DARKLIGHT

- 23 -

I was escorted into the city by Atles, and he held one of my arms behind me to prevent me from somehow lighting my symbol. I knew that would be impossible anyway. His arkaetre led the way, splitting the crowds. "This should be interesting," the cheetah hissed. "He must have invaluable information." Atles nodded silently.

The street leading from the gate sliced Serkha in two, and the Order dome was visible in the distance, like a bead on a straight string. The roof of the Council room was repaired and resealed, looking exactly like the pictures I'd seen in my textbooks, but the protected feeling I was used to didn't accompany it.

The whole way there, I felt the shifter's needle, and it was incredibly deep. I had been lying down when the Kireveans had shifted me before, and that had hurt a lot less. I'd slept through the process, too. It seemed like they had aimed for me to not suffer too much while shifting.

Without any conversation to occupy me, I latched onto this thought and turned it over in my head. I hadn't been a normal prisoner at all. My parents and the kidnapped Councilors had gotten a dark cell, while I had passed my days in a space that nearly resembled a bedroom, albeit a very modest one. While they fought through their shifting process, Kaces had trained me in attack magic, and regardless of his methods, I now recognized that he was very skilled. I could almost say that I was lucky to have gotten instruction from him.

When we reached the dome, I was struck by how empty it seemed, at least compared to my first visit. Atles brought me to the base of the elevator tower. A few were sitting empty; he didn't even have to press a button. He guided me inside and pressed me chest-first into the wall. I heard a button click and the doors clunk shut.

I could have attacked him then and there. He wasn't watching the shifter. I could try to take it out and put my new spells to use. He appeared to trust me more than that, though, and I couldn't bring myself to become the enemy. I had to make sure that I could be convincing in front of the Council. I only hoped they would hear me out.

And so, we waited for a full minute in the deadest silence I have ever experienced. Then, the doors opened and I was guided into the room by my symbol arm. "No," I heard a man say behind me. "We can't do that. We have to stay favorable to the people." Then, he appeared to notice us. "You're a gate sentry, correct?"

Atles nodded and brought me into the Council circle. Nine seats surrounded us, but only five were taken. The Councilor that Atles was speaking to looked old, but still had dark hair, a strange binary. "Councilor Shayne, I found someone with a Dark symbol. I figured you'd want him." I picked at the shifter in my arm agitatedly, and the guard snatched up my other hand behind me.

"Is that so?"

"I used that disc on him," Atles said proudly.

"Good work." Councilor Shayne turned his attention to me. "What is your name, child? And where did you get that uniform?"

I took a deep breath. My heart was racing. "I'm Siderion Korphrial, and my parents are Michal and Meri. They're members of the Order, as am I. I'd suggest you check your records for me."

Atles seemed flustered by this. "Come on, he's Dark! How could he be from the Order?"

"Verify this, sentry," another Councilor said.

Atles swallowed hard and gingerly let go of me. "Yes, Councilor Vuhmal."

As Atles left, Councilor Vuhmal began, "You don't pose a threat to us. That disc-"

"It blocks my magic until it changes type. I know."

Vuhmal narrowed his eyes at me. "How did you acquire such information?"

"I was there when the Kireveans attacked the Order about a month ago. Four Councilors, my parents and I were held hostage and had our magic shifted with discs like this." I glanced down at my symbol, which hadn't changed color at all. "This is the same thing, right?"

Vuhmal glanced around the Council circle before saying hesitantly, "It hasn't done anything yet."

I nodded and again tried to pry the disc off of my arm. It had been begging to be removed. To my surprise, it whirred and disconnected, and the Councilors exchanged looks of fearful amazement. "That's impossible," Councilor Shayne said. "This one must be faulty."

I was equally startled. All that was left was a bead of blood that I quickly healed. "Ziede."

When I looked up, I found every single Councilor in a ready position with their magic blazing. "Light your symbol again," Shayne said sharply, "and you die."

I held my hands up, trying to show my compliance, and they all edged back apprehensively. "Don't you get it?" I said frustratedly. "I'm on your side!" My mind darted to the reason for my being there in the first place. "Which one of you is Councilor Blaine?"

The Councilor on the right end of my vision, who had been quietly and passively watching the situation unfold, perked up. "Me. Why?"

"Kaces says that you need to bring the Order army to the south side of Serkha. The Kireveans are coming to attack the Order, and they're not far behind us."

Blaine turned chalk-white. "Kaces."

"Yes. Do you know him?"

"Kaces... Blaine?" he gaped.

The elevator door behind me slid open, and Atles ran into the Council circle, holding a roll of papers. "It's true," he panted. "He matches a Siderion Korphrial that graduated a month ago."

Councilor Vuhmal said abruptly. "Siderion is a Kirevean and not to be trusted. Have him dealt with." I shivered at his words.

Atles nodded sharply and reached for my symbol again, but I dodged out of his grasp. "No! You're going to be attacked! You have to do something!"

"Not if the Councilors don't say so." He lit his symbol, and I vigilantly countered with my own. Behind me, I heard more symbols light in the Council circle, and I swallowed hard. I couldn't fight all of them alone, but I couldn't just abandon the plan.

What would Kaces do? I thought urgently. "Bakis!" I incanted, stalling for time. A familiar Dark sphere launched itself at Atles.

He rolled his eyes and reversed the magic easily, saying, "Bakis Kuvelt."

"Parcalanir." Atles flinched as the sphere dissipated, eyes wide. I kept my symbol lit, and Dark magic billowed down to the floor. I hadn't wanted to use my last resort, but as Atles reached for me again, I knew I had no choice. "Hareket Burada Kohtar!"