21.

After the comforting conversation with the Gryphon, I began to relax into the knowledge I had been given by the Golden eyed woman. Drifting outside and falling into the Gryphons soft chest, we spent the next hour in each other's minds, rolling through the words spoken by The Anima and the memories that went with it. Together, we decided she had no reason to spill lies, and certainly seemed to have evidence to back up her theories. 

"It's not a theory." Beast spoke quietly, "We both know how powerful you are becoming. And I don't think the Prince would want to fear you unless he legitimately thought of you as a threat, as a shadow. Otherwise he would be a coward for no reason." He snorted internally and pressed his big head upon my shoulder.

I slipped my fingers into the feathers on his neck, comforted by the close feeling of his strong soul upon mine. Just as The Anima had explained, it truly felt like we were a possession of one another. He was mine: my Gryphon, my Beast. Id say it might have felt a little like what a dog owner may feel, but it was much stronger than that. He was his own creature, I was my own person, but we would only protect one another if a fight broke out amongst a crowd. Maybe even before thinking of myself, I would have protected him from danger. It made me feel a little more Fae, even though I knew I was still human, just gifted with another's powers. I wondered if this is what all Fae felt towards their possessions, the parts of themselves that held a piece of their soul.

"I still need to go home. This is a whole lot to process, and I know it's important I don't abandon this, but I need to know they're okay."

"I know. I will speak to Alvar now."

He ruffled his feathers and began to stand, pushing me back slightly. I was relieved and thankful, giving him a nod and stepping aside so he could walk to the house and call upon Alvar.

I drifted through the woods next to the house, staring up at the night sky. I didn't stray far, but far enough to be out of eye and earshot. The sky was a deep blue, not yet black, and huge stars illuminated the treetops, some as big as golf balls. The stars remained in the similar constellations; only each star was larger, like they were so much closer to the earth. They very well may have been; I still didn't know where exactly the First Plane laid on the earth or in the galaxy.

A figure appeared at the tree line, startling me slightly. The Prince had returned from the walk he had demanded to take as our conversation with The Anima finished a few hours before. I lifted my chin and smiled my greeting out of habit before I realised I was still angry at his behaviour. My lips quickly shot down into a frown and I crossed my arms in front of my chest. He approached slowly, cautiously, but there was something on his mind that drove him forwards. He did not slow until he was a foot away from me and began shifting between his feet, nervous.

Before I could raise a brow and enquire into his behaviour, he dropped to his knee and stared up at me through his snow-white hair.

"I offer to you this gift. Please accept it to override my poor behaviour." He held something up to me; a cloth.

I smiled lopsidedly and waited for him to start laughing, or jinx me, or even cast a glamour, but he did not. He only held the cloth out to me, waiting for my approval. I cautiously took the fabric from his hands and fingered its contents. There was something small and round inside.

My lips parted in surprize as I extracted the teardrop necklace from the market. The beautiful blue stone shone brightly even under the darkness, a tiny orb of sunshine and magnificence. The little I had learned fro Fae culture helped my response.

"I accept this gift. You are kind." I said softly, still awed by its beautiful and singularity.

He bowed his head and stood before me, staring down at the expensive gem in my hand. I had forgiven his behaviour with the gift, but had not forgotten his actions. But knowing now what exactly fuelled them I spoke out again.

"You have my heart over what has happened to your father. I do hope you bode well?" Hearing the words slip from my mouth, I realised how Fae I sounded, no longer using colloquial human terms or the custom of apology of my kind.

"Aye, I am well now that I know... what I know. The Duchess is furious, and I have no doubt she will continue to search for you until you are dead."

I stiffened at his words, slightly terrified. Could she do something to my family?

"You have nothing to fear from me. I will return to her promptly and explain that it was not you I saw, but the shadows. No doubt she will want to wage war, but you cannot battle an enemy you cannot reach." He chuckled to himself and drew his golden arms towards his chest, as if cold.

"And my family?" I asked.

"I will see to it that they are left alone, and organise momentary placement for them in a place untouched by Fae for many years. They will be safe."

"Thank..." I trailed off, catching myself before I disgraced his words. He laughed.

"It is alright. I am aware you mean no offense in your words. But it is I who owes you a debt for my actions, and this ought to set it straight."

I nodded, a small smile on my face and stared back down at the stone.

"How did you know to get this?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"I first caught up to you all when you were in the market. I did not see where you went at first, but I saw you pick up that stone. It is quite beautiful isn't it?"

"It is." I agreed, soothed by his words. It did make me weary knowing he had followed us for some time before he made his attack, only closing in once he knew I was alone. "Can I ask something of you?" I made the risk and asked.

"Yes." He replied, eying me suspiciously.

"When you go see my family, can you give this to my sister, Virgo? I want her to know I have not forgotten her. And she would like this very much." I handed him the necklace and pulled the small shard of red stone I had also bought her at the market. "Also, because she's... a witch, would you mind explaining some of this to her? Maybe even to my parents? They know of your existence, and I'm sure they'd be quite comforted knowing their sanity remains in tact."

If I were not mistaken, his eyes softened as he took the gems and placed them back into his pocket with a nod. I smiled, thankful he did not ask for anything in return and would fulfil my wishes to repay me.

"Alvar's right." Sam mumbled, barley audible in my human ears.

"What?"

"You're not dark." He said, clearer and louder this time, "You will not bring us death, you will bring light."

I smiled wider, my chest warmed by his words.

"Wherever your darkness is, its not with you now. It is with the shadows."

I nodded, but something stirred within me. I really wanted to believe I was not the Umbra, the darkness, but the Shadow Horse, the Kelpie, had said otherwise.

"What am I even supposed to do know, Sam? Yesterday I thought I was just going to go home and be with my family again. But now I have-I have this power that isn't even mine and I have to figure out what it means? I don't want to be a shadow but I don't know if I want to be your Anima either. And even if I did, how do I get there? And how do we prepare for the shadows?" I was rambling, my voice lost to the endless waves of confusion and fear of the unknown.

"Calm down, Lyra." Sam stepped towards me and reached out to touch my crossed arms. It was the first time he had touched me with affection, not anger or fury, and it sent warmth trailing up my arms. "I don't really know what it means either. All I know is that our Anima is dying, the Umbra will come, and you have to take a place as one of the two, whether you want to or not. The earth chose you for a reason—"

"A shitty and uncalled for reason,"

"But a reason none the less." He finished, hands still on my arms. I looked into his bright eyes and saw they held just as much uncertainty as mine did. "If it's a direction you seek, ask The Anima. She will know what you need to do. As for your family, I will take care of them and make sure they know you are okay. I don't know where this new information will take you, but I'm sure you will make the right decision."

I gave him a weak smile and sighed. I didn't know if my mind could face another slap of information, but I knew I had to speak to the enchanting woman and ask her what she wanted me to do.

Approaching the cabin, I saw Beast and Alvar still locked in mental conversation by the tree line, but did not eavesdrop into the Gryphons mind. I trusted both of them and knew that if Alvar said anything unsavoury, Beast would snap at him. My feet carried me to the kitchen where the woman was standing, still naked, brewing tea.

"You've come to ask for clarity, my darling?" The Anima spoke before I could open my mouth or wet my lips, startling me.

"Yes." I responded carefully, rolling my necklace between my fingers. "What is it I am supposed to do?"

"I cannot tell you everything, child. Some things you have to discover on your own." I sighed at her response, her words quiet as her back remained turned to me. I almost retreated back to the forest, unsure if I would be receiving any answers from the woman. "But," her voice made me falter, my heart hopeful, "I can tell you some other things. Please, sit."

I sat in the chair she had gestured to, a tiny wooden stool next to another small tea table. She carried over a brewed pot and two cups, delicately placing them on the wood.

"You cannot go back home. I know this to be true." I was startled by her words and began to stand in frustration.

"Ever?" I nearly screamed.

"Calm yourself, child. The tea will sooth you." I sat back down and sipped the tea obediently, "No, not forever. Just until you figure out where you belong."

"And how will I do that?"

"By finding your other half." She finished, sipping her own cup of tea.

"Pardon?" I exclaimed.

"You have to find the piece that split from you, so you can figure out if you are of shadow, or of heart." She stated simply and flicked a strand of long black hair from her golden eyes.

"And how will I do that?"

She sighed and pushed her tea away dramatically.

"Most likely, if she is shadow, you will need to travel to the Shadow Plane."

"And how will I do that?" I was yelling now, beyond niceties.

"Have more tea." I did at her command. "It is quite easy for singular people to travel there. You find a place of darkness, most likely in the human world, where the portals are thin. You simply find the hole, and pass through."

"Okay..." I trailed off, carefully choosing my next words, "And once I am there, how will I find... the other me?"

She shrugged.

"I have no doubt you will find her in their own kingdom, for your paths have likely been mirrored. She is probably with the old Umbra right now, discussing how to find you."

"And what do I do once I find her?"

"You need to find a way to figure out who is who, and if you are happy in your place. You may do this in many ways, but battle is probably the easiest to test the origins of your powers."

"What do you mean, 'happy in our place'? Is there a way we can switch positions?" I asked more eagerly. If there was a chance I was the Umbra, but could switch my powers with my doppelgänger, I wanted to know how.

"I do not know exactly how it works. But the Umbra tried to do so with me. She discovered some way to retain her own darkness, but switch our domain of power. If she ever fully materialises in this world, she could force me back into the Shadow Plane and resume my place as the heart as I would resume her place as the shadow."

I furrowed my brow in confusion; she was not making any sense.

"Let me clarify," She said upon recognising my furrowed brow, "I told you before that you had a decision to make over which Plane to reside in. You can live in the Shadows, in the First, or abandon everything to the Shadows and live on earth. This decision needs to be made as the shadows can only live on this plane temporarily, and vice versa. Alvar, who will be travelling with you, may only remain for a week before he deteriorates. The Gryphon may also do the same. You are still undecided in your power, so until you make that decision, you can live in whatever plane you wish. But once you recognise your path, you will be the same as the others. The Umbra has once attempted to break the portals that tie the Planes together. If she were successful, she and all the shadows could live among us freely."

"Would that have been a bad thing?" I asked honestly.

She eyes narrowed at me and she stood abruptly, leaving the table.

"Never ask such a question again. The Planes cannot co-exist. It would bring an end to everything I have built and most likely bring an end to our secrecy from the Human race."

I held my hands up in surrender and slowly got up from my chair. I had offended the woman, and feared being in her presence when she was enraged.

"I'll leave now. If you need me, I will be outside with Beast." And then I quickly retreated out the door and stumbled over to the Beast, now alone.

He opened his mind, showing Alvar and Sam talking somewhere in the woods. I opened my own as I collapsed into his soft fur and curled up next to his warm body. He rifled through my memories as I settled by his side, prepared to sleep under his wing out of fear of going back inside.

"Her anger is justified, Lyra. For generations, all have heard of the horror stories of the shadows." He began as my eyes closed. I listened intently as my heart rate settled and my breathing slowed. It wasn't quite a bed time story, but his voice was soothing enough to resolve my anxieties before I slept, "Each year a small group of them will enter our world and wreck havoc, killing children and wiping out villages for no reason at all. They never leave any survivors, their homes always burnt to the ground. They also expose themselves to humans, with vampires killing many a year and gangs of kelpies in human form causing mass disappearances. We could not co-exist. If we did, it would be the end of everything. Perhaps even the end of the world."

"But why would they do those things? Has anyone ever tried to communicate with them, find out exactly what they want?" I don't know where my defensive tone came from, even as I slowly drifted to sleep, my subconscious talking to the Gryphon.

"They don't need a reason, Lyra. They're Shadows. Darkness."

I couldn't help thinking, just as I fell to sleep, that the Fae didn't know anything about the Shadows; that they were looking for reasons to blame, not reasons to justify. 

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Sorry for the wait on this one! It took me a while to research the last chapter :)

As you can guess, we're heading into the Shadow Plane in this part of the story :3

Comment your thoughts!

Vote if you enjoyed:)

xx Charli

Ps. chapter is unedited