04 Shadow Blood - Witch Fairy by Bonnie Lamer Read Free Book Online

This realm is different from other realms.  It is a realm created specifically for its purpose.  These hallways are a labyrinth to help keep the Shadows from escaping.  When darkness is brought here, it is dropped in the center of the labyrinth and it takes millennia for it to find its way to the outer corridors as some of these have.”  She sweeps her arms in the direction of the Shadows scurrying along the walls.
     
    “Adriel, you are so beautiful.  I love to look at you as you stroll through our humble abode.  Your wings are particularly luminescent today; a ray of sunshine to lift our spirits.”  I suspect from the way the Shadows are disappearing, they don’t really appreciate the light coming from our wings. 
     
    “If darkness is usually dropped in the middle, why are we on the outer edges?”
     
    “Because your aunt ripped open a gateway near here.  It is fortunate that it was only open for a split second; otherwise these ancient Shadows would have been unleashed within your realm.”
     
    Yeah, that probably would have been bad considering how these bits of darkness have apparently once again become sentient beings.  I wonder how long it takes for them to bond together and develop until they are cognizant of what’s going on.  And what about the different types of evil, like child abuse and murder?  Do they have to be the same type of evil to join together, or is evil just evil and it doesn’t matter which type?
     
    It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask Adriel these questions when a new voice echoes down the hall.  “Help us,” it says in a voice that sounds like an innocent child.  “Please, let us go.  Adriel, we beg of you.  We have done no harm.”
     
    “Seriously?  Evil darkness is trying to convince you that it’s done no harm?”  Before Adriel can answer, a light bounces ahead of us.  And it’s not coming from our wings.  This is like the opposite of a Shadow.  Its shape moves the same way, except it’s not skittering away from the light.  It almost seems like it welcomes it.  “What is that?”
     
    Adriel stops and sighs.  But, it’s not an irritated sigh like I would have expected since she seems to hate my questions.  This sigh kind of seems remorseful.  “With the darkness, there are lingering pieces of light.  It is impossible to completely separate the two.”
     
    My forehead crinkles as I ponder this new information.  “So, what you’re saying is that both good and evil exist here?”
     
    I don’t think she’s going to answer me, but after a few heartbeats of silence, she finally says, “Very little light and goodness survives here, but yes, there is a trace amount.  Similar to the Shadows, it has joined with its own likeness.”
     
    “Then why don’t you let it go?”  Wow, Angels are pretty mean sometimes.  Why would they force goodness to live amongst evil?
     
    Her mouth is set in a grim line and I can tell this is a difficult topic for her.  I guess that’s a good thing.  Maybe she’s not quite the nasty person, Angel, I thought she was.  “What would you have me do with the lightness?  It has no form, no body to return to.  It is not an intact soul.  It is a remnant of several, possibly hundreds of souls, making it impossible for it to truly live in harmony with itself let alone others.”
     
    I hate to admit it, but she does have a point.  Why does the universe create such conundrums?  Maybe it’ll be my head that explodes as I try to wrap my brain around the situation.
     
    “Isn’t there anything you can do for them?”
     
    Now she’s starting to look annoyed again.  “Do you think I have not puzzled over this since I was appointed to this position?”
     
    She’s a bit touchy on this subject, I see.  “I didn’t mean to imply that you hadn’t.  I was just asking.”
     
    “Perhaps you should stop asking questions about things that cannot be changed and worry more about the reason we are