Page 139 of Death of a Mortal

So on I plowed through the gruesome book, determined to solve this puzzle. I learned that shadow magic originated from one source many, many years ago in the gods’ realm. It was created by accident during an altercation, cast out of their realm in fear, and ended up in the mortal realm, where it latched onto a few unfortunate souls every century or so. Definitely a curse.

I learned that nearly every single documented shadow wielderwas also a Veythryn, vey forms ranging from black-winged beasts to dragons darker than night. Some had vey more aligned with their elemental abilities, but even those were animals rarely seen in the wild, like griffins and mermaids (I was shocked to learn the latter actually existed at all).

This meant Malvina had been wrong about one thing: although shadow magic sounded rare, it seemed all shadow Umbrathren were also Veythryn. She had seemed to think I was one of a kind. Unless she knew something else about me I didn’t—there seemed to be a lot of that going around.

I absorbed as much as I could from the book as my eyelids grew heavier and heavier, my head dropping once or twice. The last thing I remembered reading before fitful sleep took me away was haunting, though…

“It has been believed by those who were interviewed with this power that whether the shadows are or are not controllable is determined solely by the sentient being that lies within and has little to do with the determination and will of the fae. The elements paired with this Umbrathren magic may also be a determining factor in the level of control that is achievable. Documented cases have revealed that the most common elements possessed by shadow wielders were earth and ice. Several light elementals were studied and appeared to have the best control over shadows, with the light potentially helping to balance the dark magic. Nearly every lightning elemental perished when their power awakened, wrapped in webs of black lightning that incinerated the fae from within.

“But the most detrimental combination of shadow and element, having only one catastrophic case in recorded history, was the power of fire and shadows. Studies on this duo have not been possible, as the sole possessor was Commander Thraxxus the Cinderborn of Azael. History credits him with the complete destruction of the continent of Azael, including both armies, thereby ending the war between Azael and Vydran. Thraxxus was never seen again, assumed to have perished in the eruption. The landburned for over a decade before the last embers died out and the Everdark Sea swallowed the ashes.”

The full gravity of how fucked I was did not hit me until the next morning.

Chapter 33

Stronger, Not Safer

I woke witha racing heart and a growling stomach, realizing I had never had dinner. I hadn’t even known that, at one point, there was a sixth continent. And that someone with my same powers had completely wiped it from the map.

When I rolled over, my heart dropped further. I never completed Garrick’s squats…

There would be hell to pay this morning.

It was still dark, and I assumed it was shortly before dawn, so I got dressed quietly and left the barracks.

“You’re up early,” Noxie said as he landed on my shoulder, right atop where his mark lived permanently on my shoulder.

“Did you choose the mark on my shoulder from our bond?”

“No, did you choose the gold?”

“No…” I’d been curious why our marks were specifically what they were. I assumed it must be part of the bond magic then.

I changed the subject, walking and telling him what I’d read yesterday about shadow magic and fire, and somehow his “holy shit” reaction actually lifted my spirits some. He made me feel like therewas someone on my side, not skirting around my feelings and telling me everything would be okay just to make me feel better. That my fears were real and valid, and this situation sucked.

“I just keep feeling like there’s something really wrong in Ashenholt. Like we left something behind, or there’s something we’re not seeing,”Noxie said once we’d thoroughly exhausted the subject of my magic.

“You mean more wrong than Caedryn’s plans for allying with Vydran to purge both continents and Malvina sitting by his side with a vacant stare and a pretty smile?”

“Yes, actually. More than that. I don’t know what it is, but I feel it.”

I contemplated this for a moment before…

“Corren!”

Shit. It was Garrick. The sun was lightening the sky, and it was time to face the music.

“Good luck. Don’t puke this time.” He flew off with a squawk.

I turned to find a red-faced Garrick marching up to me, looking furious.

“Yes, sir, Garrick, sir,” I answered, doing my best not to make things worse.

“I didn’t see you after dinner to report for your failed training.”

“I didn’t…fail. I just—”

“You bet your ass you’re running until you fail today! Let’s go, starting now!”