Heir of Nothing (The Light-Bringer Trilogy, # 1)

Six

It was the middle of the night when Cal knocked on Matias's door, his hair sticking up in odd directions, blinking sleep away.

"What is it?" he asked groggily. 

"I think I might have something on our mystery prince," she said.

"Okay. It can wait until the morning." Matias moved to close the door.

Cal thrust her hand out. "I don't think it can."

Matias heaved a sigh, motioning her to enter. "Make it quick."

Cal swept in as Matias closed the door behind her. She lit a candle on the desk and set Demons and Demonology beside the candle. Matias peered over her shoulder, reading the title.

"What do demons have to do with Prince James?" he asked in confusion.

"I've been looking in every book I could think of for James's name. He's not in any of the books I looked in on royal lineages here in Zemlja."

"And? The person who was in there could have been and esteemed writer."

"Have you heard the rumours about there being other realms outside of our, Valhalla, and Helheim? What if he is from one of these 'other realms'?"

Matias pursed his lips. "Are you mentally okay, Calista?" he asked after a few moments.

"Yes, Matias, I am mentally okay," she hissed. 

"Continue," he said.

"Anyways, what I didn't realize was that Helheim has an hierarchy similar to ours. The Diablo is the 'king'—and his brothers are the successors. What's to say that he doesn't have a son?" 

Matias looked aghast. "Well, since we're on the confession train, I also found something."

Cal's interest piqued. "What did you find?"

"A letter from Dalia's daughter Maria. It was something about a girl possibly being a Light-Bringer," he said, crossing his arms. 

"Interesting. Any names?"

Matias shook his head. "No."

Cal cursed. "It's fine. Off topic, but something I saw while flipping through this was this."

She flipped to a page where someone, a scholar no doubt, wrote a note. 

"'Never ingest a demon's equivalent to blood'," Matias recited. "Weird."

"I know. I'll try to dig up more on James," Cal said, closing the book.

She stood up and started for the door, the candlelight turning her hair into fire. 

"Cal," he said. She turned to face him, his words dying on his tongue. "Good night." 

She smiled and his heart fluttered. "Good night, Matt," she muttered and left.