Hearts of Dusk

004. Noble Blood

(possible triggers: violence, death, graphic descriptions)

CHAPTER FOUR:
Noble Blood

• • •

Seeva had always been the most powerful among us. It wasn't just that he was older and more practiced—his gift was far beyond what the rest of us were capable of. One strike from him was as strong as ten of the Order's most skilled gifts combined, which was why he rarely called upon his ability.

It was also why I panicked when there was a commotion from the crowd and elves began to scream.

Everything happened so fast. I was still in the Gratori's mind and realized instantly that he spotted Seeva the second the attack started. I couldn't warn him, couldn't tell him to stop. I could only watch over the impostor king's shoulder as my mentor unleashed the power he kept dormant for too long.

Black, crackling lightning erupted from his fingertips, splitting off into multiple bolts of wild energy that weaved back together and struck through the dispersing crowd toward a single destination: the man whose hands tightened around my waist when he heard the crowd's shrieks.

But the rippling, deadly power of Seeva's gift never touched the noble.

The Gratori leaped over to us with impossible speed, crashing into the masked Teseran and sending him to the ground while I stumbled back. My eyes widened in horror as the onyx lightning struck the warrior right in the spine. His entire body jolted, seizing like a statue for one terrible, drawn-out moment, and I watched as grey scars webbed out in fractals over his face. The bolt burned an exit wound through his abdomen, then dissipated to nothing before it could reach me. The Gratori's eyes rolled back as he dropped to the floor.

Seeva stood isolated from the rest of the crowd, and I realized he had lied to me. He spent months assuring me that he knew how to channel his attack through the ground, that he could hit the King without being detected.

I could hardly draw in a breath before the Keepers emerged from their scattered hiding spots, and I scrambled back to my feet just in time to meet Seeva's gaze and connect to his thoughts.

I'm sorry for lying to you. It was our best shot and I couldn't let you do it alone.

Seeva, they're going to—

I know, he looked away to keep witnesses from suspecting we knew each other. I'm sorry I failed, but Moon... he's taken a liking to you. I'm sure that he will invite you to the palace, and you'd put yourself at greater suspicion if you denied his request. So take the opportunity to gain his trust and infiltrate his mind. You can influence him. You can be the true power behind the throne without ever assassinating him. As long as you're careful, you can go unnoticed. No more bloodshed. You can't risk it now.

I listened to all he said, but the Keepers finally reached him and had him knocked to his knees in the next second.

Seeva!

I'm sorry I couldn't help you end this now. I wish it had worked— his thoughts cut short as two Keepers, both dressed in their pearly white uniforms, grabbed Seeva's arms and roughly restrained them behind his back. A third Keeper stood in front of him and held his hand out, and I gasped at the swirling grey mist that sprawled from his palm.