Read Online A Time of Darkness (The Circle of Talia) by Dionne Lister - Free Book Online
Authors: Dionne Lister
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than expected. Over the years, he had rehearsed his answer and decided the direct approach would be the best. “Yes.”
Bronwyn had halted, staring at Blayke. Sinjenasta stood beside Bronwyn’s horse. Fang climbed onto Blayke’s shoulder and rubbed the top of his furry head against his partner’s neck in a gesture of support.
Bronwyn looked at Blayke with a new perspective, and she cursed herself for being so caught up in her own dramas that she never noticed the similarities. Although he had green eyes and was taller than her, their features were similar, even the way he held his head while waiting for an answer, as he did now, slightly to one side. Zebla’s hounds! Are we really related? How are we? Is he, is he, oh gods! The words rushed out of her mouth, “Arcon, tell us. Who are we?”
She had waited a lifetime for an answer, and her heart beat faster in anticipation. So many nights she had fallen asleep imagining what her mother and father looked like. Did she have sist ers or brothers? Then something other than joy intruded, something she hadn’t anticipated: fear. Was she ready? Would she like who her family was, or were they murderers, greedy, or horrible?
“All right, but don’t fall off your horses, or run away. Before I tell you, I need your promise to try and understand why we couldn’t tell you.” Both nodded, willing to promise anything to know part of who they were. “You are brother and sister: twins, in fact.” The news was met with a sharp intake of breath from all but Sinjenasta and Phantom.
It surprised Arcon that a weight lifted as he spoke. He had never enjoyed keeping secrets—they eroded inner peace, especially when the information had the potential to hurt those you loved. So many times he had opened his mouth and almost said something without meaning to. Now he didn’t have to worry. There it was.
The two young realmists sat atop their horses, mouths open. Bronwyn’s reins lay forgotten across her horse’s neck. Blayke stared at Arcon, not knowing where to begin. He reached up and absently stroked Fang’s back. Finally, he broke the silence. “Why were we separated? Why did it have to be a secret?”
“The Circle knew you were important for Talia’s future, and we couldn’t risk anyone knowing you were alive. If someone did find out, we thought separating you would mean if worst came to worst, at least one of you would survive. We took you from your parents as soon as you were born. Your mother held you, and, when you were taken away to be cleaned up and settled, we told them you’d died.”
Bronwyn’s voice grew louder with each frantic question. “Surely they asked to see the bodies? And what about Avruellen? You kidnapped us! Who are our parents? Are they still alive?”
She thought of all the questions her aunt had fobbed off over the years. She was angry she had not sometimes asked what was in her heart in order to spare her aunt’s feelings, when it seemed, now, her aunt had no feelings to worry about in the first place. When Bronwyn looked at her brother—her twin brother, no less—she saw a friend she was only just getting to know: they were practically strangers, so much time lost. Bronwyn had always felt something was missing, and now she knew what it was.
Arcon spoke with a gentle voice. “We put you to sleep with power from the Second Realm to make you both still and quiet. We slowed your heartbeats until they couldn’t be felt and gave your skin a blue tinge. I also had to tamper with your parents’ minds so they easily accepted what we told them. I’m sorry we had to do it that way, but if we hadn’t, there would be a good chance you would have been killed for real. At least this way, you will see your parents again.”
He mentally kicked himself at the last, because he wasn’t ready to answer questions about who their parents were. They couldn’t be told yet and needed impartiality to do what needed to be done. There would be people who
Bronwyn had halted, staring at Blayke. Sinjenasta stood beside Bronwyn’s horse. Fang climbed onto Blayke’s shoulder and rubbed the top of his furry head against his partner’s neck in a gesture of support.
Bronwyn looked at Blayke with a new perspective, and she cursed herself for being so caught up in her own dramas that she never noticed the similarities. Although he had green eyes and was taller than her, their features were similar, even the way he held his head while waiting for an answer, as he did now, slightly to one side. Zebla’s hounds! Are we really related? How are we? Is he, is he, oh gods! The words rushed out of her mouth, “Arcon, tell us. Who are we?”
She had waited a lifetime for an answer, and her heart beat faster in anticipation. So many nights she had fallen asleep imagining what her mother and father looked like. Did she have sist ers or brothers? Then something other than joy intruded, something she hadn’t anticipated: fear. Was she ready? Would she like who her family was, or were they murderers, greedy, or horrible?
“All right, but don’t fall off your horses, or run away. Before I tell you, I need your promise to try and understand why we couldn’t tell you.” Both nodded, willing to promise anything to know part of who they were. “You are brother and sister: twins, in fact.” The news was met with a sharp intake of breath from all but Sinjenasta and Phantom.
It surprised Arcon that a weight lifted as he spoke. He had never enjoyed keeping secrets—they eroded inner peace, especially when the information had the potential to hurt those you loved. So many times he had opened his mouth and almost said something without meaning to. Now he didn’t have to worry. There it was.
The two young realmists sat atop their horses, mouths open. Bronwyn’s reins lay forgotten across her horse’s neck. Blayke stared at Arcon, not knowing where to begin. He reached up and absently stroked Fang’s back. Finally, he broke the silence. “Why were we separated? Why did it have to be a secret?”
“The Circle knew you were important for Talia’s future, and we couldn’t risk anyone knowing you were alive. If someone did find out, we thought separating you would mean if worst came to worst, at least one of you would survive. We took you from your parents as soon as you were born. Your mother held you, and, when you were taken away to be cleaned up and settled, we told them you’d died.”
Bronwyn’s voice grew louder with each frantic question. “Surely they asked to see the bodies? And what about Avruellen? You kidnapped us! Who are our parents? Are they still alive?”
She thought of all the questions her aunt had fobbed off over the years. She was angry she had not sometimes asked what was in her heart in order to spare her aunt’s feelings, when it seemed, now, her aunt had no feelings to worry about in the first place. When Bronwyn looked at her brother—her twin brother, no less—she saw a friend she was only just getting to know: they were practically strangers, so much time lost. Bronwyn had always felt something was missing, and now she knew what it was.
Arcon spoke with a gentle voice. “We put you to sleep with power from the Second Realm to make you both still and quiet. We slowed your heartbeats until they couldn’t be felt and gave your skin a blue tinge. I also had to tamper with your parents’ minds so they easily accepted what we told them. I’m sorry we had to do it that way, but if we hadn’t, there would be a good chance you would have been killed for real. At least this way, you will see your parents again.”
He mentally kicked himself at the last, because he wasn’t ready to answer questions about who their parents were. They couldn’t be told yet and needed impartiality to do what needed to be done. There would be people who
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