James Islington - The Shadow Of What Was Lost

Then she thought of the visions in the Journal, and she knew there wasn’t really a choice. The Augurs had Seen the Blind inside the city. This wasn’t information she could withhold.

"I think… I’m fairly certain the Veil was drawing from my Reserve," she said, voice shaking a little.

Elocien stared at her blankly for a few moments. "Your Reserve," he repeated.

"I know how it sounds." Asha rubbed her forehead, staring at the torc in her hand. "But it’s not my imagination."

Elocien shook his head. "You must be mistaken. If Shadows could use Vessels, we would know about it."

"Would we?" Asha looked him in the eye. "Shadows have only been around since the war, and given how we’re treated… I cannot imagine many of us have even had the chance to see a Vessel, let alone touch one. We’re mostly Gifted who failed our Trials, remember. I know the Shadows at the Tol wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near Athian’s Vessels. And Administration wouldn’t let a Shadow anywhere near… anything." She shrugged. "And, let’s be honest. I don’t know many Shadows who would make the knowledge public, even if they did find out."

Elocien stared at her for a few seconds, then tossed her something small that glinted as it spun through the air.

"Prove it."

Asha caught the object neatly and opened her hand, staring down at what she held. The silver ring from the storeroom. "Erran says this can punch a hole through a wall."

"That was the first Vessel Erran ever tested, and he poured enough Essence into that thing to punch a hole through Ilin Tora," said Elocien dryly. "Just a trickle should be fine."

Asha nodded, holding the ring out in front of her. She was about to close her eyes when Elocien coughed.

"Even so, if you could please point it away from my head….."

Asha gave him a crooked smile, adjusting so that she was facing Elocien’s bookcase. She took a deep breath. Concentrated.

At first there was nothing. Then… a connection. A sense of energy building up in the ring.

She released it.

Then she was flying backwards, crashing against the far wall hard enough to rattle her teeth as Elocien’s carefully stacked shelves of books and documents exploded into a fluttering, chaotic mess of papers. Dazed, Asha accepted Elocien’s help as she struggled to her feet, eyes wide.

They both stood for a few moments, surveying the carnage.

The point of impact on the bookcase had splintered the shelf, and there was a circular series of cracks in the stone where the blow had dinted the wall behind.

"Fates," said Elocien. He looked at the wall, then Asha, then the wall again.

"Fates," he repeated dazedly.

They spent the next few minutes tidying the mess as best they could, silent until the worst of it was cleared, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually Elocien sat, gesturing for Asha to do the same, and stared at her like a puzzle to be solved.

"Assuming this applies to all Shadows, and not just you," he said quietly. "You’re not bound by the Tenets?"

Asha shook her head. "Not from what I can tell."

Elocien rubbed his forehead. "I need time to think about this." He grimaced. "In the meantime, I need your word. You don’t breathe a word of this - not to anyone. Not even to the Augurs. If this ever got out…." His frown deepened. "Panic. Overreaction, from Administration and probably from a lot of common folk too. Which ends badly for the Shadows. And then, any Shadows who manage to get hold of a Vessel….." He looked sick. "I know a lot of Shadows are good people, Asha, but a lot of them hate Administration for making them the way they are. Not sure I can blame them, either, but giving them weapons like that…."

Asha nodded; she’d had time to process the implications now, and she knew that what the duke was saying was true. "You have my word," she assured him. "What about for defending against the Blind, though?"

Elocien shook his head. "No. Not even for that." He held up a hand as Asha made to protest. "And regardless, the Shadows are disparate, disorganised, and have little allegiance to the city. Even if we sent word out, there’s no way we could arrange them into any meaningful group."

"There’s one person who could." Asha raised an eyebrow. "Who already has."

Elocien stared at her in pure disbelief.

"After what they’ve done? After what they did to you?" He shook his head. "No. We’re not there yet."

"That wasn’t him. And we know the Blind get inside the city -"

"We believe they do," corrected Elocien. "But right now, we have an army of nine thousand good men standing in their way, not to mention the Shields at Fedris Idri. I’m worried, Asha, but not worried enough to give over some of the most powerful weapons ever created into the hands of murderers. Particularly ones who wouldn’t hesitate to turn those weapons on us once the battle’s over." He held up a hand as he saw Asha’s face. "I’m not saying I won’t consider it. But we’re not there yet."

Asha gave a reluctant nod, then offered the ring back to Elocien.

The duke hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

"Keep it," he said. "Just don’t let Ionis see it." He paused. "And it probably goes without saying, but be very careful of Ionis if you come across him in your duties as Representative. He’s a zealot - the worst kind. Give him the opportunity, and he’d wipe out every Gifted and Shadow in existence."

Asha inclined her head. "I will be."

They talked a little more after that, but before long Asha made her excuses and headed back towards her rooms. She wanted to be alone for a while, to gather her racing thoughts. To try and calmly determine what this all meant.

She shook her head, still dazed as she made her way along the palace hallways, rolling the silver ring idly in her hand. Her Reserve was intact, just… blocked off, somehow. Could Davian have been right? Was it possible to somehow undo becoming a Shadow?

Then she frowned, coming to a gradual halt as she realised something else. For the first time, Asha felt certain that Davian had actually spoken to her that day - had been there in the room with her. She knew that it hadn’t been some kind of odd dream.

Asha slipped the ring onto her finger, and walked on. She had a lot to think about.

Erran looked up as Asha entered the Lockroom.

"Quick thinking earlier," he said once she’d shut the door. "I gather Ionis wasn’t too happy with Elocien?"

Asha shook her head. "Decidedly unhappy." She sat opposite the Augur, silent for a moment. "Before he interrupted us -"

"It’s dangerous, Asha," interjected Erran, his expression serious. Their conversation from the storeroom had obviously been on his mind, too. "I couldn’t guarantee your safety."

Asha took a deep breath. If Davian was really alive, then Ilseth had lied to her - lied to everyone - about why she’d been made a Shadow. And there had to be a reason for that.

"I don’t care," she said quietly. "I want you to try and restore my memories." She set her features into a grim mask of determination and looked Erran in the eye, daring him to refuse her.

"I want to remember what happened at Caladel."

Davian grinned as he walked around Malshash, watching the almost motionless man.

A stone fell slowly from his hand where he’d dropped it, only a split second ago. Yet Davian had been watching it fall for at least a count of ten.

They had spent the last few days working on this ability, one of the hardest to master according to Malshash, and one of the most relevant to Davian’s return through the rift. The mysterious Augur had been hesitant about using it here in Deilannis – he was worried what the implications might be, this close to the Jha’vett – but his determination that Davian learn the ability had won out.