Felix found himself in the backseat of a surprisingly plain black car. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected magicians to drive, but as he buckled his seat belt, he supposed it made sense for them to blend in.
Kendra drove while Archer brooded in the passenger seat. His black mask covered his face again, and he still wore his gloves as he inspected his blades.
After a few minutes on the road, Felix cleared his throat. “So, how far to this castle?”
“Drive’s about an hour,” Archer said.
“Maybe we could explain what’s happening to him,” Kendra suggested.
Felix yawned. Archer threw a glance back at him. “Assuming he doesn’t pass out, you’re welcome to explain whatever you’d like.”
“I’d like to know what’s happening.” Even as the words left Felix’s mouth, he realized it was pointless. He’d been fighting to keep his eyes open since the moment he sat down. He leaned against the car window and tried to focus on the passing greenery.
The next thing he knew, he was blinking sleep out of his eyes as they pulled off a freeway exit. He recognized the area, and he was still pretty sure there were no castles nearby. Then Kendra took a sharp turn off the road into the trees, making Felix’s heart rate spike.
Except they were still driving on pavement. The new road hadn’t been visible until they were on it. Trees formed a tunnel overhead, and after a few moments, the evening light shifted from the cloudy gray they’d been driving under to a brighter sunset.
Felix pressed his hands against the window as they emerged from the tunnel. The road ahead twisted and turned over rolling green hills, leading up to a towering castle of white stone and pale blue roofs. Forest surrounded the property on all sides.
“Whoa,” Felix breathed.
A small smile touched Kendra’s lips in the rear-view mirror. “Welcome to Bright Castle.”
The car rolled to a stop in a small lot shaded by a variety of fruit trees, where a few other cars were already parked. From there, it was a short walk up a grassy hill to the entrance of the castle.
“Where are we?” Felix asked as he climbed out of the car. “Geographically, I mean.”
“Pocket dimension.” Archer closed his door and didn’t elaborate further. Well, that was good enough an explanation for Felix, for now.
Felix took it all in as they walked to the castle’s massive front doors, the same shade of blue as the tower roofs. Hawks circled in the sky far above. Patches of trees were scattered across the hills, and Felix caught a glimpse of a pond in the distance before they stepped inside.
“Let’s get him to the throne room before people start asking questions,” Archer said.
Felix adjusted his backpack. “Is it okay that I’m just carrying this sword?” Even with the blade in its scabbard, he worried that someone would freak out.
“Don’t worry. No one will think much of it,” Kendra assured him.
The three walked down several long hallways, all with shiny white floors, blue and gray wallpaper, and silver detailing. They passed quite a few portraits on the walls, some of which depicted people wielding elements or standing next to animals. Many wore more old-fashioned clothing, while others appeared modern. A few people in the paintings wore the same uniforms as Kendra and Archer.
They passed a handful of real people, too, wearing either the same uniform or formal suits. A few looked at Felix with interest, but averted their gaze when Archer shot them a glare.
Felix, Archer, and Kendra finally came to a stop next to a set of dark blue double doors. A woman stood on one side, and a man on the other. They both wore entirely black suits, save for their silvery shirts.
“Tell King Atticus I’m here,” Archer said. The woman nodded and disappeared through one of the doors. After a quick glance at Felix, the man followed.
“I’m going to talk to a king?” Frowning, Felix added, “What’s he the king of, anyway?”
“The Brightlands,” Kendra said. “They’re mostly gone, now. All that remains is this castle and the property around it.”
“But the Bright Guardians are stronger than ever, and our king leads us,” Archer added. “Along with his council.”
“Huh. Weird,” Felix said.
“Weird?” Kendra raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t know. It just seems like a weird system to have.” Felix shrugged. “Isn’t the concept of a monarchy a little outdated?”
A new voice spoke. “The kid has a point.”
Felix whirled around. A man had crept up on the three without making a sound. He leaned back against the wall opposite them with his arms folded, but it was clear he was the tallest. Unlike the others, his black uniform jacket was zipped up to the high collar. As his head tipped to the side, Felix noticed that his black hair—which was a little longer than Felix’s—had an iridescent sheen to it.
“He doesn’t know anything about how the King’s Council works,” Archer said to the man. “And you should watch what you say about them. You know you’re on thin ice.”
The man snorted. “The ice I’m on is as thin as the Earth’s crust.”
“What are you doing here, Sebastian?” Kendra asked, her tone far more polite than Archer’s.
Sebastian shrugged his broad shoulders. “I heard what happened. Thought I’d drop by and introduce myself.” He waved to Felix. “Sebastian Armitage. Nice to meet you.”
“Uh, Felix Carver.” Felix waved back.
“You’re wasting your time,” Archer said. “The king only wants to speak to us.”
“Funny, I heard this was an open meeting,” Sebastian replied.
“Open meeting?” Archer glanced at Kendra.
Kendra folded her arms and tapped a finger against the sleeve of her jacket. “He’s right. The throne room’s crowded.” She frowned. “Word spread fast.”
Sebastian clicked his tongue. “You shouldn’t be keeping spies in the throne room, Kendra.”
“Like you said, open meeting. And the ant chose to go in there of its own accord.” Kendra lifted an eyebrow. “Seems like someone snuck food into a meeting again.”
Sebastian reached into his jacket pocket and took out an open granola bar. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He took a bite.
“Disgusting,” Archer muttered.
Kendra looked to the doors. “I wonder why the king decided on an open meeting. I thought he’d want to speak to us privately, first.”
“I’ll talk to him.” Archer grabbed one of the door handles. “Wait here. I don’t want everyone swarming Felix.”
“I’ll come, too!” Sebastian said, ducking in behind Archer before the door closed. Whatever Archer’s response was, Felix doubted it was enthusiastic.
“They don’t seem to like each other,” Felix said.
“They don’t,” Kendra said. “It’s very annoying.”
“Whose side are you on?” Was that rude to ask?
Kendra shrugged. “Neither. Archer hates Sebastian for something that isn’t his fault, and Sebastian hates Archer for being a stickler for the rules.” Her arms dropped to her sides. “And they both think the other can’t be trusted.”
Felix lifted an eyebrow. “Am I allowed to know about this thing that isn’t Sebastian’s fault?”
“You’ll learn more about it eventually,” Kendra said. “The Bright Guardians have a complicated history. Eight years ago there was an…uprising of sorts. Sebastian’s family was involved, and he’s the only one who sided with us. But a lot of people still don’t trust him. Including the council.”
One of the doors opened. “The king’s not in there yet,” Archer said. “He’s waiting for the three of us in the rear chamber. After we explain what happened, there’s going to be an open meeting to discuss what we should do with Felix.”
Felix and Kendra followed Archer through the doorway. They passed through a huge room illuminated by silver chandeliers hanging from the ceiling far above. At the front of the room, atop a raised platform, stood a tall silver throne with dark blue cushioning. A semicircle of tiered seating filled the opposite end of the room, with a gap in the middle to accommodate the doors.
Most of the people in the room were standing. Whatever conversations they had been having faltered as Archer and Kendra led Felix forward. All eyes were on Felix, but no one said a word to him. His gaze darted from face to face anxiously. Some offered him a smile, while others looked concerned or upset.
He, Archer, and Kendra circled around the throne to another blue door behind it, this one protected by five guards. They all stepped aside save for one, who opened the door before clearing the path. Sebastian, who appeared to have been unsuccessfully attempting to chat with the guards, gave Felix a thumbs up as he passed.
If that was supposed to make Felix feel better, it didn’t work. His insides were still in knots, and his heart had been racing for so long he thought he might actually collapse.
The rear chamber was essentially a small office. Shelves filled with books covered the walls to the left and right, and a desk opposite the door held a couple more stacks. The man behind the desk looked up when they entered. Waves of auburn brown hair framed his face, stopping just short of his bearded jaw. His pale amber eyes rested on Felix for a long moment before his attention moved to Archer.
Archer crossed the room, lowered his mask, and dropped to one knee. “King Atticus,” he said as he bowed his head. The king rose to his feet. He was younger than Felix expected. In fact, he couldn’t have been much older than Archer and Kendra.
“That’s him?” Felix whispered.
Kendra nodded.
“Should I bow or whatever?”
“You don’t have to do that,” Kendra replied quietly. She nodded toward Archer. “Archer just happens to be the King’s Hand.”
“Does that mean he’s important?”
“Very.”
Archer rose to his feet and told his and Kendra’s side of the story. After explaining how Gideon had disappeared in a flash of light, he looked to Felix. “Apparently, something similar happened with all the other members of his family.”
“Yeah,” Felix said. He cleared his throat. “Uh, yes. I found my sisters first, and then I guess my parents, but I don’t really remember that part. And like Archer said, he and Kendra saw the same thing happen with my brother.”
King Atticus studied Felix, his head tipping slightly to the side. “Can you hear or see any of the ghosts now?” His voice was a bit high-pitched, with the faintest hint of an accent that was vaguely European. There was a clear air of authority to it, though.
Felix shook his head. “The only one I spoke to after taking them in was Helena, and I didn’t hear anything from her after the fight with Gideon ended.” He paused. “She also mentioned she couldn’t remember anything between our two conversations.”
“That’s promising, though we should still be careful what we let him see and hear, in case Gideon is somehow listening.” King Atticus turned to Archer. “The fact that he’s carrying Gideon’s soul has me concerned. But if he’s capable of using the ghosts’ abilities, he could turn the tide for us.”
“Someone will have to train him,” Archer said. “And he’ll need a lot of help one-on-one.”
“Most of the teachers have their hands full already, but at least one must be willing.” King Atticus circled the desk and started toward the door. “Still, I’d like the rest of the council to agree to it before I finalize my decision.”
His clothing resembled the other Guardians’ uniforms, but with elaborate silver detailing along the cuffs and bottom edge of the jacket. The white shirt he wore underneath had a high neck that was also embroidered with silver, and he wore white dress shoes instead of black boots. He paused next to the chamber door to pick up a silver crown resting on a pedestal that Felix had missed when they’d entered. Jewels in a variety of colors circled the crown, sparkling in the light as the king lifted it to his head.
Felix, Kendra, and Archer followed the king back into the throne room. The crowd quickly surged into the tiered seating, with the exception of eight who instead formed lines of four on either side of the throne. While the rest of the crowd wore a mix of uniforms and suits and even some more casual clothes, these eight all wore black suits, each with a different color of shirt buttoned up underneath.
Archer led Felix to the center of the floor as the king took his throne. Kendra waved a quick goodbye before joining the others in the seats. Felix nervously glanced up at Archer, who was lifting his mask over his face again.
Felix wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. A lot of people were watching him. Anyone there? he thought to himself. I could use some encouragement. Would the others even be able to hear his thoughts, or would he need to talk out loud? He thought he felt something stir in his chest but didn’t get much time to dwell on it.
“This is Felix Carver,” King Atticus announced to the room. “His parents, Thomas and Alice Carver, were semi-active Bright Guardians who were killed by Gideon Pollock earlier today, along with their other children. It’s unclear what Gideon wanted with them, but he also died in the fight.
“However, all of their souls have remained here on this plane of existence. And Felix, who was formerly thought to have no magical ability, has seemingly bound their souls to his blood.”
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. After a moment, King Atticus held up a hand, and the room fell back into silence. He briefly ran through the series of events that Archer had relayed to him minutes earlier.
“In addition to carrying their ghosts, Felix is able to use their abilities.” The king let the words hang in the air for a moment before continuing. “If he were properly trained and in complete control of these spirits, he could be a powerful Guardian. Someone we need on our side.” His head turned toward the Guardians standing to the left of his throne.
A man with short black hair who looked to be in his forties stepped forward. The shirt under his black suit jacket was gold and shimmered as he moved. “Are the ghosts in his blood still conscious?” he asked. “Gideon was powerful. Even in death, he shouldn’t be underestimated.”
“So far, it seems that they aren’t aware of what is happening outside,” King Atticus replied. “Though, Felix was able to have a conversation with one of his sisters.”
The man gestured toward Felix with his hand, offering a glimpse at a wooden ring wrapped around one of his fingers. “I’m not certain it’s safe to let him walk around just yet, then. Everything you’ve said about his ability seems to be speculation.”
“Abraham has a point,” a woman chimed in. Her long, graying hair was pulled up in a loose bun on top of her head, a similar shade to the gray of her shirt. “Even just training him could be dangerous.”
King Atticus considered her statement for a moment. “Are you suggesting we lock him up?”
Abraham spoke again. “I hate to say it, but it might be best to keep him in a cell for now.” Despite his preface, the man didn’t seem very upset by the thought of throwing Felix in a cell. In fact, Felix swore he saw the edge of the man’s mouth turn up in a faint smile. “And if Gideon is in there somewhere, this could be our chance to interrogate him.”
A man with buzzed hair and a white shirt under his suit jacket stepped forward. “Do you hear yourselves? We can’t throw a kid in the dungeon. He just lost his family!”
Felix couldn’t keep an audible sigh of relief from slipping through his lips.
“And what would you propose we do, Michael?” the woman asked.
“Keep an eye on him. He’s in a castle surrounded by Bright Guardians. Even if Gideon is in there somewhere, he doesn’t stand a chance against all of us.”
Abraham snorted. “Too much of a risk. Gideon could do untold amounts of damage before he was stopped.” He looked at Archer. “He was a damn powerful ghost, wasn’t he?”
Archer’s only response was a nod.
Sebastian, who sat in the front row of the audience, spoke up. “Don’t forget that Felix is carrying five other ghosts, as well. The Carvers are on our side.”
The woman pursed her lips. “Only council members should be speaking right now, Armitage.”
“Sebastian’s right,” Michael said. “If it’s possible for Gideon to get out, that means it’s possible for the other Carvers, too. If Felix communicates with them, we could get a better idea of what they’re capable of.”
“That’s fine, if we can confirm that,” the woman replied. She turned to Felix. “But right now, can you say with confidence that Gideon isn’t a threat?”
Felix swallowed. “I—I’m not—”
“Give the boy a break, Eliza,” a new woman spoke. “He doesn’t know much more than we do.”
“He doesn’t know anything about the Bright Guardians, apparently,” The first woman—Eliza—said, eyes narrowing.
The second woman wore a dark purple headscarf that covered most of her long black hair and matched her shirt. She looked at least twenty years younger than Eliza. “I don’t think that’s relevant to the issue at hand,” she said. She glanced at the audience as she spoke, and light glinted off her narrow glasses.
“Would any other council members like to add anything?” King Atticus asked.
The remaining four spoke up to simply state their agreements. Two men took the side of Eliza and Abraham and suggested locking Felix up, while the other two members felt that Felix could be trained with relative safety.
King Atticus lifted his chin. “Archer?”
“The council’s concerns are valid,” Archer said.
Felix’s heart sank. If Archer was the King’s Hand, whatever that entailed, his opinion was probably more important than the rest of the council’s. And he had called the entire situation a nightmare.
“But,” Archer continued. “I think the best possible outcome is worth the risks. If Felix can learn to wield all of these abilities, he could help us destroy what’s left of the Uprising.”
Relief washed over Felix.
After a moment, Archer added, “And if anything goes wrong, we can always lock him up later.”
Ah. Great. Felix looked out at the crowd, wondering what they were thinking. Did the majority agree that he should be locked up? Or would they be on board with training him?
“And what if Gideon is somehow able to take control of Felix?” Eliza asked. Abraham shot her an unreadable glance. She returned his gaze for the briefest of moments.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to rid the world of Gideon once and for all,” Archer said with a cold determination. “Him and the other members of the Uprising.”
“I’ve made my decision,” King Atticus said. “Kendra Ford, please escort Felix to one of the empty rooms in the southwest tower.”
“Wait, what’s going to happen to me?” Felix asked as Archer led him to meet Kendra in the middle of the room.
“Not now, Felix,” Kendra said under her breath. “But trust me, you’re going to be fine.”