Page 69 of The City Of Fractured Memory

“The truth,” Stryx says softly, “is that you weren’t born here. You were born in Lunoreth.”

I stop breathing.

You know she’s right…

Stryx meets my gaze squarely, no trace of jest or exaggeration in her tone. “You disappeared from there as a child—stolen. Kidnapped by your mortal father. You are half Echofae, Octavia. Like Riven.”

The room seems to tilt. I stumble against the door, my heartbeat roaring in my ears.

She’s right, you know this…

“No,” I breathe, shaking my head violently. “No, that can’t—that’s not–”

“Think about it,” Stryx presses gently. “You’ve always felt different, haven’t you?”

I don’t answer. I can’t. My chest aches, my thoughts splintering beneath the weight of Stryx’s words. I feel like a tiny fish surrounded by the sharks I’ve unknowingly befriended. If this is true, my whole life has been a lie, and everyone I’ve ever loved or deemed a friend has been an accomplice to it.

Lunoreth. Kidnapped. Half Echofae…

I can’t distinguish my thoughts from my Shadow’s anymore. It’s all madness.

“Stryx,” I whimper hoarsely, “if that’s true…then everything I thought I knew–”

“–has been built on a lie,” Stryx confirms.

Lies, lies, lies…

I continue to shake my head, firmly in denial. “Surely if I was Echofae, I would have shifted by now, or accessed elemental magic? This can’t be true.”

“I don’t know,” she admits. “As far as I’m aware, you and Riven are the only half mortals to have ever been born. Did he elaborate on his abilities?”

“No.” I rake my finger through my hair erratically. “He’s been using illusions to disguise himself like you, and he has the same visible aura, but that’s it. I didn’t exactly have time to interrogate him about it–” Something suddenly occurs to me. “You said his magic felt different? What does mine feel like?”

Dangerous…

Leave. Me. Alone.

She frowns. “I’ve seen you face the consequences of your magic, but in all this time I’ve never witnessed you actually using it.”

I huff impatiently. “No one has, it’s not legal. I’ve had to hide it–”

“Show me,” she cuts in sharply.

Do it…

“Stryx–”

Hurt her…

“Show me. Now!”

I scream in frustration, my fury unleashing the magic I’ve always kept so well hidden. Instead of my usual, delicate control, without purpose or direction, it releases from me like an explosion, a wall of solid air thrown outwards through the room, causing everything not fixed to go flying, including Stryx. She crashes into the fireplace and lands in a heap, surrounded by an array of books and detritus. I stand panting heavily, my mind a swirling vortex of fog and confusion. Achingly slow, it clears as my breathing calms, my Shadow sated and no longer present, and horror slices through me anew as I’m faced with the realisation of what I’ve done.

I launch myself across the room to Stryx, but mercifully she starts to move, shakily sitting up as I reach her. I hold out my hand to her to help her up, but she flinches away from me, a look of panic etched across her paling face.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you, please don't hate me…” I trail off as I watch her eyes widen in horror, like she can see something I can’t.

“Octavia,” she says slowly. “How did you do that?”