The Same Cloth

The beast wave had vanished.

That was what frightened Marcus most.

Beasts did not simply appear in organized numbers, attack a fortified clan, and then retreat because they had accomplished some unseen objective.

They fought until they were killed.

Or until something frightened them away.

Marcus stood at the eastern wall, staring into the forest.

Nothing moved.

The trees were still.

The night was quiet.

Far too quiet.

“Where did they go?” Elara asked.

Marcus shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

Leo stood several yards away.

His breathing was still heavy from the battle.

Celine and Catherine stood beside him.

Leo stared into the forest.

“The man.”

Marcus looked at him.

“What about him?”

“He was controlling them.”

“We don’t know that.”

“He knew my father.”

Marcus said nothing.

Leo turned toward him.

“He said my father was betrayed.”

“I heard him.”

“Then we need to find him.”

Marcus nodded slowly.

“We will.”

Lance approached.

“Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere private.”

Leo looked at him.

“Why?”

“Because there are things we need to tell you.”

Leo’s eyes narrowed.

“What things?”

Lance looked toward the clan buildings.

“Come with me.”

Leo hesitated.

Celine stepped closer.

“We’re coming too.”

Lance frowned.

“This concerns Leo.”

“And Catherine saw the same man.”

Lance looked at her.

Celine crossed her arms.

“She’s involved.”

Lance sighed.

“Fine.”

Marcus and Elara followed.

The group entered the council chamber.

The doors closed.

For several moments, nobody spoke.

Then Lance placed an old book on the table.

“The Hollow.”

Leo looked at it.

“You found something?”

“Years ago.”

“You didn’t tell me.”

“I didn’t know what it meant.”

Leo stared at him.

“You could have told me.”

“I know.”

Marcus looked at Lance.

“You should have.”

Lance’s expression hardened.

“I said I know.”

He opened the book.

Inside were drawings of ancient symbols.

Catherine leaned over the table.

Her eyes widened.

“That’s it.”

Leo looked at her.

“The door?”

She nodded.

“Those symbols.”

Lance turned the page.

“The Hollow is older than our clan.”

“How old?” Marcus asked.

“Nobody knows.”

“What is inside?”

Lance shook his head.

“The records don’t say.”

Leo frowned.

“Then why are we afraid of it?”

“Because everyone who entered disappeared.”

Silence.

Leo looked at the drawings.

“Everyone?”

“Everyone.”

Celine pointed to a symbol.

“What does that mean?”

Lance looked at it.

“Blood.”

Catherine’s expression changed.

“The bloodline must return.”

Leo stared at her.

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know.”

Marcus leaned over the book.

“Perhaps the stranger does.”

Leo looked at Lance.

“Who is he?”

Lance closed the book.

“I don’t know.”

Leo stared at him.

“You hesitated.”

“I don’t know his identity.”

“But you recognize him.”

Lance didn’t answer.

Leo stepped closer.

“Uncle.”

Lance finally looked at him.

“I’ve seen him before.”

The room went silent.

“When?”

Lance’s expression darkened.

“Before your parents died.”

Leo’s heart stopped.

“What?”

Lance looked away.

“Four years ago.”

“Where?”

“The northern valley.”

Leo’s hands began trembling.

“You were there?”

“No.”

“Then how did you see him?”

Lance closed his eyes.

“Because he came to me.”

Four years earlier.

The night before Lawrence and Corrine left for the northern valley, Lance had been standing alone in the clan’s outer garden.

He remembered the cold.

The moon.

The silence.

Then a voice behind him.

“You’ve waited a long time.”

Lance turned.

A man stood beneath the trees.

Black cloak.

Silver clasp.

Dark hair.

His face was young.

Far too young.

But his eyes were ancient.

Lance reached for his weapon.

“Who are you?”

The stranger smiled.

“My name is Silas Veyr.”

The name meant nothing to Lance.

“Why are you here?”

Silas stepped into the moonlight.

“Because your brother is standing between us.”

Lance’s hand tightened around his sword.

“What does that mean?”

“Lawrence has something I need.”

“What?”

Silas smiled.

“His son.”

Lance froze.

“You know about Leo?”

“I know exactly what he is.”

Lance drew his sword.

“Stay away from him.”

Silas laughed quietly.

“I don’t intend to hurt him.”

“Then what do you want?”

“The bloodline.”

Lance frowned.

“What bloodline?”

Silas looked toward the main compound.

“Your family carries a legacy it no longer remembers.”

Lance said nothing.

“Lawrence’s son has inherited it.”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I?”

Silas stepped closer.

“How many elements does the boy possess?”

Lance didn’t answer.

“Three.”

Lance’s eyes widened.

Silas smiled.

“Lightning. Fire. Plasma.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’ve been watching.”

Lance raised his sword.

“Why?”

“Because eventually, the Hollow will open.”

Lance’s expression changed.

“What is the Hollow?”

Silas’s smile disappeared.

“Something that should have remained asleep.”

He turned.

Lance called after him.

“Wait.”

Silas stopped.

“You said Lawrence is standing between you and Leo.”

“He is.”

“What are you going to do?”

Silas looked over his shoulder.

“Nothing.”

Lance frowned.

“Nothing?”

“Lawrence will go willingly.”

“Why?”

“Because someone will ask him to save innocent people.”

Lance’s blood ran cold.

“The beast wave.”

Silas smiled.

“Exactly.”

Lance understood.

“You’re going to attack the valley.”

“No.”

Silas looked at him.

“I’m going to make Lawrence believe he has to.”

Then he disappeared into the darkness.

Lance had stood there for several minutes.

He could have warned Lawrence.

He could have told him everything.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he told himself that Silas was bluffing.

That Lawrence was too strong.

That the clan would be safe.

That whatever Silas wanted, he wouldn’t actually risk exposing himself.

Lance had been wrong.

And four years later, the guilt had never left him.

The council chamber was silent.

Leo stared at Lance.

“You knew.”

Lance shook his head.

“I knew someone was planning something.”

“You knew!”

Leo’s voice echoed through the chamber.

Celine grabbed his arm.

“Leo.”

He pulled away.

“My parents died because of him!”

“I know.”

“And you said nothing!”

Lance looked down.

“I was afraid.”

Leo stared.

“You?”

Lance nodded.

“I was afraid.”

Leo’s anger faltered.

He had never heard Lance admit weakness.

“What were you afraid of?”

Lance looked at him.

“That if I told Lawrence, he’d go after Silas.”

“And?”

“And you’d lose both parents.”

Leo stared at him.

“You thought keeping quiet would save them.”

“Yes.”

“It didn’t.”

“I know.”

Lance’s voice broke.

“I know.”

Leo looked away.

Tears formed in his eyes.

“You let them die.”

Lance closed his eyes.

“I did.”

Marcus stepped forward.

“Who is Silas Veyr?”

Lance looked at him.

“I don’t know.”

“You met him.”

“I know what he called himself.”

“That’s not enough.”

Lance shook his head.

“I don’t know where he came from.”

Catherine suddenly gasped.

Everyone turned.

She had both hands against her head.

“Catherine?”

Elara rushed toward her.

Catherine’s eyes had gone completely white.

She wasn’t seeing the room.

She was somewhere else.

She whispered.

“Silas.”

Leo froze.

“You know him?”

Catherine shook her head.

“No.”

Then she screamed.

The room changed.

For an instant, everyone saw what Catherine saw.

A massive underground chamber.

Ancient stone pillars.

A circular door.

And Silas standing before it.

But he wasn’t alone.

Behind him stood another figure.

Lawrence.

Leo’s breath caught.

“Father.”

Lawrence was alive.

But he wasn’t alone.

Corrine stood beside him.

Both were wounded.

Both were surrounded by strange black chains.

Leo stumbled forward.

“No.”

The vision continued.

Silas approached Lawrence.

“You should have listened.”

Lawrence spat blood.

“You’ll never touch my son.”

Silas smiled.

“I don’t need to.”

He looked toward the door.

“He will come to me.”

Corrine struggled against the chains.

“You’re insane.”

Silas laughed.

“Perhaps.”

Then the vision shifted.

Leo saw his father look toward Corrine.

Their eyes met.

Lawrence smiled.

Corrine smiled back.

There was no fear in either face.

Only love.

Then Lawrence whispered something.

Leo couldn’t hear it.

The vision shattered.

Catherine collapsed.

Elara caught her.

Leo stood completely still.

His face was covered in tears.

“My father…”

Celine came beside him.

“He was alive.”

Leo nodded.

“For how long?”

Nobody knew.

Lance stared at the floor.

Marcus looked at him.

“Is that what you saw?”

“No.”

“But you knew Silas.”

“I knew he was involved.”

Leo turned toward Lance.

“You should have told me.”

“I know.”

Leo looked at the door.

“Where is the Hollow?”

Lance answered.

“I don’t know.”

Catherine slowly opened her eyes.

“I do.”

Everyone looked at her.

She pointed toward the map.

“The northern mountains.”

Her finger stopped.

“Here.”

Marcus examined the location.

His expression changed.

“That’s impossible.”

“What?”

“The valley where Lawrence died.”

Leo stared at the map.

The same place.

The same mountains.

The same battlefield.

His parents hadn’t simply died near the Hollow.

They had died because someone had been trying to bring them there.

Leo’s fists clenched.

“I want Silas.”

Celine looked at him.

“We’ll find him.”

Marcus shook his head.

“No.”

Leo turned.

Marcus looked at him seriously.

“We’re not going there to hunt him.”

“Then why?”

“To find the truth.”

Leo nodded.

“The truth first.”

Catherine stood.

Her legs were still shaking.

“There is something else.”

“What?”

She looked at Leo.

“The vision didn’t end.”

Leo’s expression changed.

“What did you see?”

Catherine swallowed.

“The door.”

“What about it?”

“It opened.”

Silence filled the room.

“What was behind it?” Celine asked.

Catherine looked terrified.

“I don’t know.”

She stared at Leo.

“But Silas was afraid.”

Leo frowned.

“Afraid?”

Catherine nodded.

“For the first time, I saw fear on his face.”

Leo looked toward the northern mountains.

For four years, he had lived with one question.

Why did his parents die?

Now he had another.

What had they died protecting him from?

And somewhere beneath the mountains, Silas Veyr stood before the ancient door.

He placed his hand against the stone.

“Four years.”

The symbols began glowing.

“The boy is finally ready.”

A voice came from the darkness behind him.

“You are certain?”

Silas turned.

For the first time, his confident expression disappeared.

“I have waited too long to be uncertain.”

“And Lance?”

Silas smiled.

“Still useful.”

The voice was silent.

Silas looked toward the door.

“He thinks his brother’s death was his greatest failure.”

He laughed softly.

“He doesn’t yet understand that his betrayal was only the beginning.”

Silas touched the silver clasp at his throat.

A symbol appeared.

The same symbol that had been carved into the door.

“The bloodline is returning.”

The ancient door began to shake.

And deep within the Hollow, something answered.

Silas smiled.

“Let him come.”

Then the darkness swallowed the chamber.

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