Page 10 of The Fifth Soul

He stops suddenly without warning, almost making me run into his back.

“To get to our destination, we need to walk across the castle. This will be the perfect opportunity for you to show me how you infiltrated the castle completely undetected.”

His eyes tell me he expects me to fight him on this. Little does he know I have no fight left in me. Not when my best friend’s life is on the line. I need him for Matias, leaving me at his mercy. If I have to dance to the tune of the Prince of Puerto Quinn, I will give him my best performance.

“A gift,” I say to him with my head held high. I might not have a lot, but I have this. I prepare myself for his disbelief.

Instead, he asks, “How does it work?”

The question comes from curiosity. Of course, gifts are much more common here than they are at Fierno. The magic bloodlines are purer here. From the little I’ve gathered about gifts, they run in pure blood lines—the ones blessed to have them bestowed upon. Since my bloodline is unknown, so is the origin of my gift.

“I can glamor myself and others around me.” The words come out between clenched teeth. It has been a long time since I disclosed my gift to anyone. The action feels too personal.

“A trick of light?” He asks.

I can almost see the wheels in his head working to make sense of the magic behind it. Effortless, unconscious magic carries gifts out.

“Not exactly.”

It is almost like a separate room that opens. I can pick who is inside that room. Everyone inside can speak and see each other. They can still see everyone outside the room but not speak to them. I want to say the words out loud, but they get stuck.

Brandon steps closer. “You have to give me something. Does a person have to be close to be part of the glamor?”

I think of missions where Matias and I had to work with others. Those were few and far between.

“As long as I can see them.” My words come out clipped.

Brandon doesn't miss a beat. “Can you pick and drop a person from a distance?”

I think about his question because I have never had to do it before. “I don’t know.” My eyes fall to my hands like they will give me the answer.

“How many people have you been able to cover at once?”

I flinch at the pain in my head and press my palm to it. “The most I’ve tried is four.”

“Looks like there might be more to your gift. You have the ability to not just be invisible, but untraceable.” He is talking more to himself than to me. His eyes fall back to mine, and a smirk spreads on his lips until he is full-on grinning.

The sight of it makes a shiver run down my spine.

“Go on, show me,” he says.

At the end of the hall, we stop behind a set of double doors. Brandon looks at me over his shoulder, and I nod. It’s showtime.

The first set of hallways we come across are empty. After that, we pass only a few guards in corners. Brandon doesn’t stop and wave at the men like I expect him to. The few people I have shared my gift with always do it. I’m sure I did it for a while at first, too. Instead, he spares them a glance and keeps walking.

Soon enough, we enter a large hall. Clusters of people walk all around us. The crown prince of Puerto Quinn looks around with what I can only describe as bewilderment. A young woman with a food platter walks past him, and he snatches a carrot off her plate.

“How do items interact with your gift?”

I step closer so I don’t have to raise my voice. “They enter our room once we take hold of them.”

“Amazing,” he says, chuckling.

I can’t help but let my eyes follow the sound before I remind myself to stay focused. I need to prove myself useful and devise a plan to bargain for Matias’s life. The way he’s reacting to my gift already tells me he is going to find a use for it. He doesn’t want anyone to know I am here. The prince wants to keep me a secret, giving me something to bargain with. It is not much, but it’s hope.

We cross a bridge and pass a few more hallways before we reach a set of large double wooden doors. As we reach this part of the castle, the number of people moving around decreases to only a few servants here and there.

“This is my private quarters,” he says as we enter.

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