The Black Lotus | Vol.1, The Eldenarian Artifacts ✓

10.

The labyrinth of winding halls and wide corridors snaking through the shadowy fortress that was Castle Braexus were uncharacteristically empty. Even during the battle between the Teodorof twins, no one came rushing to address the commotion. Not a single soul emerged from the shadows to come to the aide of their princess—or to kill their prince.

Sebastian found that strange.

After shadowjumping into the portal room, he realized why no one came.

His body seized as he froze in the center of the room, rooted to the black tile as if he had sprouted out the ground like a tree. At least thirty Shades filled the circular, domed-roof room. They stood in five perfect rows of six, not a single foot misplaced, faces pointed toward the archway holding the portal.

And now he was standing right in front of them.

Eyes slowly widening, he inched backward.

They peered at him with curiosity through their silver masks. Murmurs rippled through the small crowd. Their curiosity quickly turned to distrust. Distrust turned to hostility. Vayrirs were summoned. Gargoyles were called down from their perches. The rows broke, magicians pouring forward like black liquid spilling from a shattered potion bottle.

Sebastian cursed.

His father wasn't among them.

He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or afraid. His mind settled on the latter. Dread seized his muscles, his shoulders slumping with defeat.

Am I too late?

Stealing a glance at the portal, he grit his teeth. No, there was still time. Even if Thorian and his small band of Shades had left through the portal, he could still stop them. He had to. The last surviving members of House Lumai depended on him. If he didn't stand up to his father, no one would.

Fighting Amora had sapped more of his energy than he would've liked. Glancing down at the Obscurio, and seeing the black gemstone was dimmer than a faded penny, he wasn't sure how much longer he could count on the artifact to assist him. He scowled at the crowd ahead of him. The duel with his sister had been a warmup.

This was the main event.

For years, he had been studying and training tirelessly—training to become a Shade, a dark magician destined to rule the world in the name of the Order of the Black Lotus. At least, that's what he thought his training was for.

But now he knew what that tiny voice in the back of his head was. He knew what the doubts and the feeling of not belonging in a room full of people who looked just like him were.

He wasn't training to become one of them.

He was training to take them down. Fires couldn't be put out from within the house; only from outside.

The hairs on the back of his neck rose, his narrowed gaze studying the faces of those moments away from striking him down. Rolling his shoulders, he summoned his vayrir with a simple incantation. His fingers tightened around the metal hilt. The cold metal, etched with deep inscriptions of the old language, soothed his warm palms, which tingled with anticipation.

His eyes darted around the room, watching as Shades and gargoyles alike converged on him.

The stone guardians must've alerted them of his treachery during his battle with Amora. It was his only explanation as to why the Shades were so quick to attack. While he was dressed like a civilian, he was still the son of their leader. That had to count for something.

Then again, he was also the thief of their most prized possession.

That surely outweighed his status of prince of House Tenebris.