He lay there for a long time, yearning to smell the long-forgotten scent on his pillows, missing the vibrant violet eyes that healed his darkness, and recalling the smile that brightened his dismal world.
He continued to watch as the spider rebuilt its web, wishing he had a way to mend his soul the same.
“Immortal Kalon de Somnium,” an Amaru, one of his shape-shifting, shadowy snakes, said as it slithered into his doorway, flickering in and out of sight. “Tahti stole from you as she left.”
He didn’t respond. He already knew what it was, and he didn’t really care. He could torment the Fae witch when he felt like it.
Nothing of true value was left for him here. His only focus was to findher.
Kalon turned over in bed, closed his eyes, and began his endless search through countless minds, always searching, always coming up empty, but never losing hope.
She would eventually return, and when she did, he would find her.
Chapter 2
Jason
The sun’s crushing heat pounded against Jason’s exposed skin as he exited the stage and moved through the Palatium doorway. He felt a wave of relief as the cool air enveloped him in the shadowy hall, muffling the sounds of cawing birds when the door closed behind him.
The Corvids appeared to follow him wherever he went now, as if they were watching and waiting.
If only one would come close enough, maybe he could speak to it.
This week’s Wyrd went as successfully as it could have gone. They gathered ten more citizens without any chaos erupting. The Monster King was pleased with the results and the recent announcement, declaring that he, Jason Arbor, was the new lord of Joro.
Holding a position of power felt strange. But was it truly authority?
No, it was merely a facade—he still answered to the Monster King. To the citizens of Joro, being their lord was a guise concealing corruption. He lacked real power. But it didn’t matter. His true goal was to help the Darkened however he could.
Weeks had gone by since his children and friends from the Rising vanished. Each night, he prayed to the Mother Goddess, hoping for their safety, but, as always, there was no response and no sign that she had heard.
He thought about Benny’s cheerful outlook on life and Seda’s reticence. What monsters were they facing out there in those woods? And where did they go? He knew Ojore, Seren, Askold, and Ruel would do everything in their power to protect his children. He just prayed that his friends were also safe.
He devised these plans alone, well, not entirely; he worked alongside Mordred to get where he was, and the Monster King was none the wiser.
For the best,he thought, even as anxiety gripped his throat, tightening its hold while he thought about his children, causing him to stop his ascent on the dark stairs and gasp for air.
Long before meeting Sara, the Oracle had told him that a key would be born. She had said he needed to assemble a team to help this ‘key’ save all of Xyberus. She predicted that one day, a moonlit child would become part of his life, joining his future White Witch wife. That they must raise her by the name of Seda and that he needed to work with Mordred to protect her, as she would lead them to the Darkened.
He worked tirelessly to climb the ranks at Gardvord so he could gain an audience with Mordred. He also did everything he could to teach his children obedience, aiming to keep them safe in this hellish society, with the understanding that one day,everythingwould change.
Maybe that was a mistake.
He passed a few Rozzers watching guard along thestairway, who regarded him warily. Their trust in him was wavering and new.
He finished climbing the stairs, and before pushing open the door, he ran his hand over his pocket, feeling the device within.
He pushed open the worn, wooden door, quickly hiding his emotions behind a neutral expression.
He knew who was already waiting on the other side.
“That went well, Lord Jason,” the Monster King said to him from the opposite side of a magic, floor-length mirror that leaned against the wall. He studied Jason carefully, clearly looking for any weaknesses or signs of betrayal.
Mordred used to be the Lord of Joro, and he was more than willing to give up that position of power to Jason, even if it meant enduring torture from the Monster King. But his betrayal made Jason’s job all the harder. Jason had tirelessly held off any further violence toward Mordred from the hands of the Monster King since the initial episode. But it was becoming increasingly difficult to distract him from such events.
“Yes, it did,” Jason replied nonchalantly. “The selectees have been gathered and are making their way down to the Camp as we speak.”
The Monster King puffed on his veilroot smoke, exhaling it through the mirror into the room where Jason stood. Jason hated the smell of veilroot, for it was the smell he associated with the darkness of this world, and held his breath as the smoke billowed around his face.
