Spirit of Shadows

| Chapter Sixteen |

"What?" Em gasped, her gaze flickering to Matthias face. He dropped his hands from around her cheeks and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"I'm a Spirit." He repeated with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

Em wasn't mad...not really but, she was irritated that he had withheld this information from her. Because here Em was, talking about her powers with him and showing him what she was capable of and Matthias just...never let it show. Em was suppose to be the only one who had secrets on this quest.

"Oh..." Em trailed off, trying to put her emotions into check. "What powers do you have?"

Matthias glanced to her and opened his hand to tick off things with his fingers. "Speed, electricity, uh time lapses–"

"Time lapses?"

"Yeah, if I snap my fingers I can freeze time for about two minutes."

"Wow..." Em breathed, mystified. "What can you do with electricity?"

Matthias leaned forward, seeing that Em was more invested in the conversation now. "Lighting storms." He smiled.

"That's amazing!" She concluded.

Matthias nodded his head, his eyes taking on a distant look as if he was remembering something important.

"Yeah, it's pretty neat. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. Like I said, I was afraid about the consequences."

Em understood now that his intentions had been the same as Em's at the time. Of course, her power was revealed as soon as they left the marketplace in Dengov but she was still wary of him that entire time. She didn't know if he'd play it cool and then when she had her back turned, run to the Kings Men with important news. Though, Matthias had done no such thing and he never would.

"It's alright. I understand where you're coming from. Thanks for telling me now though."

Matthias smiled at her and she copied the expression.

"So, should I call you Sparky now?" Em teased.

"Only if I can call you Misty." He shot back with a sly smirk.

Em stuck her tongue out at him and mumbled an "absolutely not". Matthias bursted out into laughter and Em thought she had never heard a sound so infectious.

After a few minutes of laughter and added jokes, Em and Matthias had settled down. Matthias' head rested over his arms which were stretched out and Em was leaning against the headboard.

"Matthias..." She whispered, trying to catch his attention. His eyes were closed but his breathing was still too fast to be asleep.

"Hmm?"

"I have a confession to make." Em said, swallowing with guilt.

Matthias peeked a rich-blue eye open and then another. Sensing that this was something important, he sat up, copying Em's position against the headboard.

"Yeah?" He asked, urging her to speak.

"I'm not here in Mistshore just for your sister..."

Matthias was silent for a moment before answering slowly, "You're not?"

"No. I'm also here to find my birth parents."

Matthias sat up straight, his mouth pressed into a flat line as he thought hard about her words. Just before he spoke, he shook his head. "Em, I don't mean to sound rude but how–how are you going to find your birth parents here?"