Page 75 of Unseen Eye
Callon doesn’t even look up, still absorbed in the journal. “Did Kendry ever tell you that name?” he asks me, his focus unwavering.
“No,” I reply, unease creeping up my spine as I watch the others exchange looks.
“Tell her what?” Izzy asks, settling back into her seat.
“‘Gun Choire,’” Callon says, his voice suddenly grave, dark eyes locking with mine. The weight of those words makes my stomach drop.
Izzy’s face goes pale, the blood draining from her cheeks as if she’s just seen a ghost. “No fucking way,” she whispers, snatching the journal from Callon’s hands. Her usual calm falters, and it’s enough to make my confusion spike. Theo freezes. His plate falling from his hands and shattering on the floor as he rushes over to read the entry over Izzy’s shoulder.His brow is furrowed, lips parted as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing.
I stare at them, frustration bubbling up. “What’s going on? What’s the big deal about this?” I demand, the suspense eating at me.
Callon’s face is unreadable now, but I can see the tension in his jaw. “That phrase,” he starts, each word careful, deliberate, “has never left this kingdom. No one knows it outside of here.” He takes a breath, and it feels like the entire room has held its own. “Not only was it a name for Valtris, but it’s also the secret phrase to access the tunnel where the gate is located.”
A deep chill runs down my spine at the mention of the gate, and Izzy’s voice cuts through the stillness. “Callon,” she warns, her voice tight, a hint of fear in it now.
He doesn’t flinch. His gaze steady and unwavering as he says, “She deserves to know,” his voice resolute, leaving no room for argument.
My head spins, but before I can ask more questions, Izzy interrupts. “What if someone from Astermiri finds out?” Her tone has softened, but the concern is real. Her eyes dart to me with a look I can’t place. “I’m not saying you’d slip and tell them, but let’s not forget their mind affinities over there.”
Callon raises an eyebrow, a smirk curling his lips, but the edge in his voice remains. “And what makes you think she’d ever go back there?”
Izzy’s gaze sharpens. “I’m not an idiot, Cal. I know where you were.”
The room feels heavy, suffocating. I can’t seem to breathe properly, the tension pressing in on all sides. “What is she talking about, Callon?” My voice cuts through the silence, sharper than I intended, but I can’t help it.
His jaw tightens at the question, the frustration visible. But then he sighs, runs a hand through his hair. “Later,” he mutters,then seems to reconsider. Taking a deep breath, he looks me in the eye, his expression serious. “Baron requested an audience with us a few days ago. My father declined and sent me in his place. He wants you back—no surprise there. He was willing to cut any deal it took—money, armies, even land.”
I feel a lump form in my throat, my heart thudding hard in my chest. “And what did you say?” My voice feels tight, every muscle in my body on edge.
His eyes darken, but there’s a quiet fury in them that’s reserved for those who’ve crossed him. “I told that son of a bitch that I am not keeping you captive. If you wanted to return to Astermiri, I would blink you there myself. He could take all his money and land and shove it. It’s all worthless compared to you. And to think that any of that could equal what your life is worth proves just how little he values you.” His voice softens slightly, but the smirk returns. “And finally, I told him that if he ever wanted to have this conversation again, he’d better have the balls to invite you himself.”
Izzy groans, rubbing her temples like she’s warding off a headache. “That might have been a tad dramatic,” she mutters, but the sarcasm doesn’t mask the worry in her eyes.
My breath catches. The flutter in my chest is back again, but this time, I don’t push it away. “Thank you,” I say, my voice soft but sincere. I don’t have the words for how much it means that he’s willing to fight for me. For once, I feel like I’m worth fighting for, and that realization hits me harder than I expected. In all my time here, with everything that’s happened, not once have I felt like I was just some pawn to be used. Callon sees me—really sees me—and that’s not something I can easily ignore.
Izzy steps forward, her expression hardening. “And what happens if he comes after us next?”
“We fight back,” Callon replies, his voice steady, but with an undeniable tension beneath it. “We’re not going to let him tearthis apart. Not for something like this.”
I feel the weight of their words settle over me. The tension in the room is palpable. I thought I was caught in a dangerous web before, but now I can see it—the true cost of Baron’s obsession. There’s no turning back now.
“And Izzy,” I add, my voice firm, “I am never going back there. Baron is a monster, and his sons are no better.”
Izzy’s head snaps up, her eyes narrowing. “Sons?” she echoes, her tone suspicious.
Shit. It takes me a second to realize I’ve slipped up. I was planning on telling Callon later anyway, but I guess there’s no better time than the present. Bracing myself, I take a step back and sit on the table, mimicking Callon’s usual pose.
“So,” I start, working to keep my voice steady despite the gravity of what I’m about to reveal, “the whole reason I ended up down here is that I had a dream last night. I was in the mountain passage between here and Astermiri.”
I glance at each of them. Izzy’s face drains of color, as if she already knows where this is going. Theo’s expression hardens, the kind of steel I’ve only ever read about in stories of warriors bracing for battle. And Callon... he’s gone quiet, his usual mask of indifference settling back over him, but I can see the storm brewing in his bright blue eyes.
“What did you see?” Callon presses, his eyes finding mine with an intensity that makes it hard to look away.
“I saw them,” I whisper. The words heavy, tremulous on my tongue. “I saw your mother, Aaliyah.” I glance at Izzy, my eyes pleading for her to understand. “And your father, Erik.” The images flood back—vivid, brutal—each one slicing into me like a shard of glass. Eamon’s betrayal, the fight that had been lost before it even began.
My breath hitches, but I force myself to continue. “They fought for their lives... until there were just too many.” My chesttightens, my throat thick with emotion, but I keep going. “They were overrun. They were too strong... too many.”
My voice falters, the enormity of what I’ve witnessed nearly crushing me, threatening to swallow me whole.
