Page 61 of Morning's Light

“So…our two worlds occupy the same space but are separated by the veil. Here’s a thought. What if there wasn’t always a veil? What if the wall came later?” Astix paused for a moment before saying, “What if the man and woman succeeded in their mission?”

“I still don’t understand what this has to do with my brand.”

“Darkness,” Karsia said. “She told you she was the veil. Right? If we know her history, we know how to stop her. Whatever she wrote on your skin has something to do with her creation. I know it.”

Astix nodded. “Not half bad, K. It makes sense. I just wonder how they managed such a monumental fucking task. On their own, even if they were witches with the genetic capability to handle the raw magic, they couldn’t have generated enough oomph to become elementals. Not on their own.”

Elementals, Aisanna thought. That’s what Darkness had said as well. Still, she found it hard to believe, her cynicism palpable. “I stopped believing in fairy tales when I was a child.”

“How did she go from a real flesh and blood person to evil incarnate?” Astix murmured. “That’s my question. Did the professor’s papers tell you anything else?”

“Nope. I’ll keep working on finding a translation for the brand.” Karsia clapped her hands on her knees. “It’s connected. I feel it. I think we should find a middle ground before we start choosing sides.” She ticked off the points on her fingers. “We work on the script. Then we find the Harbinger. Then we banish the bitch. At least we have a starting point, which means we can go from there. I think we should look for a better comprehensive translation spell in Dad’s library.”

Astix shook her head. “I’m not going in there. Bad enough I went in to get the research books I did. It’s like a hoarder’s paradise.”

“Let’s make his being a pack rat an advantage,” Karsia insisted. “He doesn’t throw anything away. He must have books and journals we can use.”

It was clear Astix didn’t like the idea. Still, she nodded and rose to her feet. “You’ll need help.”

Aisanna limped behind her sisters as they made their way into Thorvald’s study.

Rich panels of mahogany wood lined the walls on three sides of the room. A feature wall of gold-patterned wallpaper lent visual interest and reflected the light of the sun every afternoon.

Bookshelves held a series of leather-bound books, a few paperbacks, and an assortment of knickknacks to make any collector proud. The scent of freshly imported cigars mixed with the smell of wood from the fireplace, shoe polish, and old books. A thoroughly masculine room.

Karsia ran her hand along the edge of the desk and came up with a finger full of dull grey dust. “Dad actually lives like this?” she commented, surveying the loosely organized chaos, rubbing the dust bunnies on her pants. “How did I not know? This is disgusting.”

“Well, this is what happens when no one else is allowed inside the room.” Aisanna walked to the nearest shelf to survey the titles.

Indeed, her father kept the majority of his important papers hidden in the private confines of his office and would not permit anyone, least of all his family, to enter.

His inner sanctum.

“You two take the desk.”

Astix kicked at a gold-filigreed trash bin filled with crumpled bits of paper and discarded food containers. “I don’t know if I want to start digging. There could be dead rats and other things in there. Candy wrappers from his secret stash. Mummified remains of possums that crept inside.”

“He’s gonna mummify us if he finds out we infiltrated his private lair.”

“You and your imagination,” Aisanna responded, though she felt the same way. “Just get to work.”

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