☼ Chapter XII ☼

picture; Cetilayn Reinove (she does look younger than Sonya because Sonya is 23 now and Cetilayn Changed at 19)

song; "Under My Bed" by Ellise

author's note; It actually did not take me long to write this chapter. I was just procrastinating writing it, but some more interesting details come to light about Sonya's sister and herself. The song linked is amazing. It 100 % describes those under the influence of Darkness, or Lucifer Morningstar. Most do NOT choose to sell their souls to Darkness.

Also, new amazing cover was made by @-queenpuff! It perfectly embodies the main theme of the Essentia echelon as a whole.

Anyway, comment + vote, enjoy!

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"Our topic today is a good one." Sawyer smirked mischievously as he addressed the class. "I know a lot of you can't wait to get into this one: Mates and Threads."

I chewed the inside of my cheek and leaned forward, completely drawn in by the topic, just as Sawyer guessed we would be. I wanted all the information I could possibly get since I know next to nothing about Mating.

The experience I had with Threads was a bit more, but I only knew of the Thread I seemed to be born with that connected me to my mother and sister. As the thought crossed my mind, I was reminded of what I had just learned in Gifts & Powers.

Did others experience this Thread with their parents or siblings, or was it just us because of the Ritual both Cetilayn and I had undergone as infants due to Meredith's request?

"There are several different relationships and different Threads that are created from these different relationships. We'll start with the most common Thread—the Mate or Sufletul Oglinda. Mates and Sufletul Oglinda Threads are similar in how they come about, their chemistry, strength of the binding, and Rituals, but the main difference is the supernaturals' race.

"A True Mate is typically a binding of two souls that naturally and immediately recognize one another as kindred. Most Mated couples are generally True Mates, and you will normally see human-supernatural relationships amongst the True Mates category. This term is usually reserved for Lycanthrope and human-supernatural relationships, but the Sufletul Oglinda Thread is very similar and sometimes is also called a 'Mate' relationship.

"Sufletul Oglinda describes the Lycanthrope equivalent of 'Mate' amongst Nephilim and Vampyres. Vampyres christened the term when it became evident the chemistry and binding of the Thread varies from a True Mate Thread because the only supernaturals who bond this way are Vampyres and Nephilim with the Dark Blood gene.

"There are some supernaturals, who if tainted by Darkness, can develop this Thread as well, but it is rare and unlikely. Sufletul Oglinda translates directly to 'soul mirror' in Romanian, and is born randomly and naturally.

"This is another thing that varies from the True Mate Thread: Sufletul Oglinda Threads are not Fated, and occur when two who have lived nearly parallel lives cross one another, or the parallels are completely flipped, just as the image in the mirror is flipped.

"Nonetheless, this Thread is just as Powerful as a True Mate Thread, if not more Powerful. If one of the Thread bearers dies, the agony of the Thread severing can sometimes actually kill the living Mate."

I was taken aback by the fact, and it made a lot more sense that Derik was able to feel my fear or panic. It is every living thing's nature to protect itself, and if your Sufletul Oglinda dies, you can very well die, too. Apparently, you literally become one in every way possible.

No wonder Lycans take Mating so seriously. Everyone should.

"The next strongest Thread is the Anima Vinculum. This Thread is very common as well as it comes about when two supernaturals who have romantic feelings for one another take or give blood to each other.

"The other ways the Anima Vinculum Thread can be created is between the crapat or supernaturals with ties to Darkness, such as those Marked by Darkness. If this Thread is prolonged, it can become as Powerful as that of a True Mate or Sufletul Oglinda Thread.

"Although many of the Threads are romantic, there are several bindings that are not. The first that is one of the most Powerful is the Thread between a Maker and Progeny. This Thread typically comes about when a born-supernatural being Changes a human into a supernatural.

"Clearly, this Thread is reserved for Sorcerers and other supernaturals who can Morph a human body and soul into one similar to ours, and Vampyres who turn humans.

"A Maker and Progeny relationship is akin to a parent-child relationship, and the Progeny must obey their Maker without question. The only accurate thing ever depicted in human media was this Thread." Sawyer clicked a button on the remote that controls the projector and a picture of Pamela Swynford de Beaufort and Eric Northman pops up on the screen and laughter rolls across the room.

"I mean Pam and Eric from True Blood? They portrayed this Thread so well. They must know some real Vampyres. They have to. Jessica and Bill were okay I guess, but I am strictly Team Eric. Bill was a brooding asshole.

"Vampyres can be brooding, but I have never met one that's even nearly as big of a crybaby as William Compton. Never understood what Sookie saw in the man if I'm being honest."

Sawyer scoffs and rolls his eyes and I stifle another chuckle at his little rant. It was so funny that even though Sawyer is actually Nephilim, he gets offended at how Vampyres are portrayed in the media. Basically every movie and show in the media gets our demeanor wrong. The brooding crybabies were more like Nephilim than Vampyres, honestly.

"Anyway," Sawyer sighs and shakes his head as a lazy grin births itself onto his mouth. "I'm always getting sidetracked, aren't I? Now... the next Thread is the one birthed from a Protector relationship. This Thread requires one Ritual to link the two supernaturals and is usually between a Sorcerer and Vampyre, Nephilim, or Lycan, but it's also typical for Warriors to be linked this way to their Protectors or the person they are meant to protect.

"Of course, I'm sure you all aware of the Consort relationship and the Thread born between Siblings. For those of you who don't know, a Consort is a relationship between a Nephilim or Vampyre with a human. A Consort can be both a Chosen Mate and a Consort, though typically in Chosen Mate relationships, the Vampyre or Nephilim doesn't feed off their Chosen Mate.

"The Thread between siblings and other relatives is one usually that supernaturals are born with. This Thread comes about between two supernatural beings who share flesh, essence, or a Thread. It is most common amongst siblings and child-parent relationships, but it can also be born through those who share common essence, such as the crapat or sometimes those within a sanctioned Pack."

Sawyer paused in his lecture and glanced up at the clock at the back of the room and sighed. Lifting a finger into the air as another lopsided grin formed onto his mouth, the bell resounded overhead. "And that is all we have time for today. We'll continue this lesson next time. I wasn't able to get into the real nitty-gritty of Mating." Subtle chuckling glided through the air as the Novices gathered their things and exited the class.

I moved a little slower, sliding my text and pens and highlighters into my bag before making my way over to Sawyer. His violet-gray eyes flickered up to my face as I came closer, an expectant smile turning the corners of his mouth up. "Questions again, Sonya?"

Heat spread over my cheeks and I let out a short sarcastic laugh. "Haha, sorry, Sawyer. Not everyone knows everything there is to know about the Unknown World and our kind."

"Just kidding." My Mentor held his hands up in the universal gesture for "I surrender" before crossing them over his broad chest. "I'm always willing to help a Novice in need. What do you wanna know, Princess?"

"I wanted to ask you about the crapat. You mentioned that some supernaturals who are crapat can form an Anima Vinculum Thread. What... exactly are they?" Some small part of me knew, but I needed to hear the words—just to be completely sure.

"Well, the word crapat translates to cracked. These supernaturals are sometimes those who have been suspended within the In Between too long, their spirit Ripped, or they've been Morphed away from their original essence.

"It changes the soul, causes a break inside it and allows for a space for other things to wedge itself in. Like Darkness." The way Sawyer was speaking seemed as if he were reciting it from a text, but I knew that he just had the information memorized perfectly.

"Um... I had a... vision. I'm a Seer? Meredith had a Ritual done on both Cetilayn and I when we were babies. One that Eloize arranged?" Sawyer visibly stiffened, and the easy-going smirk that usually lived on his lips seemed to be a chore for him to keep in place.

"Yes. I know." He didn't elaborate. I cut my eyes away expectantly and gestured for him to continue. "This is something you need to talk to Eloize about, Sonya."

"Why?" My eyes narrowed as I scrutinized my Mentor. Why was it so important he keep this a secret from me? Why couldn't he tell me when I already knew? Why did I have to speak directly to Eloize about it?

"Because, not only is it not my place to speak about your parents and this Ritual, but also, this is something that Eloize did for your mother despite being told not to by the rest of the Elders." Sawyer's voice was biting and I nodded, the dejected tone of his voice finally for once reminding me of the brooding demeanor that Nephilim usually portrayed.

"Was she punished for going against the rest of the Empire?" I decided to ask instead, wanting to cautiously but quickly back away from the other subject.

"Ultimately, no. The rest of the Empire decided that even though Eloize went against orders, her performing the Ritual was still the best decision. It is still her priority to protect the Reinove bloodline." Even though his words weren't necessarily suggestive, I still figured that Sawyer was meaning that either Eloize was able to assert her Power over the rest of the Empire because of who she was, or Cetilayn and I were simply just that important.

"Right. Thanks, Sawyer. I'll see you next lesson." Hitching my bag higher up onto my shoulder, I twisted around and began towards the entryway of the class.

"Hey, Sonya?" The voice of my Mentor graced my ears and I paused, then looked over my shoulder at him. "Eloize is attending an Elder's Courte in Montana right now, but she should be back by next weekend. When she returns to Siberia, maybe you can meet her and ask her about the Ritual." My lips spread into a wide smile as I digested Sawyer's words.

"Yeah, thanks! That sounds great. I can't wait to meet her." Sawyer's easy-going smile slipped into place as well when I responded and he waved me off as his next hour's Novices started to file in to the room.

☼

"Gen?" The loud rapping of my knuckles against my Mentor's office door echoed off the emptiness of the corridor. Her muffled "come in" met my ears and I stepped in, making myself comfortable in my usual seat across from her.

"Hello, Princess. How are things today?" Genevieve was once again working on paperwork, but pushed it aside gratefully when I entered the room.

"Great. I'm great." I sighed peacefully, a wide, excited grin fighting to make a home on my lips, but I managed to keep it in check.

"Things have been okay at your dormitory? And your lessons?" Genevieve perked a brow as she took in my muted excitement, but didn't comment on it.

"Yes, yeah. The dorm feels great. Lessons are going... great." We locked gazes and stared at each other for a while, and Genevieve seemed to try to decipher my mood, but came up empty.

"Mhmm," She nodded curtly as a soft smile tilted the corners of her red-covered lips to the ceiling. "Well, I'm happy to hear it. Anything you want to talk about?"

"I'm a Seer." I blurted, clasping my hands together and clapping once. The thrill of unearthing a new Gift just bubbled over and spilled out, unable to be contained any longer. "I discovered a new Gift in Gifts & Powers and I had a vision."

"That's wonderful, Sonya! I know that you've been very worried about your development in Gifts & Powers. What did you See?"

"Um, it was some Ritual that my mom had done on me as a baby, with Eloize's help. I heard them say they were removing a Hunter gene." Genevieve's face was void of emotion, but I did notice she visibly sat a little straighter, and I narrowed my eyes. "Do you know anything about this, Genevieve?"

"Only what the Elders spoke about and I know that Eloize had apparently defied their orders." She held my gaze, but something skittered in her cerulean eyes. "And of course, this Ritual made both you and your sister crapat."

My brows furrowed together and my mouth popped open to say something, but I felt my eyes widen as Sawyer's words entered my mind: These supernaturals had their spirit Ripped, or were Morphed away from their original essence. Eloize told Meredith that the spirit would be Ripped. Of course that meant I was one of the crapat, and so was Cetilayn.

Is that what truly attracted Darkness?

Just as the thought entered my brain, I couldn't stop myself from voicing it aloud to Genevieve. "Can being crapat actually attract Darkness?"

"It is true that it creates an opening within the soul, and this can leave a supernatural incredibly more susceptible to other influences, such as Darkness. As for having the crack in your soul genuinely attract Darkness on its own, no one can know this for sure. It is a possibility." Genevieve stood from her position across the huge desk and rounded it to stand beside me.

"What if that's what happened to Cetilayn? What if this Ritual made us attract Darkness?" Unabashed shock curdled within my veins, kissing the newborn untamed panic from before. This could be why I was being followed by Darkness and attacked by it. Maybe it was going to try to force me to Awaken early and shove me headfirst into the Change, just like Cetilayn.

"Sonya, there is nothing for you to fear. We will do everything in our Power to keep you safe from Darkness. This is an unfounded guess, so you shouldn't trouble yourself with the possibility so heavily." Genevieve placed her hand over my own. Her skin felt cold, and I don't know if it was her touch or the anxiety-ridden thoughts throbbing inside my skull, but I shivered.

"Well, how are you going to protect me? I know there was a protection Ritual placed on my dorm, but what about me? Is there anything that you can actually do to protect me? Derik is supposed to be taking me out tonight. What about next term when I go out on my field mission? How am I supposed be safe out there?" My voice was continually rising with each question and my eyes pin pricked with unshed tears.

An image of my sister's crimson-rimmed irises and twisted malicious grin flickered in the forefront of my mind. Cetilayn's brown skin seemed much more washed out than I remembered it being all my life. Her dark hair was braided into two french plaits on either side of her head, but I could still see how limp and lifeless the voluptuous curls had withered into.

Her bone-deep satisfaction as she watched me with voracious fascination as I bled heavily onto the back patio concrete after she'd shoved me through the sliding glass door. The shy peeking of her pink tongue that slipped out of her mouth before slithering over her lips before she lurched forward, making a petrifyingly inhuman noise before Meredith snatched her away.

My entirety was steeped in dread as I realized that I don't want to be like her. The memory caused a wave of unadulterated nausea to cascade through my stomach. In that moment, Cetilayn didn't recognize me as her little sister anymore.

I was just lunch.

"We can arrange for a protection Ritual to be placed on you as well, Sonya. Trust me, okay? You will be okay. I promise that everything will be okay, and I will immediately summon the coven from before." My Mentor leaned forward until she was once again eye-level with me, and the warmth and sincerity swimming through her wondrous cerulean gaze calmed me.

I trusted Genevieve. She has always been there for me, ever since I first arrived to the Academy, and I knew that she cared a lot about me. There was no other Novice she had taken under her wing; no other Novice she was a personal Mentor to. Just me.

Genevieve always made sure I had everything I needed, all the support and advice and love I would be missing without Meredith.

Nodding slowly, I felt her squeeze my hand and push forth a small smile. I let my eyes close for a moment, and Genevieve surprised me by pulling me into a hug. Again, it was definitely not customary for us to hug, but it was exactly the reassurance I needed.

And once again, I was so grateful for Genevieve's comfort.

☼

Chucking a tennis shoe across my room, I let out an angry cry. It was twenty till eleven, and I still couldn't decide on what to wear. Truthfully, this was all Derik's fault; if he would just tell me where we were going, I wouldn't be having this much trouble. He refused to give me any hints, and I made sure to remember to make him regret it. Wear something you can move in. Screwing with me, I'll show up in sweats.

Rolling my eyes, I pushed myself out of my closet and gulped when I turned to see the mess behind me. In my hunt for an outfit, I'd completely torn my wardrobe apart and now my room was a total mess. Shoes, jackets, skirts, and jeans were thrown haphazardly all over the place. Taking inventory of all the different articles of clothing, my eyebrows rose in slight surprise.

Did I really have that much clothes?

My attention was drawn back to the clock as I realized that I had five minutes until I was supposed to meet Derik in the plaza. Just as I huffed out an annoyed sigh, a knock came on the door in the living room and I peeked out to see Ankiel groan and pause his video game. When he pulled the door open, I saw a glimpse of dark hair and tattoos, and knew immediately that it was Trent.

Turning away, I randomly plucked a black flowy blouse with mauve lace trimming off the floor and threw it on over my bra. Without much care, I grabbed the first pair of jeans I saw—a pale blue pair that formed to me like a second skin and hung low on my waist.

A strip of skin of my stomach was visible as the top was slightly cropped and the jeans fell short on my hips. Shrugging, I pushed my feet into a pair of black, ankle flat-heeled boots and began to unbraid the pigtails in my hair. Instead of washing it and letting it curl back up into its usual afro design, I'd braided it up before getting in the shower. The kinky coils elongated now and swept a bit passed my shoulders.

I ruffled a hand through my hair as to add a slight more volume then did a once over in my full-body mirror. I felt comfortable, but still looked nice; hopefully we wouldn't be going anywhere too uppity. I snatched my black trench coat from the top of a mountain of clothes and pulled it on, the bottom of the jacket brushing my ankles. Freeing my hair from underneath the collar of my jacket, I made a hasty exit from my room.

I tossed Ankiel and Trent a sickeningly sweet smile as I flung the front door open. Ankiel just rolled his at me while Trent just stared stoically and boredly at my retreating back.

"Don't wait up!" I tossed over my shoulder to the boys.

"I don't even like you!" Ankiel countered with a grunt.

Even though he was being rude, I still couldn't stop myself from chuckling as I harshly closed the door behind me. Electrifying excitement jittered over my skin and I hurriedly made my way down to the plaza. My body thrummed with the thrilling sensation, the anticipation of seeing Derik eroding over all the information I'd discovered that day.

Tonight, I would push everything out of my mind and just enjoy being beside my Mate again. It had been a little over half a week since I'd seen him, but I missed his presence so much. My anger from before had completely dissipated to be quite honest. The time apart really helped me to calm down, and the violent urge to be in his arms again was undeniable.

Derik was all I wanted to focus on, and I never felt safer than in his arms. It was exactly where I needed to be right now.