Shrugging, the stranger looked at him with grey eyes. “Tales passed down through the generations.”
“So, I shouldn’t choose Lucius . . . the Kingdom of light?” the boy asked.
“Feel free to do whatever you wish, but there is a saying amongst the Oscuro legends that, with too much light, a person cannot help but wither away.”
Confused and growing overwhelmed, the boy fiddled with the handle of the hoe.
“Anyway, I best keep moving,” the stranger stood, but paused. “Oh . . . and take this. It’s very rare as there is only one place where these grow. Let it be a reminder to you that even beauty can bloom in the shadows.”
The stranger handed the boy a black rose, then offered a lopsided grin before he turned and walked away.
The boy hurried through the cobbled streets of The Grey, his worn brown boots thudding against the ground, his mind focused on thetask ahead. It was early evening, but his father wouldn’t care that he wasn’t home, as he was probably five pints deep in ale by now. The local chimney sweeper lit the oil street lamps and merchants packed down their stalls. Shop owners locked front doors and the local tavern became fuller by the minute.
The Grey—home of the Shadowkin—comprised seven different districts that stretched in an impressive line from north to south. On either side, there was a Veil—an invisible boundary, unseen, but known in tales told through generations. It was there one passed from their earthly life into their spiritual one upon death. Or so they said.
The village in District Seven was nestled against the sleepy shores of the Drayton Sea at the bottom of The Grey. It was a thriving place of fishmongers, brick and mortar stores and local farmers.
The boy weaved through the crowd, grinning happily amidst the scent of fish and salt. He’d been waiting all week for this moment.
At thirteen, children went to the temple to choose their kingdom beyond The Grey.
Oscuro—the Kingdom to the left of the Veil.
Or Lucius—the Kingdom to the right of the Veil.
No Shadowkin knew if the kingdoms were real, but the practice remained all the same.
The boy considered the stranger’s words from earlier today as he ran through the streets towards the temple at the far end of the village. The smile on his face grew. Maybe Oscuro was the better choice? Maybe the teachers at school were wrong about Lucius? Could too much light kill you even in the spirit world?
Shaking his head, the boy pushed those thoughts from his mind. His fate was sealed. He knew which kingdom he was choosing.
Yet, his fate wasn’t sealed. Deciding at thirteen didn’t solidify your place in either kingdom. Each individual had the choice to choose light or darkness, to search within their hearts for truth.
His teacher said the Grey was a place for Shadowkin to live their lives. To grow and marry. To raise families and live life to its fullest. Then, at the end, whether it be old age, sickness, purposeful or accidental death, they would step through the Veil of the Kingdom that best suited how they lived. That’s where they would spend eternity.
The temple was in sight now, its large, domed roof looming in the distance. As he entered through the large wooden doors, the boy was greeted with a warm and peaceful feeling. A few monks roamed inside—reading and writing in scrolls, lighting candles, humming low songs with words only they knew. At the room’s center, a small pool, constructed from the same stone as the temple, had crystal blue waters. The boy approached the edge and peered over, his eyes dancing with the ripples.
A monk approached him. “Is today your choosing day, son?”
“Yes sir, it is,” the boy answered eagerly.
The monk walked across the room and retrieved something from a small box on the shelf before returning to the boys side. Reaching for his hand, the monk placed a small gold coin into his palm. “Make a wise choice, son. And remember that life might not always turn out how we planned—sometimes we want to take back the choice we made because someone makes us feel wrong about it, or we decide it’s no longer the choice we want, but before you change your mind, search your heart. For when you know the truth . . . the truth will set you free.”
The boy nodded and smiled down at the coin before closing his eyes and dropping it into the clear waters below, his words barely a whisper. With his heart full, he turned and left, knowing that his choice had been the right one.
Chapter Two
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.
