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He swallows hard, glancing at the door before slowly nodding his head. “Yes. I was born with both.” He moves to take a step forward but thinks better of it and steps back, fisting his hands at his side.
“But you can’t tell anyone. They’ll kill me,” he pleads.
“I know.” It has been my own fear for as long I can remember. “I won’t… I won’t tell them,” I promise.
He runs a hand over his face, a frown now marring his brow. “How can I trust you? This secret is… It means life or death to me.”
“I’m a Sidus. Who would believe me anyway?” I ask, reminding him with a raised brow.
He winces at my reply but realizes how true it is. They think him to be a Caligo. If I were to tell them he is both, they would simply laugh at me and then punish me for lying about him.
I should despise him for choosing the Caligo side of himself. Choosing the easy way, full of comfort and protection. But in truth, all I feel is hope. Hope that I am no longer alone in this world. That what I am is not some form of abomination but an evolution of our kind.
“I would never tell them,” I promise him again. He has no reason to trust me, nor I him, but knowing what he is, that he’s like me, makes it hard not to want to.
“I will keep your secret,” I tell him. But his eyes narrow on mine, searching my face for something. A lie, perhaps, or some form of distrust. But he will find neither.
He seems to think so too, when he releases a harsh breath and nods. “Thank you, Seren. I’m Oryn.”
“You know my name?” I ask, quickly forgetting he was the one to mention I was trained by Ryuu.
A small smile tilts his lips. “I’ve heard about you. You’re one hell of a fighter. You could have entered the guard’s competition any other year. Why now?”
Realizing I don’t have much time, I ignore his question and tilt my head toward the door. “What were you trying to do?”
Oryn glances back at the door with a frown. “I wanted to unlock a door that seemed to be locked by some other means. I thought I could use both abilities to break it open, but I wasn’t having much luck.” He rubs a hand down the back of his neck and gives me a small smile.
“What did you think was behind it?” I ask.
He glances around the hall, frowning. “I thought there might be a clue.”
“A clue?” I step toward the door, leaning against it, and I listen for any sound on the other side but quickly find none.
The guards could have it shielded somehow, blocking any sound from within. But I have a feeling there is nothing inside it, as we would have both been overheard by now and caught. I tell Oryn as much.
Oryn nods as if it is something he might have already been aware of but also hoping it was not true. His face grows grim.
“I thought so too.” Oryn releases a harsh breath, staring at me once more. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this, butsomething tells me I can trust you. That you have enough of your own problems to deal with rather than try to turn around and betray me.” He sighs before turning to me completely and looking me straight in the eye. “My sister was taken three days ago. It’s the only reason I’m here. And I need to find her before it’s too late.”
Everything inside me freezes. “Taken by whom?”
“I don’t know. But it wasn’t a Caligo.” He says it with complete certainty in his voice.
I raise a brow. “Do you think it was a Sidus?”
His eyes widen as if he’s only now realizing what he has implied. He quickly shakes his head. “That’s the thing. I don’t think it was either.”
The dark creatures flash across my mind. “How do you know your sister was taken and not…?”
“Killed?” he says, finishing my question. “There was a… residue of some kind left behind.” His frown deepens. “A silver film that glimmered in the light. When I touched it, it felt… off. Like it didn’t belong in our world.” He shakes his head again, but more to himself. “I know it sounds crazy, but Iknowmy sister is alive.” He brings his hand to his chest. “Ifeelit. Here.”
I have no reason to help him, with the list of things I should be trying to figure out myself. But the sadness in his eyes makes me want to at least try.
“What is your plan?” I ask.
He gives me a grateful look for not questioning him on his strange hunch, but who am I to judge him and what he feels is right? Many of my own decisions are based on my gut instincts rather than knowledge. If he feels his sister is alive, then she is alive.
“I wanted to search the palace. I assume that whoever has taken her has to be powerful. That the royals may know something… But?—”
