《The Glacier House》


 Chapter 1

    Sun marched down the hallway, her heavy black boots on the polished stone the only sound. The academy hallways being so empty never failed to put a spring in her step. Normal days were too...peopley.


    It was exam time at the academy, so classes were mercifully cancelled until they were done. Despite years in this place, living here, attending classes... she hadn''t really made any friends. And she was fine with that. Preferred it even. She had Zen, and she had Nick. They were all she needed.


    The two boys were all that was left of her found family from the slums of the capital. When Perdition Revenants had turned up after the... incident when she was a child and forced her into the academy - the youngest student in recent history - they''d had to bring her here kicking and screaming.


    She hadn''t known they were Revenants until later, she''d never seen people like them before. But everyone had at least heard of them. They were part of the law in Nostravan, and Perdition was their base. Attached was the academy they trained Revenant Candidates - the academy they had dragged her to.


    She hadn''t wanted to leave the boys behind, to leave them wondering what had happened to her. They''d already lost everyone else. None of them could take another hit like that.


    She had spent the first year or so trying to escape the confines of this place, despite the numerous punishments and negative consequences. They had forced her to come here, she had decided to punish them for it. Perdition Academy had even managed to obtain custody of her, the orphan from the slums they''d kidnapped. They''d convinced the powers that be that she was a danger not only to herself, but to everyone around her if she didn''t learn control. The academy was the safest place for her, for everyone.


    And maybe that was true... A lot of people had died that day, people she hadn''t intended to hurt... The guilt still ate at her, but she would risk it if it meant she got to stay with her family. Maybe it was selfish, but she''d never had to live without them, and after losing the others, the thought of losing them had been unbearable.


    They were her whole world. Ami had found her when she was just a toddler, next to the corpse of a woman she took to be her dead mother. She took her to the others, they had named her and taken care of her, despite being kids themselves. As they grew they had a little family of orphaned children, there had been seven of them. But after a few years Zen, Nick and Sun were all that was left.


    Much to her relief, Nick and Zen had tracked her down and joined the academy, managing to pass the required tests. Or at least prove they had potential. Once they''d joined her here, her escape attempts had stopped. She was finally able to see the value of being here. Three meals a day, a roof over their heads, indoor plumbing, medical care, and a place to sleep without having to worry about rape, murder, and kidnapping.


    The three of them were among the youngest there, and also the furthest behind. They''d never been taught to read, write, or count. Their education had to start right from the beginning. They''d known a few numbers, but beyond that, nothing.


    Their endurance and resilience had been fantastic though. Growing up in the slums they had become great at surviving and adapting. They''d had to be cunning and resourceful. They''d had no choice. So the hazing and bullying that had started up because they were street rats washed right off them. They''d seen and survived so much worse. Poverty, hunger, disease, the seasons, violence, traffickers... Most children didn''t survive that. But they had, and they would not be made to feel ashamed of it.


    "Sunny!"


    She turned around, jolted out of her thoughts. She smiled up at Zen as he reached her side. Looking at him too much made her neck ache. How he had managed to grow so much while living in the slums was beyond her understanding. Since coming into the academy, he had filled out as well. Instead of the tall, lanky boy he once was, he had a warriors build now, all muscle and sinew. He had let his bright orange hair grow out but kept it under a bandana most of the time, a black and white one to match their uniform.


    While she kept her uniform immaculate and wrinkle free, his was all crumpled, his zips only half done up, his pants not properly tucked into his boots. Their uniforms were almost identical except girls wore skirts while the boys wore pants.


    "What is it?" She asked him.


    His warm amber eyes danced as he smiled down at her. He held up a piece of paper. She snatched it from his hand and read through it. Her smile beamed as she met his gaze.


    "I told you you could do it," she said.


    "I never said I couldn''t...exactly."


    "Whatever. Congratulations," she said, handing back his paper. "How many more exams do you have?"


    "Too many," he grumbled.


    "Well, you better pass, we''re all supposed to do this together."


    That was the plan - they all graduated together, or none of them did. Unfortunately the only thing he showed any aptitude for was the combat side, her - and when he could, Nick - had had to help him in practically every other subject. Nick was so busy with his advanced classes, he didn''t have as much time as Sun to help Zen out. In return, Zen worked with her on her hand to hand and melee combat skills. Helping him was rough since she wasn''t exactly thriving either. But learning how to teach him had helped her learn as well.


    Spending her life fighting Nostrovan''s enemies as a Revenant wasn''t something she had ever envisioned for herself - in the slums, one didn''t dare envision a future. Besides, little time to dream when every day was a fight for survival and one wrong move could get you or someone you loved killed.


    But she was nothing if not adaptable.


    "Did you hear about that village on the borderlands?" He asked her as they continued down the hall.


    "No, what?"


    "Everyone in the village is just gone. There are no signs of struggle, nothing looks out of place, it''s as if everyone just up and left but no one knows to where."


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Weird." Why was he bringing this up?


    "Yeah. There''s even talk of sending the Tenth out," he told her. "I overheard our instructors talking about it. They might even use it for our evaluations."


    Oh, that was why.


    The Tenth Division of Perdition was in charge of intelligence, reconnaissance, and investigation. If they were being sent out, Perdition must have no idea what was happening. Seemed a little unsound to send candidates out with them. If all went well with their exams, it could be them heading out there.


    "So what about you? How many exams do you have left?" He asked, abruptly changing the subject.


    "Three. Mathematics I''m not too worried about, but the other two..."


    "What are they?" He asked.


    "Melee, and they want a demonstration of my power. I''m afraid of what that is going to entail."


    "Afraid they''re going to make you kill someone?" He asked softly, awkwardly shoving his hands into his pockets and crumpling up his paper.


    She nodded. Zen knew her fear wasn''t baseless, it had been done a few times before. Some people''s powers could only be used for killing, so convicts had been brought in and the candidate ordered to kill them to show what they could do and how much control they had over it.


    And with her power, there wasn''t much else to it but killing. At least, not much Perdition found useful.


    As a child, when her power had started to manifest, she had thought she was going crazy. Every night she dreamed of a strange, dark world inhabited only by ravens and twisted ghostly people, many of whom carried grisly wounds that any child would be afraid of. Eventually it wasn''t just a dream anymore. She started seeing those people and that world in the reflection of water, in puddles, in drinks, in ice...


    Then the incident in the slums, when she had been attacked while out alone. It had been raining heavily that day, the muddied roads were practically rivers, and some areas and homes had been flooded. When she had been attacked, she''d felt a similar sensation to when she dreamed. Then within seconds the men pinning her into the mud, tearing at her clothes just... aged. From young men to middle aged, to ancient corpses.


    These had been young men, no more than twenty at most, and they had aged decades in seconds. Because of something she had done. And it hadn''t just been them, it had been everyone out in that weather, anyone so much as touching water within a mile radius of her almost.


    It had been the Revenants who had explained it to her afterwards. A large portion of their people manifested abilities outside of the typical auric manipulation they were all capable of with the right training.


    Her dreams weren''t dreams at all, she was entering the Traverse, a Crossroads world where the dead passed through, and a great many got lost in. What she saw in water and ice was this other world beyond theirs. And evidently, water was a medium with which she could steal lives. She had the ability to use water and ice in a variety of ways, hydrokinetic they said. She found that a lot harder than the other thing though... But it was the other thing Perdition put their focus on, unfortunately.


    They continued down the hall in a heavy silence. He wanted to reassure her, but didn''t want to be made a liar if he was wrong.


    "When will you be finished?" He asked instead.


    "Not until late tonight. For my demonstration they''re bringing in a couple of Perdition Commanders and they can''t make it until they''re off duty."


    Zen nodded, that pretty much sealed it. They wanted her to kill someone. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder.


    "When you get out, no matter what time, come and see me, I''ll wait up for you."


    She gave him a hollow smile and thanked him. He walked with her until she reached the examination hall to take her mathematics exam.


    Focus didn''t come easily to her as she worked, the constant dread hanging over her. She at least attempted every question, and when she walked out of it she was reasonably confident she would at least pass, if only by a hair.


    The lack of classes had no effect on the number of students at dinner that evening. As usual, the mess hall was loud, full of people, mostly adolescents to young adults. There was the odd older person, someone who had decided to join in their later years.


    Zen, Nick, and Sun had taken their usual seats at one of the corner tables. They were outcast from the rest of the students. Well, mostly Sun and Nick. Zen was a likeable guy and when he wasn''t with the pair of them he was easily able to make friends. Sun and Nick knew he had a couple, they weren''t exactly sure why he kept it from them, or at least never mentioned it. They were happy for him, being able to branch out.


    Sun wasn''t sure why people seemed to keep their distance from her. Until the bullying, she''d never been hostile towards anyone but those who kept her trapped here. Occasionally she''d heard rumours about her power and her eye and figured people must not like them.


    As for Nick, people''s dislike of him seemed to stem from jealousy. Turned out their little Nickolai was something of a prodigy. He excelled in all their classes, physically and academically. When his own ability had manifested he''d seemingly taken to it effortlessly. And the Auric manipulation - the power they used to cast and enhance their speed and strength - he''d surpassed students who had been there far longer than him. He''d left some bitter people in his wake.


    His aptitude had meant their instructors piled more work on him, pushing him further and further to find his limits. He took it all without complaint and still made time for her and Zen, to help them with their assignments or just spend time with them.


    Despite his work and the pressure, he always made time for them.


    "Come on, Sunbeam, at least eat these," Nick insisted, pushing a small bowl of strawberries in front of her.


    Being at Perdition had been the first time she''d ever tasted the sweet little fruits and she''d instantly fallen in love. She''d never had a favourite food until them. And it had not gone unnoticed. Most of the Academy knew not to get in the way of her and a bowl of strawberries.


    But despite how much she loved them, even they couldn''t convince her to stomach food. She was nervous.


    She didn''t want to kill anyone, especially not intentionally and with an audience.


    "Maybe... afterwards," she replied, pushing them away.


    She didn''t miss the look Nick and Zen exchanged from either side of her.


    "We could run."


    Her eyes shot to Nicks at his words, her brow furrowed.


    They hadn''t talked about escaping since the boys had arrived here. Once reunited, they all recognised the opportunity they had before them and had decided to stay.


    "We''re older now; we know how to protect ourselves... We could just run," he suggested softly. "We have an education now; we could make our own lives."


    It was true. And since she had stopped trying to escape, the academy didn''t keep as close an eye on her as they used to.


    But joining the Revenants was a job¡ªa job that paid well. And since coming here, they''d dared to dream. They had plans now. Join the Revenants, make money, use it to buy a house for the three of them, and never go hungry again. And then, when they had leave, they''d plan a trip to the ocean. They''d all heard stories of it, seen pictures in books, heard other students talking about vacations there. They wanted to see it for themselves.


    As a Revenant, chances were she would have to kill someone at some point. Maybe getting the initial shock of it out of the way in a controlled environment wasn''t a terrible thing.


    She shook her head. "It''s fine. I can do it. Just please don''t make me eat before I do."


    Concern was still clearly visible in his bright green eyes, but he nodded.


    And who knew? Maybe she was anxious over nothing. It wasn''t a given they would have her kill anyone.


    She glanced up at the clock. "I should probably go anyway."


    "See us after," Zen reminded her.


    With a nod, she left them.


    Sun left the mess and headed towards the training hall where her demonstration was supposed to take place. She found herself dawdling, taking each step unnecessarily slow. She knew she should hurry, she shouldn''t waste the Commanders, and her Instructors time. Quickening her pace, she found herself outside of the training hall far too soon.


    With a deep breath, steeling her resolve, she entered the hall.

 Chapter 2

    The training hall was massive, and she was used to seeing it full of students practicing. Today, however, only Instructor Harald was waiting, and next to him stood two other men. She had never met any of the Commanders before, but she assumed that''s who they were. They wore the Revenant uniform, and the badges they had were indicative of their Commander status. She could feel their auras radiating off them, heavy and powerful. Her step almost faltered under it but she quickly recovered and headed over to them, her head high and her back straight.


    Instructor Harald and the Commanders watched her approach. Instructor Harald stepped forward and greeted her politely. She bowed, showing him the proper respect as her superior.


    "Sun," he said. "This is Commander Stark, of the Third Division."


    Sun bowed to him, discreetly eyeing him up. Creepy pretty much summed him up. He had a wide grin on his face, almost a cross between a leer and a smirk with a bit of genuine joy mixed in. It was a little unbelievable how he was able to pull it off. He looked to be middle aged, greying brown hair cut short and slicked back. He gave her a polite nod while his eyes bore into her left one. The more he stared, the wider his smile seemed to grow.


    She knew her left disconcerted people; it was so dark it was almost black, and it had no iris, or maybe no pupil; she didn''t know how it worked. Despite that, she could see perfectly fine out of it.


    Instructor Harald introduced the second man to her while she was still bowed.


    "And this is Commander Allens of the Ninth."


    Ninth? Internal affairs? Why would he need to be here to witness this? She had thought perhaps the Commander of the Fifth or Seventh might be here, maybe even Eighth or Tenth. She understood why the Third would be here given the utter lack of knowledge on her power.


    Before anything more could be said, the doors to the hall opened again, and a third Commander was standing there. He was tall, lithe, long sleek black hair parted on the side so the long, elaborate earring that hung from his left ear was visible. She wondered at the significance of it, it looked expensive and this man didn''t look the jewellery type. He was probably the most attractive person she had ever seen though, more perfectly carved statue than man.


    Sun would swear the temperature in the room dropped a couple of degrees too. Instructor Harald looked mildly uncomfortable and shot a quick glance to Commander Allens who only smiled placidly back.


    "Commander Illusen," Instructor Harald greeted. "I wasn''t aware you would be attending."


    "Is that a problem?" Somehow the question had surpassed challenging and sounded more like a threat.


    This man''s aura was just as - if not more - powerful than the other two. It was oppressive and smothering, with a streak of ice through it.


    "Of course not," Harald replied.


    Commander Starks grin had only widened at the poorly concealed discomfort.


    Commander Illusen stalked his way to the centre of the room to join them. His eyes met hers for just a moment as he passed her, and she was sure she caught a flash of something - surprise, sadness maybe? It had been too quick to decipher before he''d become impassive. Illusen was the Commander of the Seventh, his being here made sense.


    "Sun, this is Commander Illusen, of the Seventh," Instructor Harald introduced him, the man himself watching her impassively.


    It didn''t seem physically possible, but Commander Stark''s grin had widened further. Why was he deriving so much joy out of this?


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Are you ready, Sun?" Instructor Harald asked.


    That really depended on what she would be required to do. She remained silent and he must have taken that as a yes.


    At a signal to someone up in the viewing box, the sprinklers at the other end of the hall turned on, creating a pool of water. Instructor Harald led the Commanders to a higher vantage point where they would be well away from any moisture.


    Sun apprehensively watched the water spread until she was standing in it, then the sprinklers were turned off. The doors at the end of the hall opened, and four men chained together at the wrists and ankles shuffled in.


    "Prisoners sentenced to the gallows, Sun. Kill them through the water."


    Although she had been expecting it, she was still shocked - maybe at how cavalier the others were about it. She tried to hide it but she was sure something must have slipped.


    In the reflection of the water, she could see people, the dead on the other side. And her instructor wanted her to send more through.


    To practice this ability, she''d had to use it in the past, but she''d only ever used it on plants and insects, and once a mouse. The mouse had been under orders and she hadn''t wanted to. She liked animals.


    She took a deep breath and looked to Instructor Harald and shook her head. "I... can''t."


    "Why not?" There was a hint of irritation in his tone.


    "They''re people." As if that explained it.


    She could almost feel the eye roll from Commander Stark.


    "While your regard for life is commendable, the world will be better off for their deaths," Harald told her. "Now do it."


    She looked to the prisoners; they were just standing there, their eyes glazed. Had they been drugged before this?


    Her hesitation must have lasted too long; Harald spoke again.


    "Now, Sun. Or the Farron boys will be expelled."


    Her surprise at his statement quickly morphed to a glare. They couldn''t toss her out given what she could do and that legally she was their ward, but they could toss out Zen and Nick just to punish her.


    Cunts.


    Despite Nick''s offer earlier, she was aware it wasn''t really what the boys wanted. They would rather not leave Perdition and end up back on the streets. Granted, they''d never return to the slums and they could probably figure out new lives for themselves now that they had an education, as Nick had said earlier. But it was easier and more secure to stay here. She couldn''t take that from them, and if killing four inmates was the way to do it...


    She closed her eyes and gathered her power, feeling it in the water, and through it she could feel the life force of the four men. It was a strange sensation; she had to pull their lives out of them and to her. Learning to do it at will had been hard, and still felt strange and uncomfortable. If she had a choice she wouldn''t use this power at all. She felt the life drain out of them, felt it flowing through the water and soaking into her skin, into her soul.


    When she opened her eyes, the four inmates were shrivelled and aged and... gone. Their eyes were vacant milky pools, their skin was wrinkled, their hair white. They''d aged to death. And she felt... energized, spritely - physically. The rest of her wanted to throw up.


    Instructor Harald glanced at the Commanders. Illusen remained impassive. Stark was still grinning and he actually barked out a laugh, drawing Sun''s glare. She stalked over to them, fists clenched at her sides, clearly not happy.


    "Amazing!" Stark cried out. "Simply amazing."


    "Am I done here?" She spat.


    Instructor Harald nodded and she stormed off, not even bothering to bow. They watched her disappear out the door before turning back to each other.


    "So what do you think?" Harald asked the trio.


    "It is a very unique ability," Allens said, a polite smile on his face.


    "When does she graduate?" Stark asked.


    "Depending on the results of her exams, we''re hoping with the next batch."


    "Has she expressed an interest in any particular division? I would very much like to study this girl."


    "We were actually hoping, Commander Stark, that you might know something about her ability. With your knowledge it was our belief you may have come across something similar or could at least hazard a guess as to the limits of her potential and just how this ability works."


    Stark shook his head. "Never seen it''s like. But I have seen the eye," he said, his own amused eyes drifting to Commander Illusen a moment. "So you''re going to allow me to study her then?"


    Harald looked more than a little reluctant. Stark''s reputation was well known throughout Perdition as being quite sadistic with those he deemed ''specimens.'' If they allowed him to study her, there was no way of predicting how she would end up, if she survived at all. And her power was far too useful to be wasted.


    He looked to Allens; some kind of silent communication passed between them.


    "And what brought you to this demonstration, Commander Illusen?" He asked.


    The man declined to answer, and though his face was blank, there was a seething fury left in his wake as he stalked from the room.


    Harald exchanged another look with Commander Allens, his stomach sinking. But the Commander only thanked him and left at a more sedate pace than Illusen, completely unruffled.

 Chapter 3

    Sun leaned her hand against the cool brick wall outside, doubled over as she puked into the bushes. Zen held her hair back while Nick rubbed soothing circles on her back. She had no idea how they''d found her out here.


    "Guess we don''t need to ask how it went," said Zen.


    "I''d prefer you didn''t," she muttered, fighting down the next wave.


    When she had killed all those people back in the slums years ago, she had seen some of the damage she''d caused as they''d dragged her out; the images had stuck with her. It had been horrible. The deaths themselves didn''t appear gory or violent, but the twisted look of horror etched on their faces had clawed themselves into her brain and latched on tight. She had always wondered what it felt like to age so fast. Did it hurt? It must have been terrifying.


    When ever she remembered them, she was relieved she was incapable of dreaming. She didn''t want to imagine the nightmares and images her guilt would conjure.


    She pushed herself off the wall, wiping her mouth off.


    "Let''s get you something to wash the taste out," Nick suggested, taking her hand in his.


    They took her back to their room. Boys had to share, two to a room. Revenant candidates were predominantly male, so there were few enough girls they each got their own.


    Her demonstration hadn''t been strenuous physically, it hadn''t even been too difficult energy wise. It was the blow to her conscience that made it hard. Even if they were awaiting execution. Maybe she would feel better - at least a little less guilty - if she found out what their crimes had been...


    She wished she had a more benign ability. Nick could teleport. Zen hadn''t manifested anything, but he preferred the auric manipulation side of it anyway. He liked close quarter combat, and increasing his speed and strength to do it was something he found enjoyable in itself.


    Once in their room, they dragged the blankets from the beds and made a little nest on the floor. They used the sheets to build a fort before Nick and Sun crawled inside. Zen brought in a flask of water and offered it to her. She drank deeply before lying down on her back and looking up at their makeshift ceiling. The boys lay down either side of her, staring up at the sheet hanging over them as well.


    Though the slums had been an awful place to live, the shelter they''d cobbled together to keep them warm and hidden had had it''s charm. Blanket forts gave them that same sense of safety and comfort¡ªa haven from the outside. It had always been them against everything outside, and coming to Perdition hadn''t exactly changed that mindset. Though it had mellowed them out a little.


    "Would you rather drink a litre of piss or a litre of sweat?" Zen suddenly broke the silence with the stupidest question she had ever heard.


    They both looked over at him, knowing what he was trying to do, and she was grateful for it.


    "Whose sweat?" Nick asked.


    "Does that matter?"


    "Some people definitely smell worse than others, I assume it would apply to taste."


    She hadn''t thought of that before, it made sense. "Is there someone who''s sweat you''d be more agreeable to drinking?"


    "Can''t think of anyone off the top of my head," he replied.


    "It''s my sweat and piss," Zen told them.


    They both scrunched up their faces.


    "You don''t drink much water," she said. "You''d probably be quite..."


    "Flavourful?" He suggested with a grin.


    "Pungent," both Nick and Sun said in unison, laughing lightly at the coincidence and the look on Zen''s face.


    "That''s a bit strong," he muttered with a pout.


    Sun laughed. "So are your armpits after combat training."


    He rolled quickly then, burying her face in his armpit, and with his size and strength she really didn''t have much of a chance. And since she was laughing the whole time she was catching mouthfuls of the smell. He had at least showered after his hand to hand exam today; she could tell that much. She started jabbing him in the side where she knew he was ticklish and he wiggled off her, rolling onto his back once again.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    She elbowed him in the side. "Dick."


    "Arseface."


    "All right, children," Nick said, and they could hear his eye roll.


    He wasn''t even that much older than them. But secretly they could admit he was the more mature one of the trio.


    She snuggled into the blankets, eager to forget the world for a little while.


    -


    Nick had to wake her up an hour before dawn the next morning so she could get back to her own room. What they did wasn''t exactly against the rules, but it was frowned upon. Most of them were of an age where they didn''t need their sex lives policed. Though Sun was still a minor, barely. Possibly. None of them really knew their true ages. She could be eighteen by now.


    She returned to her dorm, showered, and got ready for the day. She had no classes to worry about, and her next exam wasn''t until the afternoon. The free time and lack of crowds were about the only upsides to exam week.


    She should probably study or something, but after yesterday she would rather just relax, maybe clean her pistols; that was always a soothing exercise. Or even sharpening and polishing her blades. She took very good care of her weapons. In battle, it was them she had to rely on; she did not want to resort to her power for killing, and her skills in hydrokinesis and casting were quite pathetic.


    She had met up with Zen and Nick in the mess for breakfast; some of her appetite had made a bit of a comeback, at least.


    "Sun, the headmaster would like to see you."


    Looking up, she was surprised to see one of her instructors standing there, arms crossed over his chest. Was she in trouble for disobeying yesterday? For questioning her order?


    With a nod, she muttered her goodbyes to the boys who were watching her worriedly as well.


    Though she wasn''t eager for this meeting, she walked quickly and took the stairs up two at a time. She walked as quickly as she could and knocked on the headmaster''s door. At his muffled ''enter'' she opened it and stepped inside. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene.


    The headmaster was sitting at his desk; standing almost directly opposite was Commander Illusen and beside him was an old lady, obviously very wealthy if her clothes and jewellery were anything to go by. In her ear she wore an earring similar to Commander Illusen but less intricate and not as long; it only just reached her shoulder. The woman''s eyes were the same blue, although seemingly dulled with age. The last person in the room was one of the school healers. Sun stayed in the doorway, eyeing everyone suspiciously. What could possibly be going on that would require the nurse, a Commander, an old lady, and the headmaster?


    "Sun, come in," said the headmaster, his voice, though kind, had a grim note to it.


    She hesitantly obeyed, closing the door behind her. He gestured for her to take a seat and she slowly complied, not sure who she should focus her eyes on.


    She felt the healer take her arm gently as the headmaster informed her they would be taking a sample of her blood. She quickly snatched her arm back and eyed them warily.


    "Why?" She asked, annoyed that they thought they could just do whatever they wanted with her. Damn the Guardianship orders they had over her.


    "Do as you''re told," Commander Illusen said; his voice was so cold. "An order from a superior is to be obeyed."


    She clenched her jaw but allowed the healer to continue her job. "May I at least know why?"


    "Who are your parents?" Illusen asked.


    She turned her glare to him. Pompous ass. "None of your business," she shot back.


    The headmaster delivered a hard whack to the back of her other hand with a ruler.


    "Show some respect," he told her.


    "Your parents. Do not make me ask again," Illusen warned.


    "I don''t know who they are," she spat. "I''m an orphan. What do you want with my blood?"


    Technically, the headmaster was her legal guardian since they''d stripped her of her rights with their bullshit about her being a danger. If she didn''t listen to him, he could punish her in ways he couldn''t with the other students. And after yesterday, she didn''t want to risk pushing her luck.


    Again, her question was ignored as the old lady grabbed her face and examined her closely.


    "You are obviously from the Winter Clan," she said. "We''re taking your blood to determine who stained the family honour by birthing a bastard."


    "Winter Clan?" She probably should have been more angry at the fact this old woman had just called her a stain and a bastard in one sentence, but with all the other questions and emotions running through her, that was what came out.


    "One of the Great Four, Sun," the headmaster told her as if that should have cleared it up.


    It didn''t.


    The nurse closed off the vial of blood, put a piece of gauze on the injection site, and told her to hold it down. Illusen took the vial from her hand and left without a backward glance, the old lady following closely behind him. Sun turned her confused gaze on her headmaster.


    "Who were those people?" She asked.


    "You met Commander Illusen yesterday, didn''t you?"


    She nodded. "I know he''s a Commander. Why does that entitle him to my blood?"


    "Kalys Illusen is head of the Winter Clan. A very powerful and influential man. Should the royal family ever be left without an heir, the throne would fall to one of the Great Four. They are practically royalty. The woman with him was Noda Illusen, one of the clan elders. If you are ever to see them again, you had better be more respectful. Your behaviour casts a reflection on the candidacy program and I will not have its reputation brought down by you." He leaned back in his seat. "They suspect you''re related to them, Sun. And if he wants your blood, I cannot stand in his way."


    Sunny left the office in a daze, replaying the conversation in her head. The Winter Clan? Didn''t even sound remotely familiar. The woman had inspected her face, so something in it must be some kind of indicator; she had a feeling it was her dark eye. She still wasn''t happy about that stain comment. She was in some way related to those two people? Probably not; that''s what the blood was for. They had ways of tracing lineage through one''s blood. It was a magic beyond her limited comprehension.


    Gods above, she hoped these people were wrong. She just wanted to get through her time here, be released from Perdition''s ''guardianship'' and build a life for herself. If she had ever bought into the long-lost family dream, it would have been shattered upon meeting those two. She didn''t want them, and it was clear they didn''t want her.


    Besides, she had Zen and Nick; they were all the family she needed.

 Chapter 4

    She lingered about in the hallway, processing, when she saw Zen heading towards her. She gave him a wave as he reached her.


    "Hey," he greeted. "So what happened?"


    "Uh, I had to see the Head Master about disobeying orders," she lied.


    She didn''t want him finding out about this, especially since it would most likely amount to nothing. Best not to worry him.


    "Ok," he didn''t entirely believe her but figured she would tell him when she was ready. "I''ll walk you to your next exam."


    "I''m going to the library instead; I''ve got nothing until the afternoon," she told him.


    "I''ll walk you there then," he smiled.


    She nodded and they fell into step beside each other.


    "What do you have next?" She asked him.


    "Hand to hand."


    She rolled her eyes. "Fun."


    He flexed his bicep in front of her face. "Kiss my guns for luck."


    She could only laugh and elbow him in the side. "You''re a dick."


    Zen filled the silence of their walk with idle chatter, most of it gossip about their classmates. Before coming here, she never knew he was such a gossip fiend. When survival wasn''t the predominant task of the day, it turned out he liked to know all the juicy details of the lives of those around him. Well, the salacious stuff at least.


    Zen left her at the entrance to the library, calling out a ''see ya'' as he jogged off to class. Sunny waited until he was out of sight before disappearing into the library. The place was huge; three storeys of books, maps of the known world adorned the walls, there were sculptures and paintings. It was like a cross between a museum and a library. Natural light streamed in through the domed glass ceiling where a model of the solar system hung from. Out of the whole of Perdition, the library was her second favourite place. Her favourite being the gardens.


    She wasn''t sure where to begin looking up information on the Winter Clan. Well, she figured she could rule out the fiction sections. And language and agriculture. Browsing through the subdivisions history or local studies seemed like the best bet. Maybe politics?


    After about a half hour of searching, she had amassed quite a few books that referenced the Winter Clan. Sitting down and flicking through the pages, she was able to garner a little information. The four Clans - Winter, Summer, Spring and Autumn, and the only people capable of manifesting the ability to control the elements.


    Oh.


    They''d called her hydrokinetic because she could control water and ice...


    Could just be a coincidence, there were plenty of people that slipped through the cracks. They didn''t know everyone in Nostravan and what they were capable of. She wasn''t even very good with water and ice. She may as well not have it at all.


    The Winter Clans power lay in it though. Fire for Autumn. Air for Spring. Earth for Summer. It didn''t go into too much detail about their abilities, but there were hints of something more, other powers.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Each clan had certain physical traits that ran strong in them, mainly the eye colour, hair colour, and skin tone. There were plenty of instances of inbreeding as well to try and keep the traits and powers strong. While birth defects cropped up from time to time, statistically they were less likely to manifest in the four great houses. A cynical part of her figured they probably just offed any defective babies quietly and secretly. She had figured nobles were just people who claimed their place and kicked others down so they could keep it. But in another book she found there were distinct differences in the genetics. Not being much into science or biology or anything like that, most of what she read went over her head.


    But in one book there was a painted portrait of an Illusen from thousands of years ago, long before the invention of tintypes. His right eye was ice blue, just like hers, just like the Illusens she''d met earlier. It could have been a trick of the painting or in the printing maybe, but his left iris looked black.


    She rubbed her eyes. If this was common knowledge here, then everyone treated her the way they did because they thought she was some kind of bastard child? That was hardly fair; it wasn''t like you could decide your parents. Was being a bastard worse than being an orphaned street rat? She had two strikes against her regardless.


    She slammed her head on the table and let a hard laugh escape. Why her? But then it might not even be true; there could be another reason for her eye, an injury perhaps - she couldn''t remember her infancy or toddler days. Or maybe it was a side effect of her ability. It didn''t have to mean anything.


    She sighed as she packed up the books; she was done with this. If she turned out to be related to these people, it didn''t matter; she decided she wanted nothing to do with them. And them being such high-ranking nobles, they probably wanted nothing to do with her as well. So researching up on them seemed pointless, interesting, but ultimately pointless.


    "Sunshine?"


    She looked up to a smiling Nick standing over her. Their height difference wasn''t too much when they were side by side. Unlike Zen, Nick hadn''t shot up at any point in their lives; he only had an inch or two on her.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked her, taking a seat beside her as he pushed some of his white blonde hair out of his eyes. His light green eyes were always warm and friendly when they were upon her and Zen; it was a smile and warmth just for them. She returned it with one of her own.


    "Just researching," she told him. "Studying?"


    Being as smart as he was, they expected a lot from him. And he was hoping to get a good placement once he graduated. There was talk he might be able to go straight into a tiered position if he continued down this path. And he wanted the higher pay; they had a house to save for after all.


    "Yeah, but since I''ve found you instead, want to go for a walk in the gardens? It''s a nice day."


    She got up from her seat and they made their way outside. They walked in a comfortable silence, and she basked in the warmth of his presence. She was still feeling off kilter from last night and now this morning.


    The gardens were usually empty most of the time, and completely barren in the colder months, but there were a few other faces out and about enjoying the sunshine today.


    "You did what you had to," he suddenly said, looking at her with a gentleness she didn''t feel like she deserved right now.


    He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I know killing doesn''t sit right with you, and I''m always here when you want to talk."


    Nick himself had killed before; both he and Zen had. She''d never seen it, but she could always tell when it had happened. They were so young back then that the few times it had happened, they''d been wrecked for ages afterwards - mood swings and nightmares. But they''d only ever done what they''d had to do and she would never fault or judge them for it. They had all had to do things they would never consider doing now.


    "I know," she said softly.


    They walked in silence for a while before she could bring herself to break it. "Hey, Nick?"


    "Mm?"


    "We''ll always be together, right? No matter what? You, me, and Zen?"


    "Of course."


    "Even if we found out something about one of us? Something huge? It wouldn''t change anything, right?"


    Nick frowned, concerned. She''d never expressed any kind of insecurity in their relationship before. Did she really think having to kill some random guys he didn''t even know would change that? She could kill a million people and he would still love her.


    "Yeah, wouldn''t change a thing," he affirmed. "What''s going on, Sunny? Are you in trouble or something?"


    She shook her head. "Just needed to hear it."

 Chapter 5

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Did he just want to tack on that ''head of the Winter Clan'' title? He''d been introduced as a Commander the other day. But reintroduced in the headmasters office. She already knew he was clan head.


    Truthfully, only Nick and Zen called her Sunshine, or Sunny. Everyone else was Sun. But she was sure the jerk already knew her name. They had met at her demonstration, no matter how inadequate the introduction had been. Was this a stupid test?

 Chapter 6

    Kalys watched the girl stalk out, leaving a distinctly icy cold feeling in the room.


    He was angry, seething truth be told. Not at her, but he did realise he''d shown her little patience. She could hardly be faulted for the circumstances. The academy was another matter entirely; they would face his ire, and there would be consequences.


    It was obvious to anyone with eyes she was Illusen stock; her hydrokinesis only made it all the more evident, and her eye made it indisputable.


    What galled him most was the absolute lack of courtesy the academy had shown him, letting his father''s daughter run around ignorant of her family and heritage and keeping her existence from him. Had he not gotten wind of her demonstration that night and what they hoped to see, he might never have known she existed, at least not until she became a full-fledged Revenant. And even then, he might never have crossed paths with her. Perdition was a big place.


    The Illusens had been staunch supporters of Perdition since its inception centuries ago, and there was and always had been an Illusen Commander. They had donated countless funds to both the academy and the base. Keeping him in the dark like this felt akin to betrayal.


    It would pay to keep eyes and ears in the academy from now on. He hadn''t bothered before; he had not anticipated a situation like this. He couldn''t help but wonder if his father had sired any other bastards before he''d been killed. He couldn''t even recall his father having any interest in anyone after the death of Kalys''s mother. He had already written his grandfather, both informing him of the girl and asking if he might have an inkling as to the identity of her mother.


    Then there was her eye and the power that came with it. While anyone who knew his father knew about the odd physical attribute, they had made sure to keep the power secret. It wasn''t something they had wanted to get out. Throughout the extensive history of their clan, it had manifested in a few dozen people. They didn''t know why it was so rare or why these specific people had it.


    He let out a sigh, his eyes fixing on the folder on his desk. It was everything the academy knew about Sunshine Farron. Farron wasn''t even her legal name, until coming to Perdition she didn''t exist on paper at all. But that was the name she had given them. He was in the process of legally changing her surname. No need to tell her that just yet, considering how she had reacted today.


    Academically, she was doing well in most classes, especially considering she had arrived here illiterate. There was an extensive list of escape attempts in the first year of her being here; they''d stopped after a little while. He assumed that had to do with the arrival of the two boys she called her friends.


    It had only been a few days since he''d learnt of her, but he''d managed to amass a wealth of information on her, including how she came onto the academy''s radar.


    It was a sorry tale. But at least she had killed those who had tried to harm her; it saved him from having to hunt them down and make an example. From the psychological evaluation when she had first been brought here, though, the incident had cut deep. Enough time had passed that she seemed largely unaffected by it, though her reluctance to kill anyone with it during her demonstration could lead back to that. Or she just had a conscience. Difficult to tell.


    Kalys disagreed with the demonstration as well, parading inmates out to be executed by a student who clearly hadn''t wanted to kill anyone. When had the academy''s principals sunk so low?


    He''d not had much to do with the academy since his own time there, and even then it had been relatively brief. He''d been trained by his father and grandfather before attending, and he''d breezed through the classes, graduating early.


    Sun was clearly not him, but then she hadn''t grown up with the same advantages he''d had.


    He would rectify that.


    His father would not have wanted this for his only daughter. Nero Illusen had been a kind and compassionate man to his family, softer and gentler with others than Kalys was. More so than Kalys''s grandfather as well. But having to take up the mantle of Clan Head at such a young age had hardened Kalys.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Still, he knew his father would have taken the girl in had he known about her. He would have married her mother too; it would have been the right thing to do.


    So as head of the clan, the responsibility fell to him to take care of his sister. The instant attraction and connection he''d felt to her the moment he''d seen her in that hall had hit with all the force of a freight train. It made being around her uncomfortable, but he would not shirk his duty to her. As he came to know her as a sister, he was sure the attraction would pass. It was purely physical.


    He could see their father in her, diluted by her mother''s genes but strong all the same. He just needed to keep that in mind.


    He couldn''t help but wonder what it would have been like to grow up with a sibling.


    With a sigh, he let his ponderings dissolve. There was no point in dwelling on it. He needed to focus on the present.


    He needed to help his sister get on track.


    -


    She made her way back to Perdition. Despite having never left the grounds, it was easy to find her way considering Perdition was the biggest and scariest-looking compound in the town.


    As soon as she reached the gates, she headed straight for Zen''s dorm.


    Unfortunately, she was waylaid by Seph and his friends, Cullen and Vaan. They were among the most persistent pricks when it came to trying to make her life miserable. Well, Seph was, to a lesser extent, Vaan. Cullen neither participated nor tried to stop them.


    She wasn''t having it today, and as soon as Seph started to spew his vitriol, she tackled him. She wasn''t usually aggressive, and it was clear she''d caught him off guard. She started laying into him, releasing some of the stress, frustration, and anger. Vaan and Cullen tried to pull her off of him, but Zen suddenly appeared, jumping into the fight. He could always be relied upon to back her up in a fight, no questions asked.


    It was Nick who turned up and put a stop to it, porting them both back to the boys room before any more blood was spilled. It had all just happened so quickly.


    They stood in the sudden silence, Zen and Sun catching their breath.


    "I''ve been looking everywhere for you," Nick said. "Where have you been, and what the hell was that?"


    "I... snapped," she muttered.


    "It''s not like that shitbag will admit Sunny got the drop on him anyway," said Zen. "I think we''re in the clear."


    "What is going on with you, Sunny Day?" Nick pressed.


    She couldn''t keep it to herself, as much as she wanted to. They would find out eventually. They sat and listened as she spilled her story, not happy about this turn of events. Neither could believe this man, this Commander, how could he just expect her to do whatever he said like that? How could he do it without even discussing it with her? He was a stranger to her. But then, she''d never even heard of Perdition when they''d forced guardianship on her. Fuck the powers that be...


    At least they didn''t have to watch her cry. She had been on the verge of tears when she arrived, but the more she explained, the angrier she got. By the end of her story, she was furious and pacing the room.


    "What even are the gentle arts?" She spat.


    "I think it''s like embroidery, sewing... learning an instrument... womanly stuff..." Zen said.


    Both Sun and Nick looked at him, a little surprised.


    "What?" He asked, defensive. "I know stuff."


    "What am I going to do?" She asked them, shrugging off his comment. "There has to be a way out of this."


    They thought for a while. What could she do? Perdition had done a good enough job of convincing the courts that she couldn''t be responsible for herself that they had been granted control of her.


    "What about dissolving the guardianship?" Nick suggested. "Maybe you can fight it?"


    The other two looked at him expectantly.


    "When Illusen took guardianship, my guess is they argued over who should have control; Perdition or Illusen. I doubt anyone suggested whether anyone should have control of you anymore. You''re older now; you''ve learnt to control your power for the most part. Maybe you can bring that discussion back to the table. You''re almost legally an adult."


    "How would that work?" She asked.


    "I honestly have no idea."


    She deflated a little at his words. Most people her age with her background had no guardians; hell, they had no oversight at all. Nick and Zen certainly weren''t considered wards of Perdition despite coming here as minors.


    "I''ll go to the library tomorrow," she said, climbing onto the blankets on the floor and lying down. "Maybe there''ll be something there."


    She was feeling drained from the day, and the fight. And there was something exhausting about being in Illusens presence¡ªa constant pressure.


    "You''d be better off going straight to a barrister in town," said Nick. "I can come with you tomorrow if you want."


    The boys lay down beside her, and Zen covered them with his blankets. "So we''re staying in today then?"


    She nodded as she closed her eyes and snuggled in between them.


    It was still early, but it had been a long day with a lot of information to absorb. She wanted to ignore it for a little while.


    Fuck Illusen.

 Chapter 7

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    She had to learn to bow in a way befitting of her new rank. No more bending at the waist until she was practically at a ninety-degree angle. She had to bend slightly at the knees with a polite incline of her head and her hands should be over top of each other in front of her, not at her sides balled into fists. This new bow was to be used even to her superiors at Perdition. She was ranked now, and she must behave befitting of her station at all times, no matter where she was. She had no intention of bowing like a princess to her Perdition instructors; it was just too pompous. And then there were certain people she had to curtsey to. Ridiculous...


    It is unladylike to snort, and you will show the proper respect to your instructors at all times.

 Chapter 8

    There was a knock on the door and she groggily sat up. Before she could even tell the person to come in, the doors slid open. There stood a girl, probably only a few years older than her. She bowed low to Sun.


    "I''m your personal handmaiden, my lady. I am here to help you bathe, dress, and do your hair and make-up every morning."


    Suns brows raised. "That''s really not necessary. I can bathe and dress myself; I don''t wear make-up, and I''m perfectly capable of brushing my own hair."


    "We are to style it nicely and in such a way it displays this, my lady," she said, holding out a box.


    "What is it?" Sun asked, standing up out of the bed.


    The girl lifted the lid to reveal an exact replica of the intricate earring Kalys always seemed to wear. Those were probably real sapphires and diamonds...


    "Lord Illusen handed this to me this morning and said you are to wear it whenever you leave the estate or have guests."


    "No thank you."


    The girl looked a little worried. "He was very insistent, my lady."


    Sun sighed, too tired and hungry to argue. "Fine. I''m going to have a shower; we can do my hair after I get out."


    She was probably a little harsher than she''d meant to be. It wasn''t the woman''s fault.


    Her handmaid smiled and nodded. Sun grabbed her uniform and headed towards the bathroom that connected to her room. The place was amazing; she had seen it last night and it had actually taken her breath away. There was a huge tub in the corner that could fit in at least four other people comfortably. The shower was behind a tiled wall and came from two heads attached to opposite walls. It felt nice to have the hot water coming from the two different directions; after hours of training that would be heaven on her aching muscles. There was a sink with a huge mirror above it. She had found everything she would need as well: toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush, all sorts of creams and washes. But what had really taken her breath away was the roof. It was a mosaic of blue and black crystals and metals in the shape of the Winter Clans crest. A black raven, wings spread, seemingly blending into the waves and glaciers around it, and it all came together to form a circle. It was a beautiful work of art.


    Her room was simple but massive and even had its own fireplace. Her bed was a big four poster with its own curtains. She had a desk to do her work at. There was a bookcase against the wall by her desk, with only a few books on it, the ones from her room at Perdition. There was an elegant vanity in the corner by the bathroom door. She had never seen such beautiful things in her life. The closet was a walk-in filled with beautiful dresses, shoes, scarves, and shawls. There was a stand for jewellery and other accessories. Her own clothes had been folded and put into a dresser in the corner. She now had several changes of her uniform, and her old patched and faded one had disappeared. She assumed it had been thrown out. In the wardrobe was also a full-length mirror. There was another set of doors that led out to what she had been told was her personal garden. She was to leave instructions on how it was to be maintained and what plants - if any -  she would like to see. The first moment she had to herself she had gone out to have a look at it, but it had been difficult to see in the dark.


    Before stepping into the shower, she opened the window, taking a peek.


    It was as beautiful as the rest of the house and just as tidy. Leaves raked away, grass cut, plants trimmed. There was a pond with fish in it and lotuses on the surface. Hanging over one side of it was a giant weeping willow. There was a wall that surrounded the entire estate and she could see it past the rest of the garden.


    It was truly lovely, with the exception of the wall. And she could already envision what she would do with the garden.


    This was perhaps the one perk to being part of this family. Her instructions would simply state to leave her garden alone. She would tend to it. She was going to plant silver lace vines and let them wind up around the posts of her verandah. She planned to attach netting to the roof of it so it could grow through them, instead of the wood she would have a canopy of the little white flowers. She was going to let the weeping willow grow as long as it wanted. She wanted to let everything grow naturally except the silver lace; she didn''t want it to get too heavy and pull the netting down. Either side of her stairway into the garden she was going to plant apple trees. She loved the smell of apple blossoms in the spring and having them so close to the door meant the breeze could carry the scent into her room. To her, apple blossoms were spring. She was going to have the beautiful wild garden she had never known she wanted.


    The big ugly wall she would cover and hide; no need to be reminded this was essentially a different kind of prison. She had traded the academy walls for Illusen walls. Maybe she would cover it in blue or purple morning glories.


    She did plan to trim the grass once in a while so it wouldn''t get too long. But she would like to see daisies and buttercups scattered across it more often than not. And dandelions, although they were considered a weed, she loved them.


    When she was a child, Zen had found one on the side of the path once and picked it for her. He told her if she could blow all the little white things off with one breath then she could make a wish and it would come true. She was never able to do it but she still liked to try. And as childish as it was, she hoped that her wish would come true if she succeeded.


    She got out of the shower and met her handmaiden, who was just finishing making her bed. She felt a bit guilty; she should have done that herself.


    She indicated for Sun to take a seat at the vanity and she started brushing her hair.


    "What''s your name?" Sunny asked.


    The girl looked momentarily surprised. "Mika, my lady."


    Sun winced at the title. "You can just call me Sunny. Or Sun"


    She looked at Sun like she had grown another head. "I couldn''t possibly; that would be terribly inappropriate."This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Please?" Sunny asked, looking up at the woman with wide, sad eyes. The title made her feel isolated, and Mika was of an age where they could be friends.


    Mika looked hesitant. "Very well, if you wish, but only when we are alone. I could get into trouble otherwise."


    Sun gave perhaps her first sincere smile since before meeting with Kalys yesterday. "Thank you."


    Mika smiled back. "And how would you like your hair done today?"


    "I have to get back into training today; usually I just tie it up with this."


    Sun indicated the long embroidered ribbon she usually used as both a hair tie and a headband, depending on the day. It was special to her¡ªthe prettiest thing she owned and was gifted to her by the boys. It had colourful flowers embroidered into it, looping and flowing down the length of the blue fabric.


    "I can manage it myself though," Sun said, reaching for it.


    "Nonsense. I can manage something pretty and practical, and that still displays the symbol of your status," she said, inserting the earring in Sun''s left ear.


    When she started to take out Sun''s other piercings, she stopped her.


    "Please don''t. I want to keep them all."


    More gifts from the boys. They had used their own stipends they received from the academy to buy her earrings, and Zen even pierced them himself. He taught her how to do it so she could do his. He didn''t have nearly as much as her, only two in each ear, and Nick just had two in one ear. Each of them had an identical stud to match among their piercings, just another way to feel connected to each other.


    She let Mika do what she had to while she read through her notes and tried to cram as much information in there as she could before her after-class lessons today. When Mika announced she was finished and Sun looked into the mirror, she gaped a little. She had just meant a simple ponytail. What she had ended up with was a plait swept to the side with most of her hair tied into the ponytail; the plait itself had the ribbon woven through it. Some of her fringe was left out but swept to the side with the rest of her hair. The ponytail itself sat high on her head and was slightly wavey now, not the dead straight it used to be. And taking pride of place was the earring. This girl was a miracle worker.


    "Isn''t this a little... elegant for where I''m going?"


    "Of course not," she said, leaning down until her head was almost rested on Sun''s shoulder, making eye contact with her through the mirror. "You are a noble now, Sunny; you must look your best no matter where you go or what you do. And you are a very beautiful girl; you should flaunt it."


    Sun felt her cheeks heat up and could see them turning red in the mirror. She had never been told that before. Well, Zen had called her pretty once, but he meant it as a bad thing since it meant he had to fight off molesters and perverts.


    Mika stood up straight, clapping her hands together. "Now, Lord Illusen takes his breakfast at seven and expects you to join him."


    Sun felt her stomach sink. She was hoping she wouldn''t have to see him until she was handing over the papers declaring her freedom. If that was even how it worked. She blinked; she had forgotten all about it. She was so busy planning what to do with her garden she had completely forgotten about her escape plan. She cursed herself. He had sucked her in with this garden thing. Had he planned it? Did he know about her love of gardens? No, surely not; now she was just being paranoid. It was a coincidence. Damn, she would have to give up her garden if she went through with this.


    She mentally shrugged. The garden wasn''t worth living with that man and the baggage that came with him. She looked down at the paper, awaiting her instructions for the garden. It stung a little to forget her plans, but whatever, she''d live.


    She put on her boots and tightened the buckles. She thanked Mika for everything as they headed out of her room. Mika just smiled and turned to leave. She stopped in her tracks when Sun called back to her.


    "Can I ask you a favour?"


    Mika nodded. "It is my job to serve you, my lady."


    Sun inwardly flinched at that.


    "Could you give me directions to the dining room?" She asked a bit sheepishly. She hadn''t explored the manor yet, so she had no idea where everything was. Her lessons yesterday had been done in a room just down the hall.


    "I will lead you there; I''m going to be passing by it anyway."


    Sun fell into step beside her and smiled. "Thank you."


    They both walked in a comfortable silence; Sun didn''t feel the need for chatter, and she wasn''t sure if Mika was allowed to initiate conversation or not.


    Mika left her at the door to the dining room and Sun bid her a pleasant day, receiving a fleeting, shocked look from Mika, which eventually became a beautifully sincere smile.


    "And you, my lady," she said, before turning and walking away.


    Sunny entered the dining room. She had expected a long table that you had to yell across to be heard at the other end, with every member of the Illusen Clan attending and twenty different utensils for all the different types of food. Instead it was a small but ornately carved wooden table, just large enough for three or four people. The room itself was cosy and let in the streaming sunlight from outside. Kalys sat on one side reading a newspaper. There were only two plates; no food had been dished as of yet. There was a pitcher of juice along with salt, pepper, and other condiments in the centre. He looked up as she came in and she remembered her lessons. If she had her way it would only be for one day. She gave him the bow she had spent hours practicing last night.


    "Good morning." The words tasted like bitter defeat. ''Just for today'' was going to fast become her new chant.


    He gave her a nod in greeting and she took her place at the table. Once she was seated, he nodded to a nearby servant, and food was brought out. A hell of a lot more than two people could eat. And it all looked so mouthwatering. She looked around the table again, wondering if other people were going to be joining them. Noticing her confusion he spoke up.


    "There is no one else joining us," he told her. "Noda has already returned to the main estate in the capital, and there is no one else visiting at this time. Only you and I live here."


    "Isn''t this wasteful? There is no possible way the two of us could eat all this."


    Kalys ignored her as he poured himself some tea. She huffed and began picking from the platters. Kalys studied her out of the corner of his eye. Mika had styled her hair nicely, utilising the flowery ribbon he''d seen Sun wearing at every interaction they''d had so far. Something important to her?


    He noticed Mika had neglected any make-up¡ªprobably for the best given what she had on today. She was a pretty girl, as most Illusen women were. Good genes.


    She was wearing the earring, the symbol of her new rank. She was second to him now. Should he die, she inherited everything, including the title of Clan head. He had already sent the necessary papers off. He knew once the elders received them they would be outraged. They would try and overturn the decision, but since he had already gone through with it, they wouldn''t be able to actually do anything. And his word was final.


    She was his sibling; without children, she was next in the line of succession; it was only right. Now he would have to make sure she was prepared for such a task should the unthinkable come to pass. There was already a noticeable change in her. She had a feisty personality, but this morning she seemed much more docile. However, he could see it was just an act. He could see the fire burning behind her eyes, he could hear the barely concealed disdain as she greeted him. She would adjust.


    Aside from her uniform and excessive amount of piercings in her ears, she looked like a noble lady. Graceful, mannered, quiet, beautiful. If she took quickly to her lessons, he had no doubt she could avoid tarnishing the reputation of the Winter Clan, so long as she kept that attitude suppressed.


    She pushed her plate aside, the tense atmosphere and her discomfort causing her to lose her appetite. She stood up.


    "Excuse me," she said. "I have to get to the academy."


    Kalys stood also. "You have an appointment with the physician. I will escort you."


    To make sure she actually went, although he didn''t voice it. She seemed smart enough to get the message.


    "I have class," she told him.


    "Not until late morning; your appointment will be over well before then," he replied.


    He saw her eyes blaze before she pushed her anger aside and inclined her head.


    "Right," she conceded.


    Just for today. Just for today. Just for today...

 Chapter 9

    Sun walked out of the doctors office feeling completely violated. The taking of her blood hadn''t been so bad, actually. In comparison to one particular test, none of the others seemed that bad. It was the damn pelvic exam. She wasn''t an idiot; she knew what that was for. Had her oh so illustrious brother ordered that test? Did he not know it couldn''t even be one hundred percent accurate? She had thought virginity testing was a thing of the past. Apparently not among nobles. And she resented the implication that she was a whore. Or that any of her worth was tied into her virginity.


    She still had some time before her next class, so she figured this would be a good time to look into finding a legal practitioner to free her from her guardianship. What Kalys was doing - had already done - had to be against some kind of law.


    She tracked down Nick and the pair headed into town. They had to ask random people on the street for someone who could help, but eventually she found herself sitting in a barrister''s office filling out some forms while Nick waited outside. The man was very pleasant and helpful. Even offering to help her out for free. She thought she was very fortunate indeed.


    After an hour or so with him, she headed back to Perdition with a spring in her step. Nick noticed the happiness she was radiating. She really didn''t want to be apart of this family. They met up with Zen for lunch and told him all about it.


    As they walked through the halls of Perdition, she noticed other people looking at her differently than usual. It had taken her a long time to become just another student that no one gave a shit about. She didn''t like losing that progress. What she''d done to end up in Perdition had somehow gotten out¡ªnot the entirety, but enough to make gossip run rampant. Inaccurate gossip.


    The fear in their eyes had made a bit of a comeback, the disdain as well. She preferred the anonymity.


    The other students were giving the trio a wide berth. Had they heard about her killing during her demonstration? Surely not; only the boys knew, and they wouldn''t have told anyone else. Neither would anyone who was there.


    Was it her earring? The supposed symbol of her status? She had seen how people did the same for Kalys this morning. Was this another downside to being a noble bastard? She couldn''t wait until she was free. She was actually quite excited about it. To not have anyone able to lord their power over her the way they had.


    However, it was short lived, and it all came crashing down around her as soon as she walked into the estate that evening. Kalys was standing at the entrance of the manor. Though his face remained impassive, she could tell there was something off about him. There was something in the energy he was putting out.


    "There is a dinner tonight with the elders of the clan. They wish to meet you. Your handmaid is waiting to dress you appropriately. I have also taken the liberty of changing your name. Officially, you are now Sun Illusen."


    He handed her a piece of paper he pulled from his Revenant coat. Confirmation of the change.


    "You changed my name!? Don''t you need permission for that?"


    "No," he said simply. "Now, to other matters."


    He held up a few sheets of paper; it only took a second for her to realise what they were. The ''offness'' she had sensed was his suppressed fury. She was actually a little afraid. She didn''t know this man; she didn''t know what he was capable of. And if he decided to kill her she highly doubted anyone would hold him accountable. How had he gotten ahold of those forms? She had only filled them out today!


    "There is not a barrister in the world who would do this for you. No one would dare," he told her, his voice colder than she was sure was the norm. "You are apart of this clan now. You will conduct yourself accordingly. You should consider yourself lucky-"


    "Lucky!?" She hissed. "You hurt my family; you dumped me in this place with no thought for my feelings on the subject. You''re taking what little freedoms Perdition allowed me, and now you''ve taken my name. And you forced me to go through a degrading violation at that doctors appointment this morning. If you wanted to know whether or not I was a virgin, you could have just asked me, not have some doctor shove their fingers and tools into me, you arse."


    She was visibly shaking with rage now. Her hope was extinguished.


    Kalys could not believe his ears. No one had dared call him an arse to his face before. For a brief second he wasn''t sure what to do; he wanted to slap her, but he would never raise his hand to a woman outside of training or battle.


    "My name is Sunshine Farron; my family gave me that name, it''s a name I share with them, and I am keeping it," she said, her words dripping venom. How dare he change her name? Was he trying to strip her of all that she was? And she wasn''t much to begin with.


    "I have allowed you to keep Sun, and you are an Illusen, not a Farron. I suggest you get used to it." He turned away from her to make his way down the hall. "Your handmaid is waiting for you in your room."


    This time she couldn''t hold back her tears as she turned away from him and stormed off. It was a complete miracle she was able to find her room given her turmoil and blurred vision. She charged in, slamming the sliding door shut and giving Mika a fright.


    "My lady, is everything all right?" She asked as she rushed to the girl.


    "Why is he doing this to me?" Sun asked her.


    "Who?"


    "Kalys fucking Illusen."


    "What has he done?" Mika took her hand and led her to the bed and sat her down.


    She looked unsure. "Anything I say to you, you don''t repeat it to him, do you?"


    Mika looked a bit surprised at this. "Not unless I thought you intended harm to him or yourself. But short of anything life-threatening, then no, anything you tell me stays with me."


    "I do want to kill him," she said.


    Mika just gave her a sympathetic smile as she brushed some hair out of Sun''s eyes and hooked it behind her ear. The gesture was comforting, almost motherly.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "You''re only saying that because you''re angry. Now what has he done to upset you so?"


    She poured out the whole story; instead of getting angrier as she had when talking it over with Zen and Nick, she became more depressed because now she knew she had lost. This man was too powerful, in every aspect. The barrister must have gone straight to him and ratted her out. What a bastard.


    "Why does he even bother? I don''t want to be here; he doesn''t want me here, and I''m pretty sure the rest of his family aren''t going to want me here either. Why can''t he just leave me alone?"


    Mika rubbed her back soothingly. "You are his sister. Nobles can take blood bonds very seriously. And since he decided not to make you disappear, being of noble blood you have a claim to the wealth of the Winter Clan. And anything you do, regardless of whether or not he acknowledges you, is going to reflect on him. This is going to sound harsh, but you are a loose end that needs to be tied."


    That really did sound harsh.


    "You''re terrible at comforting people," she said, laughing a little through her tears.


    "At least I got a smile out of you. Sadness doesn''t suit you, Sunny. Now, dry those eyes, and let''s get you ready for this dinner. This is a very important one. The rest of the clan sees you as just a savage bastard from the slums. And they think your brother is a fool for believing otherwise. We need to show them who you are."


    "Who I am, or who Kalys expects me to be?" It wasn''t really a question.


    Mika shot her a look, conceding the point. "I guess you need to choose whether you want to be the savage bastard from the slums or someone worthy of being an heiress of the Winter clan."


    "I choose slum bastard," she replied flatly, making Mika laugh lightly as she got started, shoving a dress and shoes into her hands and telling her to get dressed.


    After that, she did her hair and applied make-up¡ªnothing heavy; she had already figured Sun was the kind of person who wouldn''t feel comfortable in it. She outlined her eyes with black and gave a light amount of dark blue shadow. For her lips, a thin layer of gloss. Her cheeks were already naturally rosy, and her skin was fine; no amount of make-up would hide the small scars on her chin and eyebrow, so she didn''t bother with any kind of foundation. Mika stood her up and did a final examination of the girl.


    "There," she smiled. "You look beautiful. No one can say you don''t belong here."


    "I''m sure that won''t stop them," Sun muttered.


    "Maybe not. But that is no excuse not to try and make a good impression. Come, I''ll walk you to the dining room used for guests."


    "Thanks, Mika. I don''t suppose you could stay with me during the dinner? Moral support?"


    Mika gave her a smile. "Sorry, Sunny."


    "Yeah, I didn''t think so."


    "Now, mind your speech. And as Lord Illusens sister and next in line, you will be seated on his right. You will be the second-highest ranking person in the room. On his left will be your grandfather, Jinn. You may be higher in rank, but he is a very important and well respected man. Be courteous and polite with him at all times; he is not a man you want to disrespect."


    Sun nodded, suddenly feeling a lot more nervous than she had a minute ago. Mika stopped as they saw Kalys standing in the hallway, hands clasped behind his back, head down, and eyes closed as if in deep thought. He really was ridiculously attractive. It was a little unfair if she were honest.


    "That is the dining room," Mika whispered to her. "Good luck."


    "Thanks. Goodnight, Mika."


    Mika gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before disappearing back the way they had come. Sun took a deep breath and glided towards her brother. He opened his eyes, his gaze connecting with hers.


    "Good evening. I apologise if I have made you wait." Apologising to him felt a bit like chewing glass.


    "You haven''t," he said, scrutinising her. "You look lovely."


    It was delivered tonelessly and sounded more like an obligatory compliment than anything with any real meaning behind it.


    Looking him up and down, she realised this was the first time she had seen him out of his Revenant uniform. He cut a handsome figure in the black formal suit and frock coat he was wearing.


    "The elders are being seated now. Including our grandfather," he told her. "I would have preferred you meet him alone and in more comfortable environs, but the family wanted to meet you as soon as possible."


    He had no say in it?


    The doors to the dining hall opened, and he escorted her into the room. Tonight''s dinner was more like what she had imagined breakfast would be. A ridiculously long table and a lot of people. They all stood at the siblings entry. She could feel their eyes on her as she walked with her brother to the head of the table. Surprising her, he pulled her chair out and indicated for her to sit. She did as he silently commanded. Everyone else sat as Kalys took his seat. It was so quiet she feared those nearest her would hear her heart beat pounding against her chest.


    Was she supposed to introduce herself? What happened now? Dinner wasn''t supposed to be this complicated. She looked at the man across from her. He was like a replica of Kalys, only much, much older. She wondered if Kalys felt like he was looking into the future every time he looked at his grandfather. He wore a similar ornament in his ear, but less intricate and shorter than Kalys''s and her own. Her eyes flicked over to Kalys for some kind of hint at what to do next. He saved her from having to do anything just yet.


    "This is Sun, my sister, and our newest family member."


    Sun politely inclined her head in greeting to everyone. She hoped that was enough. Though with these people most likely nothing would be enough, she thought acidly.


    There had been an almost warning tone when he''d said ''my sister'' and she briefly wondered if it was for them or for her.


    After he had spoken, Kalys indicated for the servants to begin bringing out the food.


    "Kalys has told me you are in the Revenant program," their grandfather said to her, drawing her gaze up from the table.


    "I am," she confirmed.


    "Should she not be pulled from the program?" A woman down the table asked Kalys. "Perdition is hardly the place for a young noble woman." She practically spat those last three words. Being forced to admit Sun was noble must have been torture for her. Sunny smiled on the inside. Outwardly, her countenance remained blank.


    "Sun wishes to remain in the program," Kalys replied.


    "She is very far behind; should she not be devoting her time to her other lessons and completing her duties as Lady Illusen?"


    Was it common in this family to be talked about as if one wasn''t in the room? If they could say these kinds of things to her face, what did they say behind her back?


    "She has worked hard to get as far as she has; I see no reason to strip that from her. As for her duties as lady of the house, we have not discussed that yet. As you should all be aware, she only learnt of her heritage yesterday."


    It felt like much longer to Sun. And what duties were they talking about? Was this on top of all her extra lessons and her Revenant training?


    "I see you have the Ravens Eye," the man beside her noted.


    She could only stare at him in silent question.


    "Your left eye," he explained.


    "We have not spoken of it yet," Kalys told him. "There has been little time."


    Her eye had a name? She looked to Kalys, which he met with a silencing one of his own.


    "Should that not have been priority number one?" Someone else from down the table asked.


    She didn''t like these people knowing something about her that she didn''t.


    "It was," he answered. "Until this spectacle was called instead."


    Sun could detect just a hint of scathing judgement in his tone. So maybe he hadn''t had a choice in this then. The Clan Head still had to bend to the will of others at times it seemed.


    The duration of dinner wasn''t as hellish as she had anticipated, and she found both Kalys and Jinn curbing some of the heat directed her way or discretely showing her which utensils to use or how to eat something particularly complicated. Nothing about eating should be complicated. What was wrong with the rich?


    Her ''relatives'' seemed divided in their opinion of her. Some were openly disapproving of her very existence, others indifferent, and a couple were curious about her. Kalys and Jinn were the only ones who seemed supportive.


    She took it silently. Thank the Gods these people didn''t live here.


    It did cross her mind to cause a scene, to be a right bitch about it all in the hopes Kalys would just disown her. He didn''t seem the type to admit he''d made a mistake, though, and he could very well make life much more unpleasant for her than she could for him.


    When dinner was finished, Kalys stood, indicating for her to do the same. She bowed politely to everyone, giving a sickeningly sweet smile, and followed her brother out.


    Out in the hallway she expected some kind of reprimand, but none came.


    "Come," he commanded.


    Goody...

 Chapter 10

    Sun followed him through the manor before he took her into the room she recognised as his office from yesterday. He took a seat at his desk and gestured for her to take the other one opposite. She warily did so, her eyes never leaving him.


    He''d brought her somewhere private to punish her.


    "You handled yourself well at dinner," he told her, his voice slightly softer than she was accustomed to hearing. "You didn''t sink to the level some of our relatives seemed so insistent on dragging you down to."


    A compliment? On her behaviour no less. He didn''t look drunk, and she hadn''t seen him drink any alcohol...


    He placed the forms she''d filled out in the barrister''s office on the desk between them, and her stomach sank.


    "Don''t do it again," he told her.


    "I think I''m old enough to make my own decisions about my life without yours or Perditions input," she retorted.


    "Technically, you''re still a minor."


    She gave him a flat look. Barely, and he damn well knew it.


    "A minor with a very dangerous, very volatile ability," he pointed out.


    She bit the inside of her cheek; she couldn''t exactly refute that after the incident from her childhood and the difficulty she''d had learning to control it since.


    "And this ability is because of my eye?"


    What had that man called it? The Ravens Eye?


    "I don''t know if it causes it or if it''s merely a sign one has it."


    "What do you know about it?" She asked.


    He tapped the papers between them. "Agree not to do this again, and I will explain everything I know. And I will train you."


    "You know how to use it?"


    "No, but people with your ability tend to struggle with the elemental side of their power; I will train you in that."


    She bit her lip, debating. It was an incredibly tempting offer. She had looked through the library at the academy for anything pertaining to her ability and found nothing. But it was clear the Illusens knew something about it, and she didn''t miss the connection between their crest and the name of it.


    Besides, even if she did attempt this again, she likely wouldn''t get away with it. Was she really giving anything up if she agreed?


    She steeled herself and nodded. "All right. I won''t."


    He weighed her words, or maybe the sincerity in them, before finally nodding to himself.


    "The Illusen bloodline has always had an affinity with Ravens," he began. "You''re familiar with their connection to death and the Traverse?"


    She nodded; she did know they were considered guides to the other side or portents of death, a bad omen, and in some cases predictors of death. Whether it was true or not, she didn''t know.


    "The history of our clan spans thousands of years, but early in it, we died out. The story is that it was a raven or ravens who brought our last ancestor back to life and led him home from the other side. But a piece of death came back with him. He called it the Raven''s Eye, and we''ve continued to do so as well. It very rarely manifests, but it is only our bloodline that has ever possessed it. Since then, there have been little more than a few dozen or so people who have had it. Cold and death are in our blood, Sun."


    He opened the top drawer of his desk and removed an elaborately carved box. It wasn''t much smaller than the drawer it was pulled from and breathtakingly beautiful. She couldn''t see a keyhole though; instead, he moved tiles she hadn''t even noticed into a different pattern, and the lid clicked open. He pulled out a nondescript but extremely thick tome¡ªa journal from the look of it. The cover was just plain leather, hardly in keeping with the complex design of the box.


    She leaned forward curiously; nothing about this book screamed of the opulence and luxury of its owner, or even the box it had been housed in.


    He placed the journal in front of her. "This book contains the first-hand accounts of the last twenty-two of you. From what I was told, it''s supposed to serve as something of a guide for those who come after."


    "You haven''t read it?" She asked.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    "No, it''s not for me to read, only to safeguard until I must pass it on. It goes into your care now, to add your own experiences to it. What you''ve learnt and how you did it."


    "You don''t want to read it?"


    This was a piece of his family''s history; why wouldn''t he want to?


    "It doesn''t matter; it is not for me to read," he repeated. "No one can read this but you. This power you possess was never meant to leave the confines of our family. And even then, it''s rarely shared beyond the Clan Head and the wielder''s immediate family."


    She opened the first page of the journal, her eyes skimming the handwriting. It was messy, obviously scrawled quickly.


    "The last person to write in this journal was our father," Kalys told her softly.


    He had the eye too?


    Curiously, she flipped through until she found the last entry, catching on to a few different writing styles between. His handwriting was beautiful. For the first time since finding out about her heritage, she wondered about her father.


    Looking over at her brother, she wondered how much he looked like him. Was Nero Illusen as cold and unapproachable as his son?


    "What was he like?" She asked, a little hesitantly since he didn''t seem the type to share. She braced herself to be shot down.


    "He... had a softer touch than our grandfather and I," he replied, his voice still soft. He seemed far less intimidating when he took the ice from his tone. "But he led the family with honour and fulfilled his duties admirably."


    His eyes bored into her.


    "If he''d known about you, he would have done the right thing. He would have married your mother, protected her, protected you. I don''t know why your life turned out as it did. It shouldn''t have."


    "It wasn''t so bad," she lied, uncomfortable with where this conversation had gone.


    Her childhood had been filled with terror, anxiety, and uncertainty; every day had been a battle for survival. But she had gotten Nick and Zen out of it, and the other kids before they''d... died. Scattered in between the horror, there were some good moments, ones she wouldn''t trade.


    "What was his favourite colour?" She asked, changing the subject.


    "Yellow."


    That was surprising, both the colour and his being so forthcoming.


    "What''s your favourite colour?" She asked, deciding to push her luck.


    "...Turquoise."


    "Huh. I would have thought black..."


    -


    Kalys joined his grandfather in his solar where tea was already being set on the table. He had sent Sun off to bed though he suspected she would be up much of the night reading the journal.


    The talk they''d had had been sorely needed, and he felt they''d come away from it with a better understanding of each other. The moment he''d decided to take her in, he had promised himself he would answer any questions she had about their father honestly. Aside from having a right to the information, he hoped to foster a connection between her and this family so she would be less opposed to being part of it.


    "Dinner was interesting," Jinn commented as his grandson sat down.


    He had to agree. Sun had carried herself well; she looked every inch an Illusen.


    "It went much better than I expected. I thought she would lose her calm and start yelling and cursing at them. It seems she has reserved that treatment for me alone."


    Jinn allowed a small smile to grace his features. "She did do well."


    "I hope this will at least quell some of the complaints."


    "They are very opposed to your taking the girl in," he told the young man.


    "I know."


    "I myself don''t fully understand why you did it."


    Truly? He couldn''t? She was his grandchild. Kalys had been raised blood and duty before all else, they all had. Not to mention she had the Ravens Eye; all children born with it came under the care and protection of the Clan Head; he assumed their bastardy was irrelevant. It clearly didn''t matter to whatever force bestowed the gift.


    "She is family who has done no wrong; I would not have her killed," he stated simply.


    Jinn nodded. "I agree completely. But what about sending her far away as so many others have done?"


    "Because her life is here, and she''s stubborn. She would have fought me tooth and nail. As she does practically everything else."


    Jinn smirked. "Has something happened?"


    "She called me an arse, to my face." He didn''t like how pouty that sounded. He was the head of the Winter Clan, he did not pout. "She also tried to hire a barrister to terminate the guardianship orders."


    He watched his grandfather''s brows rise. Only around each other were they slightly more expressive and open. Jinn had lost a son, Kalys a father, and both understood the pressures of leading their family. Their shared burdens fostered a closer bond. And after Nero had died, Jinn had practically raised Kalys.


    "She has no desire to be a noble?"


    "No. She wanted us to pretend the blood witches proved we weren''t related, and we just both go back to our lives as if nothing ever happened. As if her eye isn''t a dead giveaway."


    "Well, not everyone wants to be noble," Jinn said, leaning back into his chair. "But I am proud of how you have chosen to handle this. She is a part of Nero. I can see much of him in her." He smiled fondly. "I imagine you''ll be receiving a fair few offers of marriage once she''s presented. Regardless of her bastardy. She''s a beautiful young woman from a great family."


    Kalys had thought about that briefly; her marriage status wasn''t exactly a priority. While some families wouldn''t care¡ªa connection to the Illusens would be worth it - there were other families who would consider her beneath them. He couldn''t guess at what kind of response he would get once she was presented.


    "You will have to take good care of the girl though; as I said, many are outraged by this, especially naming her your heir," Jinn warned. "And not just within our family either. This sets a precedent that flies in the face of tradition."


    "I know. Her handmaid is a former assassin and spy. She performs all those duties as well as protecting her. She is an expert in poisons and their antidotes, and I have given her access to the hidden passages so she can keep an eye on Sun at all times."


    "Do you trust her?"


    "I trust her desire for gold."


    "I take it Sun knows nothing of this?"


    "No. But she seems to have taken a liking to the woman which will make it easier for Mika to keep an eye on her."


    Jinn nodded thoughtfully. "At least the elders will be leaving tomorrow."


    "I am eager to see the back of them." Kalys agreed.


    "Both you and Sun have the day off from Perdition, yes?"


    Kalys nodded.


    "I would like to join you both for breakfast and then take tea privately with my new granddaughter."


    "Of course, papa Jinn."


    Jinn smiled at the affectionate name; it was very rare to hear it come from his stoic grandsons mouth.


    "Good. Now, tell me what you know about this disappearing village in the borderlands."

 Chapter 11

    Sun awoke to a light knocking on her door, and opening her eyes was a struggle.


    Reading wasn''t typically something she enjoyed, but the journal was illuminating. She had started to understand why this power wasn''t supposed to go beyond family; the ways in which it could be abused seemed devastating.


    She didn''t know what her limits were, but it seemed there were other ways of using it that she hadn''t discovered on her own and things she hadn''t even been aware of.


    One of the ones that troubled her most was the fact that whenever she killed anyone with this power, she wasn''t just taking their lives from them; she was transferring it to herself. It explained why she felt so energetic and rejuvenated after doing it. She''d had to fight off a panic attack when she calculated it and realised she could quite possibly live for a couple thousand years if that were true.


    How powerful someone was and what heights and limits they reached seemed to be different for everyone. She hadn''t finished yet; after all, there were hundreds of entries in that tome. But what seemed to have worked for one didn''t quite work the same for the other.


    The first man to write in it was Caius Illusen, and he didn''t know if the story of how they got their eye was true, but he suspected some truth to it. He didn''t go into why.


    In his first entry, he dated it the fifth day of the Month of Whispers, five years after the Sundering. They didn''t even date things like that anymore; this was way back before they''d developed a formal calendar. The Sundering was an event from ancient times they had very little information about.


    It was staggering how far back this journal stretched. The energy she could feel over it no doubt came from casts dedicated to preserving it.


    It had been a bit difficult to read considering how drastically language had changed over time and there was much of it she couldn''t understand. At least some of it she could glean from context; the rest of it she would need help with. Book help, since she couldn''t share this journal with anyone else.


    It had crossed her mind to ignore Kalys''s warning, but if he found out, he might take it from her. And as much as she didn''t want to admit it, their talk last night had softened her to him slightly. She didn''t want to betray the trust he''d extended by giving her this journal.


    He had even given her the box along with it and taught her how to open it. If it wasn''t in her hands, it had to be in the box.


    "Sun, are you up?"


    Sun recognised Mika''s voice, and she sat up, trying to blink the heaviness out of her eyes.


    "Yeah," she replied, her voice cracking.


    Mika entered the room, her eyes falling on Sun, who looked like she''d been out drinking half the night.


    "Good dinner, was it?"


    "Food wise," she muttered. "The company was shit."


    Mika looked amused. "If your instructor were here, she would rap you across the knuckles. Ladies don''t curse."


    "I''m starting to wonder if ladies do anything other than wait around to be married," she muttered, rising from the bed.


    Mika opened the curtains and the door to her verandah to get some fresh air through.


    "Going by the amount of extra lessons you have, you should know that they do."


    Sun rolled her eyes but didn''t really have a comeback for that. "Do I have to do those today?"


    She didn''t have to go to the academy today; it was a day off. She really wanted it to stay a day off.


    "Sorry, you absolutely do," Mika replied.


    "You don''t sound that sorry," she mumbled, trudging to the wardrobe to get dressed.


    "We are in a mood today," the other girl noted.


    While Sun was happy Mika treated her like a normal person, she was far too chipper this morning for Sun''s comfort.


    "I think after last night I should be allowed," she called back.


    "Surely it wasn''t too terrible."


    "I would rather have chewed my own face off," she said, coming out of the wardrobe in the most casual clothes she could find. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Mika smiled brightly, taking Sun''s chin in hand. "But it''s such a pretty face."


    "You''re sprightly this morning," she grumbled.


    "One of us has to be. Come, I''ll do your hair. Your grandfather wants to take breakfast with you in his garden before your lessons."


    "He has a garden?" She asked, taking the seat in front of the vanity.


    "He visits regularly enough that he has his own room rather than staying in one of the guest rooms."


    "How long have you worked here?" She asked curiously.


    "I was hired the day before you were brought here."


    "How do you know so much then?" She had hardly been here long enough, and Mika had been showing her around like she wasn''t new.


    "I''m good at my job, and the maids like to gossip," she replied simply.


    "Anything interesting?"


    "Well, there isn''t a woman who works here that doesn''t fancy your brother."


    Sun scrunched her face up, and Mika laughed.


    "He''s an attractive man, Sun."


    "I suppose if you''re into that kind of thing," she mumbled.


    For reasons she didn''t care to examine, the thought of people fancying her brother flared her irritation to life.


    "Attractive men?" She asked amusedly.


    "Stoicism, imperiousness, and being bossed around."


    Sun could see Mika biting her lip as she tried not to laugh. "You''d be surprised. And since he''s taken so much flak for acknowledging you, the general consensus is that underneath all that ice, he has a soft heart. Women are suckers for that kind of thing. Especially when it''s wrapped in such a pretty package."


    "How much flak?" She asked hesitantly.


    "General grumbling, some threats, a lot of insults..."


    "Threats?"


    Mika nodded. "I wouldn''t worry about him, though. Say what you want about the pampered nobility; your brother is very powerful, even without his status to back it up."


    Sun nodded. She''d heard that too; even among the Commanders of Perdition, he was said to be one of the strongest. And he had offered to train her. She was a little nervous about that; no doubt he had high standards.


    Mika finished with her hair, keeping it simple and using her flowery ribbon since she knew it was what Sun preferred and she had no appointments other than lessons today.


    Sun had to be shown to her grandfather''s suite; much like hers, it was simple but clearly expensively decorated. And there were so many more books; he had shelves and shelves of them. An avid reader, she supposed. Nick was the same. Jinn also had a lot of art, sculptures, and paintings - mostly landscapes. An art lover too?


    Jinn was waiting for her out on the verandah, seated at a low table on plush cushions. There was an exquisite teapot and tea cups waiting.


    He smiled in greeting as she approached. "Good morning, Sun."


    She bowed to him the same way she would her brother in a formal setting, and he waved it away.


    "No need for that when it''s just us. Have a seat."


    She did so, a little nervous. He''d been something of an ally at dinner last night, but she didn''t know if that would extend to today as well. It could have been more about showing a united front with her brother than any real support for her.


    "Did you sleep well?" He asked, taking the teapot in hand and pouring some out for them both.


    She was pretty sure that should have been her duty in this situation.


    "I did, thank you. Yourself?"


    He looked amused but nodded.


    "How are you finding the estate?"


    "It''s very big," she replied.


    "Generations of Illusens have added to it over the years. As I understand it, it started out half this size."


    "Why does it need to be so big? Only Kalys and I seem to live here, and maybe some of the staff?"


    She wasn''t entirely sure about the staff.


    "A few members of staff, yes. More often than not, the Head of the Clan resides here, as he''s also a Revenant, and with him his wife and children, and at times extended family. The main branch of the family rarely gets so big anymore. In fact, you and Kalys are the first siblings in several generations."


    "Half siblings," she corrected.


    "A distinction of little importance. Now, tell me about how your studies are going at the academy."


    -


    Her tea and breakfast with Jinn was surprisingly comfortable once she relaxed a little. He had been trying to get her to relax the moment she''d walked in, but her wariness had been hard to shake given the general consensus of the rest of the family. Why should she expect him to be any different?


    It turned out he was, though; he didn''t seem to care where she came from or about her legitimacy. He saw his son''s daughter, his only granddaughter.


    They had spoken more of her father as well, what he''d been like as a child. It was clear - in both Jinn and Kalys - that they missed him terribly. He had been killed in action a long time ago.


    He also told her how he had been the one to pass along the journal to Nero. He didn''t have the same struggles as Sun had since he had someone to explain things to him growing up. He never had to worry he was going mad, to fear sleep or the reflections in the water. That must have been nice.


    Jinn couldn''t tell her much about the power itself; like Kalys, he had taken his duty seriously and hadn''t read it himself. They were only meant to protect it for the next person like her.


    But by the end of breakfast, she found herself far more comfortable with him, and they were talking, laughing, and sharing stories. He was far less cold than Kalys was.


    He''d had to remind her of the time and her lessons and send her off to them.


    She had several instructors for the various gentle arts she was expected to master, some harsher than others. One woman in particular seemed to take delight in her failures and mistakes. There were instructors like that at the academy too, and she tried not to take it personally.


    The morning passed agonisingly slowly; she needed to get back to the academy dorms and talk to Nick and Zen.


    When she was dismissed for lunch, she found herself alone; her brother and grandfather were otherwise engaged. However, she was pleasantly surprised to have Mika turn up and let her know her afternoon was her own. Her brothers command, though Sun suspected Jinn might have had something to do with it.


    Sun all but ran out the front door, ignoring Mika''s suggestion of taking a carriage. It would be a good chance to keep practicing her auric manipulation to make her faster. It wasn''t an easy thing to funnel that kind of energy into your physiology and force it to go beyond its natural limits. She tended to focus more on speed; Zen preferred strength. Prodigy Nick did well with both.


    It was time to see what Kolver had to offer. After collecting the boys, of course.

 Chapter 12

    "Sunny!"


    Before she could take off for the academy, she heard a familiar voice calling her name, and she turned to find Nick and Zen standing there looking worried.


    "Guys!" She headed over to them. "What are you doing here?"


    Nick looked her up and down, as if assessing her for injuries. "We haven''t seen you since the barrister.  You didn''t show up to meet us this morning. We''ve been worried he might have found out. We''ve even left messages with the gate guards."


    "We were just planning our break in to rescue you," Zen said, pulling her in for a hug before Nick did the same.


    "He did find out," she told them.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah, for the most part."


    "He didn''t hurt you?"


    "No."


    "Good, I wouldn''t want to have to kick his arse," Zen pronounced with a baseless sense of confidence.


    "Because you''d get killed for the attempt?" Nick asked wryly, earning a half-hearted glare from the other boy.


    "Come on," Sun said. "Let''s go for a walk."


    She still had yet to see much of the town since Perdition had let her off the leash with everything going on.


    "You''re allowed out?"


    "I''m assuming so; no one stopped me."


    They started walking down the road at a sedate pace, the boys side-eyeing her now and again.


    "What?" She asked.


    "You look nice," Nick told her.


    "Ah, thank you," she said, hoping she didn''t look as awkward as she felt at the compliment. "Kalys hired a handmaid to make sure I don''t besmirch the family honour with my face..."


    "Hm, speaking of besmirching honour, after the other night the rumour that the three of us are fucking is back in full force," Zen told her. "Heh, you two should be so lucky."


    Sun and Nick couldn''t help the laugh that escaped them.


    "You''re breaking our hearts, Zen," she told him with a shake of her head.


    "Well, all right, you''re my best friends; I guess I could let you have a go."


    They laughed again, Nick poking him in the side.


    Her laughter died quickly when she remembered the indignity and invasiveness of the virginity testing she''d had to endure. No way was she going to go through that again over this rumour. She couldn''t stop the groan that escaped her.


    "What is it?" Nick asked.


    With a sigh, she told them about the physical she''d had to undergo, flushing in both shame and anger when she recounted the test.


    "Fucking hells, he did that to you!?" Zen gasped out.


    "A lot of value is placed on a virgo intacta in the nobility," Nick told him, his tone dripping disdain.


    "But virginity testing sounds fucked up."


    "It felt fucked up," she agreed.


    Zen rested a hand on her shoulder. "If you ever need me to make you damaged goods, just say the word."


    "Thanks," she drawled. "Taking one for the team, eh?" she laughed. "I''m just worried that with that rumour going around again, he might feel the need to have me tested again. He surprised me the first time, but I''ll be ready the next."


    She knew fighting it would likely make her life more difficult, but she wasn''t going to roll over on that. That had been humiliating, sore, and uncomfortable, and she got the feeling the balding little physician had enjoyed it too much.


    "It''s not too late to run," Nick suggested once again. "We could just disappear."


    "It could be an adventure," Zen agreed.


    She wouldn''t do that to them; they valued the security here, and none of them really wanted to go back to wondering where their next meal would come from or having to take turns keeping look out at night while the others slept. Living rough was fucking hard.


    "It''ll be fine. We spoke last night; I think I can make this work."


    "But do you want to?" Nick pressed.


    "I know none of us want to go back to the streets. Besides, if I ran, I''m pretty sure he''d come looking. And he has far more resources and money at his disposal than we do."


    "Really? He''d look for you?" Zen asked.


    "Should I be offended by the genuine surprise in that? I''m a goddamn delight," she joked. "But in all honesty, I think it''s an honour thing, or a duty thing, a pride thing, I don''t know. It wouldn''t be about me specifically, if that makes sense."


    They nodded, though whether or not they actually understood she didn''t know. She couldn''t really explain it herself. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Let''s just forget about that mess and do something fun," she pleaded.


    -


    Zen and Nick knew the town better than she did, and they led her to a playground. It was near the outskirts of town and in one of the less affluent areas. Strangely enough, it was deserted.


    "It''s empty most of the time," Nick told her.


    She had never been to a playground before; they didn''t make them in the slums. She had seen one at a distance a long time ago, though, seen the children playing under the watchful gazes of their mothers, carefree and laughing.


    That was her first memory of jealousy and the first realisation of just how unfair it was. They''d never gotten to have much of a childhood.


    She looked around just to be certain there was no one watching, and then she ran towards the structure, Nick and Zen a step behind her.


    They were a bit big but she didn''t care; she had always wanted to play on one of these. They climbed the tower; there were a few different ways to get to the top of the slide. Without anyone having said anything they all knew it was a race.


    It was dumb and childish, but they were enjoying it. They had more races, they played tag, they tried to launch each other on the seesaw, they laughed with reckless abandon. They did the things they''d never been able to do. In some ways they were more childish now than they had been as kids, now that they had the safety to do so.


    While Zen and Nick tried to make each other fall on the wheel, Sun took a seat on one of the swings and watched them with a smile.


    They had their fun at the academy, but this was a different kind of fun.


    When Zen ran off to play on the flying fox, Nick joined her at the swing. He moved behind her and started pushing.


    "You all right?" He asked.


    "I''m good," she replied, leaning into the swing to go higher.


    "What do you think of this place?"


    "I love it. I''m glad there''re no kids here."


    "Zen thinks next time we come here we should do it drunk."


    She laughed lightly. "I would be keen to try that."


    "Not sure your brother would be."


    "He''s not invited anyway."


    He kept pushing her higher, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of it. Probably as close to flying as she would ever get.


    "Those questions you were asking the other day," Nick began. "It was because of Illusen, wasn''t it?"


    "Yes," she sighed.


    "Why didn''t you just tell us earlier?"


    He didn''t sound mad at least. It wasn''t often they kept things from each other, especially big things¡ªlife-changing things.


    "It might have come to nothing," she shrugged. "I didn''t want to worry you guys. I think I''ve worried you both enough for one lifetime."


    She hadn''t entirely let go of the guilt of disappearing when they were kids. The worry they''d suffered through when she had just disappeared, the effort they''d had to go through to find out what had happened to her, and the arduous journey to get to Perdition. For two homeless kids with nothing and no one, it had been far from easy. At least when the Revenants had taken her, they''d brought her here by train, and given the way she''d fought them, they''d kept her asleep for most of the journey.


    So Sun tried to do what she could to make things easier for the boys in an attempt to make up for the struggles she''d caused them.


    "That wasn''t your fault, Sunny. Neither of us ever blamed you for it," he told her.


    It was a tired old argument. But she had experienced the fear they''d gone through when one of the others disappeared. It was an awful, near paralysing thing when someone you loved just vanished like that. Finding the body later hadn''t exactly brought closure either. Just a fresh kind of hell.


    "Well, I still stand by what I said. Nothing will ever change it," he said. "You were ours first; you''ll always be ours."


    "And you guys are mine," she smiled up at him.


    -


    Over the next week, Sun started to learn her way around the estate and discovered they kept ravens¡ªa whole heap of them, an aviary. Kalys did say the Illusens had a bit of a history with ravens.


    Sun also managed to start plans for her corner of the garden during the short breaks her tutors gave her. The boys had gone with her to pick up apple trees and helped her plant them so they would be ready for spring. Zen had gaped at the size of her room and practically shed tears when he saw her bathroom. He still had to share a bathroom with the other boys of Perdition. At first she had been worried she might be breaking some kind of rule bringing them into the estate, but no one had said anything about it until her tutors wanted her to get back to her lessons, then they had to go home.


    She had also gotten to know her grandfather a little bit. He would often set aside an hour for them to converse and have tea and cake. He even told her a few stories about Kalys''s youth and more stories about her father. It felt strange to hear about a man she had never met but was so closely related to.


    During one of these times Kalys had joined them but had only sat silently and listened to them talk. Occasionally she had tried to draw him into the conversation, but his one or two word answers stonewalled her, so she focused on her grandfather. She was actually sad to see him go little more than a week after the horrible dinner. She had given him a hug, which he had returned after his momentary surprise. She had surprised herself just as much, not at the act itself, but that she had done it in front of her brother. He seemed the type to disapprove of open displays of affection.


    She had genuinely come to like Jinn. Under that cold exterior was a sharp wit, a dry humour, and a kind heart. She hoped he would visit often. With the way he treated her, she felt like she had an ally.


    Sun fell into a routine after that: in the morning, a silent breakfast with her brother, her morning classes at Perdition, lunch with Zen and Nick, her afternoon classes, straight home, where she had her extra lessons. A silent dinner with her brother, then more lessons, then bed. She was also learning how to take over the duties designated to the woman of the house.


    Before her, Kalys had been doing everything, and now that she was here, she had to lighten his burden. Her duties weren''t too hard, just things like approving the menu and signing off on it so the kitchen hands could go and buy what they needed. No money was allowed to be spent without her or her brothers say so. She was in charge of making sure everyone received their wages; she had been surprised when she saw how much they got paid; it was more than she had expected. She had heard that the Winter Clan was more generous with their servants, not just in wages but also in the way they were treated. One thing she couldn''t hate this family for.


    She was also in charge of organising the Clans charity work and hosting dinners, and she had to be there to greet any guests to the manor. The main duty of the lady of the house was to provide a male heir, but since she was the heads sister, that would not be her duty. And once Kalys married, Sun would be relieved of all these duties and they would fall to his wife.


    It was an exhausting routine with very little free time, and it was wearing her down. She''d barely had any time and energy to read the journal and she was a little relieved Kalys hadn''t started her training with him. She wasn''t sure she could survive any more lessons crammed into her schedule.


    Especially not with the weather turning colder. Every year in the colder months something happened. It was difficult for her to understand; it was almost like the Traverse was trying to push through to the living world. She could hear it. The Traverse had a very distinct sound, one she was intimately familiar with since she was immersed in it every time she slept. It was a strange kind of cracking; there was no rhythm or pattern to it, and there was a sort of whistling but not like from a person or the wind, and she heard it all as if she were under water, complete with the uncomfortable pressure in her ears. Then there were the sounds the inhabitants made¡ªscreaming, muttering, yelling, talking. It was annoying when she was awake, impossible to ignore when she was trying to fall asleep. And always in her periphery she could see shadows, shades of the other side.


    It always got really bad around midwinter, but eased up once temperatures started to rise. It was the only reason she hated winter.


    As she lay in bed that night, she could hear the cracking and distant screams. It was beginning. Though she expected it, her stomach still sank. Sleep was going to be hard to come by for awhile.

 Chapter 13

    Since moving into the Illusen estate, Kalys had been giving her money¡ªa stipend, like the academy gave them¡ªbut much more. She had thought it was something of a bribe initially, part of her still did, so she hadn''t used it on anything except the garden and the boys¡ªbuying them food, warmer clothes, and whatever little odds and ends she thought they might like. Everything had been provided for her anyway; she hadn''t needed to buy anything for herself until now.


    At her first available opportunity once the noises started in earnest, she headed into town and bought a gramophone. She didn''t know if it would work to drown out the sounds, but she was hoping it would help. She had never used one before, but she did know one of the girls in her dorm had one¡ªSun could hear the music drifting down the hall. They were quite expensive contraptions, which was why she''d never had one until now. And she felt guilty for buying it; it was definitely a luxury she never would have been able to afford until moving here.


    The first night she had it, she got ready for bed, turned the crank, and tried to sleep. The noises of the Traverse weren''t too bad yet, but she was curious to see if it would help at all.


    She had never really been much of a music person, and listening to the gramophone, she doubted this would change it, but if she could just drown out the sudden loud cracks and shrieks that startled her awake at night, it would be worth it.


    She still tossed and turned for a while, trying to pick out the sounds of the Traverse; she couldn''t seem to stop herself. But eventually she must have fallen asleep because she woke to the sound of Mika knocking on her door.


    At some point during the night the gramophone had stopped, but it seemed to have helped her fall asleep, which was part of the point. She let out a garbled sound to let Mika know she was awake, and the other woman entered, greeting her warmly before going about the morning routine of opening the verandah doors to let fresh air in. There was a bit of a nip in the air, which Sun welcomed. She did better in the cold than the heat. Maybe that had something to do with her blood; Kalys did say cold ran through it.


    Sun showered and dressed in her uniform before having breakfast with her brother. As per usual, he greeted her with a simple nod, and they had a quiet breakfast. The silence was no longer that uncomfortable anymore. She had always been quick to adapt, even if she initially complained. A lot in some cases.


    She met the boys at the academy gates as had become a habit since she moved out of the dorms. While Zen and Sun had a lot of the same classes, Nick had more advanced ones and only shared a couple of classes a week with them.


    "You''re looking a bit rundown," Nick noted. "Is it starting again?"


    "It''s not so bad yet."


    "And you already look like shit," Zen said, earning an elbow in the gut from her.


    "You''re so charming. I don''t know why you don''t have a girlfriend," she retorted.


    They didn''t get far down the hall before they were stopped by the unpleasant voice of one of their classmates.


    "If it isn''t the bastard and her whores," Seph snidely called out, clearly amused with himself.


    "Looking for a sequel to that last beating you got?" Zen asked, smug amusement radiating off him.


    He still had faint bruises.


    "I''m keen," Sun shrugged. She wasn''t.


    "So how''d you do it?" Seph asked. "How did you convince someone like Commander Illusen to keep his father''s unwanted bastard?"


    That''s right, Seph was from a lesser noble family, and gossip ran rampant amongst the upper echelons, and keeping bastards just wasn''t done. From what she had learnt so far, he really should have more manners toward someone of her rank. Not surprising his treatment of her wouldn''t change though.


    "Back off, Seph," Zen growled out threateningly.


    "You should be more worried about what your little slut bag is getting up to; it looks like she''s spreading her legs for someone who can actually give her what she wants."


    Her eyes widened. Were they actually implying she was sleeping with her brother for his money and status? She was about to start ripping into the boys when a cold aura settled over them.


    "Sun."


    She cringed at the voice but turned and bowed to her brother.


    "Get to class."


    "Right."


    She grabbed Zen and Nick by their wrists and dragged them away.


    Kalys glared down at the boys, slowly exerting more and more pressure on them. In a matter of moments, they could barely stand, and their breath came out in white puffs.


    How dare these boys insult her? She was a princess of the Winter Clan, and while they may not respect her, they should have respect for her status. And to imply he had only brought her into the clan to sleep with her... He wanted to snap their necks, but he knew better than to let his emotions get the better of him. And the dig struck deep because he was physically attracted to her, which he was finding frustrating.


    Once he was sure they understood the silent threat, he turned and headed the opposite way. He had a meeting with the headmaster to get to.


    He had expected to take criticism and disapproval for his decision. He had even expected threats and attempts on her life once succession had been rewritten. He had not expected the rumours of incest. People couldn''t seem to understand his actions without applying some kind of personal benefit to himself.


    Though he supposed it shouldn''t have been surprising. The Illusens had intermarried many times before; several generations back, his great-grandfather and grandmother were even twins who''d married. It wasn''t uncommon in the great four, though it had definitely become rarer in the last few generations.


    He did find it offensive that people believed it to be his primary motivation, though.


    He had hoped to at least keep those rumours from her. She still seemed to be on shakey ground with him, and the last thing he wanted was for her to doubt his intentions again. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Perhaps he should speak with her about it when they were home...


    -


    While Sun liked the snow, she hated the sound of the Traverse in winter, and the first snowfall brought with it the near-deafening sounds she had been dreading. She could never have quiet, not until the weather started to warm.


    The Traverse was... not a happy place. And the souls who resided there were less so. Sleep consisted of trying to avoid them. It wasn''t so easy during the day when she had places to be and things to focus on.


    Every night she had been using the gramophone, but its effectiveness lessened with every day they neared the Winter Solstice. Kalys had told her the Illusens hosted an event for that night as well, which, as per her duties, she was in charge of organizing. He had at least given her time off from her lessons to allow for the extra work and also promised that after midwinter, they would begin her training together.


    She had never organised any kind of party in her life; she had no idea how to go about it. There would be higher-ups from Perdition there, representatives from the other three great houses, and members of her own family as well. Apparently at midsummer, the Summer clan hosted their own event they would be expected to attend.


    Kalys had given her the records from the previous years celebrations to give her an idea, and planners had been hired to help her out. Midwinter was an important day to their family apparently, and while there would be a larger celebration involving many, afterwards, the Illusens had their own private ritual. In the past, Kalys had undergone it alone; this year, he expected them to do it together. The extended family that came usually chose not to participate, but as the main bloodline, they were expected to uphold their traditions.


    Sun knew a little about midwinter¡ªthe shortest day, the longest night, and the connotations around death and rebirth. And going through prior years events¡ªmostly grand balls, a winter circus¡ªwhat was a circus?¡ªand nightlong entertainment, she decided to ignore the planners suggestions and go with something simpler. And after researching more about the solstice, she would do something a bit more in keeping with the theme of it.


    She wasn''t sure if she would prefer her lady lessons or having to organise this event. Both were torturous.


    When she made it back to her room late at night that day, she was exhausted. The lack of sleep was getting to her. After years of this problem, she would have thought she would have learnt to tune it out by now. But then she had always been an alert sleeper. They had to be back in the slums, and it was ingrained into them. They couldn''t turn it off, no matter how they tried.


    Sun turned on the gramophone, raising the volume as much as she could, despite its ineffectiveness. The sound of cracking and splintering still overpowered it; she could hear the distant shrieking, and underneath she could hear muttering and incessant whispering. It had been driving her mad all day. Why couldn''t she just tune it out?


    She slid down the wall beside the shelf the gramophone rested on and put her head between her knees, squeezing them against her ears. Sometimes she wished she were deaf. But there was always the fear it wasn''t her ears doing the hearing, and it was all in her head.


    She practically leaped out of her skin when she felt a touch on her knee, her head flying back and hitting the wall hard enough to make her see stars. Kalys was crouching in front of her, his brow furrowed in concern.


    Every night he had heard her playing music from her room, and every day the darkness under her eyes became more pronounced. Tonight had been the loudest yet; he could hear it clearly from his own room down the hall. She had also been more distracted than usual, at times even stopping mid-sentence while speaking. This morning at breakfast, she had almost nodded off a couple of times.


    "Sun, are you well?" He asked, his deep voice soft.


    In the weeks they''d been living together now, he realised this was the first time he had ever asked her that. It was the first time he''d sought her input on her condition. From the look on her face, she was having the same realisation.


    "I''m fine."


    She was lying; that much was obvious given the position he had found her in.


    "You''ve been playing this music every night, loudly. Why?"


    "...I like it."


    "Do not lie to me," the softness in his voice had frozen over now.


    He could see her warring with herself, whether to attempt another lie or just tell the truth. Before she could settle on a decision, she suddenly flinched, her eyes squeezing shut like she was shying away from something.


    A quick sweep of her room revealed nothing out of place. In fact, since moving in here, she had done very little with the space at all, the gramophone being the only real change, and her weapons sitting on the chest at the end of the bed.


    "What is it?"


    "I can hear the Traverse," she muttered, looking down at her feet. "It gets loud in winter."


    He''d never heard of that being a problem before; his father had certainly never mentioned anything like that. He tried to recall if he''d seemed distracted or fatigued during the winter months, but nothing came to mind.


    "What does it sound like?"


    "Like when water gets in your ears, and there''s this whistling and cracking. But then there are the people; they mutter, they yell, they cry... Sometimes I hear the twisted people as well, roaring, sniffing... mauling someone..."


    Twisted people?


    "What does it say in the journal?"


    "I don''t know; I haven''t had time to read it all. So far, nothing."


    He hadn''t realised her schedule was so full. He would have to remedy that; she had been doing well with her lessons from what he''d been told. He could afford to cut back on the hours she spent in them.


    "This happens every winter?"


    She nodded.


    And this must be why she was so exhausted and distracted.


    "Have you tried ear plugs?"


    "They don''t really help. I was hoping the gramophone would work better."


    How could he stop the cacophony of another world for her?


    In their family, being born with the Ravens Eye had been considered something of a gift, a blessing to carry. His father had never treated it as such, and Kalys had always gotten the feeling he''d rather have not had it at all. Now he had to watch Sun struggle with it. And she hadn''t even had the guidance their father had received while growing up.


    What must this have felt like to a child living on the streets with no idea what was happening to her?


    He stood, offering his hand down to her. "Come."


    Though his father rarely spoke of the Traverse, Kalys could remember the few times he''d reluctantly answered some of his son''s questions. The Traverse was similar to the world of the living, at least in its natural topography. Manmade structures weren''t always exact replicas, if they managed to exist there at all. He wasn''t sure what the rules were surrounding it.


    She looked confused but took his hand and let him pull her up. He led her through the manor and to the kitchen, opening the pantry doors. She hadn''t spent any time in here; they had kitchen staff that did all the cooking for them. On the floor was a trapdoor, which he lifted, heading down the stairs into the darkness. He lit the oil lamp sitting on the shelf a few steps below and continued down the stairs. No electricity down there then.


    She hadn''t known this place had a cellar; it was large enough that the light didn''t reach the other three walls.


    "How is the noise now?"


    She tilted her head to the side, listening. The Traverse wasn''t an exact replica of the living world, but for the most part it resembled it. She could still hear the ambient sounds of the splintering, but little of the people. Only the loudest sounds making their way down here.


    "The voices are quieter..." She almost wanted to weep for the relief of it. They weren''t gone, but they were down at a level she might possibly be able to sleep to.


    She headed over to the wall by the door and sat down on the ground. "I''ll just sit here for a bit. Thank you."


    She was asleep in seconds; Kalys had never seen her look so relaxed. He had also never seen anyone fall asleep so fast. Especially not on the less than clean and uncomfortable floor. He almost wanted to wake her and have her move, but decided against it. Sleep had obviously been hard to come by for her.


    With a sigh, he headed back up the stairs and retrieved the blankets from her bed, turning off the gramophone while he was there. He would have a more comfortable set up made for her, and perhaps further down the line, have an underground bedroom made for her for the winter months.


    Once back down in the cellar, he started laying the blankets over her and trying to bunch them around her should she end up lying down.


    She jolted awake when he touched her, but when she realised it was just him and that she was safe, she fell right back to sleep.


    He felt a little... disturbed to be leaving her down there alone in the dark to sleep, but he certainly wasn''t going to sit there and watch her all night.


    With the light on in the pantry upstairs, enough shone down that she wouldn''t wake up unable to see. He would leave the cellar door open for her.


    With one last look in her direction, he left her to sleep.

 Chapter 14

    Sun awoke to the sounds of activity nearby and reluctantly opened her eyes. It took her a second to remember where she was and why she was there. The blankets bunched around her were ridiculously comfortable, and she didn''t really want to get up. She could vaguely recall Kalys tucking the blankets around her, and she scrunched her face up. ''Kalys'' and ''tucking her in'' did not go together. That seemed far too close to a level of coddling she would never ascribe to him.


    But regardless, he had done it. And she could admit to being grateful for it, if only to herself. She stood up and stretched out her limbs, stiff from the dead sleep she''d had.


    A scream beside her had her screaming back in fright. The cook¡ªMillie, if she remembered rightly¡ªrealised it was her at the same time Sun realised who she was, and they both stood there, calming their beating hearts.


    "Apologies, my lady," she gasped out, hand on her chest. "I didn''t know you were down here."


    "No, no, my fault. Sorry."


    Bloody hell, she had been startled, and all she''d done was scream. What a terrible Revenant she would make... Best to keep this little incident to herself. How embarrassing.


    "Did you... sleep down here?" The cook asked.


    "No, why?" It was out of her mouth before she thought better of the lie.


    Millie was looking down at something, and Sun followed her gaze to the pile of blankets on the floor.


    "Oh, then yes," she said, bending down to collect her blankets. "You have a lovely cellar."


    She gathered up the blankets and headed for the stairs, offering the woman a polite smile despite the burning in her cheeks.


    "And you make fantastic food; you''re very talented. Have a good day."


    Sun scurried up the stairs before she could make a bigger dickhead of herself. The kitchen staff were already there preparing the food, and they threw odd looks her way as she weaved her way through with an armful of blankets. She knew Kalys allowed them to use the ingredients from Illusen stores to make their breakfasts as well, which was one of the reasons they started so early.


    She hurried back to her room, where Mika was waiting.


    "There you are," she smiled pleasantly.


    "You''re earlier than usual," Sun noted.


    Sun was up earlier than usual too.


    "I thought we''d get a jump start on the day."


    "Do we have to?"


    "Oh, Sun," she said with amused exasperation as she booped her nose. "What were you doing with your blankets?"


    "Taking them for a walk," she replied, sarcasm oozing from her tone.


    "And what are your plans for the rest of the day?"


    "I have that Midwinter thing to make some headway in, then I was going to meet the boys in the afternoon."


    Not being limited to the academy grounds was amazing. In what spare periods they all had that synched up, the boys had taken her to explore the town and the areas surrounding it. On one side it was all forest, and on the other it was mostly farms and flatlands. They spent a lot of time walking through the woods and exploring. They''d even found a large pond with a little wooden jetty, but none of them knew how to swim. Still, it had been a nice place to spend an hour or two. The three of them waded in the freezing water, tried to skip rocks, and attempted to catch the fish they could see before it all devolved into a splash fight. Which she won. Her control over water wasn''t great, but it was strong. Most of the time. The water had been freezing though, but not iced over yet at that point. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Nick had suggested they go again and spend the afternoon with some food, and the other two were keen. Time away from the rest of the world with no tasks, chores, or lessons, it sounded like a dream. Even as children, they''d had the near constant threat of danger and starvation to worry about; that hadn''t left a lot of time for things like this. They had street scams to run, food to scrounge up, each other to look out for...


    As far as food went, Sun was going to dig some up from the kitchens and stuff it in her pack before meeting the boys.


    That was the part of the day she was looking forward to.


    -


    After a few gruelling hours with the planners, Sun was finally released. Her first stop was her room so she could grab her pack, and then the kitchen so she could stuff it full of food. When she got there, the kitchen staff stopped what they were doing and looked at her expectantly. Was this about this morning?


    She had been hoping they''d be too busy to notice her and she could just sneak in and take stuff they didn''t need.


    "My lady," the cook greeted. "Can I help you with something?"


    "I was just hoping I could grab some food... to... take away, if that''s ok?"


    "What kind of food were you thinking?" One of the other cooks asked.


    "My friends and I were planning to eat outside, away from here."


    "Oh, like a picnic?"


    Sun had never heard that word in her life. "Picnic?"


    "Have a seat, my lady; we''ll whip something up."


    "That''s not necessary; I don''t want to add to your workload..."


    "Nonsense," she said with a smile, ushering her over to a stool. There was something almost motherly about it.


    In about ten minutes, the woman placed a wicker basket in front of her and Sun looked at it confused. She watched as the woman opened the flaps to reveal sandwiches, containers of chopped fruit, muffins, and more buried underneath she couldn''t see.


    "This is a picnic?" Sun asked, receiving a nod and smile in return. "Thank you so much."


    "If you give us a bit of warning next time, we can make something a little more fitting."


    "No, this is amazing; thank you. And I''m sorry again about this morning."


    "Oh, think nothing of it. Run along now," she said, shooing her from the kitchen.


    Sun took the basket, calling out another thank you as she ran for the front door. She was far better at navigating the place now. When she got to the door, she found her brother dressed in his Revenant uniform and looking like he was just about to step out.


    "Are you working today?" She asked. Being in his presence always made her feel so awkward and nervous.


    He gave a nod, looking her up and down. "You look... rested."


    "I''m feeling much better today, thank you."


    "Where are you going?"


    "A picnic with the boys," she replied, bracing herself for that flash of displeasure whenever she mentioned them. At least he hadn''t tried to stop her associating with them. That was a battle she''d never give up fighting. Maybe he knew it too and so had never bothered.


    "Have a good day," she said, quickly ducking out the door.


    He followed her out, and with a silent parting look, he disappeared from sight. She''d felt a flash of his aura before it disappeared too. Even the instructors at the academy didn''t move as fast as he just had. She wondered if she could get him to teach her that as well.


    She met the boys in town, her face splitting into a grin and she practically skipped up to them.


    "What''s that?" Zen asked, his chin jutting to the basket in her hands.


    "The cooks made food."


    He looked mildly pained as he lifted the flap and saw what was inside. "That looks fucking good."


    "So why do you look so unhappy about it?"


    "Zen has a date and won''t be coming with us," Nick told her.


    Suns eyes widened. "A date? With who?"


    "Just a girl from around," he shrugged. "I''m meeting her here."


    None of them had been on a date before. Did he even know what he was doing?


    "What are you guys going to do on your date?"


    He shrugged again. "She asked me out. Doesn''t that mean she should have the plan?"


    "This is so freaking cute," she said, looking to Nick. "Our baby''s all grown up."


    Zen rolled his eyes, shoving his hands into his pockets as Nick snickered.


    "Zen!"


    They looked to the voice where a girl was jogging towards them. She was smiling up at him, her eyes flitting to Sun and Nick.


    "Sun, Nick, this is Melody. Melody; Sun and Nick," Zen introduced.


    "Are we double dating?" She asked.


    Zen shook his head. "They have their own plans. I''ll see you guys later."


    He started walking and Melody waved to them as they left.


    "Abstinence is the best protection!" Nick called after them.


    "Make good choices!" She added.


    Zen flipped them off while they grinned at him.


    Once they rounded the corner, she looked to her friend. "You still want to have a picnic in the cold?"


    He didn''t do as well in it as she did.


    "Definitely," he smiled. "Let''s go."

 Chapter 15

    The last time they had been out to their little lake, it hadn''t started to snow yet, but now the ground was blanketed with it and the water had frozen over. It would be quite peaceful were it not for the sounds of the traverse. Though it wasn''t as bad out here. Even in the Traverse souls seemed to congregate in the towns and cities, she wondered if they could feel the life on the other side or if they just lingered close to where they died.


    They carefully made their way to the end of the jetty, where they pushed the layer of snow off the edge. She set down the towels from her pack for them to sit on, and they dropped down, feet dangling over the edge of the jetty. Under the ice, they could even see fish darting about.


    With the basket between them, they both started going through it to see what they had.


    "This is way too much for two people," Nick said.


    "Yeah, they do that a lot at the manor. You should see the meals we''re served."


    While eating at the academy was good, everything the cooks at the manor made was just higher caliber. But Kalys did seem the type to only accept the best.


    "But to be fair, if Zen were here, he could probably devour this. Where did he meet that girl?"


    "In town, he said. She just came up to him and asked him out."


    "Brave."


    Sun didn''t think she could just ask out a stranger like that. Dating in general had never really occurred to her.


    The pair picked at the food while they chatted. With her moving out of the academy, they really didn''t see each other as much as they used to, so there were actually things to catch each other up on. And when they ran out, they just settled into a comfortable silence.


    A horrible cross between an agonised scream and an angry roar shattered that silence, and she jerked her head to the side. That had sounded bloody close.


    "What is it?" Nick asked.


    "You didn''t hear anything?" She had never heard that sound before, in real life or the Traverse.


    But if Nick hadn''t heard it, then it must be from the other side. What in the hell could make a sound like that?


    "The Traverse?" He asked.


    "Must have been... I''ve never heard a sound like that before though."


    She looked around, as if she might be able to locate the source of it, but with the exception of the sounds only she could hear, it was an idyllic place to be.


    Looking back at Nick, she noticed how cold he was; there was even a bit of a blue tinge to his lips. His cheeks and the tip of his nose were turning red.


    "Maybe we should go," she said, standing up and offering her hand down to him.


    He didn''t even have gloves on, and his fingers were like ice. While the Academy did give a small stipend to their candidates, it wasn''t really enough to get much of anything without long periods of saving. She needed to get him some gloves, maybe a scarf and a hat. She''d only given them warm jerseys and jackets, some socks... Kalys gave her enough to buy anything she could imagine; she should be spending more of it on her friends and making sure they had everything they needed.


    "You''re freezing," she muttered, taking off her scarf and wrapping it around his neck.


    "I guess we know now why the cold doesn''t really get to you," he said.


    "One of the perks, I guess."


    "Until summer comes along and you start dying in a pool of your own sweat," he chuckled.


    She hated summer. And she hated winter, but, of course, not for its cold. Autumn was pretty damn nice.


    "A lady doesn''t sweat," she said, mock indignation. "We glisten."


    They started trudging through the snow, and she was relieved she didn''t hear that sound again. It had sent chills down her spine in a way she hadn''t felt since she was a child on the streets. Chills that meant danger, that something terrible was about to happen. Even if there was some kind of world barrier between them, she didn''t want to be near the source of that sound.


    "So will Zen and I ever have to call you ''my lady''?" He asked.


    It sounded like a joke, but she picked up on something else in his tone, something close to worry.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report."Never."


    Whether he was joking or not, she wanted him to know she would never be anyone other than Sunny to him and Zen.


    He nodded, looking down at the ground ahead of them.


    "And you''re still doing all right there?"


    "Yeah, it''s really not so bad once you get used to it. And I think Kalys might even be defrosting a little. He actually helped me out last night, took me down to the cellar."


    He shot her a questioning look.


    "I told him about my... hearing problem; he took me to the cellar, and it''s quiet down there. No voices. Still the other sounds, but no voices. He... I''m just really grateful for that."


    It was a huge relief to have gotten a mostly decent sleep last night, and she had softened to the man who''d been responsible for it.


    "This midwinter thing I''m organising, will you and Zen come?"


    "Would we be allowed?"


    "Yes."


    She didn''t know. But she didn''t care. They were coming¡ªif they wanted to.


    "I''m planning a feast, and there''ll be Commanders from the Revenants there; it could be a good networking opportunity..."


    "You don''t have to convince me; you had me at ''feast," he laughed. "But seriously, you want us there; we''ll be there."


    She let out a breath. She would talk to Kalys¡ªtell, not ask. If she worked up the guts, he still intimidated her a bit. Or maybe just not tell him anything at all and let it be a surprise.


    This would be her first formal, official event; having them there would be a great comfort. And maybe even make it bearable. No doubt they would probably make fun of her, maybe for her dress or the etiquette she''d have to adhere to, but it would be worth it to have them there.


    Nick walked her all the way back to the manor, carrying the basket for her. He followed her inside, and they made their way to her room. She wasn''t sure what to do with the picnic basket and left it on the desk for now.


    "Take a look at the book shelf; I found some in the Illusen library you might like," she told him.


    He could devour books, that boy; even if he actually managed to live a hundred years, he still wouldn''t have read enough. With his advanced classes and extra work he got assigned, he didn''t get as much time to read as he would have liked.


    He crouched in front of her shelf to browse the titles. He didn''t have too much of a preference when it came to genre, or whether it was fiction or nonfiction. He tried to make up for all the time they spent living in illiteracy and ignorance. Sun and Zen probably should have tried harder too, but the written word just sort of... bored her, and Zen didn''t really have the attention span to sit still for that long.


    As she lit the fire for him, she watched him pick up one of the books from the corner of her eye. The Illusen library was extensive, not quite as big as the academys, but titles that certainly wouldn''t be found there. Kalys did mention the main Illusen library back at the estate in the Capital was much larger. Nick would probably love it.


    He flicked open the book and started skimming the first page.


    "Can I borrow this one?" He asked.


    "Of course. Will you read it to me?"


    He seemed a little surprised by the request before he smiled. She liked listening to his voice; there was a smooth, soothing quality to it she had been drawn to since childhood.


    Before they settled into the cushions in front of the fireplace¡ªmostly for his comfort¡ªshe grabbed her embroidery practice. It was one area of the ''gentle arts'' she was failing at abysmally. Mostly because she despised it. Listening to him read her a book while doing it, though, would surely make it a little more bearable.


    -


    When Kalys arrived home, he made his way straight to his room to remove his uniform and try to wash off the day. It had consisted entirely of paperwork; the reports of the uprisings to the north were becoming daily and worsening. There was talk of his division mobilising and heading out to quell them. He was reluctant to leave any time soon, to leave Sun without any supervision, but he may just have to.


    As he passed Sun''s room, he caught Mika and a couple of maids peeking through a crack in her door. There were hushed whispers and quiet giggles.


    He silently swept up behind them.


    "What is going on?" He kept his voice low¡ªquiet but stern.


    The maids gasped, whirling around. Mika was the only one to look him in the eye, a faint smirk playing at the corners of her lips. He was well aware she wasn''t as intimidated by him as he would like. But a hardened assassin was hardly going to wilt like the maids she worked with.


    With a look, he dismissed them; they were more likely to stutter and make excuses than provide any answers of value. Mika would at least be direct. Once the maids had scurried out of earshot, he looked expectantly to his sister''s bodyguard.


    "We were just admiring the adorable couple they make," she replied, her head tilting slightly in the direction of Sun''s room.


    He clenched his jaw; he had a good idea of who she was talking about. He took a look through the gap in the door. Nickolai and Sun had made themselves comfortable on the cushions in front of the fire, where the boy was reading to her from one of Kalys''s own books. She was lying on her back, head in his lap, while she worked on her embroidery and the fingers of his free hand played with her hair.


    There was an intimacy there that was hard to watch; he didn''t like it at all.


    He took a step back. He knew they were close, that all three of them were. It was hardly befitting of her station to be flitting about with these two uncouth boys; it flew in the face of convention, to be sure, but so did her existence. And he had felt safe in the knowledge that Mika was always watching.


    "You''re supposed to be protecting her," he uttered quietly, casting an accusing stare towards Mika.


    "From would be assassins, not... whatever that is," she gestured dismissively towards the pair.


    His glare hardened, and he turned towards the door. He slid it open with a bang, neither one of them startling at the sound. He had expected them to guiltily jump apart and was sorely disappointed.


    They just stared up at him curiously as if they weren''t doing anything wrong. Did they do this so often? They had grown up together with no parental oversight; perhaps they had no boundaries with each other. That bothered him more than he would ever admit out loud.


    "Is everything all right?" She asked him, like butter wouldn''t melt...


    "Will your friend be joining us for dinner?" He asked.


    "Can he?"


    "I would not ask otherwise."


    She looked up to Nick, silently questioning. How Kalys had made the invitation sound like a threat was impressive.


    "If it''s not an imposition..."


    "It''s not," he said, turning on his heel. "The door stays open."


    With that, he left them, casting a harsh glare at Mika''s smirking face.


    "That didn''t go the way I thought it would," she said quietly.


    Back in Sun''s room, Nick looked down at her, eyes a little wide. "Why would he invite me to dinner? He can''t stand me."


    "I don''t know; it could be some kind of trap," she replied. "Be ready to teleport out if you need to."


    She was only half joking.

 Chapter 16

    Aside from the awful dinner with the other Illusens and when their grandfather had stayed afterwards, this was the first dinner they''d had a guest. Nick had been seated opposite her on the other side of the table, she and Kalys in their usual spots.


    There was a tension to the air but it might have been entirely on Sun and Nick''s end. Neither one could understand why he would invite Nick for dinner. And aside from a perfunctory greeting, he hadn''t spoken at all since they''d sat down.


    Sun wasn''t sure if it was her imagination, but even the maids serving dinner seemed a little on edge.


    Once they started to eat, then Kalys started to talk, looking down the table at Nick with a withering stare.


    "I take it you intend to become a regular fixture here," Kalys said.


    Sun froze mid-chew, eyes wide, as she tried to figure out where this might be going. He wasn''t a man for idle chatter or small talk, so there had to be a point. And chances were she wasn''t going to like it.


    Nick cast a quick questioning look her way too, though he predominantly kept his attention on Kalys. It was almost like he was afraid to take his eyes off him too long, like the man was a snake ready to strike.


    Kalys looked to his sister, her bi-coloured eyes boring into him with visible confusion, before he turned back to Nickolai.


    "You are never to be alone with her in her room. If you must be here, public areas only," he told him.


    Sun''s reputation was already a little tattered given the rumours he''d heard around the academy. From the physical she''d had when she''d moved here, he was aware she was intact and believed that to still be true. However, deciding to continue with her Revenant Candidacy already made her a poor choice for marriage, and he had accepted that. On some level, he preferred it. If she remained unwed, then she continued to live in the manor under his care. It would be easier to keep an eye on her.


    However, he didn''t want her marriage suitability to be questioned because she was considered tainted. He didn''t want misconceptions about her spreading, or worse, finding their way back to her ears.


    She deserved better than that.


    "We must take steps to avoid the appearance of impropriety. And your presence must not interfere with her duties or lessons," he continued.


    While she improved by leaps and bounds in some areas, in others she had seemingly stagnated. She didn''t need the distraction.


    Nick nodded. He could adhere to those rules, whatever it took to be able to be around her. They weren''t even that bad, surprisingly.


    "Finish chewing, Sun," Kalys told her.


    Sun hadn''t realised she hadn''t resumed. She was busy waiting for the blow to come, trying to calculate what ways this could take a turn for the worst.


    After that, nothing more was said of it. Nothing else was said the rest of the meal. There was still a tension in the air, both younger ones still wary of the reasons behind the invitation. Kalys didn''t seem affected in the least, and she had to wonder if he felt it at all or if he genuinely wasn''t discomforted by it. Maybe it was all on their end. Maybe they were just looking for the worst in him.


    After dinner, Sun walked Nick to the front door to see him off. Kalys had offered the use of a carriage to get him back to the academy, but Nick would just teleport. It was quicker, and he didn''t see the need to drag the poor driver and horses out into the cold.


    At the front door, they both looked around to make sure no one was in ear shot.


    "That was a bit odd, right?" Nick asked.


    Sun nodded. "You don''t feel ill?" She asked, a little wryly.


    He shook his head.


    "Probably not poisoned then."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.He shot her flat look for that one. "I''ll see you tomorrow."


    "Bye, Nick. Be safe."


    It was dark outside, and she wasn''t sure just how far he could go in one jump. He was still finding his limits.


    He gave another nod before he pulled her into a quick hug. Before she could even return it, he was gone, disappearing in a blink.


    She turned, nearly startling when she found Kalys standing not two feet away, watching. She stared up at him with wide eyes while she tried to get her heartbeat under control.


    "Something you need?" She asked politely.


    "More comfortable accommodations have been prepared in the cellar. Plans are being drawn up for something more permanent," he told her.


    "Oh, thank you," she said. He was full of surprises today. "You don''t have to do that; blankets in the cellar is fine."


    The stare he gave her would make flowers wilt. "Goodnight, Sun."


    "Goodnight."


    He brushed past her and glided silently down the hall, likely to his bedroom. It was one of the few rooms in this place she had yet to see. A little spark of curiosity ignited at the thought but was easy enough to tamp down. No way was she going to invade his personal space for curiosity sake.


    That would be asking to die.


    -


    The next day at the academy, only Zen was waiting for her at the gate. Change made her nervous these days. There had been too much of it in her life lately. And she still wasn''t entirely convinced Nick hadn''t been poisoned last night or waylaid and murdered on the way back to the academy.


    "Where''s Nick?" She asked.


    "Good morning, Sunshine; it''s so nice to see you. I''m well, yourself?"


    She rolled her eyes but grinned. "Good morning, Zen; I''m also well. Thank you for asking. So good to see you."


    "Psh, and you''re supposed to be a noble?" He scoffed. "Where are your manners?"


    "Up your arse."


    He gasped in mock horror.


    "So where is Nick?" She asked again as they started walking inside.


    Zen shrugged. "Left early, something about his advanced courses. Didn''t even show up for breakfast."


    Before graduation, they would need to be evaluated in the field. Maybe he just wanted to be ready for it.


    "And what about you? How was your date?"


    Another shrug. "It was all right."


    "Just all right? Gods, I hope no one ever describes a date with me as just ''all right.''"


    "You''re assuming your brother would ever let you out on one."


    "I''d have to eventually. The whole point in noble women is marriage and heirs."


    She said it so cavilierly for such a horrifying reality. Internally, she shuddered; she didn''t want that to be her. She wouldn''t let it. If she married, it would be because she wanted to; if she had a family, it would be for the same reason. While there were some things she would bend over for¡ªthe gentle arts lessons, etiquette, extra duties¡ªthere were other things she would fight tooth and nail to prevent.


    "So why was it so lackluster?" She pressed.


    "I don''t know, just not much of a connection and nothing in common. Lots of uncomfortable silences..."


    She nodded, having never been on a date she didn''t fully understand, but she was well acquainted with uncomfortable silences.


    "So no second one?"


    Zen shook his head.


    Inside they separated to get to their classes, and Sun just tried to focus on her day and make it through. She wanted to do well and at least be considered good enough for the next batch of graduates.


    She didn''t want Nick to leave her too far behind. And Zen excelled in combat; even if his other grades were just passable, it would be enough to get him considered for the next batch. She wanted to be among them too.


    Concentrating in the winter was always difficult, but she made it through her first couple of classes and managed to meet up with Nick at lunch. He looked well enough, nice and healthy.


    "I''ve got news," he told her. "They''re sending me out on evaluation."


    Was that why he hadn''t been there this morning?


    "And how are we feeling about this?" She asked carefully, wanting to be sure first.


    "It''s good; I''m all right with it."


    She let out a breath and pulled him into a hug. "So it''s a happy hug then."


    "Honestly, I''ll take any hug you give me," he laughed lightly.


    They felt arms wrap tightly around the both of them and were assaulted by the scent of their third.


    "Why are we hugging?" Zen asked.


    "I''m being sent out for evaluation," Nick told him.


    "Ah. A happy hug I heard."


    "Yeah. I''ll graduate before you two, start getting paid, and you guys can come live in my house."


    They laughed lightly at that. Even if he did go straight into a tiered position, no way was he going to be affording a place any time soon.


    "Guess we need to work harder then, aye Sun?"


    "Bit difficult to keep up with a prodigy..."


    "Doesn''t mean we shouldn''t try," he said, the hug breaking apart. "Do you know where you''re going?"


    He shook his head. "They''re briefing us tomorrow morning. I have no idea how long I''ll be gone."


    "Just come back in one piece," Zen said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Now let''s go eat; I''m starved."


    They both looked him up and down. Clearly, that just wasn''t true.


    "Hey," he snapped defensively. "It takes a lot of food to maintain these muscles."


    "Too bad it doesn''t do much for your brain," Nick laughed.


    Zen pulled him into a headlock, which Nick teleported out of, reappearing a few feet ahead of them.


    "Cheeky shit," Zen laughed, running to catch up with him.


    Sun followed at a more sedate pace, laughing at their antics.


    They had all initially wanted to stay in the academy¡ªa roof over their heads, three meals a day, a small stipend, and none of the actual responsibility of being a full-fledged Revenant. But it looked like that was coming to an end.


    They were actually going to have to move to the next phase of their lives. They had enjoyed the minimal responsibility after a childhood filled with it.


    Too many changes lately...

 Chapter 17

    Sun stood at the entrance to the manor beside her brother. They were both dressed in black and blues, their family colours. Her formal gown rippled like water with every move she made. To match her, his black suit had blue brocade on the tie, waistcoat, and the lapels of his frock coat.


    They had been standing there awhile greeting their guests to their midwinter celebration. Nick hadn''t returned from his evaluation yet, and despite asking her instructors, she still didn''t know where he''d been sent or if he was all right. It had been almost a week now. The worry was getting to her and Zen, and they''d spent every free moment together trying to reassure each other he would be fine.


    Zen had become such a regular feature at the manor Kalys had given him the same rules he''d given Nick.


    The last thing she wanted to be doing right now was plastering a fake smile on her face and making nice with strangers. Most of them she had never met, despite having been the one to send out the invitations. There were Revenant Commanders and Lieutenants, nobility from all over, and Illusens she had yet to meet¡ªand a few she had. She was pleased to see their grandfather and greeted him with far more warmth than the others. She also got to meet the heads of the Autumn and Summer clans. Fire and Earth.


    Amarieh Vay de Lis, head of the Summer Clan, was a beautiful woman; her skin was golden, and her eyes were warm and dark. Her earthen hair was bundled up on her head, pinned with beautiful emerald ornaments. Sun knew the bracelets on her wrists were the symbols of her house, much like the earrings for the Illusens. Her dress shimmered in gold with a plunging neckline, revealing her abundant cleavage. It clung to her figure with a slit up one leg; the woman oozed confidence and sex appeal. Sun figured this was what it meant to be sexy; she was a little jealous. But the woman was going to get cold if she didn''t take one of the fur cloaks on offer.


    Vincent Tannivh was Autumn; his eyes were molten gold, and his hair held all the colours of the autumn leaves. He was dressed much like her brother, predominantly in black. The golden necklace held the crest of his family, the symbol of his status. She knew he was a Revenant Commander as well, of the Fourth - Casters. They were predominantly support, loaned out to the other divisions for operations. Their focus was on using their ability to manipulate their auras into offensive and defensive casts. Casting hadn''t come easily to her, but it was one of the classes she was most interested in. Anything to avoid having to rely on her own power.


    Honestly, she was surprised at how many people had turned up for this. The planner she''d worked with had said it was an important event to the Illusens, and people always turned up for them¡ªfor any of the great four. Sun hadn''t believed her. It all just seemed so frivolous to her.


    When she saw Nick and Zen heading up the path together dressed in the suits she''d bought for them, she grinned widely. He was back! He hadn''t been here when she had bought his suit, so she had been worried it wouldn''t fit. It was a bit of a relief to see it fit, but an almost overwhelming relief to see him back and intact.


    "You invited them?" Kalys asked her quietly.


    "Of course."


    She wondered if he would turn them away. Barring anyone that had been invited would be considered rude, but she had come to learn he didn''t much care about being labelled rude. Hypocrite. In some instances, she suspected he even wore it as something like a badge of honour. Or perhaps he just didn''t think any action he took was rude, merely justified. A bit difficult to tell the difference, despite the fact she was starting to learn his¡ªvery subtle¡ªtells.


    When Zen and Nick reached them, Sun hugged them warmly.


    "You made it," she said, hands on his shoulders as she took him in, checking him for injuries.


    "Completely unscathed," he assured her. "Mostly."


    "He got back about an hour ago," Zen told her.


    "I''ll tell you all about it later," he said, glancing back to the other guests still arriving.


    Kalys greeted the boys with a nod of his head, and Sun directed them inside, where the way was lit to lead guests to one of the larger gardens. She told them she would find them later when she was done here and that they both looked very handsome.


    Kalys looked down at her, his displeasure evident.


    "You never mentioned you''d invited them."


    "I was never told I couldn''t."


    "So you took it as permission?"


    "I didn''t know I needed permission; I was under the impression I was in charge of organising this. Including the guest list."


    His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn''t really look or feel that angry. She put it down to the usual irritation he felt at their mere existence.


    Before anything more could be said, their next guest reached them, Kalys introducing the young man to Sun. Nathaniel Intrieri, son of the head of the Spring Clan. He apologised for his father not being able to make it as he had been ill recently. His hair was so blonde it appeared white in some lights; it reminded her of Nicks a bit, but it was long and tied back into a loose ponytail. His eyes were like the steel of her blades and just as sharp. He was a striking young man. But then, Kalys, Amarieh, and Vincent were all stunning in different ways.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Illusen," he said, taking her hand in both of his. "I''ve heard much about you."


    "I imagine word''s gotten around about the bastard from the slums," she shrugged. Not a very ladylike gesture, but apt. "I''ve been called worse things by better people."


    He only chuckled where Kalys cast her a sharp look. She had expected gossip and that most of it would be bad. Easier just to own it, she figured.


    "The nobility aren''t known for their generous words." Intieri leaned in and uttered it quietly before stepping back. "My sister has been excited to meet you, though; she''s a little younger than yourself. She was disappointed to have to miss this."


    "Why did she miss it?"


    "She''s with my father; we felt it best he had one of us with him."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "It''s nothing too serious, I hope," she said.


    "So do we," he replied with an almost sad smile.


    He was definitely not like Kalys; he seemed warmer and a little more open, a bit more emotive. Of course it could be a carefully crafted mask; she obviously didn''t know him well enough to say.


    The next lot of guests had arrived, so Intrieri moved along, promising to speak more with them inside.


    When the last of their guests had gone in, Kalys and Sun did so as well, making their way to the garden. She had spent the morning with the planners and staff setting everything up.


    Most of the effort had gone into the food, though¡ªa massive feast to be shared with friends and family at long tables. Extra kitchen hands had been hired, and she had added a monetary bonus for the lot of them for all this work.


    The longest night of the year was supposed to be a time of renewal and reverence, and winter was the Illusens domain. She read about the previous year''s celebrations, which had been left up to the planners, with her brother being so busy as Clan Head and Revenant Commander.


    Previous celebrations had primarily been balls, huge elegant events held indoors that seemed to be less about midwinter and what that meant. She may not have been an Illusen long, but she was at least going to try and do some of it right.


    So outdoors, in the winter snow with furs, bonfires, and hot food and drink for warmth. She had made sure furs and winter coats would be provided to anyone who needed them. When they got outside, not a single Illusen had made use of them. Comfort in cold really was a family trait, it seemed.


    The bonfires were lit, and strung between the trees were ropes with lanterns hanging from them, the flames inside safe from the breeze. They had lucked out though; the weather was perfect, the sky clear despite the snow earlier, which had left a nice blanket of it to cover the foot prints of the staff setting up.


    The tables were also lit with lanterns, and warm drinks were being handed out. She and Kalys stood at the stairs into the garden, looking out across their guests. In the dark, with the fire and the trees all lit up, it looked gorgeous.


    "It looks lovely, Sun," he told her, looking down at her. "You did well."


    Sun smiled, warmth blossoming in her chest with his approval. She had worked hard on this, especially given she had never organised any kind of function in the past.


    He offered her his arm, and she looped her hand around it, letting him escort her down where he would once again welcome everyone together and begin the feast.


    There were several long tables set up to accommodate guests with no particular seating arrangement. The point was comfort and connection. Sit with those you wanted to sit with, and once Kalys welcomed everyone and took his seat¡ªSun beside him, Nick beside her, and Zen on his other side¡ªKalys signalled for the food to be brought out.


    This was a far more relaxed affair than the dinner she had with her relatives. And she did mean that word loosely. She chatted with Nick and Zen, her grandfather opposite her. People ate; they switched seats to talk to others; it was nice, and despite the formal wear, the atmosphere leaned more towards something a little more casual. She even saw her brother crack a small smile once or twice, though he was very discrete about it. She spoke with a few of their guests, Nathaniel Intrieri, Commander Allens from the Ninth Division who''d attended her demonstration, her grandfather, and a distant cousin. He at least seemed a little more pleasant than most of the other Illusens she had come across.


    At one point, she walked the gardens with her two friends. Zen had tied his long mane into something resembling a style, and this was probably the cleanest she had ever seen him. Nick had brushed his pale hair back as well, but the strands in the front had come loose, falling in front of his eye. Like Zen, he was well dressed and clean.


    They were a far cry from the kids in the slums. She walked between them, taking their hands in hers.


    "I wish the others could be here," she said quietly.


    The boys squeezed her hands back.


    "Remember when Kawana got lice?" Zen suddenly asked.


    The others laughed at the memory. Given the close quarters they all slept in, it had spread to all of them. Ami had gotten sick of scratching, of watching them all scratch; she''d hacked all their hair off. They didn''t have scissors, so it had been done with a knife. They''d been patchily bald for ages. They had all looked ridiculous. Zen had never cut his hair again after that and somehow managed to avoid contracting lice again. While Sun wasn''t quite as phobic about it as Zen, she too had kept her hair long despite the impracticality of it. She wasn''t a vain person, but she had hated how she looked with almost no hair and even short hair.


    They walked around the garden, reminiscing about their time with the rest of their family that couldn''t be there. Their deaths had been tragic, Ami''s had been horrific, and it had taken a long time before they could think of them without the excruciating pain. Longer still before they could focus on the good memories.


    After that, Nick told them about his evaluation and the mission he''d been sent on. Commander Dyne had been the one to take him. There had been another candidate with them¡ªVira. Sun knew of her, but they''d never exchanged a single word in the past.


    Their mission had been a small stint out east, dealing with a growing group of bandits. They had seen a little combat, but mostly they had been in charge of the defence of the civilians in the area. Nick had taken a blow to the back of the head, which had knocked him out; he still had a bit of a bump. She''d winced in sympathy when she''d felt it.


    But he had returned to them intact, and that was the important thing.


    After a while, Zen shuddered.


    "Right, that''s enough cold for me. I''m going to hover by the fire," he told them, trudging through the snow while they watched him go.


    "So," she started, looking up at him. "Regret coming yet?"


    He shook his head. "I''m glad I did."


    He reached out, delicately plucking something from her hair.


    "Snow," he muttered before another settled in her hair as well.


    They both looked up to see it was starting to snow. Winter was a terrible time for them when they were kids. Sun rarely got sick in winter, at least, not like the others. And they didn''t have warm clothes or a warm house. They used to sleep in a pile in the winter for extra warmth.


    After coming to Perdition, they could take shelter from the cold in a way they''d never been able to, and it just became... a season, even if the terrible memories never left them. But this was quite possibly one of the more pleasant winters they''d had.


    "You look tired," she said. "Maybe you should have stayed at the dorm and rested."


    He shook his head. "I promised I''d be here. Besides, there''s no where I''d rather be."


    He said it with a smile and a casual shrug that had her smiling back, pleased at his words.


    Nick leaned in closer. "Why is your brother glaring daggers at me right now? We''re in a public area. You''re not even my type; I''d''ve thought he''d be perceptive enough to realise it by now."


    She turned to look. Sure enough, Kalys was watching. ''Glaring daggers'' might have been a bit strong, but there was definitely a warning in his gaze.


    She tamped down on the flare of irritation. She didn''t want Nick to feel unwelcome here and stop coming. It was surprising Nick would even touch on his own preferences out loud. Given the stigma, they all kept their silence on the subject to keep Nick''s secret safe.


    Kalys called everyone over. With midnight fast approaching, it was time for the next part of the event.


    Paper and pens were handed out to everyone, and they were told to write something down¡ªsomething they needed to let go of, or even just something they needed to get out of them. Then they had to toss it into the central fire pit.


    Sun wrote down what she would most like to let go of, which was the negative first impression of her brother. Granted, he could have gone about things in such a way that the transition could have been easier for her. But he wasn''t the prick she had initially believed; she was starting to see that. No doubt he had a bit of an arsehole-ish streak in there; he was a noble, it was to be expected. But she would like to stop letting that first impression colour the way forward.


    Like everyone else, she tossed her folded piece of paper into the fire and watched it burn up. Over the dancing flames across from her, she could see her brother do the same and wondered what he wrote on his. Nick and Zen as well. Despite her curiosity, she would never ask; this was supposed to be a private thing.


    With things winding down, Sun and Kalys farewelled their guests. Rooms had been prepared for those that would be spending the night¡ªmostly family but not limited to them. And once everyone had retired for the night, Kalys turned to her.


    "Come with me," he told her.

 Chapter 18

    She followed him out to the waiting carriage; the snow was falling a little heavier now but had yet to become an inconvenience. He helped her in while she held her dress out of the way, and he climbed in after her.


    "Grandfather''s not coming?" She asked.


    "No. He feels he''s too old for this."


    "Too old for what exactly?"


    He didn''t answer, his eyes drifting outside the window instead. They rode in silence while she just tried to keep her curiosity in check.


    They left the limits of the town riding a good half hour out of it. Sun and the boys hadn''t been out this far this way. Mostly because they were on foot.


    Eventually they pulled to a stop, and Kalys got out. Ever the gentleman, he offered his hand to her. Outside of the carriage it was a bit nippy now. While they had a higher tolerance to cold, they still felt it if it got cold enough. The carriage driver handed Kalys an oil lantern, and with that, he offered his arm to her; she took it, and they started their trek through the snow. Hidden beneath her dress, she''d been wearing boots all night anyway, so at least it made the journey easier. There was no path through the forest, but Kalys seemed to know where he was going. At one point, she slipped on the snow, and Kalys reacted quickly to keep her from falling on her arse.


    "Thanks," she muttered, a little embarrassed.


    "We''re nearly there."


    After a few minutes they cleared the tree line, a huge frozen lake before them.


    He crouched down beside a ring of rocks, and with a gesture, the snow melted and the water leeched from the ground beneath. He grabbed some sticks and branches, sucking the water from them as well before he cast fire, setting them alight in the stone circle. In seconds they had a warm, roaring fire. His control over the water and his casting were something she was immediately envious of.


    He turned to the lake''s edge, dropping to one knee and touching the ice. From his hand, the ice melted near instantaneously. He didn''t unfreeze the entire lake, just a large area ahead of them. She may have just figured out where this was going.


    "I can''t swim," she told him hesitantly.


    "Can you hold your breath?"


    She nodded.


    "I won''t let you drown," he told her, unbuttoning his frock coat. "And we won''t go deep."


    So she was getting into the water then. She reached behind her and unzipped her dress. It was far too heavy to be getting into the water with, but she had a jump on underneath; it was almost a dress on its own, just shorter and lighter and with far fewer layers. She pulled off her boots and stockings, setting them down beside Kalys''s pile of clothes. He stripped down to his undershirt and pants. It was strange seeing him so undressed, especially strange to see him barefoot. Honestly, it would not have surprised her to learn he had been born with boots on.


    "Why are we doing this?" She asked as she followed him right to the water''s edge.


    "It''s something we''ve always done. My father shared this with me, who shared it with our grandfather, who shared it with his own father."


    "No mothers?" She asked wryly.


    "Some of them practice it in our extended family. But I was more referring to our direct line, which is predominantly men."


    "You''re not going to wait until you have a son of your own?"


    "If you''d grown up here, father would have made you part of this."


    "Can I ask... what happened to him?" She asked softly.


    She knew he had been killed in action, but she wouldn''t mind some specifics.


    She had seen his portrait in a few places around the mansion: one alone, one with a much younger Kalys, and another with Jinn and Kalys. The resemblance between the three of them was staggering, but there was definitely something softer to their father''s countenance. Part of her wished she could have known him, even if it was briefly.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere."He was killed in an explosion while on assignment out near the borderlands. He had only recently been made Commander of the Seventh and led an operation to the South alongside Commander Dyne. They were evacuating civilians on the trains when one of them exploded; father was on it at the time."


    His tone was flat and unaffected; she doubted that was how he really felt about it, though.


    "How old were you?"


    "Nine," he replied quietly.


    That was so young to have lost his last remaining parent. She knew his mother had died when he was young, some years before his father; he didn''t talk about her at all, but Sun had seen a portrait of her and a couple of tintypes in Kalys''s study.


    "You became clan head so young?"


    "In title mostly, Grandfather did most of the work while he taught me what to do."


    Still, nine was young to have to come into the head of the family. Sun would have been an infant back then, if she had been born at all. She wondered if Nero had known she existed, he might have been killed before he ever knew her mother was pregnant. Could that have been why she ended up in the slums? He died; her mother had nowhere to go...


    Kalys started walking into the lake, she was sure she heard him let out a gasp he tried to suppress once he touched that icy water. She followed him in, feeling the breath being sucked out of her at the cold. He went in quicker than she did, and there was some distance between them when he turned around to check on her. He waited for her, and once she caught up, the water came up to her chest but a fair bit lower on Kalys, given their height difference.


    He held out his hands to her, and she put her own in them.


    "Take a deep breath," he told her.


    They both did, and then they ducked under. The cold was almost paralysing and she ended up letting some of her oxygen escape. Kalys''s hands were warm around her own, the only source of warmth in the cold.


    Under the water she could hear something strange¡ªthe Traverse but twice over, the cracking and the whistling. She pushed off the ground and shot back out of the water, Kalys following after her.


    "What is it?" He asked.


    "What''s that sound? Under the water? The whistles and the cracks."


    "It''s the ice, forming, breaking... shifting. Father would say ice made its own song," he explained.


    She was breathing quickly, mostly from the cold, partly from her surprise.


    "Did it frighten you?" He asked, almost hesitantly, like he really hoped that wasn''t the case. Whether it was because he didn''t want to have to try and comfort her or not, she didn''t know.


    She shook her head. "That''s what the Traverse sounds like. Exactly it."


    His brow furrowed ever so slightly. "This is what you hear all winter?"


    She nodded. "Minus the voices."


    Taking another breath, she dropped back under, feeling Kalys do the same. Under the water she didn''t hear the voices, just the water in her ears and the ice. There was a peaceful quality to it, hearing it while actually under the water. It felt more like it belonged. And with her body starting to go numb, it almost felt like she didn''t really exist. She felt unburdened and detached; her chest felt lighter, and her head was foggy. It certainly wasn''t unpleasant...


    She felt Kalys move; he surfaced. She tried to let him go so he wouldn''t pull her up with him; she wasn''t ready to leave yet, but he held on tighter and dragged her up.


    Out of the water, it was like she slammed back into herself, and her teeth started chattering. He gave her a questioning look, probably because she''d tried to stay under.


    "We''re tolerant of the cold, not immune to it," he warned. "Come on."


    Kalys led her out of the water and back towards the fire, lost in thought. It had always been tradition to take a plunge in polar waters midwinter. It was supposed to be invigorating, a way to clear the head and fortify oneself for the year to come. Immersing oneself in the ice-cold waters, surrounded by their element¡ªbrief  as it was¡ªwas supposed to be almost meditative.


    It was mildly interesting that the sound of the Traverse was ice song. It also disturbed him that Sun hadn''t wanted to come back up; they had been under a fair while by that point, even his lungs were starting to burn.


    "Why did you try to stay under?" He asked, watching her closely for any sign of deceit.


    It was only now, as the water barely came to their ankles, that he realised the inappropriateness of the situation. Her white jump was see-through from the water and clinging to her body in such a way that left nothing to the imagination. He fixed his gaze on her face, her plump lips turning blue from the cold, and tamped down on the faint wisps of desire he felt stirring within. As much as it pained him, it was not the first time he''d felt this way over her. It was one of the reasons he took so much offense to the rumours of incest. A part of him worried there might be merit to them.


    "I don''t know," she said, her eyes not meeting his.


    "You should know better than to lie to me by now," he said, picking up her dress and handing it to her before he started dressing himself.


    He heard her sigh heavily. "I liked it down there. It felt like... belonging. I don''t belong in the Traverse because I''m alive, and it doesn''t¡ª"


    Another sigh from her, and the rustling of her clothing. It didn''t appear she was going to finish that sentence.


    "It doesn''t what?" He pressed.


    "It doesn''t always feel like I belong here either," she muttered it through gritted teeth, like she was annoyed at having to tell him.


    "In the manor?" He asked, frowning down at her. She still wouldn''t meet his eyes.


    "On this side of the veil," she admitted.


    It felt as if an icy shard pierced his chest at her words. He wasn''t one for regrets, but how he wished he could speak with his father, wished he''d thought to ask more questions about it all growing up. It was his job to lead, to guide, and to protect his family. He didn''t know what to do with her. He didn''t think this was a mere case of juvenile angst. Nor did he think she was suicidal at least.


    "You belong here," he told her, draping his frock coat over her shoulders for a bit of warmth.


    Now he couldn''t help but wonder if the icy plunge into the glacial waters wasn''t borne from one of their ancestors like her, one who carried the eye, who heard the Traverse, who felt out of place on both sides of the veil, and had found peace and belonging in the cold, dark, and quiet.


    The thought unnerved him.

 Chapter 19

    Sun had been able to read more of the journal in the days following the winter solstice. Kalys had halted her extra lessons completely to give her time to do so. And partially as a reward for how well she did organizing the celebration. Apparently it had gone over quite well with their guests. Maybe next year she would make the polar plunge part of it for everyone.


    As much as the image amused her, she preferred keeping it between just the two of them.


    She still had classes at the Academy, and she still spent lunch with the boys, though Nick was in and out pretty quick. His timetable was crammed with extra lessons, and he needed the extra time to study. If he wasn''t in class, he was usually either in the library or one of the training halls.


    She missed spending time with him, but he was working hard to ensure graduation with the next batch. Because there had also been talk of him graduating straight into a tiered position, he was also trying to qualify for that as well. A tiered position would come with a higher pay, which would make getting their own place happen faster. The boys seemed to view it as a way for her to be free; she didn''t have the heart to point out that it likely wouldn''t happen unless the guardianship was dissolved. But it was nice to imagine.


    In the days following their dip into that icy lake, she had been tempted to go back there. It was a deep-seated yearning she''d never experienced before, almost like it called to her. She wanted that peace and quiet again, unlike any she''d ever felt in her life, even outside of winter.


    And in those moments between chores or classes or whatever else she had going on, she considered going back. Every day that temptation grew a little more.


    In the journal, one of the writers¡ªthe fourth one, Aris Illusen¡ªmentioned the sound of the Traverse, that he could hear it when the weather cooled. Her heart had quickened its pace at that. Had he found a way to block it out? He was in early adolescence when he started hearing it, so she hadn''t learned if he''d found a way to block it out yet. Or at least to make it easier.


    She was eager to get back to reading¡ªfor once in her life.


    But before she went home today, she was going to make a detour. Today had been particularly difficult; the muttering and shrieks were wearing her down. And she was curious to see if it would be the same as the first time.


    It took her a while to find the lake; she only had a general sense of its direction, but with her auric manipulation, she was able to find it quicker than if she had just been walking about blindly.


    She didn''t have the same capability as Kalys and couldn''t just change the state of the ice, so she found a thick, heavy branch and placed it beside her. She stripped off her uniform; she didn''t have a jump this time, so she was down to her underwear and singlet. Besides, the less wet clothes she had when she came out, the better.


    She set her clothes on a rock she brushed of snow, picked up her branch, and started smashing the ice. When her feet touched the water, she let out a breath, trying to brace herself. There was a lot more effort involved this time around, having to smash the ice as she went, so she stopped at waist deep. She was already losing feeling in her feet and legs, and she welcomed it.


    She took a deep breath and dropped under, curling into a little ball. She felt the water flood her ears, felt the pain of the cold on her skin before it passed, and basked in the ice song without the voices. Knowing the sound wasn''t just some random otherworldly sound brought her comfort for reasons she couldn''t explain. The numbness spreading through her body felt good. If it weren''t for the pain in her lungs, she would have stayed under.


    She broke the surface, gasping for air. She wondered what it would feel like to breathe in that water, to feel the ice quelling the burn in her lungs. She quickly pushed the unbidden thought away; that was crazy thinking. She''d fucking drown.


    She took another breath and dropped back under, just one last time, then she''d go home.


    Sun made sure to make the most of that last submersion and stayed under for as long as she could. When she resurfaced, her body was numb; she couldn''t feel her extremities.


    Time to go.


    Without the fire to warm herself on, it was a lot more difficult to get her limbs to cooperate with her brain, but she eventually managed to redress. And now that she knew her way from the lake, it was quicker to get home.


    Forcing her body to move at enhanced speeds did help warm her up, and by the time she got back to the mansion, her shivering was mostly under control, though she was still wet from her underthings.


    "Sun, why are you so late and wet!?" Mika gasped out, looking her up and down.


    "Playing in the snow," she shrugged, her teeth chattering just enough to be noticed.


    "I''ll run you a warm bath," she said, ushering Sun to her room.


    Sun didn''t argue; a warm bath didn''t sound too terrible. Before they could make it to her room, however, Kalys appeared before them.


    "Why are you wet?" He asked.


    Why was he home so early?


    "I was playing in the snow," she replied. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn''t say anything about the lie.


    "Get changed; we''re going to begin your training."


    She just nodded. Though her body didn''t feel up to any kind of training right now, it would be best not to argue with him. She quickly scurried to her room to change out of her wet uniform.


    "Why is she really wet?" Kalys asked Mika.


    "I don''t know; she gave me the same answer she gave you. Does it really matter?"


    It mattered to him, yes. Not only was she soaking wet in the middle of winter, she was home later than usual with a lacking explanation. He didn''t want to keep her under lock and key; he didn''t want home to be a prison, but he didn''t like when she was unpredictable.


    He walked towards Sun''s room to wait outside for her. They would be starting small today, and their training could easily take place in the dining room. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    She emerged from her room a minute or two later, still looking too cold for just having played in the snow...


    "Come."


    She followed obediently to the dining room, where they sat at the table. There was a beautiful glass jug full of water sitting near Kalys''s seat. He gestured for her to sit, and they settled into the hard wooden dining chairs.


    "I have read your academy reports," he told her. "They''ve neglected the hydrokinetic side of your abilities to focus on the other. It may be too late, but I don''t want you using that at the Academy or in front of anyone outside those you trust."


    She nodded, absolutely fine with that. "I don''t like using it at all. But if they threaten consequences like they did at my demonstration..."


    She wouldn''t screw over the boys like that.


    Kalys let out a barely noticeable sigh. "Whatever consequences they impose, I''ll fix."


    There was no bravado to it; it wasn''t brimming with confidence; he merely stated it as fact. He had more power, wealth, and influence than the superiors at the Academy.


    "Promise?" She pressed. She may not know him well, but she knew he had a sense of honour, even if she didn''t entirely understand it.


    He gave her a nod, his eyes boring into hers.


    "All right then," she agreed.


    She didn''t much like the thought of him having to fix her problems for her, but she would swallow that embarrassment to make sure Nick and Zen didn''t have to suffer the consequences of her actions.


    As to why the Illusen family didn''t want this ability getting out to the public, after reading the journal, she understood it. Considering he''d never read it, she wondered how much of it he understood or if he was just following the rules handed down to him.


    "Thank you," she added softly.


    Kalys didn''t reply; instead, he took the jug and poured some of the water into a small bowl.


    "Show me how much control you have," he commanded. "Pour the water back into the jug. Without touching it."


    He tacked on that last bit like he expected her to be a bit of a smart arse about it. She had to admit she''d been tempted but had stomped it down quickly. He wouldn''t like his time to be wasted, and she felt she pushed her luck enough as it was at times.


    "I already know I don''t have that much control," she said. "I will spill it."


    "I just want to see what you can do."


    She let out a breath and steeled herself for the judgment about to come her way. She reached out with whatever power allowed her to do this¡ªshe still didn''t know; it didn''t work the same as auric manipulation or casting¡ªand tried to grasp the water. It felt like trying to pick it up with her fingers. Instead of one fluid motion, it was a sad little splashy, drippy string of water that lifted from the bowl. By the time she got it back into the jug, more than half of it had ended up on the table.


    She internally winced at that pathetic display. She could make big waves, ripples, but those didn''t require precise control.


    She had the sudden urge to apologize, but she kept her mouth shut.


    The water that had spilled on the table suddenly lifted up and joined the main body in the jug. He made it look so effortless.


    A small sphere of water lifted out and hovered there.


    "Try and hold it," he said.


    When she reached out with her power again, there was a strange sensation this time, a foreign power. Her brothers, she realised. It was hard and glacial and so distinctly him. But there was something else there, a peace that reminded her of being under that lake. She had never felt anything like that before outside of the lake. A multitude of new sensations lately.


    She tried to take the water from him, but she couldn''t seem to solidify her power the way he did. Forcing her power into shape felt much like trying to mold water with her hands and just as futile as trying to pick it up with her fingers.


    "Our power is the water, Sun, not an external force you must use to bend the water to your will," he told her.


    She hadn''t known it worked like that. Water had always been something she had a sense for when it was around her, but she had thought it akin to auric manipulation. She had been trying to use it the same way because it was all she knew.


    "Water is much like... an extremity, and just like our extremities, we can control it. But just like any muscle, it takes exercise and training to hone and strengthen."


    She nodded, but she was more focused on trying to control the water. It was finicky, and it still dripped like a bucket with a leak, but she managed to hold the bulk of it. Knowing the power was in the water kind of helped, actually. Though going by the results, not as much as she''d hoped.


    "Typically Illusens learn their control over water before auric manipulation," he told her. "So we don''t pick up any bad habits. You have an uphill battle."


    What''s one more? She sighed at the thought, the water sloshing onto the table in her distraction. "Sorry."


    He didn''t say anything before shaping the water back into a sphere. "Again."


    -


    The next day at the Academy, Sun still felt drained from the training with Kalys the night before. They hadn''t even done anything physical, but she''d had combat training that didn''t leave her that depleted. What little peace and contentment she''d managed to grasp at the bottom of that lake had all but evaporated. Falling asleep in the cellar had been easier, though. Almost as easy as that first night in it.


    "You look like shit," Zen said as she approached the boys at the gates.


    "You''re getting too comfortable greeting me that way," she mumbled tiredly, stifling a yawn.


    "You all right?" Nick asked.


    "Kalys started training me last night; it was more exhausting than I would have thought."


    "Did it go all right?"


    "Maybe," she shrugged, unsure if it had or not.


    She certainly hadn''t improved in leaps and bounds, but Kalys had been more patient than she had been expecting. It hadn''t really helped ease the tension in her, but at least it hadn''t made it worse either.


    They headed inside to get to class. Unfortunately, they were waylaid in the halls.


    "You look tired, Sun," Seph called. "Up too late sucking dicks?" He and his stupid friend snickered.


    "Pissed I took all your business?" She retorted.


    Zen let out a little cackle.


    "All right, you each got one in," Nick sighed. "Can we just get to class?"


    He ushered Sun forward in the hopes of avoiding any escalation.


    "Don''t know why you protect this dirty slut; her own father cast her whore mother out before she could even be born," he spat, his scathing glare focusing on Sun next. "He knew whores could only birth filth."


    Sun froze, the words hitting harder than she would have thought. And she couldn''t help but wonder if there was any truth to it. Nero''s own family may not have known about her, but that didn''t mean some kind of gossip hadn''t spread that they were unaware of.


    Nick sighed, and before anyone even registered the movement, he had whirled on Seph and punched him right in the face, Seph dropping to one knee holding his nose.


    Nick was very rarely a violent person, so she and Zen stared at him in shock for a moment. He had never instigated a physical fight before.


    "Piece of shit," Seph hissed, launching at Nick and tackling him.


    When Zen saw Vaan get ready to attack Nick as well, he dived in, kicking him back. Sun looked to Cullen, wondering if he was going to get in on it as well. The boy just shoved his hands into his pockets and watched, expression bored. Other students nearby saw what was happening and came to jeer at them, drowning out Sun''s own voice yelling for them to stop. When Vaan pulled out his dagger, that was when Sun and Cullen jumped in, trying to grab his arm. Cullen at least recognized this was going too far. Vaan lashed out, elbowing her in the face and cutting her across the cheek. Then she felt his aura flare, and his strength tripled as he threw her against the wall. Cullen reacted, trying to stop his friend. Everything escalated as they all funneled their energy into their strength. Sun tried to help Cullen stop them, yelling at the boys, trying to pull them apart. None of them were listening.


    "Enough!" A voice shouted above them all, and all six of them were flung apart and pressed against the walls by chains that snaked their way around them.


    The other students quickly dispersed, and they saw one of their instructors standing there, arms up and commanding the chains. Instructor Tate was their Casting teacher and an expert in it. He had even invented new ones, which was quite a feat.


    "What in the bloody hells is going on here!?" Instructor Tate demanded.


    All of them were sporting more than a few injuries, their uniforms and hair rumpled and mussed. None of them uttered a word, but Sun hadn''t seen Nick glare so fiercely since they lived on the streets. He didn''t often get angry, but he was incensed right now. She was a little relieved he at least had the presence of mind not to teleport out of Instructor Tate''s hold and keep going at Seph. But he looked like he wanted to.


    Bollocks, they were going to be in so much trouble.

 Chapter 20

    Kalys''s teeth clenched in irritation as a particularly loud smash came from the next room. His office was in the middle of being repaired. It overlooked the training yard so he could keep an eye on those training while he worked. A poorly aimed cast had decimated half his office, including the entire outer wall.


    Until the repairs were complete, he was forced to share an office with his lieutenant. Kalys had no complaints about the man. Logan Reeves had been his lieutenant for the past five years now, a harder worker than his predecessor and far more efficient. The first five years of Kalys''s time as Commander, the previous lieutenant would often disappear for hours at a time, arrive drunk when he did show up, and his reports were written in an illegible scrawl. Kalys had been glad to see the back of him and would have fired him would it not upset the morale of his division. The man had been well loved. While Reeves wasn''t quite as beloved, he did get on well with the rest of the Division, and no one could find fault with his work or the way he dealt with anyone else.


    Today, however, Reeves was late. Kalys could count on one hand how many times that had happened since Reeves took up the position.


    Speak of the devil, Reeves suddenly burst into the room with a bit more force than usual.


    "Sir," he said, holding a piece of paper. "There''s been an incident at the Academy involving your sister."


    Kalys was up in a second, taking the paper from his hand and skimming the message. A physical altercation involving Sun and some other students¡ªminor injuries¡ªall involved were being held awaiting his presence.


    Good. Given the words he''d had with the Headmaster after Sun''s discovery, he expected nothing less.


    "Lieutenant, I''m stepping out," he told Reeves.


    The man would keep everything under control in his absence.


    It didn''t take long to get to the Academy, but it was long enough for several scenarios to run through his head.


    When he''d read Sun''s file, there had been a few incidents of fighting, usually with the same couple of boys. Sun and her friends had started there at an early age and had been students longer than most. The fighting didn''t start until this boy started attending. Sephas Belzar, from a lesser noble house. Each reported incident didn''t have a lot of details to it, so he didn''t know who initiated the fights. He couldn''t say with complete confidence it wasn''t Sun.


    He made it to the headmaster''s office, stalking into the room. His eyes immediately fixed on the students all sitting in chairs. They were all sporting a few minor injuries¡ªblack eyes, bruises, bleeding knuckles. Zen had a cloth over his bleeding nose, and so did Belzar. His eyes found Sun; she was holding a cloth of ice over her lip; there was a lengthy cut on her cheek and a bruise forming just below it. She glanced up at him a second before lowering her eyes to the ground once again.


    Kalys looked to the headmaster. "What happened?"


    "They were all caught fighting in the halls; none of them will say what happened or who started it," he replied.


    That he had been called in for this somewhat mollified him over their neglecting to tell him of Sun''s existence. They still had a long way to go, though. The fact that this dispute had occurred between two nobles was another reason he had been informed before any punishment had been dispensed, as the higher-ranking family and guardian of one involved.


    "Sun."


    It was an order, and she knew it; she just stared up at him stiffly a moment before looking down again. An absolute refusal to answer the silent question.


    "As I''m receiving no answers about the fight, I''m suspending them from classes for the next week," the headmaster said.


    "There were no witnesses?" Kalys asked.


    "We know it was this one¡ª" he whacked the sour-looking brunette boy over the back of the head. "¡ªwho drew the knife."


    A knife had been involved? His eyes flitted to the cut on Sun''s cheek, long and clean. The little shit had cut her? As far as Kalys was aware, only Sephas Belzar was nobility. If Kalys deemed this offense great enough, he could execute the boy with minimal fuss from any but the boy''s family. The move would be frowned upon, but given his status, it was at his discretion, and none would gainsay.


    "I''ll be taking Sun with me," Kalys said. "If any more information comes to light, I expect it to be passed on."


    The headmaster nodded, and Kalys gestured for Sun to follow him. He didn''t miss the look she cast towards her friends or the worried ones they sent back.


    They left the Academy and took the lift up to the main part of Perdition, where the Divisions were housed. Perdition was a massive compound, a town within a town. Each division comprised a few buildings to house members, training grounds, offices in which they worked, an armoury, a conference room or two, stables, and a couple of hangars for the dirigibles. The third and the sixth had a few minor differences to accommodate their divisions work, but overall they were similar.


    There were Revenants from various divisions out in the streets going about their business, many of them slowing down or blatantly turning to stare at the pair. Sun trailed sullenly behind him, the cold cloth still pressed to her bloodstained face. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    When they reached the Seventh, he held the door open for her and ushered her inside. His people were either working or training, but once again people not too subtly watched the pair. He was aware he and his sister had been gossip fodder for a while¡ªhe for the unorthodox decision he''d made in taking her in and formally acknowledging her, and her because people were just curious. Noble bastards made public weren''t commonplace.


    He took her into the office and gestured for her to take a seat. The only available chair was his own. His lieutenant looked up from his work, his eyes widening a second as he realised who his Commander had brought in with him. He rose from his own chair, bowing stiffly.


    "Lieutenant; my sister, Sun," Kalys introduced. "Sun; Lieutenant Reeves."


    She gave him a little wave and small smile, half hidden by the cloth. He returned it with a nod.


    Kalys crouched in front of Sun so they would be eye level. Turning the chair to face him, the heavy wooden beast seemed to weigh nothing at all for him, even with his sister sitting in it.


    "Lieutenant, will you please get us some tea?" Kalys requested.


    The man nodded before quickly leaving the siblings alone.


    "What happened, Sun?" Kalys asked.


    "Just a fight," she muttered. "It''s not a big deal."


    Kalys lowered her hand to get a look at what was under the cloth. Her lip was split, and the whole area was swollen and coming out in a bruise.


    "Who started it?"


    She gave a one-shouldered shrug and avoided his eyes.


    "Was it you?"


    She appeared to think on it a moment before nodding.


    "You''re lying," he said flatly. "I take it to protect one of your friends."


    This time she didn''t respond at all. He stifled a sigh as he reached up to touch her face, pausing when she flinched.


    "I''m going to heal these," he told her softly.


    If he allowed his fingertips to linger longer than necessary, well, no one need know about it.


    Logan returned with a tray of tea to find his Commander healing the wounds on his sister''s face. The resemblance between them was striking. The Illusen bloodline produced attractive children.


    While Logan knew Commander Illusen was accomplished in every aspect of being a Revenant, he had never seen him heal anyone before. Healing casts were among the hardest to learn and master, but the man in front of him made it look so effortless. He was also displaying a gentleness Logan wouldn''t have thought him capable of were he not seeing it with his own eyes.


    The gossip that had been spreading about them came to mind¡ªthere were so many rumours it was difficult to parse truth from fiction. Incest had been one. Another had been that the previous heir was an incompetent, whoring drunk, and Kalys preferred his sister to take the title in the event of his death. Another had been that his father had known of her the entire time, that she had been lost to them and they''d been searching for her ever since. And yet another was that she was completely unrelated, and he''d brought her in as his sister to hide the fact she was his mistress. But looking at them, it was impossible to deny they were related. She was a pretty little thing, despite how disheveled she was after that fight, her sleek black hair in disarray with her flowery ribbon falling out of it. The Commander even made an attempt to fix it, wrapping it around her hair.


    Logan tried not to pay much mind to the rumours, though he did defend his Commander against the particularly salacious ones. The man was above reproach and didn''t deserve what was being said about him. Seeing them together now, he could understand why rumours like that may have gotten started.


    Kalys''s finger slowly traced the cut on her cheek, sealing it and repairing the damage as it went. The swelling reduced, and the bruise cleared up. Then he did the same on her lip and chin.


    "Any other injuries?" He asked.


    She took too long to answer.


    "Where?" He demanded.


    She lifted her skirt slightly, where there was what looked like a couple of scratches on the top of her thigh. He rested his hand over it, that soft glow emanating from him, and in seconds the injury was gone.


    Reeves placed the tea on Kalys''s desk, and he nodded his thanks. He poured a cup for Sun, adding a generous amount of honey. He had learned she preferred sweet things.


    Kalys rose to his feet, and Reeves realised he didn''t have a chair. He brought over his own; he could get another from the next room.


    Kalys sat down, pouring his own tea before fixing his gaze on her.


    "The boy who drew the knife¡ª"


    "Vaan," she interrupted.


    "I assume he was the one who cut you?"


    She nodded. "He wasn''t trying to."


    "He could have done far more damage than he did. Should it matter whether he was trying to or not?"


    "I think intent should be taken into account in some instances," she replied.


    "You fight with these boys often; was this the first time weapons have been involved?"


    She nodded. "Usually it''s just fists and feet. We don''t even use our powers."


    "What changed today?"


    Another reluctant shrug from her.


    "You were injured, Sun, and I''m entitled to extract my pound of flesh for the offense. I want more details."


    "You can''t just go around punishing people for hurting me. I''m going to become a Revenant; I''m going to get hurt at some point."


    He went silent, and for a moment she was worried he was going to change his mind about letting her stay in the Academy. Why couldn''t she keep her damn mouth shut?


    "And the severity of your injuries will dictate their punishment," he said eventually. "What do you think I should do with this boy then? Bear in mind, if I wanted him executed, I could."


    Did he want her to pick that option?


    "Nothing should happen to him. It was just a stupid fight. There''ll probably be more."


    "That''s not very reassuring," he said dryly, taking a sip of his tea.


    "I wasn''t trying to be. We argue, we fight, it cools down for a while; that''s just how it is. I don''t need you to interfere."


    He leaned towards her. "It is my job to protect you, and when I fail, it is my job to get justice for you."


    "Death for a scratch doesn''t sound like justice."


    "But it will certainly deter the next fool tempted to hurt you."


    "You want to make an example of him..."


    Kalys nodded.


    "Can you not? We''ve all been suspended; isn''t that punishment enough?"


    "No."


    Sun couldn''t fault Vaan exactly; he was an idiot for pulling out the knife, but he was fighting for his friends. She''d done the same plenty of times in the past¡ªgranted, without the use of a knife. Still, she would rather they all just move on from it.


    "What are you going to do then?"


    "I suppose we''ll have to find a solution somewhere between death and nothing."


    She breathed a sigh of relief. Whether he would actually have Vaan killed, she didn''t know, but she wouldn''t be surprised. This could be one of those matters of honour for him, and she knew how far he went for those.


    "Should I go back to the manor now?" She asked.


    "No, you''ll stay here for the day where I can keep an eye on you. You can spend the day practicing," he told her, pouring another cup of water.


    Damn. She still felt drained from yesterday and from the fight. But best not to disobey right now.

 Chapter 21

    Sun sat with her friends at the playground on top of the wooden tower; it was basically theirs at this point. They had never seen another soul there. It was the day after their suspension. Sun hadn''t been allowed to catch up with them yesterday. Kalys kept her busy in his office.


    At times when he stepped out, Sun had tried to make conversation with his lieutenant. It was the first time she had been in that part of Perdition and around the people her brother worked with. Lieutenant Reeves seemed almost uncomfortable to have her talking to him and would keep looking to the door as if expecting trouble to walk through it any second until she stopped. So eventually she just didn''t bother.


    Sitting in that office all day with Kalys had been a bit tense; there was just always this pressure when she was with him, this expectation¡ªof what she wasn''t sure. To be perfect maybe? And this fear of failing to meet that expectation. Since she was far from perfect, she was well aware she was failing, and it stung. She wasn''t even sure why she felt the need to live up to what he wanted or why she wanted his approval in the first place.


    "Maybe you should just let your brother kill Vaan," Zen said. "The guy''s a fucking prick."


    Sun didn''t really think he meant it, but he was still sporting his bruises and black eyes, and they all realised how out of hand it could have gotten. One of them could have been stabbed! Sun could have lost an eye with how close that blade had come to it. Zen was just pissed off. Wearing their injuries was part of their punishment. The infirmary had been ordered not to heal them.


    It still surprised her Nick had been the one to throw the first punch. That just wasn''t like him. Especially not over a nasty comment.


    "Zen, why don''t you go get us something to eat?" Nick suggested.


    "Yeah, I could eat," Zen agreed.


    "Here," Sun gave him a handful of coins.


    She tried to spare them having to use their own money as often as she could since she had plenty to spare.


    "Thanks, Sunny," he said as he took them.


    With Zen gone, it was a lot quieter. He had been grumbling almost nonstop since they had met up. He actually enjoyed combat class and was annoyed to be missing it. He didn''t regret jumping in to defend his friend, of course, but he was still pissed over the consequences.


    "Are you all right?" Sun asked Nick as she shuffled around to face him. He had a black eye but had mostly walked away unscathed.


    He had always been a quiet boy, but there was a heaviness to his silence this time.


    "He shouldn''t have said that to you," Nick told her.


    "Arseholes will be arseholes," she tried to shrug it off, but the words did still sting.


    Was she just becoming overly sensitive? First, to the tension with her brother, and this weird approval-seeking she had going on, now to nasty words from someone who''d never had anything but nasty words for her.


    "You didn''t need to hit him for me," she said softly.


    "Most of what he says washes right off you; that didn''t. You didn''t deserve it."


    He looked across at her, his hair falling in his eyes. He had always been able to read her better than anyone, and he was just perceptive in general.


    "I don''t know why that bothered me like it did," she sighed. "I think I''m just being overly sensitive to everything lately."


    Nick took her hand in both of his, holding it tightly but avoiding looking at her.


    "A lot''s happened with you," he said. "And it''s winter."


    She conceded that point. Once winter passed and things settled, maybe she would too.


    "Still, don''t get yourself into trouble on my account," she told him.


    He gave her a soft smile. "Like you wouldn''t for us?"


    She could concede that point. It was easier to defend them than it was to defend herself at times.


    "Lady Illusen!"


    They both looked to where Mika was heading their way, bundled up against the cold. Sun had never seen her outside of the manor; it felt a little strange if she were honest. And she was especially unused to hearing her call her Lady Illusen. But then, they were in public. Sort of.


    "Mika?"


    "Lord Illusen requests your presence at the manor.," she told her. "There is an important matter that must be addressed."


    She exchanged a look with Nick; this had to be about the fight yesterday, and they both knew it. Had he decided what to do with Seph and Vaan? She still knew where she stood on the issue, and she hoped he wouldn''t go too far. He didn''t seem the type to get so hung up on vengeance. But she supposed she really didn''t know all that much about him despite how long they had been living together now. She knew a few surface things¡ªfavourite colour, how he liked his tea, that he took nightly walks about the garden before he went to bed, and personally took care of the ravens in the aviary... If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    But beyond that, his opinions on just about anything were a bit of a mystery. Family first was important to him; she knew that much at least. And slights against it were apparently punished harshly.


    "I''ll see you later, Nick," she said. "Tell Zen I said bye."


    She hauled herself up and used the slide to get down to Mika.


    "How did you know where to find me?" She asked as they made their way to the carriage.


    "Your brother, he''s very skilled when it comes to sensing auric signatures. He was able to get a general idea of where you were once he focused hard enough."


    She didn''t even know people could do that. Or that they all had signatures that could be sensed. She supposed it made sense; whenever Kalys had used his aura to intimidate and suppress, there was a distinct feel to it. She did wonder why that wasn''t taught at the Academy, though; it sounded useful.


    They climbed into the carriage, and it set off for the manor.


    "Do you know what''s so important?" Sun asked her.


    "Something to do with the fight yesterday. And there are guests. What was the fight about?" She asked curiously.


    Sun shrugged. "We talk shit, then we fight. That''s how it''s always gone. But before, there was no one to care how it ended up."


    Bloody Kalys, throwing his weight around... She figured the only reason the Academy had even punished them as they had was due to her newfound status and their desire to stay on¡ªor get back into¡ªKalys''s good graces. Seph was a noble, granted not of her rank, but his parents had never jumped in demanding blood in recompense. Kalys was throwing off the whole dynamic.


    When they got back to the manor, Mika led her to the second parlour. It was larger and far more formal than the one they usually used. It was clearly designed to intimidate. When she stepped inside the room, her brother was standing before Seph and Vaan, who were on their knees. They appeared uninjured; Seph''s family must have had them healed too. There was an older woman there, her brows furrowed and eyes brimming with worry and fear. Must be Seph''s mother.


    "Sun," Kalys greeted.


    "What''s going on?" She asked warily, coming to stand by his side.


    "The Belzars have come to offer their apologies and make amends," he told her. "They''re also taking responsibility for the other boy''s actions."


    She looked hesitantly at the boys on the ground, their jaws clenched, eyes fixed on the floor, and their forms tense. This was not what she wanted at all.


    "Great. Thank you. Now we can all move on," she said, hoping that would be the end of it.


    "Hardly," Kalys''s voice was glacial as he stared down at the boys. "I want to know what led up to the fight."


    Vaan and Seph looked up at her, and she stared helplessly back. She would rather Kays not know what was said.


    "Does it matter?" She asked Kalys. "What''s done is done."


    "It matters to me," he said.


    "I said some awful things to her," Seph told him. "And Nick punched me. I tackled him. Then it just... turned into a bit of a brawl."


    "What things?"


    "Kalys..." Sun pleaded softly. Why couldn''t he just drop it?


    "I can''t remember it word for word," he confessed. "I called her a slut... And something about her father casting out her¡ªher whore mother... because whores can only birth filth..."


    His voice lowered the more he spoke, and Sun inwardly cringed. Both at the words and at how Kalys might take them. The other woman in the room seemed to deflate, her expression absolutely miserable.


    Kalys didn''t move a muscle, but the temperature in the room plummeted, and spikes of ice rapidly formed over the ground, the sharp points aimed at the boys. They cried out and flung themselves back, hitting the wall of the parlour, their backs pressed against it. The ice slowed, a few points coming to rest at their necks. They were terrified.


    "Please stop," she gasped out, grabbing onto his wrist, hoping to divert his focus.


    She knew he was powerful, but to pull water out of nothing like that... To wield the ice with such precision... She really ought to reconsider how far she pushed his patience at times.


    He didn''t appear to be listening to her, his eyes fixed on Seph, but then he spoke to her.


    "Perhaps, Sun, we should cut out the tongue that can spew such vile words and cut off the hand that cut you."


    Gods, was he serious!? She stared at him horrified, shaking her head a little. He side-eyed her a moment, his countenance softening ever so slightly.


    "Then what do you propose?"


    "They''re terrified; you''ve made your point. I''m sure they''ll never do it again. Can we just be done with it?" She asked softly.


    He let out a barely perceptible sigh before his gaze once more fixed on the boys. The ice dissipated with a mere thought from him, but the tension didn''t drain from the boys or her.


    The fight hadn''t even been all their fault. Nick had thrown the first punch. She felt partly responsible for how all this had come about. And she never would have expected things to escalate the way they had.


    "It would behove you to remember my sister has more mercy than I do," he told them. "Now leave." He looked to the mother. "But you and I will have words."


    She nodded before gesturing to the boys to do as they were told and leave before the man changed his mind.


    "Sun, go to your room," he told her.


    She didn''t like being dismissed like some errant child, but she obeyed, scurrying from the room. She didn''t think he would hurt the woman, and since Kalys had dismissed the boys, she didn''t think he would change his mind and hunt them down just to maim them either.


    When she left the parlour, she didn''t head to her room, instead making her way to the front doors. She quickly caught up with Seph and Vaan, but aside from some weighted looks, they didn''t acknowledge each other. At the front doors she held them open for them, and they all went outside. She cast one last look in their direction before leaving the grounds. In a way she was relieved to have been there, if only to stop it from becoming something far worse. In another way, she wished he hadn''t called her back at all. That wasn''t something she had wanted to witness.


    A part of her would like to think it was all a show to scare the boys, but she couldn''t be sure if that was true. If she ever did anything to dishonour him, would he consider punishing her in a similar fashion? She had believed him to be quite restrained; he hadn''t seemed that way today. It had been quite a calm, cold fury, though. He hadn''t raised his voice¡ªhe hadn''t needed to¡ªthe power behind his words had been self-evident, and his threats had certainly not sounded empty.


    Despite how horrifying the situation had been, though, she couldn''t deny the little thrill that had gone through her knowing how far he would go just because he felt she had been insulted. Of course, Seph had also insulted their father, which was probably the primary motivator for Kalys''s reaction.


    But still...

 Chapter 22

    Sun found herself back at the frozen lake. It hadn''t been her intention to come here, but lost in thought, she had wound up here anyway.


    Since she was here, she might as well take a dip. The cold, dark depths were incredibly tempting right now.


    She would have liked to have prepared a little better, light a fire, warmer clothes, but she hadn''t brought any of that stuff with her. She found a thick branch and set it by the ice before stripping down to her underwear. With the branch, she smashed through the ice, ploughing her way into the lake until she was waist deep. She let the branch go, took a deep breath, and ducked under. The cold washed over her, and her body relaxed, her mind going blissfully blank.


    She wasn''t sure how long she stayed in that lake, how many times she came up for air, and how many times she went back down. But she was getting sleepy, and her movements sluggish. There was something comforting in the almost loss of control.


    She felt hands wrap around her arms and pull her up, coming face to face with Kalys. She wanted to ask what he was doing there, but her words were so slurred she wasn''t sure they made any sense when they came out. He was saying something to her, but she couldn''t really make it out; her head felt all foggy.


    Kalys lifted her out of the water; she went limp in his arms but not quite unconscious. She was freezing, and he was certain if she were not an Illusen, she may very well have died. As it stood, when he carried her lifeless body from the lake, death was still a possibility. He held her up as he wrapped her clothes around her, then his own coat. He needed to get her back to the manor.


    He held her closely to him in the hope his own body heat would seep into her and start the warming process.


    The trip home only took minutes; he pushed the limits of his power and his body to make it quickly, and focusing on that helped restrain the roiling tension in him. Had she been trying to drown herself? Freeze herself? Or was she just careless? The latter he could deal with; the other two he wasn''t so sure about.


    He got her back to the manor, rushing her to her room. On the way he saw Mika, and he commanded her to Sun''s room to set up the fire. The woman jumped to it, not wasting time with questions.


    Kalys knew her reputation and how efficient she could be. It was one of the reasons he had chosen her.


    He set Sun on the bed, unwrapping the layers he''d tucked around her while Mika fiddled with the fireplace. Once down to Suns wet underthings, he swapped jobs with the woman; she could strip her down while he lit the fire. It was a poor attempt to preserve her modesty.


    Once Mika had her in a thin shift, Kalys brought her to the fire, setting her down in front of it before looking to Mika.


    "I need you to go to Perdition, to the Sixth. Speak with Commander Sorola, that her skills are urgently requested."


    Mika nodded, and with that she was gone. Kalys kneeled beside Sun, pressing his hands to her too pale, too cold face. If he were a religious man, he might have uttered a prayer.


    He hadn''t realised how attached to her he had grown. Her quiet presence at mealtimes, the laughter that tinkled down to him when she was with her friends, even the glares she sent his way when he said something she disagreed with.


    He couldn''t lose her, and the mere thought of it was almost enough to induce panic. Such an unfamiliar feeling... Had this all been because of how he''d handled the Belzar boy and his friend?


    Commander Sorola was the greatest healer in Perdition¡ªquite possibly the country. Kalys had seen her bring people back from the brink of death. Hopefully, Sun wasn''t that far gone, though.


    It took a few more agonising minutes before Mika and Commander Sorola arrived, during which he tried to rub warmth back into her hands with his own. The Commander smiled gently at Kalys, who greeted her with a nod.


    Sorola came to sit beside Sun.


    "This is the sister, I take it?" She asked, her voice light and gentle.


    Kalys had never seen her raise her voice or lose that pleasant demeanour, no matter the horrors she was faced with. Her composure rivalled his own.


    "This is Sun," he told her. "I believe she''s hypothermic." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Sorola reached out, taking her hand in both of hers and closing her eyes. Kalys could feel the woman''s power as she examined Sun.


    "Mm, dangerously so," she said. "How did this happen?"


    "She fell through the ice of the lake," he lied.


    "You''re also wet; you may want to change."


    He could feel the iciness from his wet clothes, but it didn''t bother him much. They would dry before it ever became an issue for him.


    "Soon," he replied.


    He wanted to be here; for his peace of mind, he needed to be here.


    Sorola worked on Sun. Kalys didn''t know how her power worked, or the extent of it, but he had seen her produce what could only be described as miracles. Most of the Revenants in Sorola''s division had manifested healing-based abilities or excelled in healing casts. That wasn''t to say they couldn''t fight; Sixth Division members were capable of both, and most units wouldn''t go into battle without one or two of them.


    Sorola sat beside Sun, still holding her hand. Slowly, painfully slowly, Sun''s colour started to come back, her breathing became noticeable again as her heart rate must have been returning to normal.


    Internally he breathed a sigh of relief. After a few more agonising minutes, Commander Sorola gracefully rose to her feet and retrieved the top blanket from Sun''s bed, tucking it tightly around the petite girl.


    "There was no sign of frostbite at least. And she''s out of the woods now," she told him. "Her core temperature is close to normal. She''ll need plenty of rest and fluids, ideally warm fluids. When she wakes, she''ll likely be fatigued and a little disoriented. Partly from hypothermia but also from the intense burst of healing she just underwent."


    "When will she wake?"


    "Impossible to say. It could be today, or she may sleep through the night and not wake up until tomorrow sometime. Best to let her sleep. She''ll have more mental clarity then."


    Kalys nodded. "Thank you for your assistance."


    "I can see myself out. Goodbye, Kalys."


    Kalys internally huffed at her familiarity. The woman had practically watched him grow up, but he was no longer the boy she would slip cakes and sweet treats to.


    "So what really happened?" Mika asked once Commander Sorola had left and was well out of earshot.


    "It''s as I said," he told her. "You''re dismissed for the rest of the day. I''ll watch over her."


    Mika didn''t look like she believed him, but he didn''t care. He pulled over the chair from Sun''s desk and sat down. As he watched her sleep and her colour continue to return, he wondered at her motivations for being out in the lake.


    He had too much time to speculate. The girl needed to wake up; he had questions.


    -


    Sun groaned as she rolled over, snuggling deeper into the blankets in an attempt to drown out the voices. It was a futile effort, but she still hadn''t learnt to just do nothing. Her head felt stuffed with cotton, and her limbs were struggling to listen to her. Was she sick?


    "Are you well, Sun?"


    She flinched at the deep voice, peeking out of the blanket to see her brother sitting in a chair nearby. He was leaned back, one leg crossed over the other. He looked very regal. She also realised she was on the floor in her pile of cushions. And the fire was on. No wonder it was so hot. Still, she pulled the covers back over her head, partly out of shame as she remembered yesterday.


    "I''m fine," she lied, her voice hoarse and throat dry.


    Yesterday came back to her with stark clarity, and this time she was tempted to purposefully go drown herself in the lake.


    "Care to tell me why you were in the lake yesterday?" He asked.


    "I like it in there," she replied from beneath her blankets, possibly a little petulantly. "If I knew how to swim, I would have been out deeper."


    She could feel the disapproval at that.


    "Had I not been faster, you could have died. Were Commander Sorola not such a skilled healer, you could have died."


    His voice hardened with every word. She heard the creaking of the chair as he stood up, his footsteps coming closer.


    "This is important, Sun. Come out."


    It wasn''t as hard as his usual orders; there was something softer to it this time. So she lifted the blanket and peeked out. He was holding a thick tome in his hand, open to the page he wanted her to see.


    "You mentioned Aris Illusen was afflicted with the same problem you have."


    She read the words; it was a list of names, all Illusens, some with their maiden names listed as well. It had their birth dates and locations and their deaths with the cause. She found Aris''s name, her stomach sinking at the cause of death.


    Suicide by drowning.


    "Maybe it was an accident," she suggested softly.


    "He froze himself in the ice; that was intentional. Was yesterday?"


    She looked up at him then, though his countenance was mostly unchanged, there was a hint of worry¡ªof fear¡ªthere, buried in his crystalline eyes. He was scared? Of what, exactly? She didn''t think fear was something he was even capable of feeling.


    "I wasn''t trying to drown myself; I just... I was going to get out after that last time, but you got me first."


    "You wouldn''t have survived if I hadn''t. I don''t think you understand how close it was."


    "I''m sorry," she whispered.


    It had been a stupid accident, a stupid thing to do. She had truly believed she would be fine. And if he was actually worried about her, then she did feel guilty for giving him cause.


    "I don''t want you going to the lake alone," he told her.


    "I just won''t go back at all."


    She would never take someone with her, and it was probably best to stay away anyway and avoid temptation. She should also finish Aris''s entries and see if she could gain insight into the events leading up to his suicide.


    She tried to haul herself up on weak arms, but Kalys reached out, a firm hand on her shoulder urging her back down.


    "Rest. Mika will be in soon with some tea and something to eat," he told her.


    She didn''t have the energy to argue, so she just nodded and lay there, watching Kalys disappear out the door.


    With him gone, her eyes slipped closed, her bone-deep weakness and exhaustion enough to make her fall asleep easily.


    Even the Traverse was no match today.

 Chapter 23

    She was up and about the next day but still felt like absolute shit. And it took a few days before she was feeling relatively normal again. The lack of classes and lessons did give her a lot of free time, which she was unused to. Even during exam weeks she didn''t have this much time on her hands for so many consecutive days. She did continue to practice with water, and Kalys spent some time helping her with it, but only after he felt she was well enough.


    The man spent a lot of time with her during her recovery, sometimes just sitting in her room reading a book, or he''d bring his work in with him and sit at her desk to do it. He didn''t talk much, but when he looked at her, there was this look in his eye. He was worried. Did he really think she had tried to kill herself? Some days he even dragged her to his office to keep an eye on her. Those must have been the days he couldn''t be out of his Division for long.


    She also had plenty of time to finish reading Aris''s entries. The man was a clan head! He talked about the winter solstice and plunging into a frozen lake with his father. He also wrote about the peaceful depths and how much better it was the deeper he went. Until she learnt to swim, she would never be able to do that, though. And honestly, after what had happened, she wasn''t sure it was such a good idea. But God, was it tempting. Then his entries just ended. There was no mention of planning a suicide, but each entry was a little more bleak than the last, and it did seem like he was slowly deteriorating mentally. His winter entries were also obviously winter as sleeplessness took its toll. Even his handwriting became little more than chicken scratch in places.


    They left her feeling sorry for him and scared for herself.


    When Kalys felt her well enough to be left alone, he still checked in regularly, popping in to take lunch with her. He kept side-eyeing her, like he was expecting her to off herself right there. It had been an accident. She hadn''t tried to kill herself. She kept her mouth shut, though; checking on her seemed to make him feel better, and she still remembered how terrifying he had been with Seph and Vaan.


    Mika hadn''t mentioned it at all, but every now and then she would get this look on her face, a sort of mix of concern and pity. Sun wasn''t even sure what she knew of it since she certainly hadn''t said anything. And Kalys didn''t seem the type to spread something like this.


    Nick and Zen had come to visit as well; as far as they knew, she had just been sick. She was embarrassed about what had happened and had no intention of telling them. There really wasn''t any need for them to know anyway.


    They hadn''t stayed long; Kalys had turned up every time. The first time he had invited them both to join them for lunch in that same threatening tone. Both boys had decided to leave, claiming other plans. Liars. Not that she could really get too uptight about it considering what she was keeping to herself.


    By the time her suspension had ended, she was feeling back to normal for the most part. And she was actually looking forward to classes. If only to get out of the manor, which felt rather stifling these days.


    She did wonder what it would be like after everything that happened with Seph and Vaan. Surely they wouldn''t instigate any more confrontations. Kalys must have put the fear into them; he''d put it into her a bit. She had also asked him about what happened with Seph''s mother, but he told her not to worry about it; the situation was handled. He ignored her whenever she tried to get any specifics out of him, and she was a little fearful of pushing too hard for them. Would Seph''s mother have told her son, and would he tell her if she asked? Probably not. Best they just avoid each other.


    When Mika entered her room that morning, Sun was already up, dressed in her uniform, and raring to go.


    "Eager this morning, aren''t we?" Mika breezed in.


    "Weirdly enough."


    "Sit, I''ll do your hair," Mika commanded.


    Sun obeyed, accustomed to having someone doing her hair now. And she couldn''t deny Mika did an amazing job. It still felt a little... pompous, but she wasn''t as against it as she had been.


    "It''s good to see you looking so much better," Mika said, their eyes connecting in the mirror.


    The sincerity in her gaze had her resisting the urge to fidget.


    "Thanks," she said, her eyes dropping to the vanity.


    "You had us worried that day."


    "Sorry," she mumbled. She meant it, but she was still uncomfortable.


    Mika gave her a kind smile as she continued with her hair, and Sun just wished the awkwardness would leave her.


    Once she was ready for the day, she joined her brother for breakfast. It didn''t really matter how quickly she ate; she felt she couldn''t leave until he was done. He had never said as much, but her etiquette classes had alluded to it.


    When he was done, she headed to the Academy. She wasn''t sure what Kalys did before leaving, but he rarely went straight to Perdition from breakfast.


    Outside the Academy, Zen and Nick were there, and she grinned. They were back into their routine, which came as a welcome relief she would never admit to. She liked the predictability of routine after a childhood that had none.


    "Good morning, children," she greeted happily.


    "Why are you so chipper?" Zen grumbled.


    "Why aren''t you?" She retorted. "I thought you''d been missing combat class."


    "Don''t have it today. What a waste of a day."If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Oh no, you can only use your brain today; how ever will you manage?" Nick exaggeratedly bemoaned.


    "Don''t know why I''m friends with you guys," Zen pouted as he shoved his hands into his pockets.


    Before they could get to their class, the trio was stopped by the headmaster.


    "Good morning, Sun," he said, his tone far too serious for the greeting.


    "Sir?" She asked, hesitant. Having the headmaster come to see you usually didn''t bode well.


    He indicated for her to walk with him and dismissed the boys. Sun fell into step beside the headmaster.


    "We are considering you for graduation with the next batch," he told her. This was surprising, though she kept her face passive, her recent training coming to the fore. She had been taught that emotions can be used by your enemies against you, so she shouldn''t be careless with who she revealed them to.


    "You will be accompanying two Revenants and two other classmates on a mission. You will be evaluated, and if all goes well, your chances of graduating increase greatly."


    "Thank you," she said. "When will this be happening?"


    "You''ll leave the academy tomorrow morning. You will be meeting your teammates in the conference room."


    She nodded.


    "Be in uniform and make sure your weapons are ready. Pack light, but you will be gone indefinitely."


    "Yes, sir."


    As soon as he was out of sight, she couldn''t stop the smile from splitting her face. Her first mission! Gods, she hoped she would do well.


    The rest of the day passed agonisingly slow; she wanted to rush home and get organised. When she told the boys at lunch, they acted happy for her, but she could see their worry beneath it as well.


    When she got home she was forced into her lessons. She tried to ask if they could skip them today; she had more important things to do. That had resulted in a whack to the back of her hands. She had to sit through her stupid lessons all the way until dinner time. She couldn''t wait until she no longer needed these. With all the time she had devoted to it, she really felt she was making a lot of progress. But today her head just wasn''t in it, too busy mentally listing off what she would need to take.


    -


    Kalys took his seat beside his sister at dinner that night. She sat still and quiet, but he could feel the excitement buzzing around her. Since his display with the boys from the Academy, he had felt some of his progress with her diminish. They had reached a somewhat comfortable relationship; now she was wary of him again.


    Had he made her afraid? Surely she should know he would never harm her.


    "I take it your headmaster informed you of your upcoming mission," he said.


    She looked momentarily surprised but then smiled slightly and nodded. Of course the headmaster had spoken with him before going ahead with it. Kalys had his reservations, but he couldn''t hold her back either. Not without cause. He had also used his influence to get a Commander he trusted to lead the mission. While he trusted them all to various degrees¡ªthey were his colleagues, and they were all entrusted with the safety of the realm¡ªthere were some he trusted a little further and who he believed were more competent.


    "Have you packed?" He asked.


    She shook her head. "Not yet. There hasn''t been time."


    "I have spoken to your tutors; tonight is yours to prepare for tomorrow."


    He should have remembered her etiquette lessons had started today and called them off once he found out about her mission. He had been... distracted. There were so many ways this could go wrong. He wanted to be there himself to oversee it, but he had been denied permission. He was torn between his duty to her and to his position. But if he couldn''t be there, he had the next best person.


    "Thank you," she said.


    She sounded genuinely grateful, and the smile she gifted him with was brighter than he had seen out of her in some time and the first to be directed at him. He found himself memorising it and storing it away.


    "I trust your... affliction won''t hinder you too much?"


    It was still winter despite the slowly warming temperature, and he knew she was still sleeping in the quarters that had been set up for her in the cellar. Plans were being drawn up for a more comfortable and private room beneath her own. Construction would begin in the spring.


    "I''ll be fine. I used to manage before I had a cellar to sleep in," she assured him. "Since you already knew about the mission, do you know what it is?"


    He gave a nod.


    "Are you allowed to tell me?" She pressed.


    "I wasn''t ordered not to."


    She let out a barely perceptible frustrated huff. "Will you please tell me?"


    He internally smiled at her irritation. He rarely allowed himself to be even remotely childish, but there was no one to see, and he was comfortable enough around her now.


    "You''ll be looking for the Eighth''s missing members. They disappeared out in the borderlands while on patrol, along with the people of the villages out there."


    Sun was surprised they would send candidates out there considering the seriousness of the situation. Entire villages had gone missing without a trace. She hadn''t known Revenants were missing too, but it made sense, she supposed. The Eighth stationed Revenants all over Nostravan, often for months at a time. It was the division she was most interested in joining if she became a Revenant. To be able to travel all over the realm was something she would love to do. Nick and Zen were a bit reluctant about her trying to get into the eighth, but they supported her if it was what she really wanted. Mostly they would just miss her if she was stationed away for weeks or months-long stretches.


    Although she did have to wonder if Kalys would even let her. But then, he wasn''t stopping her from this mission, so maybe he wasn''t as controlling as she thought.


    Once dinner was over, she headed straight back to her room to figure out what she needed to pack.


    Kalys watched her go; it was rare to see her enthusiastic about anything outside of her best friends. He was displeased about the mission, but his efforts to have her reassigned to something else had also been met with denial. While the Academy might have bent to his will, Perdition would not, and they were part of this decision.


    After dinner he made his way to his study. Mika was there waiting for him. He wasn''t fond of the way she came and went in his space. She wasn''t a regular maid, and though he trusted her with Suns safety, he trusted her with little else.


    "Tomorrow Sun leaves on a mission, so you are free until she returns," he told her. He had intended to tell her tomorrow when he saw her.


    "You don''t want me to tail her? Make sure she comes back safe?" Mika asked.


    "No, it would be too easy for you to be caught out."


    "Don''t underestimate me," she sneered at him.


    "I am not. She will be with a Revenant Commander, a very observant one. He would realise you''re following them."


    "You trust him?" She asked.


    "Yes."


    Commander Mercer was one of the very few he trusted near completely. He may be a bit too lenient with most people, but he was reliable and honourable, and the only one he would allow Sun to go on a mission with. At first they had wanted to send her out with Stark. After the way the man acted at her demonstration, Kalys was not letting that happen. So using his influence, he had managed to get Commander Mercer assigned to it instead. He wished he had more information on what was going on out there so he would have more of an idea of what she was walking into and if a Commander and his lieutenant were enough to prevent anything terrible befalling his sister.


    "You know," said Mika, as she headed for the door. "I''m quite fond of Sun. She''s so... unlike the rest of the nobility I''ve encountered. I guess because she wasn''t raised in it."


    Kalys''s eyes narrowed on her, wondering why she felt the need to voice her musings. He didn''t care what her opinion was as long as she did her job.


    "I hope she comes back intact."


    With that, Mika disappeared out the door, and he took his seat at his desk to get on with his work. Perhaps he should have found a less opinionated and outspoken ex-assassin to watch after Sun.

 Chapter 24

    "I trust you slept well?" Kalys asked her at breakfast.


    "Yes, and you?" She asked pleasantly.


    The question still managed to surprise him; it was rare they exchanged niceties so casually. He had noticed she was far more accustomed to this place and his presence than those first couple of tumultuous weeks. And perhaps all his progress hadn''t been undone with his display against the boys from the Academy. Or maybe she was just distracted about her upcoming mission.


    He nodded and continued with his breakfast.


    Sun didn''t eat much; she was a mess of nerves about her mission. Would she do well? Would it be hard? Would she get along with the people she was supposed to be teaming up with? Realising she wasn''t going to be able to get much down she stood up.


    "I''m going to head to Perdition now; have a good day," she called to him on her way out.


    He couldn''t quite stop the corners of his lips from quirking upwards, just a little. It was the first time she felt comfortable enough to excuse herself. Usually she waited silently until he was done as well and had risen to leave himself. While he expected it of others, he found he had no qualms about her being an exception to his usual rules.


    It gave him hope they could reach an amicable sibling relationship. Maybe they could even be close one day. Close enough he would see her only as a sibling. The unhealthy attraction he had to her still had him a little confused and reeling. And more than a little disgusted with himself.


    He hoped time would alleviate it.


    He ignored the small voice that pointed out how his attraction only grew with every interaction he had with her. Even the not-so-pleasant ones...


    -


    Sun walked to Perdition since she had plenty of time to spare having bailed on breakfast early. She had a small pack slung over her shoulder carrying her weapon cleaning supplies, a change of uniform, a spare set of clothes, and a few changes of underwear and a couple of toiletries.


    When she entered the conference room, there were two men, Cullen and Seph, seated at the round table. Her stomach sank. Her teammates were Cullen and Seph? This wasn''t shaping up to be promising. Given their history, what idiot thought this was a good idea? Kalys must not have known about this.


    The other two men were dressed in the Revenant uniform, one with the symbol of a Commander pinned to the right breast of his Revenant jacket and the other with the lieutenant symbol tied to a band around his arm. Only the Commanders were allowed to wear their badge wherever they chose. Her brother wore his on his belt, keeping his black Revenant coat closed.


    The Commander looked to be in his late forties, early fifties maybe; his golden hair was shoulder length, and he had a thin layer of stubble along his jaw. He had clear, light blue eyes that seemed to emanate warmth. A single silver ring adorned his ear.


    She remembered him from the Solstice. Commander Mercer. He had been very friendly with her brother, though Kalys hadn''t appeared to reciprocate.


    He gave her a kind smile when he noticed her and indicated she should take a seat.


    "I''m sorry I''m late," she said. She thought she was early, yet everyone else was here. Hopefully they couldn''t hear her internal panic.


    "Don''t worry, you''re not late at all," he said. He had a really nice voice. "We''re still waiting for one of my officers to deliver the files. I''m Commander Tarrant Mercer, and this is my lieutenant, Cage." He looked at the group of candidates. "I assume you know each other."


    They all nodded without even looking at each other.


    "Well," he said, leaning back into his chair. "You three, among a few others, are doing very well in both your combat and academic areas and, as a result, are being considered for graduation next batch."


    They were interrupted by a knock on the door to which Commander Mercer bade entry. He looked up at the young man with a smile as he handed him a couple of folders. Mercer slid one to each of them as the officer left.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "This is the mission," he said. "Villages and towns out in the borderlands are missing all of their inhabitants. I''m sure you''ve heard. Individual Revenants have been sent out, but we have lost all contact with them. We assume the same thing has happened to them as has happened to the townspeople but can''t be sure. Our objective is to find the missing Revenants first and foremost. If we happen to figure out where the townspeople went, great. This is being investigated by another Division as well, but we''ll be acting independently of them. We''re just looking for our people. This could be a dangerous mission, as we have no idea what we''re dealing with, so if any of you want to pull out and get reassigned, now is your chance."


    He gave them a few moments to think it over. None of them moved, fully intending to take this mission on. It would just look bad to bail on a mission because it might be dangerous. Besides, they were with a Commander, the strongest Revenants in Perdition, the strongest people in the country. It did seem a little strange to her that they would be sent out on a mission like this when there was already another Division looking into it, though. It was highly likely they were connected, like Commander Mercer said.


    Maybe they just needed something to send them out on? They were having a shortage of candidate-friendly assignments?


    When it was clear they weren''t going to back out, Mercer smiled.


    "Great. If you have any questions, I''ll answer them on the train. Let''s go."


    -


    Sun looked around the luxury car. As Revenants they were given a private car on the train. It was very comfortable and spacious. Cullen and Seph went straight to the sofa and flopped down on it, producing a deck of cards and beginning a game. Sun headed over to the book racks.


    The two Revenants watched them.


    "I heard from the headmaster these three don''t get along," said Mercer.


    "I heard she doesn''t get along with anyone," said Cage. "I thought she would be a total dog judging by all the things people have been saying about her. But she''s quite pretty."


    Mercer gave him a disapproving stare.


    "What?" Cage asked innocently.


    His Commander could only sigh. Cage was a bit of a ladies man; he had been through most of the women in their division and it had caused no end of problems. The last thing he needed was him trying to bed the little sister of a fellow Commander, and the head of the Winter Clan no less.


    "The reason they''re so antagonistic towards her is because she is an illegitimate child as well as from the slums," he said, looking over her file. "Pairing her off with someone other than the two boys she is supposedly friends with was supposed to help her rely on others and form bonds with them, to learn to be a part of a team. And to see if all three of them can set aside their differences for the mission."


    They stared over at the three candidates, the two boys pretending the girl didn''t exist and the girl seeming relieved by it.


    "There''s nothing like a near-death experience to facilitate bonding," Cage chuckled.


    "Yes," Mercer agreed. "However, for their first mission, I would rather they didn''t almost die. I am hoping this will be a simple search and, if we''re very lucky, rescue."


    "But rescue from what?"


    "They all just fell down a well and need a hand up," he replied drily.


    Cage laughed again. "Ever the optimist, Commander."


    "Nothing wrong with a bit of optimism, Lieutenant."


    "So," he said, turning serious. "What are their abilities?"


    "I gave you their files to read, Cage."


    "Fine, fine, I''ll just ask them myself."


    Mercer rolled his eyes as he watched his lieutenant approach Sun. The man was a fantastic second when he wanted to be. Unfortunately, he didn''t choose to as often as Mercer would like.


    "Anything interesting?"


    Sun looked up at the lieutenant as he bent down to her level to get a look at the titles she was browsing.


    "Not particularly," she said.


    "Yeah, didn''t think so; everything here is what people have left on the main train, so most of it''s crap. Come talk to me instead," he said, pulling her up and dragging her over to the table.


    "So, Sun," he said, taking a seat. "What do you specialise in?"


    "Wasn''t that in my file?"


    He just waved a dismissive hand. "I didn''t read it. To be honest, I''m not a fan of paper anything."


    She gave him an amused smile. She thought a lieutenant would have to be more professional than that. Her brother''s Lieutenant certainly was.


    "All right, well, for range I use pistols; originally I wanted to use a shotgun, but I couldn''t handle the kick."


    "I''m not surprised," he said, looking her over; she was a tiny one.


    "For melee," she continued, mildly annoyed at him now. She may be small, but she was skilled. "A pair of dirks."


    "How are you at dual-wielding blades?" He asked.


    "Decent," she replied.


    "I''m a dual wielder," he said. "We should train together sometime."


    "Really!?" Between training with her brother and a Revenant Lieutenant, surely she would improve in leaps and bounds.


    "Sure, why not? I''m pretty good; you could learn a lot from me."


    She burst out laughing; he reminded her so much of Zen. "Now now, don''t be so humble."


    "I''m guessing for abilities it''s all ice and water, like your brother?"


    She nodded a little hesitantly. Kalys had said not to rely on the other stuff, not to use it in front of people. And she did agree it was for the best.


    After that they fell into an easy conversation, mostly about Revenant training, different techniques, and weapons. She hadn''t found it this easy to talk to any of the other students at the Academy, but then, none of them had been interested in talking to her either.


    Eventually he did excuse himself; he needed to talk to the other two as well; he liked to know a bit about the people he was on missions with. That was fair enough.


    Unfortunately, she knew enough about the other two boys. Though it did feel like there was a shift in the dynamic after what Kalys had done.


    Whether it was for better or worse remained to be seen.

 Chapter 25

    They were on the train for nearly a full day before disembarking in a decently sized town. Large enough to have a train station anyway. From there it was another couple of days by carriage before they reached the last town Commander Mercer had received a communication from.


    Azlios was a small village miles and miles from any other form of civilization. There was a string of them, the Revenants in this area travelled between them during their deployment. There had been a few complaints in the past, wild animals mostly. The Revenants in the area had taken care of them without issue.


    There wasn''t any information on just how many people lived out here, but there were maybe a couple dozen houses, a general store, a small inn, a chapel, and the makings of a market in the village square. In the distance they could see a couple of farmsteads. This place was so far off the grid she doubted it even had electricity. Or worse, no indoor plumbing.


    Sun had never seen a place so small, having grown up in the Capital, which was stacked with people on top of people in the slums, then Perdition, which¡ªalthough nowhere near as large as Solaryse¡ªwas still one of the larger towns in Nostravan.


    The rain was pouring when they arrived in Azlios, and rather than risk the carriage getting bogged down in the mud and snow of the central square, Cage thought it safer to walk the rest of the way. Given the emptiness of the place, he wasn''t too worried anyone was going to steal it. And it had already been a difficult ride, given it was still winter, even if the snow out here was starting to thin out.


    They could all feel the emptiness of the place, not even animals with the exception of their horses.


    They climbed off their horses, securing them to the railing in front of the inn.


    "I''ll take care of the horses," Cage said. "I''ll meet you inside."


    Commander Mercer nodded, and the group headed inside. They were immediately hit with the stench of rot. Whatever perishables had been in the building had done just that. Yet what food had been left out didn''t even have flies or maggots.


    Sun walked over to the nearest table, where a half-eaten plate of what must have been some kind of meat and potatoes sat. There was mould; it had rotted, but there was no sign rats or bugs had even attempted to feast on it.


    "What is it?" Mercer asked.


    "No rats or bugs," she replied.


    "Mm, I noticed that too. This whole place feels... empty. Dead."


    Her eyes darted to his, and she sucked in a sharp breath. He was right. Looking around, nothing seemed out of place besides the obvious, but the feeling... She hadn''t noticed because she was so accustomed to it, especially in winter when the divide between worlds thinned. The Traverse was stronger here, or maybe the barrier was just thin or broken? She didn''t know enough to say. Regardless, she was reasonably sure the Traverse was at play here somehow. If she stared hard enough, she thought she might have been able to see past the veil. Was it somehow responsible for the missing villagers and Revenants? Again, she didn''t know enough to say. What she should have noticed immediately was the lack of voices. Granted they were a little quieter these days, they were still unmissable. How could she not have noticed? Thinking back, when had she stopped hearing them?


    Unfortunately, she couldn''t pinpoint an exact moment. That had to mean that on the other side, there were no souls. It wasn''t just living people that were missing; the dead were gone too.


    "Sir?" She asked quietly. "Why was I selected for this mission?"


    She knew she did well, but she wasn''t exactly top of her class; there were other students who had better scores than her, yet she was here and they weren''t.


    "I expect it was based on your scores," he told her.


    Maybe he didn''t know. Or maybe he didn''t want to let her know.


    "We''ll set up here for now, conduct a search, and look for signs of our missing Revenant."


    "Did they stay at this inn?" Cullen asked.


    Mercer nodded. "I''ll go up and find his room in a moment. I want the rest of you to start cleaning up here, and when Cage comes back, we''ll split into two groups and take a look around. I don''t want anyone going off on their own."


    They all nodded and set about getting rid of the stinking, rotten food first.


    At the beginning of the journey, Mercer had hoped to get the girl bonding with the other boys, but it became abundantly clear that wasn''t going to happen. Both boys preferred to completely ignore her, and Sun returned in kind.


    Rumour mill had it that her group and this group were at odds constantly. And he had heard about a fight breaking out in which she was involved. Mercer was from a lesser noble house and had heard about it, and that Kalys had expected blood to be shed in recompense for the injury to his sister.


    Kalys had been an impulsive boy but had grown into a man of great restraint with a level head. Word was she''d had a couple of very minor cuts and bruises. It seemed rather out of character for him to demand so much of such minor injuries.


    The inn was small, only a few rooms. Mostly it catered to travelling merchants and Revenants. There wasn''t a lot of through traffic out here. So it was easy to find Harker''s room; it looked as if he had settled in to be here a little while, his Revenant coat was hanging on a wall hook, his clothes unpacked into the dresser provided, and his things scattered about. It wasn''t messy enough for there to have been a struggle; Harker was just untidy. Mercer knew that well enough from how the young man kept his desk at work.


    On the desk, Mercer found the start of Harker''s latest report. It mentioned nothing significant, that the town was fine despite the state of those nearest and their missing residents. He gave the room a quick once-over hoping for some kind of clue but came up empty. He would have a more thorough look after they''d searched the town; he didn''t want to waste what daylight they had left. Out here they had no electricity. That kind of infrastructure just hadn''t made it out this far yet.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    He rejoined the others to find they''d lit the lamps and candles in the dim room and cleared away the rotten food. At least they could work together despite their differences. That boded well.


    Cage entered the room just moments after Mercer.


    "No animals in the stables," he told them. "Going by the look of the horseshit in there, it''s been a couple of weeks."


    "How do you tell the age of horse shit?" Seph asked, a little disgusted, clearly.


    "You''ve gotta stick your fingers into the middle of it," he replied, grabbing the boy''s nose between his index and middle fingers.


    Seph''s disgust only became more pronounced as he tried to pull away from the offending digits.


    "I''m joking," Cage laughed, letting him go.


    Seph rubbed his nose while he stared daggers at Cage.


    "All right, we''ll do a quick sweep of the village just to make sure we''re truly alone. Cage, you take the boys. Sun, with me. We''ll take east, you take west. We''ll leave the farmsteads for now and check them tomorrow."


    They all nodded, and the candidates followed their superiors out the door. Sun hadn''t thought to pack a raincoat, just a warm jacket. She didn''t really mind the rain. Even in the slums she had loved it. Not only for the sound but also because it had been free fresh water to drink. They would set out their containers to catch it. It didn''t rain enough in Solaryse.


    She followed Commander Mercer through the town; they searched houses¡ªevery room, every shed, and cellar. There was nothing. In some houses dinner was still sitting on the table, well, big piles of mould mostly. But they found nothing; there was just no trace of what might have happened to the people.


    "A little creepy, isn''t it?" Mercer muttered.


    Sun could do nothing but agree. The emptiness was disconcerting.


    As darkness began to descend, they finished up with their last house. Commander Mercer suggested they head back to the inn. It wasn''t huge, only four small rooms furnished with a single bed and a dresser or a desk; only half of them had both. The boys had to share a room, unless someone wanted to sleep in the proprietors room, which no one did. This place was creepy enough.


    Sun found a pot plant in her room that was beginning to die, so she gave it some water. It was a common thing she had noticed throughout the place: all the plants were dying. Even ones she knew could go for a while without water. Once she had her things dumped, she went back downstairs.


    Cage had rummaged through the kitchen, looking for anything edible. He came back with some dried meat and some canned beans. It was a far cry from the appetising meals she had been having at the manor, even from what the boys were served at Perdition. Cage figured there would be enough to live on for a few days.


    Over dinner Mercer told them watch would be taken in pairs. Either he or Cage would be up at all times, and the three candidates could rotate. Sun was to be first, Seph on second, and Cullen on third.


    After dinner the three not on watch headed upstairs to bathe or sleep while Sun and Mercer headed out to the deck. Standing out in the darkness and listening to the rain, Sun finally realised what was bothering her about the place.


    "There is nothing," she said, looking at Mercer. He looked back at her, an eyebrow raised. "There''s nothing; there isn''t even a trace of residual energy."


    Mercer frowned and closed his eyes. Wherever people or animals had been, especially so many, there had to be some trace of energy, of their aura; sure, it would fade over time, but it would take years, not days or weeks. But after a few moments of searching, he confirmed what she said. Not even a trace.


    "I apologise for only just realising," she said. She knew something had been off about this place, aside from all the missing people and animals.


    "No, don''t be; I didn''t even pick up on it. That explains the feeling about this place," he said. "What could dissipate the energy like this?"


    She could only shrug, feeling quite useless.


    "I''ll talk to Cage when we hand over shifts," he said. "Good spotting." With that he gave her that kind smile of his. She only nodded, that serious expression never leaving her face.


    When it was shift change, Sun headed upstairs, quietly waking Seph for his turn. Their exchange lacked any of their usual vitriol, and that was almost as disturbing as the absolute deadness around them.


    After that she went to bed. She lay there, listening to the sound of the rain and the sound of the Traverse. While the lack of voices was something of a relief, it came with a hefty side of apprehension. She would have a look around once she fell asleep. Might even be easier with the sound of the rain and lack of voices.


    She never felt it when she went to sleep. Realisation she was in the Traverse always came slowly. Nor could she tell how long she was in there or had been in there before that realisation came. It was almost like coming out of a fog or a trance maybe.


    When she came out of it this time, she froze. There were... bodies.


    She had never seen bodies in the Traverse before. That didn''t make sense; the only physical thing in the Traverse was supposed to be the environment, and maybe the ravens¡ªthough there were none of those here. Everything else was just energy. She had seen souls here get torn apart by the twisted people, and they just dissipated or were absorbed by the monsters, these altered souls. Even she was just made of energy when she was here, she couldn''t really affect anything. She did wonder what would happen to her if any of those creatures got a hold of her, though. Not enough to risk it.


    She crouched down beside the nearest body. Because she wasn''t physical, she shouldn''t be able to touch it; her hand should go right through it. But when she touched it, the body disintegrated, turned to dust. Form like this¡ªa corpse¡ªcouldn''t¡ªmaybe shouldn''t? - exist here. Form required energy, or maybe just a soul? There was a lot she didn''t understand about the Traverse, but she did know she never saw the living or the empty dead. Just souls, which she assumed counted as some form of energy. Maybe that was why it crumpled to dust? No energy to hold it together?


    And there were so many bodies here; they had to be the villagers, but they were all old. Her stomach sank as she looked at them. She was well acquainted with that milky-eyed look of horror. Whatever did this... had the same ability as her? Or did the Traverse itself just do this to living things if they ended up here?


    She picked her way around them, looking for any sign of the Revenants they were searching for. Ideally they''d have their uniform on because she doubted she would recognise them like this.


    Although she shouldn''t be able to affect anything given her non-corporeal form, when her foot touched one of the corpses, it turned to dust again. Even if she could somehow bring them back to the world of the living, they would likely just be dust piles.


    From what she had gathered over the years, time moved differently in the Traverse; some nights it felt like she had been there for days, and others just minutes, when on the other side hours had passed.


    She wasn''t sure if she was relieved or not when it seemed only minutes had passed before she was waking up in the creaky inn bed. Sitting up, she glanced towards the window. Through the threadbare curtains, she could see the sky was lightening, but there was no sign of the actual sun. That was most likely because of the still falling rain.


    She got out of bed, going about her morning ablutions while she debated with herself whether or not to tell them about the bodies she''d found. Kalys didn''t want her talking about her power with people, but in this case it was pertinent to the mission. How could she not? Perhaps she could leave out the part about how they looked. She didn''t want any kind of connection to be made between her and the manner of their deaths.


    She pulled on her uniform jacket and boots and headed downstairs. Commander Mercer, Cage, and Cullen were already there.


    Dread settled in her stomach at what she had to reveal.

 Chapter 26

    "Good morning, Sun," Cage greeted with a wide, friendly smile.


    "Morning," she returned, joining them at the table they were sitting at.


    Commander Mercer poured her a cup of hot tea, which she accepted gratefully. She decided she would talk to Mercer privately. It was possible he would just think she was crazy, and she would rather not have an audience for that. She didn''t know how much he actually knew about what she could do and tried to remember how much she had spoken about it to her instructors in the past. Whatever information Mercer had on her would have come from them.


    "We''ll take a look at the farms outside of the village today," Mercer told them, the others nodding.


    Footsteps on the stairs had them all turning to see Seph making his way down. He was running his hand through his bed hair.


    "Getting an early start, are we?" Seph asked, stifling a yawn.


    Having the middle shift for watch was probably the worst one; she felt for him there.


    "There''s no urgency; we have time for breakfast," Cage said.


    They all headed to the kitchen to see what they could scrounge up, which mostly consisted of canned and dried food, given all the perishables were gone. They had brought some rations with them but preferred to save them for travel.


    After breakfast, Sun was hoping to catch a moment alone with Commander Mercer, but when he divided them up and she was with Cage and Seph, she internally cringed. And not entirely because it was Seph.


    "Before we set out, could I talk to you for a second?" Sun asked the Commander. "Privately."


    Mercer looked to Cage and the boys. "Go out and get the horses ready."


    They left, and Mercer looked at her expectantly. She took a breath to steel herself for his questions and probable disbelief.


    "I found the bodies of the villagers," she said.


    His brow furrowed, but he urged her to go on.


    "They''re on the other side, in the Traverse."


    The furrow in his brow deepened, but he didn''t accuse her of lying or being crazy.


    "I understand your abilities centre around the Traverse," he said. "But your dossier is a bit light on details."


    "Kalys doesn''t want me to talk about them," she said. "And even before he told me not to, I didn''t really explain much. It made a lot of people...uncomfortable."


    Or at times outright hostile. Some instructors saw the use; others saw her as stomping all over their beliefs. While the Traverse was generally accepted, what it looked like, who went there, what else resided there, and its purpose were still up for debate in a lot of places with a lot of people. Granted, she didn''t have all the answers, but she knew more about that place than most.


    "Explain it to me¡ªwhat you saw, how you found them."


    "When I sleep, I can''t dream; I just end up in the Traverse. When I fell asleep last night, there were just... bodies everywhere. Normally it''s... ghosts, I guess. They''re moving and talking. Last night they were just... empty and lying there. Physical things aren''t supposed to be in the Traverse; everything is just made of energy. I don''t understand how they could have gotten there."


    "Do you know how to bring them back?"


    She shook her head, relieved he believed her. "Maybe if I could figure out how they got there in the first place... But, when I touched a couple of them, they just turned to dust."


    "I suppose that would make bringing them back intact impossible."


    Mercer appeared to fade into thought for a few moments; this was an unprecedented situation. She doubted even someone with his extensive career in the Revenants knew how to approach this. Spending almost half her life in the Traverse certainly hadn''t given her any insight into this problem.


    "I don''t suppose you found any sign of Harker," he said.


    She shook her head. "Sorry. I''ll keep looking tonight."


    "You only enter the Traverse when you sleep?"


    This time she nodded. She could see into it in the reflections of water, but even then it depended on light and angles.


    "Is this why you asked about your assignment here yesterday?" He asked, realisation hitting.


    She nodded. "I wasn''t sure then, though; it was just a feeling."


    Mercer realised that would mean they knew. Perdition knew this had something to do with the Traverse the entire time and had neglected to tell him. Though there was the slight possibility of it all being a coincidence... He was torn between giving them the benefit of the doubt and his extensive career seeing firsthand the kind of manipulations they were capable of when they felt it necessary.


    "All right, I think we need to speak to the other Division working on this," he sighed out.


    "Which Division is it?"


    "The ninth," he replied. "I''m not sure exactly where they are, but I have a general idea of where they set up base. We''ll go ahead with our search of the farmsteads to be thorough. I''ll have Cage scout for the Ninth members, and the rest of us will stick together while he''s gone."


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    She nodded, following him outside. The rain was now a drizzle, and the others were standing in it with the horses. There were only four; someone would have to double up.


    "Change of plans," Mercer told them. "Cage, I need you to track down the Ninth. I think they might have information we could use. They should be a few miles southwest of here."


    "On it," he said.


    She thought he would climb onto one of the horses and ride off. Instead he turned around and leaped into the air, transforming into a bird¡ªsome kind of falcon from the look of it¡ªand flew off. He hadn''t mentioned anything about what his ability was yesterday.


    "Can he turn into anything?" Cullen asked the Commander. "Or only that bird?"


    "Any animal," Mercer replied. "It could take some time before he finds them and returns. For now we''ll continue our search of the outlying farms. Stay close, everyone."


    Sun had never ridden a horse before, and so she was the last to climb up, paying close attention to how the others did it. She thought she had been successful in hiding her inexperience until Mercer brought his horse to her side, a kind smile on his face.


    "Never ridden a horse before?" It came out more as a statement than question.


    "Damn, is it that obvious?"


    "A little bit."


    He told her what to do, gave a few pointers, and a couple of tricks to help minimise the pain she''d be feeling later. It was a little embarrassing to be the only one of them that needed it, but she was grateful Cullen and Seph kept their mouths shut. Maybe in Seph''s case that had a lot to do with her brother''s reaction to their fight.


    They rode out of the village at a pace that didn''t feel all that much faster than walking. They could see a few farmhouses dotted in the distance, and they looked just as empty as the rest of the village from here.


    Sun felt none of them really expected to find anything out there.


    They stopped at the nearest house first, leaving the horses tethered outside. It was just a small home, the fields barren for the winter. There was a barn, but like the rest of the area, everything was dead silent, no animals meandering about or making noise from within.


    Inside the dim house they let in a bit more light by opening shutters and curtains. There was a layer of dust over everything, but unlike the the inn no food had been left out. From the smell throughout the place, though, whatever they had in storage was long past its prime.


    "Feels empty," Mercer said. "But we''ll check to be sure."


    They split up to do just that; with the creaky floorboards, it was easy for everyone to keep track of each other. They searched every inch of the house, every cupboard, wardrobe, and under the beds. Sun found herself in a child''s room, going by the small bed with the colourful homemade quilt and the few toys scattered about. She would not want to see what was on the other side of the divide.


    Having found nothing, she rejoined the others in the kitchen. They had all come up empty. Not even a hint as to what might have happened to the occupants. But given what she''d seen last night, she had an idea.


    With that, they moved on to the next house, then the next, then the next...


    -


    Kalys stood in the centre of Sun''s room, his nightly walks having brought him here for the fourth night in a row. The fourth night since she had left. The first time he''d wound up here had been quite by accident. His nightly walks were something of a meditative exercise, and he had just found himself there with no thought to it.


    At mealtimes, he found himself... missing her. He had expected as much when he learnt she was going to be sent out on assignment. But he hadn''t expected how much. Her presence in the manor was a gentle hum he was constantly aware of, even if mostly in his periphery.


    He had felt the distance grow between them after the way he had dealt with the boys she''d fought with. A reactivated wariness, despite how she''d tried to act as she normally did around him. But there was definitely less sass and a bit more pleasantness. He didn''t want her walking on eggshells around him, even if it did make her more pleasant.


    He looked at her bed, the blankets crisp and all made up. She hadn''t slept in it for quite some time. The staff knew she slept in the cellar, but they didn''t know why. Even Mika hadn''t been made privy to the reason.


    There had been no reports to arrive from the group sent out, but they likely had only just made it to their destination if the weather had been fair.


    Though he was not one to second-guess or ruminate on his decisions, letting her go certainly had him rethinking the idea. People were disappearing. Vanishing into thin air. Sun could so easily become one of them. Perhaps he should have pulled her from the Revenants. He hadn''t been able to stop Perdition from sending her out there, only have a more competent Commander assigned to it. If she weren''t in the Revenants, they''d have no power over her.


    But she would see it as him trying to assert more of his own control over her. Perhaps that was just a price he would have to pay to keep her safe.


    He sat on the edge of the bed, catching the faintest whiff of her scent. Something floral with just a hint of gunpowder. She did spend a fair amount of time working on her guns or just cleaning them. And while she had been recovering from her stint in the lake, he had spent a lot of time in this room, around her.


    On the bedside table sat the flowery ribbon she wore fairly often. He took it in hand, getting lost in flowers and thought. It was old, well-loved, and when he raised it to his nose, he caught even more of her scent in it, the soaps and lotions she used, and underneath that something uniquely her.


    Though he spent all day almost every day around his Division members, their presence was tolerated. In her presence he found himself... content. A contentment he''d felt around no other. While he enjoyed his grandfather''s company, it didn''t produce the same kind of emotional reaction. Even being with his father hadn''t elicited the same peace and contentment she did. And the fire she ignited in him... It made him uncomfortable, yet he couldn''t get enough of it.


    He clenched his fists hard enough to leave nail marks, forcing her from his thoughts. Thoughts of Sun often drove him to distraction these days; it was infuriating. All she did was exist in his presence, and it was enough.


    More alluring women than Sun had thrown themselves at him, had had their families offer marriage, and he barely remembered their faces. Why did this slip of a girl¡ªhis own flesh and blood¡ªtangle him in knots like no other ever had?


    In the early days, when he still tried to deny his attraction to her, he tried to justify it. She was his sister; their situation was unconventional; they were still getting to know each other, and she had the Raven''s Eye; she needed the attention and consideration.


    She didn''t need it so much as he wanted to lavish it upon her.


    He stalked from her room, pocketing the ribbon. He had hoped distance from her might help the deviant feelings she stirred. He was wrong.


    He left the manor, easily finding his way to the Gilded Lily. The house of ill repute was something he had visited in his youth, but it had been a few years since he was last there.


    The Gilded Lily was his preferred establishment. The girls were clean, the rooms tasteful, and the employees were discrete. It even had a private entrance predominantly for men of his status. When he ducked through the thick black curtains, a woman was standing there waiting for him.


    "Lord Illusen," she greeted, giving a curtsey. "It''s been a while. I''m afraid Eline no longer works here."


    "That''s fine. I''m looking for something different."


    "Do tell," she smiled pleasantly.


    "Black hair, pale skin, blue eyes, petite..."


    If the woman knew he was practically describing his sister, she gave nothing away. Of course, no one living had the same eyes Sun did, so he would have to settle for blue.


    "I think we can manage that," Madam Matilde gestured for him to precede her through the only other door in the room.


    If spending time with Sun didn''t alleviate the desire for her, and neither did distance, then perhaps this was a way to release it.

 Chapter 27

    When Cage returned to them hours later, dropping back into his human form in front of them, his brow was furrowed and his eyes hard. They kept darting around as if he were waiting for an attack almost.


    "We have a problem," he told Mercer, striding up to him more serious than they''d seen him since this trip started.


    "What is it?"


    "I found their camp. Everyone''s gone. Vanished. But they were out in the middle of nowhere, and there was all this equipment I''ve never seen before. I can''t figure out what they were doing, but it doesn''t look like they were actually looking for anyone."


    "How far away?"


    "Half a day by carriage. We could cut that down if we rode the horses without it."


    Mercer glanced up at the sky, considering. "We should err on the side of safety. We''ll stay here tonight and set out early tomorrow."


    It did feel as if they had just wasted the day, searching places they already knew would be empty. But she supposed it was best to be thorough. There could have been a possible survivor or something, someone who wasn''t... taken? By what? The Traverse?


    They returned to the inn, going about making something to eat. They carried it out in silence, everyone lost in thought. Sun wondered at the machinery they had out there and why they were in the middle of nowhere to begin with. What could they have found out there that would warrant setting up base?


    After dinner, Sun went to bed; she had the middle watch and wanted to get as much sleep as she could, partly to investigate further on the other side but also because she just needed all the sleep she could get.


    Of course, because she needed to sleep, it took forever to come. When it finally did, she found herself in the Traverse amidst the bodies again. There was nothing she could do for them; she wasn''t even sure she could get them back for a proper cremation.


    She crouched down beside the nearest body, inspecting her without touching her. Sun had no idea how old she might have been before whatever happened, happened.


    Sun couldn''t help but wonder if there wasn''t someone like her running around out there, on this side of the world barrier. Illusens died; they would have had to pass through the Traverse; some might still be there. Would they still be able to use their abilities after death?


    Sun stood up, looking around, a little paranoid now.


    She continued winding her way through the bodies, keeping an eye out for any Revenants and any movement. It was still mostly silent, the only exception the ice song. A couple of times she thought she heard something in the distance, too far to really make out what it might have been.


    It felt like the Traverse was violently ripped away when she was woken up to take her turn on watch. Cullen was the one to wake her, having been on first watch. He didn''t bother saying anything, figuring she knew what being woken up meant.


    Honestly, the way that boy spoke, you''d think he was paying by the letter.


    Sun pulled her uniform jacket on to try and protect herself from the worst of the cold and went downstairs. Cage was there, sitting on a chair at a table by the window. He had a small oil lamp lit, and he was sharpening one of his swords.


    "Hey, Sun," he greeted, not looking up from his work.


    "Hi," she returned, taking a seat opposite him.


    She was tired, exhausted really. Perdition had made her too soft. The regular meals, the safe place to sleep... She lived her childhood in a constant state of exhaustion. Now she struggled to get through winter, and the smallest changes threw off her sleep. At least she had enough restraint to keep that weakness to herself.


    "Any luck on the other side?" He asked.


    Sun shook her head. So Commander Mercer had told him then.


    "What''s it like over there?"


    "Unusually empty," she replied.


    "I mean in general. What does it look like?"


    "Sure you want to know? You''re not a religious fanatic, are you?"


    They tended to be the worst when she contradicted their beliefs.


    He chuckled lightly. "Furthest from it."


    She side-eyed him a moment. People had lied to her about that before too. For some reason they came to her to try and validate their beliefs, then got shitty when she didn''t.


    "It''s dark, not like nighttime, more like the bottom of a lake," she began. She could say that now, since she did have some idea, despite not being in the deepest part of it. "There are usually other souls there, and ravens. The people look like how they did when they died. Some of them obviously had pretty gruesome deaths."


    "So you can just catch up with people you knew there?"


    "They''re not like they were when they were alive; they''re... confused and disoriented. Some of them don''t even know who or where they are. But I''ve never found anyone I know there, thankfully. Not everyone is there. Not everyone stays there either."


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Where else do they go?"


    "Wherever lies beyond it? I think I see it sometimes," she said softly. "It''s the only light in the distance. I used to try to get there, but it was too far, and sometimes not there at all."


    "Do you think that''s Heaven?" He asked, just as softly, and his eyes no longer on his work.


    "I don''t know. I don''t even know if Heaven is real."


    Cage let out an amused huff. "Here I thought you''d have all the answers."


    "Nope, just as clueless as the rest of you plebs."


    He laughed then and resumed sharpening his blades. Sun settled into her seat and tried to focus on staying alert.


    -


    The next day Cage led them to the camp he''d found. As they neared it, the others started to complain of feeling ill. They even started looking pale, and as they neared the camp, Cullen had to throw up. Cage said he''d started feeling sick yesterday as well. He thought it had something to do with the machinery they had set up. Sun felt fine, however. She didn''t think it was the machines making them sick. The closer they got, the louder the Traverse got too, the stronger it felt. She could almost see its darkness under everything. Still, she kept her mouth shut in case she was wrong.


    When Cage could see the camp coming into view, he called out to the others. The horses were also starting to act differently; they had reluctantly brought them this far but were refusing to go any farther.


    "We''ll have to walk the rest of the way," Cage told them. "It''s not too much farther."


    They climbed out of the carriage and into the drizzling rain. Sun looked around. Visibility wasn''t great, and that darkness she could see wasn''t helping. She had never seen the Traverse encroach visibly on the living world like this. What had happened here?


    They followed Cage, their pace slow as the two boys started feeling really bad. Cage and the Commander didn''t look great either but were managing better than the younger ones.


    "Why don''t you look sick?" Seph accused.


    Sun just shrugged, but now that he had called attention to it, the others were looking at her curiously too.


    "Sun, if you know something..." Mercer pressed.


    She sighed. "I don''t know anything for sure."


    "Then tell me what you suspect."


    "I''m not sick because I''m used to it maybe. It''s the Traverse. The veil is so thin here I can see the other side. Vaguely. This has never happened before. I think that''s why you''re all getting sick. Living things aren''t supposed to be so... drenched in it. Look at the plants."


    While many of the trees and bushes were bare for the winter, there were no green buds ready to spring forth with the change of season, and even the deciduous trees were dying, so was the grass.


    "But, like I said, I don''t know for sure."


    She was worried she might be wrong and they''d act on that information; she didn''t want that kind of responsibility. Not out here where there were so few of them, they had no clue about what was going on, and they were completely cut off from any kind of reinforcements or help.


    "How do we stop it?" Cullen asked.


    "I don''t know. I don''t know why this is happening," she replied.


    She felt like she''d been saying that a lot since she got here. Gods, she was going to look useless on her evaluation.


    "There it is," Cage suddenly pointed out.


    Through the dead and dying trees, they could make out tents and containers. They picked up their pace despite the ill feelings of the others. As they neared it, Sun paused her step. There were bodies, but they didn''t look solid. They were flickering, transparent, and blurry, and they only appeared for a second or two before being invisible again. Most of them were wearing Revenant uniforms. She looked at the others, but they didn''t seem to see them. They even walked right through them, and nothing happened. They were on the other side then... Why was she seeing them as clearly as she was? Was the divide truly that thin? Why were they pulsing?


    "Sun?"


    Her eyes shot to Mercer, who was standing a few feet away and watching her curiously.


    "They''re all dead," she told him.


    His brow furrowed, and he walked towards her while she started counting the bodies. He might want to verify it was all of them.


    "You can see them?" He asked, to which she replied with a nod. "How is that possible?"


    "I don''t know, but they blink in and out. Nothing works like it should here..."


    He looked concerned, but whatever he might have been thinking, he kept it to himself. "All right, take a look around; see what you can figure out. I have a feeling whatever they were doing out here had nothing to do with finding missing people and everything to do with the Traverse."


    Looking at this place, she could agree with that assessment. But what were they trying to do?


    The group explored the campsite; the generator was still running, powering the machines and lights they had set up. There were a dozen or so tents that made up the sleeping quarters and another dozen containers repurposed to offices and labs, and oddly enough, cages.


    They walked through the rows of them, eight in all. When they got to the last one, there was an actual, corporeal body there. He was locked in the cage, a bullet hole in the side of the head. The pistol was resting loosely in his hand. It was clear he had shot himself. But why? Didn''t want to disappear like the rest of them? Did he know what was happening to them? He must have known something to be scared enough to take his own life.


    "Fucking hell," Cage sighed out, more irritated than anything else. "What the hell was going on here?"


    "Maybe this sickness got to him?" Seph suggested.


    "Or paranoid with everyone else disappearing," Cullen said.


    "How did the others die?" Cage asked Sun, turning to look at her.


    She inwardly cringed. "Old age, I think," she replied. "There were no visible wounds."


    "Old age? Like what you can do?" Cullen asked.


    She nodded, reluctantly. Surely they couldn''t accuse her of having anything to do with this. She had been with them the whole time.


    "That''s what you do? You just... age people?" Cage asked.


    "Rapidly. Child to ancient corpse in seconds," she tried to shrug it off like it wasn''t that weird.


    "So it would appear we have someone else with the same ability running around," Mercer said, his brow furrowed.


    She breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn''t immediately jumping to it being her fault.


    "Or maybe that''s what they''re doing out here," Cage said. "Trying to replicate it. But why would they?"


    His question set fire to a small spark of dread in the pit of her stomach. She could think of a couple of reasons, and none of them good. It also begged the question, how much did they know about it?


    Sun shrugged when the others looked at her like she might have the answer. She was a little torn, but Kalys had told her to keep as much of her ability to herself as she could. Letting anyone know they might be trying to replicate the life-stealing part of her ability was not an option.


    "Let''s just try and figure out how to reverse whatever has happened here," Mercer told them.


    Before anyone could make a move, a distant cry rang out over the encampment. All of them stiffened up at the roar, Sun looking to the others. It had been days of no other signs of life, so the distant sound was a little startling.


    "You all heard that too?" She asked.


    "Of course we did," Seph snapped in a whisper.


    Sun knew that sound; she had heard it once before, weeks ago while she had been out at the pond with Nick. It had slithered into her bones and left her feeling disturbed back then too.


    She looked at him, brow furrowed with worry.


    "You shouldn''t have been able to."

 Chapter 28

    They all flinched as the cry rang out again.


    "You know what that is?" Cage asked.


    She shook her head. "I''ve heard it before, but I''ve never seen it."


    "It sounds fucking terrifying," Cullen muttered.


    "It''s native to the Traverse then?" Mercer asked.


    She nodded. What she wasn''t sure of was if they could hear it because the world barrier was thin or because it wasn''t on the other side anymore. And she had no idea what it was, what it looked like, how much damage or destruction it could cause, or how dangerous it was.


    "It sounded quite far away; maybe it won''t even know we''re here," Cage suggested.


    "Given the cages, maybe that''s what they''re doing here," said Cullen. "Drag it into this world and catch it."


    A heavy silence settled over them as they looked down the rows of cages. Were these creatures the intended purpose? Had they released something in their attempts? How did the bodies end up on the other side then?


    They gathered around the largest machine that had been set up in the centre of the encampment. It wasn''t inside the containers, but it did have a makeshift shelter built over it to keep the rain off. Given its position and how the rest of the camp seemed to be set up around it, it must have been important. Thick cables spread out from it to the generators and consoles and other machines whose function she couldn''t begin to guess.


    The closer she got to it, though, the weirder she felt, like walking through water. The pulsing lights on it were hypnotic, and the gentle pulse it let off was so calming; the closer she got, the stronger the pull. She reached out to touch it, a hand closing firmly around her wrist.


    "We don''t know what it does," Mercer warned.


    "Sorry. Why do you think it pulses like that?" She asked softly, her eyes fixed on it.


    "Pulses?"


    She nodded, looking around. The pulses came in time with the appearance of the bodies. The machine was the cause! The machine was affecting the veil somehow.


    "It''s the machine," she said. "I think it''s thinning the divide, or weakening it, or something."


    Cage didn''t wait for an order, pulling the power cables out and disconnecting it from the generators. Once it was off, they all felt it. A slight lifting of the symptoms the others were experiencing, and she could no longer feel the pulses or see the bodies.


    "There has to be some kind of log of what they were doing," Mercer said. "Find it, and maybe we can make sense of this and possibly figure out how to fix whatever happened here."


    Whether just turning off the machine would fix the problem entirely, they didn''t know. It would help if they actually knew its purpose and how it worked.


    They glanced around; it was a large encampment with a fair few places to have to search.


    "No one goes off alone," Mercer warned them.


    Fair enough. Sun headed off with Cage, the two boys with the Commander. Sun and Cage picked their way through the tents, looking for logbooks or journals.


    "What do you think happened?" Cage asked her, ducking inside a tent while she kept her eyes peeled for danger.


    "They fucked around with the barrier, let something through, and it killed everyone? Or maybe the Traverse itself killed them? I don''t know. What actually did the killing is what I''m unclear on."


    He ducked back out empty-handed, and they trudged over to the next tent.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "It''s weird," he muttered.


    "What is?"


    "These tents, the equipment here. Not all of this is Revenant gear. And just the fact that it''s the Ninth out here. It should have been the Tenth, or even Twelfth. Hell, even your brother''s Division would make more sense than the Ninth. If the intent had been to find the missing people."


    Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of her brother, and she rubbed her chest uncomfortably to alleviate the sensation.


    "Ninth is Internal Affairs, right?" She asked. Commander Allen''s.


    He nodded, unzipping the next tent. Sun agreed it was an odd choice to send out here.


    "It would make sense if they thought a Revenant was at fault, though, wouldn''t it?" She asked.


    When he came back out, he looked at her, his eyes narrowed. "Maybe. Doesn''t make sense they would send us after, though."


    That was true. There was a lot that wasn''t adding up.


    "What do you think is going on then?" She asked.


    "I don''t know," he replied after a long, thoughtful silence.


    They continued searching tents in silence, him going in, her keeping an eye out. Every now and again she caught a glimpse of the others by the containers. They were doing the same, keeping one out to watch their backs.


    Again they heard the roar, still a great distance from them. But what sent shivers down her spine was the answering cry that followed it.


    "There''s more than one," Cage breathed out, looking out into the dark, dead forest. "How do we fight them, Sun?"


    "I don''t know; I''ve never even seen them," she whispered.


    "Can creatures from the Traverse even die?"


    "I''ve never seen that either."


    "I wonder if Perdition thought you might know more than you do," he grinned down at her.


    Smart arse...


    -


    Towards the end of the day they struck gold. Or at least, Commander Mercer''s group did. They gathered up everything they found, but it was too late to head back to the village. They would have to spend the night at the camp. Turning off the machine had alleviated the worst of their symptoms at least.


    The body from the cage was moved and covered over. They would take him back to Perdition so he could be returned to his family. He had no uniform on, though, and nothing to identify him. Perhaps Commander Allens would recognise him when they got him back to base.


    As night descended, the outside lights and lamps automatically turned on; they quickly turned them off, not wanting them to act as some kind of beacon. They kept the power running to the container they had decided to set up in; it must have been some kind of lounge area. It was the only place with any semblance of comfort, and it had a kitchenette with a few snacks and dry food they could eat. Once again, all things perishable were beyond inedible. Sun was about the only one who could stomach anything right now anyway, so she nibbled quietly away as they pored over documents and through journals.


    Cage was sent out to check on the horses since he could fly; he reported back that they were a little agitated but otherwise fine. And still absolutely refusing to come any closer to the camp. None of them liked the idea of leaving them out there alone and exposed, but they couldn''t force them either.


    Unfortunately, nothing so comprehensive as a mission statement or detailed log had been left behind. There were diagrams of some of the machines, notes over notes as they tried to calibrate them. It appeared they were using them for the first time out here. This whole thing was an experiment in itself. The machine they were putting the most effort into wasn''t the one they had turned off but the one beside it. The pulsing machine was a close second, though.


    There was also a broken phonograph with a few records left behind, though the majority of them had been smashed by something.


    Of all of them, Cullen was the only one with enough technical knowledge to be able to make some semblance of sense out of the diagrams and schematics. And because he was also specialising in casting, he was able to talk with Commander Mercer about the Casts they were using with this tech.


    The pulsing machine was designed to weaken the boundary, and the main machine was built to punch a hole right through it in its weakened state. Idiots...


    But it wasn''t until Cage managed to get the phonograph working again that they realised how badly the people here had messed up.


    They started with the record that had still been on it.


    It didn''t even start out routine. The man talking didn''t identify himself, his division, or his rank. He just initiated the test, which was attempt twenty-six to hold the rift open longer than a minute, which was their previous record.


    There had been some unidentifiable sounds, someone counting, and then once it had gone on longer than a minute, there were cheers and claps. Then that horrible roar, which sounded even more spine tingling hearing it this close. That was followed by the sound of people screaming, crashing, gun gunfire; there were more growls and roars... Eventually the record reached its limit and stopped recording. They weren''t made to hold much more than ten to fifteen minutes.


    The silence that settled over them remained unbroken for a long while as they processed what they''d heard. There had definitely been more than one, more than two.


    They opened a rift to the other side, and they let creatures through. But how many? They hadn''t seen a rift, so it must have closed.


    "Now what?" Seph asked.


    Before anyone could say anything, the container violently shuddered, everyone bracing themselves as furniture toppled and cupboards swung open to spill their contents over the floor.


    Outside they could hear that shudder-inducing roar from the recording, followed by another, then another, and another.


    They were surrounded!

 Chapter 29

    They immediately leaped to their feet and drew their weapons, each of them opting for their blades over their ranged. No one wanted to be firing off guns in this enclosed space.


    They grouped up, backs to each other and ready to fight whatever might manage to tear through the metal container.


    It sounded like the beasts outside were seeking out a weak spot. The containers were built to withstand great force, but they knew nothing about the strength these creatures might possess, and their shelter had not been built with them in mind.


    "Do we have a plan?" Seph asked.


    "Hope they can''t get in, get bored, and wander off," Cage replied quietly, amusement obvious in his tone.


    Seph, however, did not look amused.


    "It''s not a plan, but that would certainly be ideal," Mercer chimed in. "If you see an opening, you three need to run. Get back to Perdition and let them know what happened out here. Cage and I will keep them distracted."


    The three candidates looked between each other, unsure and clearly not keen on that plan. It felt wrong to leave people behind. From the looks on the others faces, they wouldn''t be running either, despite disobeying an order. At least that was something they could all agree on.


    The container jolted again, almost toppling over. The monsters must have known they were inside to be so intent on this particular container.


    Sun cringed when she saw the metal denting with some of their stronger blows. Without seeing them, without fighting them, it was difficult to know what they were up against or how to deal with it.


    "Can you conjure water, Cullen?" She asked.


    If she had enough water, she could just try and use her abilities to take care of them, if that worked on Traverse natives.


    "Yeah," he replied.


    "Now''s a piss-poor time for a drink, kid," Cage muttered.


    "She needs water for her ability to work," Cullen told him before glancing at Sun. "Do you want it now?"


    She shook her head. "Just if they start to get through, enough to put us ankle-deep at least."


    "Right."


    "You think it''ll work on them?" Seph asked.


    "Worth a try, but we shouldn''t depend on it."


    Cullen prepared himself to cast, summoning the power within him. And then it went silent. The banging stopped, the growls, the sniffing... just gone.


    Everyone stayed silent and still but tensed and ready if need be.


    Sun felt a strange sensation then, like nothing she''d felt before¡ªthis trip was full of those, it seemed¡ªit was like an itch or an irritation inside her skull and down her spine that quickly grew to the feeling of claws piercing her skin from the inside out. It came with such a sudden sense of impending danger.


    "Cullen, the water!" She hissed.


    The sudden sound of tearing fabric and cracking ice rended the silence. They came face to face with one of the creatures from outside as it tore through the veil. It was large, heavily scaled and plated, black as obsidian with claws the size of steak knives.


    Cullen cast, but something must have gone wrong because he almost flooded the container. The water seemed to stun all of them, the beast included. It drained into the tear through worlds the beast had created, washing it back. It hadn''t been prepared for the flood. Neither had they, and they were all washed off their feet and towards the rift.


    Freezing water wasn''t something she was too proficient with, but in a panic her power did seem to know what to do to protect her. Ice grew from the rift, plugging it up. The five of them slammed into it hard as they struggled to swim to the surface.


    But Sun couldn''t swim; she flailed about wildly trying to get up. She felt a hand close around her arm and drag her up. She found herself clinging to Cage as she gasped for breath.


    "Fucking hells, Sun, you can''t swim?" He exclaimed.


    "No," she gasped out.


    "Your power is water!"


    "If you couldn''t swim, why would you ask him to conjure water!?" Seph asked.


    "I didn''t know he was going to flood the room," she coughed.


    "I panicked and put too much power behind the cast," Cullen explained apologetically.


    "Let''s focus on the positives; we''re alive," Mercer pointed out. "Do these beasts not like water, Sun?"


    "I don''t know anything about them."


    They hadn''t tried to just tear through the barrier a second time since, though, maybe they didn''t?


    "All right, Sun, I can''t keep holding you; time for an impromptu swimming lesson," Cage told her.


    Her eyes widened to the size of saucers, and she clung tighter to him.


    "Just a second," Cullen said.


    With another cast, he managed to dispel most of the water; the ice she had created remained, though. But it appeared the rift was still there, trapped inside the ice. They were drenched, weighed down by their soaked clothing and anticipating another attack, but their attention was so fixed on the rift. Through the ice they couldn''t see much, but the sounds were making it through, if a little muffled.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Incredible," Mercer breathed out, circling the ice.


    "Will it close on its own, or does someone have to close it?" Cage asked.


    "The ice is quite possibly what''s keeping it open."


    "Do you want me to drop it?" She asked.


    She was a bit reluctant in case those creatures were just on the other side. But then, it seemed they could tear open holes whenever they felt like it, so maybe her fear was misplaced.


    "No, not yet at least."


    He looked around the container; the water was still ankle deep, and the phonograph was destroyed. It wouldn''t have been able to survive the water. All the notes they had were wet.


    "Salvage what we can, hang them up to dry out," he told them, gesturing to the floating papers and sunken books.


    "Do you think they''ll attack again?" Seph asked no one in particular as they set to the task, gathering their dropped weapons first.


    "Likely," Mercer replied.


    His words were proven true when there was a thunderous boom against the ice in the rift. They all jerked, dropping what they were doing and clutching their weapons tightly.


    Sun stood back, closing her eyes. With all the water on the floor and the ice reaching through to the other side, she was able to get a sense of what was beyond her ice. Although something was clearly pounding against it, she felt nothing, no spark of life. Which most likely meant her power wouldn''t work on it. It wasn''t surprising; she''d known it was a very real possibility, but it was disheartening. Could it be killed at all?


    She quickly told Mercer her power wouldn''t work on it, and he just gave a nod, readying himself for the fight. If their weapons didn''t work on it, she could always try and trap it in the ice, which would need more water.


    The request for more water, should the need arise, was met with a less than enthused stare from the others. But if they couldn''t kill it, trapping it might be the next best plan. She wondered how they had planned to trap the creatures in their cages. They could just open rifts to escape. Maybe they hadn''t gone into this with enough information. She did wonder how they even knew about these creatures considering she''d only learnt of them a few weeks ago and had said nothing to anyone about it. Not specifically anyway.


    Suddenly, more rifts opened around them, the other creatures creating their own entryways.


    "Everyone get outside!" Mercer barked.


    They bolted for the doors, Cage throwing them open, and they poured outside. They turned back to see more of these fearsome creatures tearing through their rifts, five in all. Commander Mercer raised his hands, crashing them together. The container started contracting; the sound of crushing metal was almost deafening. The monsters were fast, but only the closest managed to get out of the container before it crushed them. The shrieks and cries that came from those being crushed were something she was certain would stick with her for the rest of her life. The black fluid she took to be their blood was leaking out with the water through cracks in the twisted metal. So they could be killed then? Or were they still alive in there, just in excruciating pain?


    Cage quickly morphed into a huge beast, something she had never seen before. But then, animals weren''t something she was overly familiar with. It was massive, though, thick black fur, only slightly smaller than the creature he was attacking. Cage''s teeth and claws were sharp but still smaller than what he was fighting.


    The two beasts crashed into each other, each trying to take the other down. It was Commander Mercer who resolved it, again using his telekinesis to absolutely annihilate the creature.


    Why had he been so worried before? It was obvious to see why he was a Commander. She had met other telekinetics before and watched them train in class. But something like what Mercer had done¡ªif they could have done it at all¡ªwould have caused dizziness, nosebleeds; she had even seen a guy pass out from exerting himself so much, and all he''d done was hurl a bunch of small rocks across the field. Still a fantastic ability, it just seemed to come with a high cost.


    The creature dropped to the ground, a fleshy, oozing mass. But it looked like it was still trying to move beyond the typical muscle spasms for a fresh kill. It was alive!


    Mercer cast something then, completely reducing it to ash. Then he did the same thing to the container.


    Sun knew she wasn''t the only one of the candidates that suddenly felt like children being babysat. It was written all over Cullen''s and Seph''s faces as well.


    When Nick had spoken to her about his evaluation, it had sounded so different¡ªfar more structured, with plenty of opportunity to prove themselves. This really did feel like they were a burden Mercer and Cage had been forced to drag along.


    "I don''t want any trace of these creatures left here," he explained to them.


    "Do you think there could be more about?" Seph asked.


    "It''s possible. And they seem to be able to come and go through the veil at will. It''s dangerous to linger. I think we need to return to Perdition. This is going to require minds far more versed in this than ours and more than five Revenants. We found what happened to the people; that''s our initial objective achieved."


    Sun wanted to destroy the machines; they would only bring trouble. Messing with the Traverse and the creatures in it was beyond foolish, and surely nothing good could come of it.


    Unfortunately, the Commander didn''t order them destroyed. And she was too afraid to suggest it in case that reflected poorly in her evaluation. She already felt she''d underperformed.


    "Let''s get back to the horses," Mercer told them, taking the lead. He didn''t seem the least bit affected by his display of power.


    The moon was nowhere near being full, but it provided just enough light to not be stumbling around in the dark. Still, the Commander conjured a single bright light in his hand to help lead the way.


    When they reached the horses, the creatures were still a little agitated but eager to leave. With only four horses and five people, Cage took to the skies above them, an extra eye out should something come upon them. They kept their pace quicker than walking but couldn''t risk going much faster with how dark it was.


    As they were riding, Mercer suddenly stopped, gesturing for the others to do the same. Once he did, they could hear why after a few seconds. The sound of cracking wood in the distance rang out across the near dead forest. Something¡ªor maybe several somethings¡ªwas charging towards their position. Cage swooped down, landing on his feet.


    "Something''s coming¡ªone from the east, another south of us, and a third between them."


    "Is it the same creatures?" Mercer asked.


    Cage nodded. "And they''re moving fast."


    "You three, keep going that way; you''ll get back to the village," Mercer told them, dismounting and handing the reins to Seph¡ªby far the most confident with horses of the three. "Take Kinzie with you. Keep hidden, and if we haven''t turned up by morning, get back to Perdition."


    "Sir," Seph made to protest.


    "No, just go," Mercer said, his voice harder than they''d heard it before. "Disobeying orders will not look good on your evaluation."


    Seph looked to the other two, seeking backup. Before they could say anything, Mercer ordered them to go, this time with much more authority in his voice.


    The three candidates obeyed this time, despite the uncomfortable feeling it left. They rode off in the opposite direction from where the creatures were coming from. They vaguely knew their way back to the village. And they definitely picked up the pace, but still didn''t have the horses in a full gallop. Cullen did conjure enough light to see by though, it helped a lot. Even with the speed they were at, it was still highly risky. But none of them wanted to be caught with these creatures without Mercer or Cage.


    Sun felt a dread-filled rippling sensation that had the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. A tear was forming nearby. She whirled around, looking for it, but it was too dark to see. Moments later she heard the sound of heavy footsteps pounding into the waterlogged earth. Cullen and his horse let out pained grunts before Cullen''s light died. Sun had managed to see a shadow before it all went dark.


    "Cullen!?" Both she and Seph cried out when they realised what had happened.


    Sun conjured her own light; it was weak and unstable, casting not being something she had much proficiency in. She had summoned the light just in time to see the beast drag both Cullen and his horse through a rift.


    She and Seph dropped off their own horses, running to the portal.


    "It''s starting to close!" Seph said.


    What the fuck were they supposed to do!?

 Chapter 30

    They stared at the rift in horror a moment before she turned to Seph.


    "I''ll go in after him; you try and keep it open somehow," she told him.


    "How!?"


    "I don''t know! Figure it out," she snapped back, diving through.


    The dark of the Traverse was far thicker than she was accustomed to. And it didn''t feel like when she slept, it was heavier, thicker; there was a resistance to her movements, and holding the power to keep her light in place was harder. She could see the horse had been discarded; it was still alive but injured, mauled practically. Was the creature planning to come back and finish it off?


    Through the darkness she could see sparks of light shooting off and hear Cullen grunting. She ran towards him, pulling out her gun. Once her light touched the beast and she could see her risk of hitting Cullen was slim, she fired at it, hoping to at least distract it from Cullen. It did turn on her then, running at her. She kept shooting, backing up. Her bullets didn''t seem to be doing anything to it.


    "Fuckfuckfuck¡ª" She turned and ran, the exertion made so much more difficult by the environment. She put as much of her aura into her speed as she could, her speed crippled by being here in the flesh. The creature didn''t seem to have the same problem as it reached her, swiping at her hard enough to throw her through the air. She slammed into a rocky outcropping. There was a sickening crack, and an agonising pain flared out from her right arm. She had dropped the gun she''d been holding in the blow. There was no time to wallow or even try to alleviate the pain. She sat up, the creature bearing down on her at a frightening speed.


    She was going to die. There was no water here; the earth was dry, and what was left of the trees was dead and barren. Her power had nothing to instinctively protect her with, like in the container.


    And then out of nowhere she was hit with water, a whole heap of it just dumped on her. It happened so fast, but once it was there, her power reacted again. In the split of a second, the creature was encased in ice, trapped and unmoving. Except its pitch-black eyes were following her as she moved.


    "Sun!"


    She looked across to Cullen, who was standing there, hunched over and holding his side, breathing heavily. He''d conjured the water for her! She pulled herself up, keeping an eye on the frozen creature as she picked up her gun. It was still alive in there. Though she wasn''t sure if ''alive'' was applicable...


    She joined Cullen; he was hurt pretty bad. A gasp escaped her when she saw his hair. It had been a dark brown before; now it was stark white.


    "What?" He asked, eyes rimmed with panic.


    "Your hair..."


    He raised his light to get a look, pulling at one of the longer strands to see for himself.


    "What the fuck?" He breathed out. He quickly shook it off. "We need to get out of here."


    She nodded, looking around and hoping to see the rift they''d come through.


    "I think we came from this way," she gestured.


    They started walking at a very slow pace with Cullen''s limp. She couldn''t move her arm; she was quite sure it was broken.


    "Don''t suppose you know how to heal?" She asked him.


    He shook his head. It was a long shot with how complex healing casts were. They were only taught to people who specialised in casting and intended on going into the healing division. But Cullen was a high achiever, and it wouldn''t surprise her to learn he''d taught himself how to do it.


    He stumbled as they walked, and she reached out with her good arm to try and steady him.


    "Here," she muttered, ducking under his arm and offering some support.


    He didn''t pull away or argue it, at least. She kept her injured arm close to her side in an attempt to keep it from being jostled as they walked.


    "Thanks," he mumbled eventually. "For coming in after me."


    "Thanks for the water," she returned. "Here''s hoping Seph managed to keep the rift open."


    He hummed his agreement before he quickly doubled over, expelling the contents of his stomach.


    "Ugh, this place..." He groaned.


    Being in the Traverse must have been so much worse than when they''d been at that camp.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Yeah, we really don''t belong here."


    They found the horse, the poor thing lying there, its breathing ragged. Sun drew her gun and put it out of its misery.


    "The rift should be around here," she mumbled more to herself than to him.


    They both looked around, Cullen managing to summon enough power to brighten the light. Neither wanted to move much; every step took so much energy and caused so much pain. As well as the break in her arm, she was becoming more and more aware of the other¡ªless serious¡ªinjuries she had sustained.


    "There!" Cullen pointed out.


    The relief she felt was indescribable, and the pair quickly hobbled over as fast as their injuries allowed. It was a lot smaller than when they''d come through, but it was still large enough to fit them. There were also rocks and sticks littering the ground below.


    They put their heads through the rift, Seph crying out in fright as he was about to shove a sizeable log through the hole.


    "Fucking hell," he snapped, his hand going to his chest. His irritation quickly faded when he looked at Cullen. "Cullen!"


    In a surprising display of affection, Seph hugged his friend tightly through the rift, Cullen returning it despite the pain it must have caused. She supposed he really did care about his friends. Maybe it was harsh, but she had just assumed he was a piece of shit to everyone, and his friends were mindless followers. But then, his family had taken responsibility for the incident with Vaan; maybe that had been at Seph''s request...


    "Just help get us out of here," Cullen told him.


    Seph tried to help him out; it wasn''t easy with his injuries and the slowly closing rift. Sun tried to help from her side, but she only had one usable arm.


    "What happened in there?" Seph asked, setting Cullen down and helping her through as well. "How did you stop it?"


    "It''s frozen in ice," Cullen told him.


    "I don''t know how long that''ll hold, though," she said. "We should hurry and get out of here."


    "I''m guessing the horse isn''t coming?"


    "No."


    There were still enough horses for them all, but it was going to be difficult for the injured in their party to mount up, let alone ride. Seph had to help them both up, and it wasn''t without pain and possibly further injury. Sun gripped her reins with her one good hand and followed the boys. It was a slower pace than before, and every step made her wince. She could only imagine how much worse it must have been for Cullen, considering his injury was in his leg, and she suspected his ribs.


    They made it back to the village just as the sun was starting to rise; they were filthy, injured, and cold. The cold she didn''t mind so much, but Cullen and Seph were shivering, their lips blue. They had been soaked earlier in the night and not given any chance to dry off before having to traipse through the cold.


    Seph helped them both down from the horses, and she muttered a quiet thanks as they headed inside to tend to their injuries while Seph tied up the horses.


    Inside, her and Cullen dropped heavily into seats at the nearest table, their gaze connecting. What a fucking night...


    Seph joined them moments later.


    "We should take care of your wounds," he said.


    "Check Cullen first; that one on his leg looks nasty," she said.


    There was a lot of blood, but it at least looked dry, so maybe it had stopped bleeding on its own. While they were given some basic first aid at the Academy, it didn''t go into too much depth. Mostly how to keep people alive until someone with the skill could mend them or heal them.


    Before they could do anything, heavy footsteps outside had them all tensing. With her good hand she drew her gun, and Seph rose to his feet, unsheathing his sword. The door of the inn swung open, and Cage entered, raising his hands when he saw them ready to fight him.


    "It''s just me," he told them. "Holy shit, what happened to you lot?"


    He couldn''t talk; he was a little more injured than the last time they''d seen him too.


    "We got attacked," Seph told him, putting his weapon away. "We just got back."


    Sun set her gun on the table. "Where''s Commander Mercer?"


    "Coming. I flew here. We seem to be missing a horse," he noted as he came and checked them over.


    "It got killed in the Traverse," Cullen replied softly.


    "And your hair?"


    "Killed in the Traverse," he repeated. What his actual opinion on his new hair was, she couldn''t begin to guess. But it didn''t look too terrible, quite striking really.


    Cage looked to Sun, like it was something she could explain. She just offered a shrug. She was too sore and too tired to voice her speculations. The creature hadn''t been mauling him, but it had been doing something. She wondered if it hadn''t tried draining his life force the way she could. All those other people in the Traverse had white or grey hair and were aged. Maybe it just never completed the process with Cullen before she interfered.


    "All right, let''s get you seen to; by then the Commander should be here, and we can leave."


    -


    Commander Mercer wasn''t great with healing either and didn''t want to risk damaging them further with an improper cast, so she and Cullen were patched up as best they could manage and piled into the carriage once they were all packed up.


    As for the creatures - what they had found at the camp did indicate a range on the machine that weakened the veil. Hopefully, with the machine off, it could be repaired so the creatures could no longer punch their own hole through. The rifts were able to close on their own, so perhaps the veil could heal itself given time without that machine on.


    Sun didn''t know what would happen next, and Mercer seemed unsure himself when she''d asked. The area would obviously be monitored, perhaps a perimeter established if they could figure out how far the barrier''s weakness extended. But stepping into the area came with a very high risk given these creatures ability to travel both worlds.


    This evaluation had not gone as she''d thought. Their objective had been to find the missing people or find out what happened to them. It had sounded so straightforward. And had been anything but.


    In the carriage she rested her head against the wall; she was so tired. The vibrations hurt too much, though, and she had to sit up again. They were all looking a bit shattered after the last few days. Seph seemed to be the only one who''d come out of it all unscathed. Even Commander Mercer had received a couple of minor injuries from his last fight in the forest.


    She was actually looking forward to going home, seeing her friends. Even Kalys, strangely enough. Although she was worried he might be disappointed with how things had gone here¡ªand how much was revealed of what she could do.


    Cage and Commander Mercer would have to write up a report on everything that happened; she wondered if her brother would be able to read it. And then the actual evaluation of her performance¡ªwould he have access to that?


    Suddenly she wasn''t looking forward to seeing him as much as she had been a moment ago.

 Chapter 31

    Kalys stood on the platform waiting for the train, his hand resting comfortably on the hilt of his sword belted to his hip; his other hand was hidden in his pocket playing with the ribbon he''d taken from her room all those nights ago. He had finally been given word of his sister yesterday, after nearly two weeks of nothing. And even then, what information he''d been given was vague and barely helpful. His grip on the hilt tightened in frustration.


    He at least knew what train she would be returning on and when it was due to arrive, and that injuries had been sustained. They didn''t say how grievous or who had sustained them. He would never admit it to anyone, but he was... worried. It had been so long since he''d worried over anyone like this. Truly worried. He''d been so young when his mother had passed, and his father''s death had been sudden and unforeseen. His grandfather, the only other member of his family he truly cared for, was in good health and had never given him any cause to worry.


    His sister, however¡ªat first little more than a curiosity¡ªhad given him much cause to fret since she had managed to burrow under his skin.


    He had left work to await her arrival; it didn''t sit right, shirking his duties for this. But the thought of ignoring her arrival felt worse. Especially if she had been injured.


    Kalys stared down at the train tracks below him. The train was late. He looked down the line, pleased to see it in the distance, the billowing plumes of smoke a dead giveaway. He took a few steps back from the platform''s edge as he watched it come to a stop in front of him, blowing his hair and coat about.


    The doors slid open to the Revenant compartment, and he watched them file out. He recognised Belzar, his eyes narrowing on him. They sent her out with that boy? He appeared uninjured. To Kalys'' credit, he remained perfectly still despite the inclination to change that. The other boy with the bright white hair was hobbling on crutches, various cuts and bruises on his face. Kalys recognised him as well; he had been in that office when he''d picked up Sun after the fight. He had been brunette then. What had happened out there?


    Sun stepped out next, her big bi-coloured eyes widening further at the sight of him. Clearly she had not expected him to pick her up. Her skin was marred with bruises and grazes, and her arm was in a sling, a cast beneath, her delicate pale fingers peeking out.


    Behind her he glimpsed Commander Mercer and the lieutenant but spared them little more than a glance, taking in every injury he could see on her.


    "Kalys," Mercer greeted in his usual congenial tone.


    Kalys''s eyes flicked to him then, hoping his accusation was clear in his gaze. Mercer had watched him grow up and had been a close friend of his father''s. He was immune to Kalys''s looks, but that didn''t stop the younger man from trying.


    He had pulled strings to have a Commander he trusted on this mission with his sister to protect her. The man had failed.


    "Here we all are, alive and well," Mercer told him, almost as if he could read his mind.


    Kalys''s eyes narrowed on him before he beckoned Sun to join him. She looked to Mercer, unsure if she was even allowed to go.


    "Run along, Sun," the man smiled kindly.


    She quickly bowed and fell into step beside him as he led her to the waiting carriage. Once she was safely ensconced inside, he felt tension he hadn''t even realised he''d been holding drain from his shoulders.


    "Was it a clean break?" He asked her.


    She nodded.


    "How did it happen?"


    She looked around like she wanted to make sure they were alone, biting her lip nervously.


    "Do you think we could talk about it in your study?" She asked, her voice almost a whisper.


    That tension he''d just let go came screaming back. He gave her a nod.


    "Are you in any pain?"


    "No, I''m fine."


    The carriage was small enough he was able to lean forward and reach across, taking her bruised jaw in hand and quietly healing it, moving up to the split on her lip, then the graze on the side of her face. She released a shuddering breath as his healing took.


    Perhaps he needed to delve deeper into healing casts so he could start healing the more grievous injuries, like the broken arm.


    "Thank you," she whispered.


    He leaned back, resting his chin on his hand as he watched her. It would be good to have her home. The rest of the ride was silent, her gaze fixed outside the window, but she didn''t seem to be taking any of it in, biting at her lower lip, brow furrowed. She was clearly troubled by whatever had happened.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    When they got home, he helped her out of the carriage, mildly surprised she took his hand without the look of irritation she usually did the few times they''d been in this situation. Something had disturbed her; he was pleased she was going to confide what that might be.


    They walked quickly inside, one of the maids taking Sun''s duffel, likely to go and wash the contents. Sun greeted the woman with a small smile and a quiet hello before they marched through the manor to his study. She preceded him inside, and he closed the door firmly behind them as she took a seat, waiting for him to do the same.


    "You said you never read the journal," she began hesitantly; it didn''t sound like an accusation, more like she just wanted to be sure.


    "I haven''t," he affirmed.


    "Is it forbidden?"


    He had to think on that. He had never expressly been told it was. "I think it''s more heavily advised."


    What did their family''s journal have to do with what had happened to her?


    "Has anyone else in the family read it? Besides people like me, I mean."


    "Not that I''m aware of."


    "What about... the mission I was sent on, do you know much about it? Commander Mercer sent reports ahead once we made it back to civilisation; did you read them?"


    "No," he replied simply. He had not been given access, and that still grated on him. "Where is this going, Sun?"


    She looked around again, as if she feared the walls themselves had ears. Finally, she leaned forward and spoke low. She spoke to him of her mission, the objective, and what they found when they got there. What she found behind the veil. The encampment and its strange machines, the cages meant to house creatures they shouldn''t even know exist. How she had only recently learnt of their existence. She unleashed a torrent of questions¡ªhow much did they know? How did they find out? Why were they so interested? Could it really have something to do with chasing longevity? Maybe even immortality?


    "Immortality?" He repeated.


    She stopped then, like she had just remembered something.


    "It''s in the journal," she said, her voice going low again. "When... we kill people, animals even, we... take it. For ourselves. It lengthens our own lifespan."


    Kalys sat very still, barely breathing as he processed the words and just what they meant for Sun. Given how many people she''d killed when Perdition discovered her, she must have hundreds of years stockpiled. How was that possible?


    "Are you sure?" He asked, managing to keep his voice from cracking on the words.


    She gave a little one-sided shrug. "That''s what the journal said. But I have noticed... when I do kill something, I feel... revitalised."


    She looked a little revolted as she said it.


    Their father had never mentioned anything like this, not even the hint of a whisper. And Kalys had no doubt he''d read the journal, possibly several times over since it had been given to him at a young age, to help him understand what he was and how he fit into the world. If his grandfather knew anything about it, he had not said anything either.


    Knowledge of the Traverse wasn''t bountiful; most people knew of its existence, though possibly by other names depending on where they came from. But monsters running about in there, the veil between the worlds, and the Illusen link to the other side¡ªthese things were not common knowledge; some of the things Sun had spoken of he was only learning for the first time himself.


    The fact that they had sent Sun specifically had to mean Perdition knew more than it was letting on. And given the events that had transpired out there, Mercer, Cage, and the two boys would at the very least have some inkling of things they shouldn''t even know about now.


    He was far more interested in reading Mercer''s report now. And somehow, he needed to know what they knew.


    The Academy had known about Sun for years and not said a word to him. While he hadn''t wanted to believe Perdition Command might have something to do with it, it was getting harder to ignore the possibility.


    "I want to read the journal," he told her.


    "Now?"


    "Not right this second; I will collect it when I want to get started. And you still haven''t told me how your arm was broken."


    "Cullen got dragged into the Traverse by one of the creatures," she explained. "I went in after him while Seph tried to figure out a way to keep the rift open. We had to fight it; it threw me. I think it was hitting the rocks that did it."


    He felt his breath leave him, his gloved fists squeezing tightly enough the leather creaked.


    "You entered the Traverse without being sure there would be a way back?" He seethed through clenched teeth.


    To her credit, she didn''t shrink, but he did catch a flash of fear, and that wasn''t the reaction he wanted. He had decided quite some time ago he didn''t want her to fear him. But contrition... Contrition and remorse he would have liked to see. The promise that she would never do it again would have been welcome.


    "It happened quickly," she replied. "What else was I supposed to do?"


    Not enter the Traverse. Not risk herself that way. How was he to tear down the veil and come after her if need be?


    "Where were Mercer and his Lieutenant?"


    "We got separated."


    Kalys forced the tension out of him with a breath. It was in the past; nothing to be done for it now. He would just have to wait out the sick feeling in his belly at the thought of her being so far beyond his reach.


    He needed to learn more of the Traverse and of the power her kind possessed. It was also clear he needed to ramp up her training with water and ice. It was obvious by now she would be no maiden groomed for wifery and motherhood. Time to dispense with the gentle arts and teach her how to survive the path she was taking.


    He found he didn''t mind she would never be the pinnacle of a refined young lady he would be proud to marry off. It was easier to accept he''d made a mistake in trying to make her one. Courtly manners and grace were all well and good; he expected those from her. Flower arrangement and the correct way to pour tea would not help her in the field. And he expected she would be spending far more time out there than entertaining suitors or prospective in-laws.


    "I will have a physician come and check your wounds," he said. "I assume you will want to see Nicholai now that you''re back."


    She nodded hopefully. "Zen, too."


    "He is away on his own evaluation."


    Her mouth dropped open a little at the news. Kalys had been keeping an eye on the two boys, considering how close they were with Sun. He didn''t like it, but they were important to her. And it was in both his and Sun''s best interests he knew everything that went on with those closest to her.


    "I will send for Nicholai, but you will see the physician first."

 Chapter 32

    Sun had been nervous when she''d stepped off the train and found her brother standing there. She knew she was going to have to tell him what they had found out there, what had been going on. It seemed like something that could have consequences for their family. It had come as a relief when he''d decided to read the journal for himself. Things might even make more sense to him after reading it, given that his father had been... like her.


    It had been a pleasant surprise when he had offered to send for Nick as well. He wasn''t actively putting up obstacles in their friendship, which was actually a little endearing.


    She didn''t need the physician; a healer would have been nice, though. Unfortunately, there weren''t many outside of the Revenants. Casting was something they had developed, and very few, if any, could manage it outside of them. And she doubted she could go to Commander Sorola again for anything less than life-threatening.


    There were some healers in the Academy infirmary; she would pay them a visit once she went back, see if they could heal broken bones.


    The physician had checked her over; Commander Mercer had already made sure they''d received treatment when they''d first reached civilisation, so there wasn''t a lot for him to do. He left some pain relief should she need it and examined her arm, asked after any other injuries. She had nothing she wanted him to look at, just cuts and bruises that would take care of themselves in time.


    Not long after the physician left, Nick arrived. Sun was already waiting in the parlour for him. When she saw him enter, she practically leaped to her feet, wrapping her good arm around him and pulling him into a tight hug. His own held her tightly in return, careful of her arm.


    "Alright, Sunbeam, tell me everything," he told her, stepping back and taking her in.


    "Walk with me around the garden," she said first, looping her arm through his.


    There were plenty of maids and guards about, each something of a chaperone while she was with Nick. She didn''t want any of them overhearing their conversation. The rest of the manor wasn''t afforded the same privacy as her brother''s study, especially not when she was walking about with a boy.


    She couldn''t tell him everything; Commander Mercer had told them to keep certain details to themselves while Perdition tried to figure everything out. The whole situation out there was hardly resolved. And she couldn''t really talk about the stuff from the journal despite how much she wanted to. Maybe one day she would because she hated secrets, but it definitely wouldn''t be right under her brother''s nose.


    As they walked about the garden arm in arm, she explained what she could, where they''d gone, and what their objective had been. In hushed tones, she explained about the Traverse and the monsters in it. She probably told him more than she should have, but she kept quiet about the machines and the Ninth''s involvement at least.


    "It ended up being a Traverse issue, and they sent you out there?" He asked sceptically.


    She nodded. "I know, I thought the same. So did Commander Mercer."


    Information had been withheld from them; that much was certain. It was the general consensus Perdition had known more than they''d shared.


    "And they sent you out with two boys you''d had a fight with not long before? That didn''t seem smart either."


    "It actually wasn''t so bad," she told him. "After what... Kalys did, Seph has pretty much left me alone. And we were able to work together with minimal snark for the sake of the mission. I''m guessing that''s why we were grouped up in the first place."


    Nick nodded slowly; it did make sense. Did that mean Zen had been grouped up with Vaan? The other boy had been sent out too, but so had quite a large number of their classmates. Nick had assumed they weren''t all going to the same place.


    "So tell me about Zen; do you know where he''s gone?" She asked.


    "No," he sighed. "Same as you, they didn''t tell him before he left. Guess we won''t find out until he gets back."


    "Damn. How long has he been gone?"


    "He left a few days after you," Nick replied.


    "Hopefully he comes back safe."


    "And intact," he added, looking pointedly at her arm.


    She shot him a flat look for that. He hadn''t had to deal with what she''d had to deal with. Besides, he was also stronger, faster, and smarter than her. Of course he''d come out fine. They couldn''t all be prodigies.


    They continued to walk; the snow was all gone by now, spring clawing its way back. So being outside wasn''t too unpleasant for Nick. Nick caught her up with how things had been in her absence; he wasn''t one for gossip, so he didn''t have too much to say about that. Zen was the one to go to for that. So Nick told her about his training and interesting books he''d read. Without them there to distract him, he had a lot more time for reading.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    When the sun started to set, they headed inside, coming face to face with Mika.


    "Mika!" Sun greeted her, genuinely happy to see her. "How are you?"


    "Great, it''s nice having two working arms," she ribbed.


    "Hah hah haaaah," she replied, oozing sarcasm.


    "Your brother would like to know if your friend is joining you for dinner."


    Sun looked to Nick, silently asking if he wanted to. He nodded but didn''t look happy about it. Likely at the prospect of spending any time in the pressure cooker that was her brother''s presence. But he''d bear it to spend more time with her.


    "Dinner will be in an hour," Mika told them, giving a little curtsy before leaving them to it.


    They returned to the parlour to spend the time while they waited for dinner. Sun did return to her room to get some books she had set aside for him before she''d left, though. Then they just sat while he read to her and she listened, feet in his lap and head on the sofa''s armrest.


    She was tired. Now that winter was practically gone, so were the sounds of the Traverse. She''d be able to sleep comfortably in her room again with peace and quiet. And it had been an exhausting mission. She was still carrying a lot of anxiety over what it all meant and what those monsters might be up to now. Was the veil healing? Once it did, would those monsters still be able to tear through it the way they had?


    It was Kalys who came to fetch them for dinner rather than sending a maid. His eyes fixed on where her feet were resting on Nick''s lap, but he said nothing other than dinner was ready. He did wait for them to get up and follow along behind him to the dining room.


    Dinner was a silent affair, Kalys not bothering with conversation¡ªnot that that was something he was prone to do¡ªand she and Nick were too uncomfortable to talk between themselves.


    After the lovely dinner, Sun walked Nick to the door and bid him goodbye. He left her with a careful hug before porting away.


    Sun returned to her room to wash off the day and settle into bed. She was actually looking forward to bedtime, maybe even a little excited about it now that sleep would be restful. She had barely closed her door before there was a knock on it. When she opened it back up, Kalys was there.


    "You''re here for the journal?" She asked.


    "Yes."


    She turned around and went to her bed; she kept the box under there, tucked far back. She had to lie on the ground and try to reach it, a task made a bit more difficult with her broken arm. When she dragged it out, Kalys lifted it off the floor for her.


    "When you want to read it, let me know."


    She nodded. "Good night, Kalys."


    "Good night, Sun," he returned.


    -


    Sun settled back into her old routine¡ªbreakfast, the Academy, home, and dinner. The healers at the Academy weren''t able to repair the broken arm, but they could speed its healing along slightly, a little bit every day. That was welcome news.


    The Academy was different without Zen there, and it was clear both she and Nick missed him. She and Zen had been the same when Nick was gone; it felt like missing a limb.


    Cullen and Seph were around too, but they had all reverted back to their just-ignore-each-other dynamic they''d settled into before their evaluation. Although there was a nod in greeting if they passed each other in the hallways. She could admit to a begrudging respect for them after spending so much time with them and fighting alongside them. She assumed it might have been the same for them.


    Cullen''s hair had been the talk of the school, though. She didn''t know what he was telling people about it, but there were rumours circulating¡ªsome not so flattering.


    At one point she had been pulled aside by a group of girls who''d thought to ask her about it. Cullen was an attractive guy and did have something of a following amongst the girls and women there.


    They had asked her if it was true he''d been so scared his hair had turned white. Sun had rolled her eyes and told them that was the dumbest fucking thing she''d ever heard before walking away. She didn''t want to feed into the gossip and certainly didn''t want people thinking he was a coward when he wasn''t. But they couldn''t talk about the real reason it had changed.


    She had watched him in the days following their departure from the borderlands. Aside from the white hair, he didn''t look aged in any other way. She thought his eyes might have looked a little faded, but she''d never spent much time staring at them before, so she couldn''t be sure. It wasn''t her business anyway.


    As for her home life, Kalys must have been as fast a reader as Nick, though Sun probably shouldn''t have been surprised. It was said there was nothing Kalys couldn''t do. But a few days later at breakfast he spoke to her about the things he''d read in the journal and that he''d come upon her own bookmark keeping her place. What had taken her weeks he''d managed to get through in days. That stung. But it was nice to have someone to discuss it all with and explain things about the people doing the writing. Kalys seemed to know a lot about each writer and some of the names mentioned. He also shared with her his own observations on some of the entries. Some things he was learning for the first time, especially when it came to the different abilities people like her could possess, and she was able to clarify some of it. The pervading theme, though, was that this ability wasn''t exactly the same for everyone.


    Since he had already reached the same point she was, he suggested reading the rest together. She wasn''t against the idea, but she was a little embarrassed. He was clearly a much faster reader than her, and she didn''t want to hold him up. However, the way he''d phrased it hadn''t sounded like he was giving her a choice. After dinner, they would go to his study and read the journal together.


    All day during classes she dreaded how it was going to go. He had a powerful ability to make her feel nervous and self-conscious, even when it appeared he wasn''t trying to.


    She was likely the problem there. As much as she didn''t want to admit to the... attraction she had to him, it was there all the same, and it made it difficult to be around him. It was mostly born from the fear he might realise it. She could not think of anything more mortifying than that. Except maybe someone else finding out. It was one reason the incest insults stung so much¡ªthere was truth to them. On her end anyway.


    She knew it was twisted and deviant, but she didn''t know how to stop it. It had been easier in the beginning when he''d done so many things she hated. But finding comfortable ground with him had ignited the sparks she''d felt at her demonstration all that time ago before she''d found out who he was, and she didn''t know how to put them out.

 Chapter 33

    Kalys arrived home early that day, collecting her and heading straight to his study. He thought they could make a start before dinner.


    He pulled the chair from the other side of his desk to a spot beside him so they could both read the journal. The fact he had come upon her spot in the book so quickly was an indication she wasn''t reading it fast enough.


    He was aware she had come to the Academy completely illiterate, but she''d completed assignments and essays, so he knew she was more than capable of reading now.


    She sat beside him, discomfort written all over her face. He''d thought they had reached a more agreeable relationship before she left; perhaps he''d been mistaken...


    "What is it?" He finally asked.


    "What is what?"


    "You look like you would rather be anywhere else. This is important, Sun."


    "I know. And it''s not... that..." She let out a sigh, looking up to the roof as if she might find help there. "I''m... a very slow reader. You''re going to get irritated having to keep to my pace. Sometimes I have to reread parts a few times to process the words properly and... sometimes my brain doesn''t always pay attention to the words my eyes are seeing, so I have to read it again."


    She muttered, her face flushed with shame as she glared down at the desk in front of her.


    Ah. Was that why Nickolai so often read to her?


    "It''s easier to hear the words than read them?" He asked.


    She nodded.


    "I will read it to you then."


    Her eyes shot to his, surprised. But she nodded.


    He''d have thought that being read to might shame her more considering it was something often considered infantile, something parents did for their children at bedtime. Then it occurred to him she may not know that. She''d never had it. His father and his grandfather had read to him often as a child and fostered a love of the written word in him from a young age.


    Sun''s childhood had been consumed with survival. And from what he understood, none of them had been able to read, so she''d had no one to teach her.


    He clenched his teeth, forcing the indignation to pass. She should not have suffered that kind of childhood, but there was nothing to be done for it now. He could only ensure she had a better future.


    She drew her knees up into the seat, curling up in what he assumed must have been a comfortable position for her, and he started reading the next entry. She did at least look like she was listening attentively.


    Perhaps next time they would do this somewhere more comfortable, as he''d seen her do with Nickolai.


    Reading through it with her was an improvement; he could have his questions answered immediately when it came to her own abilities, and she was able to get her questions answered about the writers, the people, and the places. At times it turned into a discussion about their family history, something he was well versed in. They even went on tangents about her own past¡ªat least what she was comfortable divulging. He got the feeling there was a lot she wasn''t going into. As much as he wanted to know, he wouldn''t push. He''d seen where that got him. He was nothing if not a quick learner, and he found it surprisingly easy to bend his will for her, to make her an exception to his rules.


    Some of them at least.


    -


    Sun and Kalys sat at the dinner table quietly enjoying their meal. At least she was; she couldn''t tell with him. She thought she might have been getting better at reading him sometimes, or maybe he was just letting his guard down around her slightly.


    They had been reading through the journal every night the past few nights. Their pace wasn''t as quick as him on his own, but much faster than her on her own. They often stopped to speak, and she found it... nice. And informative.


    She knew they were related, obviously, that they shared a family history and relatives. But it had all seemed so distant from her. When she spoke with her brother about it, it almost helped establish a connection for her; it didn''t feel so far removed.


    Occasionally she had wondered what it would have been like had she grown up here, if she''d known her father, grown up with Kalys as a brother, and not learnt that tidbit after she had been attracted to him. It had felt... disloyal to Nick and Zen, though, to imagine a life that wouldn''t have had them in it. Even if she could have, she wouldn''t change it. She would go through it all again to keep them by her side.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    A loud crack shattered the silence in the dining room, and both turned to the sound, Kalys ready to attack. He relaxed only slightly when he realised it was Nickolai teleporting in.


    "Sun!" He grabbed her hand. "Zen is back; he''s hurt, in the hospital wing. We have to go."


    Before Kalys could do anything, the both of them disappeared.


    Kalys let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. He''d never thought about the possibility of someone teleporting straight into his estate and stealing his sister. He would need to invest some time into figuring out a way to prevent that.


    Nick ported them to the Academy and started leading her through the halls. They weren''t going to the Academy''s infirmary.


    "Where are we going?" She asked him.


    "The hospital wing up in Perdition, in the Sixth," he replied. "He was badly hurt. I heard he almost died."


    The Academy infirmary wasn''t equipped enough to deal with serious or severe injuries. The few times one of the students had been hurt badly enough, they''d had to go up to Perdition to be treated. It must have been bad if Zen was sent there.


    They ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, running through Perdition towards the medical division. They skidded to a halt just outside the gates and tried to appear more orderly. The last thing they wanted was to be kicked out because they weren''t behaving.


    They headed over to reception and asked for Zen Farron. The nurse gestured to a room down the hall, and they set off at a very brisk pace.


    They probably should have asked about his condition first to prepare them, but they had been in too much of a rush. When they entered his room, they found him unconscious in the bed, hooked up to tubes and machines. Both of them froze, eyes wide. Nick grabbed her hand tightly, grounding both himself and her, and they slowly headed closer. Zen looked so pale. It barely looked like he was breathing. His face had bruises and cuts. He wore no shirt, most of his torso covered in gauze, the pungent smell of antiseptic thick in the air. The near-fatal wound must have been under those bandages.


    Nick sat her down beside the bed while he retrieved a chair from the corner, sitting on Zen''s other side. Sun reached out, taking her unconscious friend''s hand in her good one. It was so cold. Zen had always been warm, in body and personality. It was hard to see him like this. She was half tempted to try shaking him awake and scolding him for worrying them. She smoothed some of his bright orange hair from his eyes. They fluttered at the contact, and hope welled within her. They both leaned forward eagerly and stared intensely at their friend. After a few moments, his eyes opened, and he cast both of them a small smile. They returned it while breathing silent sighs of relief.


    "Hey," he said, his voice cracked. "What took you guys so long?"


    They frowned down at him.


    "What do you mean?" Asked Nick.


    "I''ve been here since this morning," Zen replied with an exaggerated pout. "I guess you guys were just too busy for me."


    "We only just found out you were here," said Sun, tightening her grip on his hand. "We are so sorry."


    He let out a dry chuckle before it became a coughing fit.


    "Are you ok?"


    "I will be," he said. "And I was just joking. They didn''t release our arrival until a little while ago."


    "Why?"


    Zen''s smile faded away. "A few people died on our mission. They wanted to inform the families first before rumours started flying around."


    "Shit," Nick breathed. "What happened?"


    "We were sent up north to fight the rebels. It was brutal. But I don''t think they expected as much trouble as we got. We weren''t supposed to be in the thick of it."


    "How did you get injured?"


    "There was an explosion, and I was pretty close. I had the protective gear on, and that took most of the damage, but my chest was pretty burnt and I had smoke damage to my lungs."


    Both looked horrified as he told them.


    "But you''re going to live, right?" She double-checked.


    Zen nodded. "In a few weeks after all the healing, they''re going to let me get back into classes and stuff. I''ve been in a hospital up North the last few days; the healers kept me from dying. Now where''s my homecoming hug?"


    Her eyes widened even more. "Are you kidding? I''m too scared to touch you; I might hurt you!"


    "Don''t be an idiot; give me a hug."


    Her eyes narrowed, and she flicked him in the forehead before she wrapped her arm around his neck, careful to avoid putting any weight on him. He hugged her tightly, enjoying her familiar scent. He had missed it. He had missed both his friends very much. It was strange not having them at his side to talk to, to laugh with. He never wanted to be without them again. It had already become difficult with her being taken in by the Winter Clan and Nicks advanced lessons. Zen felt like he was being left behind.


    She pulled out of his embrace and sat down. Zen smiled at them.


    "So, only our genius friend made it out of his mission unscathed," he said.


    They both turned to look at Nick.


    "What can I say? I''m a prodigy; getting injured is beneath me."


    She poked her tongue out at him, and he chuckled. They were interrupted by a knock on the door, and she turned to find a servant from the estate there. Her stomach sank; was he here to make her come back?


    "My lady," he bowed, carrying in a large box. He placed it upon a nearby table. "This is for you."


    With that, he left. She stood up, eyeing the box warily. She opened it and found a note on top of several containers.


    You did not have dinner. I expect it all to be eaten. K.I.


    Gods, his writing was as pretty as he was. She looked at all the containers; there was enough food here for all three of them. Did he actually mean for her to share it? She turned around, setting the food out for them.


    "What''s all this?" Zen asked.


    "Dinner, from my brother," she replied, a little bewildered by his consideration.


    It probably shouldn''t still surprise her, and yet every time he did something nice, it did still come as something of a shock. It was a little unfair to him if she were honest with herself.


    They eyed it all up; it looked delicious. There was even dessert. The trio dug into it, as much as Zen was able. They tried to help him eat, gently sitting him up and even feeding him at times.


    It was clear he was fatigued easily and drifted off to sleep before they''d even finished.


    Sun wondered why Commander Sorola didn''t heal him as she had Sun all that time ago. Surely this level of injury warranted it.


    Once Zen had fallen asleep, the pair stayed and watched him for a little while before Nick offered to take her home. It was getting late.


    She reluctantly agreed, loath to leave Zen. But he would need his rest, and sitting here watching him wasn''t going to make him heal faster.

 Chapter 34

    Nick teleported her straight to her room after their visit with Zen, shooting her a mischievous grin for breaking Kalys''s rules. He didn''t push it though, bidding her goodnight before vanishing with a crack again.


    Sun wondered if she should just get ready for bed or see if Kalys had opted to continue with the journal.


    She decided to take a peek in his study to check. She found she didn''t want him to read it without her.


    When she opened her bedroom door, she jumped back slightly, hand to her chest at the fright. Kalys was standing there, his eyes sweeping across the room before settling on her.


    "Did¡ªdid you know I was back?"


    "Yes."


    Right, he probably sensed her or Nick''s auras. Probably Nick since he''d used his power.


    "I was just coming to find you," she said. "To see if we were going to read more of the journal."


    "If you''re amenable."


    She nodded, following him as he turned. He didn''t take her to the study, instead leading her to the solar, a room they so rarely used. It was supposed to be a comfortable living space reserved for close family members only. But when Kalys was home, he was usually in his room, study, the gardens, or the aviary. And she mostly kept to her room unless Nick or Zen were there, and they had to keep to the parlour.


    "Make yourself comfortable," he told her, going to the cabinet and removing the box the journal was kept in.


    When had he shifted it here? And why?


    She did as bid, though, settling cross-legged into the plush armchair. Kalys took a seat in the one opposite, crossing one leg over the other before finding their page. Sitting like that, he looked every inch the noble lord.


    Once he started to read, she listened avidly. She didn''t want him to regret reading aloud to her and stop doing it if he thought she weren''t paying attention. Besides, it was interesting material for the most part.


    Some writers tended to waffle on about nothing, not keeping to their abilities and what they''d learnt. Some treated it like a diary, going on about their days and the most mundane topics Sun had ever heard. Some were far more clinical and touched on nothing but their power, how they used it, when and why, and what the results were. Some obviously spent more time in the Traverse than others; some had a curiosity about it and even mentioned trying to find the same light she used to head towards. So far, not one of them had reached it.


    Their current writer was one Eyix Illusen¡ªKalys had informed her she was still many generations before them. They had a long way to go. She was curious to see what their father had written and wondered if Kalys felt the same. He''d actually known the man after all and loved him greatly from the sounds of it.


    Sun suddenly perked up at the paragraph Kalys read, the movement drawing his attention as he looked at her over the book.


    Eyix spoke of creatures whose cries shook her soul. She hadn''t seen them, but she''d heard them, out in the peripheries while she''d been travelling. That was further out than the borderlands. Was that where they came from?


    "Is she referring to the creatures you encountered?" Kalys asked.


    "Maybe. What else does she say?"


    Kalys continued reading, but the entry finished without any further mention of them. The next few entries were the same¡ªnothing of these beasts. Finally, four entries later, she mentioned them again. This time while comfortably sleeping at their estate in Solaryse.


    Eyix was from before Perdition and Revenants, so the head of the clan still resided in the Capital back then. And as Sun was coming to understand, if there was someone like her, the clan head took them in and kept them close. Eyix had been her clan head''s second cousin and had lived in a small town with her parents miles from the capital before he''d come for her. Of course her parents had moved with her, but they had not been made privy to the existence of the journal, let alone its contents.


    Over the next few entries, Eyix wrote daily, mentioning these beasts and how no one else before her had mentioned them either. She wrote how she heard them nightly when she entered the Traverse in sleep. They made her afraid to go far from her resting spot. Every night they seemed more restless, louder, and like there were more than the night before. The pack was growing. She even feared they might have been looking for her, or that her presence had something to do with theirs, that they''d somehow followed her from the peripheries.


    Kalys had cast her a questioning look, wanting to know if it was the same for her. As well as the question in his eyes, there was... concern. She could only shrug. As far as she had experienced, there didn''t seem to be anything that linked her presence to theirs. She didn''t know how they hunted or how they''d found them when they''d been out in the borderlands.


    Kalys kept reading, but after several more entries that weren''t entirely interesting and with no mention of the monsters, he closed the book.


    "It''s getting late," he said. "We''ll continue tomorrow."


    Sun nodded, though she would have preferred to keep going. But she did have to go to the Academy tomorrow, first to stop by the infirmary so they could speed her wounded arm along, then to classes. After that she and Nick would likely go back to the hospital wing up in Perdition. Though given she couldn''t train and could only attend non-practical classes, that left her with extra time to go and see him.


    He had looked terrible today, and she didn''t like the idea of him being all alone up there. If it weren''t for the sound of Nick teleporting, they probably would have snuck up in the night to stay with him. She wondered if he could learn to make it silent.


    "There is something we need to discuss," he said before she got up, and she looked to him curiously.


    "In a week''s time we will need to go to the Capital. Lady Intrieri is turning seventeen; there is a celebration for her birthday. After which is a formal presentation at court. We are duty bound to attend."


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Who is Lady Intrieri?" She asked.


    "Lord Intrieri''s younger sister."


    She stared at him blankly. The surname sounded vaguely familiar. Kalys sighed.


    "Nathaniel. You met him midwinter."


    Ah, yes, she remembered. From the Spring Clan, one of the other great houses.


    "And what is a ''formal presentation at court''?"


    "Her and other young noble ladies of age will be formally introduced to the court and the King. This also signifies they are eligible for marriage and their families are officially open to receiving proposals."


    Seventeen and already looking for a husband? Sun was eighteen¡ªmaybe nineteen; she couldn''t be entirely sure¡ªand the idea of getting married at this age was so off-putting. Would Kalys do the same to her? The thought was panic-inducing.


    "Don''t look so distressed," he told her, the barest hint of amusement in his tone. "I have forgone that route for you."


    "Don''t think I''d make a good wife?" She asked snidely.


    "That is but one reason."


    "What are the other reasons?" She asked, genuinely curious.


    "My own," he replied with an almost gentle finality. "Now, to bed."


    They both got up from their seats, Sun stretching her legs from their cramped position. Kalys locked the book away and returned it to its cabinet before walking her back to her room and bidding her goodnight, ever the gentleman.


    -


    Every day they visited Zen in the hospital and would stay for hours on end. Most times until Zen would fall asleep. They would get up early and have breakfast with him, they would join him for lunch, and Nick would have dinner with him. Sometimes Sun would be unable to make it as Kalys would request her presence for dinner. Request, not demand. It was hard to say no when he was considerate enough to ask.


    Dinners were still mostly quiet affairs, but no more of the awkwardness at the beginning of her time here. She was getting comfortable with his silence.


    Some nights, after dinner, she would go back to the hospital and spend more time with the boys. Tonight was one such night, and when she stepped outside, the carriage had been prepared, and the driver was waiting on her to take her. She tried to tell him she would be fine walking, but again they told her Lord Illusen requested they take her. At least he wasn''t stopping her from going.


    She met up with Nick and Zen; they were halfway through a card game of Bastard. They distractedly greeted her and continued their game. She sat watching avidly; she loved this game and told them to deal her in when they were done.


    "So," said Zen, his eyes flicking over her for the briefest moment. "How long will you be gone for this thing in the Capital? How long will you be leaving me in my time of need?"


    She rolled her eyes at his ridiculousness. The healers were working on him, and he was getting better every day. He was in much the same boat as her, though obviously his wounds were far worse.


    "I''m sure you''ll manage," she said drily.


    "If that eases your conscience," he sniffed haughtily before shooting her a grin.


    "Why do you even have to go? What do you have to do?" Nick asked.


    Kalys had explained it, and mostly it sounded like a meet-and-greet/networking type of situation. They were obligated to go because it was one of the four great houses and the King. Part of their duties was to keep the peace with the other three, and social niceties like this were considered part of that.


    "From what I can gather, I just have to stand there, look pretty, and try not to embarrass Kalys," she replied.


    "Good luck with that," Zen muttered.


    "At least I''m not in Lady Intrieri''s shoes. After her birthday celebration, she''ll be formally presented at court. Apparently there''ll be a few others as well from lesser houses, but they''re all there to impress the King and advertise themselves for marriage."


    "Illusen going to expect the same of you?"


    "I don''t know. I know he doesn''t right now at least; I''m not wife material."


    Both looked offended on her behalf, and before they could start insulting her brother, she raised a silencing hand.


    "It''s fine; he didn''t even say it like it was a terrible thing. Surprisingly."


    That seemed to mollify them somewhat, and they returned their focus to their card game.


    "What will you do if he does expect you to marry someone?" Zen asked.


    "Hopefully I''ll be better equipped to run by then. I''ve been saving money, and I have a bag of stuff hidden and ready to go," she told them.


    "You never told us this," Nick''s tone was almost accusatory, and she inwardly flinched.


    "You don''t have to come with me. By then you''ll probably be Revenants with your own lives, maybe even wives or children; I don''t know."


    "But if we don''t have those things, we''d still come with you. Might be a bit harder with wives and children, but we''d figure something out."


    "It may not even happen," she shrugged. "I doubt we need to worry about it."


    She didn''t have too much confidence in her words, but she was hoping it would be enough to get them to drop it. She didn''t want them to upend their lives for her. Of course, if she did have to go on the run, she would keep in contact with them and meet up with them when she could. She had no intention of just cutting them out of her life.


    Whether or not she could even outrun Kalys or hide from him indefinitely was up for debate, but if he ever tried to force her into a marriage she didn''t want, she wasn''t sticking around.


    After their game finished, they dealt her in and played a few rounds before it got too late and they were kicked out to give Zen his rest.


    Nick teleported her back to her room, as had become part of their routine. The second he disappeared, Kalys was at her door, as had also become part of the routine. They still took the time to read through the journal, even if they didn''t get very far. They even had tea and snacks while they did it; it made it all feel much less formal and awkward. It wasn''t something she would admit out loud, but she even looked forward to these nights. They did nothing to help her growing infatuation with him¡ªnot even the sick-to-the-stomach feeling at the thought of it did anything to deter it¡ªbut she liked seeing him relax a little. A couple of times during their conversations he had even smiled, it was faint, barely there, but she was certain she''d seen it. And the light spark of amusement in his usually cold blue eyes was almost transforming.


    Of course she heavily reprimanded herself every time thoughts like that came to her. He was her half-brother! But the self-loathing and fear of being deemed a deviant didn''t stop it. She didn''t know how to stop it.


    She''d fancied boys in the past, but it usually never lasted long and certainly wasn''t this strong. She didn''t know how to make it go away...


    Would Kalys kick her out if he knew? Honestly, that could be for the best. The distance might help. She doubted he would tell anyone why he was kicking her out, if he ever did. He wasn''t the type to air his personal business. And this kind of situation could be considered quite humiliating. At least she found it to be so.


    Sun returned her focus to his words as she poured him another cup of tea. Eyix had finally mentioned the monsters again; they had gotten close enough for her to see them. She described them much the same as Sun had. Massive in size, thick hides, obsidian claws the size of daggers... It really was them then.


    Since her mission, she had not seen or heard them again, and she hoped it would stay that way. She also wondered if she could get some kind of update on what Perdition was planning to do about the situation out there. She doubted they would give any explanations to a candidate, even if she had been out there. Maybe if she asked Kalys, he might have more information or at least be willing to find out.


    "Kalys?" She asked.


    He paused in his reading and looked over to her, a hint of irritation at the interruption.


    "The mission I went on, do you know what they''re doing about it? How they plan to resolve it?"


    "They haven''t settled on a course of action yet," he replied. "I believe Commander Mercer and Lieutenant Cage are working with the Third to come up with something."


    She nodded thoughtfully. "Has Perdition ever dealt with anything like that before?"


    "Creatures from the Traverse? No." He shut the book on his lap. "Perhaps we should end here for now."


    She nodded, getting to her feet and making to take the tea tray back to the kitchen.


    "I''ll take care of it. You go to bed," he told her.


    She mumbled out a thanks and a good night before heading back to her room and crawling into bed.

 Chapter 35

    It had been a long time since Sun had last been in Solaryse. And even then, she hadn''t seen it from this side before. The slums she had grown up in were so far removed from the northern districts she''d never even seen them before.


    As kids, it would have taken them all day, if not longer, to walk the distance to it. As she stood on the train platform high enough on the hill, she could see the dark, shadowy place she used to call home.


    It always stunk there, tanners and foundries, homeless, incinerators... Her family was buried just beyond it, as far as they could safely go into the forest that bordered that side of the city. She should pay them a visit while she was here.


    "Sun?"


    She jolted out of her thoughts, looking to her brother, who was watching her with the faintest hint of a question in his eyes.


    "What is it?"


    "Nothing," she replied softly, following him to the waiting carriage.


    They would be staying at the Illusen estate here, which apparently had a lot of family members currently residing in it. Some of them she had already met. She wasn''t looking forward to that. But, her grandfather lived there much of the year; she was eager to catch up with him.


    Mika had come with them, but she would be travelling in a different carriage with other staff members. Apparently Kalys thought Sun was useless without her. While Sun took a bit of offence to that, she liked Mika and was the closest thing Sun had to a female friend. And she was learning a lot from her, things the boys certainly couldn''t teach her. While Sun had never been particularly vain, Mika had really taught her how to make herself appealing¡ªhow to do her makeup, what styles and colours flattered her, and how to do her hair. While she didn''t bother with that kind of stuff if she was just going to the Academy¡ªdespite Mika''s objections¡ªanywhere else, Sun was all right with putting a bit of extra effort into her appearance. And considering the events she would be attending while she was here, she would no doubt need Mika''s expertise. She would be mingling with women born into this life, groomed for it from birth. Looking like she belonged might be a stretch, but she at least didn''t want to stand out.


    Midwinter had been different, not entirely composed of the nobility; there had been high-ranking Revenants as well, and people the Illusens had partnerships with for their myriad of businesses.


    Sun hadn''t realised how complicated it all was. All she''d understood before this was that rich people were rich because they were born that way. And they stayed that way by trampling all over the poor. While she still believed that to be the case in a way, the Illusens also had a few different businesses in several different industries. She kind of thought they were just parasites who magically sucked their money from already struggling people. After learning of all their businesses, she realised the ''magically'' part was a bit off.


    Kalys wanted her to learn all about it, as his heir, she would need to manage them. Gods, she hoped that never came to pass.


    They made it to the Illusen estate, and Sun had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her jaw from dropping. Estate was an understatement. She thought the manor she lived in was ridiculously lavish; this was palatial. The King''s Palace was likely the only place that could compete with this. There was even a fountain out front, stone, stained glass, and mosaic tiles depicting the Illusens signature ice and ravens. Outside the building, staff and family members had gathered to greet the Head of the Clan and his heir. She recognised a couple of the family members from the midwinter celebration and the dinner they had when she was first acknowledged. Sun wasn''t looking forward to seeing some of these people again.


    When the carriage stopped, Kalys got out first, holding his hand out to her so he could help her down. She didn''t need it, but apparently it was an image thing. Rejecting the offer could be considered disrespectful or offensive and a sign of enmity within the household.


    There were bows and polite greetings, and despite being made up in a lovely azure dress, hair and makeup done, she still felt... inadequate as they eyed her up. Her arm was still in its sling and cast; if they had questions about it, they kept it to themselves. But it reminded her how she didn''t fit their mould.


    Kalys led Sun inside, taking her to her quarters for the duration of her stay here. She was eager to get to her own space and out from under the judgemental gazes of her ''relatives.''


    They had to make their way through the foyer, up a flight of marble stairs with beautiful wrought iron railing, and then headed down the right hallway where her room was the first on the left.


    "This is my room," Kalys told her, indicating the door opposite hers. "Should you need me."


    She nodded, thanking him before disappearing into her own room with a deep sigh. Her luggage wasn''t here yet; it was travelling with the staff in a different carriage.


    Sun took in the room, much larger than her room back home. It was also heavily decorated, each piece exuding wealth and taste. It was mostly in keeping with the Illusens signature colour blue, but not a lot of black.


    The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the back gardens, which were once again much more expansive than back home and beautifully and painstakingly maintained. A lot of roses as well. More fountains, though smaller than the spectacle out front. Ponds, statues, gazebos, benches... What must it have been like as a child to have this to play in growing up?


    Though she couldn''t imagine Kalys ever just playing. Even as a child.


    She wasn''t sure what to do with herself, but she was reluctant to leave her room. It had taken quite some time to feel comfortable moving about the manor back home. It was quite the stretch of the imagination to think she could manage the same thing here. The risk of running into someone she would rather avoid was too great. She didn''t have the quiet confidence Kalys had, the rather justified knowledge that he was untouchable and above question.


    Kalys had said the library here was far more extensive than back home. Though she didn''t have much interest in reading, maybe she could pinch a few books Nick might be interested in.


    With Kalys''s permission.


    Maybe.


    -


    Sun hid in her room the remainder of the afternoon under the guise of settling in and resting from the lengthy travel. She could not, however, avoid dinner. Mika came to her room to get her ready.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "You can''t just give them my apologies and tell them I''m sick?" Sun asked a little hopelessly.


    Mika gave her a stern look that told her not to be such a coward. It wasn''t just cowardice. Dealing with these people would probably be unpleasant, and she would rather avoid that. Hadn''t she suffered enough unpleasantness in her short life?


    Sun let out a huff but obeyed as Mika gestured for her to change into the evening dress she had picked out, then they''d do her hair. She missed her hair ribbon. It had been missing for a while, though she couldn''t exactly pinpoint how long. She had torn her room apart at the manor trying to find it, but no luck. The maids were keeping an eye out. It was a comfort item.


    When Sun saw herself in the mirror, she glared at her reflection. It really was a beautiful dress. The small floral detailing embroidered into the soft blue tulle was quite stunning and must have taken the seamstress a very long time.


    Back in the bedroom, Mika worked on her hair and makeup, chatting with Sun about the last time she''d been in the capital.


    "Were you born here?" Sun asked.


    "No, a small town out east. Pinewatch," Mika replied.


    Sun had never heard of it. "What brought you to Solaryse?"


    "Work, of course," she replied simply.


    "Do you have any family here?" Sun asked.


    Mika was usually quite a private person, and this was the most she''d given up on her past and personal life.


    "No, just a mother back in Pinewatch," she replied.


    "Do you get to see her much?"


    "No, but we write back and forth often enough."


    "Have you worked in this estate?" Sun asked.


    If she remembered correctly, Mika had been hired only a day or two before Sun had been brought to the manor, so probably not.


    "No, first time here. It''s bloody impressive."


    "Seems a bit excessive to me," Sun muttered.


    Mika nodded, conceding that point. "So when you become Clan head, what do you plan to do about it?"


    "''When?''" She asked. "I''m hoping that never happens. Part of Kalys''s duty is producing an heir." No matter how much of a sour taste that left in her mouth. "Not just picking one up off the street."


    "And he is nothing if not dutiful?"


    Mika had a smirk on her face as she said it, but Sun couldn''t understand why. It was a factual statement.


    "Yes? He''ll get married, have a kid, and that kid can have those problems. And his wife will take over Lady Illusen''s duties, and I''ll be free."


    Another thought came to her.


    "Maybe she''ll kick me out..."


    Sun doubted any woman good enough to marry her brother would want to live with his bastard sister and have her underfoot. That thought also left a sour taste in her mouth and, for some reason, produced a tiny little ball of dread and sadness in the pit of her stomach.


    "Your brother wouldn''t let that happen," Mika told her, certainty in every word.


    Sun wasn''t so sure but didn''t bother arguing the point.


    "All right, all done," Mika smiled. "Now we just wait for your brother to collect you."


    She barely got the words out before there was a knock at the door. Sun answered it, offering a smile up to Kalys, though it probably came out as more of a grimace. The similarities to the last family dinner were not lost on her.


    Kalys offered his arm to her, which she took, bidding goodbye to Mika on the way out.


    "How many people will be there?" She asked softly.


    "All family members currently residing and visiting the estate."


    "And what number is that?"


    "I believe thirty-two."


    "You have that many family members?" She whisper hissed.


    She caught a flash of amusement in his eyes that quickly vanished.


    "We have much more than that. You, I, and our grandfather are the main branch of our family. The rest are distant cousins, aunties, uncles, and those related to us by marriage."


    "Will dinner be like this every night we''re here?"


    "No. This is a greeting."


    He escorted her down the stairs and through the building to what she could only describe as a banquet hall. The room was huge, tables set out in one big rectangle with all seats facing inward and beautifully decorated. The roof was black, with fairy lights scattered across it like stars. There were only a few chandeliers spaced about, made of crystal or glass, she didn''t know; she wouldn''t be able to tell the difference.


    There were only two seats left empty at the head of the table, and Kalys led her towards them. On one side sat their grandfather, and she assumed it would be like the last family dinner in which he would be seated on one side of Kalys and she on the other. But when they reached their seats, Kalys pulled out her chair, putting her between the two men. That was a bit of a relief; they felt like a barrier between her and the not-so-pleased members of her family.


    Once she and Kalys were seated, the rest of the family sat as well. While Kalys greeted the room, Sun''s eyes trailed over the people present, picking out those she''d met before. Everyone in the room had earrings similar to hers and Kalys''s, though shorter and less ornate. And there were physical features that they all seemed to share¡ªthe blue eyes, dark hair, and porcelain skin. There were others who bore no resemblance at all, and she wondered if they were the relations by marriage. Or the Illusen genes weren''t as strong in them, maybe.


    When Kalys finished speaking, he signalled the servers, who started bringing out the food, and conversation started to flow. She could feel eyes on her from time to time but tried to give no outward sign that she noticed or cared.


    Her grandfather drew her into conversation, asking what her plans might be while she was here. He was aware of the reason they''d come, of course, but asked what she intended to do with her free time.


    Since ''hiding in my room'' probably wasn''t the answer he was looking for, she really had no answer to it.


    "I''m not sure yet," she replied.


    "There is a festival tomorrow; would you care to join me?"


    "I''d love to," she replied, smiling. She''d never been to a festival before. "What is it for?"


    "To celebrate art and music, now that the weather is warmer. They do it every year."


    She had lived in Solaryse for years as a child and had never heard of it. Truly, this side of the city lived completely different lives. She felt... guilty for being part of it now. Hopefully that didn''t show on her face. She wouldn''t want him to think she was ungrateful.


    As far as art and music went, she didn''t really have much of an appreciation for it. Growing up, both had seemed frivolous to her; what use did they have for music and art? They couldn''t eat them or defend themselves with either. And her brief stint trying to use music to drown out the Traverse in winter hadn''t been as successful as she would have liked.


    Conversation turned to other things, their plans for tomorrow cemented.


    When she heard Noda on Kalys''s other side ask her a question, she leaned forward a little so she could see the older woman.


    "Pardon?" Sun asked. "I missed that."


    "When will you be withdrawing your Revenant Candidacy?" She repeated.


    Sun frowned at her, not quite understanding why she was asking.


    "Never? And what business is it of yours?"


    Beside her, Kalys shot the old woman an irritated look, but it vanished a second later.


    "Sun, I''m sure you remember Noda," Kalys said. "She is one of our clan elders and does have some say in how the family is run."


    "Yes, I remember her. The woman who wanted you to kill me."


    "Eavesdropping is such an unattractive quality," she said.


    "Not as unattractive as murder," Sun retorted.


    "Murder is for humans, not animals," Noda sniffed haughtily and spoke as if Sun were a dimwitted child.


    Before Sun could retort, the air around them went frigid, her breath coming out in white puffs. She looked to Kalys, certain it was his doing. His expression was blank, a glacier-like stillness, but his icy blue eyes were fixed on Noda.


    "Insult her again and you will be cast out from our family," he warned. "We do not treat each other like this."


    "Apologies, Lord Illusen," she said, very little sincerity in it.


    Sun was just relieved he didn''t try and make Noda apologise to her like he did with Seph and Vaan. Would he really disown her? Could you really disown someone that old? He had just said she was one of the clan elders with a say in how the family was run. But his word trumped hers if he could cast her out? How did these family politics work?


    The rest of the room had gone uncomfortably quiet, and Sun resisted the urge to shrink down into her seat. His defence of her did send a little thrill through her, but the attention it brought from the rest of the family present made her feel awkward.


    The rest of dinner had a bit of a hushed atmosphere after that; Sun just kept her eyes fixed on her plate. With her arm still in the sling, it did make eating with a knife and fork a little more difficult. At home the kitchen staff had been quite accommodating, making food that only required one hand to eat, or finger foods. If she had the authority, she would absolutely give them pay raises. They were so lovely and considerate.


    Not like here, where she had to struggle. And she was aware she was being overdramatic, but she was a bit annoyed. Both at her reaction to her brother''s defence of her and the discomfort she felt now. She wanted to leave.

 Chapter 36

    It was another hour and a half¡ªseveral courses¡ªbefore she was finally allowed to leave. Kalys had to stay to speak with them; it was her grandfather who escorted her out, inviting her to tea in his suite. She breathed a sigh of relief as she walked out with him, though she did cast an almost pitying look in her brother''s direction for having to stay and deal with them.


    Maybe she was being harsh, judging them for the actions of a few, but it wasn''t as if any of them had made any attempt to make her feel welcome or defend her against the more opposed members of their family. She had her brother''s support at least, and given how much power and influence he seemed to wield, he was probably the best person to have in her corner. Though she hadn''t entirely forgotten he was the reason she was in this position in the first place. At least he hadn''t just thrown her to the wolves.


    On their way to Jinn''s room, when they encountered a maid, he sent for tea with the request it be brought to his suite. Their grandfather''s room was in the same wing as their own, just a few doors down from hers. It was also much larger and clearly decorated to his tastes. He had an abundance of books here too, almost every inch of wall space taken up by shelves of books.


    He led her out to the balcony that overlooked the same garden as hers. He pulled out her chair for her, and she sat before he settled into his own. Grandfather and grandson were very well-mannered.


    The tea arrived quickly along with a plate of cakes. Maybe he was well known to have a sweet tooth too.


    "How is your arm?" He asked kindly as he poured them tea.


    "It''s fine. Doesn''t hurt anymore."


    "Is it the first time you''ve broken a bone?"


    "I had my fingers broken when I was a kid," she replied, eyeing the cakes.


    "Interesting way to phrase it. ''Had them broken?''"


    "Well yeah, I didn''t break them; some guy did."


    "Why would someone break your fingers?"


    "To teach me a lesson," she shrugged, reaching for the chocolate-looking cake. She was a bit iffy about it; she had been deceived before. "This is chocolate, right?"


    "It is. What lesson were you supposed to be learning?"


    "There aren''t a lot of ways to make coin as a kid in the slums, so we used to run street cons. I got caught scamming this guy, and he didn''t like that."


    She vividly remembered how he''d grabbed her hand and just started snapping her fingers. Nick and Zen had tried to stop him, but the guy was massive and all muscle. When Nick had bitten his ear off, he''d let her go, and they had sprinted off.


    "Good lord..." he uttered, his eyes shadowed with concern.


    "See, we used sleight of hand tricks. I was too clumsy; it''s how I was caught. But once my fingers healed, I practiced harder; I got so much better at it."


    She grinned as she picked up one of the teaspoons and made it disappear, a wide grin on her face.


    "Impressive," he said, returning her smile. "Back to the man. Who was he?"


    She shrugged. "I don''t know. First time I ever saw him. Whenever I saw him again, I disappeared right quick."


    With another gesture, she brought the spoon back.


    "Would you recognise him if you saw him again?"


    This snapped her attention. "You want to track him down? This was years ago; I was seven, eight maybe. Hardly worth dredging up now."


    "Not so. He broke the fingers of a child. He broke your fingers. He deserves to pay for that."


    "I did try to scam him," she pointed out. "I wasn''t exactly an innocent victim."


    "The punishment far exceeded the crime, especially given you were a child."


    "It''s fine. It was a long time ago. Please don''t tell Kalys. I don''t want my childhood stories to be the reason he executes half the slums."


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "You have a lot of stories like that?"


    "...No."


    He clearly didn''t believe her. But then she hadn''t put much effort into the denial. The past was the past. There was no point in dredging it up. She''d survived; she''d healed.


    "Kalys... cares about you, Sun. And I believe he feels guilty about the injustice done to you. He wants to make it right."


    "What injustice?"


    "Your childhood."


    She was a little offended by that. Maybe a lot offended. Her childhood was hard, yes, and some parts of it she absolutely hated, but she didn''t like the way he and Kalys seemed to judge it.


    "My childhood wasn''t an injustice committed against me. Or the Illusens."


    "Apologies, Sun. Perhaps that was ill-phrased."


    She felt he might have been humouring her there.


    "It is merely, if Nero were alive, he would not have allowed you to grow up like that."


    "But he isn''t alive," she tried to say it as gently as possible. "And I did grow up like that. It is what it is. I don''t need it avenged. It was tough, but I had... a great family. Couldn''t have asked for better."


    "Tell me about them," he gave her a warm smile then, which was a far cry from Kalys''s reaction when she spoke about her first family.


    But she did tell Jinn all about them. He''d yet to meet Nick and Zen, but it was only a matter of time. She told him all about how they believed Nick to be some kind of prodigy and how smart he was and how he usually came up with their scams, being the smartest of them.


    She told him how Zen was so strong and looked out for all of them, protected them. How he would make sure they were warm and fed even if it meant he had to go cold and hungry. That he was always quick to protect them from¡ªor back them up in¡ªa fight.


    It was a little harder speaking about the others; the grief was still there, while a lot of the memories had faded.


    But she remembered Ezra''s smart-ass mouth and stubborn attitude. And, Gods that kid could run. Couldn''t discreetly steal for shit, got snapped every time, but he could outrun anyone who tried to give chase. Until the one time he couldn''t.


    Kawana had been the youngest of them; he seemed to struggle the most with their lifestyle. But being sick so often no doubt contributed. He always felt so bad he couldn''t pull his own weight. They tried to make him understand that it was all right; they had him. He tried to do things anyway¡ªkeep their little hovel as clean as was possible, cook for them, taught himself to sew so he could mend their clothes. They started stealing needle and thread for him to use after that.


    Ren had been roughly the same age as Zen, and he''d taken a protective role as well, though he was a bit smarter about it. When he got involved, it didn''t always result in a brawl; he was actually capable of deescalating a situation.


    And then there was Ami, the mother of their group. The kindest and most caring girl Sun had ever met. She held them all together, taught them to look out for each other, taught them what it was to be part of a family. They probably never would have met each other, probably wouldn''t have survived their younger years without her. It still amazed Sun how she had retained that kindness and caring in their situation. It would have been so much easier for her to just look out for herself, but she took them in, raised them, protected them until they were old enough to fend for themselves and look after each other.


    When the tea was gone, and she felt she''d made sure her grandfather knew how great her family had been, she lapsed into silence, more and more of her memories coming to the fore. It felt almost cathartic to speak of them with someone other than Nick and Zen. But at the same time, it was like a box had been opened and more memories spilled out. More good than bad, but the bad still fucking hurt.


    "I''m glad they were there for you when we couldn''t be," Jinn told her, resting a hand on her shoulder.


    "I wish they could still be here."


    He no doubt wished the same thing about his son.


    "I like to think our loved ones live on through us, our memories, and our actions, in how we honour them."


    It was hard for her to believe something like that when she''d seen where people go when they died. Granted, there was another part of it she had never seen before. Maybe it was nicer there; maybe a connection could be maintained. But mostly, what she knew of the other side was cold and dark, with wandering, restless souls.


    "It''s growing late, Sun. Time to retire for the evening, I think."


    She nodded, rising from her seat. It had grown dark outside, and it was getting chilly. Spring was upon them, but it was far from warm.


    "Shall I see you to your room?" He asked.


    "No, that''s all right. It''s not far; I don''t think I''ll get lost," she grinned up at him as he walked her to the door.


    "Goodnight then," he bid.


    "Goodnight."


    She headed back to her room, finding Mika waiting there in the armchair reading a book.


    "There you are," she greeted, setting her book aside and getting up.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Aside from wondering how dinner went, I just wanted to make sure you don''t need me for anything. Draw you a bath perhaps? Help you with your hair?"


    It was a far more elaborate style than she was accustomed to, with a fair few accessories both hidden and visible.


    "Bath? No, but I will take you up on the offer for my hair if that''s all right."


    "Absolutely," she agreed, gesturing for Sun to sit. "Now, how was dinner?"


    "I''m not sure if it was better or worse than my last family dinner."


    "Well, the other maids were abuzz. Someone was threatened with exile, I heard."


    "Gossip really does travel fast..."


    "Do tell," she said, unravelling hair and deftly pulling out pins.


    Sun explained what had happened, what was said, and how quickly Kalys resorted to threats. Mika had snorted at that. While she did seem to respect Kalys, she definitely didn''t have the same deference as the other Illusen staff, and Sun liked that about her.


    "How was your evening?" Sun asked the other woman.


    "Uneventful. Not sure I like the new surroundings. We have a way of doing things back at the manor that the staff here don''t much care for."


    "At least we''re only here temporarily."


    "Thank the Gods for small mercies."


    Once her hair was done, she bid Mika goodnight and waited for the woman to leave. Once she was out, Sun changed into her old clothes from before the Illusens provided her with a whole new wardrobe.


    She had a visit to make.