#babe c

So pleased to finally introduce the main crew of my Rebels and Empire series, once again done by the talented Noah of @invisibleinnocence.

Passage from…

Grace (working)

Chapter 2

Chall was startled to be addressed once again. He jumped up and nearly hit his head on a low beam. The chair scraped awkwardly as it slid backwards. “Oh, wait! What about the…” He stopped before he got to the point. Hopefully Serena would remember without him going further. He didn’t want to speak of the visions if he didn’t have to. They had gotten him in enough trouble throughout his life already, and that was without telling strangers of this bizarre thing that affected him.

Luckily, Serena did seem to remember. “Ah, yes. What do you know of Seers, grandee?”

“Only that the last one died over two centuries ago. But I don’t understa–”

“Does your library have books on the subject?”

“Yes, but–”

“Books?” Chall chewed on his lip. “Books won’t…” He lowered his voice so only Serena could hear. “I can’t read King’s Tongue.”

“Then we will find you a tutor.” Serena turned back to Judith. “Who is the librarian?”

Chall squirmed under the attention of the seamstresses. He didn’t know why they had to do this. He had clothes. But apparently as the king’s manservant he needed a new outfit for every conceivable occasion. He’d already forgotten what this one was for. All he knew was that the seamstresses were very excited that the red of the velvet matched the red of his eyes and provided a contrast to his blue-grey skin. A pin pricked his shoulder, and he flinched.

Familiar coldness slipped down his spine. He didn’t fight it. When he was a boy he had tried to resist, but he had come to find that no matter what he did the visions would come. And he had a vague sense of curiosity. What would his visions show now that Myron was gone? # Grey. It was all grey. Smoke, perhaps fog. Cold. Stifling and yet very vast. There was no sound, but there never was. The fog was infinite. The fog was all. Tranquil and yet concealing every terror. # Chall felt himself falling forward. Pins stabbed deep into his skin, but he barely noticed. He had a headache like he had never had before, like something inside his skull was shoving in all directions to escape. Light burst behind his eyes as he squeezed them shut. Somewhere outside the pain Serena cried out as she struggled to drag him into a sitting position. Her long slim fingers touched his face. They were solid and warm, so unlike the fog. She blazed through his icy skin, thawing some of the ache away. He managed to open an eye.