The Lost Sciell (Book 3 of The Merging Worlds Series)

Divine Mathews was the kind of tired that left his bones heavy, his thoughts soggy. Spending all day in the food storage container taking stock of what Sovereign had for the winter, next winter, left him ravenous.

No food could fill this hole.

Damn, it felt nice to have Josephine in his head again. He could finally walk home from the farmlands without the sharp pain, turning his relaxing stroll into an eternity of torture.

Sovereign was small compared to The City of Carris, where he grew up. The buildings, though, were older and closer together. The village was a maze of dirt roads. The flat, identical houses meant it was easy to get lost. A thick forest and Bel Steyne’s shields of power protected Sovereign. A valuable location. Residents could see the towering Wall of Darkness in the distance, but they were far enough away that they weren’t infected by it.

In true Garden Age style, vines and glowing colorful flowers grew off the older buildings. Sovereign was built during the Mining Age when, due to rare gems discovered in underground tunnels, poorer people had the opportunity to live well above their means for the first time. The older buildings were meant to be pretty, not functional. The newer one-floor wooden cabins were the opposite. Residents didn’t care how the structure looked as long as it protected them from the elements.

Many older buildings needed repair. That material could only be imported at a ridiculous price. Bel was developing a shield to help hold up a structure while Sovereigns were figuring out how to make brick and stone. They discovered Divine studied architecture. His work increased. He was always tired.

Divine was inside now. He could stop moving. Bel Steyne’s house. An eight bedroom monstrosity. This mansion was too large for two people.

Divine had no strength to walk to the bath let alone run it. He dropped his filthy body on Bel’s precious, clean couch. The yelling would be unbearable later. Once Divine recovered his energy, he’d head upstairs. The living room with its four different sized couches surrounding a wood polished table felt too much like a warm home. This room was a waste with only himself and Bel living here.

Divine didn’t know how to describe his relationship with Bel. In Silhouette, they saw each other as siblings though not blood related. Now, they weren’t exactly brothers but they were too close to be just friends.

Bel raced out of his office. His pale face crimson. His aura livid. Divine shot upright. The couch could be washed. It wasn’t that bad.

Bel ran past him.

They didn’t have to walk through the damn town. Scaring everyone, Bel growled out.

Harsh power overwhelmed Divine’s senses. Where was this coming from? What monster reached the village? They shouldn’t be able to find this place through Bel’s shields.

Bel threw the door open. Power rushed in. The monsters were at the gate.

Why didn’t you sceadu on my front steps. Bel roared out the door. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? How in the name of Darkness did you get through my shields?

Bel was yelling at someone with enough power to crush him with one thought.

Why are you here? He continued yelling.

Divine didn’t know Bel could lose his composure so spectacularly.

Bel, if you want me to dissolve your throat and sew your lips closed, all you have to do is ask, came a male voice.

That didn’t sound like an innocent threat. From the smell of that beast’s power, Divine wouldn’t be able to stop him if he attacked Bel.

Shove it Vayle. If you touch me, Shade will cut off your little head and shove it up your back passage.

Was that Bel’s voice? Sounded like something Divine’s sister, Aliceanna, would say.

A female voice howled with laughter.

It’s not funny, Niah. I have a hard enough time with that one, Bel pointed at Divine, walking around the village with his red eyes and brown skin. Now you show up with your blue hair and your killer aura. I will never hear the end of this. Humans don’t like us remember.

That stung more than Divine expected. Most Jaelians were pale skinned and tended to favor people who looked like them. Sovereigns were no exception. Most admitted that Bel, with his almost white skin, was handsome. They assumed Bel used some kind of trickery to make himself appear attractive. Divine often caught whispers of his skin being compared to mud and excrement. He had enough of that as a child. Books tended to portray people like him as demons disguised as humans.

So that’s the child my sister was imprisoned for? the male asked.

Cold fear then rage replaced Divine’s hurt feelings. No wonder their unexpected guests smelled like Shade Harralite. The male was her brother. The one that hurt her.

Did Divine get Shade into more trouble? She helped when he was lost. She was the first person, he remembered, who really saw him—the good and the bad. She accepted him. Helping him got her attached by an army of cat creatures. Did something else happen to her?

Bring the cart in the yard and come inside, Bel demanded.

He turned to Divine.

You’re washing that couch.

Divine nodded.

Two people—one male, one female—walked in. The male’s eyes were impossibly green. His long pale blue hair framed his face. The female had her hair in a similar style. Her eyes were two black holes. Their presence could command any room without them saying a word.

The male turned to Divine. He couldn’t meet those green eyes.

Shade will be happy you’re all right. She was worried about you.

Divine’s heart pounded.

You’re one of her brothers? Divine asked.

The male flinched.

I am.

Divine would kill this monster. He made Shade sad. He deserved to die for that.

The female stepped in front of the male beast. Divine would destroy her if he needed to.

A force rammed into his shoulder. Divine hit the couch. She punched him and he flew. They were the monster humans feared. Divine’s power was nothing compared to theirs.

Don’t break my furniture, Bel mumbled.

He was worried about that?

How did you get here? Bel asked.

We walked, the blue-haired male said.

Bel rubbed his temples. That’s not what I meant and you know it.

How about you ask the right question.

Divine didn’t like the male. If he knew what Bel was asking, why didn’t he answer the question? This female didn’t do anything to correct the overconfident bastard.

I hate talking to you, Bel said. How did you get through my shields?

I was trained by Marion and Bleak, the female said.

She didn’t offer any further explanation. Good thing Divine didn’t want anything from them. Getting answers out of those two would destroy what little patience Divine possessed.

I’m better at creating barriers than both of them, Bel mumbled. There’s no way they can get through one of my shields.

You need to do something with that arrogance.

Bel sighed. Why are you here? You’ve never sought me out at home.

The female sat beside Divine.

The green-eyed vermin folded his arms.

Stop calling us ‘the female’ and ‘the male.’ Bel said our names. Use them, he said.

Divine knew his mouth dropped open. How did he know?

Our senses have gotten so sensitive we can see a person’s aura. What makes you think we can’t develop a way of using our power to hear others’ thoughts? We do that, in a way, when we connect with someone’s inner Darkness.

The male actually gave a full answer to a question Divine didn’t ask out loud. Bel’s guests were a pain. Divine couldn’t understand their way of thinking.

Vayle Slaughter and Niah Weems. Now explain why you’re here, Bel said.

Slaughter. What fool would name that beast Slaughter?

Vayle huffed. You’re one to talk, Divine.

He didn’t talk. That thing had no right to listen to his mind.

Niah poked Vayle’s ribs. You’re older. Stop being a baby.

Bel’s aura went insane. It didn’t know which way to flow. It turned brown then black. Bel was afraid and confused. Why was it so strange for these two to be here?

Bleak’s gone, Niah continued.

Bel blinked.

His aura stopped moving.

Gone?

Don’t make me say anymore, Niah snapped.

Bel dropped onto the stool in front of the kitchen. His face was pure shock.

He bowed his head. How?

The new masters of Darkness used her and her siblings as an experiment. They forced her brother to… We’ll talk about this later, Niah said.

Bel’s aura turned blood red. He dropped his fist through the counter.

Why would the masters of Darkness want Bleak?

Vayle’s aura darkened. We’re in the way. They want to take over the world. They can’t fully gain control over Jael with us here. We consume the energy in Darkness, lessening its effects on Jaelians.

Humans overseas live in constant terror, Niah said. The Walls of Darkness play with people’s minds. The power turned plants and animals into flesh-eating monsters. It turned a few humans into something worse. The sun shines for only a short period at the end of the day. You begin to dread it. Niah shook her head.

Divine had no way of knowing. He barely knew what was going on in other regions. He didn’t receive news from overseas. What was going to happen to Jael?

Bel took several deep breaths. His aura moved again. His normal colors returned. The deep red remained.

We will talk more about this later, Bel said. I can’t think now, but answer this—are we in danger?

We don’t know. Niah tipped her head.

A sickening feeling sat at the bottom of Divine’s stomach. Were they in more trouble? The Brielle, ravenous monsters who fed on dark emotions, were still after them. Divine was protected under Bel’s shields. The rest of their family weren’t so lucky. They were alive and whole, at least.

Who are the new masters of Darkness? Divine asked

Niah stretched her arms in front of her. In the past, all Lifeblood beings owned the Darkness. All we had to do was ask and it opened itself us, freely giving us its power. Now, something else controls it. We call them the new masters but we don’t know who they are. Darkness is the body. They’ve become the minds. Niah rocked her head. That’s not entirely accurate. Darkness has a mind and body but it’s like a child. It only does what it’s told.

Divine knew Darkness was alive but he never thought of that way, as a child who only did what it was told. It made senses. Now that powerful child was being controlled by a group of unknown, terrible people.

Bel, Niah continued, you’ll need to go to Bleak’s house at some point. Her notes said the shield around her property should last forever without her help. We’d like to add our power to it just in case.

Bel nodded. I’m expecting the rest of my family to arrive soon. After that, I’ll go to her house. Bel shook his head. She wasn’t supposed to leave.

No, she wasn’t. Vayle said.

Vayle met Niah’s eyes. She nodded. Divine frowned at them. What were they up to?

We allowed you to keep your past a secret, Bel, because we knew you were focused on building a life for your lost family. Since they are on the way, you will tell us what happened? Why is your family’s power broken?

Bel’s face became a mask.

Why did they think Bel would tell them what they wanted to know? They were nobody. They had no right to make such a demand.

We were taken from our birth parents and experimented on as children. Part of this experiment took place in a town called Silhouette where the barrier hiding the town also kept us weak. Bel said. "We were first brought there by the Prysns who hated our parents. We lived there for eleven years. One day, Divine and my sister, Aliceanna were injured. They disappeared before I could find them. I learned years later that our birth parents healed them and took them to live with trusted Lifeblood beings in human-run cities. When I found Divine and Aliceanna years later, they were children again.

They didn’t remember anything about Silhouette. Last year, Divine and three other people—including my little sister, were imprisoned in Silhouette again by the Brielle seeking to break their minds so they could wear them like a skin. It worked, for a while. Divine and my sister escaped. Not without consequences.

Divine wanted to kill him. Bel never let anyone tell him what to do.

My brother met Divine and his half-brother years ago, I think. Vayle tapped his chin, frowning. Neither he nor Bleak mentioned anything odd about their powers other than they had too much of it. We’ll leave the first nine years of your lives alone since that’s when my brother met you. Bel, we can also assume you were with your family until you were fourteen. You spent eleven years in this Silhouette place. From the age line in your aura, Divine, you are about to turn sixty. That would mean you’re missing about thirty years.

A ringing lived in Divine’s ears.

You knew us when we were children? Divine asked.

Vayle winced.

I didn’t. My brother met you and talked with your mom. He said she was…memorable.

But, we were happy? Divine asked.

The hardness in Vayle’s expression washed away.

You were playing with your brother, Rayne Stelwart.

Rayne Stelwart, Divine repeated.

A hand brushed his head. His skull burned. Divine jerked away.

Niah dropped her hand. Shade said you didn’t like being touched. Must’ve gotten that from your parents.

Vayle frowned. My brother mentioned something about that too. When he saw Divine, he said your mom touched your hair and you didn’t like it.

It wasn’t his fault. Divine didn’t make himself dislike the feel of another person’s skin. It wasn’t all in his head. He was that way as a child.

Niah chuckled. Looks like someone’s no longer angry.

He still didn’t like them.

I’ve been thinking about those thirty years, Bel said. I don’t know for sure but it is possible the Prysns kept us unconscious while they experimented on us. Then they moved us to Silhouette for further testing.

You don’t remember anything? Niah asked.

Bel shook his head.

Divine shivered. He didn’t enjoy thinking about all the things the Prysns did to his body without his knowledge.

You don’t find it strange that they grew up twice? Bel asked slowly.

You should know better, Vayle responded.

Vayle liked asking questions. He didn’t like answering them. That wasn’t fair.

What’s your theory on that? Niah asked.

Bel leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. The power in our body is the reason we age slowly. If we overeat Lifeblood, we could, in theory, reverse our age. Silhouette starved us. Their Lifeblood was famished. I took me years to recover. I think for Kaige and I, our bodies stopped aging for a couple of years but I can’t confirm that.

Niah leapt over the back of the couch. What was that about?

Fingers dug into Divine’s collar, dragging him to his feet.

Have you lost your mind? Divine shouted.

Vayle pulled Divine towards the kitchen.

What are you doing? he asked.

Divine dug in his heels. It didn’t do anything. He tried prying Vayle’s fingers off of him. Vayle’s hand felt like iron bars. What was this male made of? Why weren’t Niah and Bel saying anything?

Vayle kicked open the hatch leading to Bel’s underground cavern. He dropped Divine down the hole.

Damn the Darkness.

Divine landed on his feet. Vayle, Bel and Niah followed. Yellow balls of light sat on torches perched on the wall.

Divine was not someone to be dragged around no matter how powerful Vayle was.

He jumped back. Everyone needed to stop pushing him around. He finally found some semblance of control over his own life. This beast arrived and attempted to shatter it. Divine would not allow things to go Vayle’s way.

Bel and Niah headed for the far side of the cavern. Vayle stayed where he landed.

You have too much power to not know how to control it. Your Lifeblood leaks out. It makes my skin itch. You need to get control over it.

Vayle was not his superior. Divine would put him in his place.

I can’t practice with my power. Josephine and Aliceanna are taking most of it.

The repaired connections gave Josephine and Aliceanna access to Divine’s power. Their Lifeblood wouldn’t stop eating his. Divine was tired all the time because of them.

I know. Vayle said. That’s no excuse to let it run wild. Bel is the only reason you haven’t killed any humans.

The air burned the back of Divine’s throat.

Divine lived with Bel for almost a year, why didn’t he say anything. He grew up with humans and never had any problems.

Defend yourself if you don’t want to die, Vayle said.

Divine’s skin tingled. He felt Vayle’s power in his teeth.

Biting pain spread from his wrist. It clawed up his arm. Damn the Darkness, it felt like he was being eaten. He ground his teeth. He wouldn’t give Vayle the satisfaction. He shot Lifeblood out of his arm. The biting stopped.

Divine created a glowing blue orb in his hand. Vayle didn’t have the right to bully him.

The orb vanished.

He created it. Hadn’t he?

Divine conjuring it again.

It vanished.

That’s not your Nanta, Vayle said.

Sharp pain slashed through Divine’s chest. He was on his back. How did he get on the floor? His head throbbed. Divine rubbed his chest. No hole. Why did it feel like Vayle cut out his heart?

He needed to move.

Vayle stood over him.

Damn the Darkness, why couldn’t he get his body to move?

Vayle’s fist slammed into his stomach. His punch felt like knives.

He had to beat the blood out of Vayle.

Divine rolled over and jumped to his feet. He leapt back, putting some distance between himself and Vayle.

Divine’s orbs wouldn’t work. He couldn’t use weapons or bombs. His weapons always shattered when hit. He couldn’t transform his body like his sister. What good was he?

He charged. Vayle’s power was invisible. Divine imagined every aspect of the garden in Silhouette—ironically the only place that left him feeling at ease. Josephine was there too; sitting behind him. In the time it took to blink once, Divine experienced the garden with all five of his senses. He opened his eyes. The world became colors. Imagining that garden opened his senses. He saw only auras now. Vayle was a flaring mass of colors on the other side of the cavern. Reds and oranges exploded across his aura.

A swarm of moving black sand hurled towards Divine.

It flew at blinding speed. Divine lunged right. The biting power nearly took off his head. He lost his balance. His feet wouldn’t find solid ground. The swarm was coming back. Divine threw out his back leg and ducked. The swarm missed his head, again.

Divine charged again. Vayle never advanced whenever Divine jumped back. Vayle was faster and more powerful. There was no reason for him to keep his distance unless he didn’t enjoy close combat. Divine kept dodging the attacking swarm. He needed to get closer.

A despicable laugh filled the cavern. What an insidious sound. He needed to make Vayle scream.

You think I don’t know my own weakness child.

Divine wanted to grab the last word and stuff it down Vayle’s throat.

He rushed forward. He needed to be faster. The swarm dove around him. At each attack, Divine got better at staying on his feet.

He could go faster.

Divine was closing the distance. Vayle’s bitting power couldn’t keep up with him.

Another swarm erupted from nowhere. Divine stopped and jumped back. The bastard could create another swarm. Why did he assume Vayle could only control one?

Yes, why did you?

Divine wanted to strangle Vayle with his own arrogance.

Now, there were two flesh eating hoards. Then three and four. Vayle was showing off now.

They shredded the flesh on Divine’s leg, his arm. Blood pooled around his feet. He couldn’t dodge as fast.

Enough. Divine blinked away his enhanced vision. The world returned to normal.

Divine jumped. He commanded the shadows to build a platform in mid-air.

When they lived in Silhouette, Bel always commented on how Divine and Aliceanna had unusual control over physical Darkness. It seemed to like them better.

Divine lost sight of Vayle’s swarm once he turned off his enhanced vision. The attacks were invisible. The power smelled like inhaling fire. The scent became worse the closer the swarm got. Vayle’s attacks turned the air into a visible wave.

Divine’s platform shattered, dropping him into Vayle’s swarm. Divine created another small floor. He landed. The dark power was on him. He needed to change directions.

He held up his hand to the invisible mass. Divine released a burst of raw power. The swarm parted. His floor of Darkness crumpled. He needed a solid stand. This time he would make one.

The platform held. The swarm rushed towards him. Divine jumped. He created more floors of Darkness as he raced around the room to avoid Vayle’s attacks.

Damn the Darkness, this was the worst position he could be in.

The hoard shot straight up. It crashed into the ceiling. Rocks as big as his hand rained down on Divine. He dodged. Another stream of biting power chased Divine around the room. Rocks broke on his head and shoulders. They crashed through his shadow floor, sending him tumbling down. Vayle’s power tried to eat through Divine’s skin.

Vayle snorted. Lafeyette said you were born from one of the first Sciell. I’m not impressed.

Divine slammed into a shadow floor he didn’t remember creating. This beast insulted his father.

Enough.

He stood. The wave ignited his skin. Vayle’s power charge from all sides. Divine held up his palm. Lifeblood was connected to the person’s inner Darkness. Could Divine control someone else’s Lifeblood?

He would control it. No more running.

He erected an invisible bubble shield over him. It stopped the falling rocks from breaking his concentration. His vision kept going dark. Divine’s limbs felt like empty bags. With Josephine and Aliceanna taking his power, Divine didn’t have enough to deal with Vayle.

Divine focused. He didn’t care what he had to do. He was not losing to this beast.

Find that monster’s Darkness. He would make it submit. Divine felt his power struggle. Vayle conquered his Darkness.

This male abandoned his sister.

Found it. The wave stopped. Divine bent his arms, pulling his palm closer to his body. The swarm moved with him. He threw his palm forward. The sward hurled towards Vayle.

Vayle caught the power and threw it back.

The lights around the cavern created shadows. One sat behind Vayle. Divine held one palm up to stop the hurling attack. He lifted his other hand. The shadow behind Vayle shivered. Divine pictured a sword. The shadow became a black blade. It lurched forward. Vayle dodge.

He wouldn’t get away. The shadows belonged to Divine.

He threw Vayle’s power at him. Divine raced around the room, creating more platforms as he did. He needed a better vantage point. He needed to see every shadow.

Good, Vayle said.

Vayle’s hair was wild. His teeth were so sharp and long Vayle couldn’t close his mouth. His green eyes were silver.

Divine roared. He would kill this animal.

His power smashed into the ceiling, raining boulder sized rocks down on Vayle. The swarm disappeared.

Vayle jumped. Divine’s power attacked without being ordered to. Vayle collapsed into Darkness.

Fool. Divine owned the shadows.

He couldn’t sense Vayle. He didn’t need to. His power would find him.

Blinding pain ripped through Divine’s center.

His platform disappeared. He fell.

He used too much power.

He couldn’t move.

He sped towards the ground.

His lungs where shrinking. Divine needed to do something.

He stopped. It felt like he was sitting on sand. He couldn’t see anything under him. The sand put him down. Divine’s legs wouldn’t stop trembling. He needed to stay on his feet. Vayle was still alive.

Vayle crouched in front him. He looked normal again only he was smiling.

You can rest now.

Why did those word sooth his resistance? Divine dropped to the ground. Vayle wasn’t out of breath.

I see why your power always leeks out. Vayle said. It wants to be used. As Sciell, we have relationships with our power. Your bond with your Lifeblood seems unusually strong. Interesting. Bleak would’ve loved to study you.

A warmth spread across Divine’s chest. He liked Vayle being kind to him. Divine shouldn’t care so much. Vayle had been nothing but mean to him. He wasn’t supposed to care.

You remind me of myself when I was younger. Only you’re far more logical than I was. I’m not saying it’s a good thing.

Divine didn’t know Vayle was capable of being nice.

Niah pulled Vayle’s hair turning his face up. She kissed his forehead.

You should see him around Shade. He turns to cotton.

Vayle dragged his hand across his forehead. He scowled. Don’t contaminate me with your diseased lips.

Niah kissed his again.

The sight of you makes my bones burn. She released his hair.

They were insane.

Bel walked over. What do you think? I can’t figure out his Nanta. I barely understand his power.

I think his Lifeblood is his Nanta, Vayle said.

Divine was too tired to ask Vayle to explain. Divine always assumed his Nanta, his special ability, was the orbs he tried creating. Bel was the only one to ever destroy them so easily.

What do you mean? Bel asked.

Our Fykas, those pulsing gates inside our bodies, molded our power a certain way. We pass Lifeblood through those gates to form our Nanta. Divine’s Lifeblood didn’t move. I think It talked to the Darkness. He can temporarily own Darkness without being attached to It. He’s similar to its new masters, Vayle said.

How is that different from what we do? Niah asked tapping her chin. We mold Darkness around our power to make our attacks and weapons visible.

But, it’s not as easy as it used to be. The weapons lose their physical form if we use them for too long. Also, our Lifeblood forces the Darkness, making it do what we want it to do. Divine didn’t need use force. He asked. It answered. Vayle sighed. We used to be partners with Darkness. It always acted like a brat but, in the past, it listened to us in the end. Divine’s ability concerns me. Our Lifeblood only listens to us and those we’re connected to yet Divine was able to control mine. Does this mean the masters of Darkness can take over our powers?

How is this a new concern? Niah asked. The Darkness possessed Phoenix Tahylur and forced him to attach Bleak, his sister.

Let’s talk about this later. Bel’s face and aura turned white.

Niah shrugged. Divine’s power is frustrating. There’s a good chance the way we define Nanta is wrong. As far as I know, Bel, Kaige and Bleak are the only ones who studied our power extensively and only in the past fifty years. We still don’t know so much. We can only speculate why we now see auras and hear others’ thoughts. I don’t understand Divine’s power.

Bel looked at his feet, biting his lip. His aura became agitated. Divine didn’t like how meek Bel acted around Vayle and Niah.

Niah turned to him. What?

Bel wouldn’t meet her eyes. This wasn’t like him.

Vayle stood. Speak or I’ll drag it out of you.

That male had too many personalities. Which one was the real Vayle?

Pernicious Vanguard, my dad, researched Lifeblood beings, Sciell and Miners, without resorting to kidnapping and torture the way the Prysns did.

Niah’s eyes narrowed. How could you possibly know that?

I told you I found Divine and Aliceanna with new guardians after they disappeared from Silhouette, Bel said. Only one guardian is human. The other is Bria-touched. They have Lifeblood in them but they can’t do anything with the energy. They age slower and are physically stronger like the rest of us. They were good friends with Pernicious for almost a hundred years. I talked to them about my dad.

I’m about to say something and it will hurt, Vayle said.

Bel bowed his head. Our parents are probably dead.

Bel’s aura turned black. Divine didn’t believe it. He wouldn’t believe it until he saw his parents’ bodies.

Your parents are powerful. It is impossible for them to hide from us, Vayle said.

This was nonsense. Bel was giving up. Divine didn’t need to listen to this. He stood. A hand dragged him down.

Don’t be a brat, Vayle stood over him. If you disagree, speak your mind. Don’t go running off like some child.

Divine would enjoy breaking Vayle’s baseless logic.

How long have you been traveling across Jael? Divine asked.

Vayle rolled his eyes. What in the name of Darkness does that have to do with anything?

Over forty years, Niah answered.

Have you ever crossed the Aldric Abyss?

Vayle’s mouth opened. He closed it into a smile. That wasn’t the reaction Divine wanted.

We have.

This wasn’t fun anymore.

We…well, four Sciell and two Miners, lived in a town hidden in the middle of the Abyss and you never sensed us. Our parents could be trapped under a similar barrier.

Vayle slapped Divine’s back. You’re fun. You say trapped as if you know only prison would keep your parents from you.

Divine didn’t like how much Vayle’s compliments meant to him. He was supposed to hate Vayle.

Niah draped her arm around Divine’s shoulder. He was getting used to them touching him. Took no time at all. His skin burned. He didn’t feel a violent desire to cut off her arm.

Vayle doesn’t say nice things. You should save that and use it on him later. He’ll hate it.

Vayle threw her off Divine.

Why don’t you take a nice long bath in a tub of poisonous spiders?

See, what I tell you. Niah winked.

A familiar scent pulled Divine from his sleep. He stayed in bed, frozen and torn. If this year taught him anything, Josephine, Blae and Aliceanna had far too much control over him.

Divine, I can hear you thinking. Get your butt down here.

Divine got out of bed. It was too early for all this shouting. His little sister was two floors down. Aliceanna sounded like she screamed in his ear. His head was pounding.

Divine. If you don’t get your lazy behind down here, I’m coming up there.

Why did she have to be so loud?

They were in the living room. Bel paced.

Blae Carlton, Josephine and Bel’s little brother, leaned on the repaired kitchen border. Aliceanna looked everywhere then she frowned up at Divine.

Bright flowing colors in both of their auras expressed joy. Cutting into that brightness was a stagnant and thick red line with serrated edges as if it was cutting open their souls. It reminded Divine of barbed wire.

Blae was thinner—his cheek sunken in. His dark yellow skin wasn’t a vibrant. A new Darkness lived in those blue eyes. Aliceanna was no better. She lost most of the curves she was so proud of. Her hair was matted and dry. Her brown skin-ashen. She smelled like sex. That reek came from overindulgence. What did Aliceanna do?

Blae sniffed the air.

Who does this aggressive power belong to? We smelled it in town but it’s concentrated here. I thought it was Divine’s, but it’s worse.

We had guests. They left yesterday, Divine said.

That was unnecessarily vague, Aliceanna said.

Divine said it that way because he didn’t want to explain what those things were.

They’re Vayle Slaughter and Niah Weems. They’re like us only stronger, Bel clarified.

Oh, Del’Praeli. Tkeea mentioned them, Aliceanna mumbled. Glad I missed them.

Divine would’ve enjoyed watching Vayle and Aliceanna exchange insults.

Bel grunted. That’s why you smell like Marion and Tkeea.

Who’s Marion and Tkeea? Divine asked.

He was being left out and didn’t enjoy it.

Shade’s parents, Bel said.

He wanted to know more about Shade’ parents. Did arrogance run in the family? Vayle and Shade weren’t blood. Divine saw a lot of similarities between them, too many for them to not have some blood relation. Too many questions. None were important at the moment.

Aliceanna walked to Divine and kissed his cheek.

Divine stepped back, rubbing his itching skin with the back of his hand.

Thank you, she said.

He didn’t trust himself to speak.

Do you remember that connection you strengthen?

He couldn’t remember anything outside of his burning cheek. Damn the Darkness, why did physical contact affect him like this?

It wasn’t yours, so who do you think it belonged to?

His burning check didn’t matter. When the Brielle severed their connections in Silhouette, Divine’s only thought had been keeping one string from being destroyed. Blae and Josephine’s lives depended on it. Securing Aliceanna’s connection had been an afterthought.

You talked to our brother, he said.

The connections allowed them to create a physical version of themselves inside another’s mind. They could talk to each other without being in the same region or province.

His name is Rayne Stelwart and even after all these years, he still looks up to you.

Divine needed a couch. It was too far away. He sat on the stairs. Bel, Vayle, Niah and now Aliceanna confirmed what he believed. At one point, they had a family that loved them.

Divine and Aliceanna knew they were related by the similar scents in their blood and power. No, it was more instinctive. They felt they were siblings.

Our parents didn’t abandon us, Divine whispered.

Aliceanna kept talking. Divine was only half listening. He rode his connection to look inside Aliceanna’s memories, to see their brother. The red eyes must come from the parent they share. What would life have been like if they weren’t separated those many years ago; if he, Rayne and Aliceanna grew up together?

A name pulled Divine out of his mind.

Prysn? he asked

Aliceanna nodded. Rayne said the Prysns were the reason we were separated from our family. Not Kaige. Come to think of it, I now feel bad for him. His parents messed with his memory.

Divine didn’t have the capacity to care for Kaige one way or the other.

Aliceanna’s aura glowed the more she talked about Rayne. Closing his eyes, Divine dove into his mind— the maze of off-white walls with doors that opened to memories. He hadn’t done this in months. Holes opened the walls and ceiling. They repaired before his eyes. Having his connection cut damaged his mind. Nothing permanent. Maybe Josephine would return to him unchanged.

Thin silver strings ran across the ceiling. Divine reached for the weakest —his connection with Rayne. He turned his mind/body into light and rode the string to find his brother. Divine ran into a nasty barrier. It prevented him from communicating with his brother.

What is that barrier? He didn’t put it up, did he? Aliceanna’s voice came through his mind.

Divine tasted the power. When he rode the connection for the first time a year ago, he caught a whiff of Rayne’s power. It was as violent and volatile as his own. It wasn’t as ugly as the barrier.

Divine left his mind. He opened his eyes and shook his head.

Some outside force is blocking us, Aliceanna said.

Why?

Aliceanna shrugged. They don’t want us talking to him.

So, Blae interrupted, How’s Royal? I see she’s not here

Divine didn’t want to answer this question. Bel wasn’t going to.

Josephine was trapped in her own mind while being attacked by hundreds of creatures. Divine started. She fought them all off. A poison from Silhouette caused her power to go out of control. It attacked her. Her core called me. My power cleaned out all the filth. Last I checked, she was still healing. I decided to leave her mind alone and let her rest.

Blae nodded. From his paled expression, he went through the same thing. Aliceanna was thinking about what happened to her. It screamed at Divine. He couldn’t help but watch as her power attacked the unconscious Blae. The poison caused Aliceanna and Josephine’s power to go out of control. What about Blae? Divine didn’t see anything in Aliceanna’s memory. If Aliceanna, Josephine and Bel were poisoned, Divine had been as well. Maybe it needed time to work through his system. He never thought he’d need Kaige Prysn, the bastard. Blae didn’t need to go through any more pain.

Divine met Bel’s eyes. He saw same concern in the older male’s expression. Divine blocked his thoughts from Aliceanna. Was Divine a danger to his family? Would the poison force him to attack them?

We share a dad. Rayne didn’t seem to care for my mother, Aliceanna said. Apparently, you two had a nickname for her that he was reluctant to say in front of me.

Divine suddenly felt alone and unloved. Hatred was strong. He’d never despised anyone so much in his life.

Dad was an idiot for bonding with that Red Witch, Divine mumbled

Where did that come from?

Emotions are one of the keys to lost memories, Bel said folding his arms. If the emotion is strong enough, it can dig up anything from any depth.

But, Aliceanna said in a small voice, you don’t show that much anger to anyone unless they did something horrible of you. Rayne struck me as mild tempered as well.

Divine never considered himself mild-tempered. Compared to Aliceanna and Josephine, he was a sweet puppy.

Aliceanna was upset and confused that the two people she admired thought so little of her mother. He wanted to ease her distress. He didn’t trust himself. It would be best not to speak until those fiery emotions stopped eating away at his self-control.

Divine tipped his head to Bel.

What else did you and Rayne talk about? Bel asked her.

She started uncertain. She talked because Bel asked her a question. Her voice grew more passionate and her aura rose out of the storm clouds the deeper she got into the story. Blae’s core fed off her light. Soon the living room glowed. Divine could no longer dwell on the negative. Half his family was back and he knew more about his past.

It had been almost a year since Divine thought about his missing memories. They weighed on him now. He wanted to remember the family that loved him and the little brother who used to be his best friend.

What about his human guardians, the Mathews? Would getting his memories back erase his life with them?

The unknown childhood sat like a mountain on his shoulders.

Rayne Stelwart lived in Bleak’s library. He never appreciated how many books she owned— most of which were her handwritten journals with research notes. Her bad handwriting made some pages almost illegible. He sometimes read journal entries repeatedly—not to find more meaning behind the note. Bleak’s voice rose off the pages. With her scent everywhere, it felt like she was sitting across from him, reading.

She was supposed to be here. She wasn’t supposed to leave him.

Bleak’s research on connections didn’t help him with his current problem. He tried contacting Aliceanna through their connection. He kept running into a wall. His sister’s power was blocking him. Rayne didn’t put that wall there. An outsider couldn’t touch his connections.

Rayne needed to find his siblings. He’d need to talk to humans in Middle Jael. Bleak created a map with all known communities. Rayne avoided that nightmare. There had to be another way.

What now? This trip to Bleak’s house gave him the chance to leave Granddad’s prison…second home and travel with Mom. This was the longest he’d been away from home in fifty years. He finally got the opportunity to meet two of the Del’Praeli Bleak talked about. Lafeyette Slaughter was pleasant when he wasn’t attacking Rayne. Shade Harralite took some getting used to. She liked to cling to Rayne no matter how many times he told her he hated being touched.

Rayne’s skin tingled. He kept glancing at the library’s door. He’d been staying in Bleak’s house a little over a month. Every time he escaped to the library, Shade followed. She’d pester him until he was too annoyed to work. Lafeyette would then charge in berating her for being a nuisance.

Years ago, Rayne once complained about being alone. Now, two people refused him a moment’s peace. He didn’t know how to feel about it. The house was immense, yet he couldn’t find a corner where a Del’Praeli’s nose didn’t find him.

Mom was no help. She let it slip that Rayne practiced sword fighting since he was ten. Now, both Shade and Lafeyette dragged him outside every day to spar. They wanted to train when he was busy. His protests meant nothing. Unfortunately, fighting them was fun. They forced him to get creative with his power to defeat them.

Lafeyette liked to throw attacks without notice, even when they were chatting in the living room. Dodging them was impossible. Rayne needed to sense the attack and counter before it hit. Most of his attempts failed. Lafeyette’s damn arrows made him sick for days.

Shade barged into the library.

How long do you intend to stay here? Rayne asked

She wrapped her arms around her neck, which put his head between her large breasts. Shade forgot the size of her chest and its effects on males. Lafeyette was far too protective of her. Rayne often found his eyes straying to her chest only to feel Lafeyette’s death glare at his back. Unfortunately, Shade was stronger than Rayne.

He struggled. All it did was tuck his head further between her breasts. Maybe she did it on purpose. He wouldn’t put it past her.

You’d think you didn’t like me, she said.

Please let me go.

You have remarkable self-control. You want to hurt me. I never met anyone allergic to physical contact. The Stelwarts are fascinating.

Fascinating?

That wasn’t a word she used. More like something Lafeyette would say when he was being sarcastic.

She liked to throw it in his face that she traveled with Divine not too long ago.

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