LUCIS

Lucis ran his fingers along the rail that spiraled up the through the millions of books that filled the shelves of the spectacular library.  This was the place where Lucis felt at home.  He could just wander through this room and never grow tired of the books and their many pages.  But he wasn't here for the library.

            A door on the third level, practically hidden by one of the shelves, was Lucis's true destination.  It was hard to spot with anyone with normal eyes, but Anahalians didn't have normal eyes.  He had found it the first day they had come to Calandra's.  It was a reading nook, a small room to the side of the library with a small window and chair.  It was a perfect place to go sit, relax, read, or just think. 

            Lucis definitely needed to think now.  It was official that Faux and Tru were staying.  But their news was most unsettling.  If they couldn't get back to Jovis, the entire Anahalian race was going to become no more than mindless beasts.  The Anahalians would be gone.  The council was stubborn, and he could only pray that they would listen to them.  He would have to talk to Kayne in the morning; explain to him the situation.  Kayne was the most likely to listen to him.  If he could convince Kayne, then Kayne may be able to persuade the rest of them to open the gates.

            Lucis stared out the small window in the tiny room.  But that wasn't the only thing he had to worry about.  There was the fact the Evabelle couldn't accept who she was.  He had to get her back so that she could save them.  Could he do that?  He had been preparing for this for a long time.  But what had happened with Tru, as he was reminded with her appearance; that definitely showed he was not ready.

            Lucis clenched his fists as the memory flashed through his mind.  Her pale face, her eyes wide with utter terror.

            "Lucis."

            He turned.  A tall angular form stood in the doorway of the hidden room.  Lucis's heart contracted at the sight of her.  He took a moment before stepping forward and nodding.  "Tru, it's nice to see you."

            "Shut up."  She hissed.  Tru stepped into the room, allowing the moonlight to shine on her.  Her blue wings appeared to glow eerily in its silvery light.  "You know why I'm here, don't you?"  She put her hands on her hips and glared at Lucis. 

            "You mentioned you had no faith in me." 

            She narrowed her cat-like eyes.  "I have my reasons." 

            Lucis didn't ask for what they were.  He knew. 

            "Well I've succeeded.  I managed to find her.  She's here, safe and-"

            "No!"  Tru snapped.  "You haven't succeeded in anything.  Your job was to get her back to Jovis, have her save us.  What I saw this evening was not someone who was even close to being able to save anyone.  The one with the heart of an angel has the heart of a coward." 

            Lucis stayed silent.

            "Well, are you going to say anything?  Defend her?  Defend yourself?"  Tru asked.

            Lucis's eyes narrowed.  "Give her time.  She will save us when the time comes.  And now, I will help her-"

            "Help her?"  Tru cut him off again.  "Help her become our savior?  Our princess?  An angelic being of complete and utter goodness?"  Tru threw back her head and laughed, a dry, cold laugh.  "How do you plan on accomplishing that, being the monster that you are?"

            Lucis shut his mouth and closed his eyes for a long moment before looking at her again.  Her words stabbed him, closed his throat, constricting any words that he could have said.

            "O di se Lucis."  She spoke the words in their tongue.  I hate you, Lucis.  Tru began to shake.  "You are an evil, twisted beast, Lucis, a monster that has fooled the council into letting you live with us, live at all."

            Lucis swallowed and spoke softly.  "Tru, I am so sorry for what happened to you.  I know what it must have been like for you.  And you have no idea how much I regret what I-"

            "You know nothing!"  Tru shrieked suddenly.  Her whole body was trembling in fear or anger, Lucis wasn't sure.  "You know absolutely nothing!"  She marched forward, pressed her palms flat against his chest and shoved him. 

            Lucis tumbled backward into the chair, landing awkwardly bending his injured wing.  He winced, but made no other reaction.  He let her.  He let her shove him.

            Tru glared down at him.  "You are a murderer, Lucis!  A vile, murderous, fiend that should go back to the pits of hell from where you spawned from!"

            Lucis curled his hands into fists on the arms of the chair.  His insides lurched painfully.  He took a deep breath.  "I never killed anyone."  He said softly.

            Tru wrapped a hand around each arm of the chair, bending over Lucis, putting her face centimeters from his.  Her eyes were swirling ice storms.  "You nearly killed me."  She hissed.

            Lucis couldn't look her in the eyes.  He turned his head. 

            Tru grabbed his face with one of her sharp, bony hands, and turned him back to her.  Even now, Lucis could feel the tremor in her hand.  Her breath on his face was ragged.  Lucis could sense her heart-rate was going a million beats a minute.  Tru was terrified being this close to him, touching him, yet her anger and hatred kept her there. 

            Lucis didn't flinch as her long nails dug into his cheek.  "I'm sorry."

            "Liar."  Tru breathed. 

            Lucis's gaze flickered back to her eyes.  Her eyes shone with so many conflicting emotions.  He could see the unshed tears so close to spilling over.  He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he knew if he did that, she would hit him.

            Tru released him and took a step back.  She wrapped her arms around herself and turned away from Lucis.  "That's what you are."  She whispered.

            "What's going on?"

            Tru jumped and stared at the dark form in the doorway.  Anahalians can move with upmost silence.  The only creatures that could detect an Anahalian's presence, when they wanted to be quiet, were another Anahalian, an elf, or a werewolf.  Del was a special case.  He could move so quietly even other Anahalians had trouble hearing him. 

            Lucis, however, had lived with him for seventeen years.  He was used to his brother's silent comings and goings. 

Tru, on the other hand, had not.  She glared at Del, who glared right on back.  "Tru," He murmured.  "Once again, I will mention, how unpleasant it is to see you here."

"Feelings are mutual."  Tru replied.

"You and your cousin should just get out.  We can handle this."  Del growled.

Tru's eyes narrowed to nothing more than slits.  "I suppose I can understand why you're here, Del.  You with your special gift and all, but bringing your demented brother was unnecessary."  Tru smirked.  "But you're nearly as corrupted as he is.  Faux and I are here to save Jovis... from you and your kind."

Del's eyes glittered.  "Get out, Tru."  His voice was deathly soft; a dangerous sign.

Tru marched out of the room, but she stopped by Del and leaned close to him. 

Lucis didn't want to hear what she was going to say.  He leaned his head back over the back of the seat and closed his eyes.  He heard Tru hissing something to Del, who then snarled at her.  Finally he heard her leave.

"What did she say to you?"  Del asked.

Lucis opened eyes and raised his head.  "Nothing, really."  He said flatly.

"Bull."  Del shook his head.  "That's a load of it."

Lucis looked at him.  "How much did you hear?"  He asked.

Del watched him with his violet gaze.  "She called you liar.  That's all I heard."

He was telling the truth, Lucis could tell.  Lucis sat forward and wrung his hands through his hair.  "I told her I was sorry."  He said finally.

Del scoffed.  "How many times have you told her?  How many times does that woman need to hear you say it?"  He shook his head.  "She's just so-"

"You weren't there, Del!"  Lucis shouted a little louder than he had wanted.  He lowered his voice, but kept its urgency.  "You didn't see her!  You didn't see me!  You didn't see the way she looked at me.  I nearly... nearly... I..."  He heard his own voice crack.  He sighed and put his head in his hands.  "What am I doing, Del?"  Lucis never broke down in front of others.  He had to be strong for them.  The only one he ever allowed to see him like this was Del, of course, but even that he tried to keep to a minimum.

Lucis heard his brother cross the room, so he was standing beside him.  "Lucis."  He said. 

Lucis lifted his head.

Del put a hand on his shoulder.  "You are here to save the Anahalian people.  That's what you told me.  Nothing more.  What you're doing, Lucis, is what is right and good, just like you always do."

Lucis closed his eyes.  He felt his brother's hand go to the back of his neck.  Then he felt Del's forehead press against his own.  Del murmured a soft, nearly incoherent word.  A word that two boys would say to one another when they were the only things left in the world that cared for each other.  It was all they had.

"Avo."

Lucis breathed in that word as though it were his last. 

Del never showed any form of affection to his brother, unless they were alone.  This was Del's sign to Lucis that he was there for him, as was it his to him.

Del stood up and released his brother.

Lucis opened his eyes. 

"We should get some rest."  Del said, shoving his hands in his pockets.  "Tomorrow, it all really begins."

Lucis nodded, waving his hand for his brother to go.  "I'm coming."

Del watched him a moment longer before heading for the door.

"Del," Lucis said suddenly, causing Del to pause.  "Thank you."

Lucis saw the back of his head nod before he left. 

Lucis was alone once more.  He looked around the room.  He had thought this room was a place where he could be alone, but it was apparent that more people knew about this little nook than he thought. 

Lucis pushed himself to his feet and went to the window once more.  He placed his hands on each edge of the window sill and stared at his reflection in the clear glass.  He had been told his eyes were a stunning shade of blue.  He looked at them.  They were blue now, but they weren't always so bright.  His grip tightened on window sill. 

Now, Lucis didn't see his own irises, instead he saw golden-brown eyes opened wide in fear.  "Stay away from me!"  She had said, recoiling away from him.  Evabelle was afraid, no she was terrified.  Once again, Lucis's own reflection stared back at him with those deceitfully blue eyes.  He pushed himself away from the window and left the room.

He had told her to be brave when she had plenty of reasons to be afraid.    

~(So I know I'm updating a day early, but I just couldn't wait! There were a lot of new characters in this chapter and I'm really curious to see what you guys think of them! Please let me know what you think of the new characters as well as the old ones! Any thoughts are welcome! Please share and vote if you liked it! Thank you so much for your support!! :D )~