Page 134 of Dark Bonds

“He... He told me things, Frankie, about us, about our family. I’m not sure how much of it was true, but...”

I lean in, my heart racing to match the accelerated beeping, forgetting about everything else. Right now, it’s just me and Finn. “What did he say?”

Finn takes a deep breath, his chest rising and falling like he’s preparing to dive into deep, dark waters. “He said our parents were from different realms. Our mother was a light shifter, and our father was a shadow beast. That’s why we’re... different.”

The truth hits me like a sucker punch. I can’t breathe for a second. I think back to those eredar beasts and how weirdly connected I felt to them. Holy crap, it all makes sense now. It’s like someone just flipped a switch in my brain. Suddenly, a part of me I never knew was there wakes up.

The truth lands like a physical blow, reshaping my understanding of who and what I am.

“That’s why Blackwood wanted us,” I whisper, the pieces falling into place with a terrible clarity. “We’re living bridges between the realms.”

Finn nods, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and awe that I’m sure is mirrored in my own. “He said we have the potential to reshape reality. That’s why he kept me hidden and manipulated your life through Valerie. He was grooming us to be his weapons by injecting you with my light and me with your shadows.”

This new info weighs on us. It’s suffocating, like we can’t escape it no matter how much we want to. I think of all the pain and struggles that have led to this moment and feel a surge of anger toward the people who treated us like pawns intheir cosmic game. It burns in my chest, a fire that threatens to consume everything in its path.

I have to rub the ache in my breastbone. It doesn’t help.

“Well, he failed,” I state firmly, squeezing Finn’s hand with a ferocity that surprises us both. “They don’t get to control us anymore. We make our own choices now, yeah?”

Freedom comes with its own weight, a responsibility I’m not sure I’m ready for.

A knock at the door interrupts our conversation, the sound jarring in the hushed atmosphere of the medical wing. Leo pokes his head in, his usual grin tempered by concern. The sight of him—solid, real, and untouched by the madness of our newfound heritage—is like a breath of fresh air.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt,” he says, glancing between Finn and me, searching for signs of distress. “The council’s representatives are here. They want to talk to both of you.”

I sigh, the reality of our situation crashing back like a bucket of ice water. The world beyond this room won’t wait for us to process our shattered identities. “Alright, send them in.”

When Leo’s gone, I look at Finn. “Are you good to do this? I can tell them to take a hike if you need a break.”

Finn shakes his head, already pushing himself up with a determination that makes my heart swell with pride. “No, I want to be here with you. I can’t explain it, I just don’t want you to go.”

His words warm my heart, chasing away some of the chill left by our revelations. “Right. Together.”

As the door opens again, I feel Finn’s grip on my hand tighten. Two figures enter, walking in like they own the place. The room suddenly feels smaller. The first is a tall, slender woman with silver hair that seems to shimmer with its own light. Her companion is a broad-shouldered man whose skin is so dark it appears to absorb the fluorescent glare of the hospital lights.

“Frankie and Finn Vale,” the woman says, her voice melodious yet firm. “I am Councilor Aria, and this is Councilor Dante. We represent the interests of both the light and shadow realms.”

I frown, suspicion creeping in. “How did you know to come here so quickly?”

Aria’s lips quirk in a humorless smile. “We’ve been monitoring Shadow Locke for some time. The power surge from your confrontation with Blackwood set off every alarm we have. It was... impossible to ignore.”

Their titles make my skin crawl, and they stare at us like we’re lab specimens. I can practically feel their eyes judging every move. This is way above my pay grade.

“We understand you recently learned of your... unique heritage,” Councilor Dante rumbles, his deep voice seeming to resonate in my bones.

Finn shifts beside me, his discomfort palpable. “You mean the fact that we’re some kind of hybrid abominations?” he says, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Aria’s expression softens slightly. “Not abominations,” she says gently. “Miracles. The union of light and shadow is something that hasn’t occurred in millennia. Your existence changes everything.”

Her words piss me off. Who does she think she is? “We’re not miracles or weapons or pawns,” I say firmly. “We’re people, and we’ve been through hell because of the games you’ve all been playing.”

Dante nods, his dark eyes gleaming with something that might be respect. “We understand your frustration, Frankie, but you must understand the magnitude of what you and your brother represent. The balance between our realms has been deteriorating for centuries. Your birth is a sign of hope. I amone of the last light shifters.” His eyes flick to Finn, and a fierce protectiveness burns through me.

Finn’s grip tightens on my hand. “Hope for who?” he asks, his voice hoarse. “Because from where I’m sitting, all this has brought us is pain and manipulation.”

Aria steps closer, her silver hair seeming to glow in the harsh hospital lighting. “For everyone,” she says softly. “Light and shadow are not meant to be separate. They are two halves of a whole, like day and night. Your existence proves that unity.”

I feel a surge of conflicting emotions at Aria’s words. Part of me wants to believe in this grand destiny, this idea that Finn and I could somehow heal the rift between realms, but another part, the part that’s been hurt and betrayed too many times, recoils from the weight of such expectations.

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