A Breeding Darkness (Complete)

(6)

Koshmar's gaze bore into Lucy until she felt like she was a worm wriggling under a rock. She desperately wanted to know what he was thinking, but she read nothing in his arctic eyes.

"Miss Shubin, is it? Please come closer."

Lucy hesitated, but Saul pressed his elbow into her ribs and forced her to jump forward. Saul mouthed at her to behave, and the other Dreamwalkers stared with faces both annoyed and relieved that it wasn't them being inspected by the royal adviser.

"When did you notice this darkness in Zerkalo?" He didn't look at her as he spoke. Instead, he swiped a brush across the scroll in front of him, writing down orders or records or any number of things Lucy wouldn't understand.

"Two months ago. Just before Prince Joon disappeared."

Koshmar's jaw twitched slightly, but otherwise he didn't not seem to even hear her. A moment passed, and he glanced up. "Why did you come to the palace to report it? We cannot enter the dream world. What happens there should surely be taken care of by Dreamwalkers?"

Lucy didn't want to tell him how the others had laughed at her when she told them of the darkness. Of course, they'd seen it creeping across her field, but the dream world could be strange and unpredictable. They'd all said it would pass soon enough, but it only grew larger, until Lucy felt she had to find someone who had the power to do something about it. Even though she knew Prince Joon couldn't access Zerkalo, she somehow thought he might help her. Or maybe it had always been wishful thinking on her part. Perhaps she just wanted to see him again, the boy whose life she'd once saved.

She fought herself from glancing back at the others. She didn't want to know if they were glaring at her or looking penitent or anything else. It was hard enough to keep calm when trying to figure out Koshmar, and the Dreamwalkers would only make it worse.

"The royals have always been known to be wise and powerful men and women," she said. "Why wouldn't I ask for help from someone who carries that blood?"

Koshmar clicked his tongue, clearly not believing that it was her entire story. He blotted his scroll and then rolled it up before placing it neatly in a cubby. He stood slowly, arranging his furs, and clasped his hands behind his back as he walked behind Lucy. She didn't dare to follow him with her eyes in case he might see the truth in them, but she heard his silk socks scuffing across the floor as he paced.

"I am sure it has not slipped your notice that on the night Joon disappeared, the darkness that started in your dream world escaped into our world?" he said.

"Of course not."

"I am sure you are also aware that after his father died when he was young, Prince Joon has been under my complete care and guidance. We have ruled the country together for years, and he will take full control once he is crowned as king after his twenty-first birthday."

Lucy shifted her weight. "Yes."

"Do you realize the gravity of the last heir of Strana vanishing into thin air? There is no one who can take the throne after Joon. This means disaster to our already strained relationship with An-Qi to the east and Shinhama to our south. We are surrounded by enemies, and we no longer have a leader."

"An-Qi and Shinhama wouldn't be able to function in the darkness any more than we would," Lucy replied. Saul hissed behind her, and she knew he'd be hiding his eyes behind his hands. His constant refrain, 'be polite', echoed through her head, but she it was too late to take the words back now.

"They have natural sources of coal, my dear. They would have no trouble creating enough light to conquer us and take our bounty." Koshmar came back around into eye-sight. He took a few quiet breaths, then looked back to Lucy. "I believe that you are bringing the darkness with you when you pass from world to world. And I believe the darkness has something to do with Prince Joon's disappearance."