Page 146 of What Lies Within Blood & Heirs

His face was unreadable.

Alora shook her head. “You’ve never heard of it?” Strange. Being royalty, shouldn’t he have been taught the Celestial stories and the birth of the land they stood on? The very land that resembled the moon and star?

Garrik offered her a lovely grin. “Tell it to me?”

At the sight of Garrik’s smile, she obliged him.“Two brothers, Darkness and Moon, fell in love with the same star. Vespera loved the light of Moon and treasured how Darkness caressed her each night.Both keeping her safe.” And added when Garrik’s head tilted slightly, “Her love for Moon grew stronger than Darkness.

“Night after night, they hid in secret until Darkness discovered that Vespera’s love grew short for him, and he began to snuff out their light.

“Moon and Vespera fell from the Stars Eternal and crashed into their realm to live in eternity together. Creating Elysian.”

He turned in place, surveying the entire expanse of Elysian around them. Scratching his calluses over the near-invisible shadow on his jaw, Garrik turned to her. “That is quite the story.” And stopped walking when he observed Krysenka before throwing a warm glance over his shoulder. “But I have come to know it much differently.” With the quick wave of his hand over the map, Smokeshadows swirled until they revealed a picture-play of life as if it occurred before their eyes.

“Indeed, the two brothers loved her,” he began. “But it was Darkness that Vespera could not live without. And when Moon discovered her treachery, when their brother, Sun, tried to stop a war, Moon released his power and sent them all crashing from the Stars Eternal to form Elysian.” Garrik’s hand brushed Krysenka with great and terrible loss in his eyes. “Moon’s jealousy was so rapturous that he condemned Vespera andDarkness to live eternally separated. To never lay eyes on one another again. And by Moon’s greatest pleasure…”

Garrik glanced at the wall in front of them, at the center kingdoms that appeared to almost form a crescent. “Moon lies in the middle. Forever laughing at the star’s face, his back turned on his brother.” Another wave of his hand and the picture-play disappeared. His fingers hadn’t left the mass of land separated from the rest, behind the moon. “Darkness remains bound here. Forever separated from that which loved him fiercely.”

When Alora remained silent, he turned to her and sighed. “At least that is the tale told by mothers at nightfall.”

Alora couldn’t stop looking at Miratara. “You truly think a star could fall in love with the darkness?”Something like hope fluttered in her voice, masked by curiosity.

Garrik’s back met the map. He folded his arms and arched a brow. “You do not? Is it so hard to believe one’s darkened soul held captive by the nightmares it creates can be boldly loved by that which brings life and light?”

There was nothing unbelievable about it. Alora flexed her hand and tried to steady the shake in her voice as she asked, “Do you think they’ll ever be together? The star and Darkness.”

His steps were more determined than she’d ever seen. Garrik’s finger tipped up her chin, and she couldn’t stop looking at the polished steel of his eyes when he said with nothing but certainty, “For his sake, I hope so.” There was no use steadying her heart. It had decided to run away. “For hers… I hope she crashes deeply in love with another. The darkness is too ruined. He will only destroy her light.”

Somehow, she knew he wasn’t speaking about the story anymore.

Sunset eyes like blood glowed brighter than the end of the mellowherb roll, wafting smoke into the surrounding air.

Garrik did not mind as long as it did not host hallucinogenic qualities. His surveillants needed to remain alert. Of the many times he had met with his spymaster in the concealment of a darkened corner or storming night, the maleusually could not help but relieve the stress of his duties without a light.

Either that or to quench an undying thirst the male could not fight.

Garrik had been on the receiving end of it before. And standing there, he sensed the need for blood in his spymaster. The mellowherb would not stifle it for long.

At least the male’s eyes were not black yet. Then that hunger would turn into something …more.

Hidden in the depths of the royal gardens, in the shadow of a stone wall that appeared more like a prison than the maze of shrubbery and statues it concealed inside, the male dropped the mellowherb and twisted his boot atop it. That blood-gaze tightened, squinting through the canopy of trees, which barely allowed in any sunlight, as he adjusted the cloak over his pin-straight, long black hair.

“Think you can locate it?”

The male deepened a breath as if he were still inhaling smoke. “Yes,” he said with absolute certainty. Garrik did not doubt it. “If Blood is in Kadamar. I will find it.”

Garrik surveyed those crimson eyes under the male’s cloak and warned, “I do not wish to be here by the Cullings.” And he sure as shit would not be around for the Hunt.

Across the darkness, the male nodded. “It will be done, High Prince.”

Either by his Shadow Order or his spymaster, Blood would be found. There was no other alternative.

The male reached into his cloak and pulled out another mellowherb roll and match.

Garrik eyed it while his veins burned in warning. That bloodthirst must have been boiling directly beneath the surface if the male needed another so soon. “Do you need something?” he asked and began to roll up his sleeve.

“As much of a delicacy as you are … I have a warm selection waiting.” The flare illuminated the dark ink along his fingers as he sucked in relief and puffed out tension. “If that is all?”

Garrik simply nodded, glad for their short meetings, and laid amused caution in his tone. “Do not allow Kadamar’s spymaster to find you out.”

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