Page 25 of Walking in Darkness

He raised his frail arms out to his sides, fighting the horror that wanted to bring him to his knees; rather than succumbing to it, he lifted his chin.

“My children, I know this is one of the hardest days our family has ever endured. Coming here to this plane and realizing that William and Nathan have been stolen from us. The worry we face that others may have been ripped from us as well. I know what we’re all thinking ...”

He paused and let his attention drift to Aria, who stood at his side, before he began to speak again. “And no, I cannot deny that there is a chance that we are being hunted in the day. Picked off, one by one.”

Gasps rolled through their family.

Ellis continued, “We know not for certain, but we do know that Aria has specifically been tracked by a man named Ambrose. Someone she has seen both in Faydor as well as walking in the flesh in the human realm.”

Timothy met Pax’s gaze, and the man curled his arm around his Nol, Dani, as if that single action could wrap her in a hedge of protection.

Ellis cleared the thickness from his throat. “This man had the power to pull Aria into another plane that none of us knew existed.”

Another roll of overwhelming shock, and Pax’s insides twisted at the thought of it. At the fear that at any moment, this monster could reach out and rip Aria from him.

“As you see, she was able to escape, but this man did threaten that he was there to end all her kind. She’d thought he was referring to her, to the special abilities she’s been given. A Valient who can heal in the day.”

They had filled Ellis in on what they had found out through Maria Lewis, the wife of another Valient. Told him about the theory that there was a special group of Laven who had additional powers. Even though Ellis didn’t fully understand what it meant, he had shared it with the rest of their family previously.

Ellis inhaled a shaky breath. “But now ... now we must question if he intended that threat to extend to all of us. To this family that wehold so dear. I fear Ambrose is controlling the Kruen, making them target us in the day.”

A disturbance wobbled through the air.

“The only thing we can do is fight,” he continued. “Search through the evils that the Kruen are whispering into human minds, watch for any ill deed they’re trying to pour onto our brothers and sisters within their minds, and stop the carnage before it happens.”

He didn’t try to hide the truth of what they’d all accepted was happening.

Rage burned within Pax, and he tightened his hold on Aria’s hand as he gritted his teeth. “We have to stop this monster, Aria.”

“I know. And we will. We have to.” She ran her thumb over the back of his hand.

“Be careful, my family. In the day, use caution wherever you go and with whomever you interact. And when you descend into Faydor, fight with everything you have. We cannot let them prevail.”

Hundreds of Laven gathered together, each finding their Nols. Those whose Nols had not arrived or who mourned the ones who were forever lost remained huddled together on the grass.

Choosing to wait.

Praying for a miracle.

The pairs moved toward the gateway, which was hidden to the naked eye, invisible save for the energy that lapped and pulled. A force that drew them to the vile darkness that waited beyond.

To their calling.

Only now, their calling had changed. Their survival hinged on snuffing out those who sought their demise.

Or theone.

Aggression curled through Pax, and he and Aria followed the trail of their family who stepped through the portal, two by two. Their essences lit up in a brilliant, blinding light before they disappeared into the nothingness.

Dani and Timothy came up to their side, and Dani muttered, “Oh God,” to Aria before she wrapped her friend in her hold.

“It’s going to be okay,” Aria promised, her voice firm, taking that truth on for its own.

Dani shook her head against her shoulder, the woman so tiny next to Aria that her head barely came to her chest. “I know. It has to be. We have to stop this. I can’t lose you. You are ...”

Emotion wound through Aria. The stark love she held for Dani. Her closest friend. The one who understood her in a way no one else could, Dani having gone through her own trials as she’d grown into adulthood. Trying to accept who she was when she went to sleep and be confident enough to live her life to the fullest while she was awake.

She’d been such an inspiration to Aria. Her confidante. Her teacher. Her supporter.