Truth and Light

Chapter 16

The new field didn't have wildflowers and bumble bees, it was black and charred and covered in ash and soot. Shadows danced around each other and there were red sconces that floated everywhere. The sconces didn't add light in the normal way people would think of light. They allowed you to see but they also contributed to the shadows.

Just like in the meadow with my father, there was a man. He was just as beautiful as my father, but where my father was golden and light this man was darkness and shadows. His eyes were black, not dark brown, but pure black, no color of any kind showed. He had shiny, straight black hair that whipped around him, blown by an invisible breeze I could neither see nor feel.

His skin was unblemished, reddish-brown. His nose was aquiline with a shiny pitch-black crescent piercing in his septum and his lips were incredibly full. Obsidian paint adorned his skin, and strange patterns were displayed on every inch of his body. He had piercings in his earlobes that matched the one in his nose.

He was strong and savage. He looked like he would fit right into a sweat lodge or teepee. Something about him reminded me of someone but I couldn't place who. It felt like the harder I tried to remember the farther and fuzzier the memory became.

The man smiled at me; his teeth were the only thing on his body that was white.

"Hello, Uncle," I said to him, knowing exactly who he was.

He stepped forward and took my hand. "I see my brother has been to see you." I didn't speak, what did he want from me?

"Can't an uncle want to meet his only niece?" He looked offended. Great, he could read my mind too! When would these people realize it was rude to snoop in other people's thoughts?

"I'm very sorry, niece. I will do my very best not to 'snoop' in the future," he said as he led me to a table. Instead of a simple table with tea and cakes it was quite formal. It was decorated in black and blood red, not a speck of color existed on the table save for those two. There were three place settings, crimson napkins folded like stars sat on plates made from a shiny black glass. Wine glasses and cutlery were also made from the same shiny black glass as the plates. In the center of the table there was a bouquet of pristine red roses with black stems and leaves held by an ornate black vase.

I missed my family back at Illumination and wanted nothing more than to return to them, especially Gabe. I mentally felt for the gold cord that was always with me that connected me to him. It was still there, but instead of being able to follow it back to him it just stopped a few feet from where I entered this place.

"I will return you shortly, Niece. Right now, we have a few things we need to discuss." He pulled out a chair for me and I sat, not wanting to be rude. I would save my rudeness for when I was able to find my way out of here. Until he showed me the way out, I was stuck here.

Uncle grinned.

"I see you have found your Fated and soul bonded. How unfortunate," Uncle said with clear hostility.

I still didn't understand exactly what 'Fated' and 'soul bonded' meant, so I kept my mouth shut.

"I was once soul bonded to your father, my brother, until he decided to spend all his time with the humans." Uncle said humans like it was a dirty word.

"Didn't my father make the humans for you?"

"He did, and then he spent all of his time on them and not with me. He wouldn't even let me play with them!" Whining on a God was not attractive.

"I am not whining! You spoiled little brat," he screamed at me, and I noticed that the marks on his body pulsed. I needed to be careful of my thoughts around him.