“You must remember what I said,” a female voice spoke, and I realized that it wasn't a maid; it was a girl, a girl who he cared for; she was a few moon cycles younger than he was.
“I cannot ever please him, Thea,” Shadrict said into the pillow as another wound was cleaned.
That was one difference—I never had a pillow—or clean bed linens as he appeared to have.
“It is not about pleasing him. You can show on the outside the man he wants you to be, but do not change what is within. But Shad, I am so sorry.” She paused in her cleaning as she covered her face with her hands. “How could mother have married a man like him?”
Shad winced. “The man who did this—this is not the man who mother married. The corruptor can do this to anyone. It is a warning to us, to never let the darkness in. I pray to the Creator daily for a way to end him. His soul is fading—before too long, he will be completely in the corruptor’s grasp,” Shad said, sitting up and putting on a clean shirt, slowly.
“I know—do not forget that you are not the only one in the palace who has scars.”
“Did he strike you again?”
“Only that one time, and since then, I will not stay in a room if he is there. Do not worry about me. You hold most of his attention.” She patted him on the hand.
I felt Shad’s feelings expand; he had wanted to be the only one who felt his father’s wrath. He would have gladly taken it all so that his sister and his mother wouldn't have to have any of it.
We had a sister?
“I wish you and mother could leave and escape from him.”
“I know, and believe me, Shadrict, I am not just sitting idly by. The best way to defeat him is by not letting him win.”
“Nothing else can be done. Soon, we will be free; I know it.”
“Build your strength, and someday you will be strong enough to defeat him.” She touched his cheek and kissed his brow. “May the Creator bless us, and may Father not ruin the entire kingdom and kill us in the process.”
“You are too wise for your own good, you know.”
“I have to be. Who else will be able to help you and rescue you from the dungeons?” Her light, soft melody laughed and echoed–then slowly faded away.
I sat up, realizing I had passed out on the bathroom floor, the suit I wore still spotted with blood from my broken nose. I stood, taking the crystal necklace off from around my neck and setting it upon the counter. I needed a break from my brother’s memories. But as I set the midnight crystal on the counter, the melody did not follow. The melody—the soul—was still inside of me; we were one, and it seemed as if all of the memories attached to it—had become mine as well.
Chapter five
Iwalked from the bathroom, placing the crystal into my pocket as I did.
“Sorry,” a light-haired soulless grumbled as he stumbled down the hall, his once white shirt speckled with grime and dirt, hung limply around him. His eyes were glazed over, and his reddened face made him look intoxicated, but it was actually a sign that he was close to death. I steadied his shoulders as he wobbled down the hallway, leading him to the couch.
“I really hated you at first,” the soulless man said as he slumped down into the couch, his head cocked at a weird angle.
“As do they all, I assure you,” I said, sliding my hands into my pockets as I watched his eyes open and close slowly.
“But—I think I know the truth.”
“What is that?” I was confused by his wording. I looked about the room, noting that no one was yet awake. It must have been early in the morning.
“My soul—it was corrupted.”
“That it was,” I agreed.
“And—it was notevergoing to becomeuncorrupted, I take it?”
I shook my head,no. Terrans understood that once a soul became corrupt, there was no way to restore it; it was gone, lost, piece-by-piece, giving more power to the corruptor.
“So?” I asked, leaning over him closely and looking into his eyes. They were almost completely black–thewhites, too—which was a sign that death was near.
“So, thank you—I do not wish to have my soul in the grasp of the corruptor, but in the heavens—you have given me another chance.”
