Something Darker; Chapter 8

Lady Calus is true to her word and in no time, I am set up in a room with a dressing gown to sleep in. I'm laying down when I hear Zanthus's voice in my mind.

Spending the night? He purrs.

I lost track of time. I was so close. I'll have to pick up tomorrow. I yawn and stretch. Do you want to come in? I ask.

No thank you. I'm fine. I'm glad to hear you got close. Don't sleep too late. Something is brewing in Havenwoods. We should leave as soon as possible, he warns me.

Noted. In that case, let me sleep, I tell him.

I hear him chuckling as he pulls his mind from mine.

Slowly, I drift to sleep.

xXxXx

Something pops and I start. I sit up blinking. No one is in my room. A black cat is sitting at the foot of my bed, glaring at me. If I hadn't been able to guess it was Zanthus, the Chaser around his neck would have given it away.

"Zanthus? How did you get in?" I ask.

Never mind that. What are you still doing in bed? He asks in a condescending tone.

"What do you mean?"

It's nearly eight in the morning. You've usually been up for hours by now. That's why I woke you up.

"You woke me up?"

Zanthus blinks, twitching his tail. I thought you might be dead.

"I was breathing."

Another tail twitch. Better to be safe than sorry.

"You're a pest," I tell him, stretching.

Call me what you will but get moving. His tail twitches as does his whiskers. He looks towards the window. Something bad is brewing. We've been here too long.

I can tell he's agitated. Something is bothering him more than normal. I never got the chance to ask in the forest, but maybe now. . . "Is it the Courts?"

The Courts would be the better of the two- Zanthus's head snaps back to me. His eyes are slits. We don't have time for this.

I can't believe that that had actually worked. Zanthus is always so careful about what he says to me. "Is that how the Shadow World is divided? By Courts? How-"

Zanthus springs up, hissing at me, fur and tail standing as tall as possible, back arched beyond what should be possible.

I don't need any more motivation. I quickly slide from my bed and snagging my clothes from the chair I head behind the screen.

xXxXx

I decide to skip breakfast, heading straight to the library. Thankfully, the librarian is also up. He begrudgingly hands me the key to the journals' case. Unlocking the case, I pull out the journal the belonged to Lord Devon.

Fortunately, Lord Devon keep a journal. Unfortunately, he kept records on everything. I'm on journal four or five by the time I find what I'm looking for. The day Lord Devon's son went missing. I read on.

I read about Lord Devon's concern and heartbrokenness over the loss of his son. I read about his shock and repulsion upon finding out that his son had gotten himself pulled into the Shadow World. I read about his research into the Shadow World and how it turned up nothing of any use. I read about him meeting someone in the woods, someone who could help him get his son back.

I turn the page to see the back cover. I growl and put the journal back, pulling out the next one. It begins with the entry of his meeting.

He raves about the woman with gold eyes and fair hair. How she offered him a trade. Offered him the chance to take his son's place, but as a Shadow Master instead of a Shadow Slave, with the only condition being that he help her with what she wanted to do. He doesn't say what it is. He rants about his torn feelings. The next bulk of entries are about how he still hadn't decided and was still torn. Finally, I come across a very short entry. It simply reads: I have decided to take her offer. I must save my son. I only pray that what she wants to do will not harm this land, but I must risk it. To save Gawain, I will take Nivera's offer.

I can feel my heart stop as my blood runs cold. No. I flip back to Lord Devon's description of the woman. It's too vague to draw any hard conclusions on, but still. I flip back to the last entry, rereading the last line. To save Gawain, I will take Nivera's offer.

I fling the journal away from me. I think back to my mother's final letter to me. Her apologies for the mess she made suddenly very clear, in a way I never thought they would be.

I stare at my hands. The charm hides the black lines swirling across them. Zanthus, I call out. I feel his presence with my mind. I pull the lines of the journal to my mind, projecting them to Zanthus. I think my mother was a part of the Shadow World.

Zanthus doesn't respond, but I can still feel his presence. It sheds an essence of calmness. I find it comforting.

Zanthus finally breaks the silence. I figure you want time to sit stewing in anger, but it's best we'd be leaving. Whatever was brewing is just waiting to fall.

I push myself off the floor and walk over to the journal. You're right. Besides, sitting around won't accomplish anything. I reach down and pick up the journal. I'll meet you outside.

Eventually, he muses. His presence falls away.

I place the journal back in its place, close the case and lock it. The librarian is very happy to have the key back in his possession.

I'm not even ten feet from the library before I see Lady Calus round a corner up ahead. She seems surprised to see me but then smiles. "Princess Violet," she says with a bow. I bow in return. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes, I did. Thank you for your hospitality," I reply.

"You're leaving?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, I have found another lead instead of the actual book."

"Oh. How unfortunate. I was actually just coming to invite you to lunch."

"I should really be leaving. I promised Micah I wouldn't be gone too long."

"Please, I insist. I know for a fact you skipped breakfast. You should have something to eat before you head out."

"I actually had something brought to the library," I easily lie, "I was hoping for better news on the book's location. I promised Micah I would be as quick as possible so I could still help with preparations for the Spring Festival."

I'm not sure if Lady Calus actually believes me, but she nods and simply then insists on walking me out. She continues talking while one of the stable boys saddles Frowin. It's all I can do to not sigh in relief when I finally see him walk Frowin out of the stables.

"Princess Violet," I hear a call from behind me.

I turn to see Lord Calus walking down the stairs towards his wife and me. I smile politely and bow, though I want to scream. "Lord Calus."

"I heard you were leaving," he says, stopping in front of me. His eyes look at something behind me before looking back to me.

"Yes, I am."

"I hope you found what you were looking for."

"Unfortunately, no. Just another lead. I think I'm going to stop chasing the book down. I can't seem to get anywhere."

"I'm sorry to hear that." His eyes once more look at something behind me.

I turn to take Frowin's lead from the stable boy, thanking him, and surveying what was behind me. Just the wall with the gate and the stables.

"Well, I should get going," I say bowing my head respectfully.

Before I can turn away, Lady Calus catches my arm. "Are you sure you don't want anything for the road? It'd be no trouble at all."

"Thank you, but I'll be fine," I assure her. As I respond to Lady Calus, from the corner of my eye, I see Lord Calus glance behind me again.

"Is something wrong, Lord Calus?" I ask him.

Lord Calus looks surprised, then smiles, shaking his head. "Nothing to worry about. I'm expecting a visit from Lord Greenwich. I've received more complaints about one of his captains making a nuisance of himself in the town again. You wouldn't have happened to see anything during your time in Havenwoods?" He asks.

I immediately think of the other night. Considering that if I did tell him Harsing would tell them my threat, and even if my brother hadn't put a watch out for me, I doubt that a message wouldn't make its way to him. I shake my head. "I can't say I have."

He nods his head once. "Thank you, nonetheless. Safe travels."

"Yes, do be careful," Lady Calus chimes in.

I bow my head once more, before turning and swinging up into Frowin's saddle. Once outside the gates, I push Frowin to a gallop. A crow cries out as it flies over me.

Took you long enough, Zanthus chides.

Shut up, I growl.