Chapter Twenty-Seven

Raimie

I’d decided that I hated traveling by sea. When we’d left Sev behind, I’d already been queasy, and then, the sloop had ventured into the aqueous territory around the Accession Tear. I’d spent the next four days huddled on the brig’s floor, rolling across it as the waves had demanded, while fighting off nausea. It had been a struggle I’d lost more often than not.

By the time we were pulled off of the sloop, poor Eledis was covered in my vomit, but I couldn’t be bothered to care about that. Still mired in the depths of sickness—why the hell was land swaying like a boat?—I didn’t register much between the docks and a dungeon. The only things that stuck out to me were a thick fog, hanging over everything, and fuzzy balls of light, passing by us at regular intervals.

When I was finally allowed to stay still, I curled into a ball, switching between keeping my gorge down and getting much needed sleep. Eventually, nausea loosened its claws on me, and I unfurled, noting the iron bars around me. It was sad how quickly I’d grown accustomed to the sight.

Eledis was snoring in the cell beside mine, and with no guards around, I wouldn’t have a better chance at exploring this place, perhaps finding a way out in the process. I just had to escape this metal box.

Leaning against the cell’s bars, I circled them to its door, but as I should have expected, it was locked. After pulling on it several times, I leaned closer to the lock, examining it.

Maybe I could pick it. That was a thing, wasn’t it?

“Do you think he’s forgotten about us again?”

Jerking away from the cell door, I fell into the bars beside it, staring at my twins.

“I suppose he could have. Anything’s possible,” one was saying. “He certainly seems aware of us now, though.”

Pushing myself upright, I advanced on them with my finger leveled.

“Where the hell were you in Sev?” I growled.

One of my twins turned to the other.

“Yup,” it said. “Definitely sees us.”

The other one waved off the first, and that disdainful gesture helped me figure out which of them was which.

“A moment, ignoramus,” Bright said. “Why are you upset, Raimie? You’re the one who told us to stay out of sight when you’re in a crowd.”

“But not when I’m in danger,” I hissed.

“At no point were you in danger, though,” Dim said. “The forgetful one could never harm you, and if truly required, you could have handled the other peons there.”

…What?

Hissing, I knotted my fingers in my hair, rubbing my temples with my thumbs.

“Ok, fine. Whatever,” I said. “Look. We should renegotiate. Because I’m… one of them, you two will always be a part of my life. I should learn how to deal with having you around. So…”

Alouin, I’d regret saying this.

“Consider our previous agreement null and void,” I continued. “I’ll trust you to give me space when I need it.”

Bright and Dim exchanged a glance.

“He clearly doesn’t understand what I am,” Dim said.

Wincing, Bright said, “Just go with it. For now.”

Both turned to me.

“We shall do as you say,” they intoned, if with minor variations.

Hearing their voices intertwine, Dim buckled on itself, dry heaving, while Bright rubbed its arms, and I waited for them to collect themselves, barely containing myself.

Dim recovered first, wiping its mouth as it looked around.

“How’d you land yourself in prison?” it asked with amusement.

Freezing, Bright whirled on me.

“Prison?” it snapped.

“It’s not my fault,” I said. “Someone alerted Queen Kaedesa to our people’s presence, and she hasn’t decided whether we’re rebels. We’re her prisoners until then.”

Both splinters blinked at me for a moment with Dim unsuccessfully trying to speak. Bright preempted it.

“Aren’t you royalty too?” it said. “Given that, you deserve something better than this dingey cell.”

Crossing my arms, I said, “You think I haven’t considered mentioning that? If I did, though, how would I prove it? With Shadowsteal? That sword’s been missing from the world for long enough that the queen won’t know what it is, and it’s the only proof of my standing. Without it, I’m merely an upstart peasant in her mind.”

But the splinters had frozen, drilling into me with wide eyes.

“Shadowsteal?!” Dim screeched.

It was across the prison cell in an eyeblink with its hands curled in my tunic, and I could swear I felt pressure lifting me off of the floor, even given Dim’s incorporeal nature.

“You had Shadowsteal, and you lost it?” it hissed.

“It’s… not… lost,” I said, shoving Dim.

Surprisingly, the splinter staggered away from me, glaring once it had recovered its balance, but I didn’t care if I’d hurt its feelings.

“Kaedesa has it, which means it’s probably with her royal guard,” I said. “Why do you care?”

“Because, you insufferable moron,” Dim panted, “it might solve our communication issues.”

And suddenly, I was doused in shame. Pulling away from Dim, I ducked my head.

“I… didn’t know,” I said. “Of course it will! That’s why I could hear you after my Zrelnach trials.”

“If you used Shadowsteal at that time, then probably.”

Stepping between me and Dim, Bright glanced at us.

“If we could focus now, please?” it said.

After receiving our nods, it relaxed, almost imperceptibly, but I noticed.

“I assume we’re not staying here,” Bright said, “so, how are we getting out?”

Shrugging, I said, “I don’t know. Maybe I could steal a guard’s key?”

“Could you do that without them noticing?” Bright said.

Huffing, I said, “If you have another suggestion, you’re more than welcome to-”

“Oh, come on.”

Both Bright and I turned on Dim, who was tapping a foot. On noticing our inspection, it rolled its eyes.

“Oh, my me, do I really have to spell it out?” it said.

Crossing my arms, I said, “Yes, you really do.”

Lifting its eyes to the heavens, Dim extended its hands, and darkness spills down its arms to cover them. While Bright gagged, Dim slapped the back of its hands together before making fists and dragging them apart.

“Oh.”

I smacked myself on the forehead.

“I’m such an idiot,” I groaned.

“Yes, you are,” Dim said.

It sweetly smiled when I glared at it.

“One problem with your plan, though,” I said. “I have yet to reliably call on Daevetch. It only comes if I’m in distress or in combat.”

“Try it now,” Dim said.

So, I reached for the seething mass of energy raging behind Dim, teasing at it, and as expected, nothing happened.

“I swear to me, you act like you’re solely their human sometimes,” Dim snarled, pointing at Bright. “For weeks, I’ve been waiting for you to get it but nooo...”

When I glanced at it, the Ele splinter shrugged.

“You know, Dim, you’re welcome to make a suggestion,” I said.

Dim buried its face in its hands.

“Why am I always stuck with the simpletons?” it breathed through its fingers. “Consider what I represent, Raimie. Will it respond to a wimpy plea for help or a demand for what’s rightfully yours?”

Stolen story; please report.

“Oh…”

I really was an idiot.

Reaching for what lay behind Dim again, I yanked it to me with no questions asked, and a sheath of black rolled over my arms. Lifting them, I giggled at my success, perhaps a bit manically, before advancing on my cell’s bars. They bent like putty before me, and I stepped through the opening I’d created.

Free.

I should run while I had the chance. With what I was holding, the guards wouldn’t stand a chance, and once I was free, I could go wherever I wanted. Be whoever I wanted to be.

“Release it, Raimie,” Bright said.

Spinning on the splinter, I widened my grin.

“Why?” I asked. “Are you jealous?”

With a sigh, Dim said, “No. They’re right, much as I hate to admit it.”

It made a face.

“When it comes to using us, you’re once more a baby, which means our emotional carryover is strong,” it continued. “And the feeling imbued by what I represent is likely to get you caught here.”

Caught? Me? Not possible. I was too strong.

“And what about Eledis?” Bright added.

Eledis. My grandfather. The man who’d once brought books home for me. I could get him out of his cell in the same way I’d done for myself, but doing so might lead to questions that I couldn’t answer, and… I couldn’t leave Eledis behind.

Wincing, I let dark energy seep from me, and once it was gone, I shivered. Hugging myself, I nodded to my splinters.

“Thank you.”

They pretended like I’d said nothing, so I ignored them in kind, beginning my search for escape. I crept down corridor after corridor, but I found nothing, and after ducking into a room for what felt like the hundredth time, I took a break.

What should I do? Kaedesa had said she’d answer Eledis’ challenge before we reached Daira, but we had yet to hear from her. What did that mean?

Had she decided we were rebels? If so, this might be the only time for us to escape. If not, my current search might tip Kaedesa toward an unfavorable decision. I didn’t know what to do, and my splinters weren’t helping with my concentration.

Throughout my search, they’d been jittery, holding a silent conversation, but their opposite natures made that next to impossible. So, clicking its tongue, Dim spoke up.

“We should tell him,” it said.

“Are you insane?” Bright hissed. “He’ll close it like he did with the last one, and I don’t know about you, but I despise forcing my way onto this plane of existence.”

Dim stepped toward Bright with its hand extended, almost pleading with it, and my frown, already entrenched on my face, deepened when I saw that the splinter was trembling.

“He had Shadowsteal, Order. Shadowsteal,” it said. “Do you know what could happen if he retrieves it and finds out I kept something from him?”

Bright showed its opposite an enigmatic smile.

“I’d have one less enemy to worry about,” it said, “and he’d be totally mine?”

Dim froze before its body flushed.

“You asshole,” it shouted, gathering darkness in its hand.

Rubbing my face, I decided to intervene.

“Exactly what are you hiding from me?” I asked.

With its mouth gaping, Dim glanced between me and Bright, clicking its teeth together after a few heartbeats.

“You wanted him to know, otherwise, you’d never have responded, not when you knew he could hear us,” it growled, pointing at Bright. “Why did you make it so difficult?”

“I’m sorry. Have you forgotten our natures?” Bright said. “I have to oppose you sometimes. If I don’t, we might have problems.”

I was going to kill them. As soon as I figured out how to do it.

Interrupting their argument, I hissed, “What. were. you. hiding?”

After exchanging a glance with Dim, Bright hesitantly said, “There’s a break in reality nearby.”

“A tear?” I squeaked. “Where?”

Dashing forward, Dim plastered its hands over my mouth.

“I swear. You’re such a child sometimes,” it grumbled.

Narrowing my eyes, I swatted at its arms before raising an eyebrow at Bright.

“I can take you there,” it said.

It led us down several more hallways until it stood in front of a plain door. Bowing, it fluttered a hand for me to enter, and I brushed past the splinter with no comment on its theatrics.

As with the last time I’d been near a tear, a glow from an unknown source illuminated the space within. Dips and rises in the floor resembled the hills that had surrounded Allanovian’s tear, even if the tallest one here only rose to my hip, and beneath the tear, cracks radiated outward.

The tear itself was smaller than the one beneath the mountains. If I angled my hand the right way, I could get my fingers through its ovoid, not that I planned to expose so much of myself to it this time.

And of course, the light leaking from the tear’s edge defused the disquiet emanating from its center.

All of this was well and good, exactly what I’d expected. What I hadn’t anticipated, though, was the cage that surrounded the tear.

“That’s problematic,” Bright said.

“Is it, though?” I asked before Dim could say a word.

As before, I called for Daevetch’s energy, and it answered. But it didn’t just come from Dim. A wave of it cascaded from the tear, crashing into me, and I fought its influence on me.

I wasn’t sure why I was doing that, though. With this much power, Queen Kaedesa wouldn’t be a problem.

It made me reckless, made me foolish, made me arrogant, and with the way I was now, these attitudes would get me killed.

Forget Kaedesa. I could take on Doldimar with this.

Light splashed against my chest, staggering me, and the darkness I was holding fled from it, although I kept enough on hand to complete my task.

Shaking my head, I headed for the cage, only stopped when Bright leapt at me with a garbled shriek. Before it could reach me, arms were wrapped around its waist.

“Do what you must,” Dim shouted, “but hurry. I can’t repel Order for long.”

Swallowing hard, I nodded before sprinting to the cage. Once there, I bent its bars like I had in my cell, and when I could fit through the gap, I flung Daevetch away from me, glancing over my shoulder.

Dim and Bright were fighting one another, rolling on the ground while they clawed at each other’s forms. Just like they had beside Allanovian’s tear. Given that, I needed to finish my business quickly.

Despite knowing this, I approached the tear with hesitant steps. Alouin had said we could talk through one of these, implying I must touch it. That should make it safe, right?

If only that logic would kick what had happened the last time I’d done this out of my mind.

Taking deep breaths, I turned my face away from the tear, lifting a finger to nauseating black—

Fear was gone. Like a mother would its child, this place wrapped itself around me, or it did so as much as it could. I wasn’t entirely there.

And that might be my saving grace. No matter that floating here imparted a greater sense of calm than I’d ever experienced before, a stream of nonsensical images and phrases flowed through me, much like last time, and this, my brain could not withstand.

“It’s time. Tell Morihei and Taro to start the rebellion.”

“Are you sure, Himi? We’re entering the most delicate part of the scheme. If anything goes wrong-”

“I’ll die. Yes, I know, Zhao. Do as I say, and remember. Once we’re through this door, I’m the empress, not Himi.”

“You don’t have to remind me, MOST BLESSED.”

What had that been? Had those been…? Had I picked an intelligible conversation out of the mush?

And why was I marveling at that when I was burning from the inside out, when Bright and Dim were fighting in the real world, when I didn’t have what I needed?

“Al-”

A coughing fit seized me, choking my voice. When had I started screaming?

“Alouin?” I croaked. “Are you there?’

Nothing changed. For- for- for-

…

“The hell is going on in here?” someone on the outside asked.

Shit. That had been bad. I couldn’t stay here for much longer, not if my mind was going to stall like that.

“Alouin!” I called again. “Come on, you bastard.”

Maybe I’d hallucinated my conversation with the god. I’d just died, after all. One’s consciousness did strange things when-

“I won’t go anywhere near that thing. You get him out.”

I should leave this place. How had I done that last time?

Someone shouted in pain.

“Fuck! He’s burning up.”

A million-million voices coalesced, turning their attention my way, and I couldn’t let them see me. They couldn’t know I was here, couldn’t see me so weakened…

The place without substance went still and quiet.

“Raimie?” Alouin asked. “What are you doing here?”

Force yanked me backward, and I fell to the ground, addled beyond belief.

It hadn’t been a hallucination. I had talked to a god.

And had gotten fucking nowhere with this attempt at it. Great.

Two guards came into view, flanking me with their swords drawn.

“What did you do?” the woman asked. “What are you?”

There was nothing but white in the man’s eyes, and seeing that, I went still.

This was not good. What conclusions were these two drawing about me? They were enemies, not allies like the Zrelnach near Allanovian’s tear had been, and they’d seen me sticking my fingers into this one.

Slowly, I raised my hands where they could see them.

“I-” I started.

“Shut up! Shut up, shut up!” the man shouted.

Oh. And they were standing next to a tear, with all of its granted panic.

They were going to kill me.

I pondered this idea for a heartbeat, and then, the woman moved, lifting her sword. Without thinking, I reacted.

Threads of light shot into their eyes, all while I wished for them to leave me alone. I needed them to go. to. sleep.

And they collapsed into snoring piles.

With a yelp, I scrambled away from the guards, only to get hit in the face with a wave of Ele from the tear. It wiped away my terror and questions, leaving only logic behind.

I should return to my cell before these guards woke up, minimizing the damage done to me. If I did that, perhaps these two’s story would seem ridiculous enough that their compatriots wouldn’t believe it.

Better to take that chance than to make a run for it. After hearing these guards’ tale, people would eventually put two and two together—especially if I didn’t encourage doubt for it—and I’d be labeled a primeancer. If I escaped this place, I didn’t want a mob on my trail on top of the queen’s forces.

With my decision made, I climbed to my feet, dusting myself off, before facing the cacophony outside of the cage. Dim and Bright were still at it, struggling to rend each other asunder, and huffing at their foolishness, I ignored them. At some point, they’d calm down.

After searching the guards for keys, I tossed them through the hole I’d made in the cage before stepping through it myself, closing the gap behind me. Holding the energies of both primal forces at once was uncomfortable, to say the least, but I couldn’t let go of Ele’s peace yet. So, I was quick with the bars, focusing on them instead of the war taking place within me, one that was threatening to tear me apart.

Casting Daevetch aside, I hurried into the hallway, making slow progress back to my cell. I noted the sudden silence when Bright and Dim stopped fighting, holding up a finger before they could speak.

“Don’t apologize,” I said. “You couldn’t help it.”

After a beat, Dim grumbled, “Ugh. He’s clinging to you.”

But they said nothing else until I was back in my cell. Slamming my back into metal, I slid to the floor, bringing my knees up so I could cradle my forehead. Then, I released Ele.

As soon as it was gone, my thoughts started racing, ticking through everything that could go wrong, and with difficulty, I shoved this bubbling frenzy aside. Oh, my father wouldn’t like me detaching like this, but he wasn’t here right now, was he?

How was he doing? Had he and the Zrelnach been waiting beside Sev for this last week, trying to figure out what to do?

I hoped not. Kaedesa would probably have them wiped out soon. If they were smart, my companions would have scattered by then, although some would have stuck around regardless. Probably.

My father would be where we’d left him. He wouldn’t move until he knew where I was, which made my heart hurt. He was the only member of our family left free, which meant he was the only one who was likely to survive. Again, probably.

I hoped he’d move on, but knowing that man… knowing him…

Sighing, I shook my head.

I thought Rhylix would linger near Sev too. He was the type to sacrifice far too much for his friends, but I wasn’t sure if we still were friends. Sure, during our ‘argument’ weeks ago, he’d insisted we were, but as time had passed, I’d gotten more uncertain about that. I’d hit him, after all, hard enough to send him flying.

I banged my head on the bars, aware that I couldn’t focus on that conundrum right now.

As for Dath and Ferin, the trainee would likely stick with my father and Rhylix, but again, I didn’t know about that. When Eledis and I had been taken, the conspiracy hadn’t been rooted out of the Zrelnach’s ranks, and after Dath’s betrayal, its members probably wanted him dead. If he was like most people, he'd stick with allies in such a precarious situation.

Even with that, though, I didn’t know him well enough to anticipate what he’d do. He could have returned to his post, conspiracy or not.

Ferin was much easier to predict. Once she was certain Eledis and I were a lost cause, she’d march her people back to Allanovian, and I wouldn’t blame her for it.

Grimacing, I banged my head against metal again. Why was I focusing on who’d been left behind? Perhaps with it, I was distracting myself, but if so, it wasn’t helping. I should be planning my next move, not… not…

I rubbed my face. Gods, this saving people business was difficult.

“Are you sure you want to stay here?” Bright asked.

It and Dim were crouched beside me with concern blazing from their faces.

“I don’t know what else to do,” I told them.

They exchanged a glance, but I wasn’t paying attention. Laying on the cold floor, I tried to get some sleep.