“If you’re going to sit here, you could help,” Tejus commented.
“I don’t know what you’re looking for,” I replied evenly.
“Don’t you?” He gave me a level look.
“Uh…no, why would I?”
I felt uncomfortable under his gaze, like he could see right through me.
“Hazel.” He smirked. “I know you were listening in on the meeting. I’m not a fool. I know when you’re around, and I know your penchant for eavesdropping.”
I scowled at him, covering up my embarrassment at being found out.
Hazel, you idiot.
“What do you mean, you know when I’m around?” I asked, wondering if I was on the cusp of learning about yet another sentry ability.
Tejus looked briefly uncomfortable, and cleared his throat.
“Since we mind-melded, our bond has become stronger—I can… sort of sense when you’re near.”
Oh. That’s strange.
“Well,” I retorted, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach his words caused, “I followed you because I didn’t know if you would tell me the truth about what the ministers said. It’s in my own interest that these borders come down as soon as possible—it seemed too important an opportunity to miss.”
Tejus raised an eyebrow at me, saying nothing. I couldn’t believe that he’d known all along—he didn’t even seem to be that annoyed about it.
“Hang on,” I said, a thought hitting me. “If you knew I was there, why did you say such horrible things about wanting to get me out of the castle—about all of us? Didn’t you care how that might make me feel? Especially as I’d only asked a moment before to move out of your quarters—leaving you in peace!”
He looked faintly surprised at my outburst.
“I’m saying those things so that the ministers take the issue seriously. I thought they were just making a power play. I didn’t intend for you to take them personally.”
“How else was I supposed to take them?”
“Well, I apologize if you did.” Tejus had the grace to look at least somewhat apologetic.
I fell quiet, now feeling humiliated. I sounded like a whiny teenager wondering why her crush wasn’t all that into her. Get a grip.
“So, you’re taking what they said seriously?” I asked after a while.
“I’m not sure yet,” Tejus muttered. “I’m looking for some proof, trying to find some mention of the entity, one that isn’t just hearsay and rumor…I remember vague recollections of being told stories as a young boy, but nothing much, nothing that can really be of any use.”
“Okay, I’ll help.”
I picked up one of the books that stood waiting in a pile, the ones he hadn’t gotten to yet. Once again, the pages contained little I understood, but I kept looking through, hoping that something might leap out at me – even if I could find out more information on that ugly rune it would help. Tejus returned to the task too, seeming even more focused than he was before.
“Hazel,” Tejus interrupted after a few moments, taking the book out of my hand. “There are lots of things you don’t understand about sentries—about Nevertide…about our way of life.”
I frowned at him. “Yeah,” I replied, gesturing at the books. “Isn’t that what we’re doing here?”
“No, I mean about us…our…” He paused, swallowing hard. “Our connection. What happened at the night of the coronation.”
My stomach clenched in anticipation. His voice was soft and throaty, as if the words were difficult to get out.
“I know you don’t…understand why I am the way I am, and I realize that my behavior may seem confusing, but trust me, you should be grateful that I’m willing to set you free. It could so easily not be the case.”
He turned away from me, refocusing on the books.
I drew in a breath. Now that he’d broached the subject of our kiss, albeit vaguely, I dared express what was on my mind. “Tejus… I don’t understand. I don’t understand what we are… and I don’t understand what I am to you.”
He continued to page through books, his eyes away from me, though it looked like every muscle in his jaw had tensed. Finally he spoke, his voice surprisingly unsteady.
“I shouldn’t have kissed you,” he said.
“Then why did you? I still don’t understand.”
“It’s best that you don’t,” he replied. “And anyway, now… it’s not the right time to explain. We need to focus on the entity. I’m concerned for my people, Hazel. I may not believe all that the ministers said, but I can’t ignore the fear in their voices.”
I nodded, lowering my eyes. Disappointment gripped me, but he was right. As much as I wanted to get some understanding about what was going on between the two of us, I also knew that the borders had to come first—if not for my sake, then for Benedict’s, Ruby’s and Julian’s sakes. If this ‘entity’ was what was standing in the way of us getting home, then the mystery needed to be solved—and fast.
“Tejus, I’ve got something to tell you,” I murmured, still feeling hesitant about what I was going to reveal. I stood up, moving away from him and toward the window. I needed to put some space between us if I was to start thinking straight.
I thought about the conversation I’d had with Ruby and Ash and how neither of them had believed me. It looked like my only ally at the moment was Tejus—and he needed all the support that I could give him. It wasn’t like the ministers were a lot of help.
He stayed silent while I deliberated. Eventually I turned back round to face him.
“My friends and I, we come from a place called The Shade. When you took us, we were on a camping trip for our summer vacation. The Shade is filled with supernatural creatures. It was originally founded by vampires, but now there are others.” I hesitated, finally meeting his shocked gaze.
“And you?” he asked.
“I’m human,” I clarified quickly. “So are Benedict and my two friends. But my mother and father are not…nor are my grandparents. It’s a long story.” I managed a weak smile. “The reason I’m telling you this is that the inhabitants of The Shade—led by my grandfather—have formed something called GASP, which is basically a supernatural protection unit. They help with this sort of thing all the time—dragon issues, rogue vampires, jinn, Hawks, witches, merfolk, werewolves…you name it, they’ve done it or are it. The members are made up of all sorts of supernatural creatures, and we have allies all over the place, both on Earth and in the supernatural dimension. They could help solve the issue of the entity—I know they could. But we need to get those barriers down.”
Tejus was silent for a long moment, staring at me, as if he was seeing me for the first time.
“You’re the daughter of vampires?” he asked, wide-eyed.
“Yes.”
“I suppose it makes sense, in a way,” he murmured after a pause, more to himself than me. “Your mental power—so strong for one so young…and your adaption to all…this.” He waved his hands around the room. “Being taken to another dimension, and acting as if it was a mere inconvenience…asking if I was a warlock the day we first spoke.”
Oh, yes. I remembered that conversation. It had been the first thing I’d thought on seeing Tejus, after having experienced the sentries’ strange mind power.
“Is it not strange being human in a world full of supernaturals?” he asked.
“No. I guess it would be strange to others, but I’ve grown up in that world.”
He nodded slowly, and I could almost see the million other questions running around his head.
“Does your family still believe you to be at the camp?”
“I have no way of knowing, but they will figure it out sooner or later.”
“And then I’ll have an entire army of angry supernaturals at my doorstep?” Tejus asked.
“Well, yes.” I smiled melancholically, thinking of my parents and the whole GASP crew showing up, meeting Tejus. “But if we get the barriers lowered, I promise you the only t
hing my parents will get their revenge on will be the entity.”
“Well, I am doing everything within my power to remove them,” he replied solemnly.
I felt my anxiety ebb at his reassurance, like a weight had lifted from my shoulders, even if only a small one. Some of the tension that had built up between us the last few days also seemed to loosen as we sat together in the span of silence following his assurance. I wondered if it was because I believed that Tejus would keep his word, or if the feeling actually came from being completely honest with Tejus for the first time since we’d met. I hoped that he’d eventually return the favor.
“I was also wondering about the stone,” I said, changing the subject. “The one that came from the sword of Hellswan. Do you think that had anything to do with the stones that control the entity?”
“Perhaps,” he mused softly. “I believe that it was a stone my father wanted Jenus to have…but we need to know more before we can jump to conclusions. And as powerful as that stone seems to be, I don’t believe it alone is going to help us lower the barriers.”
I didn’t either. If an entire group of ministers couldn’t manage it, I doubted the stone alone would be of much help.
“Well,” Tejus said, breathing out and leaning back against the base of a chaise longue, “you have given me a great deal to think about, Hazel Achilles.”
As he spoke my name and gazed at me with his dark piercing eyes, I felt an urge to be in his arms—for him to hold me in the same way he’d done the other night. I felt closer to him than before. He might still remain a stranger to me for the most part, but I felt that at least he was getting to know me a bit better.
A look of warning flashed in his eyes, and I blushed, looking down to the floor.
Ugh.
My intentions must have been written across my face.
“You should get some sleep,” he said, clearing his throat. “It’s late.”
I nodded and hastily rose to my feet. As I moved toward the door, I heard him settle back down on the floor and pick up another heavy volume. Clearly he wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.
“Oh, Hazel?” He spoke again before I shut the door.
“Yes?” I turned to look at him. Eyes widening, I felt an odd sense of trepidation.
He hesitated before replying.
“Do you… have a betrothed…back in ‘The Shade’?”
My jaw dropped. What?
“N-No,” I managed.
Why would he think that? I’d hardly go around kissing other people if I had.
“I was merely curious,” he replied vaguely—infuriatingly vaguely—before his eyes averted once again to the books.
When I finally left him and reached my bedroom, I shut its door behind me, glad to have arrived in relative sanctuary. Leaning against the door, I shook my head.
No human or supernatural had ever confused me as much as Tejus Hellswan.
Benedict
The first thing I did when I woke up was look over at Julian’s still empty bed. Over the last few days I had hoped that he’d just appear out of nowhere, having taken himself off on some adventure around Nevertide to look for a break in the boundaries. But as the length of his disappearance grew, I couldn’t help but experience a gnawing feeling that I was somehow to blame…that I might have unknowingly hurt my friend.
The feeling had increased after seeing the rune on the wall of the barn. I had recognized it instantly. I didn’t know how exactly, but the shape felt so familiar, like I knew it as well as my own name…as if it was something that I could have drawn.
It had scared me.
I no longer knew what I was capable of doing, and clearly I no longer had any control over my actions when I was asleep. If I’d harmed Julian while I was sleepwalking, then I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forgive myself.
I’d made a decision as we left the village yesterday—after the warning from the old man, who had somehow known all about the voices and the rune on the wall—that whether or not Julian’s disappearance was my fault, I was going out to search for my friend on my own.
I’d had enough of being in the castle with the voices every night and the stones, and though the forests that lay beyond the village and the meadows were terrifying in their own way, they didn’t scare me as much as another night of being possessed by strange voices. Being alone out there didn’t scare me either. At least it would mean that I was away from my friends – and that I couldn’t harm them.
Queen Trina had told me that the power calling to me was a good one, that it was calling on me to fulfill my destiny. I didn’t believe that any more. There was no way that any of this was good—it felt too sick and twisted to be anything but evil. And I no longer wanted to take part in its stupid, dangerous games.
“Benedict?” Yelena appeared at my bedroom door.
It was only just dawn. What was she doing up?
“Yes?” I groaned, wondering what I was going to be nagged about now.
“Can I talk to you a minute?” she asked.
“Um, I was about to go and see my sister,” I lied. “Can’t it wait?”
“It will only take a second,” she persisted, closing the door behind her. She sat down on my bed, her feet tapping agitatedly on the frame.
Please, make yourself at home.
“What is it?” I asked, wanting her to hurry up and get to the point so I could leave.
She eyed my clothing curiously. I was wearing a thick cloak over a thinner, silk one and had belted both securely round my waist.
“You’re going to see your sister?” she clarified suspiciously.
“Yes…no—it doesn’t matter—what do you want?”
Why did Yelena always have to be so nosy?
She folded her arms grumpily. We stared at one another, waiting to see who would break first. Eventually she sighed, and rolled her eyes.
“Fine. I don’t care where you’re going. It’s where you’ve been that’s bothering me.”
I was instantly alert. Did Yelena know what had been happening to me during the night? Had she been spying on me?
“What do you mean?” I asked sharply.
“I know you’ve been sleepwalking. I’ve watched you leave in the middle of the night, always looking ahead as if you don’t even see the room around you.” She shuddered. “It’s scary. I tried to follow you a couple of times—well, I did follow you a couple of times, but then I’d have to turn back…it would be so cold and dark, but you’d just keep going. Even if I called to you, you would ignore me. I’m worried about you, wandering the castle like that. You’re going to get yourself in trouble, eventually. I didn’t want to tell on you, like tell Ruby or Hazel or anyone, but you need to stop it. I get worried you’re not going to come back each morning, like you might fall off a balcony or down the stairs…” She trailed off, clearly imagining all of the different ways I could meet my end. She didn’t know the half of it.
“Well… You should just mind your own business,” I said.
Someone—especially Yelena—seeing me in that state, when I was so…vulnerable, made me mad for some reason.
“I was!” she hissed. “But you kept waking me up—and this castle’s creepy enough without one of us taking midnight trips like…like…you’re possessed or something!”
Like I’m possessed.
Having Yelena reach the same conclusion I had only half-realized made me feel sick with fear. I sank back down onto my bed, staring at the floor. I felt cold and tired, and utterly sick of whatever was going on here. I wanted it to stop.
“I’m just worried about you,” Yelena continued. “You should be worried about you too…I was hoping that maybe I could help.”
It was a nice offer, I supposed. But I didn’t know how she could. I was just better off getting out of this castle.
“I don’t know,” I managed eventually. “I don’t know how to stop it. There are these voices in my head, driving me forward. I don’t know what it is, but it’s so powerfu
l, and I can’t ignore it.”
Yelena blanched.
“What do the voices want you to do?” she whispered.
I swallowed. “Find stuff in the castle. Go to places and pick up these special stones. They glow and move—all by themselves. I haven’t picked them up yet, but they want me to. And sometimes I wake up outside the castle…that’s even scarier. I’ve tried locking my room, but it doesn’t seem to matter. I get out anyway…always ending up somewhere other than my bed…I know I was out last night for instance – because there was mud and sand on my shoes, but I don’t remember a thing.”
Yelena held her body tighter, staring at me with her huge, blue eyes as large as saucers.
“We need to stop this,” she breathed.
“Yeah.” I sighed. “Look, I lied to you earlier. I’m going out to try to find Julian in the forest… I was going to stay out, to search until I found him. I kind of felt that it would be better if I stayed away from here, stayed away from my friends…but maybe we can do something? Maybe you could follow me, and tell me in the morning what I’ve been doing?” I asked hopefully. It would be better than not knowing, and even if I wouldn’t be aware of it at night it brought me a bit of comfort to know that while I wandered the castle, at least I wouldn’t be alone.
“You shouldn’t go into the forest!” Yelena voiced in alarm.
“I have to.” I shook my head. “I think that Julian’s disappearance might be my doing…somehow. I’m not sure. But I have to try to find him. I have to,” I added determinedly.
“It’s so dangerous!”
“I know that—but I’m small, I can slip past things if I need to, hide among the trees…” Even as I spoke, I realized how little conviction my voice held. I cleared my throat. “But if I come back tonight, will you watch over me while I sleep?”