The room was dimly lit by more sconces of the purple fire, enough that she was easily able to make out the door. Before she could reach it, it opened inward.
“You’re awake.”
Alex nodded at Caspar Lennox’s statement since she was, clearly, awake.
“You lost the trial.”
Again, Alex nodded, succumbing to the weight of her own disappointment.
She had failed. And because of that, she would have to wait a month before speaking to the elders. A month where Aven could wreak all kinds of havoc upon Medora. Hurt all kinds of people.
“It was unlikely you would triumph,” Caspar Lennox went on, rubbing salt in an already open wound. “Regardless of whatever skills you might possess, all the training in the world would struggle to put you on equal footing with one of my race.”
“‘Footing’ being the emphasised term here,” Alex couldn’t keep from saying. “I knew they would travel through the shadows and I knew it would be tough; I didn’t realise they would be allowed to take me along for the ride. And after that first sucker punch, I was already disoriented.”
“If you seek vindication, I offer none,” came Caspar Lennox’s uncaring reply. “I was against you attempting the trial in the first place.”
“I’m not trying to justify my failure,” Alex said, annoyed he thought so. “I told you all that so you’d consider what I’m about to say next.”
He arched an eyebrow in question.
“I want to do it again. I want to fight again.”
Caspar Lennox barked out a startled laugh—a sound she’d never heard from him before.
“I’m serious,” Alex said. “I can’t wait a month to warn them, to find out if they’ll help us. Too much hangs on this.”
His laughter died. “You do not appear to be jesting.”
“That’s because I’m not.” Alex crossed her arms but cringed at the renewed pain from her burn and dropped her uninjured one to her side, keeping the other protectively cradled aloft. “I need you to talk to the elders. I need you to convince them to let me have another go.”
He was shaking his head before she even finished speaking. “I cannot do that.”
“Maybe not, but she probably can.” Alex tipped her head towards the door where Shirez had been lurking in the shadows for almost the entirety of their conversation.
Unapologetic about her eavesdropping, the Shadow Walker, now outed, strode forward.
“And why would I do that?” Shirez asked. “Why would I help a human?”
“Because I’m asking you to,” Alex said openly. “And because I’m hoping you trust Caspar Lennox enough to know he wouldn’t have brought me here unless he strongly believed I needed to be brought.”
Shirez’s dark eyes peered intently at Alex. After a long moment, she said, “This Aven Dalmarta, is he truly the threat you claim?”
Alex’s eyes flicked to Caspar Lennox, figuring he must have shared part of her story while she’d been unconscious.
“He is,” Alex confirmed.
Shirez continued staring at Alex until she finally nodded. “I will speak with my grandfather. See if I can convince them to let you fight again. If you hadn’t done so well for yourself, they would never consider it, but I’m counting on them being intrigued by what else you might do, especially when you recovered so quickly from that initial surprise attack.” She paused, before adding, “That was poor sportsmanship on Trell Roven’s part.”
Alex only just held back a snort and a sarcastic, ‘Gee, you think?’ Instead, she quietly thanked the Shadow Walker.
“Do not thank me yet, human,” Shirez said. “Even if they do agree, you will not win.”
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Alex thought, but she couldn’t blame Shirez for her opinion.
“Indeed, you are lucky you’re not more gravely injured from the battle you endured,” the Shadow Walker continued. “You were touched by daarvae—the Shadow Flame. It is an excruciating burn, one that, for most, robs the ability of reasoning and sound thinking. That you were able to continue on after being wounded is unfathomable.”
Was that actual respect in her tone?
“It is an injury that will not heal without treatment,” Shirez went on, tipping her head towards Alex’s bandaged arm. “But we have no remedies to safely offer a human. You will have to endure it until you can seek medical aid at your academy.”
“I’ll be okay,” Alex said, ignoring the throb of objection. “I still have business to see to in Graevale before heading back to Akarnae.”
Shirez’s brows rose.
“She intends to visit the Lumeniia,” Caspar Lennox said.
At that, it was Shirez’s turn to laugh—another surprising sound to Alex’s ears.
“A wasted journey,” the Shadow Walker said, her features transformed by her humour, making her seem like someone much more pleasant to be around. “The Dayriders will assist you no more than we.”
Moving to cross her arms again but pausing just in time to remember her wound, Alex said, “I crashed and burned with your elders, I know that. But I still have to try.”
Shirez cocked her head to the side and pinned Alex again with her bottomless eyes. “You are unnaturally obstinate for a human.”
Alex’s reply was instant. “I’ve been called worse.”
“Of that I have no doubt,” Shirez said.
Other than a slight narrowing of her eyes, Alex didn’t respond to the offensive statement. Instead, she said, “While you’re talking to the elders, Caspar Lennox and I can go and meet the Dayriders. When we’re done, we’ll come back and you can tell us how it went.”
“Two things are wrong with what you’ve proposed,” Shirez said, that unexpected humour touching her face again. “The first is that the elders have retired for the afternoon. I cannot seek them out until later, so you will have to wait to hear from me.”
That was frustrating, but waiting a day was better than having to wait a month. Plus, Alex wasn’t physically in a position to fight again—not yet.
“What’s the second?” she asked.
It was Caspar Lennox who replied. “We do not cross into the light.”
Confused, Alex said, “Sorry?”
“Shadow Walkers do not cross into the light, nor do Dayriders pass into the shadows, not without invitation,” he said. “I cannot come with you to the Lumeniia—to the crystal pyramid where the Order meet.”
Thinking back to the vision of the city cleaved in two, Alex understood what he was saying. There was a clear boundary, one that neither race would cross on a whim.
“Okay, so I’ll go it alone,” she said. “But either way, I’m going.” She looked around the crypt-like room and added, “Uh, but I’d be grateful if someone helped get me out of here and pointed me in the right direction. I have no idea where we are right now.”
“We’re in a preparation room underneath the Obscuria,” Caspar Lennox said.
Alex didn’t have the courage to ask exactly what was prepared in the room they inhabited, wondering if perhaps she wasn’t far off the mark in comparing it to a crypt.
“Caspar Lennox can deliver you to the edge of our territory,” Shirez offered on his behalf. “The Lumeniia is a short walk from the boundary where dark meets light. You will find your way with ease.”
“That sounds great, thanks,” she said—to both of them.
Her teacher stepped towards her. “You have been unconscious for a few hours. It is mid-afternoon, so if you wish to speak with the Order, now is the time to do so.”
Alex groaned, realising that a significant portion of her weekend—both days—had been spent with her eyes closed. Time sure flies when you’re knocked out cold, she thought sardonically.
“You’ll get in touch after you’ve spoken with your grandfather?” Alex confirmed with Shirez. “You’ll really try to convince the elders to give me another chance?”
“I think you are neurologically damaged to wish for such a thing,” Shirez sa
id with ruthless candour, “but yes, for what it’s worth, I shall argue strongly on your behalf.”
The tension in Alex’s shoulders eased a fraction. “Thank you, Shirez Ganare,” she said, careful to follow the etiquette of addressing the Shadow Walker by both first and last names. “Truly, I appreciate it.”
A dip of the head followed by a look from Shirez towards Caspar Lennox that made Alex’s heart stutter a little at its intensity, and the female Shadow Walker disappeared in a cloud of black.
“She likes you.”
Alex slammed her mouth shut after those three words popped out unbidden, but it was too late to take them back.
“Things are complicated between the two of us,” came Caspar Lennox’s surprisingly open reply. But he said no more, and Alex had no business prying into the personal life of her teacher, not when she knew so little about him or his race.
“Shall we head to this boundary line place?” she asked instead, a deliberately upbeat note to her voice. “I could use some time in the sun. No offence, but all this darkness is giving me the willies.”
Caspar Lennox’s voice was deadpan when he repeated, “Giving you… the willies.”
It wasn’t a question, it was simply a statement, and coming from him in that tone of voice, it was the most hilarious thing Alex had heard all day. She burst out laughing, unable to stop even when he released a grudging sigh and reached for her uninjured arm, sweeping her from the room.
Twenty-Two
As promised, Caspar Lennox dropped Alex off in an alleyway where the dark met the light. He said he would wait for her, but she shooed him away, saying there was no point in him lingering in the shadowed street, bored out of his mind. Reluctantly, he agreed, saying he would travel back every half hour to check for her return.
Also as promised, the path to the Lumeniia was easy to follow, since the crystal pyramid rose high above the streets and was visible no matter where Alex walked. She wandered the picturesque streets towards the impressive structure, grateful that if she had to hike through either side of Graevale, it was the sunny, pretty side rather than the shadowy, eerie side. Not that the dark half of the city didn’t have its own kind of beauty. It was just… a different kind of beauty.
Trekking along the bleached stone walkways, Alex couldn’t keep from staring as she caught sight of the Dayriders for the first time. Just like their half of the city, they as a race were the opposite of the Shadow Walkers in every way. With skin so white that it gave off a faint glow and hair so pale that their whole figures almost blended into the washed-out buildings all around them, they were nearly painful to look at, so bright as they were. Even their clothes were some kind of pure, snowy linen. As far as Alex could tell, the only colour on their entire bodies—perhaps even in their entire city—was their eyes. Those came in all colours and, most notably, not a single Dayrider she looked at had two eyes of the same colour. One blue eye, one green. One brown eye, one black. One honey, one hazel. A grey eye and an indigo eye. The rainbow assortment was dizzying, and Alex found it increasingly difficult not to gape at them as she passed.
Somehow she managed to not get caught up in the sights and sounds of the whitewashed city—not even when the Dayriders looked back at her with as much curiosity as she had towards them—and she reached the entrance to the Lumeniia in good time. Once there, she worried for a moment that she would find a similar reception to the Shadow Walkers and someone would have to announce her, but since she didn’t have a Dayrider contact, she would just have to hope for the best.
Walking hesitantly through the crystal opening, Alex wasn’t sure what to do or where to go once she was inside. That was mostly because there were few options available to her. The pyramid was as vast as it was empty. It was like Alex was standing inside a hollow, triangular prism. The sun was blazing through its glassy walls, yet the temperature was comfortable. Perfect, even.
But she alone appeared to be experiencing it.
Tentatively, she stepped towards the centre of the pyramid, looking around for any sign of company. But there was no one. Until, suddenly, there was.
With a flash of blinding light, a woman appeared before Alex. At her display, something belatedly clicked in Alex’s mind. Shadow Walkers—a race that walked through shadows. Dayriders—a race that… rode the day? Otherwise interpreted as travelling through light?
These thoughts crossed Alex’s mind in a blur as she took in the female Dayrider standing before her.
The woman was stunning—almost literally. Her alabaster skin glowed and her long, fair hair made her look like the human embodiment of a star. A vibrant blue eye was paired with a bright violet one, both staring at Alex with a serene, knowing expression.
“Welcome to the Lumeniia, Alexandra Jennings,” the Dayrider said in the lightest, sweetest voice Alex had ever heard. “We have been expecting you.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events—and the uncommonly warm welcome—Alex said, “We?”
Two more flashes of light announced the arrival of two more Dayriders, one female, one male.
“You have come to seek out the Order,” the first woman spoke again. “We will hear your words.”
Alex’s eyes widened as she took in the three glowing figures. “You’re the Order?”
“We are indeed,” the male said in a deep but no less serene voice. His eyes were green and silver.
“Please, won’t you have a seat?” offered the second female, a coffee-coloured eye paired with turquoise.
“A seat?” Alex repeated, looking around and wondering if she was supposed to sit on the ground. But then, manifesting from nothing, a cloud grew into existence behind her, right at knee level. Startled, she looked back at the three Dayriders and saw that they too had clouds behind them, and as she watched, they sat on the apparently solid vapour.
Following their lead, Alex sat cautiously, waiting for the moment she would sink through to the floor. But the cloud held her weight, enveloping her like an armchair moulded specifically to her figure. It was ridiculously comfortable against her bruised and beaten body, especially after her stint on the stone slab back at the Obscuria.
“I’d very much like to know how this works,” Alex said, running her uninjured arm across the top of the softness. “And I’d also very much like to take this with me wherever I go.”
Quiet, melodious laughter reached her ears, like harmonious bells shifting in the wind, and she looked up to find the Dayriders watching her with warm amusement.
“Unfortunately, none but our race can call forth the elements in such a way as this,” the male said. “But you are always welcome to visit us here in Graevale and enjoy the benefits of our abilities.”
This all seemed a bit too easy to Alex. Why were they being so nice to her? How had they known she was coming? Why were they, apparently, willing to listen to her?
“You already know who I am,” she said, trying to keep the suspicion from her tone, “but I’m afraid I can’t say the same for you.”
“I am Kaysia, leader of the Dayriders,” said the first woman who had appeared. “These are my seconds who make up the rest of the Order: Xayder”—she nodded towards the male, before motioning towards the female—“and Lidael. We are honoured to meet you, Alexandra Jennings.”
“Um, thank you,” Alex responded. “Can I ask why, exactly? Why you’re honoured, I mean.”
“Because you are a champion for the light,” Kaysia said. “Despite the challenges you have faced, despite the burdens on your shoulders, that light within you shines brightly, like nothing else we’ve ever seen, least of all in a human.”
Alex let that sink in a moment, then admitted, “I’m not sure I follow.”
Another tinkle of bells followed her statement, but this time no one filled her in.
“Please, Alexandra, tell us why you have come,” Kaysia invited.
As succinctly as possible, Alex shared her story and offered her warnings, finishing by asking for their support.
>
“This coming battle will tip the scales, Alexandra,” Kaysia said, her voice still serene but now holding wisdom beyond Alex’s understanding. “Light or dark, only one can win. This world cannot survive in shades of grey.”
“If Aven seeks to harm us as you believe he will, this is indeed a cause for our concern,” Lidael spoke up. Her tone, like that of her companions, was peaceful and calm—something Alex was coming to recognise as the natural expression of the Dayriders. While the Shadow Walkers were all hard edges and aggression, the lighter race tended towards softness and tranquillity. But given the context of their discussion, Alex found their placid temperaments frustrating. She’d been hoping for a little more concern, more of an instantaneous call to arms.
“We will take all the necessary measures to keep our people safe,” Xayder assured Alex, his colourful eyes holding hers captive. “Your warning is most appreciated.”
That was the first proper offer of gratitude Alex had received from any of the races, and it filled her with hope that not even the pain thrumming through her body could overshadow.
“However…”
“However?” Alex pressed when it became clear Xayder wasn’t saying any more.
It was Kaysia who answered, “I am truly sorry, Alexandra, but we are one half of a whole.”
At Alex’s quizzical look, the leader of the Dayriders explained, “Light is only light because there is an absence of darkness, just as darkness is only darkness because there is an absence of light. Without one, there would be no other. There is no shade without sunshine, no day without night.” Kaysia’s peaceful features became apologetic as she finished, “As such, we can only offer you our support if you first receive it from our brethren.”
Alex closed her eyes tightly as she made sense of the leader’s words. “You’re saying I need to convince the Shadow Walkers first,” she clarified. “If they’re on board, you’re on board.”
“We will indeed join you if they do. Together, we are strong. Divided, however, we cannot prevail,” Kaysia said. “Our first priority is to our city—to Graevale and to the safety of our people dwelling here. If the Shadow Walkers do not agree to rise up against this threat as one, then I’m sorry, Alexandra, but we will not be able to ally ourselves with the humans of this world.”