Radiant Shadows [n.h]

[01]

Thalia Grey

My hands were moving furiously, working and working, sketching, my thumbs were black from the graphite lead Irial especially imported from Earth. I tried replicating the dark haired faery, or a person or the figment of my imagination I saw while dreaming. I don't know what captivated me, maybe his hazel eyes or maybe the way he was. I just had to draw him.

Okay, I should stop this. I've gone mad. I don't even know his name, heck, don't know if he's even real.

"There you are, I got worried" I hear Irial's voice, nearing my room, nearing the room i'm staying at, I corrected. Hurriedly, I closed the sketchpad, sitting upright as he enters the room.

"Um, why exactly were you worried?" I ask even though I perfectly knew why, I just didn't want him asking what was I doing. But reading his emotions, he definitely was't going to ask me about that. He already had too much to fuss about.

"You know why. That Adrian leaps in every corner like a dog on the leash." He says bitterly, disgusted even. 

"He's not gonna hurt me. Besides I know how to take care of myself." I frown, mostly fake, just to make him know that he doubted my self-defense skills, even after all these years of training, He should know that.

"He's the summer King, and he's after your blood" His face sets on a grim expression.

"Yea, heard the lecture a thousand times. Besides, he doesn't know I am the one, he still thinks it's in the Fall realm." I finish stating the obvious, I don't know why, but we were repeating things we already knew.

"Y'know," He pauses to chuckle," Sometimes, I actually feel sorry for you being special." A small hint of smile played on his lips.

"Oh the irony, Irial. Heard anything from the Fall Queen?" I try changing the subject, heading it towards the business. 

"Yes, Amelia says to continue following the current orders although there might be a chance for you to visit the Dark Court." I swallow the information just thrown at me. 

"Dark Court? It exists in the mortal world, right? I'll actually see mortals again, I've been there just twice" I get a little bit excited. Humans had great sense of Art, fashion and creativity. 

"It's the work you should be worried about. The Dark King might be the most friendliest ruler, his court might be the most peaceful but it's deadly in attack and defense. It's assassins are dangerous. You actually need to look out for the Summer King's assassins." 

He warns me with a sombre expression and I think what he's saying is a big deal. I should take it seriously. He looks like a King. Fall King -- He was once.

"Oh." 

"It's not confirmed yet. But I need to do another blood test of yours.

" He says the last part slowly, he knows I can't take it anymore.

"What? You know it's hard for me to..." My voice breaks, I take a deep breath and continue " keep up, I don't have enough energy to do it all..." 

"I know I'm sorry babe, Queen's orders. You can have me then okay?" He says looking right into my eyes and I just nod. He was seriously the best friend everyone would want and I loved him deeply for whatever he did for me.

~

After the test had been done, I'd held Irial to feed myself. Yes, I feed off and get energy through physical and emotional contact, it makes the other person dizzy and if I take too much and satisfy all of my hunger, the other person is susceptible to death. 

I'd always felt guilty after doing that but I needed it to live. I was a different faery. Everyone else could get energy by Blood. I was different. I could just kill someone by holding them for too long or just knowing their emotions. 

That night, I lay on my bed, hoping to see the Blonde with blue irises once more but unfortunately, he doesn't come. Maybe he was the figment of my imagination. Saw him once but every detail of his face was marked in my mind. I just hope I see him once more.

Once More.