Page 34 of A Liar's Twisted Tongue

“You’d be surprised what I pay for.” This time when he attempts to leave, I don’t stop him.

Chapter 8

Nothing Burns Like The Cold

LUCIAN

In the universe of Elysia there are seven worlds, and only five with their own unique genetic code and life force. Soma, known as the most powerful, is the home of the Lucents; Lorucille, the Folk; Viridis, the Eunoia; Verena, the Armanthine; and Serpencia, the Nepenthe. With no sentient life of its own, Visnatus is the second least populated in the universe, with Iris having an orphic population of zero.

— PLANETOLOGY FOR KIDS BY ARTHFURD HARREIGHS

The castle has always been cold and lonely, far from homely, and I find myself dreading it further with each visit. It strays from the warm tones of Visnatus because the last thing Soma will ever be is warm. The castle is strictly bright white, pale blue, and silver, and every wall that faces the Great Sea is made entirely of glass to let in the most of the moons’ light.

A glass castle. Quite on the nose, giving the illusion of transparency when the Aibeks are nothing of the sort.

Margaret and Olwen—my personal guards when I’m in the kingdom—walk closely behind me as I make my way to the great hall. This means a threat is looming.

They wait outside the doorway and I enter the great hall–a long room whose walls are covered in paintings of the former Aibek families, their dark hair striking in comparison to their pale blue eyes. Instead of a table, the chairs line the walls. At the end of the room, there is a stained-glass window of the first Aibek to take power—a woman named Thypianne, which we only know because it is etched into the bottom edge of the window with the year seventy-two.

This number does not mean a thing to us.

I take my seat on the opposite end of Lusia and Labyrinth, the queen and king of Soma.

Nyoka is here, a current representative of Serpencia, which means whatever we are here to discuss is big news. The Nepenthe have not been welcome to Soma since the war, unless under dire necessity.

Kai sits next to me. It is both our duties to learn the customs of the others’ worlds, as we will each be the king of the other. In Soma, the bloodline is carried by the women. Lilac staying on the Soman throne was a contingency of our unions.

Kai gives me a loathing look. Lilac smiles shyly.

Labyrinth stands, clutching onto his silver staff that holds the Stone of Light at the top. “As most of you know, the corenths have begun attacking the orphia. These attacks have spread to multiple provinces across Elysia within the previous eight days.”

Eight days. It’s been eight days since Desdemona almost stepped into the vision of her mother. A great feat, something I have to deduce how to use for myself.

As I’m about to ask where the first attack occurred, Queen Melody of Lorucille says, “Do not forget two of the casualties were not at the hand of a corenth.”

“Who was at fault?” I speak out.

“Likely a Fire Folk. The two were torched after being killed,” she says to me, not the room.

“It’s not a priority,” King Easton of Lorucille says. “They were septic.”

“It’s important for the count,” Queen Melody says. “What is a priority is the discussion of energy. Lorucille was able to identify one of the Folk within an hour of finding the bodies, thanks to our new captivator.”

“There is no time to discuss energy,” Lusia says casually. Knowing her, she is anything but.

“Why wouldn’t it be? The general orphia should be allowed to give their say.” Queen Melody folds her hands.

“We will discuss it privately,” Lusia replies, sitting up taller.

Before the marriage announcements, this would be the time when Kai and I glanced at one another, a subtle apology for the other. Our parents have been arguing over the energy for the last year, perhaps longer.

Currently, it is Soma that powers the universe, amplifying and projecting the power of our moons. Not long ago, Lorucille found a way to amplify the energy of the Light Folk using what they call a captivator. Queen Melody and King Easton believe it is strong enough to power the universe, if not stronger than our current means.

“The most important problem to be solved are the corenth attacks,” Labyrinth says.

“Two hundred dead?” Nyoka asks no one in particular. “Just send more keepers to the lands. We’ll take care of ‘em.”

“Absolutely not,” Chetan, one of the Eunoia from the counsel of Viridis, says. “Your kind do not respect ours.” He speaks as though he is royalty, poised and collected. “The last year alone we have lost twenty-three of our own to your brutality.”

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