Chapter 14

Alaric.

The quality of this rage feels different from the rage I felt before. Yes, I was angry at the rat Sackwaithe, but this anger feels new.

Feminine, almost. As though I’d been hunted my whole life. As though I’d had to be worried about my safety since I was a child.

Which, despite my troubles with my father, was not the case for me.

Still feeling this rage, I turn toward Seraphina, who meets my gaze unflinchingly from behind her veil. There’s some part of me that still can’t believe the person I saw across the water is real — and, moreover, that we made love last night.

Again the strange sensation, a building rage that pushes out all my thoughts.

Elias, whose brows have knit together, suddenly bolts up from his chair. “No use sitting around,” he says huskily. “I’m going to find Lady Swiftwood.”

He whips open the door to reveal Dorian Nightshade standing calmly, as though he were waiting to be let in.

“Good evening,” he says softly. He is small and elegant, grey eyes searching the room.

“What do you want,” says Elias gruffly.

Nightshade looks at Elias strangely, then steps gingerly over the threshold. His grey eyes widen and he thrusts himself backward, as though he were accosted by a wave of energy. I watch his eyes scan the room til they land on Seraphina.

“Hello, Miss Darkwater. Would you be able to do something for me,” starts Nightshade.

Seraphina, who has been looking at her feet, lost in some sort of mental spiral, looks up. She looks pretty angry herself.

“Hello Sir,” she says looking intently at Nightshade, as though she’s seen him somewhere before. “Perhaps.”

Nightshade looks straight in her violet eyes, the only part of her face that’s visible. “Could you think of a happy thought? A memory, an experience, a loved one?” he asks.

Seraphina looks at him skeptically but I can tell that she is indulging the dark-clad stranger. She closes her eyes.

Suddenly the strange rage I felt earlier dissipates. I look over to Elias and see a smile creeping over his face. The laughter has returned to his green eyes.

I look to the healer, Luna Silverthorn, who is also smiling gently.

“Interesting,” says Nightshade. He brushes his hands against his fine-spun dark robes.

“Your Highness,” continues Nightshade, “and Miss Darkwater. Would you gladly come with me? I believe it would be in your best interest, and that of the realm.”

“Where will you take us? Why should we trust you?” I ask him. I don’t particularly like the look of him, but he does seem to know something about this whole situation — the colored lights in the water, and now, the monsters — that we don’t. It was him asking me for my vision on that night, conveniently there to meet me in the crypt. He somehow knew where I had been.

At this point, any knowledge about what is happening would be useful.

Nightshade shifts his grey gaze toward me. “I have valuable information. But don’t take it from me. Take it from Oris Lysteron.”

Sir Oris Lysteron was the historian who taught me as a small child. He comforted me when my father was cruel. As my studies progressed I saw less and less of him. Frankly I wasn’t sure that he was still alive. He was already ancient even in my youth.

Young Alaric, I remember he said, you may one day find that you will be tasked with a great power.

What did he mean by that?

“And,” continues Nightshade, “take it from your mother, Miss Darkwater.”

At this Seraphina stands up to face Nightshade. “You knew my mother?” she says with surprise.

“All will be revealed,” replies Dorian Nightshade.

I look to Seraphina. “Let’s go with him,” I say. She meets my eyes firmly and follows without a word.

As we leave Elias’ quarters we see Lady Evelyn Swiftwater rushing towards us through the torch-lit corridor. Her green robes flow behind her and her auburn hair looks neat despite the worry on her face.

“Prince Thornheart,” she says. “There is news from the palace watchmen.”

“The Dark Ones — the — the monsters,” she stutters, “have been seen moving closer to the palace. There are already some dead. Captain Stormrider is riding out now with the advance guard.”

I turn to Seraphina, whose amethyst eyes look stricken. She grips my arm. “What did we do?” she says under her breath so that only I can hear.

I look into her violet eyes. Somehow we have awoken fate.

Dorian Nightshade’s expression is indiscernible at this news. He simply looks at me and says, “Come now.”

We keep a brisk pace behind Nightshade. Seraphina releases my arm and walks away from me at some distance, as though she is afraid to touch me. We walk to the east wing of the palace into older and less-used parts of the castle.

Soon the torches of the corridors are no longer lit. There are too few people in this part of the palace to light them. Dorian lifts his hand and blows. A small ball of fire rests on his palm and lights the way.

We reach the winding staircase to the library high at the top of Crylon Tower. Cobwebs adorn the eves.

Nightshade raps the heavy iron knocker on the door at the top of the stairs with a small, elegant hand. “Oris, I’ve brought them,” he says quietly.

The door creaks open. Standing bathed in candlelight is Oris Lysteron, who looks much smaller than when he was my teacher. He props himself up with a gnarled wooden staff and looks at us intently with shining eyes. White hair expands from his temples, and his beard nearly reaches his waist.

“Prince Alaric,” he says warmly, “how long it’s been.”

He turns his gaze to behind my left shoulder. “And you must be Miss Seraphina Darkwater,” he says.

“Yes,” she replies from behind her veil, and casts her purple eyes down.

Oris holds his gaze on her for a beat.

“It is time you learned of the prophecy.”