“You look-“ I stare at the incredible suit my brother has made in only two months.

“Do you think it’s too much?” He smooths down a nonexistent wrinkle in the light lavender silk.

“Absolutely not. Don’t even. You look fabulous and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. That includes yourself.” I flick him in the forehead and laugh.

A knock on the door cuts me off and Clade stiffens.

“Go get it.” I nudge him.

He cautiously walks to the door.

“Hello. Does Clade Wren live here?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

Their conversation muffles as tears well in my eyes.

This is good for him. This is an opportunity that will give him a good life.

Yet, knowing that this is what I want for him, the rotten void in my mind whispers words filled with jealousy and hate. I shake the thought away and the world refocuses.

Clade stands in front of me holding the box containing the queen's new gown.

“Veren, you're doing it again.” He whispers.

The guard at the door stares at me, his hand resting on his crossbow.

“I’m sorry.” I laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

“Are you gonna sneak to the bridge?” Clade nudges.

“Ya I’ll follow behind you. I’ll meet you at the bridge afterwards.”

He hugs me and skips to the royal transport. I stand there and watch him go. Fear welling in my gut.

My feet refuse to move and my body weighs. A terrible stabbing pain shoots through my head as Clade rides away.

~He's going to rat on you.~

Darkness fills my eyes and my sclera fades to black.

~They're gonna find you~ the darkness whispers

“No,” I whisper, trying to get the void out of my head, “Clade wouldn't.”

~He's not like you. Clade is one of them, you can't hide him from the echo forever.~

“GET OUT OF MY HEAD!” I squeeze my eyes as hard as I can and I feel the void reseed.

I brush myself off and stand.

Clade’s satchel on the table falls and a small glass bottle rolls towards me. It's filled with the dust of the Echo. In the back of my mind the Void laughs. I jump back. Echo dust kills people of the Void.

“He- He’s scared of me.” Hot tears drip down my cheeks and I scramble out the door.

I run to the Darkness. The void smiles at my tears.

“I need help.”

A hand of darkness reaches out and drags me down, into the forbidden kingdom of the Void.

(sclera - the white part of your eye)

Im gonna start writing part 3 tomorrow :D

I'll probably post it on Monday.