Chapter Seventeen
Alba
“What are you talking about?” asked Alba, looking in the direction Ona had indicated.
“There was a shade there,” Ona said, sounding a bit confused. “A little boy.” She looked at Alba and furrowed her silver eyebrows. “Didn’t you see him?”
Alba shook her head. “Sorry, but no." She twisted in her chair to look up at Lord Matvei and repressed a wince as a fresh wave of pain shot up her leg. “There aren’t any shades here at the castle, are there, Lord Matvei?” She had to fight hard to keep her voice pleasant and her smile gentle. Every breath she took was a challenge and her head was pounding terribly. Her knee throbbed constantly, her fingers were tingling slightly, and she desperately needed to relieve herself. She envied Ona a little in that moment. At least she didn’t have to worry about any of those discomforts.
Lord Matvei shook his head. “Why do you ask?”
“Ona says she saw one a moment ago. A little boy.”
To her surprise, Lord Matvei and Lady Alyona turned slightly pale and exchanged nervous looks. “We should get inside and see to Kilian,” said Lord Matvei. “Please, lead the way, Ivan.”
“That wasn’t exactly an answer, was it?” asked Ona as Lukas began pushing Alba’s chair toward the castle. Her knee throbbed with every bump.
“Are you sure you saw a shade?” Alba whispered.
“Positive,” said Ona. “I don’t know how you missed him. He was right here,” she pointed to the spot on the lawn they had just passed. “He even spoke. He seemed surprised that I could see him.”
Alba tried to speak softly, mindful of the Matveis ahead of them and Lukas right behind her. “Strange, since the Matveis say they have no mages on staff.”
“You think they’re lying?” asked Ona, decidedly not keeping her voice down. That was one other thing Ona rarely had to worry about.
Alba shook her head, not wanting to risk saying any more where others could overhear. She didn’t want to believe the Matveis were capable of deceit like that, especially since it would be easily discovered by the mages they had invited into their home so freely. Something else had to be going on. Maybe Ona imagined it? That seemed even less likely than their hosts lying. Ona enjoyed teasing people and playing pranks, but Alba had never known her sister to outright lie.
Alba sat in silence as they crossed the large lawn towards the castle. The castle grounds were flat and expansive, much larger than the castle itself, which was square and only a few stories tall. Alba imagined that the lawn was once the grounds of the keep, a place set aside for the residents of the village to take refuge in during times of siege. The walls that would have surrounded it seemed to have long since been removed, most likely when the Empire took over the land. As she looked around she could see the remnants of some old foundations jutting out of the foliage.
“I apologize for the lack of ceremony, my Ladies,” said Lady Alyona as they approached the door to the castle. It was plain, made of thick-looking wood planks with an arched top. It sat on a stone landing at the top of a few stone steps. Several servants were lined up outside, the men on one side of the steps and the women on the other. They all bowed or curtsied as Alba and the Matvies drew closer. “This is our rear entrance and is used mostly for day-to-day activities. Since we had to come in from the village, rather than the main road, I’m afraid the effect was rather lessened.”
“That is quite alright,” said Alba as Lukas and a footman lifted her chair and carried her through the doorway. She had to fight hard to keep her voice steady as they did. She was still not used to the feeling of being carried by others. It made her stomach flip and flop, feeling powerless at the mercy of others who might drop her at any moment. If flying was anything like this she couldn’t imagine what Ona found so wonderful about it. “We spent the last ten years living with commoners,” she said, repressing a relieved sigh as the men set her down. “We are perfectly comfortable without all the fuss.”
She looked around the entry hall. It was small – at least compared to her hacienda – with a few doors on either side and a simple stairway on the far wall. The stone walls had been plastered over and wooden beams stood at each corner and around the edges of the ceiling. It was a pleasant room, with the cozy feeling of a country cottage. It was not what Alba would consider fancy, even by the standards of the Mage’s Academy, and she instantly fell in love with it.
“Oh, Marie’s going to love this,” said Ona, who had drifted in through the wall beside her.
“Why do you say that?” asked Alba.
“This place is covered in runes,” she said with wide eyes.
Alba looked around, but could not see any inscribed anywhere.
“They’re under the plaster,” said Ona. “I can see several of them glowing from behind it.”
The Matvies had been watching Alba curiously as she spoke with Ona. “Ona says there are a lot of runes on the walls,” she explained.
“And we have no idea what most of them do,” said Lord Matvei with a nod. “We had the plaster removed several years ago and Mage Beaty painstakingly documented them all before the new plaster was applied,” he explained. “Lady Ona can still see them?”
“The glow shines through, she says.”
“Well, please let us know if they cause you any trouble. We keep them charged for fear of what may happen if they stop functioning. Mr. Beaty says that many runes work in concert with each other to create advanced effects. We decided that if our ancestors felt they were necessary, well, who were we to disagree?”
“As fascinating as all this is,” said Lady Alyona, “I am anxious to see to our unconscious son.”
“Of course,” said Lord Matvei. “We have prepared a room on the ground floor for you, Lady Alba. Lukas can take you there. If that is acceptable.”
“Of course,” said Alba, feeling a renewed sense of urgency in her bladder. “I do hope Lord Kilian is well.”
“I’m sure he is fine,” said Lord Matvei.
“I doubt it,” scoffed Ona. “I’m going with them. That kid’s gotta be a mage. Or at least, he used to be. I want to see what’s up.”
Alba smiled at Lord Matvei while simultaneously trying to glare at Ona without alarming their hosts. Her sister could be a real handful sometimes. Lukas pushed her chair through a doorway on the far side of the room and she found herself in the castle’s main hall. It was much larger than the rear hall they had just left, though darker and far less cozy. The plasterwork only extended halfway up the walls, leaving exposed stone the rest of the way to the high ceiling. Only a few windows on the farthest wall allowed any light to enter, and they were far smaller than most windows Alba was used to seeing. Candelabras and wall sconces had been lit in several places and were doing their best to drive away the gloom, but failing. Heavy rugs covered much of the floor and a fire burned in a large stone fireplace, but these did little to drive away the chill.
“I know you don’t have gas lines here yet,” said Alba. “But why not use heating runes and runelights? They're so much more effective than fires and candles.”
“And more expensive,” said Lord Matvie, sounding slightly bitter. “We have a few runelights for our bed chambers and to keep for emergencies, but that’s all." Alba frowned. Father always had one or two Mereologists on staff to keep the hacienda’s runes and wards charged, but she had never considered how much it cost to pay for that service. On that note, she wondered how much they were paying Marie. As a Mereologist she would certainly be paid more than a mundane Lady’s Maid, but Alba did not know how much even the regular maids received. Most of those wages her friend would never see, of course, at least not until she paid off her Academy tuition fees, and that took most Mages their entire lives. Maybe she could convince Vincen to pay the balance down faster after she married him.
“Are they here?” a small, excited voice echoed across the room, interrupting Alba’s thoughts. She turned and noticed a stairway next to the door they had just passed through. This one was lined with red carpeting and was much wider and far more ornate than the one in the service hall. A little boy was coming down it, followed closely by a somewhat haggard-looking young woman.
“Kilian!” said Lady Alyona. “You should be in bed. You’ve been unconscious for most of the day.”
“I tried to stop him, Milady,” said the young woman. “But he wouldn’t listen. He never listens.”
“I know, Hilda,” said Alyona with a long-suffering sigh that reminded Alba strongly of her own mother, in an odd sort of way.
“I’m fine, Mother,” said Kilian as he reached the bottom of the stairs and stopped in front of Lady Alyona. “I want to meet them.”
“That’s him,” said Ona. “That’s the shade I saw.”
Alba looked at Ona, then at the boy. He looked younger than his seven years, with blond hair and white skin. He also looked quite solid and very much alive, if somewhat more pale than usual for his kin.
“Well… he was a shade when I saw him,” Ona said with a pout. “Maybe he has a dead twin he’s not telling anyone about. Either way, I’d bet anything he’s a mage.”
“Kilian,” said Lord Matvei, also with a sigh. “I would like to introduce you to Lady Mage Alba Lequette and her sister, Lady Ona — whom you can’t see, of course." He glared at Kilian when he spoke, and Alba was certain she saw the boy’s eyes flicker over to Ona briefly before landing back on his father. In that moment she knew Ona was right. He could see her.
“Lord Kilian,” Alba said with a smile and a nod of the head. She decided to play along with the charade and see where it went. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I do hope you are feeling better now?”
The boy bowed low, it was smooth and well-practiced, then stood back up straight. “The pleasure is mine, my Lady,” he said, straightening his back and fixing his posture. His face scrunched up a little and his voice took on a practiced tone like he was trying to remember the answer to a particularly difficult question. “I am doing well, thank you for your concern. Our home is yours, so please let me know if there is anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable.”
Alba smiled, genuinely amused. He was a very cute little boy. “Thank you, Lord Kilian. Your family’s hospitality is greatly appreciated.”
“Is she really here?” asked Kilian, his eyes brightening as he suddenly lost all semblance of noble bearing. “I’ve never met a real shade before!”
“Kilian!” said Lady Alyona. “Don’t be rude.”
Alba giggled. “Yes, she is, and she’s pleased to meet you as well.”
“I know you can see me, kid,” said Ona, drifting closer to him and waving her hand in his face. Alba had to admit that he was doing a good job trying to ignore her. It wasn’t perfect, though. He flinched ever so slightly and his eyes flickered when Ona’s hands passed in front of him. Someone who couldn’t see or hear Ona would probably not notice his reactions, but to Alba it was unmistakable.
He wasn’t able to keep the act up for long, however. “Fine!” he said with an overexaggerated sigh. “Yes, I can see you!” He smiled up at Ona. “You’re amazing.”
“Hah! Got you!” Ona said, crossing her arms with a grin, satisfied that she had exposed him. Alba sighed. Ona was still technically only fourteen and acted accordingly at times.
“Kilian!” said Lord Matvei harshly. “How could you forget yourself so easily?”
“Come now, Nicoli,” said Lady Alyona, rubbing her temple as though trying to suppress a headache. “We knew we would not be able to hide Kilian’s condition from the girls forever.”
“Yes, but I had hoped it would take more than five minutes. This is why he’s not ready to go out in public yet.”
Alba turned to them, trying to ignore her physical discomfort. It was making her irritable and unfocused though. “What is the meaning of this?” she asked, a little more harshly than she intended. Kilian was cute, but the fact that he was clearly an unregistered mage was a serious issue.
Lord Matvei turned to her, looking contrite. “Kilian… is… well, he’s a mage.”
“No kidding,” said Ona, rolling her eyes and then giving Kilian a wink and a smile.
“Yes,” said Alba, fighting down a massive headache of her own. Couldn’t Ona take anything seriously? “That much is obvious. But why are you hiding him from the Empire? Why is he not attending the Mage’s Academy?”
“His magic…” began Alyona. “Sorry, his Skill, is rather… unique, and it leaves his body weak and sickly. We were afraid he would not be strong enough to attend the Mage’s Academy.”
“So, he uses his Skill to become a shade?” asked Alba, putting the pieces together.
“I knew it!” said Ona.
Kilian grinned up at her. “It’s fun!” he said. Ona smiled back.
“We had guessed that was the case, but until just now we did not know exactly what happens when he becomes unconscious. He claims that he leaves his body and can roam about freely, unhindered by walls or anything else, but Lady Ona is the first to have ever been able to see him. We’ve secretly tested it on Mage Alec and Mr. Beaty, but they’ve never been able to see him.”
“Nor could I,” said Alba, looking at Ona. “Maybe it’s only shades who can see him?”
“Lady Ona is the first shade we can confirm he’s ever been exposed to. We assumed she would not be able to see him either.”
“I am sorry,” said Alba, rubbing at her temples. This was too much for her to process at the moment. “I am very tired and sore from the journey. We will talk more about this later. For now, I need to rest.”
“Of course,” said Lady Alyona, looking relieved at the change in subject. “Your poor leg must be on fire right now. I will send Marie to you as soon as she arrives.”
“Please take Lady Alba to her room,” Lord Matvei said to Lukas.
Lukas pushed her chair across the room and down a hallway. The Matveis, including Kilian, stood where they were, watching until she was out of sight. Ona hung back and whispered something to Kilian, who beamed widely and nodded. Alba sensed trouble from those two. They reached the door to her room and Lukas wheeled her in. The walls were plastered over just like the entrance hall and it was cozy, if not very large. A small bath chamber was off to one side and a wardrobe and fireplace were set against the opposite wall with a large four-posted bed in the middle. There was little else in the room and Alba’s chair barely fit around the bed. Ona drifted in through the wall beside them.
“I am sorry for the small size, Lady Mage,” said Lukas. “This is the only room on the ground floor with a private bath chamber, so I’m afraid our options were rather limited.”
“It will be fine, Lukas, thank you,” said Alba. In truth it was only a little smaller than their room at the Academy had been, though their beds had also been smaller, leaving more free space.
“Would you like me to move you to the bed, Milady?”
“That will not be necessary just yet,” said Alba, holding back a cringe at the very thought. The only place she wanted to move to was the bath chamber, but he could not help her with that. She hoped Marie was not too far behind.
“Very well, Milady,” Lukas said with a bow. He backed out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
“You going to turn them in?” asked Ona almost immediately.
“I don’t know what they’re thinking,” said Alba, shaking her head. “Why even let us come here if they were trying to hide him? Even if you hadn’t been able to see him when he’s a shade, he’s clearly not good enough at ignoring you. He would have slipped up sooner or later.”
“It didn’t sound like they planned on hiding it for very long,” said Ona. “Maybe they wanted me here so he could practice ignoring a real shade?”
Alba frowned, that seemed like a bit of a stretch. “This was all Father’s idea,” she reminded Ona. “Maybe they felt like they couldn’t refuse." It was easy to forget that their family was one of the most powerful in the Empire. Most people would never dream of declining even the simplest of requests from them.
“I don’t know,” said Ona. “Marie said that Lady Alyona was thrilled with the idea. It just doesn’t add up.”
“Have you ever heard of a Skill like his though?”
Ona shook her head. “No, it’s a new one to me. There was one kid a few years behind us who could go invisible, remember? But he stayed in his body and was still solid. This kid looked and moved exactly like a shade. He completely fooled me.”
Alba squirmed uncomfortably and rubbed her temples. None of this was helping her headache.
“Want me to find Marie?” asked Ona, noticing her discomfort. “She can’t be far.”
Alba nodded, still rubbing her head. That was exactly what she needed. She didn’t want some stranger helping with her more private matters, and a regular maid wouldn’t be able to help with the pain in her leg. Besides, she wanted to bring Marie up to speed with the Kilian issue. As if in response, the door opened and Marie entered.
“Wow, I’m good,” said Ona with a grin.
Marie was very apologetic and she immediately started caring for Alba, though she was still breathing rather heavily. It seemed that Marie was having a harder time adjusting to the high altitude than Alba was. Probably because all Alba had to do was sit in her chair and let everyone else do everything for her. Alba reassured Marie that it was fine and tried to tell her not to work too hard, but Marie would hear none of it, as usual. Ona watched for a few minutes with an expression that Alba was becoming all too familiar with herself - helplessness. She left the room after a short time, claiming to want to explore. Alba’s heart sank, wishing she knew how to make her sister feel useful.
After they were done in the bath chamber Marie asked if she wanted to lie down before dinner. Another wave of frustration washed over Alba as she realized that she very much needed to. She was exhausted. In the past, she rarely needed naps during the day, but now it seemed like that was all she was doing. She wanted to run again, to dance, to walk up a few simple stairs on her own, anything but sit in a blasted chair or lie down in a bed. She sighed and nodded, trying to look grateful. Maybe she would feel better after she woke up. Somehow, she doubted it.
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The nightmares were bad this time. She was sitting in class, listening to the professor drone on and on about how mages were treated in the old nomadic tribes or some such. The sun was beaming through the windows and warmed the room, making everyone drowsy and inattentive. Ona sat next to her like always. She had pulled her hair ribbon out and was absently playing with it while her hair tumbled freely about her shoulders. Alba sighed. It was improper to let others, especially men, see her with her hair down. But then again, Ona had never been particularly concerned with propriety. After all, it was impossible to maintain her dignity while flying around over everyone’s heads and showing off her underthings. Alba was about to scold her anyway when Ona suddenly jerked violently and fell forward, slamming her head against the desk. Alba screamed as Ona fell to the floor, her eyes staring straight up, lifeless. Her dream self screamed in fear and confusion while Vincen rushed to her from the boy’s side of the room, grabbing her and holding her close, telling her that it was too late to do anything. Alba pushed and clawed at him, begging him to let her go so she could help Ona. The part of her that knew this was a dream screamed for what came next. No matter how many times she had this dream, no matter how many times she begged for it to stop, it always came.
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The Transfer.
Ona’s power, her essence, flowed into Alba’s body, invading every corner of her soul, making her stronger even as she stole her own sister’s life away. She could feel it just as plainly as if it had been happening for the first time: the merciless invasion, the pitiless defilement, the corruption of her very soul. No matter how much she cried and pleaded and begged for it to stop, it never did. Ona called it her gift, but Alba called it a curse. Ona said she had given her power to Alba so she could use it, but she never would because that would mean that Alba accepted the curse. She wouldn’t accept it – couldn’t accept it; so instead, she screamed. She screamed at Vincen, who held her tight and wouldn’t let her go. She screamed at Ona, who refused to wake up and stop the Transfer. She screamed at the Master, who forced all twins to face this inevitable fate for his own twisted enjoyment.
And then a new face appeared before her. Rayna was there, next to Vincen. Alba had never seen her before, not in real life, but that didn’t matter in her dreams. Behind them both was Duke Borden. In one hand was a sword and in the other he held the heads of King Oriol and Prince Domenic. Fire raged behind him and blood flowed at his feet, swirling around his ankles. He lifted his sword and swung it at Vincen. Rayna laughed as she held Vincen back, and Alba screamed again.
She opened her eyes with a start. Time had stopped. She instantly recognized the feeling of being alone in a world that was all her own. Her blankets were bunched up and tossed to one side and her nightgown had ridden up around her waist. Ona was there, floating only inches away from her with a look of worry on her grey, transparent face. Alba had her hands out in front of her as if trying to push Ona away, but of course that hadn’t worked. She pulled back, terrified of what would have happened if it had been Marie and not Ona in front of her. With her Skill activated, even the slightest touch could be deadly and she had pushed completely through Ona’s chest.
It was darker outside than it had been when she went to bed but it was still not fully night just yet. She couldn’t have been asleep for more than a few hours and it would probably be suppertime soon. She covered her face with her hands and tried to steady her breathing. Her cheeks were wet with tears and her nose was a mess. Why had the dreams come back now, of all times? She had barely dreamt at all during their tour of the Empire and when she had they had not been anywhere near that intense. And why had Vincen been there? She never dreamt about him except when he was holding her back, keeping her from saving Ona.
He was a duke now, or would be soon enough, more powerful than even her father. But Borden had cut down the entire royal family in mere moments, and no one had been able to stop it. Even the Halberdiers had been powerless against him. What was there to stop him from doing the same to Vincen?
She took a few more shaky breaths then pulled her hands away from her face. She stared up at Ona, floating a few inches away. She studied her sister’s face for longer than she had in ages. She looked so young and beautiful, unchanged from that awful day except now all the color, all the life, was gone from her. Alba reached up and tried to cup Ona’s face in her hands, but they just closed on empty air. She turned her head, unable to look any longer, and released her Skill.
Ona began to move again, her hair floating about her shoulders as it always did. A loud pop came a moment later as the sounds Alba had made while her Skill was active all caught up to them simultaneously. Her knee began to throb horribly, no longer under the protection of her Skill. The brace meant to immobilize the knee joint was broken and mangled despite its sturdy construction. Against the power of her Skill even solid stone was powerless.
Ona jerked in surprise, drifting back a few feet. “Oh!” she cried. “You’re awake.”
“Was I crying?”
“Worse than that. You were kicking and screaming,” said Ona. “I tried to wake you, but you were in deep. It must have been a bad one.”
Alba nodded and fought back a sob. “Borden was there this time. He and Rayna. They were killing Vincen.”
“It was just a dream,” Ona said. “I met Rayna, she would never do something like that.”
“How can you be so sure? She was raised by Borden.”
“I don’t know. Something in her eyes, maybe? Besides, she’s a shade now, what can she do? Vincen’s safe with her. It was just a dream.”
Alba scoffed. “What do you know about dreams?” She instantly regretted it, even before she saw Ona’s face fall.
“I’m going to get Marie now,” Ona said, turning to float away.
“Ona…” Alba began.
“It’ll be dinner time soon,” she said without turning around. “You should be hungry, right? But what would a shade know about that?” She passed through the wall before Alba could respond.
Alba sighed and let her head fall back onto the pillow. Why had she said that? It wasn’t Ona’s fault that she was dead, so why did she need to make it worse by reminding her of the fact? Her knee throbbed painfully and tears came unbidden to her eyes. The pain was bad, but the reminder of what she had lost hurt more. The healers had said that even in the best of scenarios she would always have a limp from now on. Dancing, running, and especially martial arts were all out of the question. She would probably be able to manage a simple waltz at a ball, but that was about it. No more ballet. However; if the knee didn’t heal straight, or some other complication arose, well – it was best not to think about things like that.
She was crying when Marie arrived – without Ona.
“Oh… Lady Alba,” said Marie. “I’m so sorry. I took too long.”
“Please,” said Alba, fighting to straighten out her nightgown and struggling to get her sobbing under control. She needed a friend right now, not a servant. “Just call me Alba when we’re alone." She gave up the struggle and fell back into her pillow as another wave of pain coursed through her knee, causing her entire body to spasm. The sharp points of the broken brace dug into her skin.
Marie sat down on the bed and gently removed the brace before covering Alba with a sheet, then leaned over and squeezed her shoulders in a hug. “What happened? Ona said you had another nightmare. Was it that bad?”
“I did it again,” Alba sobbed. “I opened my big mouth and said something stupid. Now she’s going to leave again.”
“Ona’s not going to leave,” Marie said, rubbing Alba’s shoulders. It felt good and she began to relax a bit. “She promised, never again. I sent her off to explore the castle, looking for runes for me to study. What did you say that was so bad?”
“I told her she didn’t know what nightmares were like, since she can’t dream anymore.”
Marie paused her shoulder rubbing ever so slightly. “Oh, Alba…”
“I know!” she cried, renewing her sobbing. “I’m an awful person. Just horrible.”
“No – no. You’re not a horrible person,” said Marie gently, squeezing her tight. “You’ve been through damnation lately – we all have – and you’re in a lot of pain. Ona’ll forgive you. I know she will. And if she doesn’t, I’ll smack her upside the head.”
Alba stopped crying and looked up. “How?” she asked with a slight hiccup.
Marie shrugged. “I’ll find a rune for that. Maybe one of these new ones around here." She stood up and pulled her mage’s notebook from the bedside table. “Speaking of runes, let’s do something about that pain, shall we?”
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An hour later Alba was washed and ready for dinner. She had selected another traditional Marisetti dress for the evening. She was favoring them more and more lately, and the light material and flowing skirts were easier to manage while her leg had to remain propped up. Marie’s runes had worked wonders on her pain, and her mood improved as the constant throbbing decreased. She still felt awful for what she had said to Ona, but at least now she didn’t feel like there was an immediate danger of repeating her mistake because of pain-induced irritability.
The Matvei’s dining room was on the other side of the large hall from Alba’s room. The sun was fully set now and the hall seemed even gloomier and less welcoming than before. Marie pushed Alba’s chair across the dark and echoing hall as quickly as she could, seemingly in just as big a hurry to get across it as Alba was.
The dining room was much cozier than the main hall, decorated in the same style as the rear entrance hall and Alba’s room, with the addition of a few stuffed animals and mounted deer’s heads – trophies of past lord’s hunting expeditions, Alba assumed. The choice to display them in the dining room was, in her opinion, rather tasteless, but it did seem to fit the tone of the castle well. Lord Matvei rose from his seat as Marie rolled her chair into the room and Alba nodded her acknowledgment. Marie pushed her into the place that had been set for her. Alba noted with satisfaction that no place had been set for Ona. Kilian was not present and no place was set for him either. Lord Matvei returned to his seat.
“Thank you, Marie,” she said. “Go enjoy your meal. I’ll ring for you when we’re done.”
“My Lady,” Marie said with a curtsey, then took her leave.
“Were you able to get some rest this afternoon, Lady Alba?” asked Lady Alyona.
“Indeed I was,” Alba lied. The nightmares were not her host’s fault, after all. “The room is quite comfortable. I’m sure I will come to consider it a second home before my visit is over.”
“It is my hope that you will recover enough to move to a proper room upstairs before you take your leave, my Lady,” said Lord Matvei as some footmen began bringing the food in from the side door.
“I do hope it is alright with you that we did not prepare a place for your sister, Lady Alba,” said Lady Alyona. “I had heard that she prefers not to attend meals, and your maid assured me that this is indeed the case.”
Alba smiled. “It is quite alright with me. Ona finds it uncomfortable watching others partake of meals when she herself cannot. Indeed, I’m sure she will be pleased to know that you are considering her feelings on the matter." She paused as a footman set her plate down and smiled gratefully at him. He reminded her of one of the new footmen back home. “Will Lord Kilian not be joining us this evening? I hope he is feeling well.”
“I’m afraid he has succumbed to another episode,” said Lord Matvei with a sigh. “Not long after you retired to your room, in fact. We do not know where he is at the moment.”
“Is there no way to locate him?”
“Unfortunately not, and anti-shade wards seem to have no effect on him,” said Lord Matvei as a footman set his plate in front of him. “Besides, what good would it do even if we did know his location?” He took up a fork and looked at Alba. “It is not our custom to give thanks before a meal, but if it would make you more comfortable, we can accommodate you. Alyona was particularly taken by your father’s prayers.”
“There is no need, Lord Matvei,” said Alba. “At the Academy we did not give thanks either, and at home, we pray more out of tradition than true devotion. Personally, I find it difficult to be grateful to a Master who would force his children to suffer as shades simply because of the circumstances of their birth.”
“Well then, please enjoy the meal, Lady Alba,” said Lord Matvei, lifting his fork with a smile.
Alba tried a few bites of salad made from what seemed to be local vegetables dressed with vinegar and oil and topped with crumbled cheese. It was quite good. “When did you first learn that Kilian was a mage?” she asked. “Surely the orphanage suspected?”
“They knew he was sickly,” said Lord Matvei, starting in on his own salad. “That was the main reason we were attracted to him. He seemed so small and helpless that it just broke our hearts. He was not yet even a toddler when we brought him home.”
“But what about his twin?” asked Alba.
“We do not know. Of course, we made some discreet inquiries when we learned Kilian was a mage but found nothing.”
“In the poor and… ignorant parts of Clement,” said Lady Alyona. “Birthing twins can come with a certain… how should I say this? Stigma, if you will. The poor mother probably hid the fact that she had twins and either abandoned them both or kept only one. Does the same not happen in Marisette?”
Alba thought about the superstitious villagers in Marisette’s northern regions and nodded. “Yes, I'm afraid it does.”
“We began to suspect when he learned to talk and began telling us about things that we knew he could not have witnessed,” said Lord Matvei. “It was quite some time before we realized just exactly what was happening during his fits.”
“And you never consulted a mage or mereologist? There are tests that can help determine such things, and runes to measure essence.”
“Those tests are expensive,” said Lady Alyona. “And, if I may speak honestly, we were afraid that he would be taken from us to be raised in the Academy. Clement is not a rich province, we could never afford the tuition, and – with respect – I doubt he would have been allowed the same freedom you enjoy, Lady Mage.”
Alba raised her cup to her lips to hide her embarrassment. Her status – and the riches that came with it – had provided her far more protection than her classmates. She took a sip and was surprised to find that it was wine. She set the cup back down and tried to swallow the sharp-tasting liquid without expression. “He is still attending the King’s Academy in Albaron City though,” she said, trying to stifle a cough as the wine made its way down her throat. “I don’t see that as being much different.”
“Well, for one,” said Lord Matvei, sipping his own wine. “The tuition is much more reasonable – well within even our meager means. Also, he is allowed far more accommodations due to his health than we feel he would have been in Savaria. They know how to treat the nobility there. We were shocked when we learned that Lord Mage Oleguer did not even allow you to return home for your sister’s funeral. We cannot imagine how tough such an environment would be for Kilian.”
Alba smiled and pretended to sip at some more wine. She was too ashamed to admit that it had been her own reluctance to attend the funeral and not the Academy’s policies that had caused her to miss it. Still, it seemed that the Matveis were being rather over-protective of Kilian. His poor health was clearly a side effect of his Skill; the act of leaving his body most likely placed a lot of strain on it. And if he made missing meals a habit he was probably suffering from malnutrition. The Academy would be well-equipped to handle his instruction. Many Skills had physical side effects, even her own, and the instructors were used to dealing with them. All things considered, Alba had not found the Academy to be a strenuous environment for her. Then again, she thought, Ona might disagree on that point.
“I understand your desire to protect your son,” she said after some thought. “Still, it is against the law to withhold a mage from the Empire. I am not certain I can condone your actions.”
“You’re not going to report us, are you?” asked Lady Alyona, her eyes pleading with Alba.
Alba sighed. “I honestly have not decided yet. I am truly grateful to you for allowing me to visit your home, especially now that I understand just how much of an imposition it is. I also value our friendship and do not wish to jeopardize it or any business arrangements you may have with my Father. I must take some time and carefully consider all sides of this situation before making a decision. Until then, you have my word that I will not speak of it to anyone outside of this house.”
Lady Alyona relaxed and sat back in her seat. “Thank you, my Lady,” she said with a sigh.
“I still have many questions, not the least of which being how he has escaped detection at the King’s Academy,” said Alba. “However,” she said as Lord Matvei opened his mouth to speak, “I think that is enough on the subject for tonight.”
“If I may make one request, Lady Mage,” said Lord Matvei hesitantly. Alba raised her eyebrows, on guard against the sudden use of her formal title. Lord Matvie took a knife and began cutting his meat – goat, Alba thought, though it may have been lamb, she was not familiar with either. “Kilian…” he began, then paused and thought for a moment longer. “Well… frankly he has never been around other mages before.”
And who’s fault is that? Alba thought. She sliced into her own meat instead, leaving the next part of the conversation to them. It was very tender and had an interesting flavor that she couldn’t decide if she liked or not.
“We were hoping,” said Lady Alyona, hesitating, “that you might… you might spend some time with him. Help him see what other mages are like. Maybe learn a thing or two about his own powers." She paused and furrowed her brows. “We are worried about him. He is fascinated with shades, which is understandable now that I know the nature of his Skill. But death is not a healthy thing to obsess about, even for mages. He is spending greater and greater amounts of time unconscious lately – as a shade, it would seem. It is taking a toll on his body.”
Alba nodded curtly and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Is this why you were so eager to have me here? To be a companion for your son? A tutor?” The question was a bit confrontational, but she was tired and irritable and her mind was getting foggier by the moment. She set her wine glass down, realizing that she had been unconsciously sipping at it. She truly liked the Matveis and, in a way, she felt like they had betrayed her friendship. Lady Alyona at least had the good grace to look abashed.
“Of course not, Lady Mage Alba,” Lord Matvei said. “We had actually hoped – rather naively I admit – that Kilian’s nature would go undetected. This was, of course, folly. However, we truly do value your friendship and hope that you may recover in peace while you are here.”
Alba nodded. She wanted to believe him. “What about Ona?” she asked. “If he is, as you say, obsessed with death and shades, is it truly a good idea to have one so near to him? Even I will not be able to keep them apart. They are probably together even now. She’s most likely showing him a thing or two. She feels it’s one of her responsibilities to help new shades adjust, you see.”
“But he is not really a shade, is he?” asked Lady Alyona, paling slightly.
Alba shook her head. “If he were, I would be able to see him, and he would be bound to his sibling, wherever they may be. I doubt that will matter much to him or Ona though." Ona was mature for her age — most of the time — but she had always been playful and made friends easily. Kilian would no doubt quickly become attached to her and she could only imagine the trouble the two of them would get into.
“I suppose it is best for him to learn what a true shade is like,” said Lord Matvei. “Hopefully he will see that it is not an existence to be longed for, even if there is half a chance he will meet that fate one day.”
“Indeed,” said Alba, a bit coldly. “At the Academy, there are courses specifically designed to prepare us for the occurrence." The Matveis took her meaning and turned to their meals, looking guilty. Alba ate her food and wondered if they realized just how much a mage needed the specialized training they received at the Academy. It was far more than just a place where mages could be with their own kind. It taught them how to live with and control their abilities. Many of the twins residing there had dangerous Skills that could hurt themselves or others if left unchecked. She thought about Rayna, growing up in Borden’s house, separated from her twin. It seemed Borden, at least, had trained her on his own. Though from what Ona said there were still fairly large holes in her knowledge, particularly where it related to shades. How many more unregistered twins were out there in the world? She knew it happened, of course, but was it more common than she had thought?
The meal ended not long after that and Alba excused herself, claiming that she needed to rest — which was true. Even just sitting through dinner had her head pounding and the wine had left her feeling a little sick — but more than that, she wanted to talk to Ona. She had no doubt that Ona was with Kilian, showing him all the things a shade could do. She wanted to make sure Ona didn’t make the life of a shade too appealing for the boy. It wasn’t healthy. Even now he was missing a meal, how many more had he missed lately? The butler rang for Marie, who arrived through the side door only a few moments later as if she had been waiting expectantly. She took Alba’s chair and pushed her from the room while Lord Matvei respectfully stood and watched.
When they were back in her room she turned to Marie. “Have you seen Ona recently? I need to talk to her.”
Marie shook her head. “No, my Lady. Not since before dinner.”
“Just Alba, please,” Alba said with a sigh as she rubbed her temples. Her head hurt so badly... “We’re all friends here.”
A look crossed Marie’s face that Alba couldn’t quite place. “To you, that may be true, but I’m afraid it can never be so, not completely.”
Alba pursed her lips and nodded. She knew Marie was right. She looked up at her friend. “Were you ever told how they discovered that you were a mage?”
Marie nodded, looking thoughtful. “The orphanage couldn’t afford the testing runes so once a year or so they would bring a shade or two through and see which of us kids responded to them. Even that cost them a lot, I’m told. A mage’s time is valuable.”
“But I would think that finding new mages would be worth it,” said Alba. “I’m surprised the Empire doesn’t cover the cost.”
Marie shrugged. She was already preparing a pain-relieving rune without being asked. “Either way, I’m grateful. My life is far better than it ever would have been if I had gone undetected or been bought by some street gang." Alba shuddered at the thought of a criminal gang owning Marie. “Do you want me to go find Ona?” Marie asked as she lifted Alba’s skirt and placed the rune on her knee. It burned briefly and then soothing relief began to flow from the paper and into her skin. She sighed and leaned back in her chair.
“No. It’s ok,” she said. “I’ll summon her." Her knee was feeling better thanks to Marie’s rune, but her head was still pounding. She didn’t know if it was from exhaustion, the thin air, or the wine, but whatever the reason, she could feel sleep pulling at her and knew she wouldn’t last long enough for Marie to locate Ona.
Marie looked up, surprised. “But you didn’t even do that when she was in hiding. Are you sure?”
Alba nodded. “That was different. If I had summoned her then it would have only made things worse. Right now she’s just off playing, I’ll bet.” The Bond told her Ona was nearby, but she could not know for sure where.
Marie nodded slowly, still looking uncertain. Alba closed her eyes and focused on that part of her that was always there but she tried to ignore. The place inside where she kept Ona’s essence locked away, safe and never to be disturbed. The place where the Bond was. Ona said the Bond felt like a rope or cord stretching between her and Alba, always tugging at her. To Alba, it felt more like a shadow. Something lurking in the back of her mind, always there, silently waiting. She reached out to it now, not with words or any other means she could define, but still, she found it as instinctive as activating her Skill. Slowly the shadow took shape, eventually resembling a figure crouched on the floor hugging its knees. Timidly, she called out to it, asking it to come to her. The figure looked up and with a sudden shock Alba realized it was Ona, only dark as night, with glowing red eyes.
Alba gasped and her eyes shot open, her heart pounding with terror. She had never summoned Ona like that before and she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to again. Ona appeared next to her an instant later, blinking in confusion.
“What the…?” Ona said. She looked around, her gaze settling on Alba. “What happened?”
“I need to talk to you,” said Alba, still trying to drive the image of that dark, red-eyed shadow from her mind. “I’m sorry.”
“You mean you summoned me?” Ona said, her translucent face hardening.
Alba paused for a moment, feeling like she had made yet another mistake. “I didn’t know where you were. This seemed easiest.”
“You couldn’t send Marie?” she asked, shaking her head. “She always finds me. I wasn’t exactly hiding.”
“Were you playing with Kilian?”
“Yeah,” said Ona, turning her nose up slightly. “So what? He seems like a good kid.”
“I want you to be careful around him. He’s spending most of his time as a shade and Lady Alyona’s worried about him.”
“What are you saying?” asked Ona, drifting back and crossing her arms. Her features flicked out of focus for a moment then sharpened again. “You think I’ll be a bad influence on him? Someone needs to teach him to use his Skill. Who better than an actual shade?”
“It’s not like that,” Alba said. It felt like everything she wanted to say was coming out wrong. “I’m just afraid that he might be a little too fascinated by death and shades. So is Lady Alyona.”
“It’s not like I’m going to be encouraging him to die or anything,” said Ona, her voice rising slightly. “I’m not stupid.”
“I never said you were,” said Alba, desperately trying to stop the fight she felt coming. Alba couldn’t remember the last time she had seen Ona get mad. Even after she died and had every reason in the world to be upset she rarely ever got truly mad. “And I’m sorry for what I said earlier, about my nightmares. It was wrong.”
Ona shook her head and laughed but it was not a happy one. “But you still decided to summon me, didn’t you?”
Alba’s stomach sank. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking. It’s just… I can’t walk and I’m exhausted and didn’t think I could wait for Marie to find you. It just seemed easiest. That’s all.”
Ona nodded. “Easiest for you, right? Never mind your promise?”
“My – promise?” Alba asked.
“You don’t even remember, do you?”
Alba shook her head, completely off-guard. What promise? She desperately dug around in her throbbing, muddled head, trying to remember what her sister was talking about.
“When we were kids, remember?” said Ona.
The memory sprang into Alba’s mind. They were still girls, just starting at the Academy and one of their earliest classes was all about the basics of the Bond and what it meant for twins and other multiples. The instructor had mentioned that the surviving siblings could summon their shade at will. Neither of them had liked that idea much and after the class the two of them promised never to summon each other if they ever became a shade.
“Oh…” Alba gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. “Oh no… I’m so sorry. That was so long ago I completely forgot.”
Ona shook her head. “Never mind. Forget it. Shades are supposed to come when called. It’s why we exist.”
A wave of annoyance surged up within Alba. “Will you just leave off it?” she snapped. “I’m tired of tiptoeing around you, always worried that I’ll say or do the wrong thing. It’s exhausting.”
Ona’s face tightened up and Alba was sure that if she still had blood she would have been bright red. She didn’t care.
“Tiptoeing around me? You’re the one who’s been doing nothing but moping around since graduation.”
“I’ve got a lot on my mind,” Alba said. “I barely survived a massacre at my own engagement party. Then I find out my fiancé’s twin sister has been alive all along, except now she really is dead and it turns out she was raised by our enemy." She gestured at her knee. “I can’t walk, or dance, or spar. It hurts all the time and will probably never get better. I’ve lost everything, so yeah, I’m a little upset, ok? Sorry if it makes you feel bad.”
“At least you still get to marry Vincen!” Ona shouted, surprising Alba. “You can still give him a family and make a life for yourself. Who’s the one who really lost everything, huh?”
Alba gasped and swallowed whatever response she was preparing. Ona drifted further back and seemed to shrink as she hugged herself. “Forget it,” she said softly, losing the fire she had just shown. “Summon me again when you get yourself sorted. I’ll be waiting, it’s not like I have anything else to do." She drifted past Marie, who had been quietly watching and looked like she was about to cry. She stopped partway through the wall and turned back to look at Alba with sad gray eyes that had once been so beautifully brown. “By the way, I’d give anything to have a broken knee right now,” she said, then turned and was gone.