Obsidian's Reign ¹

∷ Chapter 30 ∷

THROUGH THE CONFUSION evident on both Clara and the angel's face, she somehow managed to discern the words he'd uttered upon their unexpected meeting. She frowned, glancing at Adric—fully expecting to see a look of equal surprise on his face—only to be greeted with one of worry.

Clara shifted her gaze, aware of the angel's approaching form, yet torn between her decision on the predicament. A part of her knew something was not right and it was this that caused her apparent hesitation. She knew Icarus as a friend, a friendly figure at least, who would do no harm, but she could not be certain how the prince would perceive the matter.

Should she drag them both away—giving the angel a chance to escape? But then . . . Why was Icarus so boldly approaching them? And why did the prince appear more worried over her just as she was worried over him when she anticipated an emotion far more horrid?

Unable to grasp the situation any better than before, Clara closed what remained of the distance between the angel and herself, turning her back to the prince in the process.

"Icarus," she whispered beneath her breath, her tone indicative of the tension in the air. "What are you doing here?"

The angel glanced at her as though registering her presence for the first time. The oddity did not go unnoticed and neither was the way Icarus had been staring at the prince from over her shoulder. There was something in his gaze that allowed her to know of the urgency looming over them. But it wasn't just the hint of urgency that alerted her to the unknown, it was how the prince handled the unprecedented situation.

Clara was of the impression that someone as hateful as the prince would have lashed in the negative upon seeing an angel within the premises of the castle. His thirst for violence knew no bounds and she was certain he would take it as an opportunity to douse his hands with the blood of the enemy.

And yet, he remained docile and unmoving behind her.

It was then the impossible seemed almost probable as her brows drew low over her eyes in a furrow. She took a step back from the angel, turning on her side as she surveyed the two between occasional glances.

In a hollowed yet hesitant voice, she asked, "Do you know each other?"

There it was again—the quiet discussion passing between them as they shared an intense look. Silence surrounded them until at long last it was broken by Adric's pointed sigh.

"Yes," he said vaguely, leaving her thoughts racing with sudden questions.

Clara's eyes widened.

"What do you mean—yes?" she asked. Although a part of her had suspected just as much, it was still a difficult concept to grasp.

"We know each other," Adric said.

Clara shifted her attention to the angel who was looking at her with an almost regrettable expression on his face. When neither ventured to say a word henceforth—and with the atmosphere engulfed in tensed awkwardness—she was forced to push the conversation forward; though disgruntled she might have been.

With a heavy sigh, she said, "Will someone please explain to me what's going on? How do you know each other?"

Adric and Icarus shared a look between them, with the latter having the decency to appear somewhat desolate and guilt-ridden for reasons unknown. They stared at each other for an extended period before the prince huffed, seemingly having come to a conclusion.

Turning to Clara, he said, "We're brothers."

It took a moment for her to register his words, staring at the two blankly before she said, "I'm sorry, what?"

Icarus gave her an almost sympathetic smile as he nodded, "He's not lying. We are brothers."

Clara kept her wits about her as best she could, trying to process the given information when she recalled Marek's words a few days prior.

"You're twins," she said, causing the prince to blink in surprise.

"You knew?" he asked.

"I was made aware of the circulating rumours, but I never thought it'd be true."

"We love gossip around the castle, don't we?" Adric said with sarcasm dripping from his tone.

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, to which Icarus merely patted him lightly on the shoulder.

"But how is that possible?" Clara asked.

"What—it's not possible just because we don't look alike?" the prince scoffed. "Are you daft? Haven't you heard of fraternal twins?"

"That's not what I meant," she said, agitated at being called daft so easily by a prince who hardly knew what he was talking about.

"It's just . . . You're a demon," she continued, glancing at the prince before shifting to look at Icarus. "And you're an angel. But you're brothers. So . . . how is that possible?"

Adric turned towards his brother with a raised eyebrow. When Icarus visibly hesitated, the prince shrugged with his hands raised as though to indicate that this was not part of his problem.

With a sheepish smile, Icarus said, "Well, the thing is, Clara, I'm not an angel."

Clara exhaled.

"You're a demon, aren't you?"

He nodded but said nothing else.

"Is that why you couldn't tell me your real name the first time we met?" she asked.

"Though most of what is known of me is largely hearsay, there are a few amongst the demonkind who know of my existence by name. I couldn't risk letting you know of it for fear it might cause a bit of trouble."

"You're causing trouble by being here," Adric said with a sneer. "So—what were you doing? Skulking about the hallways in such an undignified manner?"

"It doesn't matter," he said, brushing off the question with ease.

"You know, you could've at least told me you were visiting."

When Icarus said nothing, the prince pressed, "You were visiting, weren't you?"

"We don't have to talk about this right now, Adric. There are far more important things that need tending to."

"What could be more important than you telling me, your brother, what in the world you're doing here?"

"Clara?" came a voice from down the hallway.

Icarus pointed over his brother's shoulder at the approaching figures from whence the voice had stemmed.

"Well, for starters, the fact that I've been found out by the Elite. Now, should I start running, or would that be a little too much drama for one day?"