Don’t stay away forever. May the light guide you and keep you.
Adalia xx
He folded the note back up and sighed. “Oscuro, damn me.”
It seemed likely it would.
Chapter Nineteen
The lie
Wandering the bustling streets of the village that lay scattered at the base of his father’s kingdom, Matthias took in all that lay before him. Bland market stalls stretched in a dull symphony of pastel hues, laden with fresh produce that sat like dusty jewels in the sunlight. The aroma of sizzling delicacies wafted through the air, tantalising the senses and tempting all who passed by.
A week. An entire week at the cabin, and no one knew Matthias was there. He’d come into town for a change of scenery under the disguise of a dark, hooded cape blending with the shadows as he moved. Bones stuck close by his side, looking fierce enough to bat away wandering eyes.
Someone—a female—screamed to his left. A sickly looking male Thorn had shoved her to the ground and laughed as he undid his trousers. Matthias’s top lip curled, and he slunk down the alley. In an instant, he’d yanked the Thorn up by his hair and threw him against the wall, his new blade pressed to the attacker’s throat. The blade made the male go still—the pressure enough to break skin. A droplet of deep red travelled down the male’s throat.
“If you value your sad, pathetic life, even a little. I suggest you leave that,”—Matthias motioned his eyes downwards—“right there. And your hands up here . . . if you want to keep both of them.”
The Thorn whimpered.
“If I ever see you near a woman again, I will end you.” Matthias shoved the male to the ground and waited until he’d scurried off to whichever hole he’d crawled out of.
The female nodded her head towards Matthias in thanks before running into the shadows.
Matthias returned to the main street. Growing up here, this was normal to him. The dance of sunlight through the leaves cast fleeting shadows that seemed to whisper of a truth hidden beneath the layers of enchantment.
Yet, amidst this facade, an unsettling harshness lingered. Villagers’ smiles seemed almost mechanical, concealing hidden agendas. Whispers in the air carried undertones of secrets and deceit. Closer scrutiny revealed cracks in the once vibrant paint of cottages, mirroring fractures beneath the surface. Ornate masks hid stories of resentment, carefully veiled from prying eyes. Despite the market’s abundance, there was a disparity between those in excess and those scraping by in the shadows.
Women danced in the streets in barely anything, just hoping someone will show them some sort of attention, yearning for a love that will never come.
His chest thudded again, but this time he hadn’t been thinking of Adalia when it did. These people . . . these creatures were sorrow incarnate.
And for once, it broke his heart.
What had his father done? . . . what was their king doing?
He’d only ever fed them fear . . . fear that the King of Light was coming to diminish their free will and destroy the kingdom of Oscuro once and for all. They all lived as if their world might soon end.
He’d sold them a lie, and it bled into The Grey. The Lightners weren’t the problem. His father was.
Rounding a corner, Matthias came face to face with a female he’d rather never see again—Jes. His eyes scanned the crowd. Thorn soldiers had already circled around. Curiously, a familiar, light-haired male stood among them.
They found him.
Cursing under his breath, he donned a calm demeanour and refused to look cowed by the triumphant look in their eyes.
“I think you need to come with us,” Jes purred as she sauntered towards him.
It was time to face the music.
A thunderous crash rang through the hall and the few Thorns that were laying about the room made themselves scarce.
“WHERE IS HE!?” the king’s voice roared through the air.
Matthias stiffened, but took a deep breath and prepared himself for impact.
His father tore into the room, arms flailing and saliva dripping from his teeth as if he was foaming at the mouth. Face red, eyes bulging, he screamed, “HOW DARE YOU LEAVE THIS KINGDOM TO ROAM ABOUT IN THE ENEMY’S TERRITORY!”
