possible, and true."

  "And the saviours are, as you say, free of its influence because of their matg birthmarks?"

  "Correct."

  Kadia blinked. "How is that possible?"

  "The Vanquisher of Monstrosities Herself decreed it," another Elder replied. "Those who bear her mark of prote art imperable to the wrath of the damheir minds as art stalwart against malfeasance."

  My gaze shifted to Shaye and Ashkan. They caught my eye with equally surprised expressions. It must have been as surreal for them as it was for me. It wasn't just some incredible ce that we were inexplicably linked by identical, star-shaped marks behind ht ears. We were genuinely destined for this. Gavphine had purposefully blessed us from the start.

  "Wow." I still couldn't believe it. "That's..."

  "...Incredible," Ashkan finished.

  "Astonishing," Shaye agreed in a quiet voice. "Five me for saying so, but I've never even heard of a god bestowing people with such a tangible gift. How did that blessing take pce if the gods have been missing in a for turies?"

  An Elder shook her head and pushed her long, grey-blonde braid over her shoulder. "Your birthmarks hath been affixed sihee were all approximately of the age of three. One year after thy augury ainted within my very temple by Gavphine, She returo mine own psyche, fleetingly and weakened, and procimed Her pn to me in a silent, dream-like trance. I then transferred her decree to the other Elders. Thy guardians ushered thee three to us, and I inscribed Her blessing to thee."

  "We believeth Gavphine wilt hast sehy duties wouldst causeth thee to beest subjected heavily to darkness," a different Elder expined, "and that thy marks wouldst grant thee the prote ye all wouldst require in such dire times. Without yond immunity, thee wouldst not have survived thy quest."

  A hushed, thoughtful silence hung over us as we digested the news. The three of us couldn't seem to tear our eyes away from one another. her of my parents had ever mentioned anything like this. I suppose the subjeever came up. They probably hought I'd cast dark magic myself. I wasn't looking forward to expining that to them. My fingers unsciously brushed the mark on my skin. It was warm.

  "Thank you for the crification," Kadia bowed her head. "It is…quite remarkable."

  "I is," one of the Elders echoed.

  Gavphine's Elder added, "Err not, however. Her blessing preveh not harm to thee. It simply prevehy psyche from being influenced or destroyed by such malignancy. Thine own safety and prote remaihy own responsibility."

  We all nodded uandingly. It made sense. We were immuo the psychotoxic effects of dark magic, but we were still susceptible to getting stabbed and shot aen up, alongside magical damage of any sort. We still o take precautions, like anybody else. I was just relieved to hear that Ash and I would be fine.

  " that sort of guard be distributed to others?" Ashkan asked.

  "As, no," Gavphine's Elder shook her head sadly. "'Twas but a select blessing given to thee. 'Tis exceptionally rare and taxing. My hands art impotent without mine owy's support. Our powers hath beely diminished in this era without theirs. I ot artificially replicate yond effect with my own spells, though I wish I couldst. If no tact with Gavphine beest established, I may not cast aught."

  "I see." Ashkan looked a bit disappointed. I didn't bme him. If such a powerful ward was avaible, why wasn't everyone us effects? But I suppose it was a small wohat a deity that had been absent for hundreds of years still had any reach at all, in such a weakened form. I wondered how much the gods had suffered through, losing so much of their power over time. I couldn't fathom it.

  "It's amazing that Gavphine was able to tact you twice after the gods' apparent...elimination – once for the prophed once for the birthmarking," I noted. "How was She able to do it?"

  "Ah. A most valid question." Gavphine's Elder replied with a knowing smile. "Gavphine wast known to possess a greater degree of resiliend potenpared to her fellow deities. Perhaps her strength simply didst not diminish at the same rate as others. Perhaps Her power remaih in some minute fashion, in some small quantity, even after so much time hath passed."

  Kadia rubbed her temples and g me. "Well, that's one mystery solved."

  "No kidding." I smiled a little.

  "leased thou hast e to seek our aid," a different Elder spoke up. "Our divine services are thio behest, if such aid shouldst still be required. Doth thee have more queries, or require further insight?"

  The four of us looked at one anain. There was definitely more that we o ask about. It was hard to decide what to ask , though. My brai like mush. It was still spinning in circles.

  Ashkan took the initiative, speaking up after a brief silence. "Yes, actually. Does the name 'Vhinrud' ring any bells? He and his Inkbloods were responsible for...um, my capture. None of us are familiar with him."

  I waited anxiously for a reply. The Elders all fell silent, as they often seemed to. I couldn't bme them. Vhinrud seemed to be a total hermit. An elusive aive figure. A mystery. We had so little to go off of, I had no idea how we'd be able to find him and learn about his motivations. Or if we'd ever see him again.

  "I apologize for mine uainty, but we k nothing of thine enemy," an Elder answered finally. "Our knowledge of the modern world is but a morsel. Our purview hath always been solely for matters of the gods, and those within this temple. I regret mine own inability to beest of use to thee."

  "It's all right. We don't expect you to know everything." Ashkan frowned, but nodded.

  I sat up straighter on my pillow. "What about Prince Lah? Did you ever meet him? Some of his biographies cim he had ties to dark magid may have even helped i it. But others cim the exact opposite. Some sources say he was a student of light magic. Other sources say he was a schor with no i in the are. Do you know where dark magic came from, if it has no god associated with it?"

  The Elder's faces grew stern. One chimed in, "Our knowledge of Prince Lah is equally meagre. He spent much of his youth hidden in secrecy, as his life wast marked with an abundance of disease, violence, and hardships. I kh not what must beest said of his retionship to dark magic. But he hath certainly been one of the few mortals in history to possess such strength. For 'tis certain that dark magic wast ied by mortal hands, and no oy hath any ownership over it."

  "The history of the abyss is shrouded in secred shrouded in lies," Gavphine's Elder informed us. "It art of no god. Bck magic hath been wielded by the wicked and the damned siime immemorial; thus, the birth of abyss ot beest attributed to one single point in time. Many dark maions art simply absences of Gavphine's light. Its immoral spells were grown through study of the deadliest, most insidious, most self-destructive facets of mankind, and 'tis a most terrifying, cruel, aive force. Lah may hath learned how to el those energies himself, through the manipution of natural forces, rather than divine inspiration, or the manipution of holy powers. This beareth further discussion amongst schors. In truth, our uanding is but a fragment."

  Another eborated, "Some sider it not a, but an abseis an energy born from the ion of life, light, and nature. An absence of good and happiness. 'Tis aion, and thus ist beyond our realm of uanding, and beyond our abilities to influence. All that ist certain ist that it art not a pranted by a divine being. It simply...is. A disciplihat doth not follow the regutions of any other field. A subject derived from the amalgamation of seledividuals' most horrid cepts, and most twisted desires. And thus, 'tis one of the most difficult to trol."

  The other five all nodded in agreement. They all wore sombre looks as they sidered the subject. The more they described it, the stra sounded. As I'd learned before, the majority of Emiarhia didn't sider darko be the presence of something unique, but rather the absence of light – Gavphine's iion. That's how they expined shadows, nighttime, and other passive maions of the dark. It was a that wasn't a. It had a certain diy to it. Something that was everywhere and nentle and hostile, benign aructive, a living thing and an object of sce. A phenomenon with no definition. A paradox. I felt even muilty for wielding it now.

  Shaye raised her hand and asked, "Were you present for the creation of this realm, Adares? Many students, including myself, find it odd that there are seven realms in Emiarhia, yet six gods and six types of magie people –" She shot Ashkan a dirty look, "– argue that Adares could represent the 'seventh' element, dark. But we are taught in school that Adares was created for you six to live in pead impartiality to the other realms. Is that not the case?"

  "Indeed, we bore wito its iion," an Elder said.

  "It has been many, mauries... Our recolles art not perfectly intact. However, Adares beareth no affinity towards bck magic. Thy studies art true. We hath merely made residence here for our own purposes."

  "Well-nigh three decades after Emiarhia wast founded, all six gods expressed an i in crafting a seventh, novel realm for us to reside, as a dispy of gratitude for our tinued devotion and assistahey were not able to aplish this, however, for the creation of aire realm art no simple feat. 'Twould take more power than they held, for King Hreiuk possessed the holy sceptre, which trolled them enough that they couldst not simply do as they wished, however they wished."

  "sequently, the gods notified us that they inteo request the King's aid. Before the following winter, Adares wast formed with King Hreiuk's and and their divine energies, using the sceptre. We haveth beeled here since. A sacred, ral zohat wouldst grant peace from mortals, the elements, war, and discord. 'Tis a realm most dark, cold, ale. As our name implies, we hath remained impartial, bestowing advid guidao all those who seek us. We mayest not depart this try unless ods beseech it, but 'tis of no importance, as we hath never o. 'Tis not our role. We hath simply watched as time hath passed, as we art meant to. This wast, after all, their will."

  A bitteringed my tohey'd never left this pce because the gods forbid them to. They'd never explored Emiarhia themselves. Never experieropical forests, crashing seas, or warm sands. I felt sorry for them, being forced to sit bad watch as the other realms grew and flourished and developed and ged, while they sat still, isoted, surrounded by snow and mountains as far as the eye could see...for over six hundred years. How depressing it must've been. But I had a feeling they'd disagree.

  The Elders didn't look the least bit bothered as they reyed the tale. They looked at ease. Satisfied, even. tent, with their own lives, their own purpose. They weren't a family of restless explorers, eager to veo the unknown. They were a group of teachers, a family of guidand serenity. It must've been enough for them, living that way, epping foot beyond their realm, and never looking back. They must've felt fulfilled, knowing the gods would returually, and that their time would e to help them once more, someday.

  As I mulled over the fact that Gavphine was still able to deliver an incredibly rare message to her Elder, however frail, I started w if the gods were ever known to somehow unicate with regur people as well. Ever sihe chase with Ashkan's shadow on the rooftops, I'd thought a lot about how strangely simir it all was to the nightmare I'd had ba November, orain, after we'd recovered the light gemstohe way I felt like I could move quickly, but the darkness still felt slow and heavy, and my heart was beating like it was trying to rip its way out of my ribcage... The dream was a blur. I had only vague memories. But the sensation had seemed so real. What did it mean? Could the gods unicate through dreams as well, or did I have aive imagination?

  The Elder sitting closest to me had his head slightly tilted, looking at me, as if he'd been watg my thoughts as they floated past. "Anything else, Your Luminary?"

  I paused to sider. "There is...one more thing."

  He smiled. "What beeth thy question?"

  "About two months ago, after the light gem was retrieved from Shialumura, I had a somewhat...vivid nightmare during the train ride home. Holding the stone drained my energy to the point where I fainted. While I was asleep, I dreamt of chasing a faceless, dark figure across cityscape rooftops...much like I did when I ursuing Ashkan's shadow." My face heated up a little, but I was too caught up in the moment to feel self-scious. "The event was strikingly simir to the dream. Almost a perfect image. In my nightmare, I fell to my death, so... I 't help but wonder if the imposter would've succeeded had I not seen the dream. In the moment, I recalled the vision, and used it as a way to help save myself. I knew what was ing. The feeling of it...was just too simir. But...I 't tell if that was simply my subsciousness pying a prank, or a wild ce, or...something else."

  I looked back up at the Elder's faces, a bit ashamed to ask such a weird question, but they only seemed to be intrigued. A thoughtful, serene look crossed the man's eyes, and he pced a hand to his , taking in the words.

  "Your suspis art most valid. The gods art known to hath maed their energies into visions that they deem necessary to show mortal minds. It hast been recorded for turies that they hath graced us with messages through a multitude of means, and their influence is not restricted to the messages we Elders receiveth. Some believe that holy intervention extend beyond our minds and reach our bodies; some even argue that divine powers art able to ma autonomously. 'Tis the nature of the gods that they art far more powerful than our limited uanding expin."

  My mouth fell open ihe words slowly began tister, but I could only gape in astonishment. Had a god somehow been behind my nightmare? My dream that practically predicted my future? The ohat helped kept me alive? I was utterly speechless. Ashkan had his eyebrows raised high on his forehead as he gnced over at me. I shrugged.

  The Elders all looked around at one another for a moment. One spoke up with, "The divine are able to exert influence over many things beyond their immediate reach. Ist thy dream perhaps an attempt from the divio ehy safety? The gods may hath delivered unto thy subscious an image of an alternative fate that could hath befallehis theory hath beeed for many years. Mayhap thy birthmark provides a direct line of e with the gods' energy... Mayhap they hath simply sought to assist thee, through their own ways."

  I slowly shook my head in amazement. I turo Ashkan and Shaye. "Have either of you ever experienced anything simir?"

  Shaye looked stunned. "No, I 't say that I have."

  "her I," Ashkan answered. "But now I 't stop thinking about how stra is that your dream actually predicted that. That's mad."

  "Indeed," the Elders all replied with sage nods.

  I looked back at the six. "That's all I have, thank you."

  They all bowed their heads iurn.

  "I pray our insight hast proven useful to thee," oold me. "The knowledge that hath beeowed unto thee is both a burden and a privilege. Doth not despair. The gods art aware of the turmoil thou face. They shall assist thee. Be thou fident of thy strength and of thy vis. And khat uidance beeth yours to beseech at any time. Bless ye, Luminaries of Emiarhia. May thy solemn journey beest rife with glory and quest."

  The four of us stood up, heads bowed low in reverence, before we silently left the temple. I felt simultaneously energized and exhausted. Ready to take on the world, while at the same time wishing I could spend the week sleeping. The snow ched beh our feet. The heavy smell of inse was repced by the frigid air. The weight on my shoulders seemed to lighten.

  So I did know how to cast dark magid that was something someone would have to...talk to Miss Lucera about... But the three of us were impervious to its ination. I felt safer. A bit more reassured that we'd make it through this in one piece. And that I would still be able to perform the task assigo me.

  Shaye nudged Ashkan as we walked, giving him a curious look. "So, do you believe in the gods now? How else you expin our birthmarks?"

  He rolled his eyes, but smiled. "I never said they weren't real. I was just saying that we should be able to use logic to solve some problems, not just blind faith. And I still stand by that. I'd very much like to see them with my own eyes."

  "Oh, sure, now you're curious. But before, you had no i whatsoever."

  "That's not true. I was always ied to some degree."

  "Yet it took you ages to memorize their symbols in school."

  "It took all of us that long!"

  "Not me!"

  "Always the overachiever."

  I ughed quietly at their squabbling. Shaye's faith was unshakable, and Ashkan's was tentative, at best. Their opposing opinions always made food versation. The sun hung high above the mountains, and a cool breeze brushed past, blowing hair into my eyes. I pulled my coat tighter around myself. My nose was starting to go numb. The three of us tinued dowh, toward the stables. I'd had enough of the snow and cold, and was ready to head home.

  As I was tag up Taphira, Shaye approached me and pced a hand on my shoulder.

  "Brielle, I... I owe you an immense apology," she admitted. Her eyes were gssy, aone was remorseful. "I'm very sorry for how I acted earlier, about the tomes. I should've been more siderate of your feelings. It was an inappropriate way to hahe situation. I am sorry."

  I sighed and gave her a small smile. "I'm not angry. You were stressed and worried. I uand. It's okay."

  She csped her hands together, eyes glued to the floor. "No, it isn't. It's not okay to treat someone I care about that way. Especially you. You've dohing but support me, and I should've went about it differently. It was just... On Emiarhia, we're taught that dark magic is the worst thing on the p. It's ingrained into us from birth. It's simply in my religious upbringing to…fear darkness. Hence why the idea of you involved in it is so terribly frightening. I didn't want to lose you. I still don't. You're...like a sister to me." She took a shaky breath.

  My heart wrenched a little. "Shaye... It's okay. You had a great point. I was scared too."

  She sniffled and nodded. "I know, but... It was wrong of me to alienate you like that. And I'm so sorry."

  I opened my arms, and she hugged me, burying her fato my shoulder.

  I squeezed her a little. "We're going to figure this out, okay? It's going to be all right. I promise. We got some good oday. We work with this."

  She nodded again and released the embrace. I brushed a tear off her cheek and gave her a smile.

  "You're like a sister to me, too," I told her. "So, no more tears. Got it? Or else I'll start g."

  She chuckled. "Right. Right, you're right."

  "Okay. Let's go home," I ughed.

  She sniffled again, the back tasi, Winphiy. Ashkan gave me a look as he finished fastening Pyracos' bridle.

  "Everything good?" he asked.

  "All's fiven," I firmed.

  "Ah, good." He paused and leaned closer. "You do know she's still terrified, though, right?"

  "I do. So am I."

  "We're all a bit rattled."

  "Mhm. And we're all going to get through it."

  He offered a grin. "That, we are."

  Pyracos chimed in voice reverberating in our skulls, "Are we quite done here? There's a very fortable stable waiting for me at home, with lots of hay and fruit and–"

  Ashkan patted the creature's neck. "Yes, yes, we're going now."

  The four of us headed off into the sky, the Elders' words still ringing in my ears. I hoped they were right about the gods intervening to ensure our success. If they really had sehat dream, then maybe... Maybe we did stand a ce. Maybe it wasn't as impossible as we thought.

  After returning asi to the royal stables, Kadia pulled me aside.

  "I must inform the royal cil about the results of our iigation," she told me. "Would you like to apany me?"

  I frowned. "Dumb question, I'm sure, but why do they o know about things if we're immuo corruption? urpose will it serve?"

  She heaved a sigh. "All cssified dots and discoveries must be submitted and approved by the highest power, His Majesty. If I do not file this report, they could have me kicked out of the corps or even throw me in a cell for withholding information. In any case, he will want to hear the good news. You three are now much more valuable assets than you already were, and they will want to ehat their resources are utilized wisely."

  She meant they'd try to keep us closer and put us to work more. Fantastic.

  "I see," I muttered. "Guess I'm due for a visit."

  "Correct. e along, now."

  She spun on her heel and strode off, taking long, fident steps. I said goodbye to Ashkan and Shaye before following. Four armuards trailed behind them.

  The odd maid or butler would give a polite bow of their heads as they passed by us. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and focused on looking someresentable. Our footsteps clicked down the side corridor. It was all a familiar routine. No more awkward silences or stammering nerves in this pace. But I did begin to wonder if I was ever going to e here and not have to worry about anything. Was that too much to ask?

  "How do we know if the King is even here?" I asked, casually gng at a rge tapestry mounted on the wall. It was a breathtakiion of an Winithinian queen before battle, sp a bow and a fierce expression. "He travels often, or so I've been told."

  "His itinerary is usually kept under lod key," Kadia replied. "But he retly returned from a two-week busirip in Skarhali, Hezura. And His Majesty always holds court every other Saturday afternoon. He's likely meeting with his advisht now. If we are quick, we may get there before he moves on to other pressing matters. I already took it upon myself to request an audience ahead of time – after I sent my letter to the Elders, to be precise."

  I raised my eyebrows. "He holds court? To the public?"

  "Ihe King and Queen believe in hearing the people's opinions and advog their needs. Once a fht, he spends three hours in his throne room, accepting summons from various citizens, aristocrats, nobles, workers, and leaders within the realm. They bring forth their problems and flicts, and he presides over them in a fair and reasonable manner. It gives them a ce to be heard, and him a glimpse into the world of the on people."

  I blinked. Well, I suppose not all nobles were so self-absorbed. I recoiled at the thought of Duke Efren or t Taviel running a try.

  We'd entered an archway lit by a delier of pale blue crystals. Two sets of double doors were oher side of us, tall and wooden and polished to perfe, with silver gilding on the edges. Kadia opened one of the doors and motioned for me to enter before she stepped in after me.

  This room wasn't too different from the main throne room. Marble floors, tall ns, intricate tapestries and portraits, silver-trimmed everything. Huge windows let the afternoon light fill the area. There was a little firepce to the left of a set of wide stoeps leading up to two fancy thrones – modest in size, but still ornate, obviously. A single, sapphire banner hung across the back, bearing the royal symbol. King Typhis and Queen Va upright in the seats, holding serious, ptive expressions. At least a dozen or so ood at the front of the room, addressing the royals about something. A couple servants in navy uniforms milled about.

  The Queen leaned in to listen as the nobles tinued, eyes flig across them in thought. The King had his fingers resting against his temple. His jaw was tense. A tall woman stood directly in front of the dais, her hands gesturing as she talked. I could just make out what they were saying.

  "–have received several pints regarding this issue, and there has been little to nress iifying the problem."

  King Typhis lowered his hand. He had an air of fatigue about him, but a regal poise remained. "Have these pints been verified, by any ce? How reliable are the sources?"

  "I believe the issues to be rather prevalent, and I have multiple first-hand ats that verify such."

  The Queen frowned. "Their numbers have increased i years, but it isn't enough to warrant areme a. You know full well we've sent troops out to do their duty. We shall tih the same procedure and re-evaluate at a ter date. We uand your , and it is valid, but we will not a haste."

  The King nodded in agreement. "The safety of our people is paramount. If anything ges, you will be the first to know."

  She pressed her lips together and gave a curt bow of the head. "As you wish."

  Queen Vanche raised her to speak once more, but her gaze locked on us at the back of the room, and she halted. All the nobles and guards turo us. Kadia immediately dropped into a kneel, and I quickly followed, pressing one ko the ground and putting my right hand over my chest. I'd gotteo the motion at this point.

  "Apologies for the intrusion, Your Majesties," Kadia spoke. Her voice rang throughout the chamber. "I request to report a new development to the royal cil. If it is a suitable time, then I await your permission to e forth."

  The King waved a hand at her. "Of course." He then gnced around at the small crowd. "Leave us."

  We stood. The nobles gave polite bows and took their leave, walking past us and through the doors. I didn't reize any of them, save for...one. A jolt of nerves rushed through my veins. t Taviel. My stomach did an unpleasant flip-flop when our eyes met. A tiny smirk pulled at his lips as he swept past. I just gred right back, icy fire in my gaze, daring him to make a ent. He wisely kept quiet. My eyes were burning a hole into his batil Kadia nudged my arm.

  roached the bottom of the steps. I wondered how long this was going to take.

  "Pleasant to see you again, Captain Lowell," Queen Vanche addressed.

  Kadia bowed her head. "As you, Your Majesty." She cleared her throat and gave me a small nod.

  ht. I gave another quick bow.

  The King prompted, "Report, Captain."

  Kadia folded her hands behind her back. She didn't ever waver when speaking to them, her voice level and strong. She began reting our entire experie the Elders' temple, the clusions we'd reached, and our new findings.

  "What a stroke of luck..." King Typhis mused as she cluded, letting his gaze drop.

  "Indeed," Kadia agreed. "To be exempt from the dangers of dark magic will prove useful in a multitude of situations. This was aremely crucial discovery."

  The Queen tapped a finger on her lips in thought. "As was the revetion that Brielle wield the dark arts..." She tilted her head in my dire, tone ced with suspi.

  My pulse quied, but I forced myself to remain calm. Kadia looked back at me as well, briefly. She then turned her focus back to the Queen.

  "It's an arming development," she replied. "I share your ses. But rest assured that she has dispyed no signs of corruption or threat to ahus far. We will remain diligent and vigint to any possible signs."

  "What do you make of it, Brielle?" Queen Vanche inquired.

  "Uh–" My brain struggled to form words for a sed. "Well, I... I was...surprised at the results. I mean, I lear from Miss Lucera without knowing that it was dark magic. That betrayal of trust has upset me more than the...being able to do it."

  The King gnced between Kadia and myself. " this Lucera be trusted?"

  She hesitated, as did I.

  "She is a decorated schor and professor, Your Majesty," Kadia answered, "even at only twenty-six years of age. She possesses a fwless track record and impeccable reputation. Her and Headmaster Gunthren are close friends. I've worked closely with her during Brielle's training, and I fio be trustworthy. However...the circumstances surrounding this are questionable. Perhaps her iions wereirely noble in this instance. Or, perhaps someone maniputed her into this."

  King Typhis sat up straight, an air of and washing over him. "Very well. Keep a watchful eye over the situation. I will have a letter sent to the Headmaster regarding this matter. It is vital that this does not go ignored or unsupervised. There is a ce that Brielle's...phenomenon...may not be so exclusive." He folded his hands in his p and addressed me. "Now, you are aware of the sequences of perf any dark magic, correct?"

  I gave him a nod. "Yes, sire."

  He tilted his head a little, as if searg for any lies or half-truths. "We are at the beginning stages of this war. We ill-afford to have our forces weakened, or corrupted, by a sudden ge of heart. The power you now wield must not be misused." His voice was serious, stern; almost warning.

  "I uand," I responded. "And I... I wouldn't, uhm..." I shifted on my feet.

  I wouldn't? I wouldn't use it, if given the choice? It was dark magic. Corrupting, lethal, twisted, malicious, uable, votile. I was no expert, but I knew enough about abyssal magic to uand the sequences of it. Ahere was this nagging voi my head, tugging at me, questioning whether or not it could be...useful. For the greater good. It could do things that other elements couldn't, at least in the same amount of time. It had the potential to witles. Maybe even the whole war. Or maybe it would destroy everything. I just...wasn't sure.

  But, I couldn't tell them that. It would only give them more reason to keep a closer eye on me.

  I straightened. "I have no i in it," I finally replied, with as much hoy as I could.

  They scrutinized my words, staring me down, assessing my reay body nguage. It felt like ay before the King looked away from me, snapped his fingers, and motioo a nearby maid.

  She hurried forward and curtsied. "Your Majesty?"

  "Brihe wristlet."

  "Yes, my liege." She disappeared through a small side door.

  A brief silence fell over the throne room. The King and Queen exged gnces and seemed to have a small, unspoken versation. They had the ability to read each other without ever having to voice it, to be on the exact same page at all times. It was a little uling to think about.

  The maid returned, carrying a blue velvet box with silver ats. She kneeled and offered it up to the King. He took the case and ope before rising to his feet. He stepped off the dais, his boots eg through the chamber. His pace was slow, measured. I caught myself holding my breath in anticipation as he walked toward us, his face stoid unreadable. I ched my jaw. He came to a stop in front of me, about a foot taller. The case clicked open.

  Inside was a cuff bracelet. Obsidian. Gleaming, glossy, bck obsidian. The royal insignia was embedded into the surface with a tiny, silver iny. It was rather simple in appearahough clearly high quality, but no wider than two inches. It didn't look like a symbol of pride, though. It was ominous and weighed down with foreboding significe.

  The King prese to me, lifting it out of the box. "We uand your hesitancy regarding using this newfound power, and we respect your feelings on the subject."

  My gaze flicked bad forth between his fad the piece of jewelry. "Uhm... Thank–?"

  "Therefore," he tinued, "you must bear the responsibility of being pulsorily exempted from casting dark magic. If you attempt to wield any sort of abyssal art, this cuff will react accly. It is a simple and harmless safety measure. Should you attempt to remove it yourself, without our express permission, then we will be immediately notified and required to take additional protective measures, in accordah the w. Do you uand?"

  Icy darts prickled down my neck. "I... I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. What is this?"

  He replied so calmly, as if it were a normal, rational course of a. "This will prevent you from perf any and all forms of bck magic, whether iional or actal. It has been infused with a vast amount of aether, crafted with an iion of nullification. You will feel no effects, nor will anyone else around you. This is simply your insurance for yourself and our kingdom. As I said, it is a failsafe – for our sake and yours."

  I blinked. For a moment, I actually wondered if this was a very cruel joke. Weren't cuffs typically used for criminals? Prisoners? To restrain them? Now he wao sp one on me for somethiirely out of my trol? I stared, stunned and somewhat embarrassed.

  My throat tightened, and the words bubbled out without thinking. "Am I being punished?"

  King Typhis frowned. "No. No, Brielle, you misuand. This is for your own good. If anything happens, this will protect you. It is evidence of your strength and dedication to remaining allied to the light. You will not feel any hindrance, or pain, or pressure – unless you use dark magic. Which we would hope you refrain from doing. Above all, we only have your safety in mind. The abyss is a perilous, dangerous craft, not able to be tamed or predicted. An i mistake could jeopardize you, and others as well."

  The Queen added, "In truth, the only detriment to this situation would be without the cuff. Which is why recaution and use it."

  Don't you trust me? The words teetered oip of my tongue, poised and ready to be voiced, but my mouth just slowly closed. They'd made their choice. My feelings didn't matter.

  "Your wrist, please," King Typhis ordered in a tohat had the finality of an a w carved in stone.

  I lifted my left hand, palm up, my ret scar on full dispy. Part of me wondered how far I'd get if I tried to bolt from the room, dashing out of the castle altogether. But then what? Even if I'd somehow escape Nelorismel unscathed, I wouldn't have ao go, and I'd still be forced to deal with it all – because it would never ge the simple fact that I could use dark magic. This was just for my safety, and as much as I didn't like it, it was necessary. Wasn't it?

  I exhaled through my nose as the bracelet closed around my wrist with several clicks. My heart thrummed as I exami. The inside was smooth and cold, and the outside polished. After a sed, it fshed silver briefly as it adjusted, shrinking down so the edge pressed against my skin.

  "And...if it breaks?" I questioned.

  The Kiled bato his throne. "It won't."

  "It ot be removed, brokeed, or otherwise rendered dysfunal," Queen Vaerjected. "Nothing but an intation and a key remove it."

  "...Right." I tugged the cuff a couple times to prove it was there to stay. "I uand, then."

  "Thank you for uanding, Brielle. I know it must feel odd," the Queen said.

  Feels like a shackle on a prisoner, actually. I just nodded.

  The King iwined his fingers and raised his . "You are in a very iing situation. We advise you to remain vigint, but do not fret. This is all to ehat the worst does not e to pass."

  "That said," Queen Vanche began, her voice softer, "we do sider it a blessing that you are with us, even under sufortunate circumstances. You are doing a great service to your kingdom, though you didn't volunteer for it. We will always wele you."

  King Typhis' mouth formed a tiny, albeit warm, smile. "Indeed. You are a brave young woman."

  Kadia reached over to hold my elbow and gave it a small, supportive squeeze.

  "Thank you, Your Majesties," I replied politely. It probably came out a little ft, but whatever.

  We bowed. Kadia tipped her head to me aured toward the doors. I followed. The chilling, unfortable weight of the cuff's presence echoed in my mind with every step. The King's words rang just as loud: You are a brave young woman.

  It was just something about that word. Not 'brave' – since cowardice wasn't an option – but 'woman'. It wasn't like I'd never been called that before. Plenty of times. But now, when so much weight and expectatioed on how old I was, I found it to be a much more annoying term of address. I was eighteen, yes, but I still felt like a kid. Like I hadn't grown into myself. It felt wrong to be on the same teical level as Kadia or Miss Lucera, or any other adult. I wasn't an adult. Yet, I was. And I couldn't uand it.

  Kadia remained silent until we exited the pace. "That wasn't so awful, was it?"

  I shot her a look. "Really? Because I wasly forted by it."

  "Trust them," she replied coolly. "And me. We only have the best in mind for you."

  "Almost sounded like it was meant to protect them from me."

  Her gaze softened. "No. Just to protect you. Sometimes, the veil between magid the user is thin. We must ehat wielders are aboveboard. That their minds and souls remain intact. Since we o longer be certain that everyone assisting you be fully trusted, we must take extra measures. In case you are once again maniputed into casting dark spells."

  I didn't respond. Kadia was right.

  "Think nothing of it," she assured me. "Unless you decide to go traipsing in the abyss for your leisure, there should be ive sequences. Ohe war is over, and life bees mur, you will likely be able to have it removed. However..." Her expression turned more serious. "It would be in your best io hide that bracelet from view whenever possible. Wearing su item is usually reserved for...someone of a nefarious persuasion."

  "Oh. Great." I sighed. "Everyone's going to assume I've gone bad, then."

  She gave me a sympathetic look. "Anti-dark wristlets arely symbols of virtue, I'm afraid. Be cautious with who you reveal it to. Exercise good judgement. Now, you should return home. Rest. The day has been aful one. I'm sure, uh... Mother and Father...are expeg you for dinner."

  I quirked an eyebrow, but it dropped into a smile. She rarely referred to them like that. "Yeah. I have a lot to tell them."

  I was relieved that the cuff didn't follow me to Earth. After a very long discussion with my parents, they both agreed that the King and Queen's decision was for the best. I didn't really know how to feel. I couldn't decide if it was a burden, or prote, or both. Or her. The whole thi me feeling kind of hollow. I wasn't angry, though. I didn't want to be mad at them. I just...wished things could've been different. But it was out of my trol. All of it was.

  That night, I couldn't stop thinking about everything. There were too many uaioo many variables. Too much at stake. And I still had a long road ahead of me. I just kept tossing and turning in my bed. So, after a while, I finally decided to seek out the only person I knew who could uand my predit, and maybe give some answers. Someoside of the loop. I just hoped they were in town.

  The evening streets of Winithas were quiet, peaceful. The cobblestone sidewalks were almost empty. Every few blocks, I passed by a tavern or restaurant that en and lively. I could smell the sts of different foods wafting through the air, temptio go in and have a nice meal, but I kept on walking.

  The League ring on my pinky caught the light from the streetmps as I wound through a maze of alleys and back roads, leading away from the tre of the city. A tiny pinprick of glow shone from the middle of the band, direg me like a pass towards the League's headquarters. It wasn't much farther.

  I took a right turn and found myself in a familiar, secluded courtyard. I reached up towards the e ntern hanging from the side of a building and pulled it down. My ring buzzed momentarily. The nteringuished, and the trap door in the ground slid open. I stepped inside before closing it behind me. White-fme torches automatically flickered to life as I walked. The narrow, curved stairwell was cold and damp. When I reached the bottom, I cracked open the wooden door as quietly as possible.

  Musid versation hummed through the air, and a faint, smoky smell hit my nose. Some huurheir heads to look at me as I entered, and they either raised their drinks or waved hello. I returhe gestures. A few people were pying a card game at a nearby table. Two others were having an arm-wrestling petition. Many others stood at the bar, ughing and chatting with each other. I weaved through the crowd. Some eyes followed me, and it made me a little unfortable. I khey weren't looking at me with malice, though. It was just the kind of attention that came from being somewhat notorious around the region. It wasn't long before the stares went back to their own business.

  I slipped into the alcove farthest from the mairand knocked on the door in front of me. "ander?"

  "e in!" a cheerful voice called.

  I released a deep breath before entering Perl's office. They were busy signing dots at their desk when I walked in. They sat bad pushed themselves away from their work.

  " hunter, hello," they greeted me with a smile. "asn't expeg to see you!"

  I ughed quietly. "Same here. Usually, it's you doing the popping in."

  They waved dismissively and spun on their seat. "Ah, you know how it goes. Part and parcel of the job." Perl rubbed their ned yawned, adjusting the shoulder of their pid vest. A quice at the clock revealed that the hour was getting pretty te. Far from midnight, but ast diime.

  "I hope I'm not interrupting," I began.

  "Not at all. Well... Just the b administrative stuff. Gotta read the scouting notices from south Shialumura and its neighbours, so on and so forth... They love writing to me. It's just such thrilling news. I wouldn't wish to waste any of your precious time with it," they said with a wink. "Ah! If you'll give me one moment, let me just...finish this, and..." They trailed off as they hunched over their desk and scribbled on a couple papers, quill scratg against the part.

  I shuffled my feet and toyed with my ring. It was weird being nervous around Perl. Especially now, since I'd been a part of their anization for a siderable while. They had been, and still were, a fantastic boss. But a strange apprehension lingered. Guilt, almost. For having to seek out advice from someone I could never mention around nearly anyone.

  My gaze fell back to the bracelet on my wrist. The shiny obsidian cuff stared bao matter where I gnced, it was there, ging.

  "Right, then!" Perl announced as they set down their quill. "Pardon my poor hostiiquette. Tea? Juice? Anything else?"

  I shook my head. "No, thank you."

  "Please, sit," they insisted, gesturing to the grey armchair in front of the desk.

  I stepped over and eased into the soft cushions. Everything about their office was and anized, not a siem out of pce. Curiosity never let me leave without w urpose they all served. Especially the piles of books along the walls and the drawers filled with mysterious boxes and vials of liquid and colourful orbs. The only 'clutter' they had was a full arra of pnts hanging from the ceiling. They had the names of each species clearly belled.

  "Brought some amber sun li that I found during my st mission," Perl remarked, pointing up towards the greenery. "Nice, isn't it?"

  "It looks great," I agreed.

  They leaned ba their seat. "So... To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? Missing work? Wanting to get back out there?"

  "ly," I answered. "Not that I want to quit being a hunter. Because I don't. But this is something...a bit more personal."

  Their opalest scales turned an inquisitive shade of pale violet. "Oh? Must be quite the sdal, if you want to speak to me. This sounds juicy. And? Secret cult of assassins hounding your family? Found a golden artifact sealed inside a rock by the riverside? Did you actally marry a snake prind spawn a demonic baby? I'm at the edge of my seat here!"

  The absurdity of the queries made me burst out ughing. "What? No!"

  Perl smoothed out their hair and csped their hands, readying themself. "Okay. What is it? Something to do with the prophecy, or...? Your assig is ing along all right, I hope."

  "It is. I've just been told a lot today. Lots of new information," I crified. "A mountain of stuff to think about. It's...not the kind of information that should be public."

  Perl nodded. "Don't worry. If I keep aire syndicate underground, a fidential versation is a simple request to eain. I appreciate a good secret or two." They crossed one leg over the other, their knee-high boots gleaming.

  For what felt like the tenth time that day, I expined everything: everything about Ash's kidnapping, my researto dark magic, me uionally learning it from my tutor, the immunity-granting power of my birthmark, and the new bracelet grag my wrist. Perl just listeheir expressioral, yet uanding. They never interrupted me or questioned anything. Just absorbed the information. By the time I finished, a tiny sigh escaped my mouth. I hoped for a mihat saying it all aloud would lift a weight off me.

  "Tch. Well." They stared thoughtfully at the obsidian cuff, their scales soft blue. "That is a lot. Dark magic being forced upon you? Must've been dreadful to discover. Although, you and Deadbolt being shielded from its iion is a lovely stroke of luck. A good sign, yes? I'm gd. That will make your work as hunters much less dangerous. But I'm sorry Typhis and Vaook such a firm stano trust these days..."

  I rubbed my wrist. "I uand why they had to...with everything that's been going on. All I do is hope they're right."

  "With that sidered," Perl added gently, "you're proving yourself more than worthy, my friend."

  I gave them a small smile in respohanks. But that's not really what I wao talk to you about, sinobody do anything about it... Um, I was curious if you knew anything about Vhinrud and his Inkbloods. I mean, the monster siphoned away some of Ashkan's– Sorry, Deadbolt's life energy while he was imprisohe books I read told me that was dark magic. So, do you think that's how people are transformed into Inkbloods?"

  They bliheir shimmering eyes. "Oh, no. No, no, no. Siphoning won't do that. It's their tattoos. Very advanced, very trated glyphs, to be precise. Even after all these years, I'm still not quite sure how it's dohat kind of curse isn't anything I'm familiar with. It's an incredibly potent, intense kind of intation. Steals the person's soul and mind...trapping it forever...forced to reawaken within an hour or so, over and over, uhe mark gets split. Inkbloods have sported those stamps for as long as the gang's existed, I believe, so...it must be an a spell. Ohat's been passed down from leader to leader." Their lips twisted in thought. "As for Vhinrud, I wish I'd bee aware of his existence way sooner. Would've spared a lot of people unnecessary suffering. Unfortunately, that name's not one I've ever been familiar with. I assume you tried searg for anythiing to him?"

  "ensively. Didn't really have much to go off of. But his name didn't e up anywhere I looked."

  "Hm. I'll see if the League's archives shed light on that bastard. Although Inkblood leaders are known to stay strictly anonymous..."

  We fell silent for a moment. Perl grabbed a miniature hss off the desk, set it upright, and fidgeted with the polished frame. With each tig sed, I watched the blue-grey sands travel down from one end, gathering together in a tiny heap at the bottom. They stared pensively at it, and when it emptied, they reversed it, and tiaring at it again. The whole thing ran through once more before they snapped out of their tration.

  "Sorry," they apologized. "Silly things, hsses. Aren't they? Finite representations of an infinite phenomenon. I 't stop turning them, then watg how quickly time goes by as the sand filters down."

  "A bit of ay feeling whe grains drop through the other side, huh?" I half-joked.

  They chuckled, and their scales coloured a ink. "You know, that's precisely it. It runs out, and it seems so...anticlimactic; over. Like such a dead end. Like there's nothio do, nowhere left to go. Until you turn it over and realize it's a fresh, untouched moment. Full of potential. And time marches on. But space – the frame – stays put, and… And it just… Oh, you must think I'm utterly daft, rambling on like this."

  I shook my head. "The flow of time isn't something a lot of people are too curious about, until it's almost all used up."

  Perl closed their eyes and smiled to themself. "Heh. Too true. I think of it as more of a reminder, if anything. It helps me keep things in perspective, keep everything from crumbling away whe drop falls. If there were no refill, no ce to start over, well, then perhaps we would all appreciate what we have a lot more. Then again, oher hand...perhaps we'd appreciate nothing." They opeheir eyes. "In that vein, speaking of appreciating what we have, I'm gd you told me all this, Grey."

  I smiled. "Me too."

  "I see it makes you uneasy. You're worried something might happen that causes you to betray the kingdom, and all of the world's trust. The League's trust. The King's trust. The trust of your allies. Nevermind trying to maintain it, but fag the burden of almost single-handedly making your friends abandon you."

  "You say the thought's crossed my mind." I tapped my fingers against the armrest. My smile faded. "And I feel like, maybe, I should feel remorse for being...the way I am. For some reason. But I don't."

  "Because you are able to practice forbidden magic without sequence."

  "...Yeah."

  Perl hummed in respohey swivelled around in their chair, thinking to themself. Their expression was posed, unbothered, as if my predit was no different from the day-to-day responsibilities that required their stant attention. "When was the st time you used that magic, just to know? How did it feel?"

  "It was when I helped rescue Ash– Deadbolt," I responded without dey. "Something shifted in my mind. Just for the duration of the fight. It was like something came loose. I don't know how to describe it... I 't trol it like I'm supposed to. It doesn't act like any other element. Every time I use it, it feels like I'm robbing myself of something. And I don't know how to e that. It's like... It's like when I cast a dark spell, I lose a tiny shard of myself. And each time I do it, it feels like it's costing me something. I don't know what, but... But it's not like how it should be."

  Their tone remained casual. "It drains you?"

  I tilted my head from side to side in a 'ly' kind of motion. "It's taxing, it is. It's not easy to cast. It takes energy just like all magic. But... There's something else there too. Like I get a small glimpse of something."

  "Into what, my friend?"

  "That's the tricky part. I ever tell."

  They drummed their fiogether, taking in that information. "Does it hurt?"

  "No, not really." I bit my lip. "There's no physical pain. But there is this...ess. Heaviness. And a distinct disfort. It feels like the pain is missing. Like it should be there, but it's not. Where all your nerves are spazzing out, and there's an arm going off in your head, and you kind of want to move or squirm around to make the feeling subside a little. But there's no actual...pain. Does that make sense?"

  "Fasatingly so," they remarked. "Could be your body reag to the unfamiliarity. The anomaly. The shock of the abnormal. The reje of its corruption, perhaps. Who knows? Your system works just fine, good hunter. I wouldn't worry about that."

  I let out a sigh, slightly relieved. "Thanks."

  Perl took the hss off their desk again, tur over, and watched all the sand trickled into its new pile. This time, they studied it with a different expression. "Imagiurning the gss too many times. Or too little times. If it weren't in stant motion, if it were just left alone on its side forever... Well... There's no journey. No journey, no path, nress. Just stasis. Just an iween pce. Imagine having to stay in that grey area for eternity."

  "You'd have to learn to find a way forward," I said.

  They quirked an eyebrow at me and smiled knowingly. "That you would. Such is the duality of the hss, really. No motion means nress. Time is running out, sure, but without movement... Nothing good happen."

  I couldn't think of a reply to that.

  Perl set the tri down and leaned back, giviheir full attention. "By the way, I'm giving you and Deadbolt a well-deserved break from missions for a while. If I help it, of course. Not that the previous calls haven't been food reasons, but, you two o catch a break. Holy, my sincere apologies if I wasn't doing my part in helpiher of you properly adjust; you did leap into matters soohan I expected. I'll try t your work schedules down to something a little easier to juggle. Y'know, if the Inkbloods and Rotted allow for it."

  My eyes widened slightly. "That's more than appreciated, Perl. Thanks."

  "Don't mention it. You two need your rest. Especially now. You deserve it." Their scales blended from light violet to steel blue to a muted, o green.

  "Thank you," I repeated. "We're really grateful for your support. For everything you've done for us."

  They smiled. "My pleasure. Should I worry? Now that you two have had a taste of adventuring? Looking to go run off and discover the mysteries of the hidden parts of the world?"

  A chuckle escaped my mouth. "We'll see. I'd sider the offer. Ashkan'd be all for it."

  They beamed. "Oh, well, if that's the case, I'll keep you two in mind. Allenty of work to be done."

  We shared a ugh. The air around us felt light again, friendly, easy.

  "I'll let you get back to business now. It was nice seeing you again," I said, rising from my seat.

  "As to you," they replied. "I'm hohat you trust me enough to fide ih such important, sensitive things. If I've said so once, I've said it a thousand times: It's nht to keep everything tucked away and hidden forever. And I'm always ready to lend an ear. Always! Well, I guess when I'm not busy with mountains of paperwork, or trips across the ti, or dealing with grumpy beasts that keep trying to eat me. But you get the gist."

  I ughed. "Much appreciated."

  "Say hi to Deadbolt for me!" they said as I headed to the door. "I know I've said it already, but really. So sorry about his circumstances. Hopefully that be remedied. Right? I'm optimistic. Send him my regards!"

  "Will do. See you around," I said with a wave, and disappeared out of their office.

  It was almost midnight oh when I returned. Clouds smothered the moon and stars, casting silvery rays of light into my bedroom through the skylight. I ged into my pyjamas, washed my face, and brushed my teeth before flopping onto my bed. Every part of me felt exhausted. My brain, most of all. However, it felt relieved at the same time. Perl's reassurance did a lot to alleviate my worries, even if certain issues remained unresolved. Having fided in them felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. Like the sand had reached the end of the hss frame, and got reset without i. A neter. A new path. A new ce at progress.

  I don't know what brought the thought to my mind, but I found myself w if Prince Lah had ever felt the way I was feeling. Like he had a power that others didn't know about, or didn't uand. Like he had a secret to keep. He probably had armies waiting on him, not to mention aire kingdom reliant on his future capabilities. He did sound like quite the outcast, now that I thought about it. Something I could certainly rete to. Would he have uood the kind of pressure I was under, if he was alive today? Despite everything, he never shied away from carving his own path. Even when severely ill. Evehe gods themselves ned his as. ...Maybe they had good reason to. I didn't knardless, the words 'kindred spirit' resonated with me for whatever reason. He helped revolutiohe society of his day. He didn't let his illness stop him from reag for the stars, or at the very least, do whatever he could to hold them in his hands for a brief moment in time.

  With a stretd a yawn, I rolled over and grabbed my phone from my nightstand. The s lit up, notifications flooding in. My body immediately tensed. Six text messages and two missed calls from Spencer. All sent throughout the day.

  12:59 p.m.: Hey weirdo what r u up to. Joel's buying us slushies for tonight

  1:41 p.m.: Still getting ready? Hope you didn't die aaaa

  2:13 p.m.: Leavin soon. Wao pick u up??

  2:56 p.m.: Text me when ur on the ls

  3:28 p.m.: You missed the opening :((( Dude where the hell r u. Everything ok?

  6:09 p.m.: Gallery's over. Call me or something.

  Fuck, I fot about Spencer's art thing at school! Guilt flooded my chest, my face burning hot as I read each message. My thumbs lingered over the s as I thought of an excuse. I'd meticulously arranged everything out so I could make it. I'd only po have regur training in the m. But with the day's developments, the visit to the Elders, the meeting with the King, and the time differen Emiarhia, it got ko the wayside pletely. Wiped from my miirely. By act, of course, but inexcusable heless.

  I couldn't figure out what to text back. Every word I tried to write sounded like ay lie – because they were. How do you expin to your best friend that you missed her very first public art exhibition because you were off in a distant universe, being summoo aemples and royal halls in order to gain insight into the dark magic that's supposedly dormant within you? That you missed it because that p was threatening to implode on itself? Because oher side of the os, you've been roped into being a shining knight for a world you didn't even ked st year?

  Expnations flitted through my brain. Family emergency. Sid sleeping for twenty-one hours. Impromptu trip out of town. Dropped my phone iub. Buried alive in my garden. Car flipped into the o. Carried to the underworld by pixies and couldn't get home. Anything. Literally anything other tharuth. And it hurt that I couldn't share it, regardless of how i sounded. I wasn't just some ordinary human. And it sucked.

  I forced myself to type out a message, erased it, rewrote it, and pressed send before I could sed-guess myself any further.

  11:52 p.m.: I'm so so sorry Spence, something came up, I had a st-minute emergency that took me away. I didn't mean to miss the gallery. I'm really really sorry I let you down.

  She texted back within five minutes.

  11:57 p.m.: Was hoping you'd respect me enough to give me an actual expnation but ok.