Page 8 of Visions of Darkness

She was sure she could physically feel the fury that blazed beneath his skin.

“You were burned last night.” His voice came on a low, grating rasp.

They often fought through the night without being burned. But on the times when she was? She could sense the rage that scorched through his being. As if he wanted to protect her from who they were.

But he couldn’t do that.

Both their fates were here, their burdens the same.

“As were you.”

He blinked harshly, and he lowered his voice to shield it from anyone who might overhear. “You have to be careful, Aria. I know you were burned because of me. I cannot stand the thought ...”

His teeth ground to stop himself from saying the things that were forbidden to be said.

“I’m fine,” Aria promised. “It is part of this life. You and I know it, and we must accept it.”

“The thought of you being hurt. When I wake up and know you’re in pain, I ...” His jaw clenched.

She squeezed his hand. “I know. I hate it for you as well. But you know that—”

“Good, you’re finally here,” a voice peeped, breaking into their huddle, and they both jerked to find Dani standing at their sides. The young woman watched them with concern, her pale eyes dimmed.

She was waif thin and so short she reminded Aria of a pixie, her eyes wide and almost too big for her delicate face. The fact that she wore her blond hair cropped with little fringes wisping out only sealed the resemblance. In her late twenties, the Laven had taken a mentor position in the two years before Aria had first descended into Faydor, doing her best to prepare Aria for what was to come.

As grateful as Aria was to her, none of them could truly be prepared for what they would face until they had experienced the depravity for themselves.

“You should come,” Dani encouraged. She took Aria’s hand as she glanced at Pax. He roughed his fingers through his hair, vibrating with frustration.

Even though she ached to spend one moment alone with Pax, Aria dutifully followed, allowing Dani to lead her to the gathering. Their Laven family was at Ellis’s feet, and Aria and Dani joined them, sitting down on the cool grass, so thick it pillowed beneath them.

A minute later, Pax took the spot on her opposite side.

His presence was overwhelming. The only thing she could feel.

She had to force herself to turn her attention to Ellis, who spoke in front of the group.

Their eldest Laven appeared withered, his limbs spindly and thin, like the craggy curl of a great old tree. The lines carved deep in his face spoke of the evil he had witnessed, and the weight in his pale-gray eyes spoke of his unending compassion.

Respect filled Aria as she listened to him again emphasize the importance of their calling. As he gave them reason for the sacrifice they made.

“You were chosen for this, to fight the evils of Faydor, to protect humans who do not know of the war that is being waged for them. They know not of the dangers that surround them each moment. Kruen are hungry for their ruin, and you are fighting to protect them from atrocities they do not understand. Do not take that calling lightly.”

Aria’s stomach turned as she prepared herself for the wickedness she would face tonight.

“Remember, you are only protected here.”

They could be burned in Faydor, but they could not be killed.

“When you are awake and walking on Earth, you are completely human, and you are susceptible to every vulnerability. Weaker even, as the Kruen will fight to put dangers in your path. They will destroy you if given the chance. And I know it is painful, but you must never interact with other Laven if you ever cross paths. The great book given by Valeen warns of this truth. In all of history, each time Lavens have come together in the human realm, they have been attacked. Decimated. Together, our spirits act as a beacon for the Kruen. They can easily find you, and they will use that vulnerability to their advantage and destroy you there.”

Aria had never seen another like herself. But she wondered ... God, she wondered.

Ellis paused before he spoke. “Much more than that, you must never, ever seek your Nol while awake.”

Aria swore she felt Ellis’s gaze brush over them, and she wondered again if it was possible that only she could feel this way in the sea of her Laven family. If the bond she shared with Pax was greater than theirs.

“Your Nol is your greatest strength here in Tearsith and in Faydor, and your greatest weakness while awake. You cannot protect them there, and it would place you both in the path of the gravest of dangers. Not only is it two Laven gathering to create a target for the Kruen, but it goes deeper than that. Your spirits cannot withstand that pressure, and the Kruen will pit you against one another, change something in your hearts the way something changed in Kreed’s heart.”

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