Page 79 of In Between Darkness
I release a shaky breath and massage my temples with my forefingers; the slight migraine in the back of my mind encourages me to shut the book. I am saddened at the sudden awareness that my whole life, my whole existence, has been a lie. The reason we couldn’t mix was because the Sunkind didn’t want to risk the Star race coming back… Not because the God’s wouldn’t allow it. They can’t interfere, Oriah told me herself. The Sunkind are not good like I was raised to believe. They are a murderous race, and I am playing happy schoolgirl in their castle.
‘You have to remember this was hundreds of years ago, Asha. As frustrating as it may be, not many who witnessed the genocide are alive to this day. Only a handful of Restorers, but they have no memory of this.’I forgot that she can hear my thoughts.
I think to myself, “True…but it doesn’t make it hurt any less.”
‘I know child… I know.”I hear pain in her voice. Her people were mindlessly slaughtered, her children.‘Don’t dwell on the past, for you are the future.’
She’s right.
The future is more important, and it hangs heavy on my shoulders.
I don’t really feel like moving. I can’t stop thinking about the savage slaughter of the Star people. I am here in their castle of sin. Every creak I hear in the hallway makes my skin crawl, and each tiny chip and mark edged into the brick likens to the wounds and stains etched into a forgotten history. And somehow, I am the only one who remembers. I’ve been staring out my window, getting lost in a mellow sunset. The minute I see the moon rise above the mossy mountains, I am going back down into the archives. I know Ryder told me to meet him at twelve, but I would rather wait in the tunnel than stand on Sun ground a moment longer. I have time to kill, so I ask The Soldark one more question to busy my mind.
“Soldark…. What do you know about my father, Luca Thorncroft?”
The book breathes life into its pages again, this time even faster than before. I watch as the pages fill.
When I think about my father, I feel empty, no emotion whatsoever. My opinion of him has changed now that I know he was a martyr, a protector. But it doesn’t change the fact that I have no real memories of him. I can’t help wondering if he knew what he was getting into with my mother. I know he was chosen, but did he really know the meaning of it all? I have a new, overwhelming sense of guilt knowing that he was killed to protect me. Another weight to add to my already heavy conscience. The pages crackle, making me turn my focus back to them. The book has created a profile on Luca; there is even a photograph of him in the top right corner. He has my dimples and is smiling with a wide grin.
Luca Thorncroft
Height: 6’4
Weight: 185 lbs
Blessed by the God of Mourna - Gifts include communication with spirits and travelling between the veil. Avid dream walker.
Special skills - Knife throwing and hand-to-hand combat.
Conscripted to join the Xoro Army on graduation of Moon Sovereign as a trainee spiritual conduit.
Sentenced to death for crimes against Sun people.
Living Relatives - Brodie Thorncroft (brother) Sun
- Sarah Thorncroft (mother) Moon
-Asha Calloway (daughter) Star
Living relatives… I have had an uncle and a grandma this whole time. It has always just been me and my ‘dad’. A small sigh escapes my pursed lips at what my life could have been; family dinners around the table, the sound of joyous laughter echoing throughout the house, a woman to ask for advice about boys or the correct way to put a tampon in. For the longest time, I have felt so alone. I mean, my dad is everything to me and tried his best to make growing up special for me, but there was always something missing. I shake the thought off and continue reading. A pit in my stomach forms when I realise Brodie is a Sun. That probably means he was taken away at birth. I’m assuming the poor boy was then forced to grow up in the care system whilst the pieces of the family stayed broken. All for nothing. The rules aren’t even real. I stare consciously at his photograph. It’s hard to believe I am fifty percent this man.
A smile curves at my lips.
‘Knife throwing and hand-to-hand combat.’
I’m sure he would be proud to know his talents were passed on. I still remember the shock and pride on my dad’s face when I threw my first bullseye. He was so amazed at how quickly Ipicked it up. I feel closer to Luca knowing that his blood runs through my veins, his accuracy and precision with throwing knives, a signature of him even in death. I scrunch my eyes hard to blink away the tears that threaten to appear and close the book shut. That’s enough of that for one day. I place the book back into its box and twist the star latch to conceal its secrets. Into the suitcase it goes. My sheets hang low to the floor to help hide the contraband.
Chapter Thirty
My hands sift through the clothes hanging in my wardrobe; my palm brushes the material of each garment as I decide what to wear. Considering I don’t know what kind of training Ryder has in mind, it’s best to be prepared for whatever he throws at me. I step into my grey tracksuit bottoms and a plain white t-shirt. The soft cotton of my trousers hugs my legs as I pull on my sports bra, feeding my arms into it so it rests comfortably under my boobs. The t-shirt I have chosen is well-fitted, it hangs nicely over my curves and isn’t too tight, so I can breathe easily. I stare into my mirror and tie my hair up in a messy bun on the top of my head. That’ll do. In my reflection, I adjust my boobs and then check my breath on my hands. The last-minute dash into the bathroom to brush my teeth doesn’t mean that I have been fantasising about kissing Ryder again or anything. I smirk at the thought, and my stomach turns. Behave, Asha.
Once finished, I close the bathroom door behind me and look up at my clock. It’s almost time to meet Ryder. I may be a little early, but that’s better than boring myself to death in my dorm room. My lip gloss tastes like peach as I glide its shiny liquid over the soft ridges of my lips. I purse them and rub them together to smooth out the sheen. My hand reaches out to my favourite perfume on the side of the bathroom counter. I spritz a mist into the air, then saunter backwards and forwards through it so I smell nice but not too nice. Don’t want to make it seem like I’m trying too hard. This meeting tonight is purely professional. Heis teaching me the way of the Moon, an order from Oriah herself. A mission from a God, so I shouldn’t be stupid to let my feelings get in the way of the progress I need to make. Besides, it’s not like I put this lip gloss on because I think he will like the taste or anything. I smile and fight the urge to bite my lip. Right, it’s now or never.
I shut the door behind me and walk briskly down the corridor, taking the shortcut Charlie showed me. My eyes are glued to the red carpet as I walk with my head low, not wanting to make eye contact with any of the other students. The last thing I need is anyone striking up a conversation with me and asking me where I’m going or what I’ve been up to. I just need to mind my own business and get to the archives.
The education wing is daunting at this time. Its silence is an eerie comparison to the hustle and bustle it is used to in the daytime. My hand leans against the cool glass of the big windowpane overlooking the second courtyard. Perfect. There is no one there. It almost seems too good to be true. I push that thought away and carry on down the hallway. No room for negativity here. The soles of my trainers sound on the stone floor as I reach the end of the hallway, my arms folded to keep my nonchalant appearance.
“Asha.” A familiar voice calls from behind me.
