The Thought Keepers: Ability

Chapter 25: The Prison of Light

When I appeared in my bedroom, I didn't expect to be greeted by the Unnormal Guard.

My uncle's murderer was nowhere to be seen. Instead a small unit of soldiers in white iridescent tactical gear surrounded me. 

They bared weapons made from glistening white gemstone; clear quartz and moonstone, chalcedony and opal. I had never seen such bright crystals weaponized before, so staring down the glinting tip of a pearl sword was kind of surreal.

"Can we talk about this?" I said carefully, eyes crossing in an effort to examine the blade pressed against my jugular. The woman holding it was short and mighty, wearing iridescent glasses that obscured her eyes and reflected diamond light into mine. Her lips pressed together as I spoke, as the blade edged that bit closer to cutting off my voice entirely. 

"Talk about what?" The sea of white parted as Marie emerged wearing a pearlescent uniform that shimmered like liquid soap catching light, along with matching opal combat boots that shined with tiny speckles of green and blue. "Talk about how you attacked the Helios Supreme? Or how you traveled to Tenebris without authorization?"

"I was summoned by the Queen," I explained, but Marie just wasn't having it. She twirled a small clear quartz dagger between her manicured fingers, looking as if she were contemplating taking someone's eye out with it. That someone being me. 

"And did the Queen tell you to use shadow powers on our crowned leader? Did she ask you to violate the Unnormal Code?" Marie asked in a tone that clearly said, I already know the answer. 

"Shadow powers," I echoed with unblinking eyes. "You mean these?"

A wave of my hand was enough to freeze everyone in the room. I didn't think; I just felt it with my entire being. And then somehow, it actually happened. 

"So, that's what Celia meant by relying on instinct," I marvelled. In my time with her at the Moon Library, she had drilled instinct into me over and over, making me forget conscious things like caution and reason. Shades relied on emotions to access their darkness, the complete opposite of Unnormals. I had to stop thinking, and just feel anger at being cornered, at being completely misunderstood and treated like a criminal. And most of all, anger for my uncle's unjust death. 

I circled Jade's mother, grinning like the cat that got the cream as I inspected her still form, knife dangling precariously between her fingers. Marie was basically just an older version of Jade, except for the hardness in the set of her brow and the tiredness in her eyes. She always looked mean, like frowning came more naturally to her than anything else. Marie didn't move even as I touched her iridescent shoulder, so I figured my powers worked well enough.

I moved through the room, inspecting the variety of pearlescent weapons. They were truly impressive. Some had a slight curve to them, while others appeared straight and thin, more like needles than swords. But all of the crystals had a tiny set of cursive words etched into the hilt: lux in tenebris. And at the very bottom of those words was a small, rounded gemstone that glowed like a star. 

Carefully, I loosened the small but fierce Guard's fingers from around her pearl sword. I took off her too-bright shades and stared into her frozen blue eyes, waiting for a blink or a twitch- literally anything to indicate that my hold on her was weakening. Nothing happened. 

"Nice," I said as I weighed the slightly curved blade in my hands. I half-expected it to burn me, like an angel sword might burn a demon. But Shades weren't really demons- and Unnormals were definitely not angels.

I tried calling Carson, now even more worried about the aftermath of my actions against the Helios Supreme. But of course, neither he nor Jade were picking up. I could only hope they hadn't been detained while I was gone.