Chapter 30
Elias
Terra stills at the sight of the black gates.
“Where does this go?” she asks in a dreadful tone, sounding anything but excited to go on another outing with me. I guess taking her to the front lines of Whales of Tauh was probably a little too extreme, but I needed to get my point across.
“To Za’Afiel,” I say as I stare at the familiar stone-framed doors. The last time I passed through the black gates was with my comrades.
She perks up at that and I level her a curious look. “Eager to go there for something?” I ask, not surprised when she lies and shakes her head. She and Raine are still looking for something to stop the blight. I hope they find it. The thought of not having someone to train with in the mornings and bullshit with casts a dark stone in my heart.
“You really think he hid them there?” she says incredulously, looking at the stonework like she doesn’t entirely trust the craftsmanship.
I nod. “Velis did some snooping while Emerai visited the front lines. It’s taken some time, but I think we may have found them all.” Her eyes soften and a hopeful grin spreads across her face.
She’s the only person I trust with this besides Arthur. He’s been so distant as of late due to his lectures with Edgar. I don’t know how he’s found the time to oversee all his academics, but he’s managed.
My expression grows grim. Since Kallos placed that cast on his Shadow, Edgar has fallen into a deep depression. Doom most certainly clouds his mind now. He’s incapable of escaping his fate. Raine has avoided him at all costs—Edgar must have a twisted and cruel fate because Raine can’t even look at him without turning pale.
Sometimes, I wish Raine could speak about his visions. I know his Shadow doesn’t allow it, but I cannot fathom what wealth his dying mind holds.
“Shall we?” I motion for Terra to step through the black gates first and she glowers at me before stepping through. I wait another moment, staring at the black stones reminiscently before following.
Dark smoke pools around us like we’ve walked into a house fire. It’s scentless and leaves cold tendrils of despair along my skin. I step out into the silent halls of Za’Afiel. The air is older here, the stones damp from the breeze off the ocean.
Terra leans over and peers out one of the windows overlooking the stone garden; from the third floor, you can even see the ocean. Moonlight drapes the snow-covered scenery with somber silence.
Many little mounds raise portions of the snow, reddened by what lies beneath. Terra notices and looks back at me with confusion and denial. Her brown hair has a light blue hue to it, the moon framing her in luminance.
“It’s exactly what you think it is,” I say in a monotone voice. There’s a reason why the halls are so quiet.
“But Edgar described this place as peaceful… What happened?” she says sadly, as if she can imagine what this mansion was like filled with the laughter of many ignorant souls. Oblivious to the world filled with hatred beyond the island, thanks to Arthur’s gift.
“The Empress of Fernestia wanted this faction shut down. They have all the Novas they’ve been searching for. Cein ordered the culling yesterday. I found out this afternoon when Arthur was sitting in his empty office in the Nova House for once instead of his study here.”
Terra covers her mouth and leans over like she’s going to vomit.
I shut my eyes as I think of the pain I saw in his. He didn’t seem surprised about it; it was more like an old, dreadful wound, one he knew would eventually open. The circles beneath his eyes were dark. There were no traces of light in his eyes.
“They’re ready to take Whales of Tauh by the end of next month. We have seven weeks… If we can find my heart and I can break free of Emerai’s hold, humanity might still have a chance.” I say it as if I’m giving a soldier orders. Emotionlessly.
“You keep saying that.” Terra lowers her hand from her mouth and looks up at me. I raise a brow. “You keep saying humanity as if we aren’t human anymore.”
We aren’t though, not really.
I ignore her comment. “Let’s get to the cellar. I think that’s where Emerai keeps them.”
The halls are cold and the lack of life spills from every crevice of the stones. The silence is eerie. I wonder if there’s a single soul left here. Perhaps the Darkflies have already left this place too.
“We’re not going to run into Dr. Cein here, are we?” she asks barely above a whisper, like someone might hear.
I shake my head and hold the door for her as she steps through into the stairwell. “I’m trying to keep him away from you for as long as I can,” I admit.
She looks up at me, flashing those emerald eyes. Oh, how I envy her light. “Why’s that?”
“Because he’s an evil man, Terra.” She levels me a look that says, But so are you, and I chuckle. “Way more than me, sweetheart. Who do you think raised me?” I shove my hands into the pockets of my tactical vest and keep my gaze on the steps as we descend.
“That must have been terrible to go through,” she says in a quiet voice after a few moments. There’s sympathy in her tone. I’m not sure there’s much more I hate in this world than pity, but oddly, when it’s from her, I find that it’s easier to accept.
I sigh. “Yes. It… was.”
Stolen at a young age and being raised by a monster—it makes you one in kind. I don’t remember my real parents or the village I was born in. All I have are memories of torture and intense training.
The first Shadow. The start of all of this. Maybe that’s why Cein keeps me so close. I’m his son in some ways.
My head hangs heavily upon my shoulders as I think of Cein. I’ve come to think of him as my father. How many times have I relished in the desire to rip that man’s heart out? To watch him die slowly and let all his work come to an end?
But when all’s said and done, I’m not sure I’ll be able to kill him.
Terra pushes her hand into my vest pocket and wraps her warm hand around mine. A soft smile spreads over my lips.
She’s still so human.
“I am in no need of comfort. The darkness holds me.”
She doesn’t retreat and only walks closer to my side. “Shut up. If I’m offering comfort, just accept it,” she says with that cute attitude of hers. I want to shut my eyes and be in her presence for a while. Perhaps once the war has ended I’ll have that little amount of peace. Should we be so lucky.
We reach the main floor and have to walk through the foyer and extravagant halls to get to the cellar stairs. Terra looks around in awe of Za’Afiel, her eyes shimmering with sadness. A place such as this should be filled with laughter and life, not the dark wail of a cold winter breeze.
She stops at the mess hall and releases my hand to explore. I guess we aren’t pressed for time, so I follow her and watch her bright green eyes take in this haunted manor.
“Is this really where Arthur spends most of his time?” she asks sadly. There’s so much longing in her voice for him—I envy that about the man. He pulls her heart in entirely.
“It is. Though he rarely walks through the manor. His study is on the third floor and that’s where he stays most days,” I say drily. She takes one last look at the massive windows that pillar the far wall of the mess hall. The view opens to the forest and the sea beyond, a cold and frozen world.
The cellar stairs are drab and covered with a fine layer of moss and dirt. A mildewy scent hangs in the air; Terra’s nose crinkles at the smell of it.
“Why would Emerai hide the hearts down here?” She looks up at me with those green eyes and I stare for a second longer than I should.
“I thought the same thing at first. Velis led me down here and I was certain it was mistaken, but then I felt something strange in the room. I couldn’t see anything, but I could feel it.”
She raises a brow. “Is that why you brought me here? You think I’ll be able to see them?” I nod and open the cellar door, the wood creaking on its hinges.
The cellar is a simple room built with discolored stones. Moisture hangs in the frigid air. A large furnace sits at the end of the room. It’s the first time I’ve seen it unlit. Wooden crates line the walls, filled with palm-sized rocks.
I can’t see anything that would suggest the hearts are here, but every nerve in my body is burning and screaming.
“They are here, I’m certain of it,” I say as I let the shudder of the heavy air run down my spine.
Terra visibly shivers and wraps her arms around herself as she looks around carefully. Her eyes widen as she stares at the stack of rocks. She whirls to face me, eyes wide and filled with horror.
“You don’t see all of the blood?”