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As though through a fog, I heard Clawdia shout, "Zaide, stop!"
And when I looked down again, I saw green grass beneath a stranger's body and his face Illuminated by bright sunlight. When I dropped my hold on the man, shocked and confused, his eyes opened.
They were red.
CHAPTER18
BAELEN
My eyes flashed open as I woke from dream-walking with Clawdia.
With the taste of her blood still on my tongue and the memory of her soft lips on mine fresh in my mind, I groaned as my body throbbed with lust. I covered my eyes with the back of my hand as I recalled her tears. She didn’t understand why she was so drawn to me and believed she was betraying her soul pair.
I don’t have time to lie in bed daydreaming about a kiss from a girl like a youth. No matter what she may or may not be to me. No matter how her blood tasted like everything right in the world and how she was so beautiful and brave.
Not when my dreamscape was attacked by shadows.
I rolled out of bed and hurriedly threw on leathers before leaving my room. My feet slapped against the marble floors in the hall as I jogged. Without knocking, I dived into my fathers’ apartments to find them sitting around their breakfast table, eating.
Pausing with an apple slice halfway to his lips, Riseir assessed my rapid breathing. "You ran."
"Is everything all right, son?" Hedri asked, putting down his fork and giving me his full attention.
Charos muttered, "Disturbing breakfast for some would be punishable by death." He side-eyed me with a pout.
I ignored him and got straight to the problem at hand. "What do you know about the shadow people?"
Riseir closed his mouth around the golden apple slice and crunched, contemplating me with an emotionless stare. "Why are you asking instead of scouring the library for information and pretending we don't exist?"
I tried not to roll my eyes at his pettiness and stated firmly. "Because I was attacked while dream-walking last night. By shadows. And I'm sure you know something about it."
Their faces paled. Hedri was the first to speak, "Baelen, we would never try to—"
I cut him off. "I don't think you had anything to do with it. I hope you know why I might have been targeted and how."
“Come and sit down, son,” Hedri called cheerfully. I paused, not wanting to entertain him but also knowing any information would be delayed if I didn’t. The chair scratched the floor as I slumped into it. “Breakfast?” Hedri offered me an apple. I gave him a look. “No. No. I haven’t forgotten. I can call for some blood.”
“Call who? We have no servants.” Charos sighed.
“We don’t?” My heart twinged at the sight of Hedri so confused.
“No. We haven’t for some time, brother.” Charos patted his hand in a calm and comforting manner that contrasted with his usual sneering face.
They really are dying.
Riseir slurped hot tea, drawing my attention, before he began, "When titans fell, we destroyed the natural portal connecting the shadow and human realms. They had no other natural portals in their realm, and so they were trapped. And those shadows outside of their realm were unable to get home. With our abilities stripped, they could only ask the faei for portals home, which unfortunately meant they needed to trade for something of value. But of course, the price couldn't be paid, and they remain trapped in the human realm."
So that is why they want revenge? Because my fathers destroyed their portal?
I nodded to myself. "They said they wanted revenge, almost killed me, and tried to take Clawdia. But how could they attack my dreamscape? "
“Who is Clawdia?” Risier asked.
I gritted my teeth as I replied, “The titan’s soul pair.”
“Have you determined what their gifts are?”
I sat back in my chair and spoke quickly, "Clawdia said it’s healing. She was able to heal an entire field of witches, as well as help revive the protector and the dragon, setting them both free."
