43. Frankie

Chapter 43

Frankie

The place is a mess. People stumble around, looking shell-shocked. I can practically smell the fear and exhaustion in the air. The air reeks of magic and blood, making my stomach turn.

Finn is heavy in my arms, but holding him keeps me focused while everything around us goes to hell. Freed captives stagger about in confusion, their eyes wild and unseeing, while the eredar beast stands guard over Blackwood’s prone form, its massive body rippling with barely contained power.

The air crackles with residual shadow magic, making my skin tingle and dance. It’s like a thousand tiny spiders crawling beneath my skin, their icy legs leaving trails of fire in their wake. I shudder, the conflicting sensations a maddening itch I can’t scratch.

There are so many lives in my hands, the responsibility is dizzying.

“Frankie?” Leo’s voice cuts through the haze. His hand on my shoulder is warm and grounding, his calloused fingers providing a stark contrast to the chill seeping into my bones. “We need to get everyone out of here.”

I nod, forcing myself to focus and be the leader they expect me to be. “Right. Can you and Matteo start organizing the evacuees?”

As they move away, Leo’s easy grin a beacon of hope in the gloom, I turn my attention to my brother. Finn’s eyes are huge, and damn if they don’t almost appear purple. He looks as freaked out as I feel.

“I’m sorry,” I say softly, the words barely a whisper in the cacophony around us. “This must be overwhelming for you.”

I can’t stop thinking about everything Finn has missed and everything we’ve both lost. It’s like a weight on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

He manages a shaky smile, revealing a ghost of the boy he must have been before Blackwood’s twisted experiments. “A bit, yeah. I’m... I’m Finn, by the way.”

He told me that, but I’m not going to remind him. I think he’s in shock.

“Finn,” I repeat, tasting the name again now that the threat isn’t looming over us, feeling it settle into a space in my heart I didn’t know was empty. “I have so many questions, but they can wait. Let’s get you somewhere safe first.”

A brother. I have a brother. The thought echoes in my mind, foreign yet somehow right.

As we make our way through the crumbling facility, the whole place creaking and groaning, I can’t help but marvel at how quickly everything has changed.

Just hours ago, I was grappling with Valerie’s betrayal, the taste of it bitter on my tongue. Now, I’m reunited with my long-lost twin and facing a future I never could have imagined, one filled with both terrifying darkness and blinding possibility.

Once outside, we regroup in a nearby clearing. The night air hits me like a slap, crisp and biting after the fetid miasma of Blackwood’s lair. Pine and damp earth mingle with the metallic tang of blood and the acrid stench of fear.

This is the scent of victory, and it terrifies me.

The moonlight streams through the trees, making weird shadows move around us. It’s kind of creepy. Matteo approaches, his face etched with concern, those dark eyes that have seen too much fixed solely on me.

“How are you holding up?” he asks, his voice low and steady, a rock in the tempest of my emotions.

I let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of the night settle on my shoulders. “Honestly? I’m not sure. It’s all so much to process.”

Matteo pulls me into a gentle embrace, mindful of Finn who’s still leaning heavily on me. His arms feel like home, like safety in a world that’s been turned upside down. “I’m so damn proud of you.”

A blush creeps up my neck, and I bite my lip.

That makes one of us.

As we stand there, the events of the past few hours crash over me like a tidal wave. The battle, the revelations, the weight of responsibility... It’s all too much.

How many years have I bottled up my emotions, kept them on a tight leash, and now… They bubble and bubble until a dam somewhere inside me shifts and I fucking break.

I don’t just break for my past, but for everything that’s been stolen from me—my family, my brother, and hell, even the friendships I could have built over the years.

I. Fucking. Break .

I shatter into a thousand little pieces, scattered to all corners of the earth.

Strong arms catch me and hold me close as I sob into Matteo’s chest, my body shaking with the release of decades of pent-up emotions. The fabric of his shirt is rough against my cheek, damp with my tears and the sweat of battle.

Leo appears at my side, his hand finding mine, our fingers intertwining with a familiarity that belies the short time we’ve known each other. “Let it out, Echo,” he murmurs, his usual playfulness replaced by a gentle understanding. “You’ve been so strong. It’s okay to break a little now. We’ve got you, always.”

Dorian steps close. “We’ve got you,” Dorian echoes softly, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder. The warmth of his touch seeps through my clothes, a stark contrast to the chill of the night air.

I lift my tear-stained face from Matteo’s chest and meet Dorian’s gaze. His eyes, usually so guarded, are filled with a mixture of concern and something deeper, something that makes my breath catch in my throat.

“All of us,” he adds, his voice barely above a whisper.

Bishop is right behind him, with his cold eyes that hold a thousand emotions, none of which I can even begin to pinpoint.

He gives me a partial smile as he steps closer, unsure if I’ll accept him. “Firefly,” he whispers shattering the dam to ash.

They showed up for me when I needed them.

They helped me find my brother, my twin.

The reality of the makeshift family we cobbled together in the chaos hits me then—Matteo’s steady presence, Leo’s unwavering loyalty, Bishop’s guidance, Dorian’s quiet strength, and now Finn, the missing piece I never knew I needed.

My sobs gradually subside, replaced by hiccupping breaths as I try to regain my composure. I’m acutely aware of the others around us—the freed captives, our allies—all looking to me for guidance. The weight of their expectations settles on my shoulders, but it feels different now… shared.

Their unwavering support washes over me like a warm wave, chasing away the chill of fear and doubt. I straighten my shoulders, the unshed tears giving way to a steely resolve.

The air crackles with energy as portals start opening around the clearing. Bishop’s mom steps through first, her face a mask of concern and determination. She’s followed by a stream of faculty members, including Dorian’s uncle, whose eyes widen as he takes in the scene.

“By the shadows,” Bishop’s mom murmurs, her gaze sweeping over the freed captives and the destruction. “What happened here?”

“A lot,” I say, feeling the weight of the night’s events. “We have wounded people who need attention, and... well, we uncovered a conspiracy that goes deeper than we thought.”

The faculty members spring into action, some tending to the injured while others secure the area. I catch snippets of their shocked whispers and realize just how much explaining we’ll have to do.

“Blackwood, a traitor?”

“The eredar beasts, here?”

Bishop takes charge as soon as his mother arrives with the faculty. His teacher’s assistant persona slips away, replaced by a natural leader.

“Mom, we need medical support for the freed captives,” he directs, his voice carrying across the clearing. “Professor Thorn, secure the perimeter. We can’t risk any of Blackwood’s allies showing up.”

He turns to me, his eyes softening slightly. “Frankie, you should rest. We can handle this for now.”

I’m oddly touched by his concern, even as I shake my head. There’s too much to do.

Finn drifts in and out of consciousness, his body struggling to adjust after years of suspended animation. During one of his lucid moments, he grabs my hand, his grip surprisingly strong.

“Frankie,” he whispers, his violet eyes meeting mine. “I... I remember bits and pieces.”

A ghost of a smile crosses his face before he drifts off again. The sight of him, so familiar yet so strange, sends a jolt through me. We have so much lost time to make up for.

It’s nearly dawn, the sky beginning to lighten with the first blush of pink, when a commotion at the edge of our makeshift camp draws my attention. To my shock, I see Valerie being led in by Cass, her hands bound behind her back. Her once immaculate appearance is in tatters, her hair wild and her clothes torn and dirty. Her eyes find mine, filled with a mix of defiance and something that might be regret.

“What should we do with her?” Bishop asks, his voice hard in the face of her betrayal. “We need to consider the implications for Shadow Locke and the council. Her knowledge could be valuable but dangerous in the wrong hands.”

I take a deep breath, the weight of leadership crushing down on me. Mercy or vengeance? The choice could shape our future. Part of me wants to lash out and make her pay for years of manipulation and abuse, but another part remembers her last-minute change of heart and how she fought against her own father to give us a chance. The taste of vengeance is ash in my mouth, bitter and unsatisfying.

I stare at Valerie, memories of her cruelty warring with her last-minute change of heart. Leo steps closer, his voice low. “Whatever you decide, we’ve got your back, Echo.”

I nod, grateful for his support. “We’ll take her back to Shadow Locke,” I decide, my voice steadier than I feel. “The council can decide her fate. She’s done terrible things, but... she also helped us in the end. It’s not our place to be judge and jury.”

Matteo nods approvingly. “A wise decision. It shows strength to choose justice over vengeance.”

Valerie’s shoulders slump, whether in relief or resignation, I can’t tell. As they lead her away, I’m struck by how small she looks, stripped of her power and pride. For a moment, I see the scared little girl she must have been, twisted by her father’s ambition and cruelty.

“You don’t understand, Frankie. None of you do. This is bigger than all of us.” Her voice wavers between defiance and desperation as she’s led away.

As the sun begins to peek over the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and golds, I find a quiet spot away from the others. The events of the night play on a loop in my mind, each revelation and twist leaving me more bewildered than before.

I close my eyes, trying to center myself. My shadows stir restlessly, responding to my turmoil. Suddenly, I feel a pull, like someone hooked my navel with a fishing line, and everything goes sideways. It’s like the world is breaking apart right in front of me.

Colors bleed and swirl, a kaleidoscope of chaos that sets my teeth on edge. Something’s coming. Something big.

I blink, and when I open my eyes, I’m standing in a vast, shadowy realm. The air here is thick and heavy, pressing against my skin like a living thing. Before me stands a figure of impossible beauty and terror—Nyx, the dark goddess herself. Nyx keeps... changing. One second, she’s beautiful, and the next, she’s terrifying. It’s making my head spin.

“Child of shadow and light.” Her voice echoes in my mind, a symphony of whispers and screams. “You stand at a crossroads. The path you choose will shape the fate of both realms.”

The power coursing through me is intoxicating and terrifying. Is this what I’m meant to become?

Images flash before my eyes, so vivid I can almost touch them—armies of shadow creatures, their forms writhing and twisting in ways that defy comprehension, the eredar beasts in flight, their massive wings blotting out the sun, and my brother and I standing back-to-back as power flows between us, a circuit of light and dark.

I see Leo, his easy smile replaced by fierce determination as he leads a charge against unseen enemies, Matteo, his quiet strength a beacon in the chaos, protecting those who can’t protect themselves, and Dorian, his icy exterior melted away, wielding magic with a grace and power that takes my breath away. All of them are led by Bishop.

“The threat you faced today was but a shadow of what’s to come,” Nyx continues, her words burning into my soul. In the depths of her fathomless eyes, I catch a glimpse of a world on fire and shadows made into flesh, of a war that will shake the foundations of reality. “You must be ready. You must be strong.”

I want to ask what she means and beg for more information, but the vision is already fading, slipping through my fingers like smoke. I gasp as I come back to myself, the taste of otherworldly power lingering on my tongue.

“Frankie?” Leo’s worried voice breaks through my daze, pulling me back to reality. “Are you okay? You zoned out for a minute there.”

I look up to see all three of my mates gathered around me, their faces etched with concern. Dorian’s usual mask of indifference has slipped, revealing a depth of worry that catches me off guard. Taking a deep breath, I steady myself against the lingering effects of the vision and begin to tell them about my encounter with Nyx.

As I speak, I see understanding and determination dawning in their eyes. I don’t know what’s coming, or what I’m supposed to do about it, but at least I have these guys with me. That’s something, right? After everything we’ve been through, I trust these guys with my life. We’re in this together, no matter what.

“So,” Matteo says when I finish, his voice steady and sure, “it looks like our adventure is just beginning. We should start planning our next move. The council will need to be informed, and we’ll need to secure the area. I can coordinate with the others if you need time to process, Frankie.”

Leo grins, a spark of excitement in his eyes despite the gravity of the situation. “Battling shadow monsters, saving realms... just another day for Team Frankie, right?” His levity is a balm, chasing away some of the lingering dread left by Nyx’s warning.

Dorian, who’s been quiet until now, steps forward and takes my hand. His touch, usually so cool and controlled, is warm and comforting. “The shadows whisper of change,” he murmurs, his eyes distant yet focused, “but with you, little owl, I see a glimmer of light in the darkness. Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together. All of us.” The depth of emotion in his voice, so rare for him, nearly undoes me.

Their unwavering support washes over me, chasing away the last of my doubts. I squeeze Dorian’s hand and smile at Leo and Matteo, feeling the strength of our bond—even Bishop who hovers nearby, a gap between us that I am determined to bridge.

“Together,” I agree, feeling stronger than I ever have before, the power of shadow and light thrumming through my veins.

As the sun climbs higher, bathing our ragtag group in golden light, I feel a sense of purpose settle over me. The road ahead is uncertain, filled with challenges I can’t even begin to imagine, but with my mates by my side, my brother to protect, and a newfound connection to powers beyond my understanding, I’m ready to face whatever comes.

The shadow realm is calling, and this time, I’ll answer on my own terms.

Something calls to me, deep in my bones, and I know we’re not ready to face it.