Page 101 of Dark Night Golden Dawn
When they reached Ambracia Station, valets took the cars to board in freight, and a concierge led them to their private sleeping cars. Enzo, as always when boarding a train, looked nervous, but Harlow was pleased to see Riley whispering something to them that made them smile. Her best friend waved as he stepped into the private room they would share and Harlow had the distinct sense Enzo would be all right.
Before she could go inside the car she would share with Finn, Petra pulled her aside, taking Axel from her. “I’ll take this little monster tonight, if you like.”
Harlow nodded, kissing the cat on the head as he purred loudly at Petra. “Thank you. I need to take care of Finn.”
Axel rubbed his face against Petra’s. He knew who would spoil him, and he seemed happy enough to go with her. Petra rubbed her nose to his, then turned to Harlow. “He needs to rest, Harlow.Reallyrest.”
Harlow nodded sleepily. “Me too. I don’t think I can keep my eyes open much
longer. I promise I’ll let him sleep.”
“He’s going to kill me for telling you this.” Petra sighed, and wiped a sheen of sweat off her forehead. “White ash can do some serious long term damage. He needs to shift and rest in his true form.”
“All right,” Harlow said slowly, not understanding.
Petra patted her shoulder, then covered a yawn. “Just tell him what I said. See you in the morning.”
Harlow stepped into the car, just as the train began to move. She shut and locked the gilded mahogany door. The twins had fretted about having to ride in the second-class private rooms, but Harlow didn’t care that they didn’t have spacious suites. That they had privacy at all felt like a precious gift right now.
Finn was using their tiny bathroom, showering from the sound of things, which meant there was just enough room for Harlow to stand, alongside a double bed and a chair near the window. Much like the rest of the train, the second-class cars were lavishly decorated. The chair she sat in was sublimely comfortable, covered in a dark blush velvet with a pattern that made her tired vision swim. The bed looked comfortable, but a little small for the two of them, and it was tucked under an unfortunately low dip in the ceiling. When Finn came out of the marble bathroom, he was clean and looked like he might fall asleep on his feet.
“Wish we’d been able to book first class,” he muttered as he hit his head on the low doorway. “I barely fit in here.” The train picked up speed as he sat down on the bed, indenting the blue velvet linens. When she didn’t respond, he kicked her lightly in the shin. “What’s up?”
“What is your alternae?” she asked. “I’ve always heard that the Illuminated can shift, but I’ve never seen one actually do it. What’s yours?”
Finn flopped onto his back, and his head sunk into the mountain of pillows behind him. “Fucking Petra,” he growled.
She got up and crawled in next to him. His arm went around her as he drew her close. Without thinking, she wrapped her leg around his, as her arm went around his middle. The way he played with her messy hair felt comfortable and sensual, all at the same time. “Yeah, she’s such a bitch, wanting you to get better fast.”
Finn’s arm slid under her head as they turned toward each other. He kissed her sweetly, pulling back before either could deepen the embrace. “This is my alternae.”
Harlow sat up, banging her head on the ceiling. “Fuck,” she swore as he pulled her back down. He kissed her head, pulling her to his chest. She was confused; alternae were usually animal forms. They could be hereditary, though often there were other factors at work in what a shifter’s alternae manifested as that Harlow didn’t truly know. The ways of the Trickster’s Chosen were mysterious to humans and the other Orders, as they were quite secretive. “What do you mean thisisyour alternae?”
Finn shrugged. “This is the form I wear all the time. My true form is underneath.”
“Why?” she asked.
There was a long pause. Harlow waited patiently, listening to the steady noise of the train picking up speed.
Finn’s eyes were dark in the dim light of the train car, his breathing even, but slightly labored. “If I tell you this, there is no going back. We can break up, but you will always be bound to me by this secret. Are you ready for that?”
What Finn didn’t understand was that there was no going back for her, not now. Not ever. Like him, she had no idea what was ahead for them personally, but he had opened up her world in a way that she couldn’t walk away from. His fight was hers, from here on out, and she wanted to know everything.
“I don’t want to go back,” she said. “Just forward, together.”
She wanted to kiss him, but she didn’t. The moment seemed too solemn for that. What they agreed to now was beyond love or lust, or just them. She felt the weight of that bearing down on her and accepted it without question or doubt.
When Finn spoke, his voice was marked by a distant quality, as though he had never spoken these words aloud. “The Illuminated are hiding on Okairos. Not that we get too many travelers from elsewhere, but it was decided when we got here that we’d never show our true forms in public, just in case.”
“Hiding from what?” Harlow asked.
“The rest of our people. When we left our world, we were supposed to come here, wake magic, and begin training your people to fight in our wars. But the Illuminated that came in the original envoy were tired from the endless wars on our home world. They decided not to return. The way we got here was dangerous, and my parents didn’t think it was likely that they’d be followed.”
“Your parents were among the original envoy?”
Finn nodded. “Yes, and Alaric’s parents, though none of them were bonded at the time. They were the leaders of the envoy, coworkers, essentially. When they arrived, the envoy was in terrible shape. After a few months here, they decided not to awaken magic at all, as it would alert their home world to their progress. While they were less worried about being followed, they knew their people would feel the shift in the balance of power.”
“How?” Harlow breathed, amazed by the idea.
