Page 18 of Unseen Eye
I blink, the words skimming past my understanding before they dig in, the absurdity sharp. I feel a sick twist of disbelief—anger, almost, at how calmly he says it, as if I’m expected to just accept it. “So… you’re telling me the gods were real?” The sarcasm slips out before I can help it. “Thalor, Valtris, even Eldorin—actually existed?”
Garet chuckles—a small, humorless sound that leaves his expression unchanged. “Yes, even Eldorin.” He gestures faintly to the room around us. “This… is his kingdom.”
My eyebrows shoot up before I can stop them. “Of course it is,” I mutter. “And I’m supposed to just believe all of this because you say so? Like, oh, surprise, your entire life was a lie. Congratulations.”
A flicker of something—pity, maybe—crosses his face. “I know it’s a lot to take in. But my father, King Baron, rules Astermiri.”
I open my mouth, but the question is out before I can stop it.“Wait—so you’re a prince?”
Garet rolls his eyes, visibly restraining his patience. “Yes. Now, please be quiet.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I shoot back with as much sass as I can muster, though my mind is already splintering under the weight of what he’s saying. I’m filled with this jagged need to know, to pick at every answer he offers like it might fall apart under scrutiny.
Garet takes a steadying breath, his voice growing serious. “Aetheria is divided into five kingdoms, each once ruled by one of the original gods, the Divinities. Skorda was under Thalor, a land where the leaves changed colors with the seasons.” He attempts a light chuckle. “Coire, ruled by Valtris, was a kingdom of warriors bound by unbreakable codes of honor. Catalpa was governed by Irisia, the Goddess of Wisdom and Magic, where knowledge and arcane arts thrived. And then, there was Soala…”
His voice falters, and a chill creeps up my spine as the weight of his hesitation settles in.
“Morosith ruled Soala,” he says quietly, his face shadowed. “Once a realm of dreams and life, but he… turned.” A dark look glints in his eyes as he continues. “He became obsessed with forbidden magic. He tapped into a darkness that twisted his mind, corrupting him from within. He sought to merge Aetheria with the abyss—a realm of shadow beyond any mortal understanding.”
“So, what happened?” I press, voice breaking a little.
Garet shifts, glancing away. “There was a war—a catastrophic one, between the gods themselves.”
The words are chilling, seeping into my mind like the touch of an early frost. “And they couldn’t… stop him?”
“They tried,” Garet says, his voice tense. “The other gods pooled their power, sacrificing everything to seal Morosith away in the abyss. They forged gates, barriers that could hold him,each bound to the lands they ruled. But they knew it would only hold him for so long.” His eyes bore into mine, unblinking. “Those gates are all that keep his darkness from spilling into Aetheria again.”
A spark of something—recognition—ignites in me, and before I can stop myself, the memory slips out. “I saw one,” I whisper, feeling the weight of my own words sink in. “In the woods one night. I thought it was just… a dream.”
Garet’s face hardens, his expression twisting into something close to disbelief, or maybe anger. “You saw one of the gates? And you didn’t think to tell me?” His voice rises with the question, like he can’t decide whether to yell or snap.
I flinch, not expecting the force behind it. His gaze cuts through me, accusing. “You saw something that damn important, and you kept it to yourself?”
I struggle to find words, caught off guard by his rage. “I—I didn’t know what it was.”
Garet’s jaw clenches, his nostrils flaring as if he’s holding back a storm. “Yet didn’t think to say anything? Are you serious right now?”
I swallow hard, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach. “So… this darkness—Morosith’s forces—it could come back?”
His eyes narrow, frustration still simmering in every line of his face. “Yes. And we need to know how.”
I stare at him, my mind racing to find a shred of logic in his words. Anger flares beneath my confusion—a simmering resentment that twists in my gut. “And I was never told. All this time, these were just tales to me—legends with morals tacked on the end. You expect me to believe that all of this was kept from me for my own good?”
His eyes narrow, a flicker of pity laced with understanding. “Sometimes, knowing less is safer than knowing the truth.” His voice is resigned but steady. “But you’re not safe anymore.”
There’s a pause, thick with everything I don’t understand and the answers I’ve barely started to grasp. My voice is hollow when I speak. “And beyond Aetheria?”
“Beyond Aetheria lies the human realms of Providence, where you lived,” Garet explains. “Separated by mountains and strong magic, these realms are shielded from the gods’ direct influence.” I catch the subtle emphasis on “lived,” and my heart aches again.
I almost laugh, a brittle, painful sound. I think of Nessa and Finn, of home, so distant it feels like another life.
Garet’s face hardens, his eyes narrowing to slits. He doesn’t respond immediately, just leans in closer, his voice cold and edged with disbelief. “Before we go any further, I need to know exactly what happened with the commander. That light... what the hell was it? And who are you, Eva? Really?”
My anger spikes, a burning response at the tip of my tongue. I slam my fist on the table, glaring at him. “Who am I? I’m the girl whose life you’ve torn apart with your secrets! Kendry is dead because of you, and you’re asking who I am? I don’t know what happened with the light, Garet!”
He flinches, just barely, but it’s enough. Instead of backing down, his expression sharpens, and he steps closer, his words like a challenge. “You might not like it, but I don’t give a damn about your feelings right now. We’re out of time. If there’s anything you’re not telling me—anything you’re hiding—I need to know. Now.”
“I already told you, I don’t know!” I shout, my voice shaking with frustration. “I have no idea why any of this is happening, and I don’t understand why you’re acting like I owe you anything!”
