Knights of Light (Book 2 of The Conjurors Series)

Chapter 36

As much as no one wanted to camp in the canyon, they all had to get rest while they had the chance. Still, no one even suggested exploring the buildings or sleeping anywhere other than outside in the beds made from houseplants that Kanti had packed in a callbox back in Arden.

Even after everything was set up, no one wanted to leave the tight circle that they had formed to eat the dinner that Dulcea had left for them in the callbox.

"What is this place?" Cyrus asked.

"It feels...wrong," Henry said, pulling Kanti closer to him.

Even Gideon shook his head. "I knew this was the only exit from Plymouth into Dunsinane, but I didn't know exactly where it would take us."

"It's the former capital of the Globe," Sanguina said, speaking up for the first time since they had helped her escape.

"What happened?" Cyrus asked, fascinated.

"The Fractus were a powerful political group then. But they tried to overthrow the elected government and marshal the magic needed to return to Earth. It was a war."

"But the Fractus must have lost," Henry said harshly.

Sanguina shrugged. "They didn't get back to Earth. But thousands of people were slaughtered, and everyone fled to different corners of the Globe. We haven't been a unified people ever since."

Silence followed her words.

"And now...there's no capital for the entire Globe?" Valerie asked.

"Each country has its own government," Kanti said. "But I never knew that things used to be different."

"The Fractus are many things, but they do keep history faithfully alive," Sanguina said. "Even I didn't know many of these stories until I became one of them," she said, her voice distant.

"So is this place totally deserted now?" Cyrus asked.

"The last group was driven out three-quarters of a century ago," Sanguina replied.

"Maybe someday, we'll all find our way back to each other," Valerie said hopefully.

Sanguina didn't say anything, but she walked away from the group, choosing to sleep on the hard ground rather than one of the plush beds. The mood was broken, and everyone went to sleep.

Valerie didn't think that she would be able to rest with everything that had happened and was about to happen, but to her surprise, she fell asleep quickly and slept soundly for the first night in a long time.

Valerie was the first one up the next day, but in Arden, Dulcea must have already been hard at work, because a breakfast of neon-colored pastries that tasted like they had been baked in heaven were waiting for them. There was also a funny sketch of herself fighting a frazzled Zunya, who was peeing his pants in fear. She was still giggling over it when Cyrus joined her.

He looked at the drawing and started laughing, too. "He really does have the weirdest hairline. Did Dulcea draw this?"

Valerie shook her head. "I think it's from Jack. If his sense of humor is returning, he must be doing better."

"Maybe that little creep isn't a total loser after all," Cyrus said, his cheeriness taking the sting out of his choice of words.

"I slept too long," Gideon said, sounding a little disoriented. "I've never done so before."

"Do you think Kellen's magic is still affecting you? What was that stuff, anyway?" Valerie asked him.

"Fairy dust. It can be charmed to do many things, but this time to befuddle and paralyze me, I believe. A common use," Gideon said with a little of his old confidence.