《The Glacier House》


 Chapter 1

    Sun marched down the hallway, her heavy black boots on the polished stone the only sound. The academy hallways being so empty never failed to put a spring in her step. Normal days were too...peopley.


    It was exam time at the academy, so classes were mercifully cancelled until they were done. Despite years in this place, living here, attending classes... she hadn''t really made any friends. And she was fine with that. Preferred it even. She had Zen, and she had Nick. They were all she needed.


    The two boys were all that was left of her found family from the slums of the capital. When Perdition Revenants had turned up after the... incident when she was a child and forced her into the academy - the youngest student in recent history - they''d had to bring her here kicking and screaming.


    She hadn''t known they were Revenants until later, she''d never seen people like them before. But everyone had at least heard of them. They were part of the law in Nostravan, and Perdition was their base. Attached was the academy they trained Revenant Candidates - the academy they had dragged her to.


    She hadn''t wanted to leave the boys behind, to leave them wondering what had happened to her. They''d already lost everyone else. None of them could take another hit like that.


    She had spent the first year or so trying to escape the confines of this place, despite the numerous punishments and negative consequences. They had forced her to come here, she had decided to punish them for it. Perdition Academy had even managed to obtain custody of her, the orphan from the slums they''d kidnapped. They''d convinced the powers that be that she was a danger not only to herself, but to everyone around her if she didn''t learn control. The academy was the safest place for her, for everyone.


    And maybe that was true... A lot of people had died that day, people she hadn''t intended to hurt... The guilt still ate at her, but she would risk it if it meant she got to stay with her family. Maybe it was selfish, but she''d never had to live without them, and after losing the others, the thought of losing them had been unbearable.


    They were her whole world. Ami had found her when she was just a toddler, next to the corpse of a woman she took to be her dead mother. She took her to the others, they had named her and taken care of her, despite being kids themselves. As they grew they had a little family of orphaned children, there had been seven of them. But after a few years Zen, Nick and Sun were all that was left.


    Much to her relief, Nick and Zen had tracked her down and joined the academy, managing to pass the required tests. Or at least prove they had potential. Once they''d joined her here, her escape attempts had stopped. She was finally able to see the value of being here. Three meals a day, a roof over their heads, indoor plumbing, medical care, and a place to sleep without having to worry about rape, murder, and kidnapping.


    The three of them were among the youngest there, and also the furthest behind. They''d never been taught to read, write, or count. Their education had to start right from the beginning. They''d known a few numbers, but beyond that, nothing.


    Their endurance and resilience had been fantastic though. Growing up in the slums they had become great at surviving and adapting. They''d had to be cunning and resourceful. They''d had no choice. So the hazing and bullying that had started up because they were street rats washed right off them. They''d seen and survived so much worse. Poverty, hunger, disease, the seasons, violence, traffickers... Most children didn''t survive that. But they had, and they would not be made to feel ashamed of it.


    "Sunny!"


    She turned around, jolted out of her thoughts. She smiled up at Zen as he reached her side. Looking at him too much made her neck ache. How he had managed to grow so much while living in the slums was beyond her understanding. Since coming into the academy, he had filled out as well. Instead of the tall, lanky boy he once was, he had a warriors build now, all muscle and sinew. He had let his bright orange hair grow out but kept it under a bandana most of the time, a black and white one to match their uniform.


    While she kept her uniform immaculate and wrinkle free, his was all crumpled, his zips only half done up, his pants not properly tucked into his boots. Their uniforms were almost identical except girls wore skirts while the boys wore pants.


    "What is it?" She asked him.


    His warm amber eyes danced as he smiled down at her. He held up a piece of paper. She snatched it from his hand and read through it. Her smile beamed as she met his gaze.


    "I told you you could do it," she said.


    "I never said I couldn''t...exactly."


    "Whatever. Congratulations," she said, handing back his paper. "How many more exams do you have?"


    "Too many," he grumbled.


    "Well, you better pass, we''re all supposed to do this together."


    That was the plan - they all graduated together, or none of them did. Unfortunately the only thing he showed any aptitude for was the combat side, her - and when he could, Nick - had had to help him in practically every other subject. Nick was so busy with his advanced classes, he didn''t have as much time as Sun to help Zen out. In return, Zen worked with her on her hand to hand and melee combat skills. Helping him was rough since she wasn''t exactly thriving either. But learning how to teach him had helped her learn as well.


    Spending her life fighting Nostrovan''s enemies as a Revenant wasn''t something she had ever envisioned for herself - in the slums, one didn''t dare envision a future. Besides, little time to dream when every day was a fight for survival and one wrong move could get you or someone you loved killed.


    But she was nothing if not adaptable.


    "Did you hear about that village on the borderlands?" He asked her as they continued down the hall.


    "No, what?"


    "Everyone in the village is just gone. There are no signs of struggle, nothing looks out of place, it''s as if everyone just up and left but no one knows to where."


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    "Weird." Why was he bringing this up?


    "Yeah. There''s even talk of sending the Tenth out," he told her. "I overheard our instructors talking about it. They might even use it for our evaluations."


    Oh, that was why.


    The Tenth Division of Perdition was in charge of intelligence, reconnaissance, and investigation. If they were being sent out, Perdition must have no idea what was happening. Seemed a little unsound to send candidates out with them. If all went well with their exams, it could be them heading out there.


    "So what about you? How many exams do you have left?" He asked, abruptly changing the subject.


    "Three. Mathematics I''m not too worried about, but the other two..."


    "What are they?" He asked.


    "Melee, and they want a demonstration of my power. I''m afraid of what that is going to entail."


    "Afraid they''re going to make you kill someone?" He asked softly, awkwardly shoving his hands into his pockets and crumpling up his paper.


    She nodded. Zen knew her fear wasn''t baseless, it had been done a few times before. Some people''s powers could only be used for killing, so convicts had been brought in and the candidate ordered to kill them to show what they could do and how much control they had over it.


    And with her power, there wasn''t much else to it but killing. At least, not much Perdition found useful.


    As a child, when her power had started to manifest, she had thought she was going crazy. Every night she dreamed of a strange, dark world inhabited only by ravens and twisted ghostly people, many of whom carried grisly wounds that any child would be afraid of. Eventually it wasn''t just a dream anymore. She started seeing those people and that world in the reflection of water, in puddles, in drinks, in ice...


    Then the incident in the slums, when she had been attacked while out alone. It had been raining heavily that day, the muddied roads were practically rivers, and some areas and homes had been flooded. When she had been attacked, she''d felt a similar sensation to when she dreamed. Then within seconds the men pinning her into the mud, tearing at her clothes just... aged. From young men to middle aged, to ancient corpses.


    These had been young men, no more than twenty at most, and they had aged decades in seconds. Because of something she had done. And it hadn''t just been them, it had been everyone out in that weather, anyone so much as touching water within a mile radius of her almost.


    It had been the Revenants who had explained it to her afterwards. A large portion of their people manifested abilities outside of the typical auric manipulation they were all capable of with the right training.


    Her dreams weren''t dreams at all, she was entering the Traverse, a Crossroads world where the dead passed through, and a great many got lost in. What she saw in water and ice was this other world beyond theirs. And evidently, water was a medium with which she could steal lives. She had the ability to use water and ice in a variety of ways, hydrokinetic they said. She found that a lot harder than the other thing though... But it was the other thing Perdition put their focus on, unfortunately.


    They continued down the hall in a heavy silence. He wanted to reassure her, but didn''t want to be made a liar if he was wrong.


    "When will you be finished?" He asked instead.


    "Not until late tonight. For my demonstration they''re bringing in a couple of Perdition Commanders and they can''t make it until they''re off duty."


    Zen nodded, that pretty much sealed it. They wanted her to kill someone. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder.


    "When you get out, no matter what time, come and see me, I''ll wait up for you."


    She gave him a hollow smile and thanked him. He walked with her until she reached the examination hall to take her mathematics exam.


    Focus didn''t come easily to her as she worked, the constant dread hanging over her. She at least attempted every question, and when she walked out of it she was reasonably confident she would at least pass, if only by a hair.


    The lack of classes had no effect on the number of students at dinner that evening. As usual, the mess hall was loud, full of people, mostly adolescents to young adults. There was the odd older person, someone who had decided to join in their later years.


    Zen, Nick, and Sun had taken their usual seats at one of the corner tables. They were outcast from the rest of the students. Well, mostly Sun and Nick. Zen was a likeable guy and when he wasn''t with the pair of them he was easily able to make friends. Sun and Nick knew he had a couple, they weren''t exactly sure why he kept it from them, or at least never mentioned it. They were happy for him, being able to branch out.


    Sun wasn''t sure why people seemed to keep their distance from her. Until the bullying, she''d never been hostile towards anyone but those who kept her trapped here. Occasionally she''d heard rumours about her power and her eye and figured people must not like them.


    As for Nick, people''s dislike of him seemed to stem from jealousy. Turned out their little Nickolai was something of a prodigy. He excelled in all their classes, physically and academically. When his own ability had manifested he''d seemingly taken to it effortlessly. And the Auric manipulation - the power they used to cast and enhance their speed and strength - he''d surpassed students who had been there far longer than him. He''d left some bitter people in his wake.


    His aptitude had meant their instructors piled more work on him, pushing him further and further to find his limits. He took it all without complaint and still made time for her and Zen, to help them with their assignments or just spend time with them.


    Despite his work and the pressure, he always made time for them.


    "Come on, Sunbeam, at least eat these," Nick insisted, pushing a small bowl of strawberries in front of her.


    Being at Perdition had been the first time she''d ever tasted the sweet little fruits and she''d instantly fallen in love. She''d never had a favourite food until them. And it had not gone unnoticed. Most of the Academy knew not to get in the way of her and a bowl of strawberries.


    But despite how much she loved them, even they couldn''t convince her to stomach food. She was nervous.


    She didn''t want to kill anyone, especially not intentionally and with an audience.


    "Maybe... afterwards," she replied, pushing them away.


    She didn''t miss the look Nick and Zen exchanged from either side of her.


    "We could run."


    Her eyes shot to Nicks at his words, her brow furrowed.


    They hadn''t talked about escaping since the boys had arrived here. Once reunited, they all recognised the opportunity they had before them and had decided to stay.


    "We''re older now; we know how to protect ourselves... We could just run," he suggested softly. "We have an education now; we could make our own lives."


    It was true. And since she had stopped trying to escape, the academy didn''t keep as close an eye on her as they used to.


    But joining the Revenants was a job¡ªa job that paid well. And since coming here, they''d dared to dream. They had plans now. Join the Revenants, make money, use it to buy a house for the three of them, and never go hungry again. And then, when they had leave, they''d plan a trip to the ocean. They''d all heard stories of it, seen pictures in books, heard other students talking about vacations there. They wanted to see it for themselves.


    As a Revenant, chances were she would have to kill someone at some point. Maybe getting the initial shock of it out of the way in a controlled environment wasn''t a terrible thing.


    She shook her head. "It''s fine. I can do it. Just please don''t make me eat before I do."


    Concern was still clearly visible in his bright green eyes, but he nodded.


    And who knew? Maybe she was anxious over nothing. It wasn''t a given they would have her kill anyone.


    She glanced up at the clock. "I should probably go anyway."


    "See us after," Zen reminded her.


    With a nod, she left them.


    Sun left the mess and headed towards the training hall where her demonstration was supposed to take place. She found herself dawdling, taking each step unnecessarily slow. She knew she should hurry, she shouldn''t waste the Commanders, and her Instructors time. Quickening her pace, she found herself outside of the training hall far too soon.


    With a deep breath, steeling her resolve, she entered the hall.

 Chapter 2

    The training hall was massive, and she was used to seeing it full of students practicing. Today, however, only Instructor Harald was waiting, and next to him stood two other men. She had never met any of the Commanders before, but she assumed that''s who they were. They wore the Revenant uniform, and the badges they had were indicative of their Commander status. She could feel their auras radiating off them, heavy and powerful. Her step almost faltered under it but she quickly recovered and headed over to them, her head high and her back straight.


    Instructor Harald and the Commanders watched her approach. Instructor Harald stepped forward and greeted her politely. She bowed, showing him the proper respect as her superior.


    "Sun," he said. "This is Commander Stark, of the Third Division."


    Sun bowed to him, discreetly eyeing him up. Creepy pretty much summed him up. He had a wide grin on his face, almost a cross between a leer and a smirk with a bit of genuine joy mixed in. It was a little unbelievable how he was able to pull it off. He looked to be middle aged, greying brown hair cut short and slicked back. He gave her a polite nod while his eyes bore into her left one. The more he stared, the wider his smile seemed to grow.


    She knew her left disconcerted people; it was so dark it was almost black, and it had no iris, or maybe no pupil; she didn''t know how it worked. Despite that, she could see perfectly fine out of it.


    Instructor Harald introduced the second man to her while she was still bowed.


    "And this is Commander Allens of the Ninth."


    Ninth? Internal affairs? Why would he need to be here to witness this? She had thought perhaps the Commander of the Fifth or Seventh might be here, maybe even Eighth or Tenth. She understood why the Third would be here given the utter lack of knowledge on her power.


    Before anything more could be said, the doors to the hall opened again, and a third Commander was standing there. He was tall, lithe, long sleek black hair parted on the side so the long, elaborate earring that hung from his left ear was visible. She wondered at the significance of it, it looked expensive and this man didn''t look the jewellery type. He was probably the most attractive person she had ever seen though, more perfectly carved statue than man.


    Sun would swear the temperature in the room dropped a couple of degrees too. Instructor Harald looked mildly uncomfortable and shot a quick glance to Commander Allens who only smiled placidly back.


    "Commander Illusen," Instructor Harald greeted. "I wasn''t aware you would be attending."


    "Is that a problem?" Somehow the question had surpassed challenging and sounded more like a threat.


    This man''s aura was just as - if not more - powerful than the other two. It was oppressive and smothering, with a streak of ice through it.


    "Of course not," Harald replied.


    Commander Starks grin had only widened at the poorly concealed discomfort.


    Commander Illusen stalked his way to the centre of the room to join them. His eyes met hers for just a moment as he passed her, and she was sure she caught a flash of something - surprise, sadness maybe? It had been too quick to decipher before he''d become impassive. Illusen was the Commander of the Seventh, his being here made sense.


    "Sun, this is Commander Illusen, of the Seventh," Instructor Harald introduced him, the man himself watching her impassively.


    It didn''t seem physically possible, but Commander Stark''s grin had widened further. Why was he deriving so much joy out of this?


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    "Are you ready, Sun?" Instructor Harald asked.


    That really depended on what she would be required to do. She remained silent and he must have taken that as a yes.


    At a signal to someone up in the viewing box, the sprinklers at the other end of the hall turned on, creating a pool of water. Instructor Harald led the Commanders to a higher vantage point where they would be well away from any moisture.


    Sun apprehensively watched the water spread until she was standing in it, then the sprinklers were turned off. The doors at the end of the hall opened, and four men chained together at the wrists and ankles shuffled in.


    "Prisoners sentenced to the gallows, Sun. Kill them through the water."


    Although she had been expecting it, she was still shocked - maybe at how cavalier the others were about it. She tried to hide it but she was sure something must have slipped.


    In the reflection of the water, she could see people, the dead on the other side. And her instructor wanted her to send more through.


    To practice this ability, she''d had to use it in the past, but she''d only ever used it on plants and insects, and once a mouse. The mouse had been under orders and she hadn''t wanted to. She liked animals.


    She took a deep breath and looked to Instructor Harald and shook her head. "I... can''t."


    "Why not?" There was a hint of irritation in his tone.


    "They''re people." As if that explained it.


    She could almost feel the eye roll from Commander Stark.


    "While your regard for life is commendable, the world will be better off for their deaths," Harald told her. "Now do it."


    She looked to the prisoners; they were just standing there, their eyes glazed. Had they been drugged before this?


    Her hesitation must have lasted too long; Harald spoke again.


    "Now, Sun. Or the Farron boys will be expelled."


    Her surprise at his statement quickly morphed to a glare. They couldn''t toss her out given what she could do and that legally she was their ward, but they could toss out Zen and Nick just to punish her.


    Cunts.


    Despite Nick''s offer earlier, she was aware it wasn''t really what the boys wanted. They would rather not leave Perdition and end up back on the streets. Granted, they''d never return to the slums and they could probably figure out new lives for themselves now that they had an education, as Nick had said earlier. But it was easier and more secure to stay here. She couldn''t take that from them, and if killing four inmates was the way to do it...


    She closed her eyes and gathered her power, feeling it in the water, and through it she could feel the life force of the four men. It was a strange sensation; she had to pull their lives out of them and to her. Learning to do it at will had been hard, and still felt strange and uncomfortable. If she had a choice she wouldn''t use this power at all. She felt the life drain out of them, felt it flowing through the water and soaking into her skin, into her soul.


    When she opened her eyes, the four inmates were shrivelled and aged and... gone. Their eyes were vacant milky pools, their skin was wrinkled, their hair white. They''d aged to death. And she felt... energized, spritely - physically. The rest of her wanted to throw up.


    Instructor Harald glanced at the Commanders. Illusen remained impassive. Stark was still grinning and he actually barked out a laugh, drawing Sun''s glare. She stalked over to them, fists clenched at her sides, clearly not happy.


    "Amazing!" Stark cried out. "Simply amazing."


    "Am I done here?" She spat.


    Instructor Harald nodded and she stormed off, not even bothering to bow. They watched her disappear out the door before turning back to each other.


    "So what do you think?" Harald asked the trio.


    "It is a very unique ability," Allens said, a polite smile on his face.


    "When does she graduate?" Stark asked.


    "Depending on the results of her exams, we''re hoping with the next batch."


    "Has she expressed an interest in any particular division? I would very much like to study this girl."


    "We were actually hoping, Commander Stark, that you might know something about her ability. With your knowledge it was our belief you may have come across something similar or could at least hazard a guess as to the limits of her potential and just how this ability works."


    Stark shook his head. "Never seen it''s like. But I have seen the eye," he said, his own amused eyes drifting to Commander Illusen a moment. "So you''re going to allow me to study her then?"


    Harald looked more than a little reluctant. Stark''s reputation was well known throughout Perdition as being quite sadistic with those he deemed ''specimens.'' If they allowed him to study her, there was no way of predicting how she would end up, if she survived at all. And her power was far too useful to be wasted.


    He looked to Allens; some kind of silent communication passed between them.


    "And what brought you to this demonstration, Commander Illusen?" He asked.


    The man declined to answer, and though his face was blank, there was a seething fury left in his wake as he stalked from the room.


    Harald exchanged another look with Commander Allens, his stomach sinking. But the Commander only thanked him and left at a more sedate pace than Illusen, completely unruffled.

 Chapter 3

    Sun leaned her hand against the cool brick wall outside, doubled over as she puked into the bushes. Zen held her hair back while Nick rubbed soothing circles on her back. She had no idea how they''d found her out here.


    "Guess we don''t need to ask how it went," said Zen.


    "I''d prefer you didn''t," she muttered, fighting down the next wave.


    When she had killed all those people back in the slums years ago, she had seen some of the damage she''d caused as they''d dragged her out; the images had stuck with her. It had been horrible. The deaths themselves didn''t appear gory or violent, but the twisted look of horror etched on their faces had clawed themselves into her brain and latched on tight. She had always wondered what it felt like to age so fast. Did it hurt? It must have been terrifying.


    When ever she remembered them, she was relieved she was incapable of dreaming. She didn''t want to imagine the nightmares and images her guilt would conjure.


    She pushed herself off the wall, wiping her mouth off.


    "Let''s get you something to wash the taste out," Nick suggested, taking her hand in his.


    They took her back to their room. Boys had to share, two to a room. Revenant candidates were predominantly male, so there were few enough girls they each got their own.


    Her demonstration hadn''t been strenuous physically, it hadn''t even been too difficult energy wise. It was the blow to her conscience that made it hard. Even if they were awaiting execution. Maybe she would feel better - at least a little less guilty - if she found out what their crimes had been...


    She wished she had a more benign ability. Nick could teleport. Zen hadn''t manifested anything, but he preferred the auric manipulation side of it anyway. He liked close quarter combat, and increasing his speed and strength to do it was something he found enjoyable in itself.


    Once in their room, they dragged the blankets from the beds and made a little nest on the floor. They used the sheets to build a fort before Nick and Sun crawled inside. Zen brought in a flask of water and offered it to her. She drank deeply before lying down on her back and looking up at their makeshift ceiling. The boys lay down either side of her, staring up at the sheet hanging over them as well.


    Though the slums had been an awful place to live, the shelter they''d cobbled together to keep them warm and hidden had had it''s charm. Blanket forts gave them that same sense of safety and comfort¡ªa haven from the outside. It had always been them against everything outside, and coming to Perdition hadn''t exactly changed that mindset. Though it had mellowed them out a little.


    "Would you rather drink a litre of piss or a litre of sweat?" Zen suddenly broke the silence with the stupidest question she had ever heard.


    They both looked over at him, knowing what he was trying to do, and she was grateful for it.


    "Whose sweat?" Nick asked.


    "Does that matter?"


    "Some people definitely smell worse than others, I assume it would apply to taste."


    She hadn''t thought of that before, it made sense. "Is there someone who''s sweat you''d be more agreeable to drinking?"


    "Can''t think of anyone off the top of my head," he replied.


    "It''s my sweat and piss," Zen told them.


    They both scrunched up their faces.


    "You don''t drink much water," she said. "You''d probably be quite..."


    "Flavourful?" He suggested with a grin.


    "Pungent," both Nick and Sun said in unison, laughing lightly at the coincidence and the look on Zen''s face.


    "That''s a bit strong," he muttered with a pout.


    Sun laughed. "So are your armpits after combat training."


    He rolled quickly then, burying her face in his armpit, and with his size and strength she really didn''t have much of a chance. And since she was laughing the whole time she was catching mouthfuls of the smell. He had at least showered after his hand to hand exam today; she could tell that much. She started jabbing him in the side where she knew he was ticklish and he wiggled off her, rolling onto his back once again.


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    She elbowed him in the side. "Dick."


    "Arseface."


    "All right, children," Nick said, and they could hear his eye roll.


    He wasn''t even that much older than them. But secretly they could admit he was the more mature one of the trio.


    She snuggled into the blankets, eager to forget the world for a little while.


    -


    Nick had to wake her up an hour before dawn the next morning so she could get back to her own room. What they did wasn''t exactly against the rules, but it was frowned upon. Most of them were of an age where they didn''t need their sex lives policed. Though Sun was still a minor, barely. Possibly. None of them really knew their true ages. She could be eighteen by now.


    She returned to her dorm, showered, and got ready for the day. She had no classes to worry about, and her next exam wasn''t until the afternoon. The free time and lack of crowds were about the only upsides to exam week.


    She should probably study or something, but after yesterday she would rather just relax, maybe clean her pistols; that was always a soothing exercise. Or even sharpening and polishing her blades. She took very good care of her weapons. In battle, it was them she had to rely on; she did not want to resort to her power for killing, and her skills in hydrokinesis and casting were quite pathetic.


    She had met up with Zen and Nick in the mess for breakfast; some of her appetite had made a bit of a comeback, at least.


    "Sun, the headmaster would like to see you."


    Looking up, she was surprised to see one of her instructors standing there, arms crossed over his chest. Was she in trouble for disobeying yesterday? For questioning her order?


    With a nod, she muttered her goodbyes to the boys who were watching her worriedly as well.


    Though she wasn''t eager for this meeting, she walked quickly and took the stairs up two at a time. She walked as quickly as she could and knocked on the headmaster''s door. At his muffled ''enter'' she opened it and stepped inside. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene.


    The headmaster was sitting at his desk; standing almost directly opposite was Commander Illusen and beside him was an old lady, obviously very wealthy if her clothes and jewellery were anything to go by. In her ear she wore an earring similar to Commander Illusen but less intricate and not as long; it only just reached her shoulder. The woman''s eyes were the same blue, although seemingly dulled with age. The last person in the room was one of the school healers. Sun stayed in the doorway, eyeing everyone suspiciously. What could possibly be going on that would require the nurse, a Commander, an old lady, and the headmaster?


    "Sun, come in," said the headmaster, his voice, though kind, had a grim note to it.


    She hesitantly obeyed, closing the door behind her. He gestured for her to take a seat and she slowly complied, not sure who she should focus her eyes on.


    She felt the healer take her arm gently as the headmaster informed her they would be taking a sample of her blood. She quickly snatched her arm back and eyed them warily.


    "Why?" She asked, annoyed that they thought they could just do whatever they wanted with her. Damn the Guardianship orders they had over her.


    "Do as you''re told," Commander Illusen said; his voice was so cold. "An order from a superior is to be obeyed."


    She clenched her jaw but allowed the healer to continue her job. "May I at least know why?"


    "Who are your parents?" Illusen asked.


    She turned her glare to him. Pompous ass. "None of your business," she shot back.


    The headmaster delivered a hard whack to the back of her other hand with a ruler.


    "Show some respect," he told her.


    "Your parents. Do not make me ask again," Illusen warned.


    "I don''t know who they are," she spat. "I''m an orphan. What do you want with my blood?"


    Technically, the headmaster was her legal guardian since they''d stripped her of her rights with their bullshit about her being a danger. If she didn''t listen to him, he could punish her in ways he couldn''t with the other students. And after yesterday, she didn''t want to risk pushing her luck.


    Again, her question was ignored as the old lady grabbed her face and examined her closely.


    "You are obviously from the Winter Clan," she said. "We''re taking your blood to determine who stained the family honour by birthing a bastard."


    "Winter Clan?" She probably should have been more angry at the fact this old woman had just called her a stain and a bastard in one sentence, but with all the other questions and emotions running through her, that was what came out.


    "One of the Great Four, Sun," the headmaster told her as if that should have cleared it up.


    It didn''t.


    The nurse closed off the vial of blood, put a piece of gauze on the injection site, and told her to hold it down. Illusen took the vial from her hand and left without a backward glance, the old lady following closely behind him. Sun turned her confused gaze on her headmaster.


    "Who were those people?" She asked.


    "You met Commander Illusen yesterday, didn''t you?"


    She nodded. "I know he''s a Commander. Why does that entitle him to my blood?"


    "Kalys Illusen is head of the Winter Clan. A very powerful and influential man. Should the royal family ever be left without an heir, the throne would fall to one of the Great Four. They are practically royalty. The woman with him was Noda Illusen, one of the clan elders. If you are ever to see them again, you had better be more respectful. Your behaviour casts a reflection on the candidacy program and I will not have its reputation brought down by you." He leaned back in his seat. "They suspect you''re related to them, Sun. And if he wants your blood, I cannot stand in his way."


    Sunny left the office in a daze, replaying the conversation in her head. The Winter Clan? Didn''t even sound remotely familiar. The woman had inspected her face, so something in it must be some kind of indicator; she had a feeling it was her dark eye. She still wasn''t happy about that stain comment. She was in some way related to those two people? Probably not; that''s what the blood was for. They had ways of tracing lineage through one''s blood. It was a magic beyond her limited comprehension.


    Gods above, she hoped these people were wrong. She just wanted to get through her time here, be released from Perdition''s ''guardianship'' and build a life for herself. If she had ever bought into the long-lost family dream, it would have been shattered upon meeting those two. She didn''t want them, and it was clear they didn''t want her.


    Besides, she had Zen and Nick; they were all the family she needed.

 Chapter 4

    She lingered about in the hallway, processing, when she saw Zen heading towards her. She gave him a wave as he reached her.


    "Hey," he greeted. "So what happened?"


    "Uh, I had to see the Head Master about disobeying orders," she lied.


    She didn''t want him finding out about this, especially since it would most likely amount to nothing. Best not to worry him.


    "Ok," he didn''t entirely believe her but figured she would tell him when she was ready. "I''ll walk you to your next exam."


    "I''m going to the library instead; I''ve got nothing until the afternoon," she told him.


    "I''ll walk you there then," he smiled.


    She nodded and they fell into step beside each other.


    "What do you have next?" She asked him.


    "Hand to hand."


    She rolled her eyes. "Fun."


    He flexed his bicep in front of her face. "Kiss my guns for luck."


    She could only laugh and elbow him in the side. "You''re a dick."


    Zen filled the silence of their walk with idle chatter, most of it gossip about their classmates. Before coming here, she never knew he was such a gossip fiend. When survival wasn''t the predominant task of the day, it turned out he liked to know all the juicy details of the lives of those around him. Well, the salacious stuff at least.


    Zen left her at the entrance to the library, calling out a ''see ya'' as he jogged off to class. Sunny waited until he was out of sight before disappearing into the library. The place was huge; three storeys of books, maps of the known world adorned the walls, there were sculptures and paintings. It was like a cross between a museum and a library. Natural light streamed in through the domed glass ceiling where a model of the solar system hung from. Out of the whole of Perdition, the library was her second favourite place. Her favourite being the gardens.


    She wasn''t sure where to begin looking up information on the Winter Clan. Well, she figured she could rule out the fiction sections. And language and agriculture. Browsing through the subdivisions history or local studies seemed like the best bet. Maybe politics?


    After about a half hour of searching, she had amassed quite a few books that referenced the Winter Clan. Sitting down and flicking through the pages, she was able to garner a little information. The four Clans - Winter, Summer, Spring and Autumn, and the only people capable of manifesting the ability to control the elements.


    Oh.


    They''d called her hydrokinetic because she could control water and ice...


    Could just be a coincidence, there were plenty of people that slipped through the cracks. They didn''t know everyone in Nostravan and what they were capable of. She wasn''t even very good with water and ice. She may as well not have it at all.


    The Winter Clans power lay in it though. Fire for Autumn. Air for Spring. Earth for Summer. It didn''t go into too much detail about their abilities, but there were hints of something more, other powers.


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    Each clan had certain physical traits that ran strong in them, mainly the eye colour, hair colour, and skin tone. There were plenty of instances of inbreeding as well to try and keep the traits and powers strong. While birth defects cropped up from time to time, statistically they were less likely to manifest in the four great houses. A cynical part of her figured they probably just offed any defective babies quietly and secretly. She had figured nobles were just people who claimed their place and kicked others down so they could keep it. But in another book she found there were distinct differences in the genetics. Not being much into science or biology or anything like that, most of what she read went over her head.


    But in one book there was a painted portrait of an Illusen from thousands of years ago, long before the invention of tintypes. His right eye was ice blue, just like hers, just like the Illusens she''d met earlier. It could have been a trick of the painting or in the printing maybe, but his left iris looked black.


    She rubbed her eyes. If this was common knowledge here, then everyone treated her the way they did because they thought she was some kind of bastard child? That was hardly fair; it wasn''t like you could decide your parents. Was being a bastard worse than being an orphaned street rat? She had two strikes against her regardless.


    She slammed her head on the table and let a hard laugh escape. Why her? But then it might not even be true; there could be another reason for her eye, an injury perhaps - she couldn''t remember her infancy or toddler days. Or maybe it was a side effect of her ability. It didn''t have to mean anything.


    She sighed as she packed up the books; she was done with this. If she turned out to be related to these people, it didn''t matter; she decided she wanted nothing to do with them. And them being such high-ranking nobles, they probably wanted nothing to do with her as well. So researching up on them seemed pointless, interesting, but ultimately pointless.


    "Sunshine?"


    She looked up to a smiling Nick standing over her. Their height difference wasn''t too much when they were side by side. Unlike Zen, Nick hadn''t shot up at any point in their lives; he only had an inch or two on her.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked her, taking a seat beside her as he pushed some of his white blonde hair out of his eyes. His light green eyes were always warm and friendly when they were upon her and Zen; it was a smile and warmth just for them. She returned it with one of her own.


    "Just researching," she told him. "Studying?"


    Being as smart as he was, they expected a lot from him. And he was hoping to get a good placement once he graduated. There was talk he might be able to go straight into a tiered position if he continued down this path. And he wanted the higher pay; they had a house to save for after all.


    "Yeah, but since I''ve found you instead, want to go for a walk in the gardens? It''s a nice day."


    She got up from her seat and they made their way outside. They walked in a comfortable silence, and she basked in the warmth of his presence. She was still feeling off kilter from last night and now this morning.


    The gardens were usually empty most of the time, and completely barren in the colder months, but there were a few other faces out and about enjoying the sunshine today.


    "You did what you had to," he suddenly said, looking at her with a gentleness she didn''t feel like she deserved right now.


    He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I know killing doesn''t sit right with you, and I''m always here when you want to talk."


    Nick himself had killed before; both he and Zen had. She''d never seen it, but she could always tell when it had happened. They were so young back then that the few times it had happened, they''d been wrecked for ages afterwards - mood swings and nightmares. But they''d only ever done what they''d had to do and she would never fault or judge them for it. They had all had to do things they would never consider doing now.


    "I know," she said softly.


    They walked in silence for a while before she could bring herself to break it. "Hey, Nick?"


    "Mm?"


    "We''ll always be together, right? No matter what? You, me, and Zen?"


    "Of course."


    "Even if we found out something about one of us? Something huge? It wouldn''t change anything, right?"


    Nick frowned, concerned. She''d never expressed any kind of insecurity in their relationship before. Did she really think having to kill some random guys he didn''t even know would change that? She could kill a million people and he would still love her.


    "Yeah, wouldn''t change a thing," he affirmed. "What''s going on, Sunny? Are you in trouble or something?"


    She shook her head. "Just needed to hear it."

 Chapter 5

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    Did he just want to tack on that ''head of the Winter Clan'' title? He''d been introduced as a Commander the other day. But reintroduced in the headmasters office. She already knew he was clan head.


    Truthfully, only Nick and Zen called her Sunshine, or Sunny. Everyone else was Sun. But she was sure the jerk already knew her name. They had met at her demonstration, no matter how inadequate the introduction had been. Was this a stupid test?

 Chapter 6

    Kalys watched the girl stalk out, leaving a distinctly icy cold feeling in the room.


    He was angry, seething truth be told. Not at her, but he did realise he''d shown her little patience. She could hardly be faulted for the circumstances. The academy was another matter entirely; they would face his ire, and there would be consequences.


    It was obvious to anyone with eyes she was Illusen stock; her hydrokinesis only made it all the more evident, and her eye made it indisputable.


    What galled him most was the absolute lack of courtesy the academy had shown him, letting his father''s daughter run around ignorant of her family and heritage and keeping her existence from him. Had he not gotten wind of her demonstration that night and what they hoped to see, he might never have known she existed, at least not until she became a full-fledged Revenant. And even then, he might never have crossed paths with her. Perdition was a big place.


    The Illusens had been staunch supporters of Perdition since its inception centuries ago, and there was and always had been an Illusen Commander. They had donated countless funds to both the academy and the base. Keeping him in the dark like this felt akin to betrayal.


    It would pay to keep eyes and ears in the academy from now on. He hadn''t bothered before; he had not anticipated a situation like this. He couldn''t help but wonder if his father had sired any other bastards before he''d been killed. He couldn''t even recall his father having any interest in anyone after the death of Kalys''s mother. He had already written his grandfather, both informing him of the girl and asking if he might have an inkling as to the identity of her mother.


    Then there was her eye and the power that came with it. While anyone who knew his father knew about the odd physical attribute, they had made sure to keep the power secret. It wasn''t something they had wanted to get out. Throughout the extensive history of their clan, it had manifested in a few dozen people. They didn''t know why it was so rare or why these specific people had it.


    He let out a sigh, his eyes fixing on the folder on his desk. It was everything the academy knew about Sunshine Farron. Farron wasn''t even her legal name, until coming to Perdition she didn''t exist on paper at all. But that was the name she had given them. He was in the process of legally changing her surname. No need to tell her that just yet, considering how she had reacted today.


    Academically, she was doing well in most classes, especially considering she had arrived here illiterate. There was an extensive list of escape attempts in the first year of her being here; they''d stopped after a little while. He assumed that had to do with the arrival of the two boys she called her friends.


    It had only been a few days since he''d learnt of her, but he''d managed to amass a wealth of information on her, including how she came onto the academy''s radar.


    It was a sorry tale. But at least she had killed those who had tried to harm her; it saved him from having to hunt them down and make an example. From the psychological evaluation when she had first been brought here, though, the incident had cut deep. Enough time had passed that she seemed largely unaffected by it, though her reluctance to kill anyone with it during her demonstration could lead back to that. Or she just had a conscience. Difficult to tell.


    Kalys disagreed with the demonstration as well, parading inmates out to be executed by a student who clearly hadn''t wanted to kill anyone. When had the academy''s principals sunk so low?


    He''d not had much to do with the academy since his own time there, and even then it had been relatively brief. He''d been trained by his father and grandfather before attending, and he''d breezed through the classes, graduating early.


    Sun was clearly not him, but then she hadn''t grown up with the same advantages he''d had.


    He would rectify that.


    His father would not have wanted this for his only daughter. Nero Illusen had been a kind and compassionate man to his family, softer and gentler with others than Kalys was. More so than Kalys''s grandfather as well. But having to take up the mantle of Clan Head at such a young age had hardened Kalys.


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    Still, he knew his father would have taken the girl in had he known about her. He would have married her mother too; it would have been the right thing to do.


    So as head of the clan, the responsibility fell to him to take care of his sister. The instant attraction and connection he''d felt to her the moment he''d seen her in that hall had hit with all the force of a freight train. It made being around her uncomfortable, but he would not shirk his duty to her. As he came to know her as a sister, he was sure the attraction would pass. It was purely physical.


    He could see their father in her, diluted by her mother''s genes but strong all the same. He just needed to keep that in mind.


    He couldn''t help but wonder what it would have been like to grow up with a sibling.


    With a sigh, he let his ponderings dissolve. There was no point in dwelling on it. He needed to focus on the present.


    He needed to help his sister get on track.


    -


    She made her way back to Perdition. Despite having never left the grounds, it was easy to find her way considering Perdition was the biggest and scariest-looking compound in the town.


    As soon as she reached the gates, she headed straight for Zen''s dorm.


    Unfortunately, she was waylaid by Seph and his friends, Cullen and Vaan. They were among the most persistent pricks when it came to trying to make her life miserable. Well, Seph was, to a lesser extent, Vaan. Cullen neither participated nor tried to stop them.


    She wasn''t having it today, and as soon as Seph started to spew his vitriol, she tackled him. She wasn''t usually aggressive, and it was clear she''d caught him off guard. She started laying into him, releasing some of the stress, frustration, and anger. Vaan and Cullen tried to pull her off of him, but Zen suddenly appeared, jumping into the fight. He could always be relied upon to back her up in a fight, no questions asked.


    It was Nick who turned up and put a stop to it, porting them both back to the boys room before any more blood was spilled. It had all just happened so quickly.


    They stood in the sudden silence, Zen and Sun catching their breath.


    "I''ve been looking everywhere for you," Nick said. "Where have you been, and what the hell was that?"


    "I... snapped," she muttered.


    "It''s not like that shitbag will admit Sunny got the drop on him anyway," said Zen. "I think we''re in the clear."


    "What is going on with you, Sunny Day?" Nick pressed.


    She couldn''t keep it to herself, as much as she wanted to. They would find out eventually. They sat and listened as she spilled her story, not happy about this turn of events. Neither could believe this man, this Commander, how could he just expect her to do whatever he said like that? How could he do it without even discussing it with her? He was a stranger to her. But then, she''d never even heard of Perdition when they''d forced guardianship on her. Fuck the powers that be...


    At least they didn''t have to watch her cry. She had been on the verge of tears when she arrived, but the more she explained, the angrier she got. By the end of her story, she was furious and pacing the room.


    "What even are the gentle arts?" She spat.


    "I think it''s like embroidery, sewing... learning an instrument... womanly stuff..." Zen said.


    Both Sun and Nick looked at him, a little surprised.


    "What?" He asked, defensive. "I know stuff."


    "What am I going to do?" She asked them, shrugging off his comment. "There has to be a way out of this."


    They thought for a while. What could she do? Perdition had done a good enough job of convincing the courts that she couldn''t be responsible for herself that they had been granted control of her.


    "What about dissolving the guardianship?" Nick suggested. "Maybe you can fight it?"


    The other two looked at him expectantly.


    "When Illusen took guardianship, my guess is they argued over who should have control; Perdition or Illusen. I doubt anyone suggested whether anyone should have control of you anymore. You''re older now; you''ve learnt to control your power for the most part. Maybe you can bring that discussion back to the table. You''re almost legally an adult."


    "How would that work?" She asked.


    "I honestly have no idea."


    She deflated a little at his words. Most people her age with her background had no guardians; hell, they had no oversight at all. Nick and Zen certainly weren''t considered wards of Perdition despite coming here as minors.


    "I''ll go to the library tomorrow," she said, climbing onto the blankets on the floor and lying down. "Maybe there''ll be something there."


    She was feeling drained from the day, and the fight. And there was something exhausting about being in Illusens presence¡ªa constant pressure.


    "You''d be better off going straight to a barrister in town," said Nick. "I can come with you tomorrow if you want."


    The boys lay down beside her, and Zen covered them with his blankets. "So we''re staying in today then?"


    She nodded as she closed her eyes and snuggled in between them.


    It was still early, but it had been a long day with a lot of information to absorb. She wanted to ignore it for a little while.


    Fuck Illusen.

 Chapter 7

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    She had to learn to bow in a way befitting of her new rank. No more bending at the waist until she was practically at a ninety-degree angle. She had to bend slightly at the knees with a polite incline of her head and her hands should be over top of each other in front of her, not at her sides balled into fists. This new bow was to be used even to her superiors at Perdition. She was ranked now, and she must behave befitting of her station at all times, no matter where she was. She had no intention of bowing like a princess to her Perdition instructors; it was just too pompous. And then there were certain people she had to curtsey to. Ridiculous...


    It is unladylike to snort, and you will show the proper respect to your instructors at all times.

 Chapter 8

    There was a knock on the door and she groggily sat up. Before she could even tell the person to come in, the doors slid open. There stood a girl, probably only a few years older than her. She bowed low to Sun.


    "I''m your personal handmaiden, my lady. I am here to help you bathe, dress, and do your hair and make-up every morning."


    Suns brows raised. "That''s really not necessary. I can bathe and dress myself; I don''t wear make-up, and I''m perfectly capable of brushing my own hair."


    "We are to style it nicely and in such a way it displays this, my lady," she said, holding out a box.


    "What is it?" Sun asked, standing up out of the bed.


    The girl lifted the lid to reveal an exact replica of the intricate earring Kalys always seemed to wear. Those were probably real sapphires and diamonds...


    "Lord Illusen handed this to me this morning and said you are to wear it whenever you leave the estate or have guests."


    "No thank you."


    The girl looked a little worried. "He was very insistent, my lady."


    Sun sighed, too tired and hungry to argue. "Fine. I''m going to have a shower; we can do my hair after I get out."


    She was probably a little harsher than she''d meant to be. It wasn''t the woman''s fault.


    Her handmaid smiled and nodded. Sun grabbed her uniform and headed towards the bathroom that connected to her room. The place was amazing; she had seen it last night and it had actually taken her breath away. There was a huge tub in the corner that could fit in at least four other people comfortably. The shower was behind a tiled wall and came from two heads attached to opposite walls. It felt nice to have the hot water coming from the two different directions; after hours of training that would be heaven on her aching muscles. There was a sink with a huge mirror above it. She had found everything she would need as well: toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush, all sorts of creams and washes. But what had really taken her breath away was the roof. It was a mosaic of blue and black crystals and metals in the shape of the Winter Clans crest. A black raven, wings spread, seemingly blending into the waves and glaciers around it, and it all came together to form a circle. It was a beautiful work of art.


    Her room was simple but massive and even had its own fireplace. Her bed was a big four poster with its own curtains. She had a desk to do her work at. There was a bookcase against the wall by her desk, with only a few books on it, the ones from her room at Perdition. There was an elegant vanity in the corner by the bathroom door. She had never seen such beautiful things in her life. The closet was a walk-in filled with beautiful dresses, shoes, scarves, and shawls. There was a stand for jewellery and other accessories. Her own clothes had been folded and put into a dresser in the corner. She now had several changes of her uniform, and her old patched and faded one had disappeared. She assumed it had been thrown out. In the wardrobe was also a full-length mirror. There was another set of doors that led out to what she had been told was her personal garden. She was to leave instructions on how it was to be maintained and what plants - if any -  she would like to see. The first moment she had to herself she had gone out to have a look at it, but it had been difficult to see in the dark.


    Before stepping into the shower, she opened the window, taking a peek.


    It was as beautiful as the rest of the house and just as tidy. Leaves raked away, grass cut, plants trimmed. There was a pond with fish in it and lotuses on the surface. Hanging over one side of it was a giant weeping willow. There was a wall that surrounded the entire estate and she could see it past the rest of the garden.


    It was truly lovely, with the exception of the wall. And she could already envision what she would do with the garden.


    This was perhaps the one perk to being part of this family. Her instructions would simply state to leave her garden alone. She would tend to it. She was going to plant silver lace vines and let them wind up around the posts of her verandah. She planned to attach netting to the roof of it so it could grow through them, instead of the wood she would have a canopy of the little white flowers. She was going to let the weeping willow grow as long as it wanted. She wanted to let everything grow naturally except the silver lace; she didn''t want it to get too heavy and pull the netting down. Either side of her stairway into the garden she was going to plant apple trees. She loved the smell of apple blossoms in the spring and having them so close to the door meant the breeze could carry the scent into her room. To her, apple blossoms were spring. She was going to have the beautiful wild garden she had never known she wanted.


    The big ugly wall she would cover and hide; no need to be reminded this was essentially a different kind of prison. She had traded the academy walls for Illusen walls. Maybe she would cover it in blue or purple morning glories.


    She did plan to trim the grass once in a while so it wouldn''t get too long. But she would like to see daisies and buttercups scattered across it more often than not. And dandelions, although they were considered a weed, she loved them.


    When she was a child, Zen had found one on the side of the path once and picked it for her. He told her if she could blow all the little white things off with one breath then she could make a wish and it would come true. She was never able to do it but she still liked to try. And as childish as it was, she hoped that her wish would come true if she succeeded.


    She got out of the shower and met her handmaiden, who was just finishing making her bed. She felt a bit guilty; she should have done that herself.


    She indicated for Sun to take a seat at the vanity and she started brushing her hair.


    "What''s your name?" Sunny asked.


    The girl looked momentarily surprised. "Mika, my lady."


    Sun winced at the title. "You can just call me Sunny. Or Sun"


    She looked at Sun like she had grown another head. "I couldn''t possibly; that would be terribly inappropriate."


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    "Please?" Sunny asked, looking up at the woman with wide, sad eyes. The title made her feel isolated, and Mika was of an age where they could be friends.


    Mika looked hesitant. "Very well, if you wish, but only when we are alone. I could get into trouble otherwise."


    Sun gave perhaps her first sincere smile since before meeting with Kalys yesterday. "Thank you."


    Mika smiled back. "And how would you like your hair done today?"


    "I have to get back into training today; usually I just tie it up with this."


    Sun indicated the long embroidered ribbon she usually used as both a hair tie and a headband, depending on the day. It was special to her¡ªthe prettiest thing she owned and was gifted to her by the boys. It had colourful flowers embroidered into it, looping and flowing down the length of the blue fabric.


    "I can manage it myself though," Sun said, reaching for it.


    "Nonsense. I can manage something pretty and practical, and that still displays the symbol of your status," she said, inserting the earring in Sun''s left ear.


    When she started to take out Sun''s other piercings, she stopped her.


    "Please don''t. I want to keep them all."


    More gifts from the boys. They had used their own stipends they received from the academy to buy her earrings, and Zen even pierced them himself. He taught her how to do it so she could do his. He didn''t have nearly as much as her, only two in each ear, and Nick just had two in one ear. Each of them had an identical stud to match among their piercings, just another way to feel connected to each other.


    She let Mika do what she had to while she read through her notes and tried to cram as much information in there as she could before her after-class lessons today. When Mika announced she was finished and Sun looked into the mirror, she gaped a little. She had just meant a simple ponytail. What she had ended up with was a plait swept to the side with most of her hair tied into the ponytail; the plait itself had the ribbon woven through it. Some of her fringe was left out but swept to the side with the rest of her hair. The ponytail itself sat high on her head and was slightly wavey now, not the dead straight it used to be. And taking pride of place was the earring. This girl was a miracle worker.


    "Isn''t this a little... elegant for where I''m going?"


    "Of course not," she said, leaning down until her head was almost rested on Sun''s shoulder, making eye contact with her through the mirror. "You are a noble now, Sunny; you must look your best no matter where you go or what you do. And you are a very beautiful girl; you should flaunt it."


    Sun felt her cheeks heat up and could see them turning red in the mirror. She had never been told that before. Well, Zen had called her pretty once, but he meant it as a bad thing since it meant he had to fight off molesters and perverts.


    Mika stood up straight, clapping her hands together. "Now, Lord Illusen takes his breakfast at seven and expects you to join him."


    Sun felt her stomach sink. She was hoping she wouldn''t have to see him until she was handing over the papers declaring her freedom. If that was even how it worked. She blinked; she had forgotten all about it. She was so busy planning what to do with her garden she had completely forgotten about her escape plan. She cursed herself. He had sucked her in with this garden thing. Had he planned it? Did he know about her love of gardens? No, surely not; now she was just being paranoid. It was a coincidence. Damn, she would have to give up her garden if she went through with this.


    She mentally shrugged. The garden wasn''t worth living with that man and the baggage that came with him. She looked down at the paper, awaiting her instructions for the garden. It stung a little to forget her plans, but whatever, she''d live.


    She put on her boots and tightened the buckles. She thanked Mika for everything as they headed out of her room. Mika just smiled and turned to leave. She stopped in her tracks when Sun called back to her.


    "Can I ask you a favour?"


    Mika nodded. "It is my job to serve you, my lady."


    Sun inwardly flinched at that.


    "Could you give me directions to the dining room?" She asked a bit sheepishly. She hadn''t explored the manor yet, so she had no idea where everything was. Her lessons yesterday had been done in a room just down the hall.


    "I will lead you there; I''m going to be passing by it anyway."


    Sun fell into step beside her and smiled. "Thank you."


    They both walked in a comfortable silence; Sun didn''t feel the need for chatter, and she wasn''t sure if Mika was allowed to initiate conversation or not.


    Mika left her at the door to the dining room and Sun bid her a pleasant day, receiving a fleeting, shocked look from Mika, which eventually became a beautifully sincere smile.


    "And you, my lady," she said, before turning and walking away.


    Sunny entered the dining room. She had expected a long table that you had to yell across to be heard at the other end, with every member of the Illusen Clan attending and twenty different utensils for all the different types of food. Instead it was a small but ornately carved wooden table, just large enough for three or four people. The room itself was cosy and let in the streaming sunlight from outside. Kalys sat on one side reading a newspaper. There were only two plates; no food had been dished as of yet. There was a pitcher of juice along with salt, pepper, and other condiments in the centre. He looked up as she came in and she remembered her lessons. If she had her way it would only be for one day. She gave him the bow she had spent hours practicing last night.


    "Good morning." The words tasted like bitter defeat. ''Just for today'' was going to fast become her new chant.


    He gave her a nod in greeting and she took her place at the table. Once she was seated, he nodded to a nearby servant, and food was brought out. A hell of a lot more than two people could eat. And it all looked so mouthwatering. She looked around the table again, wondering if other people were going to be joining them. Noticing her confusion he spoke up.


    "There is no one else joining us," he told her. "Noda has already returned to the main estate in the capital, and there is no one else visiting at this time. Only you and I live here."


    "Isn''t this wasteful? There is no possible way the two of us could eat all this."


    Kalys ignored her as he poured himself some tea. She huffed and began picking from the platters. Kalys studied her out of the corner of his eye. Mika had styled her hair nicely, utilising the flowery ribbon he''d seen Sun wearing at every interaction they''d had so far. Something important to her?


    He noticed Mika had neglected any make-up¡ªprobably for the best given what she had on today. She was a pretty girl, as most Illusen women were. Good genes.


    She was wearing the earring, the symbol of her new rank. She was second to him now. Should he die, she inherited everything, including the title of Clan head. He had already sent the necessary papers off. He knew once the elders received them they would be outraged. They would try and overturn the decision, but since he had already gone through with it, they wouldn''t be able to actually do anything. And his word was final.


    She was his sibling; without children, she was next in the line of succession; it was only right. Now he would have to make sure she was prepared for such a task should the unthinkable come to pass. There was already a noticeable change in her. She had a feisty personality, but this morning she seemed much more docile. However, he could see it was just an act. He could see the fire burning behind her eyes, he could hear the barely concealed disdain as she greeted him. She would adjust.


    Aside from her uniform and excessive amount of piercings in her ears, she looked like a noble lady. Graceful, mannered, quiet, beautiful. If she took quickly to her lessons, he had no doubt she could avoid tarnishing the reputation of the Winter Clan, so long as she kept that attitude suppressed.


    She pushed her plate aside, the tense atmosphere and her discomfort causing her to lose her appetite. She stood up.


    "Excuse me," she said. "I have to get to the academy."


    Kalys stood also. "You have an appointment with the physician. I will escort you."


    To make sure she actually went, although he didn''t voice it. She seemed smart enough to get the message.


    "I have class," she told him.


    "Not until late morning; your appointment will be over well before then," he replied.


    He saw her eyes blaze before she pushed her anger aside and inclined her head.


    "Right," she conceded.


    Just for today. Just for today. Just for today...

 Chapter 9

    Sun walked out of the doctors office feeling completely violated. The taking of her blood hadn''t been so bad, actually. In comparison to one particular test, none of the others seemed that bad. It was the damn pelvic exam. She wasn''t an idiot; she knew what that was for. Had her oh so illustrious brother ordered that test? Did he not know it couldn''t even be one hundred percent accurate? She had thought virginity testing was a thing of the past. Apparently not among nobles. And she resented the implication that she was a whore. Or that any of her worth was tied into her virginity.


    She still had some time before her next class, so she figured this would be a good time to look into finding a legal practitioner to free her from her guardianship. What Kalys was doing - had already done - had to be against some kind of law.


    She tracked down Nick and the pair headed into town. They had to ask random people on the street for someone who could help, but eventually she found herself sitting in a barrister''s office filling out some forms while Nick waited outside. The man was very pleasant and helpful. Even offering to help her out for free. She thought she was very fortunate indeed.


    After an hour or so with him, she headed back to Perdition with a spring in her step. Nick noticed the happiness she was radiating. She really didn''t want to be apart of this family. They met up with Zen for lunch and told him all about it.


    As they walked through the halls of Perdition, she noticed other people looking at her differently than usual. It had taken her a long time to become just another student that no one gave a shit about. She didn''t like losing that progress. What she''d done to end up in Perdition had somehow gotten out¡ªnot the entirety, but enough to make gossip run rampant. Inaccurate gossip.


    The fear in their eyes had made a bit of a comeback, the disdain as well. She preferred the anonymity.


    The other students were giving the trio a wide berth. Had they heard about her killing during her demonstration? Surely not; only the boys knew, and they wouldn''t have told anyone else. Neither would anyone who was there.


    Was it her earring? The supposed symbol of her status? She had seen how people did the same for Kalys this morning. Was this another downside to being a noble bastard? She couldn''t wait until she was free. She was actually quite excited about it. To not have anyone able to lord their power over her the way they had.


    However, it was short lived, and it all came crashing down around her as soon as she walked into the estate that evening. Kalys was standing at the entrance of the manor. Though his face remained impassive, she could tell there was something off about him. There was something in the energy he was putting out.


    "There is a dinner tonight with the elders of the clan. They wish to meet you. Your handmaid is waiting to dress you appropriately. I have also taken the liberty of changing your name. Officially, you are now Sun Illusen."


    He handed her a piece of paper he pulled from his Revenant coat. Confirmation of the change.


    "You changed my name!? Don''t you need permission for that?"


    "No," he said simply. "Now, to other matters."


    He held up a few sheets of paper; it only took a second for her to realise what they were. The ''offness'' she had sensed was his suppressed fury. She was actually a little afraid. She didn''t know this man; she didn''t know what he was capable of. And if he decided to kill her she highly doubted anyone would hold him accountable. How had he gotten ahold of those forms? She had only filled them out today!


    "There is not a barrister in the world who would do this for you. No one would dare," he told her, his voice colder than she was sure was the norm. "You are apart of this clan now. You will conduct yourself accordingly. You should consider yourself lucky-"


    "Lucky!?" She hissed. "You hurt my family; you dumped me in this place with no thought for my feelings on the subject. You''re taking what little freedoms Perdition allowed me, and now you''ve taken my name. And you forced me to go through a degrading violation at that doctors appointment this morning. If you wanted to know whether or not I was a virgin, you could have just asked me, not have some doctor shove their fingers and tools into me, you arse."


    She was visibly shaking with rage now. Her hope was extinguished.


    Kalys could not believe his ears. No one had dared call him an arse to his face before. For a brief second he wasn''t sure what to do; he wanted to slap her, but he would never raise his hand to a woman outside of training or battle.


    "My name is Sunshine Farron; my family gave me that name, it''s a name I share with them, and I am keeping it," she said, her words dripping venom. How dare he change her name? Was he trying to strip her of all that she was? And she wasn''t much to begin with.


    "I have allowed you to keep Sun, and you are an Illusen, not a Farron. I suggest you get used to it." He turned away from her to make his way down the hall. "Your handmaid is waiting for you in your room."


    This time she couldn''t hold back her tears as she turned away from him and stormed off. It was a complete miracle she was able to find her room given her turmoil and blurred vision. She charged in, slamming the sliding door shut and giving Mika a fright.


    "My lady, is everything all right?" She asked as she rushed to the girl.


    "Why is he doing this to me?" Sun asked her.


    "Who?"


    "Kalys fucking Illusen."


    "What has he done?" Mika took her hand and led her to the bed and sat her down.


    She looked unsure. "Anything I say to you, you don''t repeat it to him, do you?"


    Mika looked a bit surprised at this. "Not unless I thought you intended harm to him or yourself. But short of anything life-threatening, then no, anything you tell me stays with me."


    "I do want to kill him," she said.


    Mika just gave her a sympathetic smile as she brushed some hair out of Sun''s eyes and hooked it behind her ear. The gesture was comforting, almost motherly.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "You''re only saying that because you''re angry. Now what has he done to upset you so?"


    She poured out the whole story; instead of getting angrier as she had when talking it over with Zen and Nick, she became more depressed because now she knew she had lost. This man was too powerful, in every aspect. The barrister must have gone straight to him and ratted her out. What a bastard.


    "Why does he even bother? I don''t want to be here; he doesn''t want me here, and I''m pretty sure the rest of his family aren''t going to want me here either. Why can''t he just leave me alone?"


    Mika rubbed her back soothingly. "You are his sister. Nobles can take blood bonds very seriously. And since he decided not to make you disappear, being of noble blood you have a claim to the wealth of the Winter Clan. And anything you do, regardless of whether or not he acknowledges you, is going to reflect on him. This is going to sound harsh, but you are a loose end that needs to be tied."


    That really did sound harsh.


    "You''re terrible at comforting people," she said, laughing a little through her tears.


    "At least I got a smile out of you. Sadness doesn''t suit you, Sunny. Now, dry those eyes, and let''s get you ready for this dinner. This is a very important one. The rest of the clan sees you as just a savage bastard from the slums. And they think your brother is a fool for believing otherwise. We need to show them who you are."


    "Who I am, or who Kalys expects me to be?" It wasn''t really a question.


    Mika shot her a look, conceding the point. "I guess you need to choose whether you want to be the savage bastard from the slums or someone worthy of being an heiress of the Winter clan."


    "I choose slum bastard," she replied flatly, making Mika laugh lightly as she got started, shoving a dress and shoes into her hands and telling her to get dressed.


    After that, she did her hair and applied make-up¡ªnothing heavy; she had already figured Sun was the kind of person who wouldn''t feel comfortable in it. She outlined her eyes with black and gave a light amount of dark blue shadow. For her lips, a thin layer of gloss. Her cheeks were already naturally rosy, and her skin was fine; no amount of make-up would hide the small scars on her chin and eyebrow, so she didn''t bother with any kind of foundation. Mika stood her up and did a final examination of the girl.


    "There," she smiled. "You look beautiful. No one can say you don''t belong here."


    "I''m sure that won''t stop them," Sun muttered.


    "Maybe not. But that is no excuse not to try and make a good impression. Come, I''ll walk you to the dining room used for guests."


    "Thanks, Mika. I don''t suppose you could stay with me during the dinner? Moral support?"


    Mika gave her a smile. "Sorry, Sunny."


    "Yeah, I didn''t think so."


    "Now, mind your speech. And as Lord Illusens sister and next in line, you will be seated on his right. You will be the second-highest ranking person in the room. On his left will be your grandfather, Jinn. You may be higher in rank, but he is a very important and well respected man. Be courteous and polite with him at all times; he is not a man you want to disrespect."


    Sun nodded, suddenly feeling a lot more nervous than she had a minute ago. Mika stopped as they saw Kalys standing in the hallway, hands clasped behind his back, head down, and eyes closed as if in deep thought. He really was ridiculously attractive. It was a little unfair if she were honest.


    "That is the dining room," Mika whispered to her. "Good luck."


    "Thanks. Goodnight, Mika."


    Mika gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before disappearing back the way they had come. Sun took a deep breath and glided towards her brother. He opened his eyes, his gaze connecting with hers.


    "Good evening. I apologise if I have made you wait." Apologising to him felt a bit like chewing glass.


    "You haven''t," he said, scrutinising her. "You look lovely."


    It was delivered tonelessly and sounded more like an obligatory compliment than anything with any real meaning behind it.


    Looking him up and down, she realised this was the first time she had seen him out of his Revenant uniform. He cut a handsome figure in the black formal suit and frock coat he was wearing.


    "The elders are being seated now. Including our grandfather," he told her. "I would have preferred you meet him alone and in more comfortable environs, but the family wanted to meet you as soon as possible."


    He had no say in it?


    The doors to the dining hall opened, and he escorted her into the room. Tonight''s dinner was more like what she had imagined breakfast would be. A ridiculously long table and a lot of people. They all stood at the siblings entry. She could feel their eyes on her as she walked with her brother to the head of the table. Surprising her, he pulled her chair out and indicated for her to sit. She did as he silently commanded. Everyone else sat as Kalys took his seat. It was so quiet she feared those nearest her would hear her heart beat pounding against her chest.


    Was she supposed to introduce herself? What happened now? Dinner wasn''t supposed to be this complicated. She looked at the man across from her. He was like a replica of Kalys, only much, much older. She wondered if Kalys felt like he was looking into the future every time he looked at his grandfather. He wore a similar ornament in his ear, but less intricate and shorter than Kalys''s and her own. Her eyes flicked over to Kalys for some kind of hint at what to do next. He saved her from having to do anything just yet.


    "This is Sun, my sister, and our newest family member."


    Sun politely inclined her head in greeting to everyone. She hoped that was enough. Though with these people most likely nothing would be enough, she thought acidly.


    There had been an almost warning tone when he''d said ''my sister'' and she briefly wondered if it was for them or for her.


    After he had spoken, Kalys indicated for the servants to begin bringing out the food.


    "Kalys has told me you are in the Revenant program," their grandfather said to her, drawing her gaze up from the table.


    "I am," she confirmed.


    "Should she not be pulled from the program?" A woman down the table asked Kalys. "Perdition is hardly the place for a young noble woman." She practically spat those last three words. Being forced to admit Sun was noble must have been torture for her. Sunny smiled on the inside. Outwardly, her countenance remained blank.


    "Sun wishes to remain in the program," Kalys replied.


    "She is very far behind; should she not be devoting her time to her other lessons and completing her duties as Lady Illusen?"


    Was it common in this family to be talked about as if one wasn''t in the room? If they could say these kinds of things to her face, what did they say behind her back?


    "She has worked hard to get as far as she has; I see no reason to strip that from her. As for her duties as lady of the house, we have not discussed that yet. As you should all be aware, she only learnt of her heritage yesterday."


    It felt like much longer to Sun. And what duties were they talking about? Was this on top of all her extra lessons and her Revenant training?


    "I see you have the Ravens Eye," the man beside her noted.


    She could only stare at him in silent question.


    "Your left eye," he explained.


    "We have not spoken of it yet," Kalys told him. "There has been little time."


    Her eye had a name? She looked to Kalys, which he met with a silencing one of his own.


    "Should that not have been priority number one?" Someone else from down the table asked.


    She didn''t like these people knowing something about her that she didn''t.


    "It was," he answered. "Until this spectacle was called instead."


    Sun could detect just a hint of scathing judgement in his tone. So maybe he hadn''t had a choice in this then. The Clan Head still had to bend to the will of others at times it seemed.


    The duration of dinner wasn''t as hellish as she had anticipated, and she found both Kalys and Jinn curbing some of the heat directed her way or discretely showing her which utensils to use or how to eat something particularly complicated. Nothing about eating should be complicated. What was wrong with the rich?


    Her ''relatives'' seemed divided in their opinion of her. Some were openly disapproving of her very existence, others indifferent, and a couple were curious about her. Kalys and Jinn were the only ones who seemed supportive.


    She took it silently. Thank the Gods these people didn''t live here.


    It did cross her mind to cause a scene, to be a right bitch about it all in the hopes Kalys would just disown her. He didn''t seem the type to admit he''d made a mistake, though, and he could very well make life much more unpleasant for her than she could for him.


    When dinner was finished, Kalys stood, indicating for her to do the same. She bowed politely to everyone, giving a sickeningly sweet smile, and followed her brother out.


    Out in the hallway she expected some kind of reprimand, but none came.


    "Come," he commanded.


    Goody...

 Chapter 10

    Sun followed him through the manor before he took her into the room she recognised as his office from yesterday. He took a seat at his desk and gestured for her to take the other one opposite. She warily did so, her eyes never leaving him.


    He''d brought her somewhere private to punish her.


    "You handled yourself well at dinner," he told her, his voice slightly softer than she was accustomed to hearing. "You didn''t sink to the level some of our relatives seemed so insistent on dragging you down to."


    A compliment? On her behaviour no less. He didn''t look drunk, and she hadn''t seen him drink any alcohol...


    He placed the forms she''d filled out in the barrister''s office on the desk between them, and her stomach sank.


    "Don''t do it again," he told her.


    "I think I''m old enough to make my own decisions about my life without yours or Perditions input," she retorted.


    "Technically, you''re still a minor."


    She gave him a flat look. Barely, and he damn well knew it.


    "A minor with a very dangerous, very volatile ability," he pointed out.


    She bit the inside of her cheek; she couldn''t exactly refute that after the incident from her childhood and the difficulty she''d had learning to control it since.


    "And this ability is because of my eye?"


    What had that man called it? The Ravens Eye?


    "I don''t know if it causes it or if it''s merely a sign one has it."


    "What do you know about it?" She asked.


    He tapped the papers between them. "Agree not to do this again, and I will explain everything I know. And I will train you."


    "You know how to use it?"


    "No, but people with your ability tend to struggle with the elemental side of their power; I will train you in that."


    She bit her lip, debating. It was an incredibly tempting offer. She had looked through the library at the academy for anything pertaining to her ability and found nothing. But it was clear the Illusens knew something about it, and she didn''t miss the connection between their crest and the name of it.


    Besides, even if she did attempt this again, she likely wouldn''t get away with it. Was she really giving anything up if she agreed?


    She steeled herself and nodded. "All right. I won''t."


    He weighed her words, or maybe the sincerity in them, before finally nodding to himself.


    "The Illusen bloodline has always had an affinity with Ravens," he began. "You''re familiar with their connection to death and the Traverse?"


    She nodded; she did know they were considered guides to the other side or portents of death, a bad omen, and in some cases predictors of death. Whether it was true or not, she didn''t know.


    "The history of our clan spans thousands of years, but early in it, we died out. The story is that it was a raven or ravens who brought our last ancestor back to life and led him home from the other side. But a piece of death came back with him. He called it the Raven''s Eye, and we''ve continued to do so as well. It very rarely manifests, but it is only our bloodline that has ever possessed it. Since then, there have been little more than a few dozen or so people who have had it. Cold and death are in our blood, Sun."


    He opened the top drawer of his desk and removed an elaborately carved box. It wasn''t much smaller than the drawer it was pulled from and breathtakingly beautiful. She couldn''t see a keyhole though; instead, he moved tiles she hadn''t even noticed into a different pattern, and the lid clicked open. He pulled out a nondescript but extremely thick tome¡ªa journal from the look of it. The cover was just plain leather, hardly in keeping with the complex design of the box.


    She leaned forward curiously; nothing about this book screamed of the opulence and luxury of its owner, or even the box it had been housed in.


    He placed the journal in front of her. "This book contains the first-hand accounts of the last twenty-two of you. From what I was told, it''s supposed to serve as something of a guide for those who come after."


    "You haven''t read it?" She asked.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "No, it''s not for me to read, only to safeguard until I must pass it on. It goes into your care now, to add your own experiences to it. What you''ve learnt and how you did it."


    "You don''t want to read it?"


    This was a piece of his family''s history; why wouldn''t he want to?


    "It doesn''t matter; it is not for me to read," he repeated. "No one can read this but you. This power you possess was never meant to leave the confines of our family. And even then, it''s rarely shared beyond the Clan Head and the wielder''s immediate family."


    She opened the first page of the journal, her eyes skimming the handwriting. It was messy, obviously scrawled quickly.


    "The last person to write in this journal was our father," Kalys told her softly.


    He had the eye too?


    Curiously, she flipped through until she found the last entry, catching on to a few different writing styles between. His handwriting was beautiful. For the first time since finding out about her heritage, she wondered about her father.


    Looking over at her brother, she wondered how much he looked like him. Was Nero Illusen as cold and unapproachable as his son?


    "What was he like?" She asked, a little hesitantly since he didn''t seem the type to share. She braced herself to be shot down.


    "He... had a softer touch than our grandfather and I," he replied, his voice still soft. He seemed far less intimidating when he took the ice from his tone. "But he led the family with honour and fulfilled his duties admirably."


    His eyes bored into her.


    "If he''d known about you, he would have done the right thing. He would have married your mother, protected her, protected you. I don''t know why your life turned out as it did. It shouldn''t have."


    "It wasn''t so bad," she lied, uncomfortable with where this conversation had gone.


    Her childhood had been filled with terror, anxiety, and uncertainty; every day had been a battle for survival. But she had gotten Nick and Zen out of it, and the other kids before they''d... died. Scattered in between the horror, there were some good moments, ones she wouldn''t trade.


    "What was his favourite colour?" She asked, changing the subject.


    "Yellow."


    That was surprising, both the colour and his being so forthcoming.


    "What''s your favourite colour?" She asked, deciding to push her luck.


    "...Turquoise."


    "Huh. I would have thought black..."


    -


    Kalys joined his grandfather in his solar where tea was already being set on the table. He had sent Sun off to bed though he suspected she would be up much of the night reading the journal.


    The talk they''d had had been sorely needed, and he felt they''d come away from it with a better understanding of each other. The moment he''d decided to take her in, he had promised himself he would answer any questions she had about their father honestly. Aside from having a right to the information, he hoped to foster a connection between her and this family so she would be less opposed to being part of it.


    "Dinner was interesting," Jinn commented as his grandson sat down.


    He had to agree. Sun had carried herself well; she looked every inch an Illusen.


    "It went much better than I expected. I thought she would lose her calm and start yelling and cursing at them. It seems she has reserved that treatment for me alone."


    Jinn allowed a small smile to grace his features. "She did do well."


    "I hope this will at least quell some of the complaints."


    "They are very opposed to your taking the girl in," he told the young man.


    "I know."


    "I myself don''t fully understand why you did it."


    Truly? He couldn''t? She was his grandchild. Kalys had been raised blood and duty before all else, they all had. Not to mention she had the Ravens Eye; all children born with it came under the care and protection of the Clan Head; he assumed their bastardy was irrelevant. It clearly didn''t matter to whatever force bestowed the gift.


    "She is family who has done no wrong; I would not have her killed," he stated simply.


    Jinn nodded. "I agree completely. But what about sending her far away as so many others have done?"


    "Because her life is here, and she''s stubborn. She would have fought me tooth and nail. As she does practically everything else."


    Jinn smirked. "Has something happened?"


    "She called me an arse, to my face." He didn''t like how pouty that sounded. He was the head of the Winter Clan, he did not pout. "She also tried to hire a barrister to terminate the guardianship orders."


    He watched his grandfather''s brows rise. Only around each other were they slightly more expressive and open. Jinn had lost a son, Kalys a father, and both understood the pressures of leading their family. Their shared burdens fostered a closer bond. And after Nero had died, Jinn had practically raised Kalys.


    "She has no desire to be a noble?"


    "No. She wanted us to pretend the blood witches proved we weren''t related, and we just both go back to our lives as if nothing ever happened. As if her eye isn''t a dead giveaway."


    "Well, not everyone wants to be noble," Jinn said, leaning back into his chair. "But I am proud of how you have chosen to handle this. She is a part of Nero. I can see much of him in her." He smiled fondly. "I imagine you''ll be receiving a fair few offers of marriage once she''s presented. Regardless of her bastardy. She''s a beautiful young woman from a great family."


    Kalys had thought about that briefly; her marriage status wasn''t exactly a priority. While some families wouldn''t care¡ªa connection to the Illusens would be worth it - there were other families who would consider her beneath them. He couldn''t guess at what kind of response he would get once she was presented.


    "You will have to take good care of the girl though; as I said, many are outraged by this, especially naming her your heir," Jinn warned. "And not just within our family either. This sets a precedent that flies in the face of tradition."


    "I know. Her handmaid is a former assassin and spy. She performs all those duties as well as protecting her. She is an expert in poisons and their antidotes, and I have given her access to the hidden passages so she can keep an eye on Sun at all times."


    "Do you trust her?"


    "I trust her desire for gold."


    "I take it Sun knows nothing of this?"


    "No. But she seems to have taken a liking to the woman which will make it easier for Mika to keep an eye on her."


    Jinn nodded thoughtfully. "At least the elders will be leaving tomorrow."


    "I am eager to see the back of them." Kalys agreed.


    "Both you and Sun have the day off from Perdition, yes?"


    Kalys nodded.


    "I would like to join you both for breakfast and then take tea privately with my new granddaughter."


    "Of course, papa Jinn."


    Jinn smiled at the affectionate name; it was very rare to hear it come from his stoic grandsons mouth.


    "Good. Now, tell me what you know about this disappearing village in the borderlands."

 Chapter 11

    Sun awoke to a light knocking on her door, and opening her eyes was a struggle.


    Reading wasn''t typically something she enjoyed, but the journal was illuminating. She had started to understand why this power wasn''t supposed to go beyond family; the ways in which it could be abused seemed devastating.


    She didn''t know what her limits were, but it seemed there were other ways of using it that she hadn''t discovered on her own and things she hadn''t even been aware of.


    One of the ones that troubled her most was the fact that whenever she killed anyone with this power, she wasn''t just taking their lives from them; she was transferring it to herself. It explained why she felt so energetic and rejuvenated after doing it. She''d had to fight off a panic attack when she calculated it and realised she could quite possibly live for a couple thousand years if that were true.


    How powerful someone was and what heights and limits they reached seemed to be different for everyone. She hadn''t finished yet; after all, there were hundreds of entries in that tome. But what seemed to have worked for one didn''t quite work the same for the other.


    The first man to write in it was Caius Illusen, and he didn''t know if the story of how they got their eye was true, but he suspected some truth to it. He didn''t go into why.


    In his first entry, he dated it the fifth day of the Month of Whispers, five years after the Sundering. They didn''t even date things like that anymore; this was way back before they''d developed a formal calendar. The Sundering was an event from ancient times they had very little information about.


    It was staggering how far back this journal stretched. The energy she could feel over it no doubt came from casts dedicated to preserving it.


    It had been a bit difficult to read considering how drastically language had changed over time and there was much of it she couldn''t understand. At least some of it she could glean from context; the rest of it she would need help with. Book help, since she couldn''t share this journal with anyone else.


    It had crossed her mind to ignore Kalys''s warning, but if he found out, he might take it from her. And as much as she didn''t want to admit it, their talk last night had softened her to him slightly. She didn''t want to betray the trust he''d extended by giving her this journal.


    He had even given her the box along with it and taught her how to open it. If it wasn''t in her hands, it had to be in the box.


    "Sun, are you up?"


    Sun recognised Mika''s voice, and she sat up, trying to blink the heaviness out of her eyes.


    "Yeah," she replied, her voice cracking.


    Mika entered the room, her eyes falling on Sun, who looked like she''d been out drinking half the night.


    "Good dinner, was it?"


    "Food wise," she muttered. "The company was shit."


    Mika looked amused. "If your instructor were here, she would rap you across the knuckles. Ladies don''t curse."


    "I''m starting to wonder if ladies do anything other than wait around to be married," she muttered, rising from the bed.


    Mika opened the curtains and the door to her verandah to get some fresh air through.


    "Going by the amount of extra lessons you have, you should know that they do."


    Sun rolled her eyes but didn''t really have a comeback for that. "Do I have to do those today?"


    She didn''t have to go to the academy today; it was a day off. She really wanted it to stay a day off.


    "Sorry, you absolutely do," Mika replied.


    "You don''t sound that sorry," she mumbled, trudging to the wardrobe to get dressed.


    "We are in a mood today," the other girl noted.


    While Sun was happy Mika treated her like a normal person, she was far too chipper this morning for Sun''s comfort.


    "I think after last night I should be allowed," she called back.


    "Surely it wasn''t too terrible."


    "I would rather have chewed my own face off," she said, coming out of the wardrobe in the most casual clothes she could find. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Mika smiled brightly, taking Sun''s chin in hand. "But it''s such a pretty face."


    "You''re sprightly this morning," she grumbled.


    "One of us has to be. Come, I''ll do your hair. Your grandfather wants to take breakfast with you in his garden before your lessons."


    "He has a garden?" She asked, taking the seat in front of the vanity.


    "He visits regularly enough that he has his own room rather than staying in one of the guest rooms."


    "How long have you worked here?" She asked curiously.


    "I was hired the day before you were brought here."


    "How do you know so much then?" She had hardly been here long enough, and Mika had been showing her around like she wasn''t new.


    "I''m good at my job, and the maids like to gossip," she replied simply.


    "Anything interesting?"


    "Well, there isn''t a woman who works here that doesn''t fancy your brother."


    Sun scrunched her face up, and Mika laughed.


    "He''s an attractive man, Sun."


    "I suppose if you''re into that kind of thing," she mumbled.


    For reasons she didn''t care to examine, the thought of people fancying her brother flared her irritation to life.


    "Attractive men?" She asked amusedly.


    "Stoicism, imperiousness, and being bossed around."


    Sun could see Mika biting her lip as she tried not to laugh. "You''d be surprised. And since he''s taken so much flak for acknowledging you, the general consensus is that underneath all that ice, he has a soft heart. Women are suckers for that kind of thing. Especially when it''s wrapped in such a pretty package."


    "How much flak?" She asked hesitantly.


    "General grumbling, some threats, a lot of insults..."


    "Threats?"


    Mika nodded. "I wouldn''t worry about him, though. Say what you want about the pampered nobility; your brother is very powerful, even without his status to back it up."


    Sun nodded. She''d heard that too; even among the Commanders of Perdition, he was said to be one of the strongest. And he had offered to train her. She was a little nervous about that; no doubt he had high standards.


    Mika finished with her hair, keeping it simple and using her flowery ribbon since she knew it was what Sun preferred and she had no appointments other than lessons today.


    Sun had to be shown to her grandfather''s suite; much like hers, it was simple but clearly expensively decorated. And there were so many more books; he had shelves and shelves of them. An avid reader, she supposed. Nick was the same. Jinn also had a lot of art, sculptures, and paintings - mostly landscapes. An art lover too?


    Jinn was waiting for her out on the verandah, seated at a low table on plush cushions. There was an exquisite teapot and tea cups waiting.


    He smiled in greeting as she approached. "Good morning, Sun."


    She bowed to him the same way she would her brother in a formal setting, and he waved it away.


    "No need for that when it''s just us. Have a seat."


    She did so, a little nervous. He''d been something of an ally at dinner last night, but she didn''t know if that would extend to today as well. It could have been more about showing a united front with her brother than any real support for her.


    "Did you sleep well?" He asked, taking the teapot in hand and pouring some out for them both.


    She was pretty sure that should have been her duty in this situation.


    "I did, thank you. Yourself?"


    He looked amused but nodded.


    "How are you finding the estate?"


    "It''s very big," she replied.


    "Generations of Illusens have added to it over the years. As I understand it, it started out half this size."


    "Why does it need to be so big? Only Kalys and I seem to live here, and maybe some of the staff?"


    She wasn''t entirely sure about the staff.


    "A few members of staff, yes. More often than not, the Head of the Clan resides here, as he''s also a Revenant, and with him his wife and children, and at times extended family. The main branch of the family rarely gets so big anymore. In fact, you and Kalys are the first siblings in several generations."


    "Half siblings," she corrected.


    "A distinction of little importance. Now, tell me about how your studies are going at the academy."


    -


    Her tea and breakfast with Jinn was surprisingly comfortable once she relaxed a little. He had been trying to get her to relax the moment she''d walked in, but her wariness had been hard to shake given the general consensus of the rest of the family. Why should she expect him to be any different?


    It turned out he was, though; he didn''t seem to care where she came from or about her legitimacy. He saw his son''s daughter, his only granddaughter.


    They had spoken more of her father as well, what he''d been like as a child. It was clear - in both Jinn and Kalys - that they missed him terribly. He had been killed in action a long time ago.


    He also told her how he had been the one to pass along the journal to Nero. He didn''t have the same struggles as Sun had since he had someone to explain things to him growing up. He never had to worry he was going mad, to fear sleep or the reflections in the water. That must have been nice.


    Jinn couldn''t tell her much about the power itself; like Kalys, he had taken his duty seriously and hadn''t read it himself. They were only meant to protect it for the next person like her.


    But by the end of breakfast, she found herself far more comfortable with him, and they were talking, laughing, and sharing stories. He was far less cold than Kalys was.


    He''d had to remind her of the time and her lessons and send her off to them.


    She had several instructors for the various gentle arts she was expected to master, some harsher than others. One woman in particular seemed to take delight in her failures and mistakes. There were instructors like that at the academy too, and she tried not to take it personally.


    The morning passed agonisingly slowly; she needed to get back to the academy dorms and talk to Nick and Zen.


    When she was dismissed for lunch, she found herself alone; her brother and grandfather were otherwise engaged. However, she was pleasantly surprised to have Mika turn up and let her know her afternoon was her own. Her brothers command, though Sun suspected Jinn might have had something to do with it.


    Sun all but ran out the front door, ignoring Mika''s suggestion of taking a carriage. It would be a good chance to keep practicing her auric manipulation to make her faster. It wasn''t an easy thing to funnel that kind of energy into your physiology and force it to go beyond its natural limits. She tended to focus more on speed; Zen preferred strength. Prodigy Nick did well with both.


    It was time to see what Kolver had to offer. After collecting the boys, of course.

 Chapter 12

    "Sunny!"


    Before she could take off for the academy, she heard a familiar voice calling her name, and she turned to find Nick and Zen standing there looking worried.


    "Guys!" She headed over to them. "What are you doing here?"


    Nick looked her up and down, as if assessing her for injuries. "We haven''t seen you since the barrister.  You didn''t show up to meet us this morning. We''ve been worried he might have found out. We''ve even left messages with the gate guards."


    "We were just planning our break in to rescue you," Zen said, pulling her in for a hug before Nick did the same.


    "He did find out," she told them.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah, for the most part."


    "He didn''t hurt you?"


    "No."


    "Good, I wouldn''t want to have to kick his arse," Zen pronounced with a baseless sense of confidence.


    "Because you''d get killed for the attempt?" Nick asked wryly, earning a half-hearted glare from the other boy.


    "Come on," Sun said. "Let''s go for a walk."


    She still had yet to see much of the town since Perdition had let her off the leash with everything going on.


    "You''re allowed out?"


    "I''m assuming so; no one stopped me."


    They started walking down the road at a sedate pace, the boys side-eyeing her now and again.


    "What?" She asked.


    "You look nice," Nick told her.


    "Ah, thank you," she said, hoping she didn''t look as awkward as she felt at the compliment. "Kalys hired a handmaid to make sure I don''t besmirch the family honour with my face..."


    "Hm, speaking of besmirching honour, after the other night the rumour that the three of us are fucking is back in full force," Zen told her. "Heh, you two should be so lucky."


    Sun and Nick couldn''t help the laugh that escaped them.


    "You''re breaking our hearts, Zen," she told him with a shake of her head.


    "Well, all right, you''re my best friends; I guess I could let you have a go."


    They laughed again, Nick poking him in the side.


    Her laughter died quickly when she remembered the indignity and invasiveness of the virginity testing she''d had to endure. No way was she going to go through that again over this rumour. She couldn''t stop the groan that escaped her.


    "What is it?" Nick asked.


    With a sigh, she told them about the physical she''d had to undergo, flushing in both shame and anger when she recounted the test.


    "Fucking hells, he did that to you!?" Zen gasped out.


    "A lot of value is placed on a virgo intacta in the nobility," Nick told him, his tone dripping disdain.


    "But virginity testing sounds fucked up."


    "It felt fucked up," she agreed.


    Zen rested a hand on her shoulder. "If you ever need me to make you damaged goods, just say the word."


    "Thanks," she drawled. "Taking one for the team, eh?" she laughed. "I''m just worried that with that rumour going around again, he might feel the need to have me tested again. He surprised me the first time, but I''ll be ready the next."


    She knew fighting it would likely make her life more difficult, but she wasn''t going to roll over on that. That had been humiliating, sore, and uncomfortable, and she got the feeling the balding little physician had enjoyed it too much.


    "It''s not too late to run," Nick suggested once again. "We could just disappear."


    "It could be an adventure," Zen agreed.


    She wouldn''t do that to them; they valued the security here, and none of them really wanted to go back to wondering where their next meal would come from or having to take turns keeping look out at night while the others slept. Living rough was fucking hard.


    "It''ll be fine. We spoke last night; I think I can make this work."


    "But do you want to?" Nick pressed.


    "I know none of us want to go back to the streets. Besides, if I ran, I''m pretty sure he''d come looking. And he has far more resources and money at his disposal than we do."


    "Really? He''d look for you?" Zen asked.


    "Should I be offended by the genuine surprise in that? I''m a goddamn delight," she joked. "But in all honesty, I think it''s an honour thing, or a duty thing, a pride thing, I don''t know. It wouldn''t be about me specifically, if that makes sense."


    They nodded, though whether or not they actually understood she didn''t know. She couldn''t really explain it herself. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "Let''s just forget about that mess and do something fun," she pleaded.


    -


    Zen and Nick knew the town better than she did, and they led her to a playground. It was near the outskirts of town and in one of the less affluent areas. Strangely enough, it was deserted.


    "It''s empty most of the time," Nick told her.


    She had never been to a playground before; they didn''t make them in the slums. She had seen one at a distance a long time ago, though, seen the children playing under the watchful gazes of their mothers, carefree and laughing.


    That was her first memory of jealousy and the first realisation of just how unfair it was. They''d never gotten to have much of a childhood.


    She looked around just to be certain there was no one watching, and then she ran towards the structure, Nick and Zen a step behind her.


    They were a bit big but she didn''t care; she had always wanted to play on one of these. They climbed the tower; there were a few different ways to get to the top of the slide. Without anyone having said anything they all knew it was a race.


    It was dumb and childish, but they were enjoying it. They had more races, they played tag, they tried to launch each other on the seesaw, they laughed with reckless abandon. They did the things they''d never been able to do. In some ways they were more childish now than they had been as kids, now that they had the safety to do so.


    While Zen and Nick tried to make each other fall on the wheel, Sun took a seat on one of the swings and watched them with a smile.


    They had their fun at the academy, but this was a different kind of fun.


    When Zen ran off to play on the flying fox, Nick joined her at the swing. He moved behind her and started pushing.


    "You all right?" He asked.


    "I''m good," she replied, leaning into the swing to go higher.


    "What do you think of this place?"


    "I love it. I''m glad there''re no kids here."


    "Zen thinks next time we come here we should do it drunk."


    She laughed lightly. "I would be keen to try that."


    "Not sure your brother would be."


    "He''s not invited anyway."


    He kept pushing her higher, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of it. Probably as close to flying as she would ever get.


    "Those questions you were asking the other day," Nick began. "It was because of Illusen, wasn''t it?"


    "Yes," she sighed.


    "Why didn''t you just tell us earlier?"


    He didn''t sound mad at least. It wasn''t often they kept things from each other, especially big things¡ªlife-changing things.


    "It might have come to nothing," she shrugged. "I didn''t want to worry you guys. I think I''ve worried you both enough for one lifetime."


    She hadn''t entirely let go of the guilt of disappearing when they were kids. The worry they''d suffered through when she had just disappeared, the effort they''d had to go through to find out what had happened to her, and the arduous journey to get to Perdition. For two homeless kids with nothing and no one, it had been far from easy. At least when the Revenants had taken her, they''d brought her here by train, and given the way she''d fought them, they''d kept her asleep for most of the journey.


    So Sun tried to do what she could to make things easier for the boys in an attempt to make up for the struggles she''d caused them.


    "That wasn''t your fault, Sunny. Neither of us ever blamed you for it," he told her.


    It was a tired old argument. But she had experienced the fear they''d gone through when one of the others disappeared. It was an awful, near paralysing thing when someone you loved just vanished like that. Finding the body later hadn''t exactly brought closure either. Just a fresh kind of hell.


    "Well, I still stand by what I said. Nothing will ever change it," he said. "You were ours first; you''ll always be ours."


    "And you guys are mine," she smiled up at him.


    -


    Over the next week, Sun started to learn her way around the estate and discovered they kept ravens¡ªa whole heap of them, an aviary. Kalys did say the Illusens had a bit of a history with ravens.


    Sun also managed to start plans for her corner of the garden during the short breaks her tutors gave her. The boys had gone with her to pick up apple trees and helped her plant them so they would be ready for spring. Zen had gaped at the size of her room and practically shed tears when he saw her bathroom. He still had to share a bathroom with the other boys of Perdition. At first she had been worried she might be breaking some kind of rule bringing them into the estate, but no one had said anything about it until her tutors wanted her to get back to her lessons, then they had to go home.


    She had also gotten to know her grandfather a little bit. He would often set aside an hour for them to converse and have tea and cake. He even told her a few stories about Kalys''s youth and more stories about her father. It felt strange to hear about a man she had never met but was so closely related to.


    During one of these times Kalys had joined them but had only sat silently and listened to them talk. Occasionally she had tried to draw him into the conversation, but his one or two word answers stonewalled her, so she focused on her grandfather. She was actually sad to see him go little more than a week after the horrible dinner. She had given him a hug, which he had returned after his momentary surprise. She had surprised herself just as much, not at the act itself, but that she had done it in front of her brother. He seemed the type to disapprove of open displays of affection.


    She had genuinely come to like Jinn. Under that cold exterior was a sharp wit, a dry humour, and a kind heart. She hoped he would visit often. With the way he treated her, she felt like she had an ally.


    Sun fell into a routine after that: in the morning, a silent breakfast with her brother, her morning classes at Perdition, lunch with Zen and Nick, her afternoon classes, straight home, where she had her extra lessons. A silent dinner with her brother, then more lessons, then bed. She was also learning how to take over the duties designated to the woman of the house.


    Before her, Kalys had been doing everything, and now that she was here, she had to lighten his burden. Her duties weren''t too hard, just things like approving the menu and signing off on it so the kitchen hands could go and buy what they needed. No money was allowed to be spent without her or her brothers say so. She was in charge of making sure everyone received their wages; she had been surprised when she saw how much they got paid; it was more than she had expected. She had heard that the Winter Clan was more generous with their servants, not just in wages but also in the way they were treated. One thing she couldn''t hate this family for.


    She was also in charge of organising the Clans charity work and hosting dinners, and she had to be there to greet any guests to the manor. The main duty of the lady of the house was to provide a male heir, but since she was the heads sister, that would not be her duty. And once Kalys married, Sun would be relieved of all these duties and they would fall to his wife.


    It was an exhausting routine with very little free time, and it was wearing her down. She''d barely had any time and energy to read the journal and she was a little relieved Kalys hadn''t started her training with him. She wasn''t sure she could survive any more lessons crammed into her schedule.


    Especially not with the weather turning colder. Every year in the colder months something happened. It was difficult for her to understand; it was almost like the Traverse was trying to push through to the living world. She could hear it. The Traverse had a very distinct sound, one she was intimately familiar with since she was immersed in it every time she slept. It was a strange kind of cracking; there was no rhythm or pattern to it, and there was a sort of whistling but not like from a person or the wind, and she heard it all as if she were under water, complete with the uncomfortable pressure in her ears. Then there were the sounds the inhabitants made¡ªscreaming, muttering, yelling, talking. It was annoying when she was awake, impossible to ignore when she was trying to fall asleep. And always in her periphery she could see shadows, shades of the other side.


    It always got really bad around midwinter, but eased up once temperatures started to rise. It was the only reason she hated winter.


    As she lay in bed that night, she could hear the cracking and distant screams. It was beginning. Though she expected it, her stomach still sank. Sleep was going to be hard to come by for awhile.

 Chapter 13

    Since moving into the Illusen estate, Kalys had been giving her money¡ªa stipend, like the academy gave them¡ªbut much more. She had thought it was something of a bribe initially, part of her still did, so she hadn''t used it on anything except the garden and the boys¡ªbuying them food, warmer clothes, and whatever little odds and ends she thought they might like. Everything had been provided for her anyway; she hadn''t needed to buy anything for herself until now.


    At her first available opportunity once the noises started in earnest, she headed into town and bought a gramophone. She didn''t know if it would work to drown out the sounds, but she was hoping it would help. She had never used one before, but she did know one of the girls in her dorm had one¡ªSun could hear the music drifting down the hall. They were quite expensive contraptions, which was why she''d never had one until now. And she felt guilty for buying it; it was definitely a luxury she never would have been able to afford until moving here.


    The first night she had it, she got ready for bed, turned the crank, and tried to sleep. The noises of the Traverse weren''t too bad yet, but she was curious to see if it would help at all.


    She had never really been much of a music person, and listening to the gramophone, she doubted this would change it, but if she could just drown out the sudden loud cracks and shrieks that startled her awake at night, it would be worth it.


    She still tossed and turned for a while, trying to pick out the sounds of the Traverse; she couldn''t seem to stop herself. But eventually she must have fallen asleep because she woke to the sound of Mika knocking on her door.


    At some point during the night the gramophone had stopped, but it seemed to have helped her fall asleep, which was part of the point. She let out a garbled sound to let Mika know she was awake, and the other woman entered, greeting her warmly before going about the morning routine of opening the verandah doors to let fresh air in. There was a bit of a nip in the air, which Sun welcomed. She did better in the cold than the heat. Maybe that had something to do with her blood; Kalys did say cold ran through it.


    Sun showered and dressed in her uniform before having breakfast with her brother. As per usual, he greeted her with a simple nod, and they had a quiet breakfast. The silence was no longer that uncomfortable anymore. She had always been quick to adapt, even if she initially complained. A lot in some cases.


    She met the boys at the academy gates as had become a habit since she moved out of the dorms. While Zen and Sun had a lot of the same classes, Nick had more advanced ones and only shared a couple of classes a week with them.


    "You''re looking a bit rundown," Nick noted. "Is it starting again?"


    "It''s not so bad yet."


    "And you already look like shit," Zen said, earning an elbow in the gut from her.


    "You''re so charming. I don''t know why you don''t have a girlfriend," she retorted.


    They didn''t get far down the hall before they were stopped by the unpleasant voice of one of their classmates.


    "If it isn''t the bastard and her whores," Seph snidely called out, clearly amused with himself.


    "Looking for a sequel to that last beating you got?" Zen asked, smug amusement radiating off him.


    He still had faint bruises.


    "I''m keen," Sun shrugged. She wasn''t.


    "So how''d you do it?" Seph asked. "How did you convince someone like Commander Illusen to keep his father''s unwanted bastard?"


    That''s right, Seph was from a lesser noble family, and gossip ran rampant amongst the upper echelons, and keeping bastards just wasn''t done. From what she had learnt so far, he really should have more manners toward someone of her rank. Not surprising his treatment of her wouldn''t change though.


    "Back off, Seph," Zen growled out threateningly.


    "You should be more worried about what your little slut bag is getting up to; it looks like she''s spreading her legs for someone who can actually give her what she wants."


    Her eyes widened. Were they actually implying she was sleeping with her brother for his money and status? She was about to start ripping into the boys when a cold aura settled over them.


    "Sun."


    She cringed at the voice but turned and bowed to her brother.


    "Get to class."


    "Right."


    She grabbed Zen and Nick by their wrists and dragged them away.


    Kalys glared down at the boys, slowly exerting more and more pressure on them. In a matter of moments, they could barely stand, and their breath came out in white puffs.


    How dare these boys insult her? She was a princess of the Winter Clan, and while they may not respect her, they should have respect for her status. And to imply he had only brought her into the clan to sleep with her... He wanted to snap their necks, but he knew better than to let his emotions get the better of him. And the dig struck deep because he was physically attracted to her, which he was finding frustrating.


    Once he was sure they understood the silent threat, he turned and headed the opposite way. He had a meeting with the headmaster to get to.


    He had expected to take criticism and disapproval for his decision. He had even expected threats and attempts on her life once succession had been rewritten. He had not expected the rumours of incest. People couldn''t seem to understand his actions without applying some kind of personal benefit to himself.


    Though he supposed it shouldn''t have been surprising. The Illusens had intermarried many times before; several generations back, his great-grandfather and grandmother were even twins who''d married. It wasn''t uncommon in the great four, though it had definitely become rarer in the last few generations.


    He did find it offensive that people believed it to be his primary motivation, though.


    He had hoped to at least keep those rumours from her. She still seemed to be on shakey ground with him, and the last thing he wanted was for her to doubt his intentions again. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Perhaps he should speak with her about it when they were home...


    -


    While Sun liked the snow, she hated the sound of the Traverse in winter, and the first snowfall brought with it the near-deafening sounds she had been dreading. She could never have quiet, not until the weather started to warm.


    The Traverse was... not a happy place. And the souls who resided there were less so. Sleep consisted of trying to avoid them. It wasn''t so easy during the day when she had places to be and things to focus on.


    Every night she had been using the gramophone, but its effectiveness lessened with every day they neared the Winter Solstice. Kalys had told her the Illusens hosted an event for that night as well, which, as per her duties, she was in charge of organizing. He had at least given her time off from her lessons to allow for the extra work and also promised that after midwinter, they would begin her training together.


    She had never organised any kind of party in her life; she had no idea how to go about it. There would be higher-ups from Perdition there, representatives from the other three great houses, and members of her own family as well. Apparently at midsummer, the Summer clan hosted their own event they would be expected to attend.


    Kalys had given her the records from the previous years celebrations to give her an idea, and planners had been hired to help her out. Midwinter was an important day to their family apparently, and while there would be a larger celebration involving many, afterwards, the Illusens had their own private ritual. In the past, Kalys had undergone it alone; this year, he expected them to do it together. The extended family that came usually chose not to participate, but as the main bloodline, they were expected to uphold their traditions.


    Sun knew a little about midwinter¡ªthe shortest day, the longest night, and the connotations around death and rebirth. And going through prior years events¡ªmostly grand balls, a winter circus¡ªwhat was a circus?¡ªand nightlong entertainment, she decided to ignore the planners suggestions and go with something simpler. And after researching more about the solstice, she would do something a bit more in keeping with the theme of it.


    She wasn''t sure if she would prefer her lady lessons or having to organise this event. Both were torturous.


    When she made it back to her room late at night that day, she was exhausted. The lack of sleep was getting to her. After years of this problem, she would have thought she would have learnt to tune it out by now. But then she had always been an alert sleeper. They had to be back in the slums, and it was ingrained into them. They couldn''t turn it off, no matter how they tried.


    Sun turned on the gramophone, raising the volume as much as she could, despite its ineffectiveness. The sound of cracking and splintering still overpowered it; she could hear the distant shrieking, and underneath she could hear muttering and incessant whispering. It had been driving her mad all day. Why couldn''t she just tune it out?


    She slid down the wall beside the shelf the gramophone rested on and put her head between her knees, squeezing them against her ears. Sometimes she wished she were deaf. But there was always the fear it wasn''t her ears doing the hearing, and it was all in her head.


    She practically leaped out of her skin when she felt a touch on her knee, her head flying back and hitting the wall hard enough to make her see stars. Kalys was crouching in front of her, his brow furrowed in concern.


    Every night he had heard her playing music from her room, and every day the darkness under her eyes became more pronounced. Tonight had been the loudest yet; he could hear it clearly from his own room down the hall. She had also been more distracted than usual, at times even stopping mid-sentence while speaking. This morning at breakfast, she had almost nodded off a couple of times.


    "Sun, are you well?" He asked, his deep voice soft.


    In the weeks they''d been living together now, he realised this was the first time he had ever asked her that. It was the first time he''d sought her input on her condition. From the look on her face, she was having the same realisation.


    "I''m fine."


    She was lying; that much was obvious given the position he had found her in.


    "You''ve been playing this music every night, loudly. Why?"


    "...I like it."


    "Do not lie to me," the softness in his voice had frozen over now.


    He could see her warring with herself, whether to attempt another lie or just tell the truth. Before she could settle on a decision, she suddenly flinched, her eyes squeezing shut like she was shying away from something.


    A quick sweep of her room revealed nothing out of place. In fact, since moving in here, she had done very little with the space at all, the gramophone being the only real change, and her weapons sitting on the chest at the end of the bed.


    "What is it?"


    "I can hear the Traverse," she muttered, looking down at her feet. "It gets loud in winter."


    He''d never heard of that being a problem before; his father had certainly never mentioned anything like that. He tried to recall if he''d seemed distracted or fatigued during the winter months, but nothing came to mind.


    "What does it sound like?"


    "Like when water gets in your ears, and there''s this whistling and cracking. But then there are the people; they mutter, they yell, they cry... Sometimes I hear the twisted people as well, roaring, sniffing... mauling someone..."


    Twisted people?


    "What does it say in the journal?"


    "I don''t know; I haven''t had time to read it all. So far, nothing."


    He hadn''t realised her schedule was so full. He would have to remedy that; she had been doing well with her lessons from what he''d been told. He could afford to cut back on the hours she spent in them.


    "This happens every winter?"


    She nodded.


    And this must be why she was so exhausted and distracted.


    "Have you tried ear plugs?"


    "They don''t really help. I was hoping the gramophone would work better."


    How could he stop the cacophony of another world for her?


    In their family, being born with the Ravens Eye had been considered something of a gift, a blessing to carry. His father had never treated it as such, and Kalys had always gotten the feeling he''d rather have not had it at all. Now he had to watch Sun struggle with it. And she hadn''t even had the guidance their father had received while growing up.


    What must this have felt like to a child living on the streets with no idea what was happening to her?


    He stood, offering his hand down to her. "Come."


    Though his father rarely spoke of the Traverse, Kalys could remember the few times he''d reluctantly answered some of his son''s questions. The Traverse was similar to the world of the living, at least in its natural topography. Manmade structures weren''t always exact replicas, if they managed to exist there at all. He wasn''t sure what the rules were surrounding it.


    She looked confused but took his hand and let him pull her up. He led her through the manor and to the kitchen, opening the pantry doors. She hadn''t spent any time in here; they had kitchen staff that did all the cooking for them. On the floor was a trapdoor, which he lifted, heading down the stairs into the darkness. He lit the oil lamp sitting on the shelf a few steps below and continued down the stairs. No electricity down there then.


    She hadn''t known this place had a cellar; it was large enough that the light didn''t reach the other three walls.


    "How is the noise now?"


    She tilted her head to the side, listening. The Traverse wasn''t an exact replica of the living world, but for the most part it resembled it. She could still hear the ambient sounds of the splintering, but little of the people. Only the loudest sounds making their way down here.


    "The voices are quieter..." She almost wanted to weep for the relief of it. They weren''t gone, but they were down at a level she might possibly be able to sleep to.


    She headed over to the wall by the door and sat down on the ground. "I''ll just sit here for a bit. Thank you."


    She was asleep in seconds; Kalys had never seen her look so relaxed. He had also never seen anyone fall asleep so fast. Especially not on the less than clean and uncomfortable floor. He almost wanted to wake her and have her move, but decided against it. Sleep had obviously been hard to come by for her.


    With a sigh, he headed back up the stairs and retrieved the blankets from her bed, turning off the gramophone while he was there. He would have a more comfortable set up made for her, and perhaps further down the line, have an underground bedroom made for her for the winter months.


    Once back down in the cellar, he started laying the blankets over her and trying to bunch them around her should she end up lying down.


    She jolted awake when he touched her, but when she realised it was just him and that she was safe, she fell right back to sleep.


    He felt a little... disturbed to be leaving her down there alone in the dark to sleep, but he certainly wasn''t going to sit there and watch her all night.


    With the light on in the pantry upstairs, enough shone down that she wouldn''t wake up unable to see. He would leave the cellar door open for her.


    With one last look in her direction, he left her to sleep.

 Chapter 14

    Sun awoke to the sounds of activity nearby and reluctantly opened her eyes. It took her a second to remember where she was and why she was there. The blankets bunched around her were ridiculously comfortable, and she didn''t really want to get up. She could vaguely recall Kalys tucking the blankets around her, and she scrunched her face up. ''Kalys'' and ''tucking her in'' did not go together. That seemed far too close to a level of coddling she would never ascribe to him.


    But regardless, he had done it. And she could admit to being grateful for it, if only to herself. She stood up and stretched out her limbs, stiff from the dead sleep she''d had.


    A scream beside her had her screaming back in fright. The cook¡ªMillie, if she remembered rightly¡ªrealised it was her at the same time Sun realised who she was, and they both stood there, calming their beating hearts.


    "Apologies, my lady," she gasped out, hand on her chest. "I didn''t know you were down here."


    "No, no, my fault. Sorry."


    Bloody hell, she had been startled, and all she''d done was scream. What a terrible Revenant she would make... Best to keep this little incident to herself. How embarrassing.


    "Did you... sleep down here?" The cook asked.


    "No, why?" It was out of her mouth before she thought better of the lie.


    Millie was looking down at something, and Sun followed her gaze to the pile of blankets on the floor.


    "Oh, then yes," she said, bending down to collect her blankets. "You have a lovely cellar."


    She gathered up the blankets and headed for the stairs, offering the woman a polite smile despite the burning in her cheeks.


    "And you make fantastic food; you''re very talented. Have a good day."


    Sun scurried up the stairs before she could make a bigger dickhead of herself. The kitchen staff were already there preparing the food, and they threw odd looks her way as she weaved her way through with an armful of blankets. She knew Kalys allowed them to use the ingredients from Illusen stores to make their breakfasts as well, which was one of the reasons they started so early.


    She hurried back to her room, where Mika was waiting.


    "There you are," she smiled pleasantly.


    "You''re earlier than usual," Sun noted.


    Sun was up earlier than usual too.


    "I thought we''d get a jump start on the day."


    "Do we have to?"


    "Oh, Sun," she said with amused exasperation as she booped her nose. "What were you doing with your blankets?"


    "Taking them for a walk," she replied, sarcasm oozing from her tone.


    "And what are your plans for the rest of the day?"


    "I have that Midwinter thing to make some headway in, then I was going to meet the boys in the afternoon."


    Not being limited to the academy grounds was amazing. In what spare periods they all had that synched up, the boys had taken her to explore the town and the areas surrounding it. On one side it was all forest, and on the other it was mostly farms and flatlands. They spent a lot of time walking through the woods and exploring. They''d even found a large pond with a little wooden jetty, but none of them knew how to swim. Still, it had been a nice place to spend an hour or two. The three of them waded in the freezing water, tried to skip rocks, and attempted to catch the fish they could see before it all devolved into a splash fight. Which she won. Her control over water wasn''t great, but it was strong. Most of the time. The water had been freezing though, but not iced over yet at that point. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Nick had suggested they go again and spend the afternoon with some food, and the other two were keen. Time away from the rest of the world with no tasks, chores, or lessons, it sounded like a dream. Even as children, they''d had the near constant threat of danger and starvation to worry about; that hadn''t left a lot of time for things like this. They had street scams to run, food to scrounge up, each other to look out for...


    As far as food went, Sun was going to dig some up from the kitchens and stuff it in her pack before meeting the boys.


    That was the part of the day she was looking forward to.


    -


    After a few gruelling hours with the planners, Sun was finally released. Her first stop was her room so she could grab her pack, and then the kitchen so she could stuff it full of food. When she got there, the kitchen staff stopped what they were doing and looked at her expectantly. Was this about this morning?


    She had been hoping they''d be too busy to notice her and she could just sneak in and take stuff they didn''t need.


    "My lady," the cook greeted. "Can I help you with something?"


    "I was just hoping I could grab some food... to... take away, if that''s ok?"


    "What kind of food were you thinking?" One of the other cooks asked.


    "My friends and I were planning to eat outside, away from here."


    "Oh, like a picnic?"


    Sun had never heard that word in her life. "Picnic?"


    "Have a seat, my lady; we''ll whip something up."


    "That''s not necessary; I don''t want to add to your workload..."


    "Nonsense," she said with a smile, ushering her over to a stool. There was something almost motherly about it.


    In about ten minutes, the woman placed a wicker basket in front of her and Sun looked at it confused. She watched as the woman opened the flaps to reveal sandwiches, containers of chopped fruit, muffins, and more buried underneath she couldn''t see.


    "This is a picnic?" Sun asked, receiving a nod and smile in return. "Thank you so much."


    "If you give us a bit of warning next time, we can make something a little more fitting."


    "No, this is amazing; thank you. And I''m sorry again about this morning."


    "Oh, think nothing of it. Run along now," she said, shooing her from the kitchen.


    Sun took the basket, calling out another thank you as she ran for the front door. She was far better at navigating the place now. When she got to the door, she found her brother dressed in his Revenant uniform and looking like he was just about to step out.


    "Are you working today?" She asked. Being in his presence always made her feel so awkward and nervous.


    He gave a nod, looking her up and down. "You look... rested."


    "I''m feeling much better today, thank you."


    "Where are you going?"


    "A picnic with the boys," she replied, bracing herself for that flash of displeasure whenever she mentioned them. At least he hadn''t tried to stop her associating with them. That was a battle she''d never give up fighting. Maybe he knew it too and so had never bothered.


    "Have a good day," she said, quickly ducking out the door.


    He followed her out, and with a silent parting look, he disappeared from sight. She''d felt a flash of his aura before it disappeared too. Even the instructors at the academy didn''t move as fast as he just had. She wondered if she could get him to teach her that as well.


    She met the boys in town, her face splitting into a grin and she practically skipped up to them.


    "What''s that?" Zen asked, his chin jutting to the basket in her hands.


    "The cooks made food."


    He looked mildly pained as he lifted the flap and saw what was inside. "That looks fucking good."


    "So why do you look so unhappy about it?"


    "Zen has a date and won''t be coming with us," Nick told her.


    Suns eyes widened. "A date? With who?"


    "Just a girl from around," he shrugged. "I''m meeting her here."


    None of them had been on a date before. Did he even know what he was doing?


    "What are you guys going to do on your date?"


    He shrugged again. "She asked me out. Doesn''t that mean she should have the plan?"


    "This is so freaking cute," she said, looking to Nick. "Our baby''s all grown up."


    Zen rolled his eyes, shoving his hands into his pockets as Nick snickered.


    "Zen!"


    They looked to the voice where a girl was jogging towards them. She was smiling up at him, her eyes flitting to Sun and Nick.


    "Sun, Nick, this is Melody. Melody; Sun and Nick," Zen introduced.


    "Are we double dating?" She asked.


    Zen shook his head. "They have their own plans. I''ll see you guys later."


    He started walking and Melody waved to them as they left.


    "Abstinence is the best protection!" Nick called after them.


    "Make good choices!" She added.


    Zen flipped them off while they grinned at him.


    Once they rounded the corner, she looked to her friend. "You still want to have a picnic in the cold?"


    He didn''t do as well in it as she did.


    "Definitely," he smiled. "Let''s go."

 Chapter 15

    The last time they had been out to their little lake, it hadn''t started to snow yet, but now the ground was blanketed with it and the water had frozen over. It would be quite peaceful were it not for the sounds of the traverse. Though it wasn''t as bad out here. Even in the Traverse souls seemed to congregate in the towns and cities, she wondered if they could feel the life on the other side or if they just lingered close to where they died.


    They carefully made their way to the end of the jetty, where they pushed the layer of snow off the edge. She set down the towels from her pack for them to sit on, and they dropped down, feet dangling over the edge of the jetty. Under the ice, they could even see fish darting about.


    With the basket between them, they both started going through it to see what they had.


    "This is way too much for two people," Nick said.


    "Yeah, they do that a lot at the manor. You should see the meals we''re served."


    While eating at the academy was good, everything the cooks at the manor made was just higher caliber. But Kalys did seem the type to only accept the best.


    "But to be fair, if Zen were here, he could probably devour this. Where did he meet that girl?"


    "In town, he said. She just came up to him and asked him out."


    "Brave."


    Sun didn''t think she could just ask out a stranger like that. Dating in general had never really occurred to her.


    The pair picked at the food while they chatted. With her moving out of the academy, they really didn''t see each other as much as they used to, so there were actually things to catch each other up on. And when they ran out, they just settled into a comfortable silence.


    A horrible cross between an agonised scream and an angry roar shattered that silence, and she jerked her head to the side. That had sounded bloody close.


    "What is it?" Nick asked.


    "You didn''t hear anything?" She had never heard that sound before, in real life or the Traverse.


    But if Nick hadn''t heard it, then it must be from the other side. What in the hell could make a sound like that?


    "The Traverse?" He asked.


    "Must have been... I''ve never heard a sound like that before though."


    She looked around, as if she might be able to locate the source of it, but with the exception of the sounds only she could hear, it was an idyllic place to be.


    Looking back at Nick, she noticed how cold he was; there was even a bit of a blue tinge to his lips. His cheeks and the tip of his nose were turning red.


    "Maybe we should go," she said, standing up and offering her hand down to him.


    He didn''t even have gloves on, and his fingers were like ice. While the Academy did give a small stipend to their candidates, it wasn''t really enough to get much of anything without long periods of saving. She needed to get him some gloves, maybe a scarf and a hat. She''d only given them warm jerseys and jackets, some socks... Kalys gave her enough to buy anything she could imagine; she should be spending more of it on her friends and making sure they had everything they needed.


    "You''re freezing," she muttered, taking off her scarf and wrapping it around his neck.


    "I guess we know now why the cold doesn''t really get to you," he said.


    "One of the perks, I guess."


    "Until summer comes along and you start dying in a pool of your own sweat," he chuckled.


    She hated summer. And she hated winter, but, of course, not for its cold. Autumn was pretty damn nice.


    "A lady doesn''t sweat," she said, mock indignation. "We glisten."


    They started trudging through the snow, and she was relieved she didn''t hear that sound again. It had sent chills down her spine in a way she hadn''t felt since she was a child on the streets. Chills that meant danger, that something terrible was about to happen. Even if there was some kind of world barrier between them, she didn''t want to be near the source of that sound.


    "So will Zen and I ever have to call you ''my lady''?" He asked.


    It sounded like a joke, but she picked up on something else in his tone, something close to worry.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation."Never."


    Whether he was joking or not, she wanted him to know she would never be anyone other than Sunny to him and Zen.


    He nodded, looking down at the ground ahead of them.


    "And you''re still doing all right there?"


    "Yeah, it''s really not so bad once you get used to it. And I think Kalys might even be defrosting a little. He actually helped me out last night, took me down to the cellar."


    He shot her a questioning look.


    "I told him about my... hearing problem; he took me to the cellar, and it''s quiet down there. No voices. Still the other sounds, but no voices. He... I''m just really grateful for that."


    It was a huge relief to have gotten a mostly decent sleep last night, and she had softened to the man who''d been responsible for it.


    "This midwinter thing I''m organising, will you and Zen come?"


    "Would we be allowed?"


    "Yes."


    She didn''t know. But she didn''t care. They were coming¡ªif they wanted to.


    "I''m planning a feast, and there''ll be Commanders from the Revenants there; it could be a good networking opportunity..."


    "You don''t have to convince me; you had me at ''feast," he laughed. "But seriously, you want us there; we''ll be there."


    She let out a breath. She would talk to Kalys¡ªtell, not ask. If she worked up the guts, he still intimidated her a bit. Or maybe just not tell him anything at all and let it be a surprise.


    This would be her first formal, official event; having them there would be a great comfort. And maybe even make it bearable. No doubt they would probably make fun of her, maybe for her dress or the etiquette she''d have to adhere to, but it would be worth it to have them there.


    Nick walked her all the way back to the manor, carrying the basket for her. He followed her inside, and they made their way to her room. She wasn''t sure what to do with the picnic basket and left it on the desk for now.


    "Take a look at the book shelf; I found some in the Illusen library you might like," she told him.


    He could devour books, that boy; even if he actually managed to live a hundred years, he still wouldn''t have read enough. With his advanced classes and extra work he got assigned, he didn''t get as much time to read as he would have liked.


    He crouched in front of her shelf to browse the titles. He didn''t have too much of a preference when it came to genre, or whether it was fiction or nonfiction. He tried to make up for all the time they spent living in illiteracy and ignorance. Sun and Zen probably should have tried harder too, but the written word just sort of... bored her, and Zen didn''t really have the attention span to sit still for that long.


    As she lit the fire for him, she watched him pick up one of the books from the corner of her eye. The Illusen library was extensive, not quite as big as the academys, but titles that certainly wouldn''t be found there. Kalys did mention the main Illusen library back at the estate in the Capital was much larger. Nick would probably love it.


    He flicked open the book and started skimming the first page.


    "Can I borrow this one?" He asked.


    "Of course. Will you read it to me?"


    He seemed a little surprised by the request before he smiled. She liked listening to his voice; there was a smooth, soothing quality to it she had been drawn to since childhood.


    Before they settled into the cushions in front of the fireplace¡ªmostly for his comfort¡ªshe grabbed her embroidery practice. It was one area of the ''gentle arts'' she was failing at abysmally. Mostly because she despised it. Listening to him read her a book while doing it, though, would surely make it a little more bearable.


    -


    When Kalys arrived home, he made his way straight to his room to remove his uniform and try to wash off the day. It had consisted entirely of paperwork; the reports of the uprisings to the north were becoming daily and worsening. There was talk of his division mobilising and heading out to quell them. He was reluctant to leave any time soon, to leave Sun without any supervision, but he may just have to.


    As he passed Sun''s room, he caught Mika and a couple of maids peeking through a crack in her door. There were hushed whispers and quiet giggles.


    He silently swept up behind them.


    "What is going on?" He kept his voice low¡ªquiet but stern.


    The maids gasped, whirling around. Mika was the only one to look him in the eye, a faint smirk playing at the corners of her lips. He was well aware she wasn''t as intimidated by him as he would like. But a hardened assassin was hardly going to wilt like the maids she worked with.


    With a look, he dismissed them; they were more likely to stutter and make excuses than provide any answers of value. Mika would at least be direct. Once the maids had scurried out of earshot, he looked expectantly to his sister''s bodyguard.


    "We were just admiring the adorable couple they make," she replied, her head tilting slightly in the direction of Sun''s room.


    He clenched his jaw; he had a good idea of who she was talking about. He took a look through the gap in the door. Nickolai and Sun had made themselves comfortable on the cushions in front of the fire, where the boy was reading to her from one of Kalys''s own books. She was lying on her back, head in his lap, while she worked on her embroidery and the fingers of his free hand played with her hair.


    There was an intimacy there that was hard to watch; he didn''t like it at all.


    He took a step back. He knew they were close, that all three of them were. It was hardly befitting of her station to be flitting about with these two uncouth boys; it flew in the face of convention, to be sure, but so did her existence. And he had felt safe in the knowledge that Mika was always watching.


    "You''re supposed to be protecting her," he uttered quietly, casting an accusing stare towards Mika.


    "From would be assassins, not... whatever that is," she gestured dismissively towards the pair.


    His glare hardened, and he turned towards the door. He slid it open with a bang, neither one of them startling at the sound. He had expected them to guiltily jump apart and was sorely disappointed.


    They just stared up at him curiously as if they weren''t doing anything wrong. Did they do this so often? They had grown up together with no parental oversight; perhaps they had no boundaries with each other. That bothered him more than he would ever admit out loud.


    "Is everything all right?" She asked him, like butter wouldn''t melt...


    "Will your friend be joining us for dinner?" He asked.


    "Can he?"


    "I would not ask otherwise."


    She looked up to Nick, silently questioning. How Kalys had made the invitation sound like a threat was impressive.


    "If it''s not an imposition..."


    "It''s not," he said, turning on his heel. "The door stays open."


    With that, he left them, casting a harsh glare at Mika''s smirking face.


    "That didn''t go the way I thought it would," she said quietly.


    Back in Sun''s room, Nick looked down at her, eyes a little wide. "Why would he invite me to dinner? He can''t stand me."


    "I don''t know; it could be some kind of trap," she replied. "Be ready to teleport out if you need to."


    She was only half joking.

 Chapter 16

    Aside from the awful dinner with the other Illusens and when their grandfather had stayed afterwards, this was the first dinner they''d had a guest. Nick had been seated opposite her on the other side of the table, she and Kalys in their usual spots.


    There was a tension to the air but it might have been entirely on Sun and Nick''s end. Neither one could understand why he would invite Nick for dinner. And aside from a perfunctory greeting, he hadn''t spoken at all since they''d sat down.


    Sun wasn''t sure if it was her imagination, but even the maids serving dinner seemed a little on edge.


    Once they started to eat, then Kalys started to talk, looking down the table at Nick with a withering stare.


    "I take it you intend to become a regular fixture here," Kalys said.


    Sun froze mid-chew, eyes wide, as she tried to figure out where this might be going. He wasn''t a man for idle chatter or small talk, so there had to be a point. And chances were she wasn''t going to like it.


    Nick cast a quick questioning look her way too, though he predominantly kept his attention on Kalys. It was almost like he was afraid to take his eyes off him too long, like the man was a snake ready to strike.


    Kalys looked to his sister, her bi-coloured eyes boring into him with visible confusion, before he turned back to Nickolai.


    "You are never to be alone with her in her room. If you must be here, public areas only," he told him.


    Sun''s reputation was already a little tattered given the rumours he''d heard around the academy. From the physical she''d had when she''d moved here, he was aware she was intact and believed that to still be true. However, deciding to continue with her Revenant Candidacy already made her a poor choice for marriage, and he had accepted that. On some level, he preferred it. If she remained unwed, then she continued to live in the manor under his care. It would be easier to keep an eye on her.


    However, he didn''t want her marriage suitability to be questioned because she was considered tainted. He didn''t want misconceptions about her spreading, or worse, finding their way back to her ears.


    She deserved better than that.


    "We must take steps to avoid the appearance of impropriety. And your presence must not interfere with her duties or lessons," he continued.


    While she improved by leaps and bounds in some areas, in others she had seemingly stagnated. She didn''t need the distraction.


    Nick nodded. He could adhere to those rules, whatever it took to be able to be around her. They weren''t even that bad, surprisingly.


    "Finish chewing, Sun," Kalys told her.


    Sun hadn''t realised she hadn''t resumed. She was busy waiting for the blow to come, trying to calculate what ways this could take a turn for the worst.


    After that, nothing more was said of it. Nothing else was said the rest of the meal. There was still a tension in the air, both younger ones still wary of the reasons behind the invitation. Kalys didn''t seem affected in the least, and she had to wonder if he felt it at all or if he genuinely wasn''t discomforted by it. Maybe it was all on their end. Maybe they were just looking for the worst in him.


    After dinner, Sun walked Nick to the front door to see him off. Kalys had offered the use of a carriage to get him back to the academy, but Nick would just teleport. It was quicker, and he didn''t see the need to drag the poor driver and horses out into the cold.


    At the front door, they both looked around to make sure no one was in ear shot.


    "That was a bit odd, right?" Nick asked.


    Sun nodded. "You don''t feel ill?" She asked, a little wryly.


    He shook his head.


    "Probably not poisoned then."


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.He shot her flat look for that one. "I''ll see you tomorrow."


    "Bye, Nick. Be safe."


    It was dark outside, and she wasn''t sure just how far he could go in one jump. He was still finding his limits.


    He gave another nod before he pulled her into a quick hug. Before she could even return it, he was gone, disappearing in a blink.


    She turned, nearly startling when she found Kalys standing not two feet away, watching. She stared up at him with wide eyes while she tried to get her heartbeat under control.


    "Something you need?" She asked politely.


    "More comfortable accommodations have been prepared in the cellar. Plans are being drawn up for something more permanent," he told her.


    "Oh, thank you," she said. He was full of surprises today. "You don''t have to do that; blankets in the cellar is fine."


    The stare he gave her would make flowers wilt. "Goodnight, Sun."


    "Goodnight."


    He brushed past her and glided silently down the hall, likely to his bedroom. It was one of the few rooms in this place she had yet to see. A little spark of curiosity ignited at the thought but was easy enough to tamp down. No way was she going to invade his personal space for curiosity sake.


    That would be asking to die.


    -


    The next day at the academy, only Zen was waiting for her at the gate. Change made her nervous these days. There had been too much of it in her life lately. And she still wasn''t entirely convinced Nick hadn''t been poisoned last night or waylaid and murdered on the way back to the academy.


    "Where''s Nick?" She asked.


    "Good morning, Sunshine; it''s so nice to see you. I''m well, yourself?"


    She rolled her eyes but grinned. "Good morning, Zen; I''m also well. Thank you for asking. So good to see you."


    "Psh, and you''re supposed to be a noble?" He scoffed. "Where are your manners?"


    "Up your arse."


    He gasped in mock horror.


    "So where is Nick?" She asked again as they started walking inside.


    Zen shrugged. "Left early, something about his advanced courses. Didn''t even show up for breakfast."


    Before graduation, they would need to be evaluated in the field. Maybe he just wanted to be ready for it.


    "And what about you? How was your date?"


    Another shrug. "It was all right."


    "Just all right? Gods, I hope no one ever describes a date with me as just ''all right.''"


    "You''re assuming your brother would ever let you out on one."


    "I''d have to eventually. The whole point in noble women is marriage and heirs."


    She said it so cavilierly for such a horrifying reality. Internally, she shuddered; she didn''t want that to be her. She wouldn''t let it. If she married, it would be because she wanted to; if she had a family, it would be for the same reason. While there were some things she would bend over for¡ªthe gentle arts lessons, etiquette, extra duties¡ªthere were other things she would fight tooth and nail to prevent.


    "So why was it so lackluster?" She pressed.


    "I don''t know, just not much of a connection and nothing in common. Lots of uncomfortable silences..."


    She nodded, having never been on a date she didn''t fully understand, but she was well acquainted with uncomfortable silences.


    "So no second one?"


    Zen shook his head.


    Inside they separated to get to their classes, and Sun just tried to focus on her day and make it through. She wanted to do well and at least be considered good enough for the next batch of graduates.


    She didn''t want Nick to leave her too far behind. And Zen excelled in combat; even if his other grades were just passable, it would be enough to get him considered for the next batch. She wanted to be among them too.


    Concentrating in the winter was always difficult, but she made it through her first couple of classes and managed to meet up with Nick at lunch. He looked well enough, nice and healthy.


    "I''ve got news," he told her. "They''re sending me out on evaluation."


    Was that why he hadn''t been there this morning?


    "And how are we feeling about this?" She asked carefully, wanting to be sure first.


    "It''s good; I''m all right with it."


    She let out a breath and pulled him into a hug. "So it''s a happy hug then."


    "Honestly, I''ll take any hug you give me," he laughed lightly.


    They felt arms wrap tightly around the both of them and were assaulted by the scent of their third.


    "Why are we hugging?" Zen asked.


    "I''m being sent out for evaluation," Nick told him.


    "Ah. A happy hug I heard."


    "Yeah. I''ll graduate before you two, start getting paid, and you guys can come live in my house."


    They laughed lightly at that. Even if he did go straight into a tiered position, no way was he going to be affording a place any time soon.


    "Guess we need to work harder then, aye Sun?"


    "Bit difficult to keep up with a prodigy..."


    "Doesn''t mean we shouldn''t try," he said, the hug breaking apart. "Do you know where you''re going?"


    He shook his head. "They''re briefing us tomorrow morning. I have no idea how long I''ll be gone."


    "Just come back in one piece," Zen said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Now let''s go eat; I''m starved."


    They both looked him up and down. Clearly, that just wasn''t true.


    "Hey," he snapped defensively. "It takes a lot of food to maintain these muscles."


    "Too bad it doesn''t do much for your brain," Nick laughed.


    Zen pulled him into a headlock, which Nick teleported out of, reappearing a few feet ahead of them.


    "Cheeky shit," Zen laughed, running to catch up with him.


    Sun followed at a more sedate pace, laughing at their antics.


    They had all initially wanted to stay in the academy¡ªa roof over their heads, three meals a day, a small stipend, and none of the actual responsibility of being a full-fledged Revenant. But it looked like that was coming to an end.


    They were actually going to have to move to the next phase of their lives. They had enjoyed the minimal responsibility after a childhood filled with it.


    Too many changes lately...

 Chapter 17

    Sun stood at the entrance to the manor beside her brother. They were both dressed in black and blues, their family colours. Her formal gown rippled like water with every move she made. To match her, his black suit had blue brocade on the tie, waistcoat, and the lapels of his frock coat.


    They had been standing there awhile greeting their guests to their midwinter celebration. Nick hadn''t returned from his evaluation yet, and despite asking her instructors, she still didn''t know where he''d been sent or if he was all right. It had been almost a week now. The worry was getting to her and Zen, and they''d spent every free moment together trying to reassure each other he would be fine.


    Zen had become such a regular feature at the manor Kalys had given him the same rules he''d given Nick.


    The last thing she wanted to be doing right now was plastering a fake smile on her face and making nice with strangers. Most of them she had never met, despite having been the one to send out the invitations. There were Revenant Commanders and Lieutenants, nobility from all over, and Illusens she had yet to meet¡ªand a few she had. She was pleased to see their grandfather and greeted him with far more warmth than the others. She also got to meet the heads of the Autumn and Summer clans. Fire and Earth.


    Amarieh Vay de Lis, head of the Summer Clan, was a beautiful woman; her skin was golden, and her eyes were warm and dark. Her earthen hair was bundled up on her head, pinned with beautiful emerald ornaments. Sun knew the bracelets on her wrists were the symbols of her house, much like the earrings for the Illusens. Her dress shimmered in gold with a plunging neckline, revealing her abundant cleavage. It clung to her figure with a slit up one leg; the woman oozed confidence and sex appeal. Sun figured this was what it meant to be sexy; she was a little jealous. But the woman was going to get cold if she didn''t take one of the fur cloaks on offer.


    Vincent Tannivh was Autumn; his eyes were molten gold, and his hair held all the colours of the autumn leaves. He was dressed much like her brother, predominantly in black. The golden necklace held the crest of his family, the symbol of his status. She knew he was a Revenant Commander as well, of the Fourth - Casters. They were predominantly support, loaned out to the other divisions for operations. Their focus was on using their ability to manipulate their auras into offensive and defensive casts. Casting hadn''t come easily to her, but it was one of the classes she was most interested in. Anything to avoid having to rely on her own power.


    Honestly, she was surprised at how many people had turned up for this. The planner she''d worked with had said it was an important event to the Illusens, and people always turned up for them¡ªfor any of the great four. Sun hadn''t believed her. It all just seemed so frivolous to her.


    When she saw Nick and Zen heading up the path together dressed in the suits she''d bought for them, she grinned widely. He was back! He hadn''t been here when she had bought his suit, so she had been worried it wouldn''t fit. It was a bit of a relief to see it fit, but an almost overwhelming relief to see him back and intact.


    "You invited them?" Kalys asked her quietly.


    "Of course."


    She wondered if he would turn them away. Barring anyone that had been invited would be considered rude, but she had come to learn he didn''t much care about being labelled rude. Hypocrite. In some instances, she suspected he even wore it as something like a badge of honour. Or perhaps he just didn''t think any action he took was rude, merely justified. A bit difficult to tell the difference, despite the fact she was starting to learn his¡ªvery subtle¡ªtells.


    When Zen and Nick reached them, Sun hugged them warmly.


    "You made it," she said, hands on his shoulders as she took him in, checking him for injuries.


    "Completely unscathed," he assured her.


    "He got back about an hour ago," Zen told her.


    "I''ll tell you all about it later," he said, glancing back to the other guests still arriving.


    Kalys greeted the boys with a nod of his head, and Sun directed them inside, where the way was lit to lead guests to one of the larger gardens. She told them she would find them later when she was done here and that they both looked very handsome.


    Kalys looked down at her, his displeasure evident.


    "You never mentioned you''d invited them."


    "I was never told I couldn''t."


    "So you took it as permission?"


    "I didn''t know I needed permission; I was under the impression I was in charge of organising this. Including the guest list."


    His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn''t really look or feel that angry. She put it down to the usual irritation he felt at their mere existence.


    Before anything more could be said, their next guest reached them, Kalys introducing the young man to Sun. Nathaniel Intrieri, son of the head of the Spring Clan. He apologised for his father not being able to make it as he had been ill recently. His hair was so blonde it appeared white in some lights; it reminded her of Nicks a bit, but it was long and tied back into a loose ponytail. His eyes were like the steel of her blades and just as sharp. He was a striking young man. But then, Kalys, Amarieh, and Vincent were all stunning in different ways.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Illusen," he said, taking her hand in both of his. "I''ve heard much about you."


    "I imagine word''s gotten around about the bastard from the slums," she shrugged. Not a very ladylike gesture, but apt. "I''ve been called worse things by better people."


    He only chuckled where Kalys cast her a sharp look. She had expected gossip and that most of it would be bad. Easier just to own it, she figured.


    "The nobility aren''t known for their generous words." Intieri leaned in and uttered it quietly before stepping back. "My sister has been excited to meet you, though; she''s a little younger than yourself. She was disappointed to have to miss this."


    "Why did she miss it?"


    "She''s with my father; we felt it best he had one of us with him."Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "It''s nothing too serious, I hope," she said.


    "So do we," he replied with an almost sad smile.


    He was definitely not like Kalys; he seemed warmer and a little more open, a bit more emotive. Of course it could be a carefully crafted mask; she obviously didn''t know him well enough to say.


    The next lot of guests had arrived, so Intrieri moved along, promising to speak more with them inside.


    When the last of their guests had gone in, Kalys and Sun did so as well, making their way to the garden. She had spent the morning with the planners and staff setting everything up.


    Most of the effort had gone into the food, though¡ªa massive feast to be shared with friends and family at long tables. Extra kitchen hands had been hired, and she had added a monetary bonus for the lot of them for all this work.


    The longest night of the year was supposed to be a time of renewal and reverence, and winter was the Illusens domain. She read about the previous year''s celebrations, which had been left up to the planners, with her brother being so busy as Clan Head and Revenant Commander.


    Previous celebrations had primarily been balls, huge elegant events held indoors that seemed to be less about midwinter and what that meant. She may not have been an Illusen long, but she was at least going to try and do some of it right.


    So outdoors, in the winter snow with furs, bonfires, and hot food and drink for warmth. She had made sure furs and winter coats would be provided to anyone who needed them. When they got outside, not a single Illusen had made use of them. Comfort in cold really was a family trait, it seemed.


    The bonfires were lit, and strung between the trees were ropes with lanterns hanging from them, the flames inside safe from the breeze. They had lucked out though; the weather was perfect, the sky clear despite the snow earlier, which had left a nice blanket of it to cover the foot prints of the staff setting up.


    The tables were also lit with lanterns, and warm drinks were being handed out. She and Kalys stood at the stairs into the garden, looking out across their guests. In the dark, with the fire and the trees all lit up, it looked gorgeous.


    "It looks lovely, Sun," he told her, looking down at her. "You did well."


    Sun smiled, warmth blossoming in her chest with his approval. She had worked hard on this, especially given she had never organised any kind of function in the past.


    He offered her his arm, and she looped her hand around it, letting him escort her down where he would once again welcome everyone together and begin the feast.


    There were several long tables set up to accommodate guests with no particular seating arrangement. The point was comfort and connection. Sit with those you wanted to sit with, and once Kalys welcomed everyone and took his seat¡ªSun beside him, Nick beside her, and Zen on his other side¡ªKalys signalled for the food to be brought out.


    This was a far more relaxed affair than the dinner she had with her relatives. And she did mean that word loosely. She chatted with Nick and Zen, her grandfather opposite her. People ate; they switched seats to talk to others; it was nice, and despite the formal wear, the atmosphere leaned more towards something a little more casual. She even saw her brother crack a small smile once or twice, though he was very discrete about it. She spoke with a few of their guests, Nathaniel Intrieri, Commander Allens from the Ninth Division who''d attended her demonstration, her grandfather, and a distant cousin. He at least seemed a little more pleasant than most of the other Illusens she had come across.


    At one point, she walked the gardens with her two friends. Zen had tied his long mane into something resembling a style, and this was probably the cleanest she had ever seen him. Nick had brushed his pale hair back as well, but the strands in the front had come loose, falling in front of his eye. Like Zen, he was well dressed and clean.


    They were a far cry from the kids in the slums. She walked between them, taking their hands in hers.


    "I wish the others could be here," she said quietly.


    The boys squeezed her hands back.


    "Remember when Kawana got lice?" Zen suddenly asked.


    The others laughed at the memory. Given the close quarters they all slept in, it had spread to all of them. Ami had gotten sick of scratching, of watching them all scratch; she''d hacked all their hair off. They didn''t have scissors, so it had been done with a knife. They''d been patchily bald for ages. They had all looked ridiculous. Zen had never cut his hair again after that and somehow managed to avoid contracting lice again. While Sun wasn''t quite as phobic about it as Zen, she too had kept her hair long despite the impracticality of it. She wasn''t a vain person, but she had hated how she looked with almost no hair and even short hair.


    They walked around the garden, reminiscing about their time with the rest of their family that couldn''t be there. Their deaths had been tragic, Ami''s had been horrific, and it had taken a long time before they could think of them without the excruciating pain. Longer still before they could focus on the good memories.


    After that, Nick told them about his evaluation and the mission he''d been sent on. Commander Dyne had been the one to take him. There had been another candidate with them¡ªVira. Sun knew of her, but they''d never exchanged a single word in the past.


    Their mission had been a small stint out east, dealing with a growing group of bandits. They had seen a little combat, but mostly they had been in charge of the defence of the civilians in the area. Nick had taken a blow to the back of the head, which had knocked him out; he still had a bit of a bump. She''d winced in sympathy when she''d felt it.


    But he had returned to them intact, and that was the important thing.


    After a while, Zen shuddered.


    "Right, that''s enough cold for me. I''m going to hover by the fire," he told them, trudging through the snow while they watched him go.


    "So," she started, looking up at him. "Regret coming yet?"


    He shook his head. "I''m glad I did."


    He reached out, delicately plucking something from her hair.


    "Snow," he muttered before another settled in her hair as well.


    They both looked up to see it was starting to snow. Winter was a terrible time for them when they were kids. Sun rarely got sick in winter, at least, not like the others. And they didn''t have warm clothes or a warm house. They used to sleep in a pile in the winter for extra warmth.


    After coming to Perdition, they could take shelter from the cold in a way they''d never been able to, and it just became... a season, even if the terrible memories never left them. But this was quite possibly one of the more pleasant winters they''d had.


    "You look tired," she said. "Maybe you should have stayed at the dorm and rested."


    He shook his head. "I promised I''d be here. Besides, there''s no where I''d rather be."


    He said it with a smile and a casual shrug that had her smiling back, pleased at his words.


    Nick leaned in closer. "Why is your brother glaring daggers at me right now? We''re in a public area. You''re not even my type; I''d''ve thought he''d be perceptive enough to realise it by now."


    She turned to look. Sure enough, Kalys was watching. ''Glaring daggers'' might have been a bit strong, but there was definitely a warning in his gaze.


    She tamped down on the flare of irritation. She didn''t want Nick to feel unwelcome here and stop coming. It was surprising Nick would even touch on his own preferences out loud. Given the stigma, they all kept their silence on the subject to keep Nick''s secret safe.


    Kalys called everyone over. With midnight fast approaching, it was time for the next part of the event.


    Paper and pens were handed out to everyone, and they were told to write something down¡ªsomething they needed to let go of, or even just something they needed to get out of them. Then they had to toss it into the central fire pit.


    Sun wrote down what she would most like to let go of, which was the negative first impression of her brother. Granted, he could have gone about things in such a way that the transition could have been easier for her. But he wasn''t the prick she had initially believed; she was starting to see that. No doubt he had a bit of an arsehole-ish streak in there; he was a noble, it was to be expected. But she would like to stop letting that first impression colour the way forward.


    Like everyone else, she tossed her folded piece of paper into the fire and watched it burn up. Over the dancing flames across from her, she could see her brother do the same and wondered what he wrote on his. Nick and Zen as well. Despite her curiosity, she would never ask; this was supposed to be a private thing.


    With things winding down, Sun and Kalys farewelled their guests. Rooms had been prepared for those that would be spending the night¡ªmostly family but not limited to them. And once everyone had retired for the night, Kalys turned to her.


    "Come with me," he told her.