Page 19 of The Sorrow of Shadows

“With Raynor around, I always knew who I could trust. Now, I’m second guessing everything and everyone. You weren’t here much before his death, but things had begun to change in recent months. Raynor confided in me less and in his council more. I can’t logically explain it, Aurelius, but I feel something coming. Something big. I need your Gift to help guide me.” Genevieve shoves the last chunk of pastry in her mouth as she finishes.

I’m saddened that she feels she couldn’t share this with me before, but also concerned that she doesn’t believe she can trust anyone. Given how she is feeling, it makes sense that she would ask for my help. My secondary Anima Gift allows me to discern the intentions of those around me and detect when others arebeing honest. Despite being known for my ability to control blood, my Anima Gift made me perfect for my position as royal emissary. Not even Breyla knew I harbored this Gift.

“I’ve already told you—I’m here for whatever you need from me. I must ask, though. Have you told Breyla any of this?”

“Which part?” Genevieve asks. She bites her thumb nail, a mannerism that betrays her nervousness. I haven’t seen her do it since she discovered she was pregnant with Breyla. She had been so afraid of becoming a mother, but I knew she would make a great one. I was thirteen then and had little interest in babies, but my brother was delighted. It was the only thing he could talk about anytime he visited home. To see the nervous habit return after nearly three decades let me know how unsettled she must be feeling.

“Any of it,” I clarify.

She sighs. “No. Breyla idolized Raynor. He was a good male, but he had faults. She never saw them, though. When she couldn’t even come home for his funeral, how was I supposed to tell her any of that? I refuse to break my daughter’s heart any further.”

“And about the council? What have you told her about that?”

Her eyes drop to her lap, and a sad smile creeps across her face. “Nothing. I’ve tried to talk to her many times since she arrived, but she refuses to speak with me. The most I can get is indifference and barbed words. I don’t know what to do, Aurelius.”

Though I’m angry to learn that Breyla refuses to speak with her mother, I’m not surprised. Her recent actions align with that. “Trust me, I don’t know what to do with that sharp tongue of hers either,” I mutter.

That’s not entirely true, though. There are a few things I could think to do with that tongue—but none of which I should be.

“Is she giving you trouble again?”

“When did she stop? That daughter of yours has been a menace since I arrived in the castle when I wastwenty, Gen. How someone like you could produce a female so infuriating is beyond my understanding.”

She chuckles, “If it weren’t so true, I might be offended that you are speaking of my daughter this way. You forget she is equal parts me and Raynor. I’d say you two were like fire and ice, but that’s not quite right. You’re more like fire and fire, constantly locked in a battle of feeding each other’s flames and hoping you don’t get burned.”

“That’s accurate.” Trying to shift the conversation away from the female I can’t stop thinking about, I ask “What about Elijah? Breyla has always trusted him, and I’ve never felt any ill intentions from him.”

“I trust Elijah completely. He might as well be my son. His parents—Olivera and Daniel—served on the council until they died unexpectedly when Elijah was four. Olivera was a dear friend of mine, so Elijah was already like family. It wasn’t even a question to take him in. He and Breyla have been inseparable for most of their lives, and I know I can rely on him. He’s smart but he’s also young. I’m no fool, I know he only accepted the position on the council for Breyla’s sake. He tells her everything, so it saves me from relaying information to her.”

Some of this I knew, but some of it is new. Elijah’s parent’s death happened before my time at court, so I had no idea they had served before him—or that Gen was friends with his mother. It certainly explains why she is so fond of Elijah and why Breyla is so comfortable with him.

“Gen, I’m going to tell you something that’s probably uncomfortable for you to hear, but it needs to be said.” I was her friend first and everything else second. As her friend, it sometimes meant giving her the truth she didn’t want to hear.

“Well, go on,” she says.

“I know you mean well and want to protect your daughter, but you’re not. You’re only hurting her in the long run by keeping these things from her. I don’t care if you say she won’t talk to you—you’re her mother and queen. You can make her sit and listen. She may be acting indifferent right now, but she needs you and you need her. I can only assume she doesn’t understand the nature of our arrangement or relationship, as well. So, she probably feels betrayed that you would move on from Raynor so quickly. Keeping all these things from her is only hurting you both,” I say as gently as possible while still getting my point across.

Gen’s eyes welled up, and I almost regretted saying what I had said, but she needed to hear it.

“I can’t, Aurelius. What if I tell her and I lose her, too?”

“So, you’d rather she remain indifferent and cold toward you?” I’m having trouble grasping how telling Breyla could be a bad thing.

“If it means she’s safe, then yes. There are some things she’s better off not knowing.”

I slump in my chair and let out a deep sigh. While I may not understand her logic, this conversation is over because Genevieve rarely does anything without reason.

“Fine, Gen. If you want me to keep your secrets, I will. I don’t understand your reasoning, but I trust you. However, I still think you should keep trying to talk to Breyla. You need each other.” These aren’t my secrets to share, but what are a few more to keep?

Nearly everyone is already present and seated when I arrive at the council room. I take the seat to the right of Genevieve, andacross from Breyla. Standing behind Breyla is Jade and Julian. Though they share a similar bone structure, hazel eyes, and warm brown skin, it’s easy to tell them apart. Julian keeps his raven hair trimmed short to his scalp, while Jade’s silver-white hair hangs in braids that nearly reaches her waist. Julian stands almost as tall as I, while Jade is several inches taller than Breyla. They are an intimidating, yet breathtaking sight.

I look down at the table to find we are only waiting for Lord Seamus. I’m sure his late arrival is just a way to make himself feel more important than he really is. A few moments later he makes his appearance, a smug look on his face.I wonder what that’s about.

“Well, now that Lord Seamus has graced us with his presence we can begin,” the queen says, her voice full of irritation. “We have much to discuss.”

Breyla speaks up first. “In case anyone hadn’t heard, someone attempted to poison Lord Aurelius yesterday. Fortunately for him, he had sent back the tainted food, but it was rather unfortunate for the kitchen servant who ate it instead.” Everyone has the decency to act surprised and horrified by this news, even Seamus.

“Were you able to discern who was behind it?” Lord Jaeson asks. He is powerful, but inexperienced in many ways. His Gift manifested unusually early at the age of eight. He’s the youngest on the council—younger than even Elijah—at twenty-five years. So while he’s had seventeen years to hone his power over fire, he’s still learning the intricacies of court politics.

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