Page 12 of Dark Bonds

“It’s weird, right?” Tori laughs, a sound that momentarily lightens the heavy atmosphere. She takes a sip of her hot chocolate, and I mirror her action, savoring the rich warmth. “We call it the celestial rift,” she says more seriously, her tone shifting to match the gravity of the topic.

Tori leans back against the kitchen counter, her fingers drumming a soft rhythm on the smooth surface. “The shadow realm and the light realm are as old as the universe itself?—”

“The shadow realm and the light realm?” I interrupt, my head spinning. “They are as old as the universe itself?”

Tori nods, her eyes distant. “Older, maybe. They come from the cosmic balance between light and darkness.” She pauses, gauging my reaction. “In the beginning, they weren’t separate. Light and shadow existed in a continuum, intermingling freely.”

“A perfect equilibrium,” I murmur, trying to wrap my mind around the concept.

My mind startsto reel from the enormity of what she’s saying. The kitchen suddenly feels too small, too ordinary to contain such cosmic truths.

“As the cosmos evolved, this equilibrium shifted, leading to a clearer distinction between the realms. The light realm began to embody the physical, visible world, where life as we understand it could thrive—filled with energy, matter, and the forces that govern natural phenomena. Conversely, the shadow realm evolved into a parallel dimension, home to energies and entities that embody the intangible, the hidden, and often, the mystical aspects of existence.”

She pauses, giving me a moment to absorb this information. The rich aroma of hot chocolate mingles with the faint scent of vanilla, grounding me in the present despite the overwhelming information.

“So not everything was separate,” I say slowly, trying to piece it all together in my mind.

“Not then, no, but then the celestial rift occurred, and the two separated. Think of it like a nucleus separating and dividing.”

“The visual actually helps,” I admit, massaging my temples as I try to process it all. The smooth coolness of the kitchen counter beneath my elbows provides a stark contrast to the warmth of the mug in my hands.

Tori nods, her expression softening. “I know it’s a lot to take in. Let’s take a break for a moment. How are you feeling about all of this?”

I take a deep breath, trying to sort through the whirlwind of emotions. “Overwhelmed, confused, and… angry, I guess. I’ve been in the dark for so long, and now everything’s changing so fast.”

She reaches out, hesitating for a moment before gently squeezing my hand. “That’s completely understandable, Frankie. I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for you.”

I nod, grateful for her understanding. “Can you… Can you tell me more about the shadow shifters? About us?”

Tori takes a sip of her hot chocolate and gathers her thoughts. “Shadow shifters are beings who can manipulate the energies of the shadow realm. We’re not inherently good or evil, but we have the potential for great power… and great darkness.”

A shiver runs down my spine at her words. “Is that why you said murder isn’t looked at as a bad thing?”

She winces slightly. “Yeah. Our society… It’s different from the human world. We have our own laws and morality. It’s not always pretty.”

I swallow hard, trying to process this. “And where do I fit into all this? I mean, I grew up human. How am I supposed to just… accept this new reality?”

Tori’s eyes meet mine, her expression filled with a mix of sympathy and determination. “You don’t have to accept everything at once, Frankie. You can forge your own path. Just because something is accepted in shadow shifter society doesn’t mean you have to embrace it.”

Her words offer a small comfort, but they also raise new questions. “But if I don’t embrace it, won’t that make me a target? Like with Chloe and Amanda?”

Tori’s expression hardens. “That’s why I’m going to teach you everything I know so you can protect yourself.”

I raise a brow at that, but I appreciate her excitement.

“Speaking of which,” Tori says, reaching for the hairbrush she brought down earlier, “how about I brush your hair like I promised? It might help you relax a bit.”

I nod, suddenly aware of how tangled and wild my hair must look after everything that happened. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

Tori moves behind me, gently beginning to work the brush through my hair. The repetitive motion is soothing, grounding me in the present.

“You know,” Tori says softly as she works out a particularly stubborn knot, “when we were kids, before… well, before everything, I used to love playing with Chloe and Amanda’s hair.”

There is a sadness in her words. She didn’t just gain a friend in me, but she also lost friends as well—except I’m not sorry about that.

As Tori continues to brush, I feel some of the tension leave my body. The simple act, so normal and yet so needed, brings tears to my eyes.

“Hey,” Tori says, noticing my tears. “It’s okay. We’re going to get through this.”

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