Page 18 of Realms of Shadow and Sun (A World of Sun and Shadow #3)

"Who are you?"

Grayden demanded, staring down at the tiny woman standing in the doorway.

"You break into our realm, invade our palace, and then have the nerve to ask who I am?"

The woman was remarkably old, older than Almory, older than anyone Grayden had met before. Her curly hair fell past her shoulders, and it was so white that it almost seemed to absorb the light from the chamber behind her. She was dressed in a simple, flowing white dress. Her face was so wrinkled that she looked like she was in a constant state of confusion, with her forehead scrunched up and her eyes pulled back. Her skin was almost as pale as her hair, and Grayden figured that she must hardly ever leave the indoors. She carried a short staff with a gaudy sun emblazoned on the top, and a giant ruby in the center of the sun. Her eyes were a piercing gray, and she looked at Grayden and Selenia as if she could see all the way into their very souls.

"I'm here seeking knowledge about breaking a blood promise,"

Grayden said, putting himself in front of Selenia. "I'm Prince Grayden from the Snow Lands."

The old woman glanced behind his back at Selenia. "And who is this?"

"My sister,"

Grayden responded, shielding Selenia further.

"You can calm down, I'm not going to hurt her,"

the old woman wheezed, her voice crackly as if she had a perpetual case of pneumonia. "Come inside,"

she said, and turned her back to them and walked into the room.

As soon as they entered the room, the door shut behind them with a loud boom. Grayden turned and instantly noticed there was no handle or knob on the door. He fought down the panic he felt, ignoring the hair that stood up on the back of his neck as he worried that this was some kind of trap.

He looked around the dimly lit room, searching for something, anything that would signal he was in the right place. That he had finally made a step in the right direction, one tiny moment closer to breaking the blood promise and freeing Renya from...her mother. However, as he took in the small chamber, with nothing more than a short bookcase alongside one of the walls, his hope fell. This was the ancient library of the Sun Realm? The place where magic from the old Gods was kept and protected?

Selenia caught his eye, and he could tell she too was not impressed at the sight before her. Aside from the wooden bookcase, there was an oak desk with a large, open book on it, as well as a quill. Another door, slightly smaller than the one they entered through but no less grand, stood next to the bookshelf.

The woman finally spoke. "You say you seek ancient knowledge?"

she said, looking directly at Grayden.

"I seek a spell to break a promise my mate made."

She let out a shrill laugh, which echoed in the empty room, bouncing off the bare, stone walls.

"You foolish boy, do you think it's so easy to break a fated bond? It's hard to do and requires a sacrifice. One that you are unable to pay."

Grayden didn't ask for her to elaborate her meaning. "I would never break my bond,"

he said, trying not to raise his voice at the anger he felt at the mere suggestion. "I wish to free my mate from a blood promise she pledged to another."

The woman looked over at the bookcase for a split second, but it was enough for Grayden to catch the look. There was knowledge there, important knowledge.

"Why do you think I could undo this promise? A blood promise is never meant to be broken. The very nature of a blood promise is that it can't be undone."

Grayden lifted his chin. "This promise was nobly made, and my mate suffers because of it."

"Ahhhh...you want your mate back. All those who seek magic in this library are selfish and only travel here for their own wish-fulfillment. One of the many reasons why the rumor that the Sun Realm had fallen was spread. Representatives from every land from every corner of our world have been here, seeking our knowledge to better or enrich their own pathetic lives."

Selenia finally spoke up. "We need to break this bond to vanquish the Shadow Queen."

Another cackle came from the old woman. "A boy with no magic? And a girl who refuses to use hers? You think you can take down the Shadow Queen? Ha! Her ending has already been foretold, and it is not some silly love-sick prince who will bring it about."

"No,"

Grayden responded, his eyes beaming with pride. "It's the light bringer. My mate."

Before the woman could respond, the earth underneath them began quaking, and a violent tremor knocked them all off their feet. As they picked themselves up off the ground, they noticed the woman was gone.

"Well, that could have gone better,"

Selenia said dishearteningly.

Grayden's shoulder was in agony, but he wouldn't give up.

"Grayden, you're going to kill yourself,"

Selenia said, as he rushed the door again, trying to get it to open. He bounced off, hesitated for a second, then rammed it with his other shoulder. Nothing. It wouldn't budge.

Grayden stood back, rage rushing inside of him. He didn't come this far to get stuck in this chamber. Surely there must be a way out. He guessed the elderly woman left by magic, but there must be some other way. He stared at the door, then held out his hand, focusing as hard as he could. Nothing. Just as he suspected, he had no magic left.

"Selenia?"

he asked, looking over at her. She was slumped against the wall, listening intently as if she could hear a way out. "I know you don't use your magic, but could you please try?"

Selenia looked at him sadly. "I already tried, Grayden. I don't know if this room is protected from outside magic, or if mine is gone as well."

She sniffled, and a single tear dripped down her cheek. Grayden stopped ramming the wall and sank down to sit against the rough stone wall with his sister.

"I'm so sorry, Selenia,"

he said, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm not upset about my magic, I'm just upset that I can't use it when I need it. Part of me felt comforted, knowing it was there, just in case. But I guess that's gone."

She looked ahead, unseeing and with her arms wrapped around her knees.

"Not just that, but I'm sorry I ever brought you into this. When I found Renya again, I shouldn't have come back to the Snow Lands. I should have hidden her somewhere, taken her away where she couldn't be found. This is all my fault. I'm the reason Jurel is dead, I'm the reason we're trapped in here."

"Grayden, I think we would have ended up here, regardless of our choices."

Grayden leaned against the wall, the cold seeping into his muscles. His shoulder would be bruised for days, but the coolness of the wall brought him some relief. "You know, Renya said something like that."

"She did?"

"Yes, when we were at the Twilight Kingdom. She said the prophecy was proof she would vanquish the Shadow Queen, because it was foretold. It gave her strength and assurance, I think. She said she felt like every move she made was the right choice, leading her to do whatever she must do."

"She's very wise,"

Selenia said, and then she jerked her head up, listening. She sat up suddenly, her eyes wide.

"What is it?"

"I can hear Phillippe,"

she said. "Hush!"

Grayden sat quietly, watching her facial expression. She stood completely still, eyes closed. She finally opened her eyes, and looked at Grayden.

"He was talking with someone, but I couldn't make out anything."

"Maybe it was the woman that was in here?"

"Maybe,"

she answered, looking at Grayden. "But it sounded like it might have been a man."

Grayden frowned, hoping Phillippe was okay. Then, from across the room, a flash of gold shone and three figures slowly spun around, becoming more and more substantial by the second.

His jaw dropped. "Sion?"

Sion and Phillippe were standing in the room, along with a man that looked vaguely familiar. Another golden circle spun, and the elderly woman appeared again.

Grayden wasted no time before rushing up and giving Sion a hearty hug. He pulled back, looking into his friend's face for injury, before asking about Renya.

"She's fine, Grayden. Unharmed and becoming more and more powerful with her magic."

Relief poured over Grayden like rain during a thunderstorm. He released a loud breath, as if he hadn't properly breathed since Renya left him. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

Grayden eyed the other man beside Phillippe, trying to place him.

"Grayden, this is Cyrus,"

Sion said, gesturing to the man.

At once it clicked. The picture in the locket. The piercing blue eyes. He looked much older now, far older than he should, given Renya's age in the picture, but there was no doubt about it. This was Renya's father. If he was with Sion, did that mean he was imprisoned as well?

Grayden's heart raced as he took in the man before him. This was the father of the woman he loved, a man who had sacrificed everything to protect her. A mixture of respect, gratitude, and apprehension swirled within him.

"I take it this is the man you serve?"

Cyrus said, peering into Grayden's green eyes, taking the measure of him.

"He is. Cyrus, this is Grayden. Your daughter's...mate."

"And fiancé,"

Grayden added, growling slightly. He didn't want anyone else to forget it.

"A little possessive, are we?"

Cyrus laughed as he clapped Grayden on the back. "I've been there!"

Grayden was momentarily taken aback, realizing that he was now in the presence of Renya's father. "I guess I should have asked you for her hand, and I would have, if I knew you existed. Does Renya know you're alive?"

"She does, my boy,"

Cyrus replied, holding out his hand to shake Grayden's. "And I did you a favor before leaving. I broke her blood promise."

"You broke the promise, and then left her there?"

Grayden said, irritation and admonishment in his tone. His protective instincts flared, overriding his initial awe at meeting Cyrus.

"Now wait just a second,"

Cyrus said, sensing that Grayden's temper was rising. "It was essential to our plan."

"I don't care a fuck about your plan!"

Grayden roared, his fist itching to punch someone. "All I care about is my mate!"

Sion placed his hand on Grayden's arm, trying to calm him. "It was her choice, Grayden."

Grayden looked like he might strangle Sion or Cyrus, or maybe both of them.

Phillippe came to the other side of Grayden. "Brother, you must stay calm. Let them explain."

Grayden breathed deeply, trying to regulate his pounding heart and the red-hot rage that threatened to break itself loose. He knew he was being irrational, but the thought of Renya in danger overrode all other considerations.

"You're not catching him at the best time,"

Sion said to Cyrus. "He's usually much calmer."

"He freaks out wherever Renya is concerned,"

Selenia added. "You should have seen him when his head advisor accused Renya of witchcraft. You could hear him yell all the way to the Tidal Kingdom."

Grayden looked at them all helplessly. "I need to get her back."

Cyrus nodded, his expression softening with understanding. "You will. She's now free of the blood promises she made."

"Promises?"

Sion looked guilty. "She made another promise to save my life."

Grayden's jaw clenched and unclenched. He viewed Sion as a brother, and cared for him deeply. The fact that Renya made another blood promise to save his friend both touched him and infuriated him.

"I've broken them both, so she's now free whenever she wants to leave."

"Then why is she still there?"

Grayden asked, his voice still shaking with anger, but he was cooling down slowly.

"She opted to continue to be trained by Cressida. She knew the best chance we have to defeat her would be for Renya to gain her trust, learn her secrets and improve her own magic."

Grayden instantly knew Cyrus spoke the truth. That was exactly something Renya would do. Sacrifice herself for the people she loved. For the world she now belonged to. Pride and worry warred within him.

"When can I rescue her?"

"Within the next two weeks. She's improved drastically in her magic, and given her cleverness and sweet disposition, I have no doubt she will be able to charm her mother quickly."

"I've no doubt about that,"

Grayden said, sighing deeply.

"So Renya knows? She knows of her heritage?"

Selenia asked, watching the interaction, engrossed.

"She does. Cressida told her almost instantly after capturing her. She didn't believe it at first, but once Cyrus confirmed it..."

Sion drifted off.

"How did you find out?"

Cyrus asked, a slight frown on his face.

Grayden pulled out the locket from his tunic and handed it to Cyrus. Cyrus took it gently, a slightly pained, but sweetly reminiscent look on his face.

"Ahhh, yes. I'd long forgotten about this. There were some good memories, before she became obsessed with the prophecy."

"The Sun Realm scrolls?"

Phillippe asked, crossing his arms across his chest, trying to follow along in the family drama unraveling before his eyes.

"Yes. I take it they were rediscovered after I left for the human realm?"

They all nodded.

"I see. We found them shortly after Renya's birth, here in our libraries."

Cyrus gestured at the lone bookcase.

"That's...hardly a library, let alone libraries,"

Selenia said, looking towards the bookcase.

A shrill laugh came from the elderly woman's mouth. "That's just the index."

They all stared at the elderly woman, except for Cyrus, who started walking towards the bookcase.

"This is Libera,"

he said, acknowledging the old woman. "She's our head seer and the Keeper of the Knowledge."

"We've briefly met,"

Selenia grumbled, still irritated over their abandonment in the locked chamber.

Cyrus ignored Selenia's comment, humming to himself as he pulled out a book from the shelf. He handed it to Libera, who smiled widely as she accepted it. She ran a pale, wrinkled finger over the spine, and the door next to the bookcase started to sparkle and pulsate, almost as if it was moving incredibly fast while standing still. Suddenly, it stopped, and the door swung inward.

Cyrus stepped through the door, beckoning for them to follow him. Wordlessly, they entered the room, mouths agape. A huge, multistory chamber was laid out before them. Books and scrolls lined every inch of the room, with sliding ladders on every wall. A wrought-iron spiraling staircase stood in the middle of the room, leading up to the second and third stories. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and leather bindings, and a soft, golden light seemed to emanate from the very walls themselves.

"Whoa,"

Phillippe said, breaking the silence.

"What is this place?"

Grayden asked, his eyes wide as he tried to take in the vastness of the library.

"The great library of knowledge. Libera has been protecting it since we found it. It was long forgotten, but my grandfather stumbled across it while chasing a pig through the palace—long story—and it's taken years to categorize and organize the books."

Cyrus strolled over to a shelf, picking up a set of scrolls.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Grayden asked, his heart racing with anticipation.

"Yes. The Sun Realm Scrolls. Once they were found, Cressida became obsessed with them. It was what led me to sever our fated bond."

Cyrus's face darkened at the memory. "There was a seer who deduced Renya would usurp Cressida, and I feared for her life. Her Aunt Agatha and I hid her away, as I'm sure you've figured out."

"You were fated? I thought fated bonds couldn't be broken?"

Grayden asked, his crinkling in confusion.

Cyrus sighed heavily, his eyes distant. "They shouldn't be, and I'm the first person I know who has attempted and succeeded,"

he said, looking at Grayden. "It cost me dearly, and I lost my magic for over twenty years, in which I was stuck in the human realm, aging rapidly. But it was worth it, to save my daughter."

The weight of Cyrus's sacrifice hung in the air, and Grayden felt a newfound respect for the man. "Do you know where Agatha is?"

he asked, knowing that Renya was incredibly worried about her aunt.

"I have a hunch that she's been bound to another realm in the portal corridor in the human world. Sion and I are going to go track her down."

"What about Renya? How do we get her back?"

Selenia asked, voicing the question that burned in Grayden's mind.

"We will need to pull her away from the Shadow Realm. She can't leave voluntarily, or at least, it can't seem that way. Cressida believes I severed Renya's mating bond. She also still thinks the blood promises remain intact. In order to keep her trusting Renya, we will need to make it seem like we are removing her against her will."

Cyrus looked around the group, making sure everyone understood. "I'll go with you, to make it seem like I'm there to break the blood promise."

"Won't she try and get Renya back?"

Phillippe asked, his tactical mind already working on potential problems.

"She will, but we'll head towards the Snow Lands. Her magic will be weakest there, and I can place a protection spell on your lodge that will make it seem as though it's abandoned."

"Is that what you've done here?"

Grayden remembered the small girl he thought he saw in the window, understanding dawning on him.

"Yes. The Sun Realm never fell. It's been cloaked for many, many years."

Cyrus looked pleased with himself, no doubt proud of the magic protecting his city. "Now that you know it's cloaked, the magic will break and you'll see the city as it truly is. Trust me, you'll never want to leave."

Grayden's mind raced with the implications of all he had learned. The Sun Realm still thrived, hidden from the world. Renya was free of her blood promises but chose to stay to gather information. And now, they had a plan to bring her home.

"When do we leave?"

Grayden asked, determination burning in his eyes.

Cyrus smiled, recognizing the look of a man in love. "We'll need a few days to prepare. In the meantime, I suggest you all rest and learn what you can from this library. Knowledge will be our greatest weapon against Cressida."

As the others began to explore the vast library, Grayden approached Cyrus. "Thank you,"

he said quietly. "For protecting Renya all these years. And for helping us now."

Cyrus placed a hand on Grayden's shoulder. "She's my daughter, and I'd do anything for her. But I can see she's found someone else who feels the same way. Take care of her, Grayden. She's special, and not just because of the prophecy."

Grayden nodded solemnly. "I will. With my life."