The Shattered Dark

“I’ve never heard any rumor of it. Humans are either born with the Sight or they’re not.” After a moment, he adds, “I suppose there’s a chance it might be possible. What about the other human? What do you know about him?”

“Just that he’s Naito’s brother.”

“Right. Trev,” Aren calls. The other fae approaches. To me, he seems kind of reluctant, but when Aren orders him to find Naito and bring him to Lena, he nods.

After Trev leaves, I tell Aren, “I think the remnants told Paige you kidnapped me.”

“Well, that’s true,” he says, throwing me a quick grin that makes my stomach flip.

“Yes, but all the time she’s been around the fae, she thought I was being held captive and that she was with the good guys.”

“You need to talk to her,” he says, as we enter the northern wing of the palace.

“Alone, if possible.”

He nods. “We’ll talk to Lena first, then see what Naito has to say.”

The huge, gilded doors to the throne room are closed when we get there. The smaller door set into the left side is cracked open, though. It’s dark inside. The fae who led us here stop and motion for Paige and Lee to wait, but Aren ushers me forward.

It takes a second for my eyes to adjust. When they do, I see that fae are covering each of the room’s tall windows with black cloths that are stretched between a series of long poles. Lena is sitting on the throne. She doesn’t look comfortable there. She’s sitting straight and staring at a fae clad in black in the center of the room. So are the nobles standing on either side of her dais. They aren’t all high nobles, but I do recognize Lord Kaeth and Lord Hison. A few other important fae are here, too. Even the archivist, Kavok, has come out of his hole for this. Like Lena, they’re all staring at the black-clad fae.

The fae doesn’t leave his position in the center of the room, but his arms are almost in constant motion.

“I wish you could see this.” Aren practically breathes the words. His gaze is riveted on the center of the room, but I was wrong about what the others are watching. They’re not staring at the black-clad fae; they’re staring at the illusions he’s creating.

That has to be what this is. I’ve heard of fae who have the ability to turn a darkened room or an amphitheater into entirely different settings. Some tell entire stories with their illusions. Others are only strong enough to add special effects to a stage show. I think this fae is different, though. The way Aren’s gaze sweeps the room, following an object to the ceiling, then back down again, makes me think this is pure art.

The fae’s arms go still, breaking the spell he has over the throne room. The windows are uncovered then, and the nobles clap. Lena waits until they’re finished before she says, “Thank you, Daron. I will let you know.”

“Let him know what?” I ask Aren, keeping my voice low.

“Daron wants to be named Lena’s Court Illusionist,” he says. “It’s a respected position and will signify he’s one of the best illusionists in the Realm. I promised him he could perform for her if he created a lightning storm in Rhigh.”

“He did that?” I look at the black-clad fae again.

Aren nods. “He’s an old friend of mine.”

The fact that he doesn’t say more than that tells me they were friends back when Aren worked with Thrain. That darkens my mood.

At the other end of the throne room, Lena’s voice rings out. “You may go.”

Daron gives her a respectful bow. Lena watches him retreat. Then she must see Aren and me standing here because she adds, “You may all go.”

The nobles look reluctant to leave, but eventually, they make their way out. Kavok follows them, giving me a pleasant smile until he sees Paige and Lee waiting just outside the door.

“Are they shadow-readers?” he asks.

That’s actually a good question. I look at the two humans, take a guess. “I don’t think so.”

He seems disappointed by that. I don’t know if I am or not. It would be nice to have another shadow-reader just like it would be nice to have more Sighted humans. It would lighten my responsibilities, give all of us more time off. I might even have a better chance at getting and keeping a job. On the other hand, I don’t want to bring anyone else into this war. I especially don’t want Paige to be involved in it. It’s not that she needs protection or can’t handle this new world or anything, but she’s been perfectly fine and happy before all of this. The only reason she’s here is because of me, and I hate being at fault for that.

“Can I find you in the archives later?” I ask Kavok, before he leaves. Maybe he’s come across a story in the Realm’s literature or history about a fae giving humans the Sight.

“Of course,” he says with a smile.

He and the rest of the fae exit the throne room, leaving behind only the guards, Lena, and Kyol, who’s standing to the left of her dais. Aren dismisses the fae who escorted Paige and Lee here, then we all approach the throne.

“Obviously, it turned out not to be a false lead,” Lena says, standing to study the two humans. “A trap?”

Paige rolls her eyes when Lena switches to Fae. She never would have worked for Atroth. There’s no way she’d put up with his rules. I honestly don’t know how I did for so long, now. Habit, maybe. In the beginning, I wanted to be near Kyol, the king was nice to me, and it felt good to be needed. I didn’t understand the Realm and its magic, so I was willing to follow the rules just so I wouldn’t harm it. All those reasons seem weak now; they didn’t at the time.

“Atroth’s Sighted humans were there,” Aren says. “They were dead.”

“Dead?” Lena asks sharply. “Are you sure?”

“Tortured and killed,” Aren says. “I’m sure.”

Beside Lena, Kyol straightens. “It doesn’t make sense for the remnants to kill them.”

Kyol is an expert at hiding his emotions, but his words are so monotone and spoken so softly, I know he’s not unaffected by the news. He worked with all the Sighted humans at one time or another, and he recruited at least one of them. It’s not his fault they’re dead, but he considered protecting them one of his many responsibilities.

“It makes slightly more sense if they can make more,” Aren says. Kyol and Lena focus on him, but he doesn’t elaborate. He’s looking back at the entrance to the hall. Naito’s there, walking toward us with his hands in his pockets and his gaze focused on the strip of carpet beneath his feet.

I glance at Lee. He sees his brother, too, and turns to face him fully. Naito doesn’t look up until he reaches us. He takes everyone in, lingering for a few seconds on Paige, then finally resting his gaze on Lee. We’re all quiet, waiting for one of them to say something. Lee breaks the silence first.

“Naito,” he says, his jaw visibly clenching and unclenching.

Not even a twitch from Naito to show he recognizes Lee. Aren looks at me. I give him a tight-lipped smile in return. Aren and Naito are friends. We both want him to get better, but neither one of us knows how to help.

Lena turns away from them, faces Aren. “What do you mean, ‘make more’?”