Chapter 2
The SCOUT
The bell sounded again, and Adalia pressed her hands over her ears. The last sound a Lightner wanted on a sunny day.
A child had chosen Oscuro. The king would be devastated.
“How could we let this happen?” Adalia’s voice rang through the halls of the palace.
“I’m sorry, General. The report said that no Thorns had succeeded in entering The Grey when the last haunting breached the Gates,” the light-haired male stated. His eyes tracked Adalia back and forth as she paced.
“It must be a tear. Gather a team and head north along the Veil edge to see if you can locate it,” she commanded.
The soldier nodded.
“Were you stationed outside the temple today? Did you see who it was?” Adalia asked.
“Yes, General. A young boy. I followed him home to make sure he arrived safely, in case there were lingering enemies, but found none,” the soldier replied.
Adalia took a deep breath in. “Tell me exactly where he lives.”
Disappointment pulsed through her veins as she listened to the soldier.
It had been months since the last Thorn haunting crashed through the Oscuro gates and bled into District Seven. Adalia, others in charge like herself, and soldiers had fought hard against them, pushing back each Thorn until The Grey was safe again.
Since then, each time the bell tolled—it rang for Lucius. The Grey’s other districts reported the same. So how could this have happened—and why now?
The soldier finished his report and bid her farewell.
“May the light guide you and keep you,” Adalia said in return.
With a small team, she would journey to The Grey to locate the child’s home. Thorns might still be lurking in the shadows, waiting for more innocent lives to influence.
As she walked the halls of the palace, Adalia glanced at the bright walls lined with framed images of all who lived in Lucius. Each time someone from The Grey passed on—destined for the Lucius Kingdom—a picture of them would be placed upon the walls in the king’s palace. There were far too many for Adalia to count, but on a day that wasn’t of high urgency, it was nice to stop and see the smiling faces.
Adalia reached the front doors of the palace and pushed them wide open.
The moment she stepped into the enormous expanse of lush palace grounds, the sun warmed her face. Taking in a deep breath, she stilled her mind before she shot into the sky, her lilac wings lifting her with ease as they beat against the air.
The wind on her skin felt good. The scent of fragrant flowers and trees filled the air and birds flitted above her as she flew. Below, Lightners carried on with their day. Each person carefree. Here was abundance. Here was life. There was no death, no sickness . . . Lucius thrived with joy, love and peace.
Adalia dropped in altitude and, within minutes, landed at the compound, her boots hitting the ground with a thud. Her lilac wings tucked in tight as she strode towards the entrance.
The area designated for the Lucius-based compound, responsible for overseeing District Seven in The Grey, was generous and housed ten small buildings constructed from a blend of wood and stone. They often served as sleeping quarters for soldiers on double shifts or as offices for generals—a home away from home on more than one occasion for Adalia.
Adalia walked through a stone archway that led into the centre of the compound towards her office, which was surrounded by lush green shrubs.
“I need three Lightners to accompany me on a scout. Also, has anyone seen my brother?” she called.
Soldiers scurried about, avoiding eye contact. If Thorns were slipping between the cracks into District Seven, then it was her job to address it. Her tactical skills meant a preservation of life and the king valued that over brute strength. This sense of responsibility occasionally painted her character with a touch of sternness, a contrast against her usual relaxed demeanour.
She didn’t wait for anyone to answer, instead striding straight towards her office.
There were seven different compounds in Lucius altogether, and each one hosted a colonel, five to ten majors and over six hundred soldiers. Each compound handled their own districts throughout The Grey. Adalia was a major alongside her brother for District Seven. Nikolas, the charismatic one of the duo, held the hearts of many females but was the keeper of none. He was one of her best friends, and she loved working alongside him in the King’s Army.
“River.” Adalia halted as she pointed to a male. “Have you seen major Nikolas?”
“I believe he is out on patrol. Shall I fetch him for you?” the male asked.
Adalia shook her head. “Never mind. Gather two more soldiers and suit up. You’re coming with me.” A dollop of dread fell to the pit of her stomach at the thought of Thorns invading District Seven. She took a deep breath, gathered said dread, and mentally shoved it from her body.
Now wasn’t the time.
Her training had prepared her well for these exact situations and she knew how to carry herself. The presence of cunning Thorns wouldn’t rattle her composure.
The compound teemed with Lightner soldiers, a dynamic hub of activity. Squads returned from Veil patrols, joyful and chatty, while others armed themselves, preparing for their turn about the Veil boundaries. The air vibrated with footsteps, distant chatter, and clinking armour.
Positioned at the heart of the compound was a wooden platform called ‘the ring’. Its use: combat training, which Adalia and her brother had used many times before throughout their years as members of the King’s Army. It was a place that one would enter as an ordinary Lightner, spending many months—even years–perfecting their agility and skill to wield a weapon before exiting as a true Lightner soldier.
Adalia watched as a few soldiers trained, honing their skills in wielding weapons and physical combat. It didn’t seem that long ago that she was in that ring.
Turning away, Adalia sighed. Sometimes she wished she could go back to the days when she had a little less responsibility.
In her office, Adalia grabbed two daggers from upon her desk, sheathing them into the leather harness around her hips. She rarely went anywhere without her entire collection, but in her hurry to reach the palace after being summoned, she’d left some behind.
A knock sounded at her door.
“Enter,” she answered.
River popped his head around the doorway. “We are ready.”
Adalia nodded and followed him outside, where two other soldiers were waiting.
“Is this really necessary, Ada?”
Her best friend was blunt, as always. Adalia cocked her head as she gazed at the tawny-skinned, white-haired female. “Yes, it is, Shiloh. I will not allow a single Thorn to run rampant through The Grey, not on my watch.”
“But how are you going to? They could be long gone, maybe even dispersed into other districts. What are you hoping to gain from this scouting trip?” Shiloh grabbed Adalia’s arm.
Adalia spun around, facing her friend. “There is one out there, I can feel it. There must be tears in the Veil. If we find the tear, we find where Thorns are bleeding in and we can heal it. I must ensure the Veil’s security.”
Shiloh nodded, her violet eyes sparkling. Adalia knew Shiloh would support her no matter what—they’d been friends for many years. In fact, they were practically inseparable. Shiloh was the peace to her chaos, the sun to her rain. She was small but fierce.
Shiloh tucked her white, iridescent curls behind her ears, her wings of white feathers dipped in gold glistening beneath the sun. “Well, I know none more determined than you, and you’re in charge, so let’s go.”
Adalia grinned. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
Shiloh, River, and Caden, another soldier under her command, followed Adalia’s lead and shot into the sky, their wings beating against the air in full sweeping movements. They passed over the compound and the streets of Lucius. The realm was colossal. Within its sprawling embrace lay a tapestry of regions, each a thriving habitat for the Lightners who called this place home. While distances were notable, travelling held no challenge, for the sky itself was a highway. The simple act of flight rendered walking a leisurely choice rather than a necessity.
Nestled along Lucius’s western fringes was the Lucius Veil. This mystical boundary traced the entire kingdom’s length, its otherworldly essence shimmering as a guardian, keeping those who were not yet ready for life beyond death in The Grey.
Below, villages were bustling with life, farmers working fields, merchants displaying their wares to those who were perusing through the streets. Women cackled over fences laden with hydrangeas and gardenias as they hung their washing out in the sun to dry. A few children giggled and squealed as they ran in backyards full of grass and flowers, the odd duck quacking as it joined in on their excitement. Life in Lucius was peaceful and good.
The group of four smoothly veered left, descending with grace to land at the Lucius Gate, only a few minutes’ flight from her office at the compound.
The Gate for District Seven sat at the juncture of Lucius and The Grey, where the two realms brushed together. It stood proudly, a hexagonal stone frame embedded with gold and silver veins, twice the size of a man. This was the intricate portal that bridged the natural and spiritual realms.
Passage was granted solely to those adorned with an amulet stamped with their kingdom’s royal seal, or those whose life had ended and it was their time to step through. As for the amulet, only those recruits who had trained in the King’s army for a full year were bestowed with one.
Two Gates stood in each district of The Grey, one on the Oscuro Veil and one on the Lucius Veil. Ever since the Oscuro Rebellion, two Lightner soldiers from the Lucius Kingdom were always stationed at the Lucius Gates, as were two Thorns at the Oscuro Gates. These Gates allowed Shadowkin passage into the kingdoms upon the end of their life and allowed Lightner Soldiers to monitor the comings and goings of the opposite kingdom.
Lightners were the peacekeepers, appointed to watch for weak spots, also known as tears that sometimes appeared in the milky curtain, usually on the Oscuro side. When this happened, majors and generals would send out small groups of soldiers and a healer from Lucius to mend it.
“We head straight for the farm,” Adalia commanded as she walked towards the horses lined up at the stable beside the Gate.
The three nodded in unison.
“Should we tell your brother before we go?” Shiloh questioned.
“No, he is on patrol. No use bothering him now. This won’t take long, I’m sure.” Adalia stepped towards the Gate.
“Thank you, Blue,” Adalia said as she took the reins of a honey-coloured mare from the young stable hand.
Adalia patted the side of her mare’s neck and smiled. The horses from Lucius possessed an ethereal and majestic form. Their coats shimmered with the luminance of starlight, seamlessly blending silver and gold that shifted and danced with every step, as if the very constellations themselves were woven into their hides. Their manes and tails flowed like silk, radiant strands of pure light floating behind them. Enchanting to see and ten times faster than regular horses, Lightners sometimes chose riding over flying. Moreover, finding tears in the veil on the ground was easier than in the sky.
The group pulled themselves into the saddles of their warm-blooded companions and turned towards the Gate.
The Veil appeared milky, emitting a faint white glow—a cold sensation upon touch. Mutual respect usually governed cross-realm interaction. While the Gate allowed Lightners and Thorns to pass through, neither ventured into the opposite kingdoms without their king’s permission. Not without being met with force, that is.
They flashed their amulets to the soldiers stationed at the Gate and stepped through the haze. On the other side, rolling green hills, forests, and meadows greeted them. The Grey was a beautiful place, but the colour seemed duller than that of Lucius. Under the beauty was the sense of urgency and life’s troubles: sickness, death, despair, fear, and anxiety.
The closest village was only a few minutes’ ride from the Gate. Little wooden fences surrounded homes of all sizes that were scattered across the soft, green ground. The villagers built them of round, grey stones and thatched roofs. Spray roses and white may bushes reached their spindly arms through the gaps of wooden fence posts to brush their petals along the warmth of passersby’s skin.
As the group rode through the peaceful village, the Shadowkin went about their daily lives. Working, farming, fishing and trading.
Many times, when Adalia travelled on foot through the district, she would brush up against the body of a Shadowkin, but they were none the wiser, oblivious to her prescense.
In their spirit form, Lightners and Thorns remained invisible to the Shadowkin, but, occasionally when a tear went unhealed for too long, Thorns would slip through and reveal themselves in Shadowkin form, their wings hidden. With this ability, they would try to influence and deceive innocent children into choosing Oscuro over Lucius.
It was a Lightner’s responsibility to protect The Grey from such influence. Occasionally, Lightners had revealed themselves to a Shadowkin, but only in dire situations. Thorns seemed to take that gift and squander it.
“Do you have a plan in mind?” Shiloh’s question brought Adalia’s head around.
“Go to the farm, check the Veil and try to work out how this happened.”
“And what if we don’t ’t find a Thorn or a tear?”
Adalia threw a glance towards Shiloh and grinned. “Then I’m going to be grumpy.”
Shiloh rolled her eyes and chuckled. “We’d better find something then.”
They passed the huge fountain in the centre of the village, a place where many villagers would stop to hydrate themselves or their animals. Water shot into the sky, glinting like jewels in the sun, then fell back in a spray that splashed the rock formation.
Adalia took a deep breath of air tinged with salty sea. Shadowkin were busy in the marketplace, unaware of the very spirits that walked amongst them. She smiled as she looked at them.
As the group left the hustle and bustle, the world became quieter. The road to the boy’s house appeared up ahead, and they broke their horses into a light canter. Adalia slowed once they reached the farm and turned to face her three companions. “We will enter the woods behind the house.”
The soldiers nodded.
It was quiet in the trees. The only sounds were birds and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. Adalia’s keen eyes skimmed between the thick tree trunks. Rainbow eucalyptus and cascading weepers, two of her favourites. Despite her mind being occupied with finding her enemies, she took a moment to appreciate the magical feeling of this place.
Adalia and her companions moved with ease and skill as they searched their surroundings on horseback. They scoured the ground for traces of their culprit or the possibility of a tear in the milky curtain.
“No sign of struggle or disturbed foliage over here,” Caden called.
“We move closer to the Oscuro Veil then,” Adalia replied.
“We could search for hours, Ada,” Shiloh said as she scanned the scenery. “They wouldn’t have lingered.”
“I need to be certain,” Adalia replied. “I will look over here with River while you take Caden and look that way. Also, watch for tears in the Veil. If you find something, whistle.”
Shiloh nodded and moved off with Caden in tow.
Adalia’s gaze returned to the foliage. Unfortunately, Thorns knew how to blend into the shadows all too well.
There were a few physical differences between a Lightner and a Thorn. While Lightner’s wings were an array of colours, Thorns were always black. The other difference was their eyes, something about the eyes of a Thorn screamed emptiness. They spun narratives full of lies they themselves believed were true. Always speaking of the light trying to diminish the darkness, and of a king who was coming to end the Kingdom of Oscuro.
River followed her deeper into the woods and closer to the Oscuro Veil. His presence was somewhat of a comfort. Not that she feared what lurked in the shadows, but having two sets of eyes was better than one. The duo moved along the edge of the Veil upon their warm-blooded companions, looking for any clues to where the Thorns may have entered.
When a Thorn soldier breached into The Grey via a tear in the Oscuro Veil, evidence usually accompanied it: black feathers, trampled foliage, snapped branches, footprints in the earth, or petals from the black rose that only grew on Oscuro’s borders.
River had gone ahead. Whistling low, she caught his attention and gave him a look that asked if he’d seen anything.
Shaking his head, River shrugged.
There had to be something here, and Adalia wasn’t going home until she found it.
A twig snapped to her left and her body stilled, ready to pounce. A shadow moved in the distance. Black wings shimmered under a single ray of sun that pierced the canopy above like a shard of glowing light and she veered her horse towards it. The Thorn must have spied her too because it took off running.
“River, get Shiloh and hurry,” she yelled as she pushed her mare on.
No Thorn was going to outrun her, especially not on horseback.
The Thorn was fast as it dodged through the trees, weaving and darting. Adalia gritted her teeth and pushed the mare harder. She was gaining on it quickly. The Thorn turned to face her as it ran, its eyes terrified and determined at the sight of Adalia closing the distance between them. Black wings protruding from a body fitted with dark green soldier leathers dashed through the heavy forest, moving towards the Oscuro Veil. She’d been fighting Thorns for ten years; there was no way this one was getting away.
The forest was getting too dense—the need to pursue on foot growing stronger. As she neared, Adalia unsheathed a dagger from her waist. With a graceful leap, she flipped into the air and landed steadily in a crouched position. Her mare instantly stilled, flinging sticks and rocks across the forest floor. Adalia paused, grinning at the Thorn, then dashed forward.
Their bodies collided and rolled, fingers clawing and grabbing. The Thorn was female and equal in strength and stature. Adalia lifted her arm to bring her blade down, but the Thorn bucked, kicking it from her hand. The women tumbled in the underbrush, teeth bared and eyes locked.
“Adalia!” Shiloh screamed from a distance.
The urgency in her friend’s voice fuelled Adalia’s fight, and she brought a second blade from her waist towards the woman’s neck. The Thorn bit down on Adalia’s arm and her cry pierced the air. Freeing herself from Adalia’s grasp, the woman scurried backwards. Adalia clutched her arm in pain. The Thorn hissed before scrambling to her feet and turning to run.
Adalia sucked in her breath and followed, sprinting after her once again.
The two women raced through the woods, ducking and weaving between the trees and underbrush. Adalia’s heart was pounding with adrenaline, but she pushed her body harder. The Thorn came into her path and Adalia hurled her dagger towards the woman, catching the skin of the female’s leg. With a cry, the Thorn stumbled forwards, rolling across the forest floor. Adalia skidded to a halt and quickly secured the Thorns’s hands behind her back with leather binding.
“Not quite how you saw this going, is it?” Adalia smirked at the female.
The Thorn scowled. “Are you going to kill me?” Adalia shrugged. “Maybe I will spare your sad life. Maybe I won’t. It will be for me to decide, but first you will tell me what I need to know. If you’re lucky, and I’m feeling generous . . . give me the information I seek and I will throw you back into your kingdom.”
Adalia gripped the female by the collar of her leathers and spoke through gritted teeth. “Did you come through a tear?”
The Thorn’s body language changed, and she trembled in Adalia’s hands. “Please, I was only told to scout. I didn’t speak to anyone, I swear. Send me back to Oscuro and I promise I will never return.”
Adalia ignored her plea, but noted the shift in her demeanour. Roughly pulling her to her feet, Adalia pushed her forwards, back to where she’d left her horse. Shiloh was there upon their arrival.
“Who do we have here?” Shiloh asked with raised brows.
“I found this one hiding in the shadows,” Adalia answered as she tied the woman’s hands to a long rope attached to her horse’s saddle.
Turning her attention back to the Thorn, Adalia squared her shoulders. “I only need to say the word and the horse will take off running . . . Won’t be fun to be pulled along.” Holding the tip of her blade to the underside of the woman’s chin, Adalia spoke low. “Tell me where the tear is.”
The female’s top lip lifted in disgust. It was a stare off between light and dark. Adalia held her ground—flaring out her wings in dominance.
“Half a mile that way,” the woman said, her brown eyes flecked with hatred.
Adalia eyed the woman one more time, determining whether or not she was telling the truth, before removing her blade and taking a step back. She had her answers. It was time to return the darkness back to where it came from.
“I’m taking her to the Oscuro Gates in District Seven.”
Shiloh nodded, and the small party mounted their horses.
Adalia turned to look at the Thorn. “Try anything funny and I just might change my mind and end you right here.”
Adalia wouldn’t actually do it. She would always choose life over death—but the Thorn didn’t know that.
The woman scowled under the threat but remained silent.
The journey was slow. Adalia could see that the wound on the Thorn’s leg was painful and there was no way the female could travel at a fast pace.
Once they neared the Gate that separated The Grey from Oscuro, Adalia slid from her horse and untied the Thorn from the saddle, pulling her towards the guards stationed there.
River, Caden, and Shiloh flanked her, providing a shield and support against potential aggression from the guards. Adalia shoved the Thorn forwards, and she fell to her knees before the defensive line of her Kingdom, black wings scraping the ground.
The two Oscuro guards scowled, but only one spoke. “What do you Lightners want? Standing a little too close for comfort, are you not?”
Holding a dagger to the prisoner’s throat, Adalia gave them a stiff smile. “I found one of your kind in the woods, thought you might want it back.”
The guards huffed.
Adalia hoisted the Thorn soldier to her feet, untied her hands and pushed her towards the Gate, warily eyeing the guards as the woman passed them and entered Oscuro.
Adalia eyed the Oscuro guards. “Keep your kind out of The Grey or we are going to have issues.”
The Thorns snarled in response.
Moving to her company, Adalia let out the breath she’d been holding in as she climbed back into the saddle. The group pulled their horses around and took off towards the centre of the village. She knew other generals or majors may not have been as lenient as she’d just been, but the part of Adalia that believed in choosing good over evil had allowed the female Thorn to live.
As they made their way back to the village, Adalia broke from her companions.
“You all go on ahead and alert the healers. I’m going back to have a look at the tear in the Veil. If it’s true, I will mark the area so the healers can find it easily.”
“Would you like some company?” Shiloh asked.
“No, it’s fine. You go ahead and start the paperwork for this incident and I will be back before you know it,” Adalia replied with a grin. “Light guide you!”
“And keep you!” Her best friend smiled as they went their separate ways.
Adalia mapped out the area in her mind as she travelled beneath the shady canopy of eucalyptus and willows. Pulling her mare to a stop, she tied her to a low-hanging branch before scouring the area.
Approaching the Oscuro Veil, she carefully looked for a discolouration in the milky curtain. Tears were often hard to locate. It required a keen eye to spot the weakness in the shield. Noticing disturbed foliage, she stooped down to survey the ground closer. At that moment, she saw it—a black rose petal crushed upon the forest floor.
Adalia ran its silky texture between her fingers and lifted it to her nose. Unlike the roses in Lucius, the scent was odd. The top note was sweet, like cherry blossoms. The second had more tang, sort of like green apples. She took a whiff again. It was the bottom note that scrunched her nose in distaste. It was like a burning smell, as if the rose itself was made of ashes.
Little bumps skittered across her skin and Adalia sensed she wasn’t alone. Standing, she turned just as a large black boot connected with her hip. Pain unleashed its fury through her body and, with significant force, someone kicked Adalia through the Veil of Oscuro.
Pain pulsed from her side as she twisted her body, trying to gain her footing. Adalia’s face hit the ground, her body sliding across the rocky surface of the enemy kingdom. She wheezed, fresh pain stabbing into her lungs with every breath. A shadow fell across her face. Cracking an eye open, Adalia saw the face of the woman she’d freed only moments ago.
“I bet you wish you’d killed me when you had the chance,” the female sneered.