Page 98 of What Is Dark Within Me

“Remember what Garm said. Don’t show weakness,” Violet whispered, grabbing Aleja by the arm and forcing her to stand. Of course. Violet had lived for months with a piece of the Astraelis inside of her. She wasusedto this.

Nicolas gave Violet a brief, thankful glance before speaking. “Your Unholiness, I have recruited two new Dark Saints. I request their Trials be given one year and a day from now.”

There was a long silence. Aleja’s breath stuck in her throat. Maybe the Second was gone or dead. Maybe he was going to reject Nicolas’s request. Maybe he had already deemed her unworthy.

“Nic,” she began, but the cavern rumbled again, and this time, Aleja was thrown off balance. She nearly fell to her knees, saving herself by grabbing one of the jagged crystals.

KNOWING ONE.

If the Second had a physical body, it was hidden by the red water. Like the Astraelis, Aleja heard him in her head, but this time ithurt. The shock of it rattled her jaw, her molars—so hard it felt like the fillings from her childhood cavities might shatter. A hand wrapped around hers, but she didn’t know if it belonged to Violet or Nicolas.

TWO TRIALS? IT HAS BEEN A DECADE SINCE YOU’VE COME TO ME, NICOLAS. THE HIDING PLACE HAS DECAYED BECAUSE OF YOUR NEGLIGENCE.

Nicolas had never skirted around the fact that his relationship with the Second was tense, but now it felt that if the Second desired it, all three of them would be dead before they fled his chamber.

“The right candidates hadn’t presented themselves,” Nicolas said. His voice was nonchalant, as she’d once found infuriating, but she knew him well enough now to catch the way his fingers twitched. “The Astraelis have been unusually active lately. We’ve caught a double agent within our borders. If another conflict is to come, I need those I can trust absolutely by my side.”

A DARK SAINT HAS RECENTLY FALLEN, the Second said.

Aleja winced, hoping the darkness would hide this sign of nervousness. She’d been the one to deliver the fatal blow to Roland.

“He was a traitor in league with the Astraelis. It’s a mistake I won’t make again. If I can assume the Trials will be set as planned, we’ll leave you to our sleep, Unholy One.”

THE ASTRAELIS DO NOT DARE APPROACH MY MOUNTAIN, BUT THEIR WHISPERS TRAVEL AFTER MANY YEARS OF SILENCE. YOUR NEW SAINTS MAY BE TAKING THEIR TITLES DURING WARTIME.

Violet stiffened and Aleja understood why. It felt as though something grazed the back of her neck; a curious touch, but firm enough to make itself known. When the Second spoke next, Aleja knew it was meant for her. A chuckle danced across her mind like fingertips moving across a piano.

I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN YOU’D FIND A WAY BACK HERE. YOU ALWAYS WERE TENACIOUS.

“There was no clause in my bargain saying I couldn’t undertake the Trials again,” she said. Nicolas had told her not to speak unless addressed directly, but the Second was in her mind.

Nicolas whirled; his eyes wide. Perhaps Nicolas had thought the Second was too old, or too mad, or too ambivalent about their petty lives to analyze the Knowing One’s nominees too closely.

THAT IS TRUE. AS THE HIGH LEADER OF THE HIDING PLACE, THE SECOND AMONG ALL, AND THE FIRST OF THE KNOWING ONES, IT WILL BE USEFUL TO HAVE THE LADY OF WRATH BACK ON THE BATTLEFIELD WHEN WAR FINDS US AGAIN.

Both Nicolas and Violet reacted this time, as if the Second had allowed them into the conversation. Aleja felt the tickle of the Second’s presence near the base of her skull and realized he wasn’t done.

BUT YOU MUST KNOW THAT I DESIGN MY TRIALS WITH THE CANDIDATE IN MIND. YOU’VE ALREADY UNDERGONE THEM ONCE. YOU WERE HIGH GENERAL OF THE KNOWING ONE’S ARMIES. IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT YOUR NEXT TRIAL BE MORE CHALLENGING THAN THE LAST.

“That’s not fair. She’s been living a human life. She has no memories of that,” Nicolas snapped. Aleja wanted to beg him to shut up—to keep from angering the Second any more than he had already. She doubted the Second would allow her to take another punishment in Nicolas’s place.

SHE STILL HAS A FRACTION OF HER OTHERLANDER POWER. DID YOU NOT THINK I WOULD FEEL THE BARGAIN YOU MADE WITH HER? THE BARGAIN YOU HAVE YET TO FULFILL, NICOLAS.

Aleja tried to meet his eyes, but Nic was focused on the pool.

“The bargain will be fulfilled when I choose to fulfill it, just as it has always been. And if your goal is to punish me for evading you before, then punishme, but leave her—”

“I’ll do it,” Aleja said, before he could dig himself deeper. “I accept the terms. I’ll undergo the Trials however you see fit, Your Unholiness.”

It was too dark to see anything but the glow of Nicolas’s eyes, but she could have sworn they were damp when he looked at her again. The realization dawned on her slowly, horribly.The heart of the next person to fall in love with you.Even the Knowing One couldn’t ignore the terms of a bargain.

VERY WELL, ALEJA. YOU HAVE ONE YEAR AND A DAY TO PREPARE.

The Second left her mind like a candle being pinched out, and Violet’s hand flew to the back of her neck. Her friend’s eyes widened. Whatever was said this time, the Second did not speak for the benefit of them all.

“I accept the terms,” Violet eventually whispered.

DONE, the Second said, returning to his full audience.VIOLET TIMMONS, YOU HAVE ONE YEAR AND A DAY TO PREPARE. NOW GO, THE THREE OF YOU. SOMETHING APPROACHES FROM THE BORDERS OF OUR REALM.

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