Page 19 of Unseen Eye
Garet’s voice lowers, but it doesn’t soften. “Eva, who are you, really?”
“I’m just human!” I scream, feeling a raw, helpless fury rise upin me. “What else could I be?”
He watches me, unmoved, his eyes unreadable. “No, Eva,” he says, his voice unsettlingly calm. “Humans don’t make light appear out of their hands.”
The realization slams into me, leaving me breathless. I’d tried to avoid even thinking about it, but his words make it real. “What… what are you saying?” I whisper, voice trembling.
Garet holds my gaze, his expression unreadable, a hint of something like pity in his eyes. “There’s more to you than you’re willing to admit.”
Silence falls between us, the weight of his words pressing down, and I struggle to make sense of what he’s implying. “Then where are the gods now?” I manage, needing something to grasp onto, something that makes this less impossible.
His expression shifts, a grim resolve settling over him. “The ritual that imprisoned Morosith drained the gods of their very essence, their power. They sacrificed themselves, binding not only him but also their own strength within an enchanted prison.”
I try to grasp the enormity of what he’s saying. “So… the gods are still locked in the abyss?”
“Yes,” he replies, voice low. “They sacrificed themselves to bind Morosith, and their essence is trapped there with him. But fragments of their power remain—passed down to their descendants. Some of us hold their bloodline and strength, though we’re shadows of what they were.” His voice grows bitter. “And then there are the ‘lesser gods’—beings with only traces of divine power, who resented that they weren’t chosen to succeed the originals. They challenged us, fought the succession, making peace even harder to keep.”
Garet’s gaze drifts, his expression haunted as if he’s seeing the turmoil from ages past. I feel a chill, realizing that the scars of this power struggle still linger.
“So,” I say, my voice wavering as I piece it together, “the gods’ children rule now? And you’re… one of them?”
He nods.
My frustration spikes, breaking through the numbness. “But that still doesn’t explain why we were attacked—or why you were in Providence that night. Nessa, Finn, my home… were we just collateral damage in some ancient power struggle?”
Garet’s gaze hardens, the frustration in his eyes mixing with something else—something I can’t quite place, but feels like regret. “I get it. You’re pissed off. But you’re missing the point. Morosith’s grip is getting stronger, seeping through every crack in his prison. The seal that holds him is slipping, Eva. And when it finally shatters…” He doesn’t finish, but the implication is enough.
“So, we’re just… casualties to an ancient feud,” I say, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. Images of my friends flash before me—Finn, Nessa, Kendry. All hurt, all caught up in this mess. “Why were you even there?”
Garet takes a deep breath, his gaze shifting, as though weighing how much to share. “I was in Providence following a lead on a troubling pattern. People have been disappearing—not just in Astermiri, but in other cities, too. Rumors hinted that something dark was stirring, spreading through these regions, so I was tasked with investigating the source.”
I blink, taken aback. “And that led you to…me?”
“Not exactly.” He clears his throat, his voice low. “I came across your stories at the market. They felt… eerily familiar. Like echoes of things I thought were buried.”
“Wait. My stories?”
He nods, meeting my gaze. “You described things no one outside certain circles should know—gods, ancient wars, even fragments about Morosith. And while some parts had creative flair,” he adds, with a faint smile, “the rest was unmistakablyreal.”
My pulse quickens. So that’s why he’d lingered around that day. I thought we had some sort of “meet-cute” when, really, I was his suspect.
I frown, crossing my arms. “So, this whole time… you’ve been watching me because of some uncanny stories I wrote?”
“There’s more to it than that,” he says, serious. “When I realized what you knew, I had to find out how. Stories like those—our stories—don’t just float around casually.” He pauses, his gaze piercing. “And your words might hold a key to this dark resurgence.”
Garet’s gaze sharpens, his eyes probing mine. “How did you know all that? How did you come up with those stories?”
“Why should I trust you?” My voice shaking with anger. “You’ve been lying to me for years! Was any of it real? You’re nothing like the merchant’s son I thought I knew.”
“I was doing what needed to be done, keeping things in order,” he says, shrugging with infuriating nonchalance
“Keeping things in order?” My voice rises, incredulous. “People are missing! Families are torn apart, and you’re standing here acting like it’s just… routine? You think that’s protection?”
A glint of irritation appears in his gaze. “I don’t expect you to understand. Some of us have responsibilities—ones you couldn’t possibly grasp.”
The condescension in his tone sends my anger flaring into something darker, something cold and relentless. “Maybe you’re right. I don’t understand how anyone could stand by and watch people disappear, act like it’s for some greater good. You think you’re some noble protector, but you’re just a coward hiding behind excuses. You knew about the missing people—people disappearing in Providence and here. Did you even try to find them?”
Garet’s jaw clenches, and for a moment, he looks away. “We’ve found traces. But no one’s come back.”
