Page 56 of The Cursed Sebastian Storm

“Oh right.” Sebastian laughed, his hands reflexively going to rub the material of the jacket’s sleeves.

Mila leaned in close again. “James came in here asking about you a few weeks ago. I figured something had to be going on. He seemed intrigued, and that boy never dates.”

“That’s because I’ve never tried to get his attention before.” Sebastian tried not to sound too smug and failed.

Mila laughed. “You’ll be keeping him on his toes, that’s for sure.”

Sebastian didn’t deny it, just grinned like a menace. He cleared his throat. “What were you reading when I interrupted?”

Mila turned back toward the table, her expression frustrated. “I was trying to learn about light-resistant shades. There isn’t much out there.”

“But you found something?”

“A few mentions.” Mila picked up a book. “They all suggest that typical shades can’t gain strength or abilities without outside help.”

“Outside help?” Sebastian inspected the other books on the table, but the titles didn’t give much away.

“Like enchantments,” Mila explained. “Someone could cast a spell on a shade to make it immune to light, but I doubt that’s what’s happening. Why would anyone in Moonlight Falls do that? The only other explanation is in this book on the classification of shades.” She passed it to Sebastian. “There are different types, though only the ones we’re familiar with usually come from Beyond. It’s harder for more complex beings to slip between worlds. They aren’t as malleable as the shades we know, that can easily shift in and out of their physical form.”

There were different kinds of shades. It made sense that people might not know that if only one type generally visited this world. Sebastian handed the book back. “But these other beings can get through? It’s not impossible?”

“Sure. The only way we’d know other types of shades exist is if they’ve visited our world at some point. Humans can’t go to Beyond. That’s why we know so little about it and don’t know what else might be lurking there.”

“Great.” Sebastian ran a hand through his hair. “So the light-resistant shades are a more complex being. Does that mean they’re smarter?”

Mila perched her glasses on her nose and opened another book. “The more complex shades are thought to be more intelligent, but that doesn’t mean all the light-resistant ones we’ve seen in town are. They could still be regular shades that have been granted extra abilities.”

Maybe, but the shade that had bitten Sebastian had seemed different. It could very well have been one of these other shades. The humanoid one he’d seen by the stone in town and possibly at Parker’s was even less like the shades he was used to. It had to be some other kind of being from Beyond.

“There are records claiming some of the more intelligent beings have magical abilities much more like ours and can cast spells, but the original sources are all very old,” Mila continued.

Sebastian frowned. “How old?”

“Nineteenth century.”

That surprised Sebastian. “It’s been that long since intelligent shades have come to our world?”

“As far as humans have noticed. Unless more recent incidents weren’t recorded in the places I have access to. Not everyone who interacts with shades is part of the scientific community. I’m sure there’s all kinds of information outside of scientific publications from all around the world, but finding it isn’t a quick or straightforward task.”

“We’ll just have to go off what’s been happening around town. I think I saw one of these intelligent or more complex shade-like beings.” Sebastian described what he’d seen around the stone in the town center.

Concern lined Mila’s face. “That sounds way too organized for regular shade behavior. To have a large group working together like that. I don’t like it.”

“Yeah, the groups of shades I have around Storm House have never acted anything like that.” The hordes were animalistic. Whatever had happened in town wasn’t.

Mila glanced toward the library entrance and where the stone stood in the circle beyond. “I wonder what they were doing?”

Maybe it was magic. Dancing and manipulating shadow wasn’t how human magic worked, but Sebastian had no clue how an intelligent shade-like being harnessed power. “I don’t know. But the fact that we’re sitting under a cloud of darkness could have something to do with it. I need to go find the mayor.”

“That’s probably best.” Mila patted his arm. “If I come across anything helpful, I’ll let you know.”

They exchanged phone numbers and Sebastian hurried toward the exit.

“Oh!” Mila called after him. “Remind James that the book on countermagic he checked out is overdue.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Sebastian entered town hall and found the administrator much more frazzled than the last time he’d been there with James.

---