Page 16 of Of Withering Dreams
I studied the delicate sliver in my palm, prodding the engraved rune. The pebble was no bigger than my pointer finger’s nail bed. The etching was a simple eye shape with a slantedX-mark through it.
I set it on the small table beside the bed and went to the door. “Come back in and spill all of your lies,” I ordered, sweeping my arm out. Kaden blushed and lowered his chin, sighing. He walked to the side of my bed and sat on the edge, the velvet crushing under his solid weight.
“I never lied to you, Seryn.”
“Help me understand then.”
Kaden fidgeted on the bed a bit as I sat next to him. “In the months before the culling, I caught Ma in the woods one night. I couldn’t sleep and went for a walk. There was this light shining in the trees … It was her. Her body sparkled all over as she focused on a dying grymwood. The colors were amazing. Like honey-colored stars and caramel swirling together.” He rubbed his hand across his forehead, then rested it on his muscular thigh. The fabric of his tunic and breeches rustled against his movements.
“She wasn’t even ashamed or frightened, Ser. She told me right away she was a Druik. I was only thirteen, so she wasn’t sure if I’d inherit any abilities, but I think she suspected I would. I’ve always felt connected to the woods, and I’ve always healed quickly.” He shrugged, shifting to face me.
“In those months, she tried to prepare me the best she could in case any ember manifested when I turned twenty-one. She was proud of hers and said it was nothing to be ashamed of, but I needed to be safe. She wanted to teach me more … but she didn’t get the chance.” He looked down, his mouth dipping.
“She made me promise not to tell anyone, not Gavrel nor Pa. Not even you.” He grabbed my hand, his eyes pleading. “Please understand. I wanted to tell you, but then she was … gone. I didn’t want to break my promise to her. I didn’t want to put you, or anyone else, in danger.”
“Thank you for being honest with me. I …” I paused, squeezing his hand. “I understand. It’ll take a moment for me to work through all of this. It’s all happening so quickly. I’ll always be here for you, Kade. Even if you are trying to protect me, you should know by now I can handle whatever you share with me.”
“I see that now. Forgive me?”
“All right, I’ll forgive you … for now.” I smirked. We both shifted on the bed and laid back on the pillows facing each other. “So, what else is there to tell? Why didn’t she register?”
“Well, she made it sound like registered Druiks were in more danger than those in hiding. She said if the Elders knew you had powerful ember abilities, which I think she did, you’d be given an ultimatum. Join their Akridai force or—I don’t know—disappear or be culled. Maybe they leave Druiks who aren’t formidable alone.” One shoulder shrugged. He twirled his hand in the air. “I can heal small wounds. Before your wound, I tried it on myself earlier this turn, but I couldn’t get it right. Maybe you were the motivation I needed. I’d call that a success.” A grin split his face.
“Happy to be your test subject.”
He chuckled, then went on, his eyes alight. “I also can sometimes help plants grow, but only small ones. As in, I once grew a leaf back on a clover. Not enough to help Evergryn or be a threat to the Elders, I’d say.” His smile wilted.
“Well, I blew up a shade. I’m not sure that’s very useful in Midst Fall either.” He snorted at my comment. A small smile flitted across my face before settling in a line. “After hearing about Hestia … let’s keep our abilities to ourselves as much as possible. Just to be safe.” He nodded in agreement. I reached for the stone sliver on the side table. “So, tell me about talismans.”
“Ah, yes. Ma showed me some runes she had etched into rocks once. Said they were talismans for protection. Don’t know what happened to them, but this reminds me of Ma’s. Different symbol, though.” He plucked the pebble from my fingers, studying it. His other hand itched the side of his jaw. “If I had to guess, this has been in there the whole time.”
“I think you’re right,” I agreed, taking the stone from him and putting it in my pocket. “Someone put it there on purpose. It must have been when I was too young to remember. From what Mama told me, I’ve had that scar since I was a baby. The shade’s bite forced it out.” I sighed heavily, sinking further into the plush comforter.
Kaden picked up my hand, enveloping it in his larger one, wrapping my ragged spirit in unspoken comfort. We lay like that for a while, processing what we had been through in the past several days, listing all the questions we needed answers for.
I wasn’t sure what I would do without Kaden. He was a solid rock beneath my feet, keeping me stable on unsteady ground. We grew weary as the moments ticked on, and soon, our energy ran dry—finally depleted from days of panic and confusion. We drifted asleep, our hands still embracing one another. The clouded bath water remained forgotten on the floor, mingling with our spilled secrets.
9
HARROWING
“Welcome, citizens of the mortal realm!” The woman’s voice echoed through the Great Hall, bouncing off the metallic arches weaving intricately throughout the crystallized cathedral ceiling. Instantly, the whispers buzzing through the crowd were silenced. Impressive, considering there were hundreds of us clustered in the massive space. Luckily, Kaden, Letti, Breena, and I had found each other, a unit once more. Everyone’s faces were rapt with interest, our collective breaths held.
Most of us wore outfits made of the same white fabric. There were those scattered throughout the masses dressed in similar clothing but in shades of red, blue, green, or yellow. Breena wore a tunic and loose breeches in a ruby shade, the color of astra poppies. I glimpsed a faint cherry glow dancing around her. I surveyed the room, spotting several other auras, their colors corresponding with each Druik’s attire.
Draumrs lined the walls, encircling the crowd. Their spines were stacked in sturdy lines as if made of immovable stone. Gavrel stood at the front of the crowd, guarding the stairs leading up to a substantial platform.
Akridais lurked in every corner, their pewter robes shimmering. Each of their necks was branded with a matching geometric tattoo that extended from the line of their jaw to their collarbone. The intricate runes—for that is what I now realized they were—sank into the shifting shadows cast upon them. A few of the enforcers’ symbols were glowing, an eerie yellow smoldering behind the black ink.
Acid boiled within my belly at the sight of them. I breathed through my nose and exhaled from pursed lips, willing my body to calm, trying not to recall Hestia’s culling.
My attention diverted to the polished stage. It had been carved directly from the cliff rock the palace melded with. The obsidian of the platform crept into the shadows, then surged diagonally up the back wall. The blackened stone was cut jaggedly, fusing with the moonstone of the palace.
Down the center of the two-toned surface were seven windows aligned vertically, their shapes depicting phases of the moon—a waning crescent at the top to a waxing crescent at the base. Beams of orange and pink filtered through the moon-shaped windows, the full moon at the center filled with a glowing, neon blush.
I looked back at Gavrel. His face was so impassive that it made me want to touch him to see if he was still in his body. I clutched my fingers into the fabric of my skirt instead, feeling the stone talisman resting in my pocket. I pulled my shoulder blades together and regarded the five figures atop the gleaming dais.
The woman who had called out the greeting was perched on a grand, black throne. It was also carved directly from obsidian, its base a part of the stage. Intricate swirls and etched adornments embraced her lithe figure, the room waiting with bated breath for her to speak again. The four other people on the platform also sat, two flanking each side of her. Their Gothic wooden chairs looked out of place, less spectacular than the throne.
