by Jaime Marks
“I don’t think that’s the smartest idea, Staryana.” Byryn studied her, “I don’t think you really understand what’s happening to you. You should go home and let your Dad fill you in.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think there is anything he can tell me that my Mom can’t.” She looked at him sizing him up. He hadn’t let go of her. “What do you want from me Byryn? If you’re looking for any easy piece you’re not gonna get it.”
He smirked with a chuckle as he released her and climbed onto his bike, starting it. “Something tells me, Brightness, that there is nothing that’s easy about you.” He handed her a helmet. “Now, climb on.”
“I told you, I don’t want to go home. And you still haven’t answered me.”
“Right now, I just want to know more about you.” He smirked. “There is something special about you Staryana, ever think it’s possible I might just like you.”
“Why do you call me Staryana?” She stared at him suspiciously.
He shrugged, “It’s your name isn’t it.”
“Yeah but everyone calls me Star.”
“I like Staryana better, but if it bothers you I can just stick to calling you Brightness.” He chuckled as she huffed. “Now come on, if you say you won’t go home until you see your Mom, then we’ll just have to find her.”
“Really?” She asked. “I mean that guy seemed to know your Dad or something. You won’t get in trouble?”
“Do I look like I care about getting in trouble,” He laughed.
She looked into his eyes watching him as he smiled at her. She didn’t know if she should trust him, but there was a comfort between them. Well duh, understatement much. He only had his tongue halfway down her throat less than a half hour ago. She looked over and saw the school security guard heading their way and looked back to him. Reluctantly she took the helmet he offered her and put it on, climbing on the bike behind him. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she rested her head against his back. This might be crazy, but something about it also felt kind of right.
“Hold tight, Brightness.” She felt him shift his weight around as he cranked the accelerator and lifted his feet onto the pegs driving away.
Chapter 8
Reyana looked around taking in an environment that she couldn’t really comprehend. They were in some sort of forest but the color of everything was muted somehow. It was almost as if some odd hazy, white mist were coating everything, the trees, the grass, the sky, even the water of the brook that ran off to her right emitted almost no sound. Standing there she thought she had to be dreaming, because this sure as hell felt like more of a dream than her actual dreams ever did. The entire scene was disorienting.
“How are you, Reyana?” Marcus asked breaking through her thoughts. Looking to him she suddenly realized he was holding her steady.
“I’m,” She hesitated trying to decide exactly how she was. She decided to go for honest. “Confused, tired, a bit aggravated, and slightly disoriented.” She was shocked at how exasperated she felt, but then it has been a really long day, and it was barely half over.
Marcus nodded at her with an apologetic, yet knowing smile. “We’re almost there, my love.” He picked her up and they began walking again.
“What is this place?” She asked staring up at him.
“This is,” It was his turn to hesitate. She couldn’t decide if he was protecting her as he had said, or just afraid of how she would react. “My home.”
She heard Mythos grunt and they both looked at him. “I’m sorry, Marcus, I mean no disrespect. I simply still think of the Palace as your home.”
“Palace?” Reyana asked slightly perplexed.
Marcus met her gaze, “Soon, love, I…we, will explain everything soon.”
She couldn’t help but notice the slight smile that made a momentary appearance on Mythos’ lips. The man towered over them both really and a gold light swirled about him at random. If she thought Marcus was a sight to behold, Mythos was downright regal, and more than a bit intimidating. She got the feeling he wanted to be close to her, to hold her, but he didn’t seem to be even remotely attracted to her. Actually he looked at her with an almost fatherly gaze which gave her pause. Who was she to him? How did they all seem to know her when she couldn’t remember having ever met any of them outside of a dream?
Marcus stopped setting her down. The stood in front of a steep cliff wall. It appeared to be a dead end. She watched as Marcus stepped forward and pulled aside what appeared to be moss. At first she though he would rip it right off the wall or that he would maybe just run his hand along it, it didn’t even look moveable, but to her surprise it moved to the side almost like a curtain to reveal a narrow passageway in the rock.
“Nicely camouflaged, Marcus.” Mythos mused very evidently impressed.
Marcus nodded to him as he motioned to her to join him. “Are you feeling more steady, love? It will be difficult to carry you through here.”
“Yeah, I’m feeling a bit better.” She nodded.
“Good, follow me closely, there are some traps set in case anyone would ever find this place and I don’t want you to be hurt.” He leaned down kissing her forehead before he proceeded.
She followed him into the cave expecting it to darken as they went deeper, but it remained just as bright as it was outside. Mythos followed closely behind her as they followed Marcus’ lead. He pointed out rocks and strings as they went, stopping occasionally to help her maneuver around the more elaborate set ups. His chest was so broad that he barely fit walking straight on and there were points where he had to turn on an angle to fit through.
Marcus stepped out of the cave into an opening taking Reyana’s hand as she followed. She surveyed the area. They stood in it what at first she thought was a large cavern as they were surrounded on all sides by high reaching cave walls, but when she looked up she was greeted with the sky. The stone walls curved up but ceased leaving the ceiling completely open.
About halfway across the clearing was a ravine that stretched a few feet across and beyond that was a small cottage sheltered by an overhang. Marcus led her to the edge of the ravine releasing her hand to walk over to the wall. When he got there he slid a long stone plank from a crevice she would never have noticed if she hadn’t seen him reach into it. She watched as he walked over setting up the stone bridge. She looked over the edge, there didn’t appear to be a bottom to that drop.
“I will carry you, love.” He spoke softly, “You have had a long day and as unsteady as you’ve been it’s for the best.”
She stepped back nodding and he lifted her into his arms. She closed her eyes and turned her head into his chest to avoid looking down as he walked. After a few moments she heard the squeaking of a door and he set her down. It was a modest setting. A wooden table with a single chair in one corner and a couch against the far wall. Towards the back of the cottage was a single door. She walked over to the couch and sat down.
“Ok, I have been very patient with the two of you and I think I have taken this all in stride.” She inhaled deeply as images of the events of the day flashed through her mind. “You promised me answers once we were safe. Well, we’re safe so start talking.”
Grifyn paced outside the infirmary. Inside Kato lay on the cot still writhing in pain. The Healers had tried their best to remove the Dark essence from the wound but they all feared the damage had been done. They stood in there around his bed bathing him in Light. There was nothing more to do for him but wait and hope that he was strong enough to resist the pull of the Darkness. If not he would either turn or die of the sickness.
Even more troubling was the fact that once Mythos had gotten them out of that damned alley he had misted off to assist Marcus and Reyana. No one had heard from any of them. The only hope they had was the fact that somehow Marcus had gone undetected for many decades. It was possible that they were simply off grid, the same way he had been. That he had taken them both somewhere in an effort to mask Reyana until the awakening fully took hold. J
udging by the look of her this morn it would not be long.
Unfortunately, the Council had already sent a representative to speak with him. They were up in arms over Mythos’ disappearance claiming he had gone against the decree. Some were calling for him to claim the throne in his absence as with both he and Marcus missing, Grifyn was the only living male of regal lineage. He didn’t quite frankly care what they wanted. He was loyal to Mythos, and quite frankly he agreed with the King’s decision. It was high time, in his opinion and the Council was wrongly advised if they thought they’d get more obedience from him.
He looked up as Trina and Ryo approached. “Anything?”
“No, nothing.” Ryo responded. Trina walked over and hugged him, her Light subtly shifting between them as she comforted him. He noticed the curious look Ryo gave them as she pulled away.
Standing at attention she began her debrief. “We followed her essence to an area of woods not far from her house, but then it’s as if she just vanished. I cannot sense any of them. I even sent my essence through the earth hoping to pick up some other trail I might have overlooked, but there was none. I did confirm that the three of them were together when their essence became unreadable.”
Grifyn nodded, “Did you feel Darkness there? Were there signs of a battle?”
“No, sir. There was no lingering essence of Darkness, and the area appeared undisturbed.”
“Good,” Grifyn nodded again. “Then we have to assume that Marcus took them both with him to wherever he has been hiding. He’s made it his specialty to remain undetected and hidden. It would have been the wisest recourse with the Shade hunting for the Princess.”
Trina glanced at Ryo. “There is another problem, sir, one that I believe proves that the Shade haven’t been able to acquire the Princess.”
Grifyn groaned silently. They didn’t need any further complications. “What is it?”
“I tracked the Shade, Cymeryn, to her home. I believe her husband has been awakened Shade.” Trina spoke hesitantly.
Before Grifyn could respond, the door to Kato’s room opened and one of the Healers poked her head out. “Grifyn a Grifyion, Praetor Kato is demanding to speak with you. He will not settle.”
Grifyn followed her inside to his friend’s bedside. He did not look well. Dark wisps still wafted from his wound. His skin looked sallow, lacking its usual luminescence. His eyes normally green and glowing looked dull and almost gray. As he grasped the hand of the Fae who had seen him through the best and worst times of this existence he was taken aback at the amount of Darkness that flowed through him. They were losing him.
Kato’s voice was raspy and strained as he spoke. “Cymeryn….he is going for the girl.”
Grifyn nodded, “We know, my friend. I believe she is somewhere safe, with Marcus.”
“No, not Reyana.” He inhaled sharply, pain evident in his eyes. “Star, he is going to take Star.”
Grifyn’s eyes flared as he gaped at his friend. He had forgotten about the young girl in all the chaos. “I will find her Kato, he will not succeed.” He met his friends eyes “You have to fight this, my friend. You have to hold onto the Light. We need you. I need you.”
Kato grimaced as he nodded and released his hand, falling back into restless sleep.
As Byryn drove his beat up Suzuki through town he had to wonder if he had lost his mind. He had dealt with the Shade his whole life. His Father was Shade. He had been brought up in their traditions and he knew their ruthlessness. He didn’t fear them. He could hold his own amongst them. On the occasion that he couldn’t, most feared his Father and he had learned how to manipulate the situation when it was called for, but Cymeryn? He would revel in tearing the flesh from anyone who betrayed him and then probably feed it to his prey as he gagged on his own blood. To go against the Supryn of the Umbra wasn’t just suicidal it was a straight up insane. So why was he risking everything for this girl?
He felt her body against his, a warmth flowing between them. He thought back to the look in her eyes as she faced off with Cymeryn. She had spirit, but she was so fragile and so innocent. Byryn may know exactly what the score was but it was clear she had no idea of the danger she was in. Still, she was part Shade, like him. He had always known, he could sense it in her. For an unawakened he was unusually adept at sensing essence and from the first moment he saw her he knew what she was. There had always been some inexplicable urge drawing him to her, but he hadn’t wanted to make waves. Besides, she was far too innocent to have had any knowledge of the Shade. What would he say to her? He had watched her from a distance ever since, until today.
He felt her pain, her confusion in the hall. Her essence had been swirling around her. If she were older he would have assumed she was close to the awakening, but she was younger than he was and even he was too young. The need he felt to go to her was so strong, before he knew it he was standing there beside her. He needed to ease her, to help her. Beyond that, he just straight up craved her. He’d allowed his essence to flow into her and taken some of hers into him, attempting to stabilize her as he’d been taught to do. The Shade shared essences for a multiple reasons, the primary being the awakening; but they also shared essence to prepare for battle…and sex. He just couldn’t resist the urge to feel her, to be in her in some way, to taste her. He was more than a little shocked when her essence had burnt at first. He thought for a moment that he’d made a terrible mistake as pain ran through him, but then there was a warmth to it unlike anything he’d ever felt. He couldn’t reconcile it. He knew she was part Shade, he could still feel the Darkness in her, but could she also be part Fae? Could such a thing even happen? He had never heard of a hybrid before, ever, and from what he understood in a fully awakened being the essence of the other race could be fatal if they weren’t turned.
He pulled off into the park and stopped among a grouping of trees that would shelter them well enough, from humans at least. Minions and unawakened he could evade, the Shade would sense them. Their reprieve was temporary at best. He turned to her. “Go ahead, call your Mother again. See where she is and I’ll take you to her.”
She smiled at him slightly as she pulled off the helmet, almost as if she were surprised that he didn’t lie and just take her right home. She pulled out her phone to make the call. She groaned in exasperation, “It’s going to voicemail again.” As she stared at the phone she chewed on her bottom lip and stared over the horizon. He had never seen the look she had on her face before, she looked utterly terrified.
“What’s wrong, Staryana? Talk to me, please.” In that moment it didn’t matter to him what they were or who would be looking for them. He just wanted to see that bubbly smile she generally wore again, and he feared once she learned the truth, he never would again.
“I’m worried about my Mom.” She sighed still looking to the horizon, “That guy was so cryptic, and my Dad, I dunno he’s just been so cruel lately. I don’t want to think he would’ve let anything happen to her, but I heard him the other night. It was like he was trying to break her down or something. He left her crying on the floor. Today though? I don’t even know how to explain it. This morning he threatened to hurt her if she pushed him. He still felt like him though, but now? Pfft well you would probably think I was crazy if I told you.” She shrugged.
“I don’t know, I’ve seen a lot of crap in this world, why don’t you try me?” He shrugged nonchalantly, rolling the bike so it would lean against a tree and climbed off. He checked to make sure it wouldn’t fall with her on it
She turned and met his eyes, studying them a moment before she nodded, “I know that was my Dad. He looked like him, he sounded like him. He even talked like him when he chose not to let that asshole talk for him. Thing is, he just didn’t feel like my Dad. He felt like something, I don’t know, evil I guess. And Cymeryn, shit, I can’t even describe how bad he felt.” She watched him cautiously for a reaction.
“Hmmm, that’s not really crazy. There are things in this world that average people can’t s
ense or even begin to understand.” He embraced her, wiping freshly shed tears from her face. She was so frightened. He would give anything, do anything to fix this for her, but what could he do? What should he tell her? They were running out of time. There was nowhere he could hide her and he may be a skilled fighter and have more control of his essence than most unawakened, but he was no match for the Supryn of the Umbra. Not to mention his Father would likely be sent to hunt them down and he damned well knew what he would do.
He pondered her a moment. She was both Light and Dark, he’d felt it. He was pretty sure she could be awakened Fae or Shade, though he still couldn’t figure out how or why. The thought that came to him was perhaps just as suicidal as keeping her from Cymeryn. He couldn’t help her alone. He couldn’t defend her, but the Fae could.
“Staryana, I know you barely know me,” He spoke tentatively, not really sure how this was going to go, “But I feel a connection to you and I want to help you. There’s some seriously bad shit going on right now and I think you’re in danger.” Her eyes shot to his full of suspicion and fear. “That man, Cymeryn, he’s very dangerous, and I won’t lie to you, your Mother could be in some serious trouble.”
“Then we have to go to the police!” She exclaimed jumping up from the seat of his bike. “We have to help her.”
“I really wish it were that simple. I do. But Cymeryn, he has resources and methods that will allow him to track you anywhere. I don’t know why he wants you, but he isn’t going to stop until he has you. And I think your right about your Dad, he isn’t going to help you.” Her eyes began to glisten with tears and she shook slightly. He knew he was echoing everything she already feared. “Shhh, its ok Brightness. I don’t want to scare you, but I need you to know how bad this is. I don’t know how to explain everything and honestly we’re seriously short on time. I know some…people who can help you, but I need you to trust me.”
