Page 34 of Unseen Eye (Aetherian Chronicles #1)

Theo’s voice cuts through the tension. “It’s barren. Morosith was imprisoned there after the Great War. The island is locked in an impenetrable prison, with nothing but ruins and shadows left.”

I shudder, unable to imagine the scale of destruction that must have befallen Soala. It’s hard to believe that a place once filled with life and magic has now become a wasteland, a prison for a god.

“What’s Drystan’s affinity?” I ask, genuinely curious.

Theo glances up from the map, a gleam of mischief in his eye. “Invincibility. Basically, he can’t be killed. Any fatal wound that would take the rest of us down just… doesn’t affect him. The only way to kill him is to strike behind his right shoulder blade.”

Izzy throws him a sharp look, and Theo adds with a wry grin, “But if I were you, I wouldn’t try it.”

“Stay focused,” Izzy grumbles, shaking her head.

“Right,” Theo says, still grinning. “So, not too long ago, the first gate—in Catalpa —opened. And before you ask, no one’s entirely sure how.

The leading theory? Queen Kora, daughter of Irisa, was dabbling in some dark magic beyond her depth.

The gate’s opening threw Catalpa straight into the shadows, and it’s been ruled by the Shadow King ever since. ”

“So, the warden was from Catalpa?” I ask.

Theo’s expression darkens, surprise shifting to annoyance as he glares at Izzy. “Wasn’t aware you’d skipped that part.”

Izzy shrugs. “Cal took care of it. I didn’t see the point in bringing it up.”

“Would’ve been nice to know,” Theo mutters under his breath. Then, turning back to me, he explains, “Yes, the warden and any shadowfiends go back to the Abyss when they’re struck down. But with the gate open, they don’t stay there long before they stumble back into Catalpa.”

It takes me a moment to absorb what that means. “So… none of them actually die? They just keep coming back?”

“Exactly,” Theo replies, his voice grim. “That’s why we’re in this predicament. With the gate open, there’s no permanent way to get rid of them. And since the gods didn’t exactly leave behind a ‘Gates 101’ manual, we’ve got no idea how to close it—or keep another from opening.”

I study the map for a while longer. Catalpa is surrounded by water on three sides, with its only land border connecting to Coire. Curious, I ask, “Why didn’t Catalpa call for backup when they were attacked? Surely someone could have sounded the alarms.”

Theo turns as white as a sheet. “They did,” he whispers, barely audible. “But Drystan ordered us to stand down and not intervene.”

“But why?” I press, my voice rising. “Coire clearly has the armies for it. Surely, you could have made a difference, maybe even prevented all of this.”

“I’m not sure we could have stopped it,” Theo replies. “By the time we would have been able to arrive with an army, I don’t think there would have been many survivors left.”

“But some are better than none!” I counter. “You left them to be slaughtered without a chance.”

“Enough,” Izzy interjects. “Eva, what’s done is done. Yes, it wasn’t ideal, and yes, we fought it. But when the King of Coire makes a decision, you learn not to press him on it.”

“Look at you, going all political on us,” Theo mutters.

“Great! Now you’re all caught up,” Izzy declares, clearly eager to change the subject. “Time for bed!”

She turns to leave, her braid whipping Theo in the face.

Suddenly, I hear a low chuckle, and my stupid heart skips a beat, instantly recognizing the voice.

I turn around to find Callon leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed.

I never heard him come in, and judging by Izzy’s reaction, she didn’t either.

He’s changed clothes, still dressed in all black, but with a more relaxed, comfortable aura than before.

“Thanks for the help, smartass,” Izzy says, a gust of wind flipping the papers on the table. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed. If either of you bothers me in the next twelve hours, I will personally cut off your balls.” She walks out, slamming the door behind her.

“She’s in a great mood,” Theo remarks dryly, picking up some of the papers that blew over.

“Is she always like that?” I ask, helping him gather the scattered sheets.

“Only when she’s cranky,” Callon answers from the back of the room, his tone lazy but amused.

Theo turns to him with a raised eyebrow. “Warden? Really, Cal? You just forgot to mention it?” He shakes his head in mock disbelief.

“Yeah, must’ve slipped my mind,” Callon says sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Callon pushes off the wall and walks over to join us. “You weren’t exactly there to help, were you? Enjoy your peace and quiet?” He ignores the chairs and sits on the table instead, effortlessly placing one leg on it as if he’s done it a thousand times.

“It’s fine,” he adds casually. “I took care of it. Though it was definitely stronger than the last one.”

“Great,” Theo exaggerates with an eye roll. “And speaking of things slipping your mind, and no offense, Eva, you seem great, but what the hell are you doing here? Last I heard, you were in Astermiri.”

“Ask him,” I counter, gesturing to Callon.

Callon raises an eyebrow. “She’s a light wielder,” he says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Baron and his sorry excuse for a son weren’t helping or training her, so I took advantage of the situation. You’re going to train her,” he adds, looking at Theo like this is a done deal.

“Oh, I am?” Theo asks, his voice tinged with surprise.

“He is?” I ask at the same time, irritation and confusion mingling in my voice.

Callon picks up one of his daggers and flips it idly in his hand. “Of course you are. With Izzy’s help. She needs to figure out how to summon the light without being on the brink of death every time.”

“Are you sure this has nothing to do with the Fate?” I challenge, narrowing my eyes at him.

“Fate?” Theo exclaims, suddenly looking even more perplexed. “Gods, Cal, you really need to start explaining better. What the hell did I miss?”

“Quite a bit, it seems,” Callon replies dryly. Then he turns to me, his gaze softening. “Yes, but that wasn’t the main reason I asked.”

“You actually asked?” Theo looks stunned. “Since when do you know manners?”

Callon laughs—a real laugh, not like the forced chuckles he gave in Astermiri. I realize how much better it suits him than the cold mask he usually wears. “Since always,” he says with a grin. “You just never deserved them before.”

I can’t help the small smile tugging at my lips as I silently watch their exchange.

It’s obvious they’re close—those easy jabs, the unspoken understanding.

The kind of camaraderie that only forms after years of shared experiences, the kind you can’t fake.

Theo continues grilling Callon, his questions rapid-fire, sometimes earning a dry response, or an amused grunt in return.

Providence covers the entire southern portion of Aetheria, separated from the rest of the kingdoms by the imposing Silverpeak Mountains, which, until a week ago, I thought made up the entire northern border of the continent. Turns out, I was wrong. Dead wrong.

“Why didn’t anyone in Providence ever know of Aetheria?” I ask aloud, though it’s more to myself than anyone else.

Callon doesn’t miss a beat. “Because the waters are warded,” he answers. “Any ships that tried to sail north were either turned around or wrecked by violent storms. That’s why Providence always traded with the southern isles.”

I glance at him, curious. “How do you know that?”

He meets my gaze with a calm that borders on unsettling.

“I make it my business to know these things,” he says, voice cool but with a slight tilt of his head that makes me wonder how much more he knows that he’s not saying.

Then, with the same dispassionate tone, he asks, “While we’re on the topic of Providence, how did you know where the gate was? ”

My stomach tightens. It’s a casual question, but I can feel the weight behind it.

He wants answers. I take a deep breath, centering myself, trying to keep from blurting out the truth.

How much do I trust him? I could lie—gods know I’m tempted—but something tells me he’d know.

He always knows. He’s waiting for me to slip up, to give him more than I want to.

Fine. Two can play this game.

“I dreamed about it,” I say with deliberate nonchalance. “I was walking through the forest and stumbled upon it. Funny though, the dream left out the hellhounds,” I add, letting a dry laugh escape me.

“Whoa,” Theo mutters, staring at me wide-eyed.

Callon, on the other hand, doesn’t flinch.

He just keeps staring, eyes fixed on mine like he’s waiting for me to crack.

I meet his gaze, refusing to look away, daring him to ask something else.

But he doesn’t. We’re locked in a silent standoff, neither willing to break.

Finally, Theo clears his throat, visibly uncomfortable. “Umm, guys? Hi? Remember me? I’m still here.” He waves his arms as if physically placing himself between whatever this is.

Callon is the first to look away, and I feel a small surge of victory. I won. For now.

But then, without warning, he flips the dagger he’s been casually spinning in his hand and throws it at Theo’s head. Theo ducks just in time, his reflexes sharp as ever.

“Really?” Theo shouts, glaring at Callon. “How rude!”

Callon chuckles, clearly amused with himself, while Theo mutters something about “manners” under his breath. The tension between us fades slightly, but I don’t let my guard down.

“Let me guess,” Callon says, turning back to me, his voice casual again but his eyes still sharp. “You wrote down these dreams and turned them into the stories Garet mentioned?”

“And what if I did?” I reply, my tone matching his indifference, though I feel anything but calm.

“Then I’d ask if you have a copy of them somewhere,” he says, not missing a beat, his voice smooth but with an undercurrent of something I can’t quite place. Is he genuinely curious, or does he have other motives for wanting my stories?

I raise an eyebrow, letting a wave of sarcasm wash over me.

“Oh, sorry. I forgot to grab my journal while being attacked by a commander. Maybe I should have asked him to give me a moment to pack it up before he destroyed the cottage. But perhaps you should ask Garet—he seems to have a copy of everything too,” I add, the bitterness slipping into my tone despite my best efforts.

“Fucking gods, you two,” Theo interjects, rejoining the conversation with a loud sigh. “I assume you know what she’s talking about?” he asks Callon, his voice edged with exasperation.

Callon doesn’t respond right away. He just looks at me for a beat longer, something unreadable passing through his eyes.

Then, with that infuriating calm of his, he jumps off the table and starts heading toward the door.

“Izzy’s right. It’s been a hell of a day.

Get some sleep, Eva. Training starts tomorrow. ”

As he reaches the doorway, he glances over his shoulder, a sly smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Oh, and don’t be late,” he adds with a wink before disappearing into the hallway.