The Revelation of Light and Dark (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 1)

“Carrick said the entire land of Faere was created with the stone’s help coupled with some of the angelic powers the Light Fae had.”

Zaid nods. “Faere’s not the only world that was created. They are many.”

That jars me, and I lean forward in my chair. “Have you traveled to them?”

“Some,” he replies vaguely. “But that’s not important right now. What you need to know is that because of these historical circumstances, there are Light and Dark Fae that walk the earth, as well as their daemon offspring. They are cloaked by glamours so humans can’t see them and their existence is kept secret. Their powers are varied.”

“How many?” I ask with concern. “Enough to outnumber humans?”

“Nowhere near that amount, but enough that unknowing humans can be in danger at times,” Zaid replies. My gut tightens as I’m wondering exactly what fae actually do to people. “Most of the Light Fae are content living in Faere, so few cross through their veil even though they have the freedom to come and go at their will. The Dark Fae numbers here are even smaller, as it’s incredibly difficult for them to muster the powers needed to let them cross over.”

“But some have made it,” I say, because I’ve seen them. “I can feel them.”

Zaid’s eyes narrow as he nods. “There are some, most of whom crossed over in the ancient days when the stones were more prevalent. Errant priests or priestesses would often summon evil beings from the Underworld to do their business and try to gain power. That usually worked out horribly for the one that summoned a Dark Fae, for they cannot be controlled. What do you mean you can feel them?”

I shrug, wondering how much I should divulge. Should I keep any secrets to myself? Carrick knows I can feel something before I see under the glamour. I just haven’t given him the details on how those feelings differ.

Zaid’s expression says he’s not going to accept anything less than the full truth, and somehow, I think he’ll know if I’m lying. I decide it’s not worth getting hurt or eaten for a detail that probably does no good to hold onto anyway, as it could help figure out why I am the way I am.

“Any time before I’ve seen beneath a glamour, I’ve gotten a vibe… a gut feeling. Sometimes, it’s dark and makes me anxious or even nauseated. Other times, it’s like I’m a little bit buzzed after a few cocktails. The ones with dark vibes are usually the scariest, and I just assume they’re malevolent. Although, admittedly, they all scare me no matter the feeling or what they look like.”

“What do you mean by a bit buzzed?” Zaid inquires.

“Like I’ve just drank too much champagne or my belly flutters,” I reply without having to think on it. But then something strikes me. “In fact, I felt that way before I saw under the glamour Marcus had. But I just thought it was nervousness over the meeting.”

“It’s almost like you’re a metal detector of sorts,” Zaid muses, but it’s done so in a flat, serious voice and not in any way a joke. Still, I have to bite my tongue not to laugh. “What else do you observe when you see them?”

“Well, honestly… I’ve not done it in a long time,” I admit. “Seeing Marcus yesterday was the first in a long time because I’d learned when I got that vibe that I shouldn’t look. I learned how to close myself off from it or avoid people who make me feel ill at ease. I had thought I was just learning how to master my mental illness.”

Not a hint of empathy on his face, knowing I battled what I thought was a mental illness. I wonder if fae and daemons are devoid of emotion.

“Think back to some you have seen,” Zaid instructs. “Did their countenances match your feelings?”

I had not thought too much about it since I’d put much of it behind me, but yes, that’s exactly right. “The ones that made me feel anxious were usually horrid looking. Straight out of monster movies. The ones that just gave me that light buzzed feelings, while strange, had beauty in them. But like I said, I’ve not seen under the glamours in a very long time so I don’t know if that’s always true. Frankly, I’ve tried to forget a lot of what I’ve seen.”

“What about Marcus?” he asks, and I know he’s testing my powers of observation because there’s no doubt in my mind Zaid and Marcus know one another. I’m sure he’s seen his true form.

“I didn’t think I got a vibe from him but like I said, now that I’m thinking about it, I had some fluttering in my stomach… like butterflies. It could have been nerves but it was probably a vibe I misinterpreted.”