Something Darker; Chapter 15

I suppose it is possible your mother Nivera is the same Nivera that Lord Devon met with, but. . . Zanthus trails off, tail twitching.

I should be asleep, but even though I feel like I'm about to drift off at any second, my mind won't still long enough for me to actually fall asleep. I was more comfortable than before thanks to Gaitan's treatment of my wound but still couldn't move much as movement triggered the pain. I had decided to try to talk to Zanthus about what I had found in the library again. Tonight, he was actually indulging me. But? I press him.

Another twitch of his tail. For both your brother and you to be born without Shadow Marks, she would have had to get rid of her own Shadow Marks.

Which shouldn't be possible?

Zanthus looks at me, eyes and Chaser glittering in the light from the fire. For Shadow Masters, the Shadow Marks are a part of their blood, a birthmark if you will. It can be hidden but never removed. For a Shadow Master to remove their marks, they would have to alter their blood.

So, their children wouldn't inherit Shadow Marks from them?

Zanthus bobs his head. Hypothetically. No one has found a way to remove Shadow Marks, so it's all just speculation. Zanthus lays his head down on the bed, closing his eyes.

I turn my head to face the ceiling and stare into the inky blackness hovering over me. How do you think she did it?

Zanthus huffs. That would be the question we need to answer. Along with what exactly it means for you, of course.

Zanthus, why do you care? I can feel his eyes shift to me. You have no obligation to be here; there is nothing keeping you here. What do you get out of this? The feeling of him watching me vanishes. I'm not at all surprised he's not bothering to answer. When does he ever explain anything?

I allow my eyes to shut as I try to drift into sleep again.

To be a Shifter is to have a lonely life. Surprised, I turn my head to Zanthus. He stares at the fire's dancing flames. I have lived a long life. I couldn't tell you how long, for I stopped counting long ago.

I am the only of my kind, so there are none like me that I could seek fellowship with. My animal forms allow me to live in peace with the wild animals, but they lack the sentience I do and thus make for poor fellowship. I have tried to live with humans, but to me, their life span is much too short. I would love the humans I stayed with and then I would have to watch as they died. I could only live like that for so long. My last refuge was among the Shadow Courts. Shadow Masters and Slaves can live for a very long time- not nearly as long as me- but long enough that it would be bearable. Only, I found them little to my liking. I stayed until I couldn't stand to be around them any longer. Zanthus huffs a chuckle. I didn't realize how long I had been with them.

By the time I left, humans were beginning to write magic off as bad thanks to the Shadow Courts. It was difficult to find humans that were willing to let me stay and even then, they merely humored me to gain knowledge about the Shadow Courts. So, I pulled away from both worlds. I watched as the rift widened and the two worlds became separate, as you know them today.

I became a sort of legend in the Shadow Courts. A wise being that the Shadow Masters sought to ask questions. For the most part, I evaded them, but just for fun, every now and then, I would allow one to find me, to keep the rumors going. I told myself it was for amusement, but honestly, I also missed speaking with others. Surprisingly, even some humans began seeking me out. I don't remember any of those who sought me or what they asked about. Well, all except one.

She was a young Shadow Master when I first met her. When she came to me, she didn't have a question that she wanted an answer to. She wanted to reason with me. She visited me many times to continue to reason with me. Our conversations were never dull.

The thing that struck me the most about her was that although she was highborn in the Shadow Courts, she didn't hold much love for them. She often spoke of leaving for good and living among the humans to which I would always remind her that no matter how powerful she was, there would come a day when she failed to hide her Shadow Marks or someone noticed that she never seemed to age.

That was one thing about her that always amused me. No matter how many times I told her it just wasn't possible, she always insisted on reasoning the possibility of removing Shadow Marks with me.

As she got older, she wasn't able to come visit me as much. Our nearly daily talks became weekly, monthly, then eventually, yearly, until one year, she never came. I figured she had finally gotten married and settled down. I thought I was fine with that, but as the years passed, I realized, I wasn't. I had come to think of her as a friend and I missed our talks. So, I did something I thought I'd never do again: I returned to the Shadow Courts. I figured if I stayed with her, I could tolerate being there again.

Only, I couldn't find her. She was gone. I couldn't find any trace of her. It saddened me. I thought she had passed.

After I left though, a Shadow Master followed me. He didn't speak to me, just followed me. I quickly became irritated and demanded to know what he wanted. He asked me if I was Zanthus, as if there are any other shifters, he huffs indignantly, And if I had been looking for her. When I said yes, he said she had given him a message for me, in the event that I came looking for her.

Zanthus chuckles. It had been a test. She had left a test for me. As it turns out, she too considered me a friend but had never had the courage to ask.

Shaking his head, he continues. The message was very simple. Four words: You were wrong, friend.

I was shocked beyond measure. I immediately set out to find her, but I never could. Instead, I came across a young girl with Shadow Marks and gold eyes, scared out of her mind and running away from home.

It doesn't take much to put two and two together. You knew all of that when you first found me alone in the woods and you didn't say anything?

Zanthus flicks his tail. Of course not. I only spoke to you then because I was curious as to why a Shadow Master was so far from the Courts and crying.

But after I told you about my marks-

I had suspicions, yes, but you hardly looked like the woman I had known. My initial thought was her getting rid of the Marks and you getting them was a balancing of some sort.

I glare at Zanthus. I told you my mother's name.

But never what she looked like. Nivera is actually a quite common name. His tail flicks. You should get some rest now.

Tell me more about the Shadow World.

Go to sleep.

Please!

Instead of responding, Zanthus begins to purr. Anytime I try to say anything, he purrs louder. Giving up, I allow his purring to lull me to sleep.